LATE NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 941, 14 July 1903, Page 2

LATE NEW ZEALAND.

£Per Press Association)* NAPIER, last night. At a meeting of labor representatives to-night, it was resolved to form a Trades and Labor Council in Napier. The Charitable Aid Board to-day. aliirnied the purchase of five and ahalf acres of land fob the purpose of erecting a new building for an Old Men’s Kefuge. The laud is situated not far from the present site, the building on which has been condemned by, the Inspector-General of Hospitalsj THAMES, last night. A serious fire broke out to-night in the Royal Hotel buildings, of about fifty rooms.' It is supposed to have started from a deiective chimney, it spread to the lumber room above, and had a big hold when discovered in the wooden buildings. It spread with great rapidity. Although the fire brigade was quickly on the scene, ana had a splendid supply of water,, the.hotel was completely destroyed. The brig- ■ ade prevented the fire spreading to adjoining buildings. The house was owned by Owen Humphreys, the lessees were Campbell ana Ehrenfried, and it was occupied by Samuel Howard. The insurances are not ascertainable here. The policies Were effected in Auckland. The hotel also took in the old Theatre Royal, l aad one of the oldest buildings in the district.

WANGANUI, last night., At a meeting of the Wanganui School Committee to-niglit, the following was resolved : “ That in tho opinion of the Committee, many of the prosecutions made by the truant inspector, under the School Attendances Act, are harsh and unnecessary, and harass parents in a manner never intended by the Education Act. (2) It further holds that before parents are put to the trouble and expense of defending breaches of the Act the notice of such parents’ default should he given to tfte committee, who shall investigate each case oil its merits, and decide if it be necessary, to prosecute.” The mover of the motion, who is a J.P., stated that of sixty informations he had recently heard, not ten per cent, should have come into Court but for the state of the law.

CHKItiTCHUKCIi, last nightThe City Council this evening, in

re-arranging its fire brigades in con- * sequence oi the recent amalgamation < of the boroughs, again criticised the • action of the insurance companies in maintaining high rates. A proposal was made that the Council should not insure its, abattoir buildings at all, but it was ultimately decided to insure for a small sum. The Council also passed a motion asking the Fire Insurance Association to contribute £250 a year as formerly towards the up-keep of the Fire Brigades. The Mayor, the Hon. Mr Wigram, expressed an opinion against the Fire Brigades Bill which will be introduced this session, saying that he did not think there should be a board of control as far as Christchurch was concerned, at any rate.

New Plymouth, last night. The Borougu Council to-night decided to accept the tender.of BlcWilliam and

Anderson, of Wellington, 45595 3s, for a head work tunnel and a pipe-head for a gravitation water supply scheme. The highest tender was 411,409./ Christchuroh, last night.

The weather here during the past three days has been bitterly cold, though less severe tbau in the northern and southern districts. A heavy flood in the Waimakariri rendered the railway bridge unsafe. The morning train from Christchurch to Cuiverden crossed safely, but the down train was unable to get through. The passengers had to walk across. The extent of the damage to the bridge is not yet known.

Tho officers of the Morning have received no information from England relative to the statement that the Admiralty has purchased another vessel to act as a relief ship for tho Discovery expedition, and are consequently unable to throw any light on tbe mattor. The ship’s company of the Morning were engaged for fivo years, or until the return of the vessel to England, so that if she were ordered' Home at onco their engagement would be terminated on her arrival.

The American ship Milly Reed, from Hobart, which put iuto Lyttelton in distress on Sunday, is loaded with timber for South Africa. She is said to be in a leaky condition, and a considerable number of the crow are uuder arrest for having re' tused duty. There is also sickness on board. Dr FiDch, District Health Officer, and Dr Upham, Health Officer for the Port, with Customs and police authorities, went to the ship this afternoon. As she comes from an infected port the ship is to undergo quarantine for eight days.