NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 2647, 7 December 1904, Page 33

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

AUCKLAND. I An interesting point in connection with ! the question of preferential trade was re- ' f erred to at a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce by Mr John Reid, who pointed out that for more than 20 years New Zealand had given a big preference to Australian wine, against wine j from Portugal, California, or elsewhere. During- all these years New Zealand had | got nothing in return, and he thought it was about time that the New Zealand Government approached the Commonwealth Government to see if some "New Zealand produce could not be admitted to the Commonwealth in exchange. A remission of duty on maize would be a great benefit to New Zealand. When the Commonwealth was framed z duty of- about lOd per bushel was put on maize, with -the result that sine© i the drought broke up the Commonwealth I had scarcely taken any of our maize. Lime- j juice produced in Rarotonga was now -completely shut out from Australia, and in consequence the industry had almost come to a standstill. He thought it unreasonable for New Zealand to continue this preference without getting anything in return. A fine of £100 and costs was inflicted at the Police Court on Friday Percy Arthur Hadley, an importer of machinery, but now a bankrupt, who was charged with presenting a false invoice to tha Customs on .November, 1901. The Crown Solicitor's representative stated that an invoice for machinery imported was presented by Mr Hadley, alleging its value at £651. Since he became bankrupt the Official Assignee ascertained from documents that the goqds : were actually valued at £835. An elaborate system for the evasion of Customs duties had been carried out by the accused. Hadley'e solicitor explained that his client was laid up when the invoices were presented, but he did not blame the clerks. The matrimonial affairs of George Ross, who was stated to have formerly held the position of assistant engineer to the Dunedin Harbour Board, had . to be inquired into by Mr H. S. Wardell, S.M., in the Police Court on Saturday, when Ross, who had been arrested at Dunedin on a warrant, waa charged with neglecting to support his wife. After hearing the evidence his Worship, remarking that he did not think much of complainant's caSe, ordered Ross to pay 5s weekly towards his wife's maintenance. H© did not allow costs. ,At the Police Court on Monday an Austrian was fined £50 for sly grog-selling. This is the third case which has com© before the court within the past month, the fines being £75, £100, and £60. POVERTY BAY. May Heeny, domestic servant, was brought up on remand at Gisborne on "Friday on a- charge of having caused, by omission, the death of her infant child, found on the Waimate road. Evidence was given by Dr Schumakor that the child had breathed, and was a full-timed, healthy child which, with ordinary care and attention, would have lived. He accounted for its death through neglect and inattention. William Shellard, carpenter, deposed that he took the accused to a ford in the river on a recent Sunday. She was in good health and spirits until they had gone seven miles, when she complained of a headache. She got out of the trap. She was absent for about 15 minutes. On her return to the trap, witness heard what he thought was a lamb bleating in the direction from which she came. She reentered the trap, and they continued their drive, returning to town late at night. When she came back to the trap, witness, noticing some blood on her hand and foot asked if. she had given birth to a child. She made no reply. TARANAKI. The weather was dull for the agricultural show, which was probably the best in the history of the society. All classes were we s ll represented, the number of entries being a record one. WELLINGTON. At the Arbitration Court at Wanganui Young and Collins, saddlers, *-ere fined i £10 for having failed to pay the award rate to an employee. A member of the family states that the death of W. Banks at Kimbolton was due to the accidental discharge of a gun, and not to suicide. A married woman named Frances Banks was seen to disappear from the breastwork into the harbour on Wednesday by a Syrian named Habib, who could not swim. He pluckily jumped in, and managed to -support her till she was rescued. The woman is in the hospital, and is not out of danger. The Otaki Licensing Committee have decided tp forfeit the license held by one Barnett, on the grounds that he had left his premises without permission, and on the application of his wife the committee appointed her eldest son, Elijah Barnett, to hold the license until Juno next. At Thursday's meeting of the Employers' Federation the Shops and Offices Act was discjvssed. attention being drawn to the fact that, while the employer is required to pay for \\rious holidays, he is now compelled under this act to pay also for overtime. The following resolutions were passed: — (1) " That this federation approves of the principle of no-work no-pay, and, whereas 'The Shops and Offices Act. 1904,' in the provision for the payment of overtime, destroys the reciprocal and friendly relations heretofore existing between employers and their assistants as regards the custom of weekly employment, this meeting of the federation recommends the various associations connected with t-W federation to.

adopt the basis of an hourly wage, which, under the altered conditions created by the act, is the only equitable course." (2) "That with the view of securing uniformity this meeting requests the incoming executive to arrange with the solicitor for the adoption of a model engagement agreement in keeping with the foregoing resolution." Robert Burke, a young man, who came to the colony several months ago as a greaser on an oversea steamer, pleaded guilty before the stipendiary magistrate on the 2nd to having assaulted a young lady on Friday last. He was remanded for sentence to the Supreme Court. It appeared that on tho evening in question the lady, while walking to her residence in Majoribank street, was accosted by Burke, who seized her. She screamed for help, and he endeavoured to throttle her. saying he would commit murder unless she ceased. Her screams were heard, and a gentleman, running to the scents felled Burke with a walking stick and handed him over to a police constable.

As a result of a conference with the) Chief Health Officer, the Pharmaceutical Association has passed a resolution approving of the recently-gazetted regulations relating to patent medicines. The regulations will come into force on April 1 x next, but it is understood that time will be allowed for quitting stocks of medicines which do not contain, the prescribed formulas. The Mangatainoka Branch of " the Farmers' Union decided to ask the Minister of Agriculture to take steps to prevent the distribution of diseased potatoes in that district, and suggested that the Health Department could assist in the matter. At the Feilding Police Court on Monday, three lads, whose ages ranged from 17 to 19, were charged with breaking and entering the premises of Mr Hill, a schoolmaster, and stealing cash and jewellery of the value of £20. Two lads, one concerned in the previous case, were also charged with breaking and entering the premises of Mr Wheeler and stealing goods of the value of £21 15s. The accused were remanded. Other charges are pending. The time of firing for the cadet shields of the colony has been extended from December 10 to December 15. NELSON. The attendance at the agricultural show just concluded was a record, 55*9 paying for admission, or 734 more than last year. WEST COAST. The coal output last week was 11,614 tons 4cwt, of which 10,346 tons 14owt was from the Westport Cpal Company's mine, and 1267 tons lOcwt from the Seddonville State mine. CANTERBURY. The shearer who disappeared some days ago from Croft's Station at' Omihi turned up safe and sound" at Cheviot.