WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 64

WELLINGTON.

At Palmerstdn North W. J. Short was sentenced to 12 months for perjury. When sentence was pronounced the mother of the prisoner, who was in court, was seized with * fit, and had to be removed. Amongst those affected by the recent decision of the Cabinet to enforce the age limit in the Civil Service is Mr Malcolm ftl'Lean, who has been in charge of the Survey Office at Lawrence since the early days of provincialism. 'Mr M'Lean is to be retired on three months' leave of absence *n& the usual compensation of one month 6 >alstry for "every year of service. Heavy rain has. been falling at Wanganui the greater portion of the past three days. The river is high, but no damage has been ione. Wanganui Chamber of Commerce hasunimimousiY carried the following resolution : "That in the op ; iij->n of This chamber the settlement of lai-are r.r<~as of unimproved Kativ-p laud such as ■--■cist in Wanganui and in her districts would be best accomplished ' ■ the Cvown obtaining such lands toy morn, of a Native Land fov Settlements Act. thp. capital value being invested by

the Government, so ac to provide a con- j tinuous income for Native owners, and that the Government be asked to introduce the necessary legislation this session." At the Wanganui S.M. Court on Monday Mr Johnston, manager of the Aramoho Meat Freezing Works, was fined £20 and costs for a breach of the Factories Act in not paying a boy under 18 for Good Friday and Easter Monday. The defence set up was that the- company was working under the meat workers' award, which, it was contended, overrode the Factory Act. Other cases are pending. The weather has cleared up, and promises to be beautifully fine for the opening of the Manawatu show on Tuesday. The restilts of the factory butter competitions were disclosed on Monday Mangorei (New Plymouth) Factory gained most points (93£), and the following nine others scored j 93: — Buchan and Co,. Okoia, Hawera Dairy Company, Kakaramea Dairy, New Zealand j Dairy Union, Eketahuna, Stratford Farmers' ! Factory, Makuri Dairy Company, and Cheltenham Dairy Company. Those which scored 92^ points were Konini, Bell Block Dairy Union, Rangiwahia, Kuahine, Apiti, and Waverley. A meeting of State school teachers to discuss tho question of superannuation was held on held on Monday. Most of the recommendations of the executive were approved. It was decided that the optional age of retirement of women teachers should be 50 and the compulsory age 60. During the discussion it was stated that there might be two bills introdiieed to Parliament dealing with superannuation, one for men and another for women.