NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

THE LIQUOR. LAW. A DUNEDIN CASE. [BY TELEGItAriI.--OWN CORKESI'OXDENT/1 Dunedin,-: October 29. Mr. Widdowson, S.M., to-day announced that after inspecting the Miss Myers's tea rooms at the Octagon, lie convicted Leah Myers of selling liquor. In his opinion a regular trade had beuir carried on in these premises, and liquor .hud been brought to the place in ' small quantities, and, further,' by the reprehensible <method of getting boys to carry the liquor to the shop. Mr. Hanlon said that the evidence went to show that this was a first oll'once. There hail been no evidence produced to show that a trade had been carried on. Because the police could' not truce :• large sale of liquor from grocers, etc., to the premises it must not be inferred that tlio liquor had boon carried to , the shop by boys. To draw such an inference, would be too extravagant. Tlie defendant' should be treated as a first offender. The, Magistrate said that when persons were carrying on a trade of this kind they would naturally get the liquor in small quantities. The case, howover, must bo treated as a first offence, but he could not overlook the fact that the defendant had come to the Court and told untruths. She would be convicted and fined £35, with costs, £7.

COMPENSATION COURT. [DY TELEGBAPII.—PIIESS ASSOCIATION.] Gis&ornc, October 29. The Compensation Court continued to-day the hearing of the claim of the Hon. Randall Johnston, owner, for compensation for the taking by the Government cf the To Arai estate. The day was taken up by the witnesses fvir Mr. Johnston. Generally, they described the land'as a' good aspect, nono or little being cold or wet, and said the flats would bo in great demand as fattening or topping-oiT farms. ' One witness said there was no station in Poverty Bay he could compare with the property, as no other had three thousand acres of flats.'. - BED DRAPINGS ON FIRE. . CHILD SEVERELY BURNED. ■' , , Hastings; October 29.. When retiring to bed last night, Charles Edwards,' railway porter, left a \ lighted caudle on "the dressing-table at the side of the. bed. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards fell asleep, and were awakened by the bed drapings all ablaze falling down on their faces. Their little nineteen-months-old son," who'occupied the same bed, was completely enveloped .in flame. Edwards succe«led in smothering the fire. Tlio child has severe burns about the head and arms, and is suffering from shock, but. under the care of Br. Copland he is progrossing favourably. Mr. and .'Mrs.'Edwards' escaped with a few light burns'.

A MAORI CAR.VED HOUSE. . AN UNWELCOME PROPOSAL.- '-...,-. Masterton, October 29;'.., It is proposed by the Government to give the Maori carved house at Tablelands to the Martinborough - Town Board for erectioiv in Martinhorough. A-proviso attached to the offer is to'the effect that the-. Town Board shall provide land within tho. township on which to place the house, and,,also pay the, cost of removing tho building. .The Natives' concerned are making a : vigorous protest to tho Hon. James'Carroll,. Native Minister, against the proposal being put into effect. When the. late Mr. E. J.-Soddon'madc arrangements'for the Pn.pawai-Pa-to bo given to the Government it -was part of tho arrangement that the Tablelands house, which was carved-", at'iPapaVai',.'slibuld he' 1 erected at tho pa.'.-, Thogift of the Papawai landand pa inclticlos ' tho^'large' meeting' l house, tho scono of many historic gatherings, and is said to represent a valuo of £4000. : It is considered that, there must bo - somo misunderstanding in official circles as to what tho arrangements were.-' The gift, however, has not yet been formally completed, and it is understood that pending a' satisfactory settlement of the difficulty, which has now cropped up, and the, ascertainment of tho rights of tho Natives in respect ' of' tho carved house ; no steps will be taken to complete the gitt. Messrs. Robinson :and'Robinson, of Masterto'n, on behalf of the Natives concerned,'have forwarded a protest to the' ■Native Minister against the proposal of the Government. - ■■ •

ARBITRATION COURT, '.-'; f Creyraoutli, October 291;' A meeting of the Wharf Labourers'. Union decided to support Mr. Slater as the workers' representative on the Arbitration Court, and Mr. J. A. Scott (Dunedin) as deputy. ' ' TAIERI AND PENINSULA MILE SUPPLY COMPANY. Dunedin, October 29. The annual meeting of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company was held to-day: The report stated that tho profit for, the year was £1732 Is. Id., while a balance of £0117 9s. lOd. was carried forward from last year. The directors recommended the payment of a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent., absorbing about £1090. In his, speech the-chair-man (Mr Nicolson) .pointed ( out that tho drought during the summer and autumn was responsible for. the sinall profit.. Tho milk: supplied to tho company for eight months ended August last was .4,45.5,620 gallons,' as. compared with 6,760,482 gallons-for.: the jor-. responding'period of last year, a decrease of 2,304,862 gallons. The company bad now fivci nheeso factories, and a contract ior tho pur-, chase of cheeise had been accepted at a very satisfactory figure. Satisfactory business was being done,in the manufacture., of humanised milk. The report was.adopted., Tho retiring directors, Messrs Wm. Nicolson. and A. M'Farlauo," were re-elected. ... NEWS IN BRIEF." Auckland, October 29. The Arbitration Court, .dealing, with compensation , claims, divided £350 . awarded .in tho case, of Wm. George Harries, killed in' the City' Council quarry, the sum of £116 13s. 4d. to go to the widow, and £233 6s. Bd. for the maintenance of. three .children. _, , J. Sutherland's claim against the Union Steamship .Company for injuries '• sustained to his hand while working on the steamer Haupiri was reported settled out of court. In the ease of the wido\y- of Captain Gonzales, who lost, his iifo. at' sea, after twenty-one. years with the-Northern. Steamship Company, the court allotted one-third of £339 to the widow and the balance to her six children. ... Gisborne, October 29.

Tho Compensation' Court continued tlio hearing of tlio To -Aral compensation case to-day. ■ •••• \ '' ' Itoforring to some land twenty miles distant, valued at' £40 an acre, his Honour tlio Chief Justice said: ." 1 am not .speaking of this district, hut in Tnranaki and other places-tlio prices of land haver roho up so that people make their children slaves. The price of land is so high that they cannot pay for labour, and have to depend on their children, who are being worked to death." Chrisichurcr), October 29. • North Canterbury reports, say that rain is wanted and would much benefit crops and feed. Mid-Canterbury reports that fee*, is abundant and crops very promising. Blenheim, October 29. A severe shock of earthquake was felt here at 12.35 last night. Chrisiolwrch, October 29. ■ In a judgment given to-day, Mr. Justice 'Chapman held that the practice of discontinuance at will was inapplicable to a divorce suit.