NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Phjbb Aieooiation.) 1 LIBRARY GRANTS: PUBLIC APATHYt Chrlstchurch, March U. Speaking at tho opening of tho Coronation Library at Little River to-day, Mr. Massey said that ho" had boon disappoint- ? . cd so far regarding tho applications received for the sum appropriated by Parliament last year as subsidies for publlo : - libraries. They had not been 60 numerous' as they should lmvo .been. FIRE IN DUNEDIN, V Duncdin, March 14. At 11 o'clock last night a fir© broko out in tho libyal Hotel at Milton, owned ' and occupied by Patrick Laffey. Tho building contained about 20 rooms, but the only tenants wore Mr. and Mrs. Laffey ' and tho members of the family. The outbreak occurifcd in tho rear portion' of tho premises. Tho occupiers escaped, but nothing was saved, and in a short time nothing remained but a mass of ruins. Tho > house was insured, but tho amount is unknown. MOUNT NESSING LAND BALLOT. ~ Timaru, March 14. Tho ballot for the Mount Nessing lands f this morning resulted as follows:—Section 3, 403 aorcs, John Henry Wright, Woodgrove; Section 4, 41G acres, Thomas Poach, Anderson's Bay, Dunedin; Section 5, 326 acres, William C. Brown, Waihao • Downs; Section 0, 476 acres, Gavin C. Kidd, Albury. Second-class land: Sections , I and 1, A, 8740 acres, homestead block, Jessio Guthrie, Timaru; .Section 2, 3370 acres, James Maxwell, Christchurch; Section 7, 637 acres, Edward L. Harris, Aramoho, Wanganui; Section 8, 4640 acres, William Gould, Pleasa%t Point; Section 9, 1179 acres, Sarah Power, Woodgrove j Section 10, 9930 hcres, John Holden, Alexandra South; Sections 11 and 11a, 46G4 acres, John White, Sumner, Christchurch. EMBEZZLEMENT CASE. Dunedin, March 14. Sir Joshua Williams sat this morning to pass' Sentence upon Emilis Arthur Alexander Monzies, who had pleaded guilty in Court below to charges of embezzlement of moneys, tho property of the Union , Steam Ship Company. The Judge said ho - did not think it a .case for probation, but looking at accused's previous good character, and taking into consideration the fact that ho had Deen in gaol for fivft weeks the sentenoe would be three months' imprisonment* MOUNT COOK ITEMS. > Timaru, Maroh 13. A tent and sleeping bag abandoned on Mount Cook by guides eighteen years ago were found in good condition on tho surface of: the Hooker Glacier, four miles from where they were left, and at 2800 feet lower elevation.' 1 The pressure on the accommodation at Mount Cook Hermitage, which caused inconvenience and prevented people from going during tho midsummer, has now relaxed, and v reccnt visitors report that tho roads and tracks are in good order. THREE POLLS. T'maru, March IS. Three polls were taken in the borough to-day (ratepayers only). A proposal to rate on unimproved values was lost by .673 to 742. The adoption of the -Fire Board was carried; by 1030 to 352. A loan of .£7OOO to provide five 'motor buses and garage was approved by 907 to 517. The rating and buses have been subjects of voluminous press correspondence. ' STRONG OCEAN CURRENTS. '. Auckland, March 14. , The steamers Moldavia and Mara ma, which* arrived from Sydney this morning,report being retarded by exceptionally strong ocean currents running at the rate of one and;a half knots, sufficiently strong to delay the vessel forty miles per day.