LATE NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1451, 11 May 1905, Page 2

LATE NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, last night. The Land Commission heard eviden

at Oruru, all the witnesses being strohgly in favor of the fceehold tenure, and some thought Land Boards should be partly elected on County Council franchise. The Commission has left for Kaitaio.

Whangarei, la3t night. At a sitting of the Assessment Court, Mr Dyer, S.M., president, J. D. McKenzie, and Thos. Wakelin, assessors dealing with the valuations of the Borough, six objectors were heard. The Court upheld the valuations of the Department. Mr A. J. McGowan, of Auckland, and Mr James Wilson, district valuer, appeared for the Valuation Department. The new valuations represent an increase for Borough property of £70,000 in three years. At a well attended meeting of suppliers of the Fresh Food and Ice Company, the price of butter fat next season was arranged as equal to B£d delivered at the factory. Dunedin, last night. The only remaining seotiou in Greenfield settlement not taken up at the former ballots .was selected to-d,ay by a farmer from Fairlie.

A branch of the Victoria League was formed here to-day. Lady Plunket is to be president.

Wellington! last night. This morning there was brought before His Honor the Chief Justice a question' in regard to the manner or form in which certain awards under the Arbitration Court should be drawn up. Hia Honor, during argument, remarked that in his opinion the power given to the Arbitration Court to fix a lump sum in oases where an award was given in favor of an injured employee was too great. It appeared to him that the employee should receive an inalienable annuity, because, the payment of a specific lump sum to an injured man might in many oaseß tend towards absolute thriftlessness, and the money intended for the subsistence of the workman's wife and family would be wasted. Masterton, last night. Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, delivered an address here to night to a large audience. The lines of the address were similar to those delivered in other parts of the colony. He will be banquetted to morrow night by the Conservatives of the district.