NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 430, 12 February 1909, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

tnr THEOttil'n—l'ltESS ASSOCIATION.) ' .■ — . a" ' ... ' CONFERENCE OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. Auckland, February 11. - ,Among the subjects'which' the council; of „ the Auckland Chamber:of .Commerce desires . to be discussed at the Now Zealand .'.Confer? of Chambers of Commerce are: the- re* establishment of the.SanFrancisco mail.ser-,. vice, the urgent need for the completion of railways now-in course of. construction, Vith particular - reference to the ■: Gisborne and . c ol l of; Auckland lines, the encouragements of: trado_ with the; Pacific Islands,' the need • tor the Government to continue actively ad-,, vertisrag. the' attractions-* of ■ the Dominion, and to continue offering.facilities for assisted immigrants, reduction of .cable rates, - and : amendment of the Bankruptcy-Act. LICENSING ELECTIONS. : . Auckland, February 11. increasing -interest is being shown in the rortncoming licensing .elections, especially so : - ar as.thec.ty bench is concerned, it is expected that when the nominations are . . closed there will be somewhere about. 14 candidates for this committee, including 'Mrs; ; Jimily.Nichol, whose: name is menticued as:''." a .probability. The Temperanco .party',; has decided to^ support .the present committee, who are' pledged enforce -the maximum' reduction of hotels. It is ; likely, however,,, that the Temperance, Crusaders -wilKnomin-"' ate a separate. _ •.'ticket/'' The League has decided :to sunport five other gentlemen, and the ."ticket", to be run by "the trade'' is now under/ consideration. • . THE ABDUCTION CASE. Auckland, February 11. ; The .Maori Whare Katanga, charged 'with'.abducting a ; Native: girl .under snrteen ■ years ■: of ago, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour. . ~- - •; THE EAST COAST RAILWAY. : Napier,' February. 11. • . The.; Chamber of Commerce discussed, the:" East, Coast, .railway ..question ..and adoptedthe following resolution: "That.'the members'/, for, .the district „he.: requested to urge on tho Minister for Public Works .the": importance of : completing a survey -of; the railway ' route . to.. Poverty;; Bay during-"this summer; in - terms-of, a'promise, made to Mr. A. L". D. • Eraser during last session of Parliament; and - to the chamber by the Hon. W. Hall-Jones on August' 29 'last." ; THIEVES AT HAVVERA RACES. : : Wanganui, February .11.-■ A gang of clever pickpockets and thieves operated very : freely at; the: Hawera : races; yesterday,, and many: purses., were.extracted: from thepockets of . the'unwary, women being : particular.victims. .The-same gang is believed. 1 to have visited .othcr race meetings.* r - ,v. A MAORI CHRISTMAS FEAST. : Wairoa, February 11. At the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. W. A. Barton,; S.M., two half-castes were;' charged with, supplying liquor at a Christmas feast at Whakaka: to male: and • female ■ Na- - H ves ;. fourteen persons consumed 11 b'ottlea of whisky, , and: all: were drunk; The defence ' was that tho liquor 'was drunk at the placo of supply, and was not. taken away from, the feast. The- Court ruled that the place of supply was Dalgety's licensed 'whofeale prem-. lses, and the accused'.caused the liquor -.te be consumed at .the feast: /Fines and" cbsts were. " •inflicted amounting to £35. ' / '■ BANQUET TO HON. A. W. HOCCi Mastertcn, February 11. : / The Hon. A. :W. Hogg, Minister for I,a- , bour, was entertained by his constituents, at;. a banquet : to-night in ::hbn6ur-,of liis eleva- ; tion to 'the' Ministry. ..The Hon. D. Buddo was amongst those - present. .. ::: .