NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 533, 29 September 1902, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) MASTERTON, Saturday.At a farewell to the Rev. C. IT. Young, Presbyterian minister, who has been acting as locum tenens to the Rev. R. Wood, Mr Young s’gnitied his intention of seceding from i-lie Presbyterian Church on the ground that its dogmas trammelled his, ’.reedom ot religious thought and speech. His remarks caused some sensation. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Acting-Premier has received the following cablegram from Major "Pilcher,, regarding ttli.o, Srfuth African lefbour market- “ A demand exists for skilled artisans in the following trades : Carpenters, tinsmiths, coach and wajggou makers, body majicr.sl, coach painters, wheelwrights, saddlers, harness makers, cutters, fitters and tailors, hut the present high wages will decline as- the supply increases.” The number of cases of infectious diseases in Wellington reported to the Health Department during ‘tie present week was as follows : —Measles 150, scarlet fever 11, diphtheria 3, bloodpoisoning 3. 'l’he Chinese residents of Wellington have made another donation of lOu guinea’s to the funds of the Hospital, making their: contributions to the institution during the past 11 years nearly £4OO. BLENHEIM, Saturday. The present weather is exceptional enough to draw even the oldest inhabitant. It is said tiiat snow lias fallen on the country in this district where it has not been seen within the last 50 years. The Union Steam Ship Company intend to run during the summer months a ferry service by special steamer between Piet-on and Wellington. It is expected Sir .Joseph Ward, the Hon. Hall-Jones, and Hon. Mr Duncan will lie present with the Tlon., Mr Mills at the ceremony in connection with the opening oi the BlenheimSeddon railway. CHRiSTCIIURCII, Saturday. There is an unprecedented shortage ijit the. fisji supply of the ei|ty at present. At a sale in the public market yesterday, there was not a single fish. Fishmongers state the shortage has never been so great before,, and tljt>re is some talk of putting. up the. shutters for a time. A.i inquest was held this morning into the death of the child horn in I-lagley Park yesterday morning. The medical evidence showed no signs ol violence having been indicted. The mother of the child was unable to give evidence. A verdict; in accordance with the medical evidence that death was due to accidental smothering was returned. DUNEDIN, Saturday. Mr J. A. Scott Lawcer opposes Mr Allen for Bruce in the Liberal and Prohibition interests. WESTPORT, Saturday. The Admiralty’s chartered transport collier Mercedes brought from Hongkong an entire crew- of Chinese, consisting'of 3!)-deck hands and stokers. The European crew will be discharged at Wellington, as the captain is liable to a £lO6 penalty under the Immigration Restriction Act for each Chinese deserting, tiie crew will not- lie allowed shore leave. The engineers are Chinese. 'Phis step is caused by the extreme difficulty all coal transports have had in controlling their crew's in Port. REEFTON, Saturday. There is fine weather now. Victoria Range is covered with four feet of snow. All work has been suspended, probably for some weeks, HOKITIKA, Saturday. An incipient (ire was discovered shortly after eleven o’clock last night in Easterbrook’s drapery shop, Reveil streets, The flames were promptly subdued, but the room was gutted. The furniture and stock were insured in the Imperial for £l5O, and was damaged Ihy water. The building was insured-for £l5O in the Victoria, and was only slightly injured. I’he Supreme Court session begins on Monday. The business is chiefly

' WEST COAST NEWS. GRHYMOUTH, Saturday, '['lie weather lias cleared up. but, is intensely cold, with a large quantity of snow on the hills. At. the cattle sales yesterday prices showed a considerable falling off, hut bullocks selling from £lO iOs to £lb, fat sheep from 14s to 2(is. The Wcslevaiis here are about to erect a large church. The Rev. Mr Trestriil, who has been here for six months, lias succeded in raising a good deal of money towards the building. In view of the coming election the temperance party here are particularly active, and are hopeful of securing a vote for reduction in the number of licenses. . The sawmillers on the West Coast are not altogether agreeing among themselves and hold a meeting on Monday to arrange matters, failing which “cut throat” business may he iesorted to. At, the Borough Council meeting last night the clerk was instructed to write to the Government, stating that they had protested several times against the disinterment of Chinese, bin -the Colonial Secretary had over-rulei their objection. The latter, in a lettei ' stated that the bodies would be remo ved in a month.

The “Repudiation Office,” established i» Napier as far hack as the seventies was referred to by the member for Pa tea' in the debate on the Land Titles Protection Bill. Mr Hazeldcn supported the bill: He congratulated the Native Minister on bringing it down, and expressed surprise it had

not been done many years ago. In the couuse of his remarks lie said : 1 remember that in Hawkes’ Bay there was established a ‘ Repudiation Office, which made it its business to repudiate every title in Hawke’s Bay ; and every title they could possibly get at tbev went for, whether it was freehold or leasehold. It was generally unscrupulous lawyers that were mixed up , with cases of this kind. They would , get hold of some of the natives get , them to make claims, and blackmail ! ,i ie Europeans who held the land at ' tint time. Ido not pretend to say 1 that the bill is perfect, lam not sui- ■ ticientlv versed in the law to give an r opinion on that. But I think that if is intended to meet the case fairly and s that under it persons who have bought their land honestly and uaid ior i 1 will cet a good title, and not be con--6 tinually harassed by claims brought bj • .people stirring the natives .to strife, 1