NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1643, 9 January 1913, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) : A THUNDERSTORM. • , , • iChristchurch, January-8.- 1 A typical thunderstorm passed over the city, about noon to-day. Tho morning was. bright and warm, but shortly before mid-day a thick; black mass of rolling clouds' was seen in the westward,; travelling rapidly toward? the city.' Presently, ■ the -whole city was cloud-covieral. Thunder, .'rumbles were Heard, arid.'the storm broke. The thunder continued, peal after peal. Rain fell with, torrential volume, arid-what was. but shortly before, a smiling Summer morning was trarisformed into a bleak winter's day. i.ln the afternoon the weather was again fine and clear. BATHING BY-LAWS. ; Christcliurch, .January 8. , ' As tho.ontcome of the recent drowning fa'talitiesat Sumner, the Sumner Borough has asked the'Lyttelton Harbour Board to send representatives: to a meetling- to bo held shortly' to .discfls's the best means of - preventing accidents, to people .when.bathing; alio, to' have uniformity of by-laws regarding costumes, restriction of areas, and other matters dealing with bathing., The secretary of the board said that the conferenw desired'to secure' the bodrd's endorsement of such by-laws as might be made. Unless that were dorie the by-laws would have no weight. .Dele-gate-1) were appointed to represent tho A PROSPEROUS YEAR.: ■ . : Tiriiaru, January/8. , Tho Harbour' Board's returns for, 1912 give evidenco of a busy and prosperous year. The revenuo-totalfed an, increase of ,£2-1790n the previous best year. Wharfagereceipts established a record. Overseas imports and exports are valued :at ,£1,54i;545. The total tfade,: including coastal is estimate lit over .£2,250,000. The shipping inwards amounted to 447,155 tons, and the total of imports and exports 190,,868 tons,'a record for/both, , the imports and exports being the largest ever handled .here.•/ ■ \ ; COAL OUTPUT 4 EXPORT. Westport, January 8. * The coal exports from Westport. last year .totalled 821,309 tons, an increase of 51,388 tons over. ,the previous year. The Stockton mine . showed ' an increase J of 37,992 tons, the State mirie of. 10,254 tons, and;.the Westport Coal Company's mine 3132 tons. v:;V; i-;';/-.' \'V\ V , V-. . ■ , MINISTERIAL. • ' Hastings, January 8. ■The Premier (Jlr..Massey) and.the Hon. W- ■ 11-' Hemes • visit Hastings on. January 29. A garden partv in 'the afternodn 'aild a banquet in . th'd'evening will be ; .tendered in their "honour. '. . USE. OF FIREARMS. } -.v. 1 Wanganui, January 8. As/a'sequel to; lastnight's shooting >affray, James Dunn : was-;charged " this, morning -with discharging a firearm in a public place. „ He iwas reinanded until Wednesday - next.-.' ,The brillet''was ex-' itracted from the wounded man's, ankle - to-day, -and/he, is'.progressirig -satisfac- ' V:," : : ,