NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 235, 27 June 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Ut TELEGBAPH—rHESS ■ » legal costs. ' remarks by judge edwards. , . \ Auckland, June 26. it is really appalling that out of a small estate of £1400 nearly £300 should have been swallowed up in legal costs." This was ono of the remarks passed by Mr. Justice Edwards at tho Supremo Court to-day. The application beforo his Honour was one concerning tho estate of Adam Madill, a farmer, of Tuakau. A trifling dispute in connection with tho division of this estate had been carried to tho Court of Appeal, and the greater portion of this sum of £300 had then been granted as the costs of tho three parties interested in the dispute, namely, tho executors of the will, tho widow, and tho guardian of tho child. The widow had already been granted £700 out of her husband s estate, and after paying tho legal expenses and discharging tho liabilities of the deceased only £266 was left. His Honour was to-day asked to dccido what amount should bo granted to the widow for tho maintenanco of her child. A sum of 10s. per week was asked for, but it was pointed out that in ten years_ this would cat up the whole of the rosidno of the estate, and Mr. Justice Edwards, therefore, decided to grant only 7s. 6d. a week. Ono of his Honour s concluding remarks was as follows:— It is a very great pity that- people are allowed to make a trade out of executorships. If the work is to be done tho Public Trustee is tliero to do it." The oxact amount of costs incurred in the case was £297.

CHARGE OF MURDER. Nelson, June 26. At tho Supreme Court this afternoon tha defence in tho Westport murder, charge was continued. In his opening address Mr. Herdman strongly emphasised that no tobacco had been found in Bourke's effects, aud that no evidenco had been brought that anyone had bought tobacco from him. ■ Ivy Pearce, employed at the fish shop where the row took place on. tho night of the tragedy, said accused came in about 7.30 p.m., 'but she merely guessed tho time. Mrs. Sham, a boardinghouse-keeper, said, she passed the post office going to < tho theatre at three minutes to eight. ■ She notioed' -accused in the theatre, Halinen especially. They were talking in a foreign language, and went out during tho interval. Sho afterwards saw Halinen push someone away from the fish shop. . FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE. . Christchurcli, Juno 26. llie sittings of the Arbitration Court wero resumed this morning. Preliminaries in connection with the farm labourers' dispute were discussed between tho Court aiid the representatives of' the parties. The date upon which the parties are to be heard on the question whether tho report and recommen- • dations of the Board should form the basis of an award was fixed for Monday, July 6, atf 10 a.m. •

Napier, June 26. At a meeting of the Napier branch of the 'Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, the following resolution was passed: "That this Union protests against the suggestion made all over tho Dominion by tha Farmers' . Union that the Arbitration Act be made inoperative for farm labourers, and that tho Government by urged to maintain the present Act as far as farm labourer* arc concerned." *

DWELLINGHOUSE DESTROYED. YVanganui, June 26. A sis-roomed house on the borough boun. dary; near Aramoho, owned by Mr. Martin and occupied by Mr. White, was burned down last night. , The family narrowly escaped, in their night clothes, and lost, everything. They were uninsured. It is not yet known whether the house:/was" insured. CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS DISPUTE, . Cliristchurch, June. 26. The Arbitration Court'gave judgment to. ■day. adyerso to tho tramway, men- in .theii contention that ticket inspectors should ba appointed from tho ranks of conductors, motormen, and others, and not from, out> siders. The Board's contention was that in« - spectors wore on the revenue staff and out-, sido the clauses of the agreement, which contention tho Court upheld. ' JURY TAKEN TO THE PLAY. > Nelson, Juno 26. At the Theatre Royal last evening, ai unusual spectacle was furnished by the jurr in tho Westport murder case beiug marchcJ in, under charge of Sergt. Dougan, to wife ness Messrs. Macmahon Bros.' picture display. The jury are locked up nightly, and kept together at the Masonic Hotel, and as they had been in confinement for three days they espressod a desire to attend tho theatre as a relief. The judge saw no harm ' in their doinn so. THE RABBIT PEST. Napier, Juno 26. At tho annual meeting of the Hawko's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society to-day, it was decided to Trite to the Minister for Agriculture drawing attention to tho fact that rabbits were numerous • in the Taupo district, and asking tho Government, to taka more active steps to keep the pest in check. EGG-LAYING CONTEST. Blenheim, June 26. At the Blenheim egg-laying contest the total eggs .for the week were 823. Tho grand total was 9945. Tho highest pens for tho week were:—Luck's White Leghorns, 27; Leger's White Leghorns, 24; Draper's White Leghorns. 24; Sturroek s Black Orpingtons, ■ 24. Tho Jiighest to date are:—Brown's White Leghorns, 30S; Sturrock's Black Orpingtons, 307; Brown's Black Orpingtons, 294; "Poultry Journal's" White Leghorns, 285; Edelston's White Leghorns, 277. OTAGO TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL. Dunedin, Juno 26. Messrs. A. Palmer, G. Parlies, and A. Tuflin were elected emergency delegates ta represent tho Otago Trades and Labour Council at tho conference to bo held in Wellington on July 20. Messrs. Breon and West-, wood, tho originally appointed delegates, cannot attend, and it is possible that Mr. J. Haynes will also bo unable to attend, henco tho abovo election.

The Council last night passed tho following resolution: —''That this Council cndorsoa tho amendment of Factories Act passed last session providing for • a minimum weekly wage without deduction for factory workers, and strongly urges upon tho 'Government to resist any attempt made in tho direction ol - having the amendment repealed." DROWNING ACCIDENT. . Auckland, Juno 26. Aaron Gully, sixteen years 'of age, employed at the Sugar Works at Chelsea, was vvasliiiig his hands from tho springboard of tho bathing shed, when he fell into tho water. , His companions tried to rescue h-m. but without success. When tho body was 10covered by a number of workmen life was. extinct. '

Particulars of numerous Darling Downs properties aro advertised by Messrs. Barr, Leary aud Williams. Tho Department of Labour advertise tenders for the erection of workers' dwellings at Ellerslie, Auckland. A dairymen's conference to consider Hie best means of regulating (lie milk supply of tho city will bo held in the Town Hall, on July 1. Mr. J. W. Braithwaite, nuctiuncer, Johnsonville, advertises for sale a number of uroiw lies. Particulars of an auction sale of sper'al in forest-to house-seekers are advertised bv Hai'eomi. and C». On Friday, Julv 10,' iha iinn I will submit a fiv»-rooined villa rosideikv ,Y 0 2G'Bullcr Street. Tho D.I.C. sale commences to-day. Full particulars will be found in- an advertisement' on pago 10. At tho fortnightly meeting; nf Loifec Island 13aj, U.A.0.D., last night, Brother Boniface, A.D., presiding, presentations were mudo by Bro. Lopper, P.D.P., to Bro. 11. Cuttriss and Bro. Doherty. oix candidates wero proposed for membership, and one was initiated. ' Messrs. Edward Anderson and Co., Ltd /china merchants, Willis Street, are now showing an attractive assortment of Royal Bavrouth artiatic ornaments ■ "