DOMINION NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 2, 27 September 1907, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

if TO EXPEDITE CONTRACTS. BONUS INSTEAD OF PENALTY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. y Gisborne, September 26. An innovation in local specifications has been made by tho borough engineer, who, in the specification for tb.6 Abattoir Road, provides for £'■> per week to be given by tho counc): for every week the contract is finished in advance of tho contract timo. The Town Clerk last night expressed doubt as to whether the council coiik! allow this, and read an opinion of the Municipal Association's solicitor that gratuities could not legally be given by a public body. The engineer re- , plied that.Mr. Skorrett had advised that it was only by tho stipulation proposed that they could enforce.penalties. - It could not bo all on one i side. ' Councillor Sheridan • said that it I could not be'considered a gratuity; it was a reward for expeditiqus. work—a very wise provision. - It was agreed to leave it in as suggested. ; • ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Dunedin, September 26. ' William Barsdale, sixty-six years of ago, a hairdrossor by trade, attempted to commit Suicide at his house yesterday by cutting his .throat with a razor. There were also two razor cuts found on his left forearm. Tho reasons'he cave for his act woro that he• hnd boon worried by his landlord to pay his rent; that he had< nothing to'oat; and that his heart had been troubling him. His condition is not considered serious. Ho was formerly a resident of Oamaru, where ho''was known as " Professor " Barsdale. At a meeting' of the Independent Political Labour Loaguo to-night the question of tho cost of obtaining legal iidvico was discussed. It was deckled to urge on the Government tho necessity..of establishing a State legal bureau with 'branches in all towns with a population 1 of not less than 5000 to enable legal assistanco to be obtained on payment of a nominal fee. AUCKLAND BOWLERS FOR NEW SOUTH WALES. . Auckland, September 26. The Auckland has arranged to send a team of twenty six. players to return tho visit of the New South -Wales team. ' Mr. J. Carlaw will be manager, and the team • will loavb Auckland on January. 13. LIABILITY UNDER BILL OF LADING. Auckland, September 26. In tho magistrate's Court yesterday aftornoon, Sir. Kettle, S.M., delivered judgment in the case in which John Burns and Co., Ltd., claimed from the masters and owners of tho steamer Bloemfontoin tho sum of £7 15s. 3d. as damages. Tho statement of claim sot out that on December 17, 1906, defendants received in good order and condition 560 reels of barbed wire, which were to be safely convoyed on tho Bloomfontein from New York to Auckland, and that during the voyage twentythree reels.wcro damaged .by paint being deposited on .them, to sucii an oxtent that they were rendered unsaleable, and wore landed by tho defendants in'such condition. His Worship held that the.causo of the damage was not one, of tho excepted perils mentioned in the bill o! lading, and gave judgment for plaintiff' for amount claimed, with costs. SLY GROG-A CONSTABLE FOR • LODGER. Duncdiil, September 20. At' Palmersto'h yesterday John M'Gregor, a Duhback boardinghouse keeper, pleaded guilty to two charges of sly grog-selling, and was fined £40 in all and costs. From tho statement mado by tho.Crown it appoars that systematic trade' was carried on during somo eight or ten days. A plain clothes constable was living on tho promises. A subsequent .raid unearthed a small quantity of liquor. A SAD CASE. Christchurch, September 26. Tho body of a well-dressed woman, about sixty years of age, was found in a creek on the Heathcoto river at seven o'clock this; morning. Tho bod}, has not yet been identified." A woman last night called-at "several houses in the neighbourhood and asked for food. FEMALE LABOUR FOR BOOT TRADE. Dunedin, September 26. Twenty-one young women from Leicester were passengers by the Whakatane, from London. They aro-boot operators for a manufacturing firm in Christchurch, and loft for their destination by the Manuka. DIVORCED. Christchurch, September 26. A decree nisi was granted yostorday on the wife's petition in the divorce case of Powers v. Powers. The respondent was rccontly sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for an offence on a little girl. NEW ZEALAND BIRDS FOR ' " ' HOME. Auckland, September 26. Tho Tourist Dopartment is shipping by tho Turakina a number of nntivo birds for bis Grace the Duke of Bedford. Tho collection comprises four kiwis, four paradise ducks, two koas, and two wokas. All tho birds, with tho oxcoptinn of tho wokas, have boon forwarded to Auckland fro™ Untrsnm.

GREY OWLS AND PEDIGREE BOARS. Dunedin, September 26. Tho Whakatano brought from England' a consignment of threo young pedigree boars for tho SeaclifE Mental Hospital, and forty-four , little grey owls for tho Otago Acclimatisation Society. ; ARBITRATION COURT. Duncdin, September 26. At the sitting of tho Arbitration Court there were, indications of several disputes being settled without, recourse to court. In the mustercrs' dispute the union was unable to show it had complied with section 105 of the Act, and the court finally decided to strike the dispute out, as it 'appeared very doubtful whether the union could, by tho production of the minute book, provo complianco with the requirements of section 105. An application to amend tho gcnoral labourers' award- was dismissed. The court has resorvod its decision in tho carpenters' dispute.. ALLEGED ARSON. Dunedin, September 26. At the Police Court yesterday a young man named Ernest Edward Cuthbertson Maxoy was charged with having attempted to set iiro to a shop at Kaikorai Valley. The evidence showed that on tile 12th hist, a fire broke out in a room at the back of the shop, a sofa and chair being in flanios. On tho 11th inst. a'fire broke out in tho shop amongst some pape: bags. Both fires woro suppressed before much damage was done. On the occasion of the-second fire accused was said to havo been drunk. Accused was committed for trial.

FIRES.' Napier, September 26. Just as the- Dominion celebrations were about tc commence, a fire alarm sounded, and a crowd flocked to the scene of the outbreak —a four-roomeu cottage on. the Milton Road, owned b.\ !). C. Hitchman. Under tho influeno. of a strong wind, the building wai quickly gutted. Christchurch, September 25. At three o'clock this morning tlv brigado was called out to a fire a Messrs. H.iyward Brothers' factory ii Peterborough , Street, tho same premises in which< an outbreak occurred on Monday evening. This morning': fire was found to havo originated under tho staircase, and took about an hour to extinguish. damage was done to the building, estimated at about £250. ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. Auckland, .September 26. A boy named Trevor Hurfit, ago' ten years, a son of J. D. H. Hurfit inotorman in the employ of tho Tramways Company, was accidentally drwned in 'ft dam' near his" parents home at Ponsonby yesterday.

Dunedin, September 26. ■ Thomas Walker; aged 38. years, cm : ployed - on tho Enterprise dredgo at Alexandra, was accidentally' drowned while leaving tho dredgo this morning Deceased was a.married man with foul, children, tho eldest of whom was nine years old. ' ' , Hastings, September 26., Mr. Laurenco Cottle, woll known i; Hawke's Bay ■ hunting . circles, wa.-' thrown from his horso and dragge, somo distance. Tho ..animal trod' o': his chest. Ho was convoyed tb Napiei Hospital. He had only recently recovered from' another' had fall at Waip.ukurau.. ~-.; .'■... ■ CLOSER SETTLEMENT.. •: -," Oanwu, September 26. For tho eleven -sections'' comprised in tho Airedale estate; recently acquired by the Government for closer settlement, there were 419 applicants. AH the sections were applied for. 01 tho successful applicants seven were local men, and one' each' from Tcmuka, Makikihi, Timaru, and Seadowu. '•;., . BUTTER EXPORTS. Auckland, September 26. Tho freighting of tho Turakina. which sailed 'to-day for London, includes 2001 boxes of Auckland made butter for tho London market. It wa! expected that 3000. boxes would haw boon forwarded by tho Turakina, bui owing to tho lateness of the seasoi' and .tho fact that largo quantities q; butter aro being sent to tho Soutl island this could not be done. (00 boxes have boon sent to Soul. 1 Africa, 302 for .tho South. Seas Is ands, and an earlier shipment of 901 boxes for Great Britain, making a total for September of 3604 boxes, : or ninety tons, valued at £8610, compared with 3204 b,oxos,_or eighty tons, during Ijic corresponding month last year, an increase of ten tons.

MISCELLANEOUS. Blenheim, • September 26. There was a shock, of earthquake shortly after four 'clock this morning' Hokitika, September 26. Heavy rain is'_ now being oxporieinced,' and is being welcomed" as o groat benefit to the distrct. Dunedin, September 26.. ... . A public meeting at Middlemarsi decided to petition Parliament against the propose'd purchase of Mr. Gillies'; residence there as a consumptive sanatorium. Christchurch, September 26. At a meeting of the Charitable Aiil Board notice of motion was given: "That tho Beard take- into considera-tion-tho'quest-ion of the building o! one-or more cottago; homes." The Council of the League of New Zealand Whoelemn at a meeting tonight decided to offer the championship events' for this season to the Otago Cycling .Club. . Auckland, September! 26. A boy named Trevor Hurfit,' ag«? ten years, the son of J..D. H. Hurnt. motorman in the employ, of the Tramways Company, was accidentally drowned in a dam near his parents homo at Ponsonby yesterday. •■, The total shipment of butter from •Auckland for. the. month was 360-1 boxes, as against 3204 boxes in the corresponding month of last year; At the annual meeting of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company today a dividond at tho rate of '6 per cont. was : declared, absorbing £2351. The sum of £2000 was trans ferrod to the-reserve fund, and £133: carried forward, after fill) allowance 'lad been made for depreciation. Tlu Chairman, in his address, referred tr the fact that this was only the. thin; annual meeting, and that tho company had acquired a big_ freezing works in Auckland in addition to its works at Onehunga. It contcmplatcc going in for freezing " porkers." for tho London market, and anticipated u largo increase in the lamb export trado owing to the very large inllux of breeding ewes into tho provinco at the end of last year. The. prices realised in London for lambs sunt Heme bv tho company had equalled the best Canterbury. ' The manager of tho Auckland team which rccontly went on tour, in a report to the Rugby Union committoo, strongly denies the allocations made of rough play by tho team in tho. 'South. Tho dame at Dunedin, ho says, was a willing and strenuous one, but ho saw no Instances of roush or dirty play, 'Tho ordering oIF of MacCormaclt was, in his opinion, wholly unwarrint-od. At Christ-

church, "agaih7tlie"Auckra'iiders played ijhc, game as it should; l;.e played, but, lie adds; "a more one-sided'crowd it has never been my lot to see than that..which witnessed tho Canterbury match.'"'' The'u6ha\'ibus r of' : ''tho tpam on the'tour; asserts' Mr. Murray, could not havo been better."

News from Other Centres. AUCKLAND. THE NATIONAL DEFENCE. LEAGUE. "CLAIM YOUR PRIVILEGES." Aiickland, September 26. A vigorous appeal on behalf of the principles of tho National Defence League was maelo by its President (Mr. \V. D. Loyland) at to-day's Dominion Day celebrations. Ho said that to-day Now Zcalanders generally were taking an inventory of .'the advantages they enjoyed taking stock of their privileges, counting their blessings, and just at this time tho Council of the National League thought it opportune, fit, and proper, that a representative of the League should make .an appeal, and coiiie to them with a message, and their message to the people of New Zealand was this, "Claim your privileges, realise your advantages, count your blessings, but remember your responsibilities." "We .io not como to you," he said, "as ilarmists, but wo ask you whether or ■lot, hearing in mind the national'and racial problems which wo as a people havo to face; if wo as a people fail to respond to our responsibilities, Is there not a possibility of disaster? ,Vo appeal to every section of the 'community; we appeal to the women of Now Zealand; we ask them to say unto their mankind, ' Have you done your duty ? Have you prepared yourself to render efficient personal service to the State should you -bo required to protect us.' Women of New Zealand, you can wield an irresistible] influence. Remember your responsibility. Wo appeal to every true lovor of ;>cace. Wo say by all means cherish' "inel strivo for your ideals, but wo ask you at tho same time to be practical. If you want arbitration, and not war— if right is to b'o might, and not might i'ight—bo prepared to demand it.'Arbitration is for the strong, not for the '.iclpless. Be determined to havo peace, jven though you havo to bo prepared to fight for it. (Applause:) Wo appeal to the Government, and. we submit that in this matter they havo a \eveat rcsoonsihility. If they wduld be faithful to their trust they must lead in this matter. They should provide the means.' They should make it easy for citizens to do their duty. Wo ask them to rcmembor their responsibilities." (Applause.)

CHRISTCHURCH. (FHOJI Ol.'R OWN COMIESr-ONDEKT.} Christohurch, September 25. The Acclimatisation Society horo is ''risking an alteration in its gardens tor the benefit of tho imported fowl. .Hitherto theso birds have occupiee small enclosures surrounding ponds in the public part of the gardens. The arrangement suited the public very woll as it onabled them to inspect the birds, feed them with the biscuits and other less digestiblo food, and in the case-of'small boys throwing stones at them; but it was rough on tho ducks who had practically no quiet home 'ife. To live continually in tho eyo of ilio public is as destructive to domstithty' among ducks as it is among .umah beings, and the perpetual unest' from which tho creatures have .iiifor.o'd' has .prevented' them attending: to. the\ .business for.which they were imported—the .multiplication of their species. So in order to afford them that peace and quietness which is-so necessary, the society has fenced off'some two or,three acres.of its ; .:l,and! facing ' the river, and intends, to. make it," a reserve for the imported wild fowl whore they can live the simplo lifo and devote themst'lyes strictly, to- bring .up- broods oi young ones.. The society has- at present' breeding pairs of the Ameri ; can wood ducks, a beautiful little bird with -the most brilliant colouring. American pintails: and' black ducks, ■ English mallards/flightless ducks fron; .fclur, Aucklartds, brent geese from Canada, ' and- Cape geese, besides paradise and blue ducks. One of the members of tho society is at present it Home and has authority and a r'res-'hand to'buy'wild'fowl for the ■oeiety up to at least fifty pounds Vo moro pheasants or partridges wil ie::brought-out, tho 'society's exper"ence-' with them having been too ' "nfoi'tunate. At' diffofent times it •as 'imported a largo numbor these :imo birds, but they have almost eninoly disappeared and it is difficui .'or sportsmen to get a sight of them. not to mention a shot. * The By-Laws Committee cf tho City Council suggested at last, night': meeting.. that they should have' 'discretion to accept' lower fees for sky 3igns and hoardings than those prescribed by tho by-laws oh the ground that the present scale was considercc, ■).y contractors to bo absolutely prohibitive. People who have somo regard for the appearance 'of the city .an find it in their hearts to wish that ;his was really the case, but as r matter of fact the sky signs continue :o increase in numbers. However, 'or the present the way of these trans. ■pressors against art will not bo made >ny cheaper, for tho Council v hac !oubts whether it could grant tho tieilrert discretion and -the proposal wa: .withdrawn.

It is not often that residents of i.'hristehurch long for tho days of the ild steam trams, but one of tho occa■iions occurred last night, when owinf to an accident tho power was cut off "ho central section for more than hah .in hour. The cars gradually collected on all' sides of tho dead section, and persons in the suburbs who wanted to come in to tho theatres had to do r considerable amount pf waiting. Later on tho Papanui Road service was again blocked for half an hou: by fire hose lying,across tho lines ir Victoria Street, irom a tank to the ;ecne of a fire in a picklo factory.. A large number of Canterbury farmers have bought land in Southland of late years, and havo done very '.veil out of it. The latest instance ir Hint of a man who bought a farm near Otautau, some years ago, at £'. 13s. an aero, and has just sold it for Gil- 15s. ' . Labour on the. Midland Railway $ to be still further reduced soon, r'icing reported that a number of mer in the Broken Rivcr-Cass section art ;o he paid off early next month. ■ Tho Mayor made tho statement at .:he City Council meeting to-night t); ill tho streets of Christchurch wore ai .he present timo in a bad condition ,snd ho did not believe .there was a -ingle exception. The Chairman of iho' Works 'Committee demurred tr fck:3 swooping condemnation of the thoroughfares, but tho Mayor woujd. r.ot amend his assertion. He admitted that one or two worn in fair order, but oven theso required attention, tho Works Conimittco could not do impossibilities,-., and they could not get enough money.-for tho-work. Tho .work of putting tho streets into a proper state could not bo dono out r the rates, and tho Council would have to apply for a loan for tho purpose. DUNEDIN. Dunedin, September 25. • The new art gallery is to bo oponed at noon to-morrow, when Mr. A. Bathgate, Dr. -Nisbnt, and tho Hon. T. Fergus will-be tho speakers. The afternoon is to bo spent in a military display. ; Tho steamer Whakatano arriving today brought tho now organ for First

Church, also twenty-one' young women from Leicester, engaged as boot operatives for VClrriStchUrch; factory. ■/ William 1 - Fcasoy, 'who was killed in a bicycle accident and buried to-day, belongs CbTar.fciiia.vrfoTßierlyCrisidJnE at' Mow' 'l'lyfnbuth* 1 and lidW' at Palmcrston North. Mr. H. Pattlc, a young amateur artist with a special gift for seascapes, is sending four important oils to the Wellington Art Exhibition. Mr. Alfred Hill proposes to remain in Dunedm* to organise" from the local source the company to produce, ~"4. Moorish Maid" in December. Another rise of '.6s. in flour brings the price to £11 ss. per ton. None of the Otagq millers are overstocked and they say even this price will not pay thorn.. The. master bakers meet on Monday and will probably put up the price of bread to 7d.