NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 881, 29 July 1910, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Teleevaph.-Pross Association.!

"FARCICAL STATEMENT." . WEASELS IN THE WAIEOAV , ■ , Dargaville, July"27. A statement recently published in southern papers to the effect that over 10f weasels had been seen marching like a mob of sheep along a road in the Northern Wairoa has caused a good deal oi unfavourable comment, such indications that the district is overrun with the vermin being contrary to fact. A' prominent settler who owns land in various parts of Kninara. informed a "North Aucfc lsiud Times" reporter this evening that, locally, weasels have not increased in. numbers during the past four years, and on no occasion has he seen more than two of these rodents together at one time. The farming community considei that such a farcical statement to go un« contradicted might prejudicially affect settlement in. North Auckland. COMMISSION ON SALES. . " MAGISTRATES. KTJLCvG. Christchurch, July 28. Mr. T. A. B..Bailey, S.M., giving judgi ment in a. concerning commission on the sale of property, held that the mere introduction of a purchaser to .a seller was not sufficient to establish claim. A commission agent to succeed in such a claim must prove that he had really and substantially brought about a sale. Ls the case under notice, the plaintiff had introduced the client, but the sale had been made by. another agent. . . INTER-TOWN DEBATE. . Palmerston,. July 28. An inler-town debate between, a Wa» nganui representative team and the Palmerston North Debating Society (represented by .Messrs.. Fleming, Taylor, and Kernahan, and ■ Messrs. Robertson, Billens, and Moore respectively) was held in the presence of a largo- audience tonight. Wanganui took the affirmative on the topic that the House of Lordi was Justified in rejecting the Budget The result was a tie,; the casting-vote been! given for Wanganui. CAPE MARIA.CABLE. Auckland, July 28. Shipping people and the mercantilecommunity will be interested to learnxhat the Cape Maria cable, connecting the - lighthouse with the. mainland, and which has been for some timo out of use through bad weather interfering with operations, has now been repaired, and' communication was restored this morning. .. : . ■ . . . DISMANTLING S.S. LAUDERDALE. .. Greymouth, July 28. Great -reticence is being shown concerning the fate of • the Lauderdale. It can only be gleaned that arrangements are' being made to dismantle the vessel, for which work a gang of men has now been engaged by Captain Willis. "ALL WELL." Greymouth, July 28.. The weather during the last fortnight has been splendidly fine, with, cold snaps at night, but lovely sunshiny _ days. There is a good depth.of water in .the river, and the result is that the export of coal last week was nearly a reco"rd : for the port, colliers coming, and going , without the slightest delay. . ■ NOT "TOO-MUCH DRILL." Dargaville, July 27. The Boy Scqnt movement was successfully initiated at a public meeting held at Dargaville last night. The Mayor presided, and all were made to commence the corps. The. intention i to form a troop under private control, thus avoiding red tape and too much drill. Mr. H. G. Bellamy was elected scout-master.

NAPIER'S MUNICIPAL THEATRE. ; Napier, July .27. ' The poll of ratepayers, taken to-day, resulted, by a large majority, , in favour of :'a ■' proposal ; ' : .. : to -builda municipal theatre in that portion of dive Square now used as a play-ground by school children. . . ;

"FROST PLAYS HAVOC." . , •' Christchurch, July 27. ■ The minimum temperature on Sunday niglit in Christchurch was 20.3deg.,. on Monday night 2Ckleg. and last ' night IS.-tdeg. Frost has played havoc with water-pipes, and plumbers are working under pressure. The winter generally has been severe,' and has been felt with special keenness because it has followed/ on a succession of lhild seasons; .■ • Ashburton, July 27., Another spell of keen,' sharp weathes. set in this week. Sixteen degrees of frostwere recorded this morning. . ". STEVEDORES' AWARD. ' Christchurch, July 27. At the Lyttelton Magistrate's Court to; day the .Canterbury Steamship Company, was -charged with having committed:. a breach of the Lyttelton stevedores'award., in having engaged labour at .vplace other than before the Coronation. Hall, Lytteltoß, that being the place specified in, the. award for the engaging of labour. A. fine of £3 was imposed. ... TOBACCONISTS' CASE. Christchurch, July 27. ■ About half a dozen labour cases will be hea:rd at the Magistrate's Court on: Friday. One of them is interesting, being'the first case brought in respect of the tobacconists' closing requisition. A HISTORIC SPOT. Napier, July 27. Mr. M'Nab's claim to have, identified the , spot in Grass Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, where one of Captain Cooks boat's crew was massacred, is a. little late in the day. Mr. Russell Duncan photographed the spot eight years ago, and nn account of his search, with a copy of the photograph, appears in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute for 1902. In speaking to the "Hawke's Bay Herald" representative ten dav, Mr. Duncan said that he was guided'by the report of. Cook's associate, Binney, which places the matter beyond doubt. MINES CONFERENCE. . ■ - Westport, July 27. A conference is being held between the officials of the AVestport Coal Company and representatives of the Granity ana Denniston Miners' Union with'a'new to fixing up a new agreement for workingboth mines.