NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 293, 4 September 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

, (Br TELEGIUrH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) » : ' DISMISSAL OF AN EMPLOYEE. Auckland, September 2. Mr. Kettle, S.M., gave his reserved docision in an action brought by Wilson, a machinist, agaihst Wick and Sons, timber merchants. Wilson, while employed in Christ-; church in May last, was offered employment by the defendants, and telegraphed accepting at £3 10s. per week, providing he was given a constant job. Defendants replied:' "Como immediately, £3 10s., constant." On July 31 defendants informed Wilson he could not be kept in their service longer at £3 10s., but they offered him £3, which he refused to accept. The magistrate said the question to be determined was: What was reasonable notice? If plaintiff could have remained in defendants' employ at £3 per week, he should • have dono so until lie got other employment, and if it could bo proved he had that option, the damages would bo reduced accordingly. Ho would take evidence on this point. , SLAUGHTERMEN - SATISFIED. Auckland, September 2. The Auckland Slaughtermen's llnion passed a resolution complimenting tho Minister for Labour on tho Arbitration Act Amendment Bill, and expressing satisfaction with the administration of the Arbitration Court under Judge Sim; disapproval of the' Wellington bakers' strike as beiug ill-advised and unjustified ; and a determination to support tho Government administration of the Labour laws iu fairness to all concerned, or in theii repeal. The union urges more temperato allegiance to these laws and their administration. A BOAKDING-HOUSE FIRE... Hastings, September 2. At ten o'clock last night some person unknown is alleged to have made a deliberate attempt to burn Hickey's boarding-house by placing shavings under the building • and setting them on fire. Fortunately the inmates heard the wise, and were-' able 'to rake out tho_ burning rubbish. before the building had ignited. / AUCKLAND TRAMWAY DISPUTE/ Auckland, September' 2.' Tho Supreme Court is occupied with an action by tho Auckland City Council against the Electric Tramway Company, claiming £784, being £8 per day during , the period in which the company failed to provide certain additional passenger cars to meet the requirements of traffic. The evidence taker will bo referred direct to the Co\irt of Ap. peal for decision. v ' NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT.' ; Duncdin, September 3. At a meeting of the Methodist Conference Committeo on temperance and public moralg to-day it was decided to send a : circular manifesto to all Methodist congregations . urging tho importance of having their names placed on the roll, and recording their votes for No-License on the day of the poll. . ■ THE ISLAND FRUIT TRADE. Auckland, September 3. - A meeting of fruit importers to consider tho Island fruit regulations was • held this afternoon. Many strong . speeches ■ were made. Major Brown, entomologist, referred to-the different species of flies, declaring that tho Government regulations were not worth tho paper they were printed on. He said that the only fly that would brded here was the Mediterranean species.' Experiments had proved that the Queensland fly would not breed here, and it-was only tho Queensland fly that was in the Islands. A resolution- was carried strongly protesting against the regulations, and urging their immediate, withdrawal. ' '. • ■ ' FRANCHISE EXTENSION. ' Duncdin, September 3. The Trades and Labour- Council to-night decided that the proposals in-the Hon. G. Fowlds's Bill for extending ; the franchise in connection with the election'of trustees of hospital and charitable • aid • boards be approved, and that local members of Parlia-

SAN JOSE SCALE. ; Nelson, September 3. ' Very drastic action is being taken by the pohiological staff in dealing with the San Jose scalo, which has appeared in various places throughout the province. The majority of persons in whoso orchards the blight has , been discovered have received notico. to spray their trees,' and where this has not been effectively carried out the inspectors are der stroying the trees. Fruit growers strongly resent the wholesale slaughter being made, and talk of petitioning the Government for compensation.' < WATER DIVINING. Nelson, September 3. Tho Otahuhu water diviner, the Rev. H. Mason, is at present engaged in the Motueka district, and has indicated several places in which ho claims artesian bores may bo successfully driven. So fax none of the sites have been tested. HOUSE FOR GENTLEWOMEN. < Chrlstchurch, September 3. At,a meeting of the Eoardof Governors of the M'Lean Institute to-day it was resolved to lease a large house at Opawa, to be used as the House for! Gentlewomen directed to be established under the will . of the late Mr. Allan M'Lean. A matron is'to be appointed at.a salary, of £200 annually. A lengthy discussion took place on a proposal that for the time being the inmates be restricted to the wives, daughters, or sisters of Canterbury residents who arrived in tho province prior to 18S5, but the proposal was not adopted. " . IMMIGRANTS. Auckland, September 3. ■Included in the immisrants who arrived at Auckland by the steamer Oswestry Grange from Liverpool to-day are about a dozen domestic servants, of whom four or five have arranged to leave the ship at this port.. There are also several miners, tradesmen, and labourers, while one of the new arrivals puts himself down as an evangelist. SEASONAL CHANGES. Chrlstchurch, September 3. Tho Canterbury Philosophical Institute, at its meeting last evening, ■ decided to take steps to obtain rccords of seasonal changes affecting plants ill different parts of Now Zealand. Tho scheme was adopted on the motion of Dr.' Cockayne, seconded by Dr. Coleridge Farr. Dr. Cockayne said that all kinds of seasonal changes should be noted, and much valuablo information could be ob-. tained. The records would be ■ edited, and thev might be published in the "Transactions" of the New Zealand Institute. Dr. Farr suggested that the services of school children should bo used. Mr. E. G. Hogg, president of the institute, said' that if all members helped to record facts as they came under their notice they could ' bo sorted by trained botanists, and very valuablo information would bo made available to students. A committee was set up to take the schemo in hand. THE WORKERS AND THE ARBITRATION COUR'i. Auckland, September 3." The Auckland Trades and Labour Couucil last night endorsed resolution of the Christcliurch Council, asking for tho removal of Judgo Sim from tho Arbitration Court Bench. NEWS IN BRIEF, Tlmaru, September 2. A local tobacconist, for keeping his shop open after 7 o'clock at night, when it shouldhave been closed at that hour, was to-day fined £5 and costs £1 Bs. , Auckland, September 2. Fire destroyed the Whangapoura store and' post office, owned by Sir. W,. Peddle. The building, was .insured for £200 in , tho NewZealand office. Tho contents,, owned bv Mr. Robert Troudicar, were uninsured