TELEGRAMS

Southland Times, Issue 13286, 13 August 1895, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

(Per Press Association).

AUCKLAND, Aug. 12.

ft is reported that the Auckland Rope, Fibre, and Matting Company Works, the property of the Bank of New Zealand Estates Company have been disposed of to a syndicate which has also purchased two Southern rope companies in Dunedin and Invercargill. Twenty-five men have received notice of dismissal.

James Cordey, junior, was fined LlO and costs for knowingly making a false answer to the returning-officer when questioned at the recent city election. The accused pleaded guilty and a charge of personation was withdrawn.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 12. Mrs Ballance returned to the colony by the Ruahine to-day. The apology tendered by the Christchurch newspaper Truth for reflections on Government officers has been accepted, the proprietors paying costs and publishing an apology as an advertisement in the principal towns.

The Works Committee of the City Council has decided to bring forward a motion that inquiries ba made as to whether the Corporation has power to establish a Chinese quarter, and if not, that steps be taken to obtain that power and compel Chinese to occupy such quarter, as in Melbourne and other large centres. A rumour is current that Sir Patrick Buckley succeeds to tho vacant judgeship. A pensioner of the 9th Regiment, named James Begg, aged 75, has committed suicide at Hutt by hanging himself. He had been drinking, and was brooding over the loss of his last pension. The Relief Works Committee met to-day when it was resolved that the scale of pay for men employed on the works should be 3s 4d and 5s per day and that married men should in every case have the preference of employment. About 150 men have already obtained orders for work.

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 12.

A public meeting convened by the Prohibition League to consider the Licensing Bill was held to-night. A resolution was carried: “ That this meeting regards the most prominent features of the Government Licensing Bill as undemocratic and unfair in its refusal to submit to the people without restrictions the fate of the drink trade and in its cunning devices to ensure the splitting of the temperance vote.” DUNEDIN, Aug. 12.

A child of two years, son of a miner at Gre< n Island named McLachlan, was drowned in a well close to his house. The hills around the city had a fresh coating of snow this morning and rain and hail fell during the day. At the annual meeting of the Prohibition League the report presented was deemsd satisfactory. A resolution was passed protesting against the inequitable and unjust provisions of the Government’s licensing bill in placing the settlement of the question of prohibition in the hands of a minority of two-fifths plus one, unnecessarily complicating the ballot paper, etc. It was a'leged by oue speaker that tbe men engaged in relief works spent part of their wages in drink, and the usual allegation was made by another that the police and publicans were u league.