NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1383, 8 March 1912, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Press Asso.ilatlon.l

* AN AGREEMENT. Westport, March 7. Tho conference between representatives of the Coal-owuers' Association nud delegates of deputies engaged in the coalmines of tho West t.'oa-t, has made a mill mil agreement. The chief demand of the deputies was an advance on their present rate of wages (12s. fill.) \kv day to 18s. Id., with overtime. The claim was compromised mi a basis of a weekly wage of .lit. A satisfactory agreement was come to. AUTUMN FLOWERS. Woodville, 3larch 7. The Horticultural Show, held yesterday afternoon and night, was a great success, Eight hundred entries wero received, which establishes a record. S. Hutching won the championship gold medal ami snsli for most points in all classes, with 10!) points. H. Hawker being second with 67 points. The sub-championship (most points in fruits and vegetables) was won by J. W. Cross with GO points, ,1. 11. 31organ being second with 52 points. HEAVY RAIN. Timaru, 3larch 7. To-day has been the wettest of the season, two inches of rain having fallen in tho last £1 hours, which is disastrous to farmers having grain in stock or illbuilt stacks, 'ihe ground is so saturated that tho carting of tho threshed gram lias been put a stop to. There is a good deal of grain in stook, and a considerable <iutmtity yet uncut. THE COROMANDEL FLOODS. Auckland, 3larch 7. The damage done by the recent floods to Coroniandcl comity roads w.ill amount to about .£4OO. Many of tho roads are so covered with landslips that traffic is blocked. Considerable damage was also done to private properly. 31 any pintdocks are. covered with silt and timber, and nianv fences have been washed away. The creeks have subsided. HOSPITAL BUILDING EFFORT. Christchurch, Jlureh 7. The Hospital Board proposes to spend ,£20,00U on an .administrative block of buildings, and sketch' plans were approved! some time ago. ]Jr. Valinline, in a recent conference with the, committee of the board, however, objected that the building was too big lor present needs, and suggested that some thousands might be saved. The board, at a special meeting to-day, discussed the matter.. One member, Mr. Turnbull, expressed pleasure at the Government stepping in to prevent "scandalous extravagance,'' but he was the only member to take this atti,ture. The board decided to ask Dr. Valinline to meet it in Christehurch next week to further confer on the question. SUPREME'COURT. Napier, March 7. At the Supreme Court a Maori lad, Tai Jlikaere, who pleaded guilty in the lower Court to a charge of forgery and uttering at Waipawa, was admitted to probation for two years. Prank Holder, charged with participating in theft from it man during a motor-cur drive, was found riot guilty and discharged. The hearing of the ease against Alfred Hubert Donaldson, charged with theft from tho Hawke's Bay Rugby Union and Nopier Corporation, hud not concluded w.hcn the Court rose. PROPERTY SALE. Hastings, Jlarch 7. The property known as Beeroft's Block, subdivided into 21) business sites, with frontages to Queen Street and Knraiuu, was otfered by auction this afternoon. Twelve sites were sold at JCGO a foot, two at .£SO, and one at Jis2 10s. a toot. ARAPATA ESTATE. Feilding, March 7. Mr. J. R. M'Lennnn's Alnpata Estate', Waituna .West, cut into eleven sections of .180 to 510 acres, was submitted to auction in Feilding yesterday afternoon. Nino sections sold for a total of X18,03t, at nn average of .£IG an acre. The re'maining two sections arc expected to be sold privately to-day. BRIEF MENTION. . Napier, March 7. A six-roomed house on the Langley Estate was gutted with fire last night, but the bulk of tho furniture was saved. The insurance on the house was ,£l5O in the London and Lancashire, and on the furniture ,£75. Dunedin, Jlarch 7. Hugh Wilson, for' breaking and entering a Chinaman's shop, was sentenced to two years' reformative treatment. APPALLING STORIES. Hamilton, March 7. Harrowing stories were told to' a special meeting of, the Waikato Hospital Board by a deputation of back-block settlers from the Kills Country yesterday, in asking that a doctor, and nurses be supplied. ' Instances Merc given of where a woman in confinement suffered terribly from want of medical attention, and where, on occasions, assistance of male relatives only could be obtained. One story was told of n woman who was carried by her men folk eight miles to (lie nearest railivay point, where she was placed on a velocipede and conveyed miles to medical aid. ' Another tale was told of n woman on tho eve of confinement setting out alone to walk eight miles, in the depth of winter, over terrible country, to a junction, in order to get a conveyance to fake her to a place where she could get medical assistance. She left the young children at home with her husband, and proceeded some miles until dusk was coming on, when, utterly fagged, she sat down in despair in a wild part of tho country, unable to proceed further. Fortunately, a horseman happened'along, and found the woman beneath n tree preparing to remain there throughout tho dreary night. There were other stories equally appalling. It was stated that nobody except those living there could realise tho dreadful experiences of women whom fate had ordained should spend their lives in this back-blocks in certain districts, fortyfive miles from a railway and with bad roads.. The board is taking into consideration the sending of district nurses. BELATED S.S. REGULUS. Gisborne, Jlarch 7. The steamer Regulut, which left Westport at S.IIO p.m. on Saturday, arrived hero last night. She encountered, rough weather on the Wc.it Coast, and, being unable to pass Stephen Island, ran into Port Hardy for shelter, and dropped anchor. The weather moderated, but the vessel met with a strong north-caster all the way up tho East Coast. '