NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 463, 23 March 1909, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BY TELJQRiPn—ritESS ASSOCIATION.) POVERTY BAY PETROLEUM. Cisborne, March 22. At a meeting of the Gisbome Oil Company, the manager reported that arrangements wero practically complete to. enable boring to bo commenced forthwith. SUPREME COURT SESSIONS. ; , Napier, March 22. Mr. Justico Edwards to-day. sentenced William Brewer, convicted of cattle-stealing at.' Runanga, to two years' hard labour, taking into account the strong recommendation of the jury to mercy. Laurence Jefferson, who cairte up for sentence for theft of a suit of clothes at Hastings, got a sentence of twelve months' imprisonment. IMPORTING CRICKET COACHES. Napier, March 22. As- an outcome of the Veterans' cricket match on Saturday, a "coach fund"_ was inaugurated, and met with such a satisfactory response that Mr. E. H. Williams, who goes Home on a visit this month, is empowered to'select a suitable man. AN ARCHITECT'S PLANS. . Chrlstchurch, March 22. . Mr. Justice Denniston delivered judgment at' the Supreme Court this morning in a case involving-an application by the Board of Governors of Canterbury College against C. 1 J. Mountfort, for the return of plans of ; Canterbury College. His Honour held that i the plans, which had been prepared by do- , fendarit's father, and devised by him. to ; defendant, were the property of the board, ; and| he gave judgment accordingly. , THE LIQUOR LAW. ' o . .Tlmaru, .March 22. At the Magistrate's Court, Bernard Clancy was fined .£lO, or three months' imprisonment, fori supplying liquor to two prohibited persons—Martin Shepherd and Thomas ColJins—who were each fined £5, in default a month's imprisonment, for obtaining liquor. The liquor was taken to Clancy's houso, where Shepherd, Collius, and two or three others wero in the habit of foregathering to indulge in drinking bouts. THE NEW OTACO DOCK. Dunedin, March 22. The task of making the new dock entrance and wood sheathing around the caisson watertight has proved more tedious and difficult than was anticipated. The caisson has been docked several times to "true up" the abutting surfaces, but a considerable amount of leakage was still noticeable when tho dock was pumped dry. Although the small spaces would riot admit the thickness of a knife blade, the water pressure behind forces tho water into tho dock—a defect which the contractors have been endeavouring to remedy for'seme weeks past. The' dock was again pumped dry on Friday, and on Saturday a special meeting of the Dock Trust was held to consider the position. The dock and caisson were inspected,. and, as a result of the'i inspection, the caisson will be again docked in order to remody present leakage. AN AUSTRIAN DROWNED. Auckland, March 22. * Ail . Austrian, named Kostanich, was drowned yesterday at Waikanae Lake, near Parengarenga. A party of Austrians were outj shooting ducks from the bank of the lake, and deceased attempted to swim out for 1 a '.wounded bird, and disappeared when some distance from shore. It is presumed he was seized with cramp. DRAUCHTS, ' ' „ , Core, March 22. At a meeting of the Gore Draughts Club on Saturday, it was decided that tho coming championship tournament be held on Good Irlday, April 9, and tho samo amount of prize money be awarded, as at the Dunedin Sig"""-' *» d