NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2009, 17 March 1914, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

WHARF WORK, PBEFERSNCE AT LYTTEUtON, . (Br TcleffrttpV-PMSS. ABgoclatlon.) ■, . ChrlstChufch, March 16. Delegates from :tlio Lyttelton Wharf I/aboJirers' Union met, members of Parliaraicut- to-da/ in conference to discuss tlio conditions of ciupjoymeut rot tho wharves. The union was representetl by Messrs. H. 11. Vo.yce, J. V\'iJ«o«, and It. M. Stewart, and the members present were Messrs, Isitt, Jill, Davoy, and M'Comlj?.. Mr. Voyco said that ex-strikers could not get employment, preference being given to oaflier members of the wnion, and many of tho ma fried men were in a poor way. After a long discussion, Maf. KM agreed to take matters in hand, bers sayiag they would do what they could to improve the position. DISCONTENTED WARDERS. .COMPLAINTS 1?R03I AUCKLAND* AUoldand, March 5,6. A good deal has been said lately eon* certtitig discontent amongst warders in tho Now Zealand prisons regarding tbejr coiiditio'ns of work, 'j'be Wctogton Post" of a reeent date ]>ttbiished an official statement denying any reason far discontent, and maiutainkg that tho men wore not called upon to work more than eight hems per day. 3'his assertion is upt o-ndorsed by several men who recently threw up' then positions in Miount Eden Gaol, .uul who state that distant-ant' is rife thriiwghout tlio Dominion. Ono of .those who recently resigned from tho Sfownt Edeii Gaol stated his grievance to a "Star" representative this morning. Thero are.,, ho states, only 38 warders in - the ini stitution to look after nearly 300 prisoners, and they Work from nine to fo.ii iioiirs per day. According to the exwardor in tjuesrioii. there is particular discontent in, rogrt.vd to the hours which tho men on night duty work. Two warders vttiA over tha prisoners dur* ing the for snjnethiin* ' liko 1.1 liours, hut it is so arranged that between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each man tabes fivo hours sleep in a room from whfe'h ■ho can readily be siimtMlied. This rootii it is alleged is .infested Willi rcrmiii.j and has been tho cause of endless 'trouble, fiugs, in fact, Ift states, are ■the terror of those who liavo tlio misforittie to And their w-ay into t)io wooden wing of tiro gaol, find it is alleged that the prisoners have even bad their eyes "bunged up" with bug bites. It is stated, that in ihe last three weeks, there Itave been four resignations at Mount Jiideii. PORT OF MEW PLYMOUTH* READY FOft LIMSKS KEXT YEAR. . New Plymouth,, Mareh 16. At a, mootirrg of tlie New P't;viiioi'it,l:i iflarhour Board to-daVj the- board, after a special inspection of tlio harbour, made the following statement regarding the possibility of berthing boiits citp■aMo of taking frozen meat .iff 'tho English markets:—"Tho superintendent qf works reported 'in November that all the requirements of shipping companies . would be completed in fourteen inflniths, and, as during the four months' past, dredging has .progressed somewhat mo-ro' rapidly than aufcieip.ated., the :lk>ard is satisfied,' in any ease, that all tho re-, quircfflOßts of shipping convpanios to ■ allow liners to trade at the port will be ' completed in ample time for the Sea-son eoniiiie-iiciiig in the- spring of 1915." OPPOSED. • 'MGShIoOJI JWAPimS''TJNIOJ«, Auckland, Marci 16. Drcspery assistants wlio are opposed to tlio union that has been formed 'de-' : elded to-night lo refrain from joining it, and to obstruct any attempt made by it to Obtain an award or preference clause by presenting n majority of signatures itgaimt at. Tliose op'iMSed to an award greatly outiiuiiibor tile unim!ists. GREYMOUTH SESSIpNiS. Greytnoathj Jfarcli 16. . Tho Supremo Ooafft sessions opened tliis morning, before Mr. Justice Denniston, who .said that there ivero no serious charges, Tlis Grand Jivry rrtun'Sfl.d no bill in tho case of Francis.- MUates., who was charged with ari uWuitura-l offoiice., ' Ticla Upton pleaded' guflty to two charges of forgery of Post, Office. Swings Bank slips for £10 and £1.5 rcs'pectivelyi Counsel for the defeneo applied for probation, and Sis Hanuur reserved decision in order that further inquiry Might be made. Wiffiam Cowan M'Meill., etarged with steal'i'ng. a quantity of liquor from tin? Ottra.ftotej., W'as found liot guilty, Edward Basil AVilsoiii charged iiifli • roljborj with violence, was convicted, and * sentenced to tiro years- fmpjriscmnie'jit. THE UNVfRITTEN LAW, .. Gisborn'q, March 18. 'The Supreme Court- opened tins 'mor.uinij, Mr. Justice Hoskin.g presidt-'ng'. The Judge congratulated the district-on the ■immense'progress iMade sinfe his first visit to it thirty years agPs -lii his■charge to tho Grand Ju-j;v, His Honour, referring, to tlie ease of alleged .atteinpt ed miirder, remarked that the prisoner' bad believed be was sufferiiig a Wrong i from evil reports spread by the prosecutor, and thongl'it he was justified: .in appealing to the Tin-written law. riis: Honowr said thero Was hotliing in the laws of tlio couiitry to warrant a person a.p.peaiiiig to iho iinwi'itteii -law. SUPPtY iN G LIGU OR TO A ffIAOHI. Rotofjuiij Jlareh 16. foreigner wTio arrived iia the Dominion only at the fte* Year, and who pleaded igawnMico of tho law, was convicted awl discharged for having Siip? plied a Maori with liquor off lieens.ed premises. The Maori, who persuaded him to pureliase the liquor,, was, however, feted £55. QU!NNAT SALMON, . TltnarU, March ,'.6\ A rjuimmt salmon, Weighing IMb,, was caugbt at tho mouth of the Baiigitata River mi 'Quiiiuat woro , tumod into the Waitaki sojive. yertrS ago i from the Ha-kiitaraiUca hatcheries, A few siftal'l ones had previously been ; netted at- Timal'iu HABITUAL CRIMINAL, Dunodiri, Br-itxcli ..ifi. 11l the Supreme Court to-day ligitry j Wong 6ye was declared an habit'uaL j criminal" and senteitcexl to ■twelve' i mouths' imprissminent. ■' l <