NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 384, 8 April 1902, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association. ) AUCKLAND, last night. Admiral Beaumont and the lleet officers attend a hall at Government House on April loth. The squadron will probably leave Auckland the following day. The Governor remains in Auckland until the end of May, and returns to Wellington for the opening of Parliament, Constable Irwin was severely injured in a street row on Saturday last, and being unable to attend Court yet, the accused .John Duffy has been further remanded.

The 9-year-old son of Alfred Huxford injured his knee while playing seesaw on the 3rd inst., and died yesterday before a doctor arrived. At Zeehan, Tasmania, on tiie 29th ult., a prospector named Matthew Hogan was burned to death' He worked in New Zealand over twelve years ago. The gunboat Lizard, whilst changing

her moorings this morning, got athwart the bows of the Royal Arthur She was towed oil. Apparently no damage was done- to either vessel.

AJ.-j.li.ja, rase lagut. Obituary : Mr W. Wood, headmaster of the Boys’ High School, aged 50. Deceased laid been in charge of tiie school lb years, during which time it has made great progress. He took a very active interest in ' volunteering, and was honorary lieutenant-colonel. He will accordingly he given a military funeral.

MASTKRTON, last night. Mr Robert Perston, the well-known ex-manager of the Bank of New Soutl:

Wales at Wellington and Dunedin, died at his residence, Bideford, yesterday. CARTHRTON, last night. The body of Mrs Sullivan, lost three weeks ago, was found yesterday in a dense clump of gorse about SUO yards from the railway line in the opposite direction to where her hag was found. The body was much decomposed. NEW PLYMOUTH, last night. In the S.M- Court this morning six shopkeepers were lined 5s and costs each for breaches of the Shop and Shop Assistants Act during Band Contest week. FEILDING, last night. A lire broke out yesterday morning in premises occupied by Graham’s coacii factory and Barry’s bicycle factory, which, with an unoccupied shop and Ratlin’s office, were destroyed. Greenwood’s buildings were saved by the Fire Brigade and civilians. The insurances were : National, Graham’s stock and tools £235, Barry’s stock and fittings £75, Greenwood (Ratliff’s office) £BO, Greenwood (dental surgery and offices) £2OO, CliamberJain ’s dental tools and fittings £125, Ratliff’s furniture and effects £SO, Clapham’s (an employee of Graham’s) tools £ls ; Phoenix, Greenwood (vacant shop) £BO ; Standard, W. A. Sandilands (the coach factory building), £2OO ; ' Commercial Union, Sandilands (blacksmith’s shop) £50., WELLINGTON, fast night. It is understood that the command of the Coronation Contingent will he offered Colonel Porter, now commanding the Seventh New Zealanh Contingent in South Africa. The Premier promised a deputation of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce that the Government would see what it could do to alter the form of bills af lading so as to prevent ocean steamship owners from practically freeing themselves from liability for damage and loss of cargo. He expressed himself in favor of the establishment of preferential trade relations between New Zealand and other parts of the British Empire, and also promised to see what could be done to bring about a uniform fire insurance policy for the whole colony., The Government was taking steps to fortify the principal coal ports, and was considering the question of establishing large coal depots in various parts of the colony in case of war. The Government would give early consideration to the suggestion that ocean mail contracts should only be let to British owned steamers. Isidore Cohen, an ex-member of the South African Light Horse, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment for theft from his employer and false pretences. NELSON, last night.

The Nelson subscriptions to the Seddon testimonial amount to about £IOO, from about 100 subscribers. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. The Victorian Labor Commission started taking evidence at Christchurch this morning. The witnesses examined so far are George Bowron, of Boivron Bros., tanners and fellmongers; George Blackwell, managing director of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company ; and F. Waymouth, managing director of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company. The witnesses agree >viUi the principal of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, but advocate certain amendments, especially reconstruction of Conciliation Boards.

Henry Watts, a carpenter, about 65 years of age, . died suddenly at Linr. wood this morning. At the Magistrate's Court this morning an Assyrian Shap sued the City Council for £lO, Plaintiff had paid £lO for an ice-cream vendor’s license, and after a time had been prohibited by a by-law from selling on a stand. The defence was that an alterable contract had been entered into. Judgment was reserved. DUNEDIN, last night.

A runaway horse in High-street knocked down Mrs Dowden, wife of Arthur Dowden, boilermaker at Hillside Workshops, inflicting serious injuries'. WELLINGTON, last night.

The Court of Appeal held, with the exception of the Chief Justice, that the Licensing Committee had authority to order additional provision for escape from fire hr eases where Uipy thought the existing provision insufficient. The Chief Justice thought the Licensing Act only authorised the Committee to see that the appliances required when the license was originally granted were properly maintained. CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday.

The probable date of the departure ot the South Island Battalion of the Tenth Contingent is April 19th. The total number of men in camp to-day, including the camp staff of eight and three of the Coronation Contingent, was 533, the total of the Tenth Contingent being 50 officers and 180 men. There are about 100 horses in camp. The men were inspected by the officer commanding the district this morning. Shooting practice starts to-morrow. • TIMARU, last night.

In the Magistrate’s Court to-day a fireman belonging to the s.s. Ingola, was charged by the captain with wilful and continued neglect of duty. The charge was laid under section 17 of Shipping and Seamen’s Act. The iniiifonnation was dismissed on the ground that wilful neglect of duty bad lot been shown, and there was subsequent doubt as to the man’s physical fitness for the work.