NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 578, 5 August 1909, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

(By Toleeraph.-Prosi A«aoolatlon.) — —•- i a Becession averted. [ coalminer's and their union. • _ Dunedln, August 4/ The threatened secession of the Green Is land coalminers from the'Otago Union appears to have been averted as tlic result-ol . a conference. The rales have been amended in the direction'of giving authority to a ' branch to investigate minor local complaints, i a™ te have partial control of local funds. - i Gr ? cn _ Islan<l an d" Kaitangata' minora , favoured a,Dominion federation by aii ovorr whelming majority. . a board at "its wits' ends." teachersTscarce! ! ~• ■j , Auckland, August"4. , s At to-days meeting of the Board of Edo. s cation the chairman stated that, the' board . was at its wits' end to.'find teachers. It ha<J , been obliged to take on temporarily fifteen ' pupil-teachers who had failed, to paBS, be--1 sides sixteen'who had got through. ) \ '- _ ' ~ - 1 LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD. i : . " • ' Chilstchurch, August 4. ; The chairman of; the Lyttelton'Harbonf i Board in a report to the meeting to-day ' i stated.that the. receipts for tho half year ■ ended.June 30 totalled'3o,B7o, an increase [ of £1994, compared with the corresponding .. i period last year., The actual earnings for tho , half year totalled £32,679, an increase of , £3982. The expenditure totalled £29,444, as' ; i against £21,827. Regarding the i dues, which showed a decrease, he .stated ; that tho tonnage on which wharfage was. » paid showed an increase of 32,769 tons, which [ was composed chiefly of frozen meat, butter, ' grain, and wool, and which accounted for ! £1312. Otherwise thero would, have been, a loss of revenue duo to the reduction of ; wharfage rates of £2318. The imports fortho half year totalled £1,110,209,.a decrease' of £206,643; exports,. £1,680,566, an increase of £403,026. Mr. Laurenson, in moving the adoption of the report, said it was highly satisfactory, and in view of .the fi-: naucial depression .the chairman's figure? ■ spoke for themselves. .... CHRISTCHURCH CANAL. , , Christchurch,, August- 4. The committee of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, to which was referred the reports by Messrs. Coode, Son, and Matthews, and Mr.' Cyrus J. R. Williams (tho board's engineer), regarding tho construction of a canal fron. Sumner and of. a port at Heathcote, submitted at the board s meeting to-day majority and minority reports. ; The majority report is a lengthy document, the conclusions of which aro unfavourable to. the scheme. The report concludes:—" In ■ view of'the "fact that) after consideration of the facts set out in this report, and after most carefully weighing all tho circumstances, wo have completely failed to form an'opinion favqurablo to the financial prospect, ond having regard to the most emphatic'recommendations of Messrs.- Coode, Son, and Matthews regarding the engineering and navigation aspect of the canal scheme, we have no hesitation in recommending thoboard to abandon the suggestion of constructs ing a canal and port at Heathcote Bridge. .'■ The minority report is wholly favourable tothe scheme. ENCINE-DRIVERS' DISPUTE. ' Dunedjn, August 4. Mr. Triggs conducted a sitting of the Con* ciliation Council this morning to endeavour to settle tlie dispute between engine--drivers and omployers. He found it impossible to adjust matters, and tho dispute will' ,go, to tibo Arbitration Court. MR. HOCC AT PALMERSTON. ' . Palmorston, August 4.. Mr. A.W. Hogg, M.P.j addressed.a larga, and enthusiastic: meeting at the Opera Housii chair. .A, un| vote of thanks and'confidence in Mr. Hogg's land and financial policy was- carried. Mr. ' Hogg, was mot at the .railway station ,bj . representatives of Socialist organ>. ..-.. 'sation,'.and of the'trades ..unions."". ..,..'