NEW ZEALAND NEWS. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 480, 13 April 1909, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

THE SCENE AT ELLERSLIE. DISCUSSION BY AUCKLAND RACING • CLTJJB. • Ifii TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) .■...'/ Auckland, April 12. A meeting of the committee and steward: of the.: Auckland Eaoing Club was held thii afternoon at Ellerslie to consider the ques tion. of adjusting, some course of action t( protect the public arid prevent a recurrence ol the scene of Saturday last, when two bookmakers were mobbed". A strong plea wai made by Messrs. A. W. Gordon and F. Ear thai the stewards should be given full power! of inquiry regarding the financial position oi bookmakers applying to be licensed] It wai urged that if licenses were issued indiscriminately such action would lead to welsh ing, and that in turn to scenes of violence; which would bo a blow to racing generally! The-Hon. E. Mitchelson said that while tne committee was anxious to. do all possible tc conserve tho interests of the public, the matter'of welshing, which had been prevalent throughout the Dominion, was one that cbulc only be dealt with by tho New Zealand RacIt was too.lato'to do anything . more than had been done for the autumn meeting, and he considered it likelj that'tho'Act dealing with racing would be amended next session. Oii his fecominehdation.it was decided to defer further consideration, of tho question till the next, regular meeting of the committee. WRECK OF THE AEON VANISHED. .' ~ , Auokland, April 12. A cablegram reoeived from Honolulu states that the wreck of the steamer Aeon has disappeared. It is supposod the vessel was pmaged. by pirates and destroyed by dynamite.' ...''•. Australasian,syndicate which bought the. wreck, and which recently took stops .towards salvage, was in fear of being forestalled, and a warning was published to intending trespassers. Apparently it has been meikctUal.] .' '■ ■ ::r; • : <■,-,;;; MADAME MELBA AT THE BLUFF. ,[, ■ • • Invercarglil, April 12. iMadamo Melba arrived at the Bluff froni Australia by the Riverina to-day. ■> She sprained her knee oh board the boat/ and had to be assisted to a carriage. The accident will not interfere with' her engagements. i FIRE IN A COAL-MINE. ' ™ . . ~ ' Wostport, April 12. : There is nothing new to ropovt trom Atillertqn. Although it is believed that the fire ailhculty has been coued with, it will probably be the end of May beforo the mine resumes coal production. Tho Stockton and the Sedoonville State mine arq in the meantime helping to make up the deficiency, Stockton last weak shipping 2700 tons, a-record Weok. •'. NEWS IN BRIEF. ■ ~ , Auckland, April 12. Delegates to tho 1.0. G.T. eession were to-Hay-present at a picnic at Lake Takapima. in "the evening they, were entertained' and welcomed at a dinner, followed by a public reception. The Hon. Geo. Fowlda and Mr. U U. I oole, M.P., were present. The business or the session will open to-morrow. Ti c. ,«. Dunodin, April 12. ■Uie Seacliff Mental Hospital patient who escaped a fortnight ago was rccaptm'cd lust night, but while being conveyed back to tho institution this morning ho jumped off the tram. He is_still at large.