LATE NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 531, 26 September 1902, Page 2

LATE NEW ZEALAND.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Palmerston North, last night. At a meeting of the Colonial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, held here to-day, it was resolved to place on record the appreciation of the excellent service rendered to the Union by the late Mr J. H. Wright, ex-President of the Auckland branch. It was resolved to defer the question of the orgauisating of the general election to the next meeting in November. The weather has again turned bitterly -oiii, and it is raining and hailing by turns. Wellington, last night. Mr Haselden, S.M., who was appointed Commissioner to hear evidence in connection with objections lodged against an Clrder-in-Couucil being issued to permit the construction of electric tramways by the City Council, has forwarded his report to the respective parties. The Commissioner duds that no valid reason has been -ifl’orded by the objectors ro authorise an order being issued ; also that there was no deception on tho part of the City Council, and adjudges tbat the objectors ire liable to costs, amounting to £SO 18s tid. The grounds of objection were tbat in a poll of ratepayers taken for the purpose of consolidating tramway loans, the extension of tramways to Island Bay had oeen omitted, whereas that work had been included in the schedule of proposed works first submitted to the ratepayers. At the meeting of the Land Board today, it was announced that the amount of arrears of rent due by selectors in tho Wellington district was £3520. The dredgo which has been ordered by tho Wellington Harbor Board for the purpose of dredging Falcon Shoal, at the entrance to tho harbor, will cost .£88,150. Tuo removal and sale of timber by Crown tenants was under consideration at the Land Board to-day. Tenants have been in the habit of disposing of their umber to sawmiilers, but the Commissioner considers that timber is tho property of the Crown, and motioy derived iherefroin should bo paid to the Receiver uf Land Revenue as rent paid in advance. Thus the tenants would occupy the holdings rent free until the timber was exhausted. The Board resolved to pointout that the tenants have no authority to sub-let any portion of their holdings for timber-cutting, or allow marketable timber to be removed, without the consent of the Board. At to night’s moeting of the City Council, the Library Committeo reported that Mr E. W. Petherick had offered his private museum, a rare and valuable collection, as an unconditional gift to tho citizens of Wellington. Tho Committee, in recommending the acceptance of this generous gift, suggested that a building should be erected at a cost of £O2OO to provide neceseary accommodation for an art gallery and museum, and further necessary accommodation for tho public library. The Committeo had approached tho Academy of Fine Arts, and had arrived at an understanding that the Academy would dispose of its present building on acquiring certain rights in tho new gallery to bo built, and would band over the collection of pictures and casts. The City Council congratulated the Committee on the result of its labors. To night, a deputation of members of the House waited on the Minister for Education and Acting-Premier, to ask for an increased allowance for school committees. The Minister replied that tho Boards were now getting £3OOO more than before for the purposo now claimed. The Boards had built up the system during the past 30 years, and he was not going to bring them down in any shape. They had spent on an average £62,153 during the past three years, and ho was now arranging for £65,956. After some discussion, in which Major Steward stated that tho shoe was pinching all over tho colony, tho Acting-Premier assured the deputation that the representations would be carefully considered by Cabinet on tho Supplementary Estimates. Pahiatua, last night. At Pahiatua, tho past week’s stormy weathor culminated in a heavy fall of snow preceded by a hailstorm, By 6 o'clock to-night, tho whole country was covered with inches of snow, which is still falling at 8 o’clock. Tho sheepfarmerß report considerable mortality among tho lambs.

Wanganui, last night. At tho Supreme Court to-day Andrew Matthießon was charged with having embezzled £2 7s 6d. He was found guilty, and remanded till Monday in order that the probation officer might report. Auckland, last night. Tho stewards of the Auckland Trotting Club considered what is known a 3 the Nobby case, the allegations being that tho trotting horse Nobby, which successfully competed at tho Club’s Spring Meeting, was identical with the trotting horse Wenleck, of Canterbury. The decision arrived at was that Johnson and McCarthy, who were associated with the horse, would be disqnalied for life, also the horse Nobby, it being in the opinion of the stewards identical with Wenlock. Hokitika, last night. At a public meeting, held this evening to consider the proposal to borrow £IO,OOO for drainage purposes, a hostile amendment, moved by au ex-mayor, was rejected, and the Borough Council was authorised to take a poll on the question.