NEW ZEALAND telegrams.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 253, 30 April 1897, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND telegrams.

(Per Press Association. Wellington, April 27. A deputation of carpenters waited on the Minister of Railways urging that in«n in their trade employed in the Railway Workshops whose wages are now 9s per day, should bo paid the rate of wages given by private employers, viz., 10a por day. Tho Minister pointed out that the Railway men possessed privileges which carpenters working for private masters did not haye — such a*s reduce! fares; i\n annual holiday on foil pay, etc. — and that he wa9 umiblo under she Railway Classification Act, to iucrease tho rates of payit is estimated that the coat of increasing Soames' Island light from fifth to 6econd order will cost £3000. The Customs revenue for March quarter was £430,854 last year. Tho revenue for this year was £1, 158,841. Beer duty, £19,567, against £17,794, or, for the year, £71,839. The gold export for tho March quarter was £27^.816, a«aiusfc £001,502 last year, tho principal contributors being, Auckland, £101,607 ; West Coast, £71,778 ; and Otago, £96,837, This Day. The Hon. C. J. Johnston will represent the "Wellington Chambers at the Australasian Conference of Chambers of Commerce on May 18. Auckland, April 28. Mrs Burney, superintendent of the Department of Prisons Work of the World's W.C.T.U., United States, closed a suecesstul meeting here to night. Under tljG auspices of the Auckland brauch of the W.C.T.U. shp visited Mount Eden Gaol to day, and w&s shown over it by Gaoler Reston. She leaves to- morrow for New Plymouth, giving an address at Palmerston North on Friday night, and on Saturday she goes to Wellington, and thence to South Australia and England, returning to her American home. Malcolmson and Eagar Dell have been committed for trial in the District Court. The former for alleged, conversion of money belonging to Wpod Bros , Christchurch, and Dell on a chargp of obtain; ing money under false pretences. Bernard Malcolm, who was found in the cellar of O'Connor's hotel, Gumtown, under the influence of liquor, and taken to bed, was found dead the same night. The post mortem revealed that death was due to alcoholic poisoning. A verdict of death from excessive drinking was returned. Stratford, April 29. Yesterday a poll of the ratepayers was taken to decide upon electricity or water gas for the town. The result was : - For electricity, 252 ; for water gas, 79. At a meeting of the Town Board last night, the offer of the Electric Light Syndicate was accepted, and the work of the in* stalation will take place at once. It is expected that the town will be lighted in about four months' time.