NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

fßy TeleEraoh.—Press Asfloclatloa.l : * STEAMERS TO MARLBOROUCH

CHANGES SOUGHT. Blenheim, May 28. The Chamber of Commerce last night passed a motion drawing the attention of the Union Company to tho inconvenience the people of this district and the outside travelling public are put to owing to the late hour of sailing of passenger steamers from Wellington to Picton, and strongly urging that tho earlier hour of departure as provided in tho previous time-table be reverted to; Considerable ' dissatisfaction exists over the manner in which the service is run at present. The Railway Department is also blamed for not suiting • tho running of trains to the steamer timo-tablo. ■ ALLECED IN&ENDIARISM. Ashburton, May 28. A'hat is alleged to have been; a deliberate, attempt to destroy by fire an unoccupied two T story wooden building, known as' Butler's. Hotel, occurred in the small hours of this morning, when small. outbreaks were discovered in six different parts of tho building. After the'police had succeeded in-extinguish-ing the flames, wliich, fortunately, bad not . attained serious dimoiisions when the trouble was noticed, they made a search and found crouched' behind a washhouse. door a young man named William Hunt, of Cox Street, Ashburton. Hunt gave an unsatisfactory account 'of his, presence there, and was arrested on a charge of attempting to Got firo to the building.

Accused appeared before Justices of the Peace this morning, and was remanded till June 4. Tho bail required (£200) was not forthcoming. Accused is a porter at the Somerset Hotel, and is not known to have been in trouble before. STATE CHILDREN'S CRECHES. Dunsdin, May. 28. A deputation representative af workers' organisations asked the Hon. J. A.' Miliar that the State should establish creches in the centres. Mr. Millai replied : sympathetically, but said it was a question of ways and means, and tho (corkers would be the first to squeak 'if additional taxation was suggested. Hie idea was to extend tl)e kindergarten system.- Mothers could then leavo their children in charge of responsible persons while at work themselves. RATINC SPORTS GROUNDS. ..'Christchurch, May 28. . As showing, the extent of tho burden imposed by tho rating of nou-propriet-ery sports grounds, it is stated that the average rate's on- Lancaster Park for five years had been £75 per annum, approximately 10 p?r cent, of the in--' come: The Linwood Tennis Club pays £7 13s. lid. on less than ,an acre, the Avondalc Tennis Club £9 16s. on an acre, the Canterbury Tennis Club £32 lis.'2d. on, three-quarters of an acre, and the Christchurch Bowling Club £15 18s. .6:1 oil less than three-quarters of an acrfc. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Dunoclin, May 25. A deputation representing friendly; societies waited on the Hon. J. A. Millar this morning,. and asked that clauses 15 aiid IG,. deleted from the Bill of last 'session, he reinstated, bringing the contributions of all societies, into line. Mr. Millar expressed approval, and promised to bring the matter under the notice'of the Minister for Finance.-- • , F>>-■ T ■ ENDURANCE PLAYING. Waihi, May 23. James Stirton, ex-champion pianoplayer, has broken tho world's record for piano-playing endurance. Finishing last night, lie played continuously for 62 hours'lo minutes, which is five minutes ahead of the record. MEMORIAL PARADE. Christshuroh, May 29. .A memorial parado of senior and South African veterans, held this afternoon, was'adriressed by the Veil. Archdeacon Enspr, Chaplain-Captain Morris, and Lieutehant-Colonel Slater. Of the senior veterans sixteen paraded. Tho South African veterans paraded under Burgeon-Captain Fenwick. AUTOMOBILE TESTS. Christciuiroh, May 2!). Th<i Canterbury Automobile Association speed contests on Saturday last resulted as follow■Class A, under 12 h.p., 11. 0. Dixon's Sizaire Naudin, 1; Class B, 12-20 h.p., C. P. Lock's Alldays, 2; Class C,' 20 h.p. and over, Adams, Ltd.'s Talbot, 1. Petrol consumption tests: —Class'A, R. O. Dixon's Sizaire Naudin, 1; Class. B, Bunce and Co.'s Argyle, 1; Class C, \V. B. Scott and Co.'s Vauxhall, 1. The last-men-tioned firm won the Dimlop 'Rubber Company's "prize for the highest aggregate of marks.

: TWO PRISONERS ESCAPE. • Rotarua, May 2i). ' Tivo. prisoners escaped from Waipa on Saturday night, their names being Rees Nicholson, and Arthur George Hcllemcu. One of the escapees has only been in prison about four weeks, ho haying been convicted for housebreaking and arson. All the available police are scouring the country and a. wander from Waipa is also assisting in the search. The escapees took food and blankets with them. SHEARERS' ASSOCIATION. Christciiurch, May 29. Tho secretary of the New Zealand Shearers' and Woolsked Industrial Association of Workers received notification 011 Saturday that the association flad been registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

DR. HENRY'S MISSION. Chrisiohurcti, May 29. Dr. Henry's mission opened here this afternoon, His Majesty's Theatre being crowded in every part. The services were joined in with" much heartiness by those present, and Dr. Henry's forcible address mado ■ a strong appeal. THREE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. Auckland, May 27. In the Supremo Court, Alfred John Capper was sentenced Ui three yearn imprisonment for criminal assault and one year for using bad language, sentences to be concurrent. A chargo of arson against the. prisoner was withdrawn, siibjcct to the conscnt of the Attorney-General.