NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BY TELEGHAPII —FUESS ASSOCIATION.)

GRASS FIRE AT BLENHEIM. H Blenheim, January,!!. A grass fire .broko out 'this aft-ernoonVoO , i range of. hills to the south of the town, »ho- property, affected/>being '.Mr: l Withers's- :/ .v i iv.L run,, which is a portion, of tne Garter estate. < - 'f . Several- hundred acres of pasture were do-\ r, . - rastatedp some• foncmg hurried, and: about:' ,v: £300-worth of,oat!cropsnn stook destroyed.. A ■ party --.of fire-fighters 'stopped-', the- further, -pread of tho flames. WESTI'ORT'S COAL EXPORT. Westport, January 3. The. coal export ;from i :\Vcstport -forvJ9o7' : -• ; was 015,149 tons. Coal-Gaic-pany .shipped G10.759 tons: (an increase; of 39,199.t0ns over the previous year), and'the / beddonvillo Stato Colliery 34,380 tons. A SERIOUS CHARGE Ashburton, January 3 :• At tho Court, to-day; before ' : - - : two justices, Albert Sims, was'charged with' /•■•'■ having assaulted on' January I: a 1 young wo. ■' nianf.on. the--mam road:between Ashburton'-" and.Jt'airheld'with intent to commit a serioii*■, - " ouenco. Accused pleaded guiltyj' and,' oil -" / ■ the .application of the: police, was rem'anded''' for a week, bail being fixed at £500. PETROL COMPETITION TEST. ; i.. cObristohitfeh, January 3. ' Owing to a slight inaccuracy>in the figures ' v supplied from Dunedin.;in connection with > y ' the petrol competition, test, the 10 • and " 12-h.p. Darracq, owiied by; Messrs.' Skeaten ; . /: and .Brockaert-, was credited with having received 43Jibs, of'petrol 3.6, i.e., G.2l' gallons,' - to fill their tank; whereas they-only received'. l 1 ; »•••' lDlbs. or 2.7l>gallons.-. This-places'Messrs. - Skeats and Bockaert's oar second m' the■ test. . The olhcial declaration of ■ tho judge'i ■ ■ awards wdl be - made at the next meeting v v of the committee of - tho association LIVELY TIMES IN.CHRISTCHURCH. v Ghristchuroh, January 3. The men-of-warsmen - off tho ■" ships uoV ' in port havo been making their presence — noticeably felt in.Christchurch.' Last night\ 'a number of them,', all moie or less in a state of inebriety,' proceeded'to break windows and " / smash 'things generally'ill- a' boardmgJiouse * ■ in Moorehouse: Averiuo./Ab' the Opera House, too,:, some of the Jack''Tars' interrupted thi -: performance, to such an ; extent that laTg? ': numbors :of- tho-audience! left tho' building. ' " - • arid the programme could* not -be proceedeo >- with. V ' ..' /"// Z;.':/ V' THE NATIVE LEPER PATIENTS. 1 Christohurclv January 3. •/ ■ The young Maori'leper patient, who waa i isolated-on Quail Island early m November, i has been settled for tho last .fortnight in •• tho;small:cottage - which was specially built for. his accommodation. / Everything possi" ! " ble has been dono to make him' as comfort-.-able as possible. ' The: cottage has-one room, and is nicely furnished. ' It is L fitted with a bath, and.has a verandah ; -along the^'.front., Tho young Maori and the other, leper have' become - quite friendly,, arid" spend a good - , time'each .-day iii conversing'with each'other,' their r houses being; situated: close -together. [ There is little change noticeable' in the con- " dition of: either patient! ,f ' ! ::: ;/ ■ ' ' SCULLING' CHAMPIONSHIP. -./ ' ■ "/'■ :WanganW'Januaiy 3. . '•! Tressider, who-is.'-to; rqw William. Wesb' for the 'sculling''championship of-the world,:' •Rived' in Wariganui r this' afternoon. ' .was given, a 'very cordial welcome by a larg« crowd. Tressider, who is iiTexcollent healtjv'commences training immediately.'; , ' , ' . . • ' ■ LAND BOARD ELECTIONS. - Nolson, January 3. Four candidates stood for election to" th« Nelson Land Boaril. Sinclair being returned by-a'-'lar^b''majority; l 'A number of invalid votes were received. / ; ' Blenheim, January 3. The results of tho first Land Board election' 1 by Crown tenants under'the new legislation ... was'made known Thbre wire six ; ' candidates,' and Mr. John'Duncan " was ra-. ■" ' . turned by a large: majority. ' The total' num-V "• ■ •' ' ber of votes polled was.46l, the number of. i voters ori the roll : being. 748. Mr. Duncan .opposed tho Hon. C. H. Jfills the'last two Parliamentary elections in'the Opposition interest. ' . 1 - ' ■■ , GOLF. ,/ ' s Dunedin, January .3. The Otago Golf Club's tournament was con». , tinued ..t-o-day. . The Bogey,/ Handicap,; in ; which/six ladies',oompeted,-resnlted.in a win: . for Mrs. ■ Mackie, with Miss Wilson (Christchurch) second. ~ Tho first, round of the Ladies' Championship and a medal handicap" woro also played.off. - . CUSTOMS REVENUE. ' . ' Auckland,' January 3. ,- ■ The year just ended prores to have beet . .' a highlVyprosperous one for the Customs ;De- -/ ■ partmont. , The total, revenue (including golq duty and'other receipts except beer) col- ' . lccted for the year 1907 was £831,710 2s. 4d., against £755,006 13s. 2d. .for .1906, •an in- 1 crease' of £73,644. : The beer duty wat , •£25,45S os. 6d. for-the year,. that of 190? 1 . having been £21,635 16s. lOd. -This year'i. totals oxceed the amount ■ collectcd: at Wei ' lington (£523,694) by £8016.