NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 84, 28 March 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

A SEDDON MEMORIAL. Per Press Association. Hokitika, Friday. A contract litis been let to Parkinson and Company, Auckland, to erect a statue of the lute R. J. Seddoji. Tliis will lie raised on a polished granite pedestal with white granite step 9 on a concrete foundation.

FREEZING WORKS' SLACKNESS. Hastings, March ->"t. Since the rain began to fall, work at the freezing works has been easing off, as the sheep are not rushed inThirty hands have been dispensed with.

MASTERTON MAYORALTY. Masterton, Fridiv. Mr. 1\ L. Rollings, solicitor. lias definitely announced that he will be a candidate for the mayoralty of the town.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Jlasterton. Friday

William Campbell, alias Harward, committed for trial 011 a charge of having committed burglary and theft at the promises of .lames Seott, jeweller, of llastcrton, 011 March 3. The v:.lue of the goods taken is estimated at £H). Some ol' the missing articles were found in accused's possession by the Napier police when he was arrested there 011 a charge of drtinkenness.

THE MILK STANDARD. Auckland, Friday. A deputation wailed on the Premier to object to the increases of the minimum butter fat percentage in milk from 2.5 to 3.25. The. speakers stated that though the average was about 3.75, it was impossible to maintain 3.25 under adverse conditions. They suggested that the minimum should be 3 per cent. The Premier said the Government was anxious that the countries with which New Zealand was in competition should not have tho opportunity of saying our standard was lower than theirs. Mo would have tha matter looked into.

BOY TRAIN-WRECKER'S PUNISHMENT. Invercargill, March 27Adam Middlemiss, a boy of fifteen, was charged with having placed an obstruction on the Kingston railway. Fortunately the train was going uphill at the time of the alleged olTence, and the driver was able to pull up, but. not before the engine had passed over one piece of iron. The Magistrate siid it was no use sending the boy to gaol and jhc was too old for an industrial school. He ordered that ho should receive twelve strokes of the birch rod.

"SUNNV NAl'lEli. Napier, Last Night. The bad weather experienced here during almost the whole time of the carnival gave way to-day to one of the most perfect days such as one usually enjoyed here at this season of the year.

NEW ZEALAND GRAI'ES. Wellington, Last Night. A very line display of grapes grown in the open air at the Government vitieultural station, Arataki, near Hastings, is being made by the Department of Agriculture in Wellington. The display has attracted considerable attention, and indicates that grapes of the finest quality can lie produced in the Dominion. Twenty-live varieties in all arc shown.

LAND BALLOT. Duncdin, Last Night. Seventy - four approved applicants went to tho ballot for the Tauniata sections to-day. Nine small farms were offered, and the successful applicants were—W. J. Roberts (Hamilton South), G. Smith (Chertsey), Charles Shirh'y (Hornby), G. (Jarruthei'B (ilartinborough), J. Cromb (Giinmerbuni), 3.15. Murney (Papanui), J. B. McArthur (Table Hill, Milton), F. Gent (Waiwera), D. Anderson (Ngapara).

SOUTHLAND SHIPPING. Inverciirgill, Last Night. Gratifying indications of progress of

Southland shipping was given by reports received a.t to-day's meeting of the iJlulf Harbor Board. Tlie shipping master reported that during February the shipping had been: Inward. 27 vessels, of, 53,427 tons; outward, 28 vessels, of 54,300 tons. This was an increase over the corresponding period of the previous year of 7333' tons and 5.,47 toils respectively. The financial statement submit-

ted by the secretary showed that ordinary revenue "for February had been

■i; 18(15 2s 10(1, !W eouipal'L'd with CK)O'2 0s 7<l for the same month of last year. There was an increase of £SOO for the

two months of the year over the s-ime two of 1907. The secretary also reported that berthage dues for the month

had been £f>7o, which is u record in the liislory of the Board.

A GLUT OF GRAPES. Wellington, Last Night. South Australian grapes by the steamer Ulimaroa landed here in splendid condition, and were sold at auction this morning for 3d and 4d per pound. The prices realised will lie unprofitable to consignees, and they suggest that there is a want of proper provision for distributing the fruit to districts outside the city. Undoubtedly the low prices are caused by an excess of supply over demand. There are even worse conditions prevailing in the South, as shown by the fact that on Monday next a further consignment of Australian grapes is to arrive in Wellington for auction, they having been sent here from Dunedin through, failure of the local market to absorb them.