YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2145, 30 July 1907, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

' Press Association. WELLINGTON, yesterday. The Appeal Court to-day is hearing the case of Heddie v. Millar, an appeal from Judge Williams’s decision. Respondent, a slaughterman’s assistant at Pa room freezing works, uas fined £5 for taking part in a stiike. A writ of attachment was

moved for and refused by Judge Williams on tho ground that the mode of recovering the. amount of the fine prescribed by,the Legislature was the mode prescribed by tho rocoverv of a debt and not a penalty, and, consequently since tho Imprisonment for Deb I Abolition Act no one could be imprisoned for failure to pay a debt. Justice Cooper in a previous ease had granted a writ of attachment, and tho Appeal Court has to decide which view is correct. Mr. Bell, -K.C.,' and Mr J. L. Stout appear for appellant, and Messrs Raymond and Hordman for respondent. A deputation to the Minister for Customs representing importers of typewriters protested against a proposal to put a preferential duty of 10 per cent on all typewriters manufactured outside the British Empire, assertin'- that no standard machines

were made in England, and that the preferential tariff would simply mean an increased cost to the public who

used typewriters. The Minister replied that he did not see why the Government should assist to feed the American market, and it seemed to him that if British capital was invested in some of these concerns the capitalists should take steps to have the machines made in England; besides, he knew from invoices he saw iliac various American manufabturers made up for preferential tariff handicaps by giving wholesale purchasers “a preferential bonification” to counteiact the advantage given British traders. However, he would lay the deputation’s request before Cabinet. Four men, Cyril Cosgrove, John Hamilton, George Ferris, and William Robert Sinclair, wero before the Court to-day on various charges of burglariously entering premises and stealing goflds and money. Accused pleaded not guilty, and were remanded till August 7th.

The Hon. Mr. Millar has to-receive no less than nine deputations to-day, mostly on tariff matters. They are supposed -to begin at 10 and go on till 4 p.m. At a meeting of delegates of the various Automobile Associations, held to-day, the tariff proposals were discussed, and it was decided to recommend the preferential duty be 12J per cent instead of 20; that in regard to tyres British makes be given preference of 124 per cent., and that there be a duty of 12J per cent on all bodies. A deputation was appointed to bring the resolutions under the notice of the Minister for Customs. The meeting also decided to form a New Zealand Automobile Association, the headquarters to be in Wellington, although general meetings will ho Jpcld in any other centres.

In reply to a deputation of tradesmen which asked that the duty jbe retained on motor-cars, the Minister of Customs said it had already been intimated by the Premier that, while the chasse of a car would bo admitted

duty free the ordinary car would pay duty as before. Tire whole matter was to be discussed by Cabinet'at an early date. Later in the day a deputation headed by Mr. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, intimated that a New Zealand Automobile Association had been founded that day, and that it approved of the policy of fostering native industries, and was prepared to support tho imposition of a duty on bodies of cars to the extent of 121 per cent. What they were most anxious about was tyres, of which the bulk came from Europe. Tho view _as to bodies of cars was’ combated by Mr. Scott, ah importer, who contended that bodies for motor-cars would still have to bo imported, and that 1 English makers would not allow full rebates for bodies when supplying only chasses and engines. 'The Minister in reply indicated that the coaehbuildets' request for a duty would be acceded to, and ho considered tlife point as to tyres was not worth troubling over, seeing that special concessions were made to colonial customers by Continental makers. He considered a 121. per cent dutv oh bodies insufficient. It should be 20 per cent to make it uniform witlr the duties charged On other vehicle bodies. TIMAItU, yesterday. Between 7 and 8 last night a house at St. Andraws, occupied by . Constable Fitzgerald, was completely destioyod by fire. No one was at home at the time. The constable left home at 7 o’clock, when there was no sign of fire, but at 8 o’clock the house was destroyed. Incendiarism is suspected The house was insured in the Boyal Office for £275, and the furnituie with the New Zealand office for £IOO The constable estimates his loss at £l5O.

DUNEDIN, yesterday. An. old wood and iron building in

(ilex, road, Caversham, used as a fellmongery and manufactory, was burned down yesterday. The fire arose by means of sparks from the boiler, communicated to scraps of wool lying about. The insurances on the building are £350 on the stock and plant arid £350 on the machinery, and contents £l5O, all in the Alliance Assurance Office. Dawson and McKechnie’s sawmill at Ratanui, burned down on Friday, was uninsured. The loss is estimated at £4OO.

The Dunedin Fire Board appointed M’. Cray Chairman and Mr. Arklc to represent tjienf at the Wellington conference.

GORE, yesterday,

Georgo Munro, not Murray, charge. I with burning fifteen stacks yesterday, was brought before Justices and remanded till Friday. NAPIER, yesterday.

The School Journal came in for some strong criticism at the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Teachers' Institute. It was stated that a promise had been made by the Minister for Education that the Journal should take tile place of all books except those required for the teaching of reading and aritluneitc. This it had been found totally unable to do, and the result was that teachers had been forced to fall back on the old series of books. Barents had naturally complained, but the teachers were helpless in the matter, as the Journal was found to cover nothing liko a satisfactory course of instruction. The steamer Red Hill, bound from Coronel, Chili, to Wellington, put into port yesterday short of coal Heavy and continuous rain fell yesterday, and it is feared it will ] prove disastrous to lambing. The weather so far has been most unfavorable, and the percentage of lambs this year is likely to be much below last year’s record. ; > " WHANGAREI, yesterday. In tlio Kiripaka coal mines bn Saturday a line of skips by some means became detached .from the cables, dashed down an incline and overwhelmed a young man named William Bentall, who was working at the bottom. His wrist was broken, head much cut, and other injuries inflicted, from which lie died in the hospital,

AUCKLAND, yesterday. At tlio half-yearly meeting of the Auckland Gas Co. a dividend of eight shillings per share was declared,. absorbing £14,429. There was carried forward £3969. .

MARTON, yesterday. There was a strong outburst of feeling atMarton on Saturday night, between ten o’clock' and midnight, when a crowd of about 200 hooted Constable Fitzpatrick for his action in a recent licensing case atMarton Court. A great noise was kept up, stones and eggs thrown about. Sever*

nl windows were broken at the police station, which was at the 'time only occupied by the constable’s wife, who naturally was much alarmed. ( Two local residents who ondeavored to reason with tho mob wore hustled and quickly silenced. Constable Fitzpatrick was shouldered out of the way several times, but did not got alarmed. Much credit is given to the constablo for his self-restraint and plucky hearing in what almost amounted to a riot. FEILDING, yesterday.

Tho Feilding Star says a writ has been issued by A. Barton, late-mana-ger of tho Bank of Australasia hero, on behalf of himself and all other shareholders in the Hawke’s Bay Timber Company, Ltd. against the Bank of Australasia, claiming moneys alleged to be duo in connection with transactions of the Bank with Richter, Nonnested, and Co. ami the Timber Company, and also on account of the directors of the Timber Company, joined as co-defendants. The case will probably be heard at the September sitting of tlie Sjipreme Court at Palmerston North. WAIROA, yesterday. To encourage the volunteer, school cadet movement Mr. J. Huntor Brown, Whakaki, has given £2OO to bo invested for all time, the interest being devoted to cash prizes for shooting competitions for the Hurummi Mounted Rifles and Wairoa school cadets.

Heavy rain lias/fallen since Friday. There was a continuous downpour yesterday. It is showery to-day. The rivers are flooded.