NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1754, 20 May 1913, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph. Association.)

PROMOTION IN N.Z. ARMY. CONDITIONS BROADLY GIVEN. Christchurch, May 18. Colonol Heard gave a reporter a brief outline of the scheme which is to be followed in future for granting commissions in the Territorial forces. Starting from July of next year, commissions woaUi go by competitive examinations. All noncommissioned officers of Territorial faxes and non-commissioned officers of Svnior Cadets of the rank of'sergeant will be eligible to compete, provided that they are between tho ages ol eighteen,and twentylive years. Tho positions, ns they rail vacant, will be tolled in order of i"orit, the sanior men in examination lists being given choice. In the event of a successful eandidato at the examination not finding ft place, he ( \v;ill havo to sit again at the examination in the following July. The examinations are to hold for one year only. In all eases candidates will require to havo the approval of the officer commanding to whicli he is to bo attached.

TROTTING MEN AT ODDS. THE LADY CLARE CASE IN COURT. Christchurch, May 19. The Supreme Court was occupied to-day hearing an interesting case concerning the withdrawal of the trotting mare Lady Clare from her engagements at the last spring meeting of the Metropolitan Club, the trainer, J. Tasker, alleges that there was an agreement with the owner to share the mare's winnings, and that tho owner, W. F. Clinton, scratched her for all engagements without consulting him. Tho owner alleges that t'lie .trainer omitted to accept in the New Zealand Irotting Clip with the mare, and therctore caused him loss. Tasker claims compensation. .

WATER-LOGGED BUTTER. : Wanganui, May 19. ' Two .local dairy companies were filled wSI and respectively, together with heavy costs, ioi- preparing for export butter containing- more than 1G per cent, of TOter> ... „ r The magistrate, in imposing small fines, eaid thess were only isolated offences, and he was convinced the companies did not jnake a practice of watering butter.

CHINESE PREFERS GAOL. Napier, May 19. At the Court to-day Joe Uun was fined iJ2O for 'harbouring opium. Defendant elected to go' to gaol lor two months, as 2ia could not pay. TRUCKERS STOP WORK. Whangaroi, May 19. At the Hikurangi Coal mine the truckers to-day demanded a shilling a day advance over the award rate, and this being refused,, stoppsd work. "Working is let bv contract, and a new contract had just been let,' to bo commenced tomorrow. MUNICIPAL FISH'MARKET. Auckland, May 19. A municipal fish market will probably bo an accomplished fact in Auckland within a, short time. The Mayor anil the chairman of the Harbour Board eelected a site this morning, and the City Engineer has been instructed to prepare plans for the building. .The scheme requires ratification by the City Council, but if approved it will be proceeded with immediately! The system to be followed will bo similar to that in vogue in Sydney and other places, the most important feature being the abolition of the restriction at present placed qn the size of fishermen's catches.

A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE. Hastings, May 19. A Maori named WLEae, aged 35 yurs, hailing from Waimarama, disappeared under somewhat strange- circumstances, on Saturday night. At about 10 o clock, Eae, in company with another Maori named Shamrock, left Hastings for A\ aimaraiua' on horseback, and when a shore distance' from the bridge-, which spans the Tukituki Eivor, Eae had occasion to dismount. Shamrock, being in a I'urry to reach. Waimarnma, did not wait for his companion, but rode on. Since then Eae has riot been seen or heard of. His horse turned uu at Waimarama yesterday without a saddle. Constable lieffernaii, of Havc'.ock North, searched the locality where Eae was last seen by Shalnroclc, but was unable to find any trace, of his whereabouts. The saddle was found on it h e ■ roadside near the bridge at a late hour on Saturday night. Up to 7 o'clock to-night the search had proved abortive.

PRESCRIPTION BY WIRELESS. * Auckland,' May 19. When the Maheno was rolling in a mountainous sea on Thursday, she received a wireless message from the Wimmera, bound for Sydney, inquiring for a medical-man, atid Dr. Scott, of Tasmania, had tho novel experience of prescribing for Captain Bnitwhistle, of tho Wiramera, ■which was speeding through the gals miles distant.

SETTLEMENT V. MINING. Dunedin, May 19. In tho matter'- of Georgo Neill's application flor a special. alluvial claim dam and water-race of 1000 heads to carry 64 heads, already granted at Cromwell', tho Warden (Mr. Hazelden) recommends the Minister to grant a dam across tho Kawarau, subject to specific conditions, the application for the; special claim to-stand over, because it is doubtful w'hetiier this is required; but _ tho objector, M'Elligot,' can bring a suit to have the matter investigated. With regard to the; application now before the Land Board, the Warden is prepared to recommend that after reserving ten chains along tho banks of the Kawarau and the Clutha. the land bo sold _to applicants, specially reserving all minerals to tli9 Crown, and prohibiting all mining there-

The Warden adds; —"I believe that although the land is very possibly auriferous and carboniferous, the interests of the public would be far better served by tho creation of fruitful settlement than by destroying the land in mining operations, even although a fortune taincd by a few people in so doing. Thoso applications refer to thescheme for pumping water out of the Kawarau / for irrigating Cromwell Flat.

AM ELECTION RECOUNT. Dunedin, May 19. The petition of Win. Lunn for a resount of the votes polled at the recent .municipal election at Port Chalmers was heard by Hi'- Widdowson, S.M., to-day. .Lunn tolled 350 votes, and Prattley, the lowest successful candidate, only 351, and Lunn petitioned, on the ground that a mistake of one vote might easily have occurred. After hearing evidence, Air. Widdowson decided to grant the application, and a recount was immediately commenced under his supervision.