DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 29, 31 May 1912, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

(IYr Press Association.) Auckland, May 30. A lire at Ellerslie this morning destroyed a house in Robert street, Ellorslie, owned by Albert Hill and occupied by A. McDonald. Mrs McDonald was rescued through an upstairs window, after she had fainted and her clothes had caught lire. The house was insured for £3OO and the furniture for Ul5O. A meeting was held to-night of tih-e Auckland branch of the Pest and Telegraph Officers' Association to protest against the circular in reference to gambling issued by the PostmasterGeneral. There was a huge attendance. The meeting unanimously condemned the action of the PostmasterGeneral, and considered the circular an insult. The following resolution was carried, which ivill roach the .Minister through the proper quarter:— "That this meeting emphatically and respectfully resents the recent circular issued by the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department in regard to gambling. In view of th< existing regulations and the strict observance thereof we consider it absolutely uncalled for, and, furthermore, an interference to an unwarranted degree ivith our liberties as citizens of the State. Therefore, we respectfully ask that it be withdrawn." Waihi, May 30. The Waihi Grand Junctiou Company, for 1!) days' operations, crushed and treating 7100 tons of ore for a return valued" at £12,951. The total costs in connection with this return were 17s 9d per ton. Wanganui, May 30. On Wednesday afternoon, while riding a bicycle, Haslam Wood, the six-teen-year-old son of Mr W. 'A. Wood, railway traffic inspector, collided with a cart, the shaft of which struck him in the pit of the stomach. He was medically treated, and taken home, where he collapsed, passing away today. Reefton, May 30. The secretary of the Miners' Union has lodged a claim for a cancellation suit against the Consolidated Goldfields Company, on account of the under-manning of the Wealth of Nations Mine, also against the Blackwater Mines, Ltd., for under-manning the Blackwater mine. The cases arc to be heard on Thursday.

There are no further developments with regard to the mining trouble. A number of the men are finding work in local industries. The growing coal export trade of Reefton is giving an outlet for several local married men,

and a few men are being taken on against by the company. TEie inglewood mine is now nearly complete for working. Active operations are about to be undertaken on. the Xew Scotia claim iii the Merrijigs, which district is now attracting considerable attention from prospectors. Business has naturally Been seriously affected, bui very few, if any, married men have permanently left the town. Then' is considerable discussion over the question of the cancellation suit. Greymouth, May 30. The nautical inquiry into the stranding of the Svotuku ihas concluded taking evidence, and the court has adjourned till ten o'clock on Saturday morning, when the finding will be given. Christchurch, May 30. Replying to a deputation of country racing men to-day, Mr Russell said that the report of the Totalisator Commission would stand until July 31. Then Cabinet would decide what was to be done. Personally, lie thought where permits were given the Government should insist that the meetings should be conducted on method and to encourage the breeding of good hunters, light artillery horses and good remounts. lie coilld not give consideration to a country meeting that would only have a number of sprint gallops, and would not increase the stamina or woightvcarrying capacity of horses. It the House allowed him another twenty days' racing, he would distribute them over the country and meet the cases of undoubted injustice that bad occurred in connection with the allocation of permit, 1 -. Invcrcargill, May 30. !n the case in which Henry Eitzgibbon, stock agent, was_ charged with attempted rape on a girl at Underwood, the jury disagreed, and a new trial was ordered lor next week.

Uiekland, May 31

The Hon. J. Bryce, interviewed, said he was greatly interested in the Pacific Islands, and in the trade route by the Panama Canal. The distance from England and "sew York to New Zealand will be littl-o shorter than the present steamship routes. The effect of the Canal on New Zealand's trade depends largely on Canal rules. The opening of the Canal must make a great difference to the Pacific Islands, any may be a great thing for them. fn' reply to a question concerning a recent renort thai a syndicate assisted bv a large French subsidy was making dock's and wharves at Paapeete. Mr Bryce said he neither saw or hoard anything of that kind. Certainly there was no excitement on the subject in Tahiti.