LAST NIGHTS NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11372, 3 September 1908, Page 3

LAST NIGHTS NEW ZEALAND NEWS

(Per Pies* Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. At the meeting of the Trades*and .Labor Council to-night a, resolution was carried that the Government be requested to make inquiry into the Post Office cases recently before the Supreme Court, and into the Avorking conditions and Sunday hours of the Postal Department; At the Police Court this afternooon John Win... Macky. a^resident of Grey Lynn, was charged ■with committing a breach of the Electoral Act in tlmt ''lie signed his name as -witness to tlie signa-^ of R. Albert Sims on a claim for enrolment for the electoral district of Grey Lynn, without having seen such signature written or without having heard the Tipersoii signing declare the said signature to be his own, and! .signed his own proper name.". The defendant, who explained that he was a ship's steward and was engaged by a political body to canvass the Qectorabe, • stated that he acted in good faith, and committed the breacli unwittingly. His Worship said it "was very necessary .-that ■ the Act should he complied with, otherwise the rolls •would 1 be "staffed. 1 " A, substantial detefrant must be imposed and one which he hoped would be a lesson to other people. A tine of £5 and 30s costs was then inflicted. NAPIER, last night. H3I.S. Encounter arrived this morning from Auckland, and will remain h«i« for a week. . Sub-Inspector Dwyer ' has received a telegram to the effect that Denis Ryan's dwelling on Table Hill, Porangahau, was destroyed by fire at 10 o'clock this morning. WANGANUI, last night. The eighteenth annual meeting of the Wiinganui Freezing Company was held-to-day. The balance sheet showed a credit of £5413, and a dividend of 6 per cent was dieclared. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, referred, to the drop in the prices of wool, and said that New Zealand's income from i-hai> product was only half as much as last yeai\ The company lias decided to increase the capacity of the works, and a contract lias been, let for an addition to the engine room. A new macliine capable of freezing 2COO sheep per day has been ordered, and will be ready for the coming season. An important matter occupied th« attention of Mr Justice Chapman at the Supreme Court this afternoon and cven.ing. Jas. Alexander, of Wanganui, died about 16 years* ago. but his will conferred on his son, Wm. Alexander, the power of appointment over one-fouith of Ills residuary estate, valued at about £15.000, on the determination of the life of Mary Alexander (his wife) and Wm. Alexander. Mary Alexander died three months ago. and Wm. Alexander died in 1897. He left all his real and personal property to Alexander Alexander, who is Yus cousin. The Court is now asked to decide whether the will of Wm. Alexander is a valid exercise of power 1 of the said appointment, and whether Alexander Alexander is entitled to the one-fourth- of the residue estate of the said Jas. Alexander. Mr Justice Choipinan said that owing: to the large sum involved and the uncertainty of the wording of the will the .matter was most important. He asked whether it should not be taken direct to the Appeal Court. Judgment was reserved. Five counsel were engaged. WELLINGTON, last night. The matter of the Midland Railway Company came before Mr Justice Cooper in the Supreme Court to-day, upon the application of the plaintiff in tlie deben-ture-holders' action in England, who had fwlly investigated the accounts, of tlie New Zealand ' receiver, Mr J. H. .B. Coates. aud being' .satisfied' .therewith asked that Mr Coates be granted a full discliargv in respect to all matters already dealt with by him, and that the balance of tlie funds "in his hands, after provision is made for known liabilities, be handed to. tlie solicitors in New Zealand of the plaintiff. Mr Coates to be under no obligation to move further in respect of any oiitsta.ndin.sj matters, save on the request and at the expense'of the plaintiff. Mr Ostler appeared for tlie. plaintiff, and Mr Halziell for Mr Coates. An order was made h"y consent in the terms, of the application. At a meetiivj of the directors of tlie Wellington and Manawatu Railway .Company to-day.^ it was decided to declarean interim* dividend of 5 per cent, for the half-year ended August 31st. In reference to the suggestion of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, that Parliament be asked to set up a Royal Commission to hear evidence in view of the remodelling of the .Bankruptcy Act. the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce decided, to-day that it would be .more efficacious to approach the Minister by 'means of a deputation, so that a Bill might be drafted for consideration by the various Chambers during the recess. INVERCARGiiLL, last night. At the Supreme Court to-day, tt. Robertson was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for sheep-6tealing. The jury recommended •clemency. on the ground of strong temptation, but the Juc\?e said that in ,iio circumstances wluu-vcr should probation- be granted in the ivse of sheep-stealing, which offence was ;i ears* to the country.