NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8996, 5 December 1907, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

THE STEAMER lONIC. RECORD NUMBER OF PASSENGERS. ]IY TELEGBAril —PUESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, December 4. The lonic arrived from London today, with six hundred and eightyseven passengers, which is the largest number yet brought to New Zealand in one steamer. Of that number, about six hundred are immigrants, consisting of labourers and tradesmen. There are also twenty-eight domestic, servants, who have come out under the auspices of the Girls' Friendly Society, and the Women's Immigration Society. BUILDERS AND LABOURERS UNION. ARBITRATION . AWARD CRITICISED. WELLINGTON, December 4. At a meeting of the Builders and Labourers Union, last night, the recent award of the Arbitration Court was strongly criticised. Some of the speakers favoured the men going out on strike as a protest, while others pleaded for more pacific methods of expressing discontent. The union decided to take no action at present that would prejudice the "position of workers. A NEW STEAMER. DUNEDIN, December 4. The Huddart-Parker new steamer Ulimaroa, being built in Dundee, is expected to reach Australia at the end of February, when she will enter the intercolonial trade. She will be fitted with a powerful refrigerating plant for the preservation of provisions and cargo. SIR JOSEPH WARD. AUCKLAND, December 4. Sir Joseph Ward returned south by the Rotoiti this afternoon. Thismorning Sir Joseph proceeded to the Veterans' Home, driving out in a motor-car with Mr Alf Kidd, M.P. The veterans were briefly addressed by the Premier, who afterwards made a call at Government House. . CANTERBURY METHODIST SYNOD. GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT. CHRISTCHURCH, December 4. At the meeting of the Canterbury Methodist Synod, to-day, the president, Rev. H. R. Dewsbury, in referring to the new Gaming and Lotteries Act, said that there might be some admirable features in connection with it, but the perpetuation of the totalisator was a fatal blot. A still ghastlier blot was the licensirg of bookmakers, and he hoped (hat the Methodist Church would express itself strongly regarding everything that tended to put its imprimatur 'on a vice that legalised respectable a traffic which was in a large degree.detestable. The report of the district secretary of church property showed that the total trust receipts for the year amounted to £9,758 lfls Id, as against £4,940 5s 8d last year, and the total expenditure was £9,706 Is lOd, as against £5,383 10s last year. Donations and subscriptions had amounted to £4,810, as against £854 last year. The amount owing to the loan fund was £1,040, as against £1,195 last year, and on other securities £7,445, as against £7,218. The present debts amounted to £8,886, as against £8,413, and the total amount of insurances was £54,895, as against £50,476 last year.

BURGLARIES IN WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, December 4. Two burglaries have taken place within the last two days. A dwelling occupied by Mr W. A. Clark, 7 Macfarlane Street, was entered first and a quantity of jewellery stolen to the value of £34. Yesterday afternoon an entrance was effected into the house of Mr C. A. Hickson, Commissioner of Stamps, Fitzherbert Terrace, and jewellery valued at £3O removed. So far the culprits have .not been discovered.

FATAL ACCIDENT. INVERCARGILL, December-4. The police are advised that Thomas James Reynolds died at the Riverton Hospital, to-day, from the effects of a wound on the head, received while working in Wrey's bush on Tuesday. Reynold's was binding a loop in the wire rope of the haulirg engine, when the engine surged, and the rope tightened and caused the iron bar to fly roun 1 and hit Reynold's on the temple. TELEPHONE AND TRAIN CHARGES. AUCKLAND, December 4. Sir Joseph Ward, replying to Onehunga deputations, said he could not see his way to reduce the charge for telephone communication with Auckland. The same difficulty arose throughout the dominion where two exchanges were within a short distance of each other. To make concessions to one place would mean making them to all. Replying to a request for a reduction m railway fares between Onehunga and Auckland from 3s second and Is fid first class, while the tram fare is only 9d reiurii, the Premier said he admitted the anomaly. If the Government could lower the Onehunga rates without doing the same in other places it would be only too glad to do so.