INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10919, 13 March 1907, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Tlie Slaughtermen Employes Union last evening received an intimation from the employers asking the men to wait another week before talcing any step. Mr Bust pointed out that if the men waited another week they would lose tho chance of having the dispute heard at the next sitting of the Arbitration Court. The men unanimously- decided that an application bo filed for .raving the dispute Heard at the next sitting of the ..Court; An application was filed this morning. A conference between , the Huntly Coal Company directors and the Waikato Coal Miners Union resulted m a settlement of the dispute. The concessions made by. the company include an all-round increase of wages, but the. hours of labor are practically unaltered. The annual meeting of representatives of the New Zealand district of the Australasian Catholic Benefit Society opened to : day. Tho annual report stated that there was a general increase m the funds and membership, particularly at Dunedin and Wellington, while Christchurch, Auckland and elsewhere had a normal influx. The general fund hud a credit balance of £40 and tho guarantee fund £30 9s 2d. The amount of the sick fund m the branches Was £9069, incidental fund m branches £1378 16s lOd, and benevolent fund £240 12s Bd. THAMES, tliis day. Mr Wm. H. Bakor, B.Sc, son of Mr W. Bakor, a well-known mine manager at the Thames, has been selected from thirteen applications as director of the Thames School of ' Mines. The recommendation wijl be forwarded to the Mines Department. He was a graduate of Otago University, a holder of the Thames School of Mines scholarship, and formerly assistant director at the Thames School of Mines, a director of the technical school of Tasmania University, and is at present assistant lecturer of the Kalgoorlic School of Mines. Preliminary steps arc being taken by the Native Land Purchase Department for the purchase of twenty thousand acres of Native land m Thames county. Other large purchases are probable.. A prospector had a fearful experience m the bush district at the back of Tliames. He became ill and by blindness. He lay helpless without food for days. He was found by un Austrian, who succoured him, and was afterwards able to ride to the hospital. WELLINGTON, this day. The Hon. Mr McNab spoko at Tai.mpe» last night on the Land Bill, traversing similar ground to his former speeches. He received a vote of thanks. Referring to the ballot system, the Minister said a-.posi- • tion was developing that was never contemplated when the system was inaugurated. In «. case<where there were only a Jew, applicants- little objection could bo taken beyond the element of .gamble, but now, when they saw 420 applicants for one section a new aspect of dummyism was coming into vogue. The Government had certain proposals under consideration, and he hoped the objectionable features would be removed. Mr Justice Button was sworn m as a Judge of the Supreme Court by Mr Jus!tice X Cooper to-day. He leaves this afternoon to preside at the Blenhoim sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr W_ Gray; secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department, who has been seriously ill for some time, is now m a very serious condition, and his case is causing his friends extreme anxiety. The Rev. Mr Coffey, too, who suffered a stroke of paralysis somo time back, i 6 said to be sinking. ; ...... CHRTSTCHUROH. this day. Yesterday a conference of delegates of various tailoring unions m the colony was held hero, wlien it was decided to form a federatioh under the title of the Federated Order of Shop Tailors, Tuiloresses, Machinists, and Pressers' Industrial Union of Workers. Tlie federation's main object is to procure a universal set of conditions for the tailoring trade. in the colony.. A chairman and a secretary were elected. The meeting is to' be resumed to-day. The attempts of Messrs Davey and Witty, M.H.lt.'s, to mediate between the slaughtermen and the companies wei. a failure, which seems to preclude any hope j of settlement m" the near future. The Union last night refused übsblutely to submit the case to the Arbitration Court, showing an indisposition to compromise. Tlie companies yesterday informed the mediators they wore still 'willing to secure an award from the Court, and lo make the new scale of killing rates retrospective to date of recommencement of work. Tho Union would not accept the offer. Th c Union had placed before it last night a proposal that it offer to abandon other itome m the deniuuds of the killing rate if 25s was conceded. The suggestion was rejected unhesitatingly. The men stated they were determined to insist on all thoy asked for. The President "f the Union this mOmiiigi staled that though the nieii intended to insist on the main points of their demands, namely 25i killing and nine hours a day, they were prepared to discuss oilier points with the companies. If the latter offered 25s 6d a bundled for freezers and 18s for potters, they would consider the matter, and probably arrive at a .settlement. Messrs Davey and Witty are still endeavoring to establish a basis for settlement. They interviewed the companies this morning and reported that the meeting with the Union was not productive of good results. Interviewed, tliey said they did not abandon hope of successful mediation, and would pursue the | matter. In the meantime work is proceeding) at the freezing wor^s- New hands aro coming, forward and working, and a fairly large number of sheep are daily dealt with. Should the strike result merely, m the engagement of a complete new board of slaughtermen there will be ipiite ar number of * moderately skilled hands available for next ."eason." DUNKDIN. this day. A large water pipe on the first lloor of the City hotel burst between 4 and 5 o'clock yesterday morning and flooded out the .car of premises occupied by Mr L. S. Donald, mercer, situated on the ground floor. /The water accumulated on the lloor above a" small storeroom m -Mr Donald's shop, unobserved by anyone ; then it burst through Hie "ceiling by it's sheer weight, and saturated nearly everything, including a shipment of hats imported inst a week ago. Tho other stock damaged includes hosiery and overcoats, and altogether the value of the damaged goods is estimated by the owner at £800. A woman was convicted for the 119 th time for drunkenness yesterday, and -sentenced to 7 days' imprisonment. It was stated it was intended to have her committed to a receiving liome for drunkards at Christchurch. (Special to Herald.) The genuine Watteau discovered m Dunedin is the property of Mrs S. Smith. 'It was given 'as a wedding present by her father, Mr McCavin, who kept tho White Horse hotel m Grey street. - Jno. Fiudlay, recently sentenced to five years' imprisonment for the Papakaio burglary, has declared he is without fluids to prosecute his appeal against the sentence. The Department of Justice- has therefore instructed tho Grown solicitor (Mr Fraser) to procure for Find lay's use tin' Judge's notes of the caw and other ! materi;. 1 "for tho appeal, the Crown bearing the expanse.