NEW ZEALAND

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 450, 21 June 1902, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press Association); AUCKLAND, last nightIl is reported that the defence authorities are considering the advisin 1ity of placing a heavy gun on the summit of Kangitolo Island, to command the entrance to the port, to prevent, an enemy planting a gun. there. The 1 island is over 900 feet in elevation, and the battery would he the highest in the colony. Mr Witheford has wired to Sir Joseph Want and asked that the returning Seventh Contingent should land at Auckland, there being seventy Aucklanders, to avoid a change to the more severe cold of the Southern Ports. The Trades and Labor Council have adopted the Dunedin resolution making

a strong appeal against the further sale of Crown Lands as inimical to tiie best interests of the people. Mr George Fowler, treasurer of the Oddfellows whilst returning home from a late meeting at, 'midnight, was robbed of a handbag containing £3l in cash and orders, at his gate, Scarboro’ Terrace, Parnell. The thief seized the bag, which, after pi struggle, he secured. He was chased, but got away The thief was evidently conversant with Fowler’s movements. Sir Joseph Ward has replied to Mr Witheford that the troopship with the Seventh Cont ngent has already left Sydney. The reference qF disputes to- the Arbitration Court has depreciated the value of seats on the Conciliation Board. The members of the Auckland Board, who received £2OO each last year, have not averaged half-a-crown a week on the first half o 5 the present year.

Wm. Parker was charged at the Police Court to-day with attempting to murder his wife and two children. Susan Parker, his wife, deposed that accused sold up her home on May 22. .Shortly before the shooting she had words w th her husband about a separation order, which he opposed. Her husband treated her unkindly during their married life. He had beaten her on one occasion, and broke her.nose. Hei also threatened to give her an ounce of lead if she left him. DANNEVIRKE, last night. The Hon. Mr Half-Jones was entertained at a banquet last evening. The function was a great success. In his speech, Mr Hall-Jones spoke in defence of the Government legislation, and their policy. This morning he was waited on by deputations, who urged the erection of a new railway station post office, and police station. The matter of a grant for a volunteer drill Shed was also brought before his notice.

WELLINGTON, last night. The New Zealand liugby Union at" a special meeting .last night in reference to the competitions arranged tortile Ranfurly Challenge Sh eld resolved t by 16 to 11 that the holders of'tlie shield shall refund to a challenging union reasonable expenses of transit, the Management Committee of the New Zealand Union to he the sole judges of what expenses are reasonable. Auckland and Otago delegates opposed the motion. It was decided that the competition begin with the interprovincial games of this season. The general manager of the National Bank of New Zealand lias been advised that in the annual report for March, 1902, to be presented to the shareholders at a meeting to he held in London on July Ist, the directors recommend that a dividend of 8 ‘percent. be declared, and a bonus of 2 percent., making the dividend 10 per cent for the year ; that £IO,OOO be transreferred to the reserve fund, which will then, stand at £150,000 ; and that £B2OO be carried forward to the current year. The sum of £SOOO has been applied in reduction of bank premises, and £I6OO added to the officers pension fund.

The following candidates have passed tlic denistry examination : T. F. Bennett, L. F. Haselden, G. 1-1. Walker, and E- Wright, Auckland ; Buckeridge, Gisborne ; M. E. Denniston, V. Smale, Chr stchurch ;" J. J. Faulkneri Hastings ; O. C. Harley, Nelson; G. I-loby, D. S. McKenzie, D. E. P. Scanlan, J, J. Wilson, A. Dallaston, Wellington; 11. F.- Swinburne, Hawera.

The City Council have decided to send Home an electrical engineer to facilitate acceptance of tenders for the work in connection with the electric tramways. The Council considered this plan to he less costly than leaving the tenders to the decision of an advisory board or to having'thenv sent from Home by mail. , NELSON, last night.

At the Supreme Court to-day justice Edwaras gave judgment ior plaiutixl for the full amount claimed, £2OO, costs and expenses, in an action brought by Ernest Pridham, clerk, to recover damages from Joseph Mallamo, fisherman, and part proprietor of a shooting gallery, for injuries- sustained by, being accidentally shot by defendant, owing to his negligence in holding a .The defence was contributory negligence in not stopping behind Mallamo after Pridham had fired his shot in a shooting contest. Plaintiff was shot in the stomach, and for some weeks lay in imminent danger of death, Heavy rain fell at night, and the rivers are flooded^ CHRISTCHURCH, last night. A middle-aged woman named Mrs Eliza Hunsley died suddenly on the Papanui road whilst waiting for a tram. She had been suffering from heart disease^ ”DUNEDIN, last night. In the dental examination the following have successfully passed : Thomas E. Burgess, Wellington; JolurE. Butler, Invercargill; Francis 11. Stockwell, Invercargill; Gilbert Wise, Dimed n.

INVERCARGILL, last night. A man named Horace Church left Ids home at Wild Bush in a boat last Sunday to go to Riverton. The boat has been found hi the river, but there is no trace of Church, who was suppose! to have been drowned. It lias been discovered that he left the Bluff by the Mokoia last Tuesday. A domestic quarrel is said to have prompted his departure. Church has left a wife and three children behind.