NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

,By 'relegraph-tjsefis Assouaflon.l ■ITABLES DESTROYED. Gore, February 22. A lire broke out about 12.1111 tins morning in L'nllefl'.s slnbles, lea>cd by .Alex. tierdon, general earner. II storied in « sturoroiiii, amingsl straw an I Iced, ami spread rapidly. A man named Cunningham was dragged oul. Tivo horses wire sulTucatcd, and a third was so badly iujiued that it had to lie destroyed. '.The slnbles wor:' ins-ired in Ihe lloyal Office for .tIOII. liord.m hid no in-.u-ancc on his proper!v. lie cslimalfs his Joss at over ,£l2O. The brigade couiined the lire to the stables.

THE GROWING SABOTAGE. Auckland, l-'ebruary 22. Tn (he Suproni'.' Courr, Mr. Justice Htlwards commenting upon the number of ca-.es of a.--i.iult and causing bodily harm, said: "[ must Irv to keep Hi' streets clean and .-afc, and Auckland must be safe at nil iiines." On lhe=o charge- he sentenced Richard A'iues and Charles Green (o eighteen months' imprisonment each, and George t.'rowthers and Daniel Joseph Hare to two years.

THE BARMAID NOVELTY, Feilding, February 22. In the Magistrate's Court to-day, Martin, licensee of the Awahuri Hotel, was proceeded against for employing unlicensed barmaids. He pleaded guilty to a technical breach, and said his wife was ill and his barmaid had left. Two ladies were engaged, one of 'whom was a widow and the other married. Both were about fifty years old, and both were in the bar, but oe'v one was serving. The magistrate inflicted a fine of Ifls. for the one who served and 30s. for the other. .

ONE HAD A "WL'AK BACK." Feilding, February 22. Before Mr. A. D. Thomson, S.M., today, four lads were proceeded against for not attending military parades. I.cc ''a jockey) was represented by counsel.. He pleaded that parades interfprgd with his profession. George flight claimed that he had a w.-ak back. Fred Xohlc and George Oliver Goldsmith pleaded guilty.. All these were fined 205., with "s costs each. Hewitt, who had made a start at drill, was fined 10s., vith "s. costs.

DIVORCE CAUSES. Dunedin, February 22. Mr. Justice Williams to-day granted decrees nisi in four uinlefended petitions for divorce—Edith Brcomfield Chile* v. George I'rcd.vhk Clulee, for desertion; Alio AVinifrel Hunter v. Edwin John Daniel Hunter, professional musician, Dunedin, misconduct; Mary Ann .Ryder, v. James Ryder, misconduct; Beatrice Grace Elizabeth Turner v. AViljiiinr Maxwell Turner, for desertion.

THIRTY-SEVEN MILLS IDLE. Palmcrston N., February 22. Thirty-seven ilaxmills closed down in Wellington and Hawke's provinces to-day for the mass meeting of employees here'fo consider the dispute in reference to the minimum rate of pay for flaxcutting. Six hundred men are affected, and the union expects most of them to be in town for tire meeting. The press representatives will not be admitted.

CHAOS OF AWARDS. Gisborne, February 22. An interssting point with reference to pmplovnis.it under awards was determined in"tho Magistrate's Osirt this morning. A freezing works c: ;iloyee left on Thursday without notice, and the wages earned to that day were slopped. The Inspector of Awards proceeded against the freezing ompanv for a breach of the award and a .£lO penalty. Mr. Barton, 5.M... held that no breach of tho award had been committed.

CARGO-STOWING CASE, Auckland, February 22. Mr. C. 0. Kettle', .S.M.. gave his decision this morning at the Magistrate's Court in the case brought against the Tjser Line, Ltd., by tho Auckland Gas Company for damages alleged to be due to improper stowing of cargo on the Star of Canada. Mr. Keltic said he held, on the. evidence of the experts called for tho plaintiff, that the iron plates had been improperly stowed and that, injury v>as caused by the weight of iron girders placed above. He considered it was clear on the evidence that there was 'impr.iper stowage. Jttdfr.inent was, fliereforn, given for the plaintiff company tor .£32 7s. Cd., also £2 ISs. harbour dues, and .US. 2s. Gd. costs. 77ip plates are lo ha hamtal over to defendants.

A STRATFORD POLL. • Stratford, February 22. A poll on a proposal to borrow .£15,000 to acquire, the Stratford Electrical Supply Company's business, for the borough resulted in (!2 voting, lor. and ;11'0 against the proposal.

WEATHERBOUND. Timaru, February 22. Four southern proprietors, who purposed reaching Greymouth for the annual meeting of the United Press Association, via the Hermitage, Copland Pass, and \A T est Coast, were compelled to abandon that trip after being weatherbound at the Hermitage for some days. They returned to Timaru and went on by train. '

THE WEATHER. Timaru, February 22. Showery weather continues, and is greatly hampering harvest operations.

BIRTH DATE AND PENSION. Dannevirke, February 22. In the Magistrate's Court the Registrar of Old Ago Pensions proceeded against a fcmal; applicant for an old age pension for fraudulently altering tho date of her birth in her marriage certificate for the purpose of securing a pension. The magistrate, in convicting her, remarked that this was the second caseof the kind in the district, and ho emphasised tits fact that persons this fonn of deceit rendered themselves liable to six months' imprisonment.

MILITARY COURT CASES. Auckland, February 21. Over a dozen youths appeared in the Police Court charged with refusing to attend Territorial parades or take the oath. The more serious cases wero met with fines of .£2 and X 2 75.; the others were lined smaller amounts. Four cases were adjourned to afford the accused another 'opportunity -to fulfil their obligations.

KAPOC AND FIRE. Whangarei, February 21. A fire last night originated in a kapoc shed at the rear of Harrison's furniture, factory, and .-proud'to the main building, causing damage to the machinery and stock 'estiniatcd at X'M. Harrison is fully covered by a policy, in the United oiiicc.

GAS METER EXPLODES. Auckland, February 21. A member of the fire brigade had a narrow escape when engaged in extinguishing an outbreak of fire in Siruusou Street to-night. He was near a gas meter when the flames caused it to explode and the debris dinted his helmet and llames burned his face and hair. Fortunately he observed his danger and had just stepped back into comparative safety when the explosion occurred.

ACUTE MENTAL DISTRESS. Hawera, February 21. At an inquest touching the death of Alexander Hannatyne Stewart, who shot himself on Monday aflernoon, the im-y relurned a verdict, that' deceased commuted suicide whilst suffering from mental ditircss caused through domestic troubles.

SHOPS TAKE FIRE. Inglewood, February 21. At 11 o'clock Inst nisht it fire occurred on the of. Kennedy, saddler, which were entirely gutted. The lire spread over Hie ccilin;,' to the adjoining; premises of Nieholls and Son's grocery and drapery establishment, the stock iii which was'seriously damaged by smoke and water. Tim building- sustained little damage. The brigade was quickly on the spot and saved the block. There was a splendid pressure of water, and (he (ire was soon under control. Kennedy's was a total loss. The insurances ure'not yet available, but it ii believed tliu dainugo is fairly covered.

POTENT HOP BEER. Gisborne, February 21. William Pollard was fined JMU, unci •crisis, for brewing lioj> fcepr without a license on Die Matawai railway works. Tin- beer (joiilniiß.il g.ii per'cent of alcohol.

GISBORNE'S RECORD SHIP. Gisborne, February 21. The barque Thorn, which am veil from Newcastle after n passage of thirty (lavs, was successfully berlhed at; the Town AVhnrf. drawing Kilt. 2in., beiiiß I lie decpe>t draught ol any vessel vet admitted to the poll.

MUNICIPAL MEAT. Cliristchurch, February 2!. Die C'ily Council held a special i'nrniirv to-night into alienations that meat in ii diseased cuiidiliun was sent mil; from the niuniciiml abatloirs. Meat, was produced, and expert evidence given that Hie I rouble could ,not luivo been delected without cutting up the meat, hut that the defect was not injurious lo health. A report was received from the Chief Goveminent Veterinarian that Hie nielhods of inspection at (he abattoirs were entirely satisfactory.

BRIEF MENTION. Pahiatua, February 22. A five-roomed house at llamua, ..wned by Mr. C. W. Brown, ef Hutt, aud occupied by Mr. T. H. Webb, was totally destroyed by fire. Only a few effects were saved. The furniture was uninsured. Chrrstchurch, February 22. A conference of delegates from Life-saving Societies to-day i-.dopted a draft constitution for a central exwutive. It was decided that the headquarters be at Christchurch. A provisional executive was appointed Napier, February 22. The tender of Hughes and Stirling, Loudoi (Niven and Conpanv representatives), at .E37G9 95., has been" accepted for the erection of a destructor.