NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 367, 18 March 1902, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. A fire on the premises of Ross and Ansennc, ship chandlers, was confined to the second floor. Considerable damage was done by water. The building was owned by Mrs' Major. The stock was valued at £IO,OOO, and was insured in the Royal, Imperial and London and Lancashire. The Talisman Consolidated February returns are £3128." John Scott, managing director of the Waiuku Steamship Company, was thrown from a buggy, which upset, and was killed instantly. The Primitive Methodist vote on the question of union is now complete. In the whole colony the 24 stations voted as follows :■ For the 1884 basis 188, against 101 ; for the present basis as offered 63, against 244 ; majority in favor of the 1884 ■ basis 87 ; majority against the present basis 181. The basis of 1884 was the Methodist Church of New Zealand, only ministers and laymen having an equal vote except of a ministerial character. The present basis provides that ministers only shall dispose of all matters under 14 heads, and also nominate stewards, elect chairmen of districts, determine any appeals affecting the status of ministers and members. As the Australasian Methodist Church will not concede the 1884 basis and the New Zealand Primitives refused the present basis, the question is hung up indefinitely. The Auckland Cricket Club won the senior grade championship of the season.

The Premier will review the cadets and meet the school, children and their parents in the Domain on Monday. WANGANUI, last night. The Wanganui Garrison Band was accorded a great public reception on returning from the contest this afternoon, several thousand people assembling at the railway station, and later on in Cook’s Gardens, where the band were officially congratulated by the member for the district (Mr Willis and the Borough Councillors on again winning the championship. Reference was made to the fact of the land being runners up in the contest in 1889 and 1900, and now winning in two successive years.

TIMARU, last n'ight

At the District Court to-day, the case in re Smallridge, the Deputy Assignee v. C. N. Macintosh, was heard. Smallridge was a bankrupt, and at a meeting of creditors claimed Macintosh as a partner. The action sought to sustain this, but Mr Sim, for the defence, raised a preliminary protest to the effect- that the Bankruptcy Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case, and, if so, he could make no effective order. Judge Ward agreed, and the case was dismissed.

Judge Ward also gave judgment in a case in which the Deputy Assignee sought to make the Farmers’ Co-ope-rative Association hand over for the benefit of a bankrupt farmers estate

the proceeds of a clearing sale of his stock and chattels. The Association had a bill of sale over the sheep and a lien over the crop. A judgment having been obtained against debtor by another creditor, the Association sent a bailiff to seize under their securities, but before lie got there the debtor had made an arrangement with the Association to pay off the judgment, .£159 and take possession of everything on the farm, to sell-and- pay themselves out of the proceedsand him the balance. The sale did not produce sufficient to meet the Association’s claim. The Assignee sought recovery from the Association and the proceeds of the sale or of chattels not covered by the bill of sale and lien (£729), on the ground that the arrangement made with it was protected by clause 82, as it was a first act of bankruptcy. The Judge held the arrangements to lie protected, and ordered the Association to pay the Assignee the proceeds of the assets not comprised in their original securities, the £159 paid not to be deducted, but proved folk Costs, £lO 10s, and expenses, were allowed the Assignee. , ~ WANGANUI, last night. Yesterday morning the body of R. L. Christie, aged 75, was found in the river near Aramoho. Deceased was a prohibited person, and had evidently been drinking, This was the second body that has lieen found in the river in a week. A boating fatality was narrowly averted at the Heads yesterday. A boat containing five persons capsized on the bar, and the occupants were thrown into the watep, Two swam ashore and three clung to the boat, one of whom became exhausted and sank, but was rescued by one of his mates diving for him and bringing him back to the upturned boat. The pilot boat put off and rescued them, after being half an hour in the water, WELLINGTON, iast night. Prior to his departure for Australia en route on a visit to England, Mr Cook, of Dunedin, superintending engineer of the. Union Company, was presented by the Marine Engineers’ Institute with a purse of sovereigns valued at one hundred guineas, and a diamond ring for Mrs Cook. The insurances on yesterday s fire at Nathan and Co.’s building were On the building, Commercial Union, £IOOO : Sun, £IOOO ; Guardian £ISOO ; South British, £IOOO. Nelson, Moate and Company have £IBSO in the Royal on their stock, and £1750 on the machinery in the same oflice. j The "directors of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company have decided to recommend a dividend of a per cent, for the half year, making b per cent! for the year. The Premier sailed for Auckland this morning. Mr McGowan and probably Mr Duncan will follow to-morrow. The Hon. Mr Carroll left to-day for Awanui. Sir Joseph Ward goes tomorrow to Christchurch for a brief visit, and then on to Auckland, to be present at the formal landing of the New Zealand and Pacific cable at Doubtless Bay. , , ... DUNEDIN, last night. A body in a decomposed state was found on the banks of the Mqlynpux river some distance below Balclutha on Saturday. It is now believed to be the body of George Thomson, of Balclutha, who is supposed to hate been drowned in the river on October

11 An Seresting case Qnnrpmp Court, when William nui Son sues the Government for arrears of pav as a member of the Fourtli Contingent. Over a year s wares are said to be due. He was sworn in as a member of the hourth, but through the Premier’s interference his name was erased £r °“. tl J| The Crown’s defence is that Hutchx sou was never legally enrolled. Hi Sim appears for Hutchison, and Mi Fraser for the Crown. The body found on the bank of the Molyneux has been identified beyond doubt as that of George Thomson, an ex-Mavor of Balclutha who mysteriously. 'disappeared in October, 1900.