NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 191, 21 April 1915, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

BETTING PROSECUTIONS. SOME HEAVY PENALTIES (United Press Assn; —Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tins Day. In batting raises, John S(ranglian was fined £25 and costs; Walter Gooseniau, betting in a hotel, £SO and costs; Win. Boon, betting at Riccarton, £SO and costs. LOCAL BODIES ELECTIONS. HASTINGS NOMINATIONS. HASTINGS, This Day. For the Hastings Mayoralty W. Hart and John T. Blake are nominated. There are 12 candidates for nine seats on th e Council. Other Hastings nominations are: Napier Harbour Board, A. A. George and Bustac© Lane; Hospital Board; J. A. Miller and W. Hart, CHRISTCHURCH IN DARKNESS. BREAK IN TRANSMISSION LINE. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Last night a large portion of the city was plunged into darkness owing to an accident to the transmission line which carries electric current from .the Lake Coleridge power station to the town. It is believed the break was due to a flash over one of the insulators during a thunder storm; Darkness lasted about an hour.

SHIPPING LIABILITTY. NEW SPAPER AND SHIPPING CO. AUCKLAND, This' Dayr * Mr Page, S.M., gave his reserved decision this morning in Wilson and Horton against the New Zealand Shipping Company: Claim £lOl 5/2 for damage to rolls of paper injured by sea water on the voyage of the “Knight of the Garter,” from Canada to Auckland Ho said the case resolved itself into a question of whether the vessel was tmseaworthy or that the goods were negligently stowed, and he found that Hio structure erected to stren)*> then the docring in the bulkhead was inadequate to meet weather which might reasonably be expected, under ordinary conditions. In respect of this structure the vessel was -unsea.worthy and the defendants wore liable for such damage as was shown had resulted. If Counsel agreed the amount could probably be settled between the parties.

A GRUESOME FIND. CHILD’S BODY IN THE HARBOUR. WELLINGTON, April 20. Two men who were strolling around the wharves in the vicinity of Pipitea, Wellington, early on Monday afternoon had their attention drawn to a parcel floating in the harbour. The neatness and peculiar shape of the package arocseg their suspicions. and. a constable was scmxgjpiied. s On being retrieved ’from the water, the parcel was found to contain the body of a newly-born child, which had the appearance of having been in tjie water for about ten days.

THE URIWERA COUNTRY. 1 TO BE THROWN OPEN, WELLINGTON, April 20. ■ In the course of an interview on the Uriwera country, the Minister of Native Affairs stated that the last obstacles in the way of settlement havto been removed and the “problem of the Uriwera country will soon be SOiVed.” With regard to the future f this block of 656,000 acres, Mr Merries says.' that a vigorous policy will be pursued of Crown purchase where the Native owners are willing to, sell, but this could not be done till the question of titles has been settled. It would not,, in his opinion, be Opportune at present to introduce legislation allowing dealings between Natives and private incividcals, not, at all events, till purlhases by the Crown are settled. Every enoouragefent will be given to Native owners to partition their land so that these who wish to farm their lands may get their portions a’located, to them. It is honed that in a short time the best of the land will be settled by Native owners and settlers, holding land under the laws of the Dominion A pleasing feature is that the Natives themselrcs are anxious to have their isolation t ‘•• ruinated, .a consummation that might have been effected years ago had finality been insisted on in respect to litigation.