TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2058, 1 May 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Prosß Association. 110T0UUA, yesterday. The Waikite geyser, which has been quiescent for thirteen years. crtn,,l )° l ' ced action at 9 o’clock tins monmn>. and has continued since* 'th ranging from 2011 to » Oft. A >»'r4 number of visitors and townspeople have gone to Whnkarewarewa to witness the eruption. There is great excitement amongst the residents of Whakarewarowa. CHRISTCHURCH, yesterday.

Heavy frosts have been exporien,,d in Canterbury, both north ami som’i Northward there lias been thick ice on the wafr poos and pumps have been frozen. Amongst recent gifts to C.mstcluirch museum, the Inspector of 1 nsons has given the first printing press used in Canterbury, on which the Lyttelton Times was printed, when the paper was started on the arrival of the first four ships. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day four bookmakers were lined in sums of £lO and £5 each for trespassing on Riccnrton racecourse at the autumn meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club. J. Coburn was fined £lO on one charge and £5 on another. Ono man who was dismissed was warned that if again before the Court and found guilty he would be sent to gaol for the maximum term.

BLENHEIM, yesterday

At tlit< inquest on Caroline Cress, licensee of the Wairnu Valley accommodation house, the evidence showed that deceased had been slowly poisoned by chewing tobacco. The habit, after twelve months, cost her her life. A verdict of death by nicotine poisoning taken whilst in an unsound state of mind was returned.

DUNEDIN, yesterday.

At the inquest held at Henley regarding the death of James Meers, ■whose body was found in the ditch on the Henley-Berwick road on Thursday last, the jury returned a verdict .that deceased was found drowned on the 25th distant, and that death-had probably been caused by drowning after-falling from a horse.

Five Methodists are to represent Otago at the general conference to be held in Sydney. They are: The Rev. Slade (president), H. Laws (secretary), Mr. C. Uosevcar, Mr. J. F. Arnold, M.H.U., and Mr, J. B. ■Sliackloek. The delegates sail in a fortnight’s time.

At a meeting of the Catlins Bailway League it was decided to ask the Premier to pay a visit to the district and to go over the route of the railway about May 13th or 14th.

PALMERSTON, yesterday

The police received intimation today that a. man was burnt to death in a wlinre at Lower Aorangi during the night. There are no particulars. An inquest will be held this afternoon. FEILJHNG, yesterday. A fatal burning accident occurred to a man named Paul Elirhorn, at Kairanga last night. The wliare in which he lived was destroyed by fire. At midnight a neighbour was aroused by a noise, and opening the door, Ehrhorn, badly burned, fell across the threshold. Medical assistance was procured but the man died at 3 o’clock. Deceased was aged 25, was single, and belonged to Rongotea. OAMARU, yesterday.

In the Magistrate’s Court this morning Nolan Christopher and Henry Easton, charged with breaking and entering, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to one month in Dunedin gaol. There were previous convictions for theft against each accused. WELLINGTON, yesterday.

Some time will elapse before a start is made with the survey of the New Zealand coast from the' point up to which it was carried by the Admiralty. Capt. Sinclair, who is to have charge of th ework, has arranged most of his plans of operations,' and is now awaiting the appointment of three expert assistants. The Hinemoa is to be sot apart for the survey work.

Dr. Findlay, Acting-Postmaster-General, lias arranged with the United States whereby 'parcels for the United States may be despatched by Vancouver steamers to Honolulu during the interruption of the ’Frisco service. They will he carried from Honolulu by a United States service to San Francisco. WELLINGTON, last night.

It is anticipated that Miramar will be connected with the city tramway system by the middle of May. Cabinet has accepted the tender of N. Trayne, Invercargill, for alterations to Parliamentary Buildings. AUCKLAND, last night.

A fivo-roomod house at Kingsland, owned by Mr. Charles K;tyes and occupied by an alien named Paul Hooch was gutted by fire early this morning. Hooch lost all his effects including £SO in bank notes. The insurances were £l5O in the Royal on the house and £250 in the National on the contents. The occupiers had some little difficulty in making their escape, Hooch having to carry out his wife, who is a cripple. OREYMOUTH, last night. John Galbraith, chief engineer of the s.s. Kotuku, died yesterday alter a painful illness. The vessels in port, had their flags at half-mast.

THE TARANAKI SEAT.

WELLINGTON, yesterday. The writ for tlie Taranaki by- election was issued to-day. It is expected the election will be held on May 14th.

CHEAP GRAPES. WELLINGTON, last night. Cheap grapes for at least the lower part of New Zealand are likely to be an established institution next summer. Mr. Commissioner for South Australia at the New Zealand Exhibition, said to a Post representative that be hoped to return to this country and supply delicious muscatel grapes to retailers at Ad per pound, and they could profitably pass them on to the .public at 6d ; Tlie fruit could be sold at that cos, in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

exhibition ex penditure justified.

WELLINGTON, last night. Speaking in connection with the Exhibition, Mr. Scott, Commissioner for South Australia, states that the expenditure will probably pan ou * nearer £IOO,OOO than £50,000; but at the same timo New Zealand has got over £IOO,OOO of benefit m increased Custome dues, railways, post and telegraph and other items. There could be no doubt that the expenditure was amply justified by the benefits required.

CONTROLOF MANAKAU HARBOR AUCKLAND, last night. The Auckland Harbor Board has resolved to consider the question ol taking steps to acquire control of Manakau Harbor. In criticising the present method of management by the Marine Department one member of tho Board said nothing had been done to the Oneliunga wharf for lo years.

immigrants from home. AUCKLAND,, last night. The s.s. Suffolk, which arrived this morning, has on board 115 thimclass passengers—3s for Audklan. . 35 for Wellington, 25 for Lyttelton, and 16 for Port Chalmers. The.immigrants all appear to boot a veiy good class. Thoy Were received by tylr. J.- E, March/of the Immigration Department..

CONFERENCE OF INSURANCE MEN.

WELLINGTON, last night. A conference of insurauco managers doing business'ill the colony met this morning, and subsequently a lop'.l" ition waited on Dr .Findlay to disco? the Firo Brigados Act.. The proceedings were of a private nature.

REPORTING ACCIDENTS TO VESSELS.

DUNEDIN, last night.

A case against tho Invorcargill Shipping Company, for not reporting to tho Marino Department an nccident on tho steamer Invercargill at Waikawn on March 14th, was hoard before Mr. Widdowson, S.M., today. The point at issuo was whether the vessel had been so mat srinlly damaged by going on a rock as to seriously affect her soaworthiness. Tho Magistrate’s opinion was that the damage was not sufficient to materially affect tho soaworthiness of the vessel, and tho case was dismissed.

THE SEDDON MEMORIAL. WELLINGTON, last night,

At a meeting of the Seddon Memorial Committee this evening it was decided to continue the canvass for subscriptions towards a national memorial and to cable to Sir Joseph Ward with reference to securing donations from colonials in London.

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION. AUCKLAND, last night. Owing to the continued indisposition of the Chief Justice, the King Country sitting of the Native Land Commission have been adjourned for several weeks. Messrs. Ngat-a and A. L. I). Fraser, Ms.H.B., have boon in Auckland for several days collecting information regarding the eases to be dealt with within the area affected which covers quite a million acres. Mr. Skerrott, who with Mr. Fraser, is engaged nil behalf of the Natives, lias also arrived in Auckland.

AN UNLICENSED AUCTIONEER NEW PLYMOUTH, last night.

Before Mr. Riddell, S.M. to-day, R. F. Roebuck was fined £lO and cost's for having sold goods by auction, he being unlicensed. Defendant officiated as auctioneer in disposing of thanks offerings at a Methodist harvest festival in the- country, and pleaded that tho ofTenco was committed in ignorance. The Magistrate said ho could not inflict a lesser fine than £lO, but on tho suggestion of defendant’s counsel agreed to make representations to the Department asking that the penalty be remitted and only a nominal fine imposed.

A NAVAL HARBOR.

GIIEYMOUTH, last night

On Friday the Hon. -A. R. Guinness cabled to Sir J. G. Ward stat-

ing that the peoplo expected him to advocate at the Conference for the Admiralty to make a harbor at Point Elizabeth, and urged the sending out of an engineer to report. This afternoon the following reply was received: “I have dealt with defence matters generally at the-Con-ference. I will bring the Point Elizabeth matter under the special notice of tho Admiralty.—WAßD.” At tho Harbor Board meeting to-d the ongineer was instructed to prepare plans for lagoon docks, and the Government will be asked to give authority for the commencement of the work at once.

AUCKLAND’S TRADE. AUCKLAND, last night.

The Custom’s duties collected at Auckland for April totalled £72,914, as compared with £49,100 for the corresponding period last year, showing an increase of £23,814. The beer duty amounted to £2044, as against £1326 for April, 1906. The export of gold shows a decrease in the quantity exported, being this month ii,788 oz. 17dwt. as against 19,5690 z lOdwt. for April last year. The butter exported this month was 4767 ewt., of a value of £23,890, as against 2244 swt., valued at £11,340, in April, 1906.

At a meeting of tho Harbor Board to-day it was stated that durL-s the past quarter the revenue of the Board had shown an increase of £3645, which was a record.

NO-LICENSE LIQUOR DUTIES. INVERCARGILL, last night. The total Customs duties collected here in April amounted to £6815, as against £6749 last April. The beer duty was £l5O compared with £IOB, spirits £2184 (£2307), wines ■ £66 (£100), and imported ales and beer £4 (£11). The liquor duties therefore show a decrease of £ll6 as compared with last April. INVERCARGILL, last night. The vital statistics for, the month show that tho births wore 33, deaths 23 and marriages 31, as compared with 38, 14 and 31 for the same month last year.

A CONTRARY OPINION. WELLINGTON, last night.

The Hon. Dr. Findlay, under whose department the administration of the Firo Brigades Act comes, says he ha i to consider if the section of the Act referred to (and lie did not think it did) admitted of the meaning attributed to it by the Mayor of Lower Hutt. “I admit,” he said, “that the section is badly worded, but I don't think it can bo' construed so as to vest iu the Board any greater interest than is vested in a fire brigade. It is clearly not intended to transfer in fee simple, for the section provide.* for a rental to bo paid to “the owneis of land,” nor can it be, in my opinion, the intention of the Act to give to the Board a lease in perpetuity. 1 think the Act docs not do more than effect a transfer from the brigade 1o the Board of tho brigade estate and its interest in lands occupied by it D tl-.c brigade is a mere tenant at v >ll oi tho Borough Council, there is nothing in the Act which prevents the Council from determining the tenancy at any time, notwithstanding the creation of a Firo Board.

ILLICIT LIQUOR TRAFFIC. AUCKLAND, last night. A large number of eases in connection with the illicit liquor trade ii the King Country were before Mr. Nortlicroft, S.M., at Taumarumr last week. The police during December and January last bought several samples of liquor sold as “hop beer, Hud had it analysed by -or. J. APond, colonial analyst. The result was that with one exception the li q„or was .found to contain alcohol in Proportions ranging from four te seventeen per cent, the standard percentage for. hop beer being 21 per cent As a result of prosecutions Stephen McGrath, William Pollard. Geo. Murdoch, William and 1' ied. Brinson and Joliii Batli were each convicted and fined £1 and £4 cosD on charges of brewing without a license. Moore arid Crump, Thos. Day and John Bailey were each fined £1 and costs for selling over-proof hop booer, whilst McDonald Bros, were fined £2 for a similar offence. Innes and Co., brewers, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to sending over-proo-hop l.eer to the King Country and were fined £4 with costs £8 10s. A Hyde, of Te Awauuihi on a- similar -charge was fined £1 and costs £4.. John Nicholls for soiling liquor within a prohibited area was sentenced to three months’ hard labor. I rank Rhodes and .J. M. Singleton (first offenders) were fined £1 and 5s respectively for introducing liquor into the Native kainga of Taumarunui. William Blair was convicted on a charge of keeping for sale nine bot-tles-of whisky and was fined £5 and costs 9s.

RIGHTS OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.

AUCKLAND, last night. Judgment was given by Mr. Justice Cooper this afternoon in an interesting will case. Tho deceased, John Coles, who prepared his own will bequeathed £250 each to his brother and sister and tho rest of tho property to his wife and children. There wore no children of the liiarViago, hut deceased was father of three illegitimate oildron, all of whom woro born before bis marriage, llis widow was not the mother of any of these children, hilt two of thorn con- | 'tinned to reside with him and his ■ wife after their marriage. It bad ! boon hold by the Commissioner that j the three children were the children intended to be benefited under the will,and that they shared equally with the widow in the residue of the estate, and ho assessed the duty aeeoidinglj . This assessment was appealed against. His Honor held that there was nothing in the will or the circumstances which was inconsistent with the inteiidjirtn of the testator to benefit tho children of his marriage if any were born after tfic date of the will. The appeal was allowed with £i is costs, and it was ordered that the final bondage of the estate be assessed on tho understanding that the illegitimate children did not benefit under tho will.

CLEANING MILK CANS. AN IMPORTANT DECISION. Press Association. AUCKLAND, last night. Judgment was given by Mr. Justice Cooper this afternoon in the Appeal case of Brown v. Ambury, in which the point involved was the interpretation of tho regulations under “The Dairy lnductry Act, 1898.” Appellant is a Dairy Inspector and respondent a dairyman, who was charged with a breach of the regulations by failing to cleanse, within a period of four hours of use, milk cans used in or about his dairy. The case had been dismissed by the Magistrate on the ground that the facts did not show that Ambury was the respon-

sible party. His Honor remarked that as the respondent was in possession o,f the cans from 6.30 in the evening until 9 o’clock next morning ‘the regulations would he a dead letter if lie was not the person to be held responsible for the cleansing of cans. He allowed the appeal with £7 7s costs, ordering a reference back to the Magistrate with a direction that a breach of the regulations had been committed. As tlie conviction carried with it the cancellation of the respondent’s license and respondent had acted honestly in contesting the regulations lie suggested that a fresh license should be granted to him or tho informaion withdrawn.