NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

ID; Telezrapb-Pren Association.l THE MILK BOY. Auckland, September 2G. In the Police Court several milk vendors were charged with employing boys at wages ranging from 3s. per week to 2s. per day, instead of the award rate of 465. per week. Defendants submitted that the employment of boys had;boen a custom of the trade before the award came into operation, and that the award did not prohibit it expressly. The inspector said the boys were said by tbe schoolmaster to fall asleep at their work. He maintained that all persons engaged were entitled to the award wage of 4Gs. weekly. Mr. Kettle, S.M., stated that he was disposed to agree with the inspector. He suggested that a case be stated for the L Arbitration Court. l Counsel asked for an adjournment to ' enable him to consult with his clients, | and this was agreed to. ! FIRE AT A SCHOOL.- : i Invercargill, September 26. Park School, a largo wooden structure, i erected thirty-five years ago, was seriously damaged by fire at 2 o'clock this morn- ' i'ng, the only portion remaining intact ' being the infant room, a. comparatively ' recent, addition. The headmaster states ■' that no fire was loft in the building. Tn- ' cendiarism i; suspected. A piano and ' other contents were insured for .£9O, and • the building was not insured. Several ' mysterious recent outbreaks suggest tint • incendiaries are at work. , ' POULTRY LIBEL CASE. ' Napier, September 26. [ The Supreme Court is occupied to-day hearing the action I'. E. A. Gordon, poul- . trv expert, v. the "New Zealand Times," ; a'claim for .£ISOO for alleged libel con- ' tinned in a poultry article, which, it 's contended, impugned the value of plaintiff's bird-testing system. After the dinner adjournment counsel for the plaintiff withdrew from the ease, • plaintiff conducting tho case himself. 1 The evidence of plaintiff was concluded. Sir ! ohn Findlav submitted grounds of non- ' suit. The jury decided to hear evidence in defence. This was not concluded when tho Court ros&. s PRIZE FUND FOR CADETS. ' Dunedin, September 24. ; A meeting of ladies was held this after- ' noon to consider the proposal by Mrs. Godle.v with the object of encouraging the senior cadet movement. It was de- ' cided that the Mayoress (Mrs. Wilson) be J asked io communicate with Mrs. Godley suggesting that for the 30 companies in J' Dunedin the district prize be a shield for competition each year, the cost to bo ' met by local collections. " i ; ' FIRE AT PICTON. • Blenheim, September 25. i A fire broke out early this morning in . a cycle shon on London Quay, Picton, occupied by I). Williams. The place was j gutted. The fire spread to Miss Steele's - fruit shop and store, which were severely ; damaged. The premises of Miss TCiley . (bookseller), Raven (jeweller), and Martin > (tailor) were saved by the brick walls, but [ the contents' were damaged bv water. ■ Williams had an insurance of ,£3O in' the > New Zealand office; Miss Steele was not > insured. The shops were owned by > Adams Bros., of Blenheim. I BLOWN OFF-SHORE.' ' Gisborne, September 26. The ketch Coronation and the schooner ' Awanui, which left Gisborne on September n for Mercury Bay, experienced strong head winds and were repeatedly blown to sen. The Coronation only yesterday made ' Tolaga Bay, and reported that tlie last • she saw of the Awauui was on Sunday I night. Strong head winds slill prevail." i "BACK-BLOCKS" CONFERENCE. ' ' Te Kuiti, September 25. j A conferenco of back-blocks local bodies • was held here to-day. The ljodies repre- ' sented were Whangamomoaua, ICaitekc, Ivawhia, and Waitomo (counties), and ' Tau'marunui and Te Kuiti (boroughs). It • was decided to form a back-blocks local ; bodies association. Mr. A. Scholes was ' elected president, and Mr. V. Mora necre- " tary. The rouiling of Native lands, hos- • pilal matters, and the general policy of s lr-adint: wee \ further conl'er--5 ence is to he held at. Ohura in January e next, when remits from the various bodies 4 interested will be received and discussed, t and recommendations made to the Got. s ernmeiit according^