NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ♦— . AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. Timaru, February 8. Tho first'meeting of delegates appoihted by tho local authorities in connection with the representation of iliis district at the Auckland Exhibition was held today,, but nothing definite was done except to appoint a committee and to decide to arrange for a district court as was dono at Christchurch. ■MOUNT EGMONT ADVENTURE,. Eltham, February 10. Considerable uneasiness was felt in 'Elthnm concerning Mr. H. J. Barnard, secretary of the Eltham Dairy Company, who had been lost on Mount Egmont since yesterday afternoon. Strong search parties ivere sent out, and Mr. Barnard was discovered fftfe and well about .lunch time. BENZINE & THE LIGHT. Auckland, February 10. An oil launch, owned by Mr. Turner; was destroyed off Fonsonby. The owner struck a light, and flames broke out. Mr. .Turner made , a hurried escape. It is-surmised that benzine had been spilt while filling a tank. SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, ■ • ON THE S.S. STELLA. _ Auckland, February 10. Fire broke out on the steamer Stella yesterday at' Shoal Bay in the forward hatch, which ivas filled with coal The fire 'float poured in a steady stream of water for three hours, and the fire was then extinguished. Tho vessel settled oh the bottom, but her hull is. apparently undamaged: Tho fire is' attributed to spontaneous 'combustion. . . ' RAVENSBOURNE FIRE. , Duncdin, February io. W. Barclay's'coal and produco store at I^avensb6u^no , ' was. burnt down early this morning. The building was insured for .£l5O and the stock for .£2OO, both in tho iVictoria office. ' MATTRESS, FACTORY FIRE. Wanganui, February 10! The top-story of a building occupied by the Hart Mattress Factory was gutted by firo this morning. A lot of the stock was damaged, olso the plant, by firo or water, but the insurances are unknown, as the owner was out of town.' RANGIORA COURT. Christchurch, February 10. At a jpecial sitting of the Rangiora Court to-tlay, Frederick Wilton Bradshaw was charged that, on' January 6, 1912, at Rangiora, he received from A. S. George, the sum of j£io 9s. lid. on terms requiring him' to account for tho same or pay it to tho Canterbury. New Zealand Seed Company, Ltd., and that he failed to so account or pay the Accused was further charged that on September 10, 1912, ho so received the .sum of .£29 10s. from James Young, and on July 21, 1912, the sum of .£2O from Burt Heal, and had neither paid nor accounted for cither sum. He was Temanded for-a week. A SERIOUS CHARGE. Christchurch, February 10. In connection with the charge, against Charles James Russell of having attempted illegally to procure abortion, which was adjourned at, the last session of the Supremo Court,. an application was mado to-day for further adjournment. His Honour, together with coiinsel for accuscd, and Mr. T. W. Stringer, K.C., held a .short consultation, and the , application for adjournment ■ was refused. Tho case will proceed this session, probably- tomorrow. "

P. AND T. OPERATORS. Westpflrt, February 10. At a meeting of the staff in the Westport Post and Telegraph Office to-night a grievance was ventilated concerning the weakening of the staff by replacing efficient operators by juniors incapable.of doing justico to the work required of them, and also a protest was entered in connection with the examinations, members holding that they were required to pass examinations not directly . bearing on their work, and that their salaries did not .correspond with the work they were asked to do. It was also decided to break away from the WesJ; Const Centre, located at Greymouth, and form a local centre, the. staff being sufficiently strong numeric'ally now to enable them to do so. AN AUCKLAND LOAN. . Auckland, February' 10. Tho City Council has successfully completed arrangements for raising tho first instalment of ,£IOO,OOO on the London market of the .£225,000 loan for city street improvement, at 4>l per cent., at X 96 155.. STREET FIRE ALARMS. Duncdin, February 10. ■ At a meeting of the Fire Board to-day it was decided to adopt the duplex system, of. street fire alarms. It is oxpected that the net cost of the first installation will be -£1800. Tho system is the invention of Mr. Porter, who drives .tho Fire Board's motor engine.