NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1691, 6 March 1913, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) . <■ TWO LICENSES ENDORSED. THE WITNESSES TAMPERED WITH. . Napier, March' 5. i> , . " al 'ren, licensee of the Union Hotel, and I. Spear, of the Crown Hotel, wore hned X!i aiid JJIO respectively for permitting drunkenness ,on licensed prei? 1 ?V s *i • an( ' serv ' l1 S drunken persons. Both licenses were endorsed. The niagistrate (Mr. M'Carthy) mijdc strong comment on the iact that it was apparent tho witnesses had been tampered with. Within the last two months there hud been no fewer than three licensing cases in which it was apparent the witnesses had been tampered with'.' He did not bhimo counsel, the liarni being done before the witnesses reached their hands. NAPIER HARBOUR RECLAMATION. Napier, March 5. Polling took place to-day in connection with the Napier Harbour Board's proposal to borrow .£30,000 for the purpose of reclamation of about 2090 acres of Harbour Board reserve. The proposal was carried by a majority of .312 votes over the necessary three-fifths of valid votes recorded. The figures .Were: For, 1388; against, 405; informal, 27. ; Out of a total of 7233 ratepayers oil the roll, 1820 voted. W.C.T.U: Nelson, March 5. Tlif delegates of the various branches of the Women's Christian Temperance Union assembled for the annual convention were tendered a public welcome this afternoon by the Mayor, and representatives of the Ministers'' Association, NoLicense League, and Good Templars., Mrs. 'Cole, the Dominion president, responded. The convention meets for the transaction of business to-morrow. , ,

HOUSE.BURNED. Dunedin, March 5. An eight-roomed house at St. Leonard's, owned by Mrs. Barclay, and occupied by Mrs. G. S. Smith, was. destroyed by fire this afternoon, in the absence of tho occupants. The house was-insured for «Cstlo in the Victoria office, and the furniture in the Atlas- office, but the amount is not known. THRESHING MILL BURNT. Ashburton, March 5. Last night a threshing mill owned by lScnnison Bros, was destroyed by fire. It is not known how it originated. Tho mill was valued ,at .£2OO, and was insured in the North British Office for .£lls. ; WOOLSHED BURNT. ' Gisborne, March 5. A Woolslicd at Sherratt's Mangatoetoe Station was destroyed by , lire. It was insured in the Royal Exchange for .£l5O. FIRE AT TE 'ARAI. Gisborne, March 5. Tho residence of J. Wilson, To Arai, was destroyed last night, Wilson being severely burned. There was an insurance of ,£225 in the National. THE FERN FIRE. Gisborne, March 5. In the Supreme Court a nonsuit was granted in the case Janies Robert Gear v. Robert Vallance, a Frasertown settler's claim for .£2250 damages' alleged to have been caused by the spreading of:a fern lire. The question of title was raised. EARTH SHOCK*"AGAIN. Wcstport, March 5. An exceptionally sharp shock of earthquake was felt here at 9,40 a.m. Many people left their houses > hurriedly. -'No damage is reported. MILITARY SERVICE AND SCHOOLS. Cliristchurch, March 5. The executive of the School Committees' Association has resolved to protest against tile new regulation issued by, the Education Department; in -regardvlo military service in connection with free places and scholarships, and decided to recommend tho school committees to have the matter discussed at the approaching annual meeting ol' householders. ' .