NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Preßß Aesoclatlon.l.

: :OVER-vIe|GHT SACKS; TO' MR.;MILLAE.'; ■'■-;./ dhristchurch, February 27.' . 'The-. Hdn;:, J.-A, .'Millar,' Minister for. Railways,. spent over an hour this morning: discussing' railway affairs with depui* ■ tafions.'.-.;'■ '::,■'.;.:■ '■■'■■'~ :'■-.'.'■ ;:;.'■': '■

. A'■ deputation'. from.; ..the' ' Canterbury:, Chamber, of .Commerce submitted a. motion passed; by. the^Chamber, protecting : ' ngainst,.tho,system ,of pcnlties for'ever- . I;' weight'.sacks.i'of. produce' consigned .on: the railways.. Mr. Millar said he thought ' that it .was' time .finality had been reached on the. subject.:... When, in former times,: '■<'■■■ sacte.weighed: 2401b.,. it., was out'. ■: that the,hcalth of,the men.who handled -',:■ them wasinjured, and.it was determined' ■•■•'': that it should be stopped.: The-'weight: -.''• of /2001b.- was quite .sufficient, v.When he : discussed, the-subject:.with, the- -executive-: of Hho; Farmers' Union in Christchnrch ■ : somotimo ago, it was suggested that' an'">:' '. allowance :■ of 31b. would ' b6' ; 'am'ple. ■■'-' It''." .'• was not his suggestion; but-the farmers'. '. ■As - a- matter, of fact; -some ■ farmers said that ljlb. : should •,meet .requirements'. The suggestion .to make,an "allowance of .' : ' 101b. was scouted by farmers, 7 The diffi." •- oulty. was. that. if ho conceded'slb; now ■ there would be.a cry for more.. The.De- * partment,..was. "carrying overweight sacks. - for miles,, and:.a penalty, was i imposed of four .times the .freight on the distance ..'■ the sacks.wire r carried."- Possibly it was -'7 a wrong basis. -He was prepared to conrsider .another.'penalty, but;.it'would be'■'"'." ;h.eavy,.enongh.to..leave no'profit on'sacks -- affected.. .The regulation as it stood was : made..with the -full, knowledge of Parlia- '••"■■■' ment. and ..the approval ,of •'farmers, and - ' '•- :he .was not going-to see the:regulation ignored. He.was-prepared to meet the de-''"•■'• putation. fairly,: and to make a; reasonable .margin under'', which: a! man'-with ■'" reasonable, care could act with safety. 'If :: 'he did, not act' in that way, the penaltj - '.'"'■ ■would ,be [.imposed,. and it, would; be'-a ■■■'■■' •heavy,one. :-.Ho wanted the Department ;to .get. full freight.'-: 'There'.-were.,many •'■• stations where : . there,-were: no. weigh- '• bridges, arid'precautions had to, '-. A deputation from" the executive of the' ; '■'" Farmers .Union."waited on-theJifinister: •.' with regard to the. same subject. The'" ■">'. Minister,' inreplying.saidithat.in a test ■'/■ made nlSyfr'' out ' of ' 2sS ''sacks ; 135 had over, 2201b.-: In:reply to-^questions he ■•■ said that there were difficultiES in. m'ak- ' ing the regulation apply to.potatoes ahd- ! ~ / similar produce, and .he-.would) consider." : -':••■ that point.;. :..-','..: ,-'-•■• ':'■"..' ; /Mr- .MiM, left for to-night .:;;

, AN" EMINENT; MINING ENGINEER. ! " f : ; February. "•'.'''■ i Mr.' G. H. v ßroome; r who is,/leaving ;theV>v managership ..0f. ; .; the .1 Stocktoh-Ngakwa. ' ! v coiaery -.to become;general- manager.''of '■'•■ tne. new> State :.coal-mine at : Powletfs '7. C-reek ■ v J#oria, ■' .wasjfarewelled.'., at'.-.'■ Ngakwa onFriday, by residents, and W, A ployees:of:the Stockton'.mine; ; and waa ! ' presented. ; with ; .a handsome• gold-: watch-: j and- chain ai3,;a., tangible token, of'the "■' ;Peoples esteem.- On ..Saturday/Mr •' ' .iiroome. was;also .entertained, at. a', large"' and representative' gathering in' when .. speeches were .made,, eulogistio :.'■ of > : ~tne. guest, who,has been most../successful' V I '£" w.'^? lt T of .J?ining".erigineer,.and""" m 'to ,dealings:., with.:the :.-aea.Mik- tM •': . btockton. Company's;: manager; •:. Ono '. speaker .said, ho, could .not-'-understand'" what, tho.Government.was doing in:allow--ii ;mg a. ,Mr. BroomeVknown'sMl.»;-' ! S''c^i :^^,.^^.^.^"'; '

:::vALLEGED VHQUSE^TRIPPING."-, U: .',: .Palmerstoh North, February' 2a. v - "J? 1 ".? 01 ? 6 ,*™? -past'a .-series of estra.':v ; " thefts have'been' J taking'placein Palmerstoh, mostly from <' - houses. whose .occupants have : Been away' -"" on holidays./'Last,night Detective Quirke-ii. ". .arrested .a: young, .man', i'naraed Joseph :'" £owelka ~(who.was lately .before the' S.M. ■' /'■ umrt on-a.charge of '.attempted" suicide)!«:'' on' nve charges, .involving theft of goods S , valued M.,., The goods : taken/ included P : ii™ o ,^,|Y,eryJprn};,9f,household' furniture, jS'; - ' ;bedsteads,..tables; .'washsta'nds,.';'duohesso >i '-• .sets,i carpets,.linoleums; pictures/watches;* :clocks, ,also;..,a.quahtiij:,'of:. rubber tyres K-. ~ from/: Clarkson'S/Wholesale" ..Cycle-&■' •JJepotr:,All' the'go'pds-missing'\were found '-'H |iii accused's -house, together -'with', "-an £■*; jelectnc. lamp, 'chisels, revolver,',and a■&'■ .'cartridges.';.. Powelka was brought s-s': : before ■ the. 'stipendiary 'magistrate this $ G . -morning: and.Temanded., ,„, -•••:'. '•. OSS-

\ ■;.;;■'.; -warship movements, :,y.:-] | ¥'.■■ ::■■ i ':'.'.-:. ;' >27. ; '> ■% ~ H.Jf.S:. Powerful, .flagship of -the Aub- £ , traUan .Squadron,; with.'Vice-Admiral. Sir s;' Biehard'-'Poore!on boardi has■ 6afely aii-$-:< rived- from.(Sydney/- H.M.S. Encounter ;y ~ ihas ; arrivedvfrom' ... ;. ,; . & * i.V'/.f'!?.'.,1'. : February 27. /'IS i !; 'HJliS,',' Challenger and■:',: Pegasus ';.'ara,g. ; ■ ;also,; in. port.,at': Auckland, -. and will re-:'»;,- ' .mamV.hsreywith .the' Powerful .and-En«.|i; counter for 'Be'veral,.'.days.- :' ~;.;•..,.•, . ; ■' '■;;■ i; -;:. ; .PiR EM E; :-COURf. A-. ■:;; -1 : v x : V :■■'''' '2fi. ; V'^-'-'Joseph 'Thomas- Christie, a' youth who &• h absconaed ; from Burnham,-antt-was' this fj!.'' ■week-convicted of theft and 1 forgery, was; w ', sentenced'' to -a v termw of :.imprisdnmeht;'Vji. 'Mr-.-Justice. Cooper remarked that it'was',:; ■no. use;'sending . the.'.iprisoner.'' -back -to'' i. Burrihani, but 'he would, make represen- v .- tatipris"'for^his'transfer to .Invercargill,..; ■.where special .provision .was made for. ■dealing'with''.-criminal youths..'.'-ofVi-this-'/.'.' class. John -Henry : Farrelljy charged with, ';•'. forgery'arid; uttering,,'.'failed.' to;;appear iwhcn 1 called Ton, at "Supreme,; Court,'- arid -■' 'his .bail was estreated. ••■;■ '"^'Vj'--.'-.>.;'•;' .:;" ;

'' >';v'. : ;-r";;.-,.V;Fei!ding,jFebniary;;26..: annual-:.; sheep:...fail ■ yesterday * up to ■ one.;; and : 'a , ; quarta guineas realised for- Southdown-ew.es;: >Romriey T ; ewes brought "twenty-one - shil< ! lings. "Forty .thousand sheep'..were .ottered.

•;.-..' •'•■'•'';> v -.;,;;,' : Dunedin,,;;February-26.-,: .. Five -shearers,'were;' r fincd : .' M ; each- : and costs 'at Q'ueenstown,'.-'ori\ a' :;; charge cf :taking 'part. in: '• a • strike -■ at : the • Mount Kichplas Station.;. ; ;,: ;^-. ••■■'./.'';- : ' ;«■ ;.-'