WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2370, 3 August 1899, Page 34

WELLINGTON.

Giving evidence at the Arbitration Court, Mr W. A. Kennedy, local manager of the tJnion Company, said that they had gone into calculations, and found that if the men's demands were acceded to it would cost the company £17,000 per annum more for their boats trading in New Zealand waters alone. Evidence" for the Seamen's Union was concluded. The Hon. G. M'Lean then addressed the court on behalf of the employers, repeating the arguments used by Mr James Mills before the Conciliation Board. The arrivals in the colony in June numbered 976, and the departures 1303. • It has been decided by the Land Board to defer consideration of Joseph Soler's application for an area of land on the Wanganui River, which he wishes to acquire for wine-growing purposes. The matter will be considered again when the block in question has been proclaimed Crown 3 and. The Wairoa brought in 69 barrels of whale oil from Tory Channel, where Jackson and party have captured four whales two of which they have still to try out. The point as to wrhether the president of the Seamen's Union, who is a solicitor, could appear for his side has been settled on his favour by the Arbitration Court, who decided tJhat he was there by virtue of iiis position and not as counsel. The Arbitration Court announced on the 26th ult. that the majority had decided they could not give preference to unionists in the 3eajnen's dispute. The business was carried on satisfactorily under die old award, and no attempt had been made by the owners to discriminate against unionists. The conduce of the shipping business stood on a different footing from that of factories. Authority and discipline must be preserved, and individuals must sacrifice something for *he public good. In such a matter the court must be careful. If a strong case had ■been made out by the unionists for preference further consideration might have Jbeen given to their claims. As a matter of fact, Wellington was not on friendly terms with the other unions, and the question must be treated from a colonial point of view. Under the circumstances the court would not be justified in granting preference, and the owners, therefore, would not be called on to answer this question. A very lar^e gathering of railww men

assembled on Friday to bid farewell to Mr J. H. Lowe, chief engineer of New Zealand railways, who has resigned the latter position after 32 years' service to enter upon mission work in India. Mr Lowe was presented with a handsome illuminated address and album and a" purse of 175 sovereigns, which had been subscribed to by railway men through the colony. Mr Ronayne, general manager of railways, who made the presentation, said that in the several capacities in which Mr Lowe had been engaged he had rendered good service to the colony. Mr Lowe, in replying, said he was going away to take up a higher service than that in the New Zealand railways—namely, to cany the work of redemption into heathen lands. The album contained the signatures of some 2000 railway men of all grades. A fire broke out on Sunday night in Wanganui Collegiate School, in which were over 100 boarders, in addition to the principal and Mrs Empson and a large staff of servants sleeping. The fire -was confined to the master's room on the bottom floor at the rear of the building, and everything in ie was destroyed. The alarm was raised by one of the boys' sleeping in a room above the principal's. There was no scare, the system of fire drill among the boys being responsible for the utmost order. The brigade was promptly on the spot, and though the room was a mass of flames, which were shooting out of the window to the roof, any alarm was quickly subdued. The insurances are: •On the building £3600, and the furniture £1000. At the annual meeting of the National Dairy Association, to be held at Hawera on Thursday, the important question of changing the standards of grades of butter will be discussed by Mr Ruddick. Notices have been sent out to some 6000 Wellington electors that their names have been struck off the roll for not voting at the by-election. The rainfall in Wellington for the month j of July was 6.45 inches. I