DOMINION NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2288, 5 September 1908, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

[Phess Association.]

_ AUCKLAND, Sept. 4. Over. 150 Austrians have signed their names to u request to be allowed to take up land in Auckland for grape growing purposes, and express their readiness to at once commence planting out the vines. These men have all had experience in their native country an vine growing. A petition is also to .be presented to Parliament asking that facilities should be given for the sale by retailers of pure New Zealand wine. The Arbitration Court sittings , commencing on October 8 promise to - bo busy. Up to the present six disputes in as many different trades , have been filed, and several more are expected in -a few days. The unions which have filed references are the coopers’, fell mongers’ and -tanners’, j coackbuilders’, . painters’, enginedrivers’, electrical workers’. In each case improved conditions are sought in respect of wages and houts of labor.

WELLINGTON, Sopt. 4. Mr. George Winder, who recently announced himself -as a candidate for Wellington East, has resigned the presidency of the "Wellington branch, of the Liberal and Labor Federation'.

The Hon. R. AlcNab, acting-Min-ister of Defence, leaves to-morrow for Alanaia, where he will attend 1 the memorial service to be held,on Sunday ou the spot Von Tempsky fell.. His Excellency the Governor will be unable to be present. .The following is Captain Edwin's weather forecast to 3 p.m. to-morrow: Moderate to strong northerly winds, with fine weather at places northward of Napier and New Plymouth, but from the westward elsewhere; probably with ram. A Jaw clerk named Frederick Wat-

son, 25 yea re of age, with a wife and children _in Dannevirke, was found about midday to-day in a state of collapse in some scrub near Talivera Terrace, Wellington. A soda water bottle near him contained a solution of match heads, and he is supposed to have drunk of this. Constable Leckie, who found ihim, gave him an emetic, but this did not act. Dr. Boyd, who was summoned, used the stomach pump successfully, and Watson was then removed to the hospital. He said he was tired of life. He was out of work, and could not earn enough to support his wife and children. It is understood that Watson was recently treated for insomnia. A deputation from the KimboltonApiti Railway League waited upon the Alniister of Railways (the Hou.. W. Hall-Jones) to ask for an extension 0 f the railway sex-vice to Kimbolton and Apiti. The Alinister, in the course of his reply , said that next year would be a convenient time to consider the matter, as some four or live lines now in hand would be completed. The case made out by the deputation would be brought before the Cabinet.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept, 4. Tho Taranaki Chamber of Commerce to-night passed resolutions supporting the Auckland suggestion to appoint a. commission with the view of remodelling the bankruptcy laws. It was also decided unanimously to enter an emphatic protest against the attempt of tho Canterbury Farm Laborers’ Union to tamper by political interference with the impartial administration of ’ the " Arbitration' Court Judge, such interference being subversive to the best interests of the State.

NELSON, Sept. 4. A fire at Takaka on Tuesday totally destroyed a house and contents owned by Robert Cann, junior. The building was insured for £l5O in the Commercial Union, and the Northern Office had a risk of £IOO on the furniture.

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept, 4. Hie ballot, for lots .1 and 7 of the Culvcrden .settlement, thrown up 4>y the successful applicants at tho first ballot, took place to-dav, and resulted as follows: I<ot 1 (25 applicants), area 712 acres 1 rood, half-yearly rental £73 2s <xl, Airs. Jane Popplewell, Raincliff, Pleasant Point; Lot 7 (21 applicants), area 1852 acres, half-yearly .rental £ll3 Bs, Airs Christina Clark, Hawarden. Tho Commissioner of Crown Lands (Air. E. C. Goldsmith) at the meeting of the Canterbury Land Board yesterday, laid before the Board a plan and schedules for the purpose of having the whole of the available lands in the Culverdeu township offered for selection on renewable leases. Tho plan and schedules were approved. , , ASHBURTON, Sept. 4. At the adjourned inquest’to-day on tlie bodies of Alary Dove Zouch and Arthur Petrie Pill)row, who perished through last week's fire, tho jurv returned a. verdict that tlie child Pilbrow died from suffocation, and Airs. Zouch from shock, the result of burns received in the fire.