NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 759, 7 March 1910, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph.- Vsna Association* ■ • . 1 ■ . FIJI TRADE. ' - \ IS SYDNEY UNDULY FAVOUKEW' Auckland, March 5. Mr. Gaudin stated at the Chamber ol Commerce Council that the Union Steam ■ Ship Company was giving preferential rates between Fiji and Sydney as against Fiji and Auckland. In some cases the difference was as much as 15 per cent. Auckland had practically lost the Fiji trade. The council resolved to ask the Union Company for- a reply to the allo* gation. ' Bunedin, March 5. In reference to Mr. GaudinV remarks tho Union Company deny any knowledge of any preferential rates. The company state that the rates between Sydney and Fiji and between Fiji and Auckland an* identical both ways. NAPIER HARBOUR PROPOSAL SEVEBELY CRITICISED. Hastings, March 5. A statutory meeting 'of ratepayers o( the Hastings tiding of the Napier Haa bour rating district was held last nighi to consider a proposal to borrow £30HJMfor the purposes of work -necessary fofl ' the requirements of the breakwater-pow tion of Napier Harbour. There was $ crowded meeting, which severely • criti'' cised the proposal, and carried stn amend*/., ment to the. effect that the mebfing op* posed-a poll being taken until Ms, Qeorge Nelson's'scheme had been.accuv rately reported on. Only four voted Vl{ favour of a poll being taken. CANTERBURY LAND SALE. Ashburton, March. 5. A most suocessfnl sub-division sale o{ 1800 ' acres of land, part of the welt ■ known Laghnbr Estate situated about eight miles from Ashburton, was held to* , day when about GOO farmers were pre« sent. The land was sold in eleven block! . at an average of "J220 12s. per acre, and the sale. netted, for the owner, Mi. G« A. M. Buckley, a sum' of' approximately, £40,000. Owing to portion of the land being slightly inferior to that sold , at the last snb-division sale about threS years ago, the average price obtained -'on this occasion was not so high., There was spirited 'competition", •' however, and the whole of the block was disposed of in les3 than 45 minutes. . Prices for best qnaU ity land ranged, from £V> to £25 2s. 6d« per acre, one riverbed lot being sold at' .£lO 7s. 6d. ■ ■• ■ BOTANICAL RESERVE. : Christehurch, March 5. . A party of scientists and otiers are-.' inspecting • a portion of .the.'Grassmer* Bun, on the West Coast Boad, with $ view to the selection of a locality for a ■. botanical reserve. It is proposed to set apart : 200 .acres, -including hill; valley, swamp, and shingle, with, a'view'to tha observation of; the-.natural growth of native plants., The site .includes patches of native bush.. The run. i≤. an educa*, : tional -ireserve controlled.by the Canten bury College, and no difficulty is anticji • pitted' in. makinga special reservation. THE JUDGE 1 ; ' Christchurch,' March 5. ' The Arbitration , to-day considerej. an application for the renewal of the gem cral labourers' award to which both par< . ties had agreed. The' judge," however, . objected to the clause giving preference to financial members of.unions over non-. financial members. He' said that {&« parties..could enter into an industrial agreement .on such a matter. ' .. " - '' " .;'■• EARTH HUNGER.' ' .:'. . Wairoa, March 5. , A public meeting last night, attended by a large number of disappointed landU seekers, resolved to petition the Goverm ment to take'for closer. settlement Mr. J. H. Brown's Tupara property of 8900 acres, Kiwi (16,000 acres), or other landf the Government may deem suitable ia order to appease the evident land hunge» CHfNESE "DOCTOR." . ■ '■",'. Wairoa, March 5. A' Chinaman named James Shang .Tojl Sam was fined with'. £i ss. Gd. cosfa,'. for pretending'to be a;.doctor.' The sam«-.-• accused was committed for trial on a; charge of so negligently and 'unskilfully, treating a Maori child that she died,' The parents, a young married coupla were committed for trial on a charge oj aiding and abetting the Chinaman.

SLAUGHTERING STRIKE. ; Auckland, March 6. A fresh gang of men has been engaged to replace the slaughtermen's assistant} who struck at the Southdown irorks a the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Co., aaq : these will begin work to-morrow morning;. They will, however, join the union- fiisc< It is believed that this move will not end tlie trouble. ' .

' •.. ' Wairoa, March 5, At the Magistrate's Court last night at Native named Raniera Te. Hau was com* mitted. for sentence on a charge' of breato ing and entering at Nuhaka. .