NEW ZEALAND NEWS. (By Telegraph-Press Association.)

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1503, 27 July 1912, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS. (By Telegraph-Press Association.)

THE WALLINGFORD CASES. Wanganul, July 2(i. In tho Magistrate's Court this morning George Albert Wallingford, a young man. aged 23, was charged with stealing various arliclcs,, to the total value of JiTO, from tho Metropolitan, Commercial, and Parkvillo Hotels. Ho pleaded guilty, and was committed to tho Supremo Court for sentence. Accused was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on a charge of stealing a gun-metal watch at I'atea od July 11. BLENHEIM FINE. Blenheim, July 28. A! fire at 4.30 o'clock this morning dm stroyo-d an eight-roomed residence, occupied by Mr. Cameron, photographer, and owned by Mr. Georgo Walker. The house was fairly ablaze before tho firo was discovered. Tho furniture was insured for ~150 in the Guardimi Office, and tho houee for X-100 in tho New Zealand Office. "MERE CHILDREN'S QUARREL." Nelson, July 20. , At Takaka Court yesterday, a child, aged nine, was charged with assault, on tho information of tho father of tho child alleged to havo been assaulted. Tho Magistrate (Jlr. Evans, S.M.) characterised the laying of such an information as scan,n!?F- , I(: u ' as disßrnoefnl that a -mere oluldrens quarrel should be fo magnified., ilie information was withdrawn. TIMARU HARBOUR, Timaru, July 26. Durmg the last three weeks or more ' northeasterly seas havo prevailed here. ■Usually tho heavy seas oomo from the . south-oast. Tho existing breakwaters provide quito satisfactory shelter from southerly'seas, but not from northerly. It happened that tho Homo liner Rotorua lay in port this week during the bad weather, and tho «as in tho harbour made it difficult to hold her 6ocuroly It" wns done, though with a fow breakages of mooring chains, crushing to splinters 35 pmo log fenders, and constant watchful- ' ness of tho staff: Impressed by this experience, tho Harbour. Board to-day unanimously decided to remedy tho defect by carrying out as soon as possible the' recommendation of Mr. Maxwell, consulting engineer, some years ago, to ndd 500 feet to the eastern mole, and instructed the engineer to prepare a plna and estimate accordingly. Mr. Maxwell said it could . bo done for .£IB,OOO. The board , has a •balance of .£17,000 of an authorised loau ' unraised.

LIFE AND LAW TECHNIC. nr W-j, Dunedln, July 28. Mr. Widdowson, S.M., gave judgment this morning in (ho case in which the owner of a motor-launch of loss than 40ft. m longtli was charged with carrying passengers within the , , river limits 0/ Otago harbour without carrying life-saving appliances, as prorided by tho Shipping and. ocanion Act. TlLe launch was not li. censed to carry passengers, and there was no evidence that the. persons mentioned in the charge- were carried for hire. The . magistrate said the main question was as 1 to the meaning of tho word "plying" and uphold the contention of counsel for the ■' prosecution that "plying," used in the • rules under the Act must to read in a general sense, and that the launch mado only one trip. Defendant was convicted," but as it was a test case a penalty wns not inflicted, defendant being ordered to ' pay costs. : SLOT TELEPHONES, Christchurch, July' 26. The earnings of tho slot telephones in tho city have shown a marked increase, as tho result of the publicity given thfm lately. Last week four earned M 19s. Bd.

APPEAL FOR STRIKE AID. ; ..' Auckland, July.2o. _At the monthly meetins of the Auckland Coopers' Union a cordial invitation wasextended to Messrs, W. M'Lcnnrin' and A. Yelland, two delegates from the'Waihi AYorkors Union, to explain, from .their point of view, tiho position with regard to the strike at Waihi. After hearing th > addresses of the delegates, members ot tho uniion were unanimons in their expressions of sympathy with tho cause of tho' ■\Yaihi Union, and with the principle for which it was fighting. They regretted' that tlicir funds were low, owing to recent expenses incurred in connection with ,\ new award, but. decided to donate the balance of ,£2 to the strike fund, and to open a subscription list on behalf of the strike funds of tho Federation of Labour. Last night Messrs. M'Lonnan and Yelland addressed a meeting of members of the Auckland Engine-dnvera , Union, and were accorded a sympathetic- hearing and a vote , of thanks for their explanation' of the position. No action, however, wns taken in the direction of giving financial assist ance to the striko fund, WIRELESS. Auckland, July 26. The towor of the high-powfif wireless station which is being erected at Kaitaia, up near, tho northernmost end of New Zealand,' and 212 miles beyond Auckland', is now irithiii 60ft. of its intended height, /namely 392 ft. Some few mouths will elapse before tho station is in readiness for the opening ceremony, and in. this connection much depends upon tho weather experi. enced iu tho meantime. The telegraphic engineer (Mr.-R. M. Baird) recently went up from Auckland to inspect tho work,