NEW ZEALAND' NEWS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1693, 8 March 1913, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND' NEWS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CONDEMNED ORANGES. LITIGATION Bi r MERCHANTS. Auckland, March G. At the Magistrate's Court to-day T, C. Shicl, of Dunediii, ,was sued-by W.' Grove, of Auckland, fot .£55 lis. Gil., in respect to oranges and bananas .shipped at Uarotonga with a certificate from tho inspL'til'Dr stating that {o the best of his knowledge it was freo from fruit ily. When the fruit readied Diuiediii 'JO cases of oranges were condemned as being affected with Ihp Uv, and were destroyed without leaching defendant. M"r. Kettle, S.M., said tlialt it was clear that tlio fruit had not been shipped.ill prime- order anil condition, although it appeared to be so. Plaintiff was entitled nut to accept delivery'at Dunedin, Judg- 1 mcnt would bs for defendant in respect to ninety cases, the settlement of tho' actual amount to be arranged by counsel, Defendant was allowed costs. Leave was' granted to appeal. JAM & COFFEE FOR CAMPS. Nelson, ""arch 6.' The tender of Messrs. Kirkpatrick has been accepted by the Detence Department for the supply to Territorial camps of jam and coll'ee. The conditions include sixty thousand tin's of jam and two .and a half tons of coffee. AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL, Auckland, -March G. Tho City Council agreed to-night to increase the number of members from ' fifteen to eighteen. This is in view of tho increasing amount of work ai)d the amalgamating of districts as Great Auckland. Sir. I'arr has consented to stand again for the Auckland Mayoralty. i TOLL IN ACCIDENTS. Auckland, March 7. The secretary of the Auckland Drivers' Union wrote to tho City Ccincil, calling attention to the largo number of tram accidents in Auckland as being out of all proportion to the population, and suggesting that a contributing cause was tho oxcessive hours worked by motormen. Tho writer stated ho understood that motormen often worked 1G to 18 hours a day hero. In Christclnirch in olio, week ono driver worked OS and another 104 hours. The council referred tho letter to the committee. RYEGRASS SEED. Palmerston N,, March 7. The 1013 crop- of Sandon ryegrass seci is now proved to bo of small compass,' but tho quality of the seed is excellent, of heavy weight, and high germinationSWIMMING BATHS. Nelson, March 7. The City Council decided to-night t<» take a poll of the ratepayers on a proposal to borrow >£2oo[l tor the construo* tiou. of fresh water swimming "baths. REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. v Invercargill, March 7. At tho Supremo Court, William JoH • Richards (aged d 4), charged with stoal•iiig a bicycle at Waiauawa, a mob I 'of. cowt, at Edendalc, and a mob of steers at Clinton, was sentenoed to 0110 year on each clulrge, sentences to bo concurrent, and detention for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding five years. Tho prisoner arrived from England a year ago, deserted his wife and two children, and has been going under aliases. The Crown Prosecutor staled that lie had J!530 in tho Bank of New Zealand, and .£B7 in. the Post Otlico Savings Bank.' When ar-. rested ho possessed a loaded revolver,. w'hicli it is said lie intended using if interfered with. The policcdescribed hi® as a cuiuiing ruflian. ALLEGED DEFALCATIONS. Dargaville, March 7. _ Suspicion created by the prolonged ali* sence ol' the Chief Cierk of tho Wairoa Stores, Limited," led to an 'examination ot the lwolcs. Defalcations of several hundred pounds were, it is alleged, discovered. A warrant has bren issued for the arrest-of the absentee'-who is supposed t0,.;, have left tho Dominion.

RAIN WANTED. '.'i Auckland, March 7. Farmers' in all parts of the. provinc# aro awaiting rain ' anxiously. Reports! from various centres staw that the grass is disappearing vapidly, and the country settlers aro badly in necdof heavy rata to replenish their supplies. W.C.T.U. Nelson, Jf.irch 7. At the Women's Christian Tomperanc# Union Convention, Jlifs Roberts (Christ* church) advocated approaching school* masters with the view of addressing-boys on the deadening effect of smoking. -The convention dealt with departmental reports, special interest attaching to that of the Domestic Science Department. The evening sitting was occupied with papers by Mrs. Bendely on work for the enfranchised, a discussion of social problems, and by Mrs. Fell .011 tho treatment of wastrels being a description of th« methods adopted in Switzerland. NAPIER TRAMS. Napier, March 6. Tho ceremony of turning the first sod in connection with the installation ot the electric tramway system was perform*, ed this afternoon by tho Mayor (Mr. .1* Vigor Brown), in the presence of a goodly : number of residents.