AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2219, 17 June 1908, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

[Svecial to “Times.”] .AUCKLAND, June 17. A BUILDERS’ RING. In .connection - -with the suggestion that there was a builders’ ring in Auckland, tlie secretary to tlie Builders Association said that no such tiling existed., Tlie Town Hall tenders were only four in number, two being from outside Auckland. The builders had arranged with tlie architects as to -general conditions of contract, and these conditions -were attached to the Town Hall contract, but, were so mutilated and altered that -possibly local builders might have refrained to a certain extent from considering the contract on that- account. Builders had adhered very religiously to these conditions; of contract, hut the architect for the Town Hall had come from Australia and re-arranged these conditions, which were tlie same all over tho Dominion. MINE CONTRACTS. ■ A ballot taken by the .Miners’ Union to-day on the question of tendering for contracts resulted ill a majority in favor of letting mine contracts bv 'public tender. INDUSTRIES DISPLAY. -Good headway is being made by the Auckland Provincial Industrial Association -with the arrangement for tho display .in Auckland of New Zealand -products and manufactures during the Fleet Week. A number of manufacturers have expressed their hearty sympathy with the project, and arc willing to co-operate with the Industrial Association in order to carry it out to a successful issue. It was proposed to limit the display to shop windows, but it would now seem as if it -will be necessary to procure hall accommodation for certain classes of exhibits which could not ho displayed conveniently in shop windows. This is one of the matters that will he dealt with at one or other of tho meetings proposed to bo held this’ week, finch a question can bo determined only by the manufacturers and shopkeepers, those immediately concerned. ' THE AMERICAN FLEET.

The “Herald,” referring to- the-fleet at ’Frisco, says, “We -are British to the core and constitutionally adverse to many tilings dear to the hearts of tlie American, but that doe 6 not prevent' us -from sharing in no small measure the legitimate American pride. Across a great continent our English-speaking kindred made their way. Unploughed prairies and unmined mountains before, t-liem, state after state, city after city rising amid the ploughed fields and ransacked hills behind. While we came south and seaward, they moved west and landward, until great lEnglish-gpe iking States, under different flags, but with the same tongue, religion and law rose on the diagonally .opposing snore-; of the Pacific-, and when at last the great -Ameicran fleet rounds the Horn and enters Pacific waters' to display to friend and foe the naval might of the English-speaking Republic which -British colonists founded on the far Atlantic, then we, at least, have only h'eirty good wishes.” AN IMMORAL CASE. During the hearing of an immoral case preferred agiinst two well-dres-sed women, Lillie Young, alias Lamb, and Ethel Good.ison, at tlie Police Court to-day, it transpired that tlie constables who made the arrests-found a'diary of much interest. Counsel for the defendants asked -for the production of the book. -Sergeant Hendry replied : “If ave were to produce that diary in this Court material would -ho furnished for tlie Divorce Court for months to come.” Mr. Dyer: “Well, ave don’t want to break up the happy homes,” The arresting constable told tlio Court that tlio earnings of tlie avoman Young, according to her book, were £37 10s per week. -Goodison was discharged, after ada-ice by His Worship. Young was sentenced to six months, His Worship remarking that out of such a -profitable house n penalty avould he a trifling matter. V; - -’ - ACCOMMODATION IN AUCKLAND.. ■Regarding accommodation for visitors, the Mayor is instituting inquiries amongst the hotelkeepers and hoardin.g-liqu.se proprietors, air well as private residents, concerning the amount of accommodation available, and requesting them to forward such information to the secretary as soon as -possible. When these particulars have been collected tiie information will lie -printed and circulated for the benefit of visitors and others.