NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1364, 15 February 1912, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

■ ■' ■>' + r-r-., : ''<■■. THE FISHERMEN'S '. .Auckland, February u. The position in regard to .tlib fishermen's "strike" has become more acute lip till yesterday,' tlio wholesale buvers we.ro not unuuiinous in "their resolution not lo pay the price 'demanded■ by-"■ th« jjifihermen, and at least one of tlio largest firms was paying the figure stipulated by thoirien, , Se.'-Gd'. per bundle of 2ilb. Yesterday, however, a meeting was held, at which all tho wholesale buyers in Auckland were present, and it'was "agreed that they should stand firm as a body in refusing the demands of 'the fishermen. The position is therefore more scri6'us,"as practically t.bo -whole fishing 'fleet isl'dcpendent on- tho purchases of thesei .firms'.- The 300 fishermen concerned'arc just' as determined in tho attitude they have taken up, and are resolved to sell for not'less than hnlf-a-crown per bundle. There aro not likely to bo any further deyelopmpnta until' Saturday next, when the dealers and fishermen will meet to discuss , the situation. The dealers'at a meeting yesterday decided to ask the fishermen to accept the services ns mediator of ■ Mr. Harlo Giles, Conciliation Commissioner, i{ Mr. Giles will agree to act in- thai I capacity. . .. ■

DEFENCE RIFLE CLUBS.. Tim.aru. February H; •The Tcmuka Defence'Uifle Club propose to ask the authorities to reduce the minimuni membership for defenco rifle clubs from thirty lo 'twenty, which would allow of clubs being formed where it is not pot sible now. ...

GAOL PREFERRED. Timaru,, February U. This morning a girl of 19-belonging te Chrlstchurch was convicted of stealing a ' watch and wristband from a draper'j . shop. She pleaded guilty, and it appear- j ed.that she had boon convicted of tboftat Wejlington. On being offered the alternative of roturning.to the Salvation A'rmv ' Home instead of going to gaol, the girl ' said she would rather go to gaol. Sentence '•■ was deferred. . . . H.M.S. PIONEER AT TIMARU. ' Ny , c- r>- Timaru, February l<.: H.M.S. Pioneer arrived from the Blud last night, and averaged 19 knots on-the run up. , ; Tho Harbour Board and th« Borough. Council paid, an official visit tr Captain Stopford to-day. ' FATAL FRANKTON AFFRAY. u „ ' Hamilton, February H. John Graha,m, who was one of the tw< men. wounded ;by Axel' Sncrtringo" in i stabbing affray at. Wankton on November 18, died in the Waikato. Hospital thil, morning:. His dying dopo'sitions wero taken, yesterday. Sner'tnngo .comes "before thr Court to-morrow. . ' .

POWERS OF! A J.P.. : ; Christchurch, February 14. In- the- Supreme Court- this morning, during a cliargo of perjury - against Twerityman Wilson, the-defence raised 1 a .question as to' the '■ powers of -a. Justick of the Peace. Accused was-charged with, making a false declaration in connection, with a Savings Bank business. ■ CouhMl contended that a Justice'of tho Peace .wiie empowered to take, only- a'-statutory de. claration under some Act. The' Savings Bank regulations'made' a. statutory/.declaratioii ' permissive,' not imperative. Counsel asked 'that' the : indictment "-be quashed on the' p-pund' that the Justice had" no ;power. 'to ' accept '.-the- -■ de. cliiration,- which' was the ground of this charge. • The-eAse was adjourned''to alloT the Crown , Prosecutor, to look.'into -the point, " . '■'■.■■:. ; "KEGGERS" BETTER IN GAOL, I nvereargili, February 14. In the Magistrate's Court to-day two men wore fined J2lO each for' breachesof prohibition orders.- The magistrate remarked he was determined to put down "kegging," and' expressed the opinion that young men who sat round kegs drinking were better in-gaol. ■ .■■■■

WIFE DESERTER GAOLED, , Duncdih, February H. In the Police Court, chis ■ lunrjiin?; David John M'Auley,' a young, man who deserted his wife and three • children eighteen months, ago, after'falling into arrears (.£66) on maintenance orders to support- them, and ■ who was extradited from-Adclaidc, TeceiTed a sentence amounting to eight months' imprisonment. T,ha magistrate intimated that prisoner wou]d be released on payment' of arrears nriccosts of extradition.

LABOUR AND DEFENCE. Hastings, February H. About twenty-five members-of the-Hast-ings branch of tho Labour party, met last night, and resolved i—"That this meeting ' enters an emphatic: protest: against the prosecution of lads for -declining to become conscripts, and demands the repeal , of the compulsory clause of- the Deieni* Act." ' ;- ;■ BUSHMAN KILLED. : ; Auckland, February 14. • Constable Cox telegraphed to head- ' quarters from Itawcno to-day to the effect that a man named George White had been killed in the bush at Tahcke yesterday. Further particulars are not yet to hand. "PEACE" MEN IN COURT.' Christchurch,-February U,' In the Magistrates Court this menu ing the nhti-inilitarist propaganda again engaged attention. .Two members.of the Passive Resistance "Union, who had can- „ vassed for members outside tho Drill Hall werochargod with distributing dodgers. The question was raised whether handbills and membership cards in-this connection came .within. the moaning of the by-law. Decision was reserved. ...'-; : "ROMANISM AND RITUALISM," Christchurch, February 13.. At tho meeting of the ChristchurcN Presbyterv to-day, the Rev. Wood stated that tho General" Assembly had appointed a special committee on "Romanism and Ritualism," and had made tho Christchurch Presbytery the committee. 1 Hβ had a number of lotten; to read, but il. would - tatao considerable time, .and i.V suggested-thit , the presbytery should set up a sub-fconimittco , to .consider; the assembly's-deliverance and the correspondence oh the subject, the sub-coin niitto* to consist of the Revs. Messrs. Miller, Reid, Craig, Howes, and Woodland an elder frnni each charge. The Rev. ,T. Pringleseooniled the motion, and it wai' carried unmiinously. ■ ■

CHRISTCHURCH CRIMINAL SES- . . ■-. SIONS. • : • ' ,'. ; . Christthurch, February U.. Tom H.' Selwood • was found not guilty of a serious offence. , ; .- William James, who was yesterday, sentenced to three years' imprisonment for theft from the person, has demanded & rc-tri.nl, on the ground that one of the jury .had not' been sworn.

AN UNQUALIFIED PRACTITIONER. Dunediry February H. At Blacks yesterday Bryan Charle* Donnelly, alias Robert Preston, was fined .£25 on a charge of prnctisihe as a medical practitioner without having the necessary qualifications. CHRISTCHURCH ITEMS. Cliristcliurch, February 14. The City Council. considered •in cohimiltee to-night the Mayor's scheme for (lie improvement of the city streets, and approved it. It was also decided lo ask thu Wellington City Uugmeer to report on the principles of the scheme. The Canterbury branch of the Nnj.v U'asnie hasdoddedto hold an art union ami'fair in N'ovemlw next t» raise f'.imle for establishing -a barroom ■■! he ■ Hirer Avon; airwliieir a certain amount of-** Irttiiiing can be ijivc.n youths. . ■