NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3097, 23 July 1913, Page 48

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

AUCKLAND. H. Meyer, a boardinghouse-keeper, was fined amounts aggregating £SO at Waihi on the Ist inst. for sly grog-selling and keeping liquor on the premises. Niagara arrived at Auckland on the Ist, having maintained a speed of 15^-knots during the voyage of 6330 miles, using oil fuel. Mr Smart, the Union Company’s superintending engineer, states that cil fuel has so far given complete satisfaction. No hitch occurred during the voyage. The oil proved to be more economical than coal, and avoided deterioration of the ship s plates through contact with damp coal in the bunkers. Four thousand tons of oil were shipped at Vancouver, and a further supply of 350 tons at Honolulu. John Forbes, licensee of the Suffolk Hotel, was fined £2 and costs on a charge of supplying liquor to three youths under 21 years of age. The throe youths concerned, who pleaded “ Guilty to a char-e of falsely representing themselves to be over 21 years of age, were fined £1 each, with costs. A. G. Brett, clerk of the Eden Terrace Road Board, was charged at the Police Court, at the instance of the Audit Department, with failing to account for £l3 5s Od. He was remanded for a week. POVERTY BAY “ Samuel Doleman, Gisborne, drowned, God bless all my children; good-bye.” A boy found the above message written in a legible hand on a note attached to a hat and a coat lying in the Botanical Gardens, near the Jaraheru River, when going to school on the Ist. He informed the police, who were proceeding to drag the river when word came that Doleman, a wellknown character in these parts, was safe. A man passing over the foot-bridge at 5 a.m. heard a splash, and on obtaining assistance found Doleman struggling ashore. He was taken to the hospital. A Native, named Rua Babbington, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment to-day at Port Awanui on a charge of stealing a sheep belonging to,a person unknown. Nuku Nuku Ngarora, on a similar charge, was discharged. Both accused are on terms of probation for similar offences, and Babbington will be duly dealt with on this score. HAWKE’S BAY. Frances Emily Sabin, a young girl who attempted to commit suicide on June 3 by taking poison, appeared in court at Dannevirke on the 3rd, .and was ordered to come up for sentence when called on, on condition that she remained in St. Mary’s Home, Wellington, for two years. WELLINGTON. James Henry Sergeant, charged with the theft of a watch belonging to Charles Jenkins, jockey, and also other thefts of jewellery, was committed for trial. James Whitaker, charged with receiving stolen goods, was also committed for trial. At the Magistrate’s Court on the 2nd, 0. Blair, with several aliases, appeared on three charges of forgery Com nutted in 1908 in Wellington and Masterton. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

The total -amount realised at the Easter carnival in Wellington was £2936, and there is a balance of £1832 after paying all expenses. No scheme has yet been decided upon for the allocation of the sum. It nas been decided to make the carnival an annual affair.

Dr Maca-rthur, S.M., gave his reserved judgment on the 3rd in the case of Crawford v. the Union Steam Ship Company, a claim for £IOO damages for injuries sustained during the discharging of cargo from the Mokoia. The court held that tin- accident was not due to the company’s negligence or to faulty appliances, but to the negligence of a fellow servant in fixing a faulty sling. The employer was therefore liable. Judgment was given for £SO and costs. A second Automatic Baking Company is being formed here. Three bakery firms are amalgamating, and are erecting ovens capable of turning out 10,000 loaves daily. Frank Gillespie, an ex-railway employee, has been committed for trial on a charge of attempting to break and enter Lumbton station booking office with intent to commit a crime.

Norman Fraser was committed for trill on a charge of assaulting and robbing a coloured man (Edward Lopez) late at night in a city street. Two men held Lopez’s arms, while a third, who is alleged to he Fraser, cut out the man’s pockets, severely cutting the thigli in doing so, and took a purse containing £3. New regulations under the Crimes Amendment Act, covering treatment in prison of habitual criminals and offenders, and the control of those detained for reformative treatment, are gazetted to-night. The Kelburn Motor Bus Company has accepted the tender of Messrs G. W. Woods and Co., of Invercargill, for the simply of three Argyll motor chassis. The bodies will be built in New Zealand under the suiiei'vi.s’.on of Mr Woods. Ihe contract time for delivery is five months from date.

The control of the Catholic schools of Wellington during the past year has been vested in parish committees and a control board, the necessary funds being contributed by Catholics. The result of the first year's working is that the board has "aid all expenses of tuition from the funds so derived, and has a credit balance of £7,CO. NELSON. The splendid organ presented to the School of Music bv Mr T. Cawthron wan formal!v handed over on the 4th inst. Mr Cawthron received a great ovation. Mr Ma u rban Barnett, the Auckland city organist, gave n recital. Mr CawthronV gifts to the School of Music amount to over £SOOO. The organ is one of the largest in New Zealand, and will he a valuable addition to the School of Music and the citv. A largely-attended meeting in favour of

the Bible-in-Schools League’s proposals on the 9th adopted a resolution urging that a referendum be taken on the subject. WEST COAST. The Levels County Council on the 3rd merely received the proposal of the Counties’ Association, that councils should establish a co-operative accident insurance fund. The clerk stated that in the last ten years £3OO had been paid in premiums, and £155 returned in compensations. CANTERBURY. Three young men were committed for trial at Timaru on charges of damaging property. They took out a motor car for a joy ride, and owing to inexperience damaged it to the extent of £4O or £SO. Diphtheria has been somewhat prevalent of late in Timaru and Waimate. The hospital board has decided to ask permission of the department to use the Talbot Fever Hospital for such cases, which at present are in a separate ward at the general hospital, but have not separate nurses. The board has received the approval of the department to the acceptance as a donation car lying a- subsidy the sum collected by the St. John Society for the purchase of a motor ambulance. The committee of the Timaru branch of the Farmers’ Union had a long discussion on the 19th as to the most suitable time for holding military camps. Two opinions were strongly held bv different members, six favouring Faster and five the end of October. It was finally decided to call a general meeting of farmers to discuss the ques t ion. The introduction at Timaru of the new union of wharf side workers and subsequent acceptance of many old hands appears to have provided an excess of hands, and complaints are being made by some of the new hands that they do not get a fair share of the work and are left out when some of the late strikers are employed. Yesterday a couple of fistic enecounters arose out of such disputes. SOUTHLAND. The judgment of Mr Justice Williams in the case Royds Bros, and Kirk v. Robert L. Wilson (Waimate), a claim fer £596 for goods supplied to a grocery business conducted by the defendant’s son in Invercargill, was delivered on Saturday bv the registrar. The plaintiffs claimed that the defendant was the real owner if the business, and that he had assumed liability for payment for goods advanced to his son. His Honor held that there was no evidence to support this contention, and gave judgment for the defendant with costs.