NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

ißt'. TELEOttiPH—rasss ISSOCIVtIOH.T ' v ,-:- ■ ,--..-. ' ' ■ ,t

A SERIOUS CHARGE REDUCED.

THE AFFAIR AT TAKAPUNA. . J - Auckland,. January .5. • ,! Tbe hearing of evidence'in the; Takapuna shooting caso, which occurred on Christmas/..- i Eve, occupied a great portion .of to-dayfs;. -I proceedings at the Police Court. It .Tvill-ba , ; remembered' that a farmer, Nicholas, Casey, t on the night in.question,.wentjto the.liouse'- ..[ of W. E. Speck, a neighbour, and... called. - him out. There followed., tho .firing-. of :a '• .. - gun, and the voluntary Surrender, of. Casey,-;j-:; who was charged with attempted murder. ~v. The evidence showed that Casey hadj for some time, been annoyed by. th 6 .visits of Speck to his house, rightly or wrongly form-; ; ; ing the opinion .that,; as-. Speck-was aniarried..': ■man, . his attentions to -.accused's, sixteen- ; . . 'year-old daughter were - undesirable.'.: Casey.': and others-.; deposed ,that the.' former re- t.-/ peatedly warned i Speck not to come to 2C-.' ! -;- cused's place, and that no - notice was. taken; of these warnings. Speck. denied that_such -. « • warnings - had been- given, .but' Mr. -C. -C. Kettle, S.M;,: clearly, intimated-.that he-,dis T : . believed him.' Casey's defence-was. that ha.." had merely fired the gun to frighten Speck/. : In the end the charge was, by "consent or. . 'the magistrate, reduced to- one of : common v-' : assault, to' which,Casey pleaded-guilty. .He. was convicted of the lesser , offence; and dis> • "charged. CHRISTCHUBCH FIRE BRICADE. DEPUTY SUPEEINTENDENT ( RESIGNS.. Chrjstohuroh, January 5. . - ..Mr. Juriss, deputy the : Fire Brigade, has resigned' from'his posi-' tion. TOen he was seen by a reported to-day ha.. .p said that his resignation wo^d.go.before the ■Fire Board:at-its'meeting.to-morrow evening,. and that in' thevmeantime/M. : would not•; dis-' cuss.-the: subject.lt has a number of grievances,' which : have:been>- • y•created by': in'- which- the. beard J,- -, : has treated: him.'-. It •is ; , B&ted--th4t;me#Mtß--^;; l j;; of the board have interfered with his work,-• : and dictated to him' what; Ms attitude should be towards the men,'3nd so in. :He has'been- ; a member, of : the; brigade' for 'about 17;.year^'*p. THE' ARBITRATION ACT. .. . . Dunedln, January. 5. . r. The Otago<. Employers!. Association, having L found in the new -no -pro-, .v-«: - vision' for agreements parties' b^ing. made Cdurt,"-^-being ignored," " wrote ta the for- H ■ Labour on-tho matter.-.Ho.replied; enclosing; •-v the opinion of Mr D. M Fmdlay, solicitor, of Wellington. This opinion.-is that where- . - an amicable!settlement is' ainied .at reference i-' to the council'is a pure supererogation, .and - ■- if: takfen :.to •" could- not do - ' more. .-notify' :the''.;fact'- : to." the- oourfc,-",; ; v ; l which, in his opinion, - would give the Clerk-'. ! of Awards the necessary power:to. constitute-. i an agreement an,'award.;;-, The practice -to ; : ' an industrial/agreement": may -'entar-into;-a • binding ' agreement to "make' an;agreement• ; "• -; an' award. The Court-of Arbitration has v the iurisdiction- to'. constitute:-~aii- p agreement' •. . an award without tho. interference.' of'; the- j r Clerk' of ; a council, vlf tho Court of' .Arbitration . asb sumes-origiiial .jurisdictionj-'its aeeision.arid s award made would :ndt- :be ', / :

UNPLEASANTNESS IN A DRAINAGE BOARD. Dunedln, January 5.

vAt'a'meetingrof the:;P.uneain:; Drainage,;:. Board ;'correspondence., relating;:to;-. :'- recent ..appointment- of:/a -.■• draughtsman.;■; was beenitaken.:.; to'.the appointment:of earned--:; ■ .degree .; Bachelor of Engineering at,Canterbury.-Ul--.;;'■ lege It- is : ;understood^-.that; the -objection : ■; was : : based/on; the of ;Mr.iLow. - ;.v The' board"decided appointing - ; stated p resign'ation" of' tha.engmeer/Mr.ySh.nger,:-!!;:: impending as a:resulK/,-;; ■y'-i-gi.o ,--■•-'"■:•;■''. : 'r";;;,

OFF TO CAMPBELL ISLAND.

SHEPHERDS FROM MARLBOROUGH. inveroargllli January 5.' When the Government steamer Hinemoa sailed from the Bluff yesterday for- the south- <• ern islands circuit, she took a party of eleven vounc men, who are going to replace the shepherds working for Captain, Tucker on Campbell Island. They took with them a , whaleboat and an oil launch,, and, in addi- - tion to doing the shearing and ,other pastoral work ot the island sheep-run, they will i at" intervals be occupied in whaling. .The men como from Tory Channel,,-Marlbor-ough. - V ■' "

NEWS IN BRIEF. L; •) «■ ■ Auckland, January's. '• The net revenue of the Auckland .Harbour Board for 1007 iias £93,718, and "the ;h<£ rovonuo for 1908 was £101,596, an lricrease^ £7878. I K » Auckland, ,i The Church of Christ Conferenco app&nted. the following officers-.—President, Mr,rJ rfj E. ( ; Scott, Wellington; vice-presidents, jUjissrs.; r P. J. Pranklin (Wellington), and C., I|,,}! >> Donald (Dunediu); .secretary and treasurer, ~., Mr. John Bewlcy. •*•'-. t.. Napier, . <, The Pukctitiri Hotel, owned by Messrs.,,., feNcal and Close, mid tenanted by Mr. .Hen-.,, , dorson, was totally destroyed by fire early -;, ~ this morning. Nothing was saved. Ilha 0•> building was insured for £300 m the Phoenix- ,< Office, and tho furniture and stock .for£2oo in the United. H&h Plymouth, January 5.. , H.M.S. Cambrian, delayed hero through loss of an anchor, will leave at the end of; the week if the anchor is not ljeopvered s Ashburton, January 5. Mr. David Jones's election expenses have been returned at £93 Ds. 5d Ounedln, January 5. Sovoral changes in tho Salvation Army's management are announced. Staif-Captain Dixon of Dunedin, goes to Christchurch, and will bo relieved hero by Adjutant Herkettlo, of Napier. Staff-Captain Sims, of Christchurch, goes to Invercargill. _ v It iis understood that the . relations between tho Drainage Board and their engineer havo been inharmonious for, some time past, leading to the latter's resignation. Applications are invited for the position of secretary to the Neiv Zealand Natives Association- Particulars can be obtained from Dr. p W. Mackenzie, or Mr. A. 'H. Vila