INTERPROVICIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10104, 23 March 1909, Page 1

INTERPROVICIAL NEWS.

(Pee Peess Association.) WELLINGTON. March 22. _ The Rev. Dr W/ilbar Chapman, who is to conduct an evangelistic mission in Australia with Mr C. Alexander, is being invited by the Wellington Council of 'Churches to pay a similar visit to New Zealand. The Council of Churches to-night passed resolutions disapproving of Sunday -concerts, and strongly objecting to the pony racing now going on, and urging the Government to legislate in the direction of restricting the number of race days. AUCKLAND. March 22. An Austrian named Kostanich was drowned yesterday at Waikanae Lake, near Parengarenga. A party of Austriaus were out shooting ducks from tho bank of tho lake and deceased attempted to swim out for a wounded bird, and disappeared when some distance from the shoi<e. It is presumed ho was seized with cram]). In giving evidence before the Railway Appeal Board to-day, Mr. W. C'romhie, formerly stationmaster at' Auckland, but now retired, alluded to the inadequacy of the staffing on the Auckland railway section. He stated that the reason porters were kept on the trains on guards' duty, when they were not considered actually competent- to run trains, was because of the chronic inefficiency and inadequacy of. the staffing" of the service. That- was a recognised fact, and he had made frequentappeals to his superior officers on that score, believing that in the interests of safety- it was advisable- that the state of affairs should not be allowed to continue. Counsel for the Department (Mr Davidson) asked if the- inadequacy of the staff, as far as numbers were concerned, was not a. result of unanticipated increase in business, to which Mr Crombie replied that as soon as such a state of affairs arose the Department should have made provision accordingly. Eventually he admitted that the abuse was as suggested by Mr Davidson. GIS-BORNE. March 22. Mr Darton was committed for trial. Counsel for the defence said defendantthought he was quite within his rights in bringing voters to the poll. No discrimination was used, nor were electors toid who they should vote for.