INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11109, 25 October 1907, Page 5

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The Arbitration Court -was occupied all yesterday "with the claim of the Auckland Engineers' Union for increased wages. The men's demands included an advance m wage from Is 3d to Is 4£d per hour for first-class engineers, further limitation of apprentices, and the usual preference clause. In support of the men's demands, evidence was given that the minimum wage of Is 4^d an hour was not excessive, and was warranted, by the increased cost of living and the wages paid to other skilled labor. It was also stated that one apprentice to three journeymen was a fair proportion, and that a greater number militated against a boy learning the trade. Mr Masefield, m putting the claim of the masters before the Court, considered 10s a day ample for a minimum wage. They objected to the preference to unionists' clause, considering it unfair that non-unionists should be debarred from obtaining work. After much evidence on both sides, the Court reserved its decision. NAPIER, this day. Two hundred pounds is offered m prize money for the championship regatta here m March next, allotted as follows : — Champion sculls, £10 and gold medal ; maiden fours, £514 ; maiden double sculls, £9 ; champion fours, £70 ; youths' fours, £12 ; junior double sculls, £9; champion pairs, £16; junior fours, £18 ; champion double sculls, £16 : Napier fours, £24. r At a meeting of the Napier branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants the following resolution was carried : That the Government be urged to give all members of the civil and railway services full civil and political rights. WANGANUI, this day. The election of Mayor and Councillors of the new borough of Eastbrook takes place on December Ist. There will he eight Councillors. The influenza epidemic is still severe here, and there are still a large number of cases. After a few days of sunny weather, heavy showers and boisterous winds are again prevailing, but with every promise of a favorable -turn. WELLINGTON, this day. Mr J. C. Williamson has leased the Wellington Opera House for ten years. The building will be let to companies other than Mr Williamson's, and will be generally run much, on the present lines. Particulars are given m the Gazette of the treaties of extradition recently ratified between Great Britain and) Sweden. Government offices throughout the Dominion will . be closed on Monday, November 11th; m celebration of the King's Birthday. ■ * v ■ i The Gazette contains regulations for the netting and sale of sea trout. The season opens on November Ist, and closes on 1 - the last day m February.' A matter of considerable interest and importance came before the Education Board. Mr Erskine, assistant teacher at tlie Terrace school, Wellington, resigned the captaincy of the school cadets? He said he was prepared to continue drilling the boys; and supervising their shooting, but objected to having to attend ceremonial parades. ... MivMcMqrran, headmaster, wrote to- the .Board; . supporting Mr Erskine's applicatiqri to* , fae -relieved of the captaincy. The, questtipn arose as to what jurisdiction th&i Board had m sudh a matter. The general opinion was that- the Board had power to insist upon an assistant ihastpt $ar,rying put the duties of captain, of 1 cadets, including the charge of cadets at parades/! It was decided to write a carefully studied \letter to Mr Erskine, pointing out the view taken by the Board. \ -. " Tha Education Board considered .the Department's offer of a subsidy towards^ miniature rifle ranges. It was decided to suggest the advisability of importing subtarget machines m lieu of instruction by miniature rifle ranges. „ : ; At the recent boxing competition doubts were cast upon the eligibility .of Elliott, of Timaru who won' the featherweight championship of Australasia. Captain Horneman, of Sydney; asked the local Amateur Association to inquire into the matter. They liave now done so, and returned an answer that they are of opinion that there were no grounds to support the rumors. . Two Chinese were to-day fined £25 each for selling pak-a-pbo tickets. A peculiar position occurred at. the sitting of the Conciliation Board to-day with reference to the driver & dispute. The employers did not appear, and the chairman "gave -what he termed a judgmen by default, so that the' claims of the Union become the recommendation of the Conciliation /Board. The' chairman deprecated the action of the employers and said their object presumably had been to discredit the Board and also to avoid the necessity of taking the case before the Arbitration Court. NELSON, tlu s day. The Anglican Synod opened yesterday. Bishop Mules announced that he would attendi tho Lambeth Conference next year, A proposal made to constitute a new parish beyond iSpooner's Range was referred to the Bishop and Standing Committee. WESTPORT, this day. Afc the Magistrate's Court to-day three men were charged with stealing two cases^ of wine from , the railway goods sheds". One was discharged, and the two. G. W. Thompson and John Larsen, convicted and fined £5, or a months' imprisonment. Norah Mary Flinnigan and Nelson Campbell Hodges, on a charge of fraudulently obtaining from the Bank of New Zealand £19 Is Id and £17 10s respectively by the sale of gold,' m which copper and brass were concealed, were committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Nelson. CHRISTCHURCH, this day. There is a marked increase m the number of motor cars m Christchurcli. The City Council has on the register 440 cars and motor cycles, and the Selwyn County Council 124. Importers have many orders on hand, a feature of the trade being the increasing number of British cars ordered, though Continental and American have patrons. Feed is now plentiful m mid-Canter-bury, and the season's prospects arc encouraging. TIMARU. this day. At a- public meeting at Temiika last night, Mr McCullough addressed about 150 people on the same lines as his Christchurch speech. A resolution was passed condemning the Government for unnecessary brutality m dismissing McCullough, and demanding removal of the reguktion /for a breach of which he was dismisSd. DUNEDIN. this dhy. | The p.&. Waiwera. from London direct, arrived at Port Chalmers last evening. She brought some pedigree stock consigned to Wright, Stephenson and Company, and the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and including the five-year-old stallion Silver Crest,' a five-year-old hackney stallion, four Clydesdale colts rising three years, also five stud Border Leicester rams. The vessel was delayed, for a day after leaving London owing to a fireman attempting to commit suicide, the captain returning to Plymouth and putting the man ashore. INVERCARGILL, this day. A side-light 'has been thrown on the purchase of the ship Stefano Razetto. A case was heard m which Captain 6abolino, who brought the ship to the Blus, claims £23 10s m wages and expenses from W. S. Waterston, who bought the ship when it was sold 'by Lloyds' at the Bluff recently. The case hinged on whether or not Waterston bought for his own use and benefit or as agent for Razetto, the former owner. Since the sale Sabo* lino had been m charge of the ship at the Bluff, and he alleges that he was specifically engaged by Waterston. The defence "was that Waterston acted throughout as agent for Marteno Razetto. Waterston's evidence was to the effect that on the day of the sale he- went to the Bluff without the slightest intention of purchasing, but that Razetto showed him a cable intimating that £1000 was being sent from Genoa, as a deposit, and asked him to buy as agent and deposit the money. Waterston did so, and since then and received no money from Razetto. Razetto m his evidence confirmed the agreement, but said that although £1000 had arrived from Genoa, he had not paid Waterston because he could not get the ship insured. He also stated that he told Cnptain Sabolino that if he got the ship he would appoint him (Sabolino) captain for the voyage, ne denied that ho engaged him to take charge at the Bluff. The Magistrate reserved bis decision.