DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 88, 12 April 1912, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(Per Press Association.") . Auckland, April 10. There was a big muster at the Police Court to-day of persons arrested in connection with the betting raid. The cases were no.t called till late in the afternoon, and were then adjourned until April 18th.. Gisborne, April 10. At .the Gisborne Oil Co.'s bore the Waitangi well is producing three barrels per day at the 655 feet level. Wellington, April 10. Stanley J. Beattie, who left Manakau on Saturday to look for cattle, is missing. A search party is now out. Beattie took with him a dog and a gun, but very little food. y A deputation to the Trades ; and I Labour Conference this afternoon briefly discussed the Defence Act, and - decided to set up a committee to act J jointly with one from the Federation of Labour. (After making inquiry the ._ joint committee will report to the r unity conference. Wellington, April }L 0 As a sequel to last'night's Labour * social several delegates at the X.Z. . Labour Party's conference to-day,took • exception to the arrangements for issuing invitations and'drawing up the ) toast list. Included in the lattir «ere . several Ministers of the Crown, aucl delegates to-day strongly femplmfeisiiil the absolute independence of the i ...-■■ hour- Party. A resolution was pass jj ; regretting the'occurrence of last night j and the unfortunate position in vvliie ; delegates -were unwillingly placed. Gisborne, April 11. A man whose name is unknown and boys named Gordon Brown (aged 14) and Fredric Allen (aged 15) were swept off the groyne at the entrance to the river while fishing this morning. The man disappeared and has not since been'seen. Allen was saved, ' life lines being thrown which he grasped. An attempt was made to save Brown, Hewitt Douglas, dredge hand, jumping into the water and' holding on to him for ten minutes, but lie had to let go owing to the force of the seas and the boy was drowned, Douglas with difficulty regaining the pier. Wellington, April 11. Replying to a deputation from the Timber Workers' conference the Hon. r- Laurenson said that he had a good deal of sympathy with the proposal J to nationalise the timber industry, 1 but he did not think it could be tackjiTled in the near future. He did not see j*! how they could avoid leaving mortal gages as "the first call in the case of I' bankrupt employers. He personally | favoured increasing the duty on fori| eign timber but this would mean rais- « ing the cost of living. The ectablishi riient of a State ferry service would • bo a necessary corollary to the completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway. On other points the Minister said ho was in sympathy with a the objects of the deputation. On || the question of prices of food Mr I Laurenson said the. milk supply should » be dealt with by municipalities. Undj cr a municipal system the cost of distribution would be reduced by 75 per cent. A deputation representing the Peace Society and the several Labour organisations waited on Mr Myers, Minister for Defence, and protested against the compulsory sections of the Defence Act. They declared that they would never rest until they were repealed. The .Minister repeated his declaration of yesterday that he would be no party to the law being broken. Everybody would be treated alike. 'I lie reason the Act was made compulsory : was that they believed it was the I duty of cv(!i'.\ individual to serve the State. A member of the deputation asked if the Minister would be prepared to amend the Act so as to prcj vent force being used in industrial disi putes. The Minister said he would not I be in favour of that, because law and j order must be maintained. The stato- ! ment was received with ironical laughter.