NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1642, 8 January 1913, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CASE OF EDITH BURGESS. . ONBHUNGA MYSTERY. Aucklandi January 7. ' A young woman uiuucd' liciitu Uurgcss, who was'going to Now Plymouth by tho steamer Karawa yesterday, but deciaod lu postpone her departure owing to the heavy wind,. mysteriously. disappeared when, a male companion wont aboard-to recovcr her. luggage.' Tho police at Onehunga have found no traco of her. She lias failed to return to her lodgings, and is still missing. Her parents reside. in New Plymouth, and she had been in Auckland for 6ix months. MINISTERS AT THAMES^ Thamfs, January 7. Tho Hons., W. 'H.' Herries and W. Fraser. arrived at Thames last night, and deputations wailed 'on' both, principally on matters 'of local, interest? , ' A large petition .in .favour of ICopu ; pokeno railway across - the Hauraki Plains was presented, to Mr. 'Fraser. who advised that it should be/presented to Parliament. -He,said that flying surveys of railways ahead promised-to keep tho officers employed, for years. , | Ho intimated that lie. would bo liblo to deal more liberally ; with tho Dominion when tho one and'three-quarters million loan was available. ';' '■ Replying to; a deput&tion of mine managers, lie 6aid- that he intended introducing an amendment "to! tho Mining Act next session. .■ 1 , , , The Ministers have left for Waihi, Opotiki, and Tauranga. CROPS 'Chrutchurch, January 7. The rain which' fell, throughout Canterbury during the last oouplo of days has greatly improved the. agricultural . outlook. Grain crops and pastures were beginning to'show the effects of the continued dry weather, and in some cases crops promised poor' returns, especially those Bown late in, tho season; while turnips, rape, and similar were making little progress./. Tho. rain has etitirely changed the outlook, and will result in incalculable benefit to farmers, ■and agriculturists. . AFTERMATH OF WAIHI, ' ■ , Westport, January 7. . Fifteen ex-Wailii miners have, arrived here seeking work"'at the collieries in' this district. Tho Denniston' miuo. has been short-handed all tlio.year. ■ - ■ ' MATAURA FIRE. • u:. , , r-Gore, January 7. <'i-A; : 6ix-roomed'ihouse at Mataura, owned by W. P. Thorn and occupied by J. ,Thompson,; was!.burned idoTO, this morn''intJwiqNothint; nvafrnsaVed.rt, 1 Insurances, on tho ilibuso' amounted to £200, and on the furnituro to jEliiO." '' ; ' " ,:I WHEN 'SPECIALISTS DIFFER. Auckland,-January 7.' Mr; dement Wraggo- thinks that 'Professor' Archibald, the English. meteorologist, is altogether wrong in-forecasting a drought period for Australia. He thinks that under the average rainfalls will persist until 1915, but improvement will begin before tho end of that period; Thenco till 1920 Australia will liavo abundant rAinfalls. This applies also to New Zealand, but in. a less degree. . . ■'~ . RAILWAY YARD ACCIDENT. ■: -: AshbuVton, Ja'nuavy 7. Mrs. Annie Hall, an old woman- of some seventy 'summers,' was knocked down by ri truck 'during: Shunting operations in tho Eakaia-'railwhy- yard this mora-, ing. . One of her.; ldga was' broken, and she was' also, severely-' cut about ;tho head.' - ■- ; COMMITTED'FOR TRIAL, i -.v< - . Nelson, January 7. . Robert Alfrod Schwass. ctuir.jed with attempting to murder his wifo nt Richmond on December/19; -was -to-day committed for. trial. - ■'■ '