DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 63, 7 November 1912, Page 8

DOMINION NEWS.

(Per Press Association.)

Tiie entries for the Wanganui Agricultural Show constitute a record. It is expected that late entries will swell the total to 3700. The Canterbury A. and P. Association’s Metropolitan Show for 1912, was opened on Tuesday at the Show grounds at Addington in cold, wet ami windy weather. In the competitive cattle and produce sections, the entries received this year show an increase when compared with last year.

The New Zealand Greenstone Company, which obtained titles last week, is proceeding with the construction of a traction road from Wainihinihini to the base of the property at the foot of Griffon' Range. The machinery has been ordered from England, and early next year the valuable depos’ts of greenstone, npyhrite, talc and platinum will be ready for exporting.

As the outcome of the recent strike of Bluff Territorials, the defence authorities took action and prosecuted the defaulters. Five Territorials appeared at the Court at Bluff on Tuesday, and two were fined £3 and two others £4, while a fifth was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The Department intend to prosecute other Southland Territorials who have defaulted. A definite move in the direction of settling the question whether the outer harbour at Napier should be extended and made' available for ocean steamers, or an inner harbour capable of admitting large steamers be constructed is about to be taken, I. J. Niven having given notice to move at the next meeting of the Harbour Board that the necessary steps be at once taken to place before the ratepayers proposals to raise a sufficient sum of money to construct an inner harbour, and that the Public Works Department be immediately notified of the Board’s decision, so that all irrsunderstanding regarding the construction of the East Coast railway embankment may be removed, and the work carried on simultaneously with the harbour construction.

An unusual charge was brought against F. A. Clark, land agent, before Mr F. V. Frazer at the Auckland Police Court on Tuesday. Defendant was; charged that on September 20, not being a barrister of the Supreme Court, lie acted ns conveyancer by preparing and receiving payment for the release of a certain mortgage document. Mr J. R. Reed, who appeared for the Law Society, stated that the Society had ascertained that defendant had made out the release. It was further aware that he had prepared the original mortgage, hut,-ns that had been drawn up over six months ago, no action would be taken. A fee of one guinea had been charged for the preparation of the release. The Society would press for a substantial, yet not vindictive, penalty. It had been award for some time of the fact that this sort of thing had been going on among land agents, but it was difficult to get a conviction. For the defence it was said that defendant was a licensed land broker, and had served his articles as a solicitor’s clerk. He was under the impression that deeds drawn upon printed forms issued by the Government at a cost of one shilling could he filled up by any layman. There was no concealment of the offence by him, and he had acted in perfectly good faith. A fine of £5 with costs was imposed. Auckland, November 7.

Ninety-four youths appeared before the Police Court charged with failure to attend parades. The cases occupied the Magistrate for two hours. Several cases in. which reasonable excuses were made were dismissed. In other cases, fines ranging from a shilling to a pound were imposed. Waihi, November 7.

The days'hift coming off work yesterday afternoon were treated by an assemblage of unemployed with what had every appearance of respect. For the most part, men raised their hats as the brakes with the workers passed along. Women-folk also adopted an air of marked deference to the workers, in strange contrast to the aggressive and insult’ng demeanour of the past few weeks. This morning the men going to work received similar respectful attention, but no hats were doffed. This omission was probably duo to the heavy rain. The public are curious as to the marked change in tactics and are wondering what it means.