NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 March 1919, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

EPIDEMIC OF FIRES IN HOKITIKA.

INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED

HOKITIKA, this day

Early on Saturday morning an unoccupied building was destroyed by fire; cause unknown.

On Sunday morning, at four o'clock another alarm, was sounded for two fires in different parts of the tow v. One outbreak, in the centre of Riveli street, was easily extinguished; but the ether instance, an unoccupied residence, formerly the home of the late Hon. Holms, was completely destroyed. Considerable alarm was felt, as incendiarism- is suspected.

RAILWAYMEN'S TROUBLES

RUMOUR OF STRIKE DENIED

WHAT WILL HAPPEN,

AUCKLAND, this day.

The statement previously wired that the locomotive men in Auckland had decided in favour of a strike is not correct. They resolved to request the Grand Council to complete the ballot as quickly as possible, to meet immediately in Wellington to await the result of the ballot, and take action as indicated by the voting. The Auckland branch has been ini'.imed the Association will wait the Minister's reply for a fortnight; if no satisfactory reply is received to their demands the result of the ballot will be published, and the men will act according to instructions from the Grand Council.

MAITAI A TOTAL WRECK.

AUCKLAND, this day.

The Flora from the Eastern Pacific reports that the steamer Maital, previously reported ashore on a reef at Rarotonga, suffered severely during the bad weather, and now is a hopeless Wreck.