NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

. (BY TKLEQBArn—PttESS ASSOCIATION.)

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER. WEST COAST SCHEMES. Holiltlka, January 80. ■ Mr. E. A. Wicks, of Groymouth, is applying for an important u ater right up the Arahnra River. - Tho wator U proposed to bo used for hydro-electric raining purposes, and is to bo taken from tho second gorge of tho . river, whore it is estimated that somo CoOO-horso-pDwer may be generated This is tho fourth right of a similar nature lately applied for in Wcstland. Ttfo. rights bavo already been applied for at' Toaroha, and ono at tho Taipo. Several thousand horse-power nro involved in tho _ .applications, which, if brought into requisition, Would give a great incentive to mining and industrial undertakSo far, howover, the Government has .'hung the applications up, and tho delay is now being seriously felt. Valuable time is 'being lost, and as months havo now elapsed eineo Parliament i gave Government the power , to deal with tho applications, it is difficult to understand tho continued. delay ovor tho - natter; " ' i ' MEDICAL EXAMINATION. MASS MEETING 'OF MINERS. " Wcstport, January 30. ■ A mass meoting of miners in the ,Westport Coal Company's employ'was held at WaJ--1 . mengsroa to-day. < About 200 from Granity and 20 from Denniston were present.' Mr. Hawker (president of tho Denniston Minors' Union) was in tho chair. Tho meeting was addressed by Mossre. Hawker, Semplo (president of tho Miners' Federation), Dow, Gray (president, of the Granity. Miners' Union), Colvin, M'Diarmid, Nowton, and Walker. The meeting was not open to tho press, but information was given that,'after a lengthy . discussion, tho following resolutions were -carried unanimously :—(1) That tho Miners' Federation Executive bo asked to meet tho

officers of tho Westport Coal Company and 'try to gat tho company to do away with medical examination, and failing their cora- • plyiag with tho request, that the Federation be aSKcd to arrange to get legislation passed doing awfiy with the examination. (2) That tho Granity and Denniston Medical Association be requested to have axamination disoon- ' tinned. (3) That tho officers of tho Federa- " tibn and Messrs. ,Colvin and Oregan bo thanked for their services on bohalf of the miners.

' CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS' UNION.

. - , GRIEVANCES AT DOMETT. Chrfetohurqh, January 30. The alleged delay in paying co-operative ' twicers on tho railway Works at Domett was disoussed it , a mass meeting of tho men on -Thursday, reports tho Cheviot "News." Several speakers pointed out "that a largo, 1 body of men had to wait from October 6 to November 17, and that four men had to wait from the third week in September until November 17 for their wages, and that work performed since December 12 would not be paid until ' some time in February. It was also stated that when work was stopped at Christmas tho Government hold ton days' pay in .hand, / - which would not be forthcoming until February. Tho Mlomng motion was agreed to :— "That, in view of tho, shabby and contomptibloiway in which co-operative workers are treated on tho Domett! railway extension works, tho time has now arrived .when it is ' - absolutely necessary to form ourselves into a union, in order to protect our interests." In supporting tho motion, it was stated that tho average wage earned on the lino was-not sufficient for ft married man to live on, and tho branding of tho tonts with a largo broad arrow made tho encampment look more like a oarnp pf convicts than of free men. r Tho workers were forced to sign contracts rftf'dhb'ip'bint of tho bayonet, without being allowed a voice in'fixing prices, and the officials amended* o'ri cancelled these con- , ' tracts ''without consulting the men. Strong \' J " exception-was iaken' -to -'compulsory holidays,' and to the fact that tho men had to remain idle in their tente at Christmas timo for 12 days, without receiving any wages.' Forty men joined tho union. '

EARTHQUAKE. ? '. Cartorton, January 30., A short, eharp shock of earthquake was felt this morning nt 6.26 o'clock. The direction was nearly north to south. Creytown, January 30. A iharp earthquake was felt' here this morning at 6.15 o clock. It wus preceded by a rumbling noise. . . " CHILDREN'S WARD. Christchurch, January 31. The- total amount collected in the streets of tho oity yesterday towards the building fund of the children's ward at the general hospital was £214, The amount required is £2600, and it is estimated that, with jwterday's collection and tho amounts already ' subscribed or promised, and to be received from country districts,- over £1400 is in iviow. < , , THE THEATRE ROBBERY. Chrlstohutoh, January 31. No developments ■ hate occurred regarding ■ 'iho Theatre Royal robbery. Tho detectives wero busy all yesterday making full inquiries, * bnt '60 far, no traco cither of the thief or tho money has been found. • ' ■' ', BEN3ATIONAL INCIDENT.' - ..... Invoroarglll, January 31. A! sensation was caused at Himu on SaturdayjliKht, when some men visited the house of William Poff, a boshman, and discharged a gun through the window of a bedroom, shattering a 'picture, but harming nobody. Poff has brought his wife and family to town for safety. The police are making inquiries. Superannuation and local . ' BODIES. -• Invercarglll, January 29. At a meeting to-night or representatives of .various local bodies, it was resolved that the Executive Committeo in 'Wellington of the Municipal Harbour Board and County ~Councils Association bo written to, with the that they open up communication with the various borough councils, harbour boards, _ and ■ county councils, with a riow t , to' forming a united superannuation fund and .- t ascertain how many local bodice are inclined . , to join, ond/-f urthor, how many employees > would be likely to be contributors. -It was also decided to mako inquiries what.percentage on. the wages and contributions oach local body would havo to pay by way of subsidy. Tho nssociations arp to be informed that the meeting was of opinion that no fund ■ fihould.be established unless a sufficient numbpr of'contributors join to onsuro financial success, ' , NEWS IN BRIEF. Core, January 30. As a result of a further police raid on Sat- \ urday night, throo three-gallon kogs of beer, one just tapped, were seized on the premises of Malachi Hanley, Provincial Boardinghouso, East Gore.

,;■ ',"■■■: ■.-:-■ : ■'•'■: ;•■■:•■i.; AuoUland, January 30. : J. 1/ Millar informed a doputa-. tion; that.the Harbours Bill would proyido for froater:- representation of shipowners oh the .uokland ;B6ard. ; He stated that, ho would introduce,; legislation,- probably next • session, for .regulation rf: oil .launches plying for, hire. Permits- for , -private launches would be given without restriction. ".;'■.■.■:.;.: .:■ ; . ; . ' '.- . ■■\ ■-• V : '•■;:':':fi ■ : Chrlsstchurch, January.3l. Aβ- a result of a raeeting ofthe Tramway Employees'-Union it is probable that another: conference: with; the Tramway Board will be asktfd': for; despito the fact that the board, of. the premature ;■ publication of tho anion's demhnjs,' declared -they would not Rgain confer with.tho.union.'- .:■';. ."