NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 396, 22 April 1902, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND.

(Pur Press Associati a.) AUCKLAND, last night. Mr Allred Kidd Inis been re-elected Mayor ol Auckland unopposed.. The Victorian Commission report that the Auckland Employers’ Association strongly condemned the arbitration AcL Before the Victorian Labour Commission, Mr Mackey, President of the Employers’ Association, said the employers found it difficult to maintain the maximum wages when the minimum of the large number of employers was raised, fh Conciliation and Arbitration Acts required amendment. I-Ie was not prepared to say it should be swept away. Mr J.J- Craig said the Act cost him £3OOO through having to carry out contracts after wages had advanced. He did not advocate abolition of the Act, which Jkcpt masters disposed to pay low,wages up to the mark. The Victorian Labour Commissioners have returned from Rotorua to Auckland . Their sitting concludes this afternoon, and they return to Melborne by the Mararoa to-night Mr Reid is of the opinion that there is no other place sue h as Rotorua in the world. The sum of £50,000 spent in improvements and advertising would pay handsomely. Owing to the prevalence of scarlet fever, Lady Ranfurly has postponed her “ At Home ” to the Mothers’ Union, fixed for May Bth. The Secretary of the North Island Bands Association has written to the Mayor asking what support there will be if the Band Contest is held in Auckland next year. A meeting of citizens will be called to consider the matter. NAPrER, last night. James Swann was committed for trial for forging a cheque in 1890. Accused left the colony soon after cashing of the cheque. He returned to the colony recently, and and was arrested in Christchurch. A nine-roomed dwelling in Carlyle street, owned by Mr Duncan Guy, and occupied by Mr Michael Quinn, was totally destroyed by fire this morning. Very little furniture was saved. The insurances are : House, £250 in the London and Lancashire; furniture, £260 in the Standard, PALMERSTON N., last night. At the S.M. Court to-day a charge " against iU. Hodges, licensee of the Phoenix Hotel, for alleged Sunday trading, was dismissed, the evidence showing that the liquor was sold to a lodger and bona fide friend. Mr A. Guy has been nominated for the Mayoralty. An incipient lire was discovered last night in a large building in the Square recently vacated by the Bank of New Zealand, and at present occupied by Mellsop and Elliot, commission agents. When discovered, the flames were issuing from a composition pipe between the gasinetcr and the distributing gas- | pipes, and, had set alight to the adjoining woodwork. The damage was only slight. The origin of the lire is unknown. NEW PLYMOUTH, last night. Mr E. Dockrill has, been re-elected Mayor unopposed. This is his fifth year. WELLINGTON, last night. The Canterbury Rugby Union delegates move at the New Zealand Union meeting on Friday that the time has arrived when definite steps should be taken to send a New Zealand team to Great Britain, and that the management committee be instructed to make arrangements to send a team not later than 1903. The mails which left Auckland by the Sierra on March 15th arrived in London from America on the night of 14th inst., two days late. Mr Justice Edwards passed the following sentence this morning : Thomas Heffernan, theft at Palmerston North, one years imprisonment; John J. O’Connell, theft at Wanganui, one years imprisonment ; George Ellery, theft at Marlon, twelve months’ probation. The Chief Justice delivered judgment this morning quashing the convictions in the Chinese gaming cases, some because the form of appeal was defective and others on fact. A circular has been issued to the Civil Service stating that all Civil servants over 65 years of age receiving £2OO a year or more are to be retired forthwith. The dale of retirement of those receiving less than £2OO is to lie left to the discretion of Ministers. The Premier advises the Defence Department that Private Sievers, of Wellington, fell on the voyage to Sydney and hurt his back. He will have to stay in hospital in Sydney for a couple of weeks. The Bisley team leave Wellington by the Paparoa on Thursday. The Minister of Customs, replying to representations urging the discontinuance of the export duty on kauri now that the Commonwealth has taken off the import duty on whitg pine, says the duty’ was not imposed with the object of making reprisals, but was intended as much as anything to assist in conservating our timbersupply. It is understood tho question will, however, be discussed by Cabinet at an early date. Tho Minister of Justice left for Napier this morning. The Native Minister goes to Gisborne to-night. Hokitika, last night. • John L. Smith, an old settler of the Arabura district, died yesterday, after a lingering illness, aged 65, |