TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2078, 13 May 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Press Association. AUCKLAND Saturday. The ship Lottie AVenzeil, from the West Coast of America, hound ror (Newcastle, called here to-day to renew her coal supply. Mr. Ixwiile, S.M., fined Niccol £4O for laying totalisator odds on Ellerslio racecourse. The Magistrate inferred from the evidence that defendant acted as a turf agent, and that he was on the course putting monev on the tote for a large number of people who employed him. The porialty was three months’ imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £2O, or both fino and imprisonment. His Worship said the Legislature evidently intended the offence to he punished soverely. He understood the case was the first of its kind. Counsel for the Racing Club stated it was the first case of the .kind in New Zealand. Mr. Kettle said he would not impose imprisonment in the present case, but future offenders need not he

surprised if they were awarded the full penalty. Niccol was fined £2O on each of two charges of tote betting. The decisions in the-charges against Niccol differed, to enable defendant an opportunity to test the judgment by .appeal to the Higher Court. ■For driving a motor car along Queen-street at a speed dangerous to the vuiblic (18 miles an hour), Robert H. Abbott was to-dav fined £1 and 12s costs .

DUNEDIN, Saturday. Tlie drought continues. Since the beginning of the year less than sin of rain has fallen. The burgesses of the Borough of Lawrence declared by 61 votes to 1 ir favor of the borough being created a fire district, in terms of the Eire Brigades Act, 1906. The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce Committee, at a meeting yesterday dealt with a letter from the Royal Commissioner on Shinping Rings, London .asking for replies to a series of questions as to the nature and extent of any combination agreement, or understanding amour shipping companies carrying merchandise to or from New Zealand •It was resolved to reply that the Chamber was not in a position to answer the questions, not being in possession of facts, and that in its opinion the matter could only be dealt with locally by the appointment of a commission, empowered .to compel evidence on oath, and that if the ftoval Commission saw fit to move ir that direction, the Chamber would give the movement every support A letter was also received from tlir West India Committee, asking the Dunedin Chamber to urge upon the Secretary of State for the Colonies a continuance of their Brussels Sugar Bounty Convention, it being understood that the Government proposed withdrawing from the same in 1908 The Chamber resolved to reply that it was of opinion that the question was one which could only be deal' with by the Imperial Government -hut that the movement to continue '"the existence of any institution

which would mean the support of important British and colonial industries had its full sympathy. INVERCARGILL, Saturday. Donald Williamson,' for having ex posed lice-iiifeeted sheep for sale at Waifacetown yards, was to-day fined '4os, with lids' costs. Henderson and Company, charged with a similar of fence, pleaded that the sheep had been bought from a farmer for freezing, and being found unsaleable for this purpose had been sent to the yards, 'they were fined Is, with 28. costs. ! Yv KISLINGTON, Saturday. The wiii-ships • Powerful, Promenthus, Encounter, and Pioneer sailed at 9.2 D this 'morning. Rcnr-.Ydarr.d Fawkes, in H.M.SPowerful, accompanied by the Challenger, Pioneer, and Promenthus, left Napier at 6.10 o'clock last evening for Auckland, and may call at Gisborne on route. ASHBURTON, Saturday. Tlie Ha instead Town Board sued the'Wakanui Board for the mainten- " aiice of certain roads,'the claim being based on an award made by Commissioner Short, who held an inquiry into the matter. The action was thought to test whether the award was valueless or if payments could be enforced. In giving judgment, the Magistrate said the claim was a matter of iihportnnce, and it was right that it should lie authoritatively decided. The amount sued for was small but the liability in future might ho large. Judgment would bo for plaintiff, and leave to appeal would bo granted. Two guineas costs would be allowed against the defendant Board. Counsel for tho defendant Board raised the point that owing to an irregularity in the election of members of the plaintiff Board, that Board had no existence. Ho contended that under tho Act the election of members of Town Boards should be held on- tho third Wednesday in September, 'whereas the election was held on the third Thursday. Tho Magistrate said ho must overrule the point. It was not a matter in a civil action that the Magistrate's Court had to deal with. An irregularity of . this sort di dnot invalidate nil election. Unless tho fairness of the election was alfcctcd by such irregularity, he had no jurisdiction to deal with tlie point.

TIMBER COMPANY’S AFFAIRS. WELLINGTON, last night. His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper was engaged to-day hearing the petition of Mrs. Jane Holden Mathews, of Hampden, Hawke’s Bay, John Pettit, of Dan'neyirkoy and Ernest : Albert Barton, of Fei filing, for tho winding up of tho Hawke’s Bay Timber Company. The grofinds of tho application were tjiat t(ie company was unable to pay its debts, tjiat accommodation had been granted various persons without consideration or in excess of what was due by tlio company; that payments in untieijpa.

o tion of demands had not been rot paid or accounted for; that the company’s mills wore ovor-valuod on the company’s hooks: that there were ■ £10,65(3 of had debts on the books of ■ the company; that the hook valueof I properties had been written up by £13,288; and the increase was as great as the profit. Further, the petitioners argued that the company was nimble to carry on business, and the only persons who would benefit by the company continuing to carry on business were Fritz Jansen, who was receiving a substantial salary as managing director, and other persons "’ho were receiving or had received accommodation from the company, c ritz Jansen, managing director, was called, and cross-examined. He declared that all financial proceedings had been perfectly straightforward, and that the company’s position was absolutely good. The reading of affidavits had not concluded when the Court adjourned.

THE MCINTYRE CASE. A\ ELLINGTON, Saturday. Chief Detective Alcllvonoy left for Monte \ ideo by the s.s. Paparou for ihe purpose of bringing hack to Now Zealand I). C. Mclntyre, late superintendent of the Exhibition awards who has.been detained at the South American port- in connection with the charge laid against him of failing to account lor money which he had received for space at the Exhibition. -Mclntyre is not expected to roach the colony until oarly in September.

EGG-LAYING. .BLENHEIM, Inst night, Hollowing arc the results of last week s egg-laying competition ; Total tor week, 362; grand total, 96,999: highest pens for week. Sovman (silver wyandottes) 26, Brooks (white Leghorns) 21 ; Alurphy (silvor AVvanl.mo' S A 18 ; 1 r, k ' a , di "". pens—Brooks 1409, A. and P. Association 1297, Ser vnjenn 1236, Thomson 11SS, iuarli’?oo ¥°n o 1 V 1 Br°w Poultry Farm ILSJ (all white Leghorns), Alurphy (stiver Wyandottes) 1162.