NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3566, 31 August 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

' DEATH OF CENTENARIAN. , CHRISTCHURCH. Aug. 30. The death is announced of-, Mw Thomas William Winter (better known-.. by his professional name ‘ ‘Melchior ’ * Winter)' in his 102 ml year. He arrived in New Zealand in the “sixties.” Mr Winter was well known in musical circles, first'making unprofessional ' appearance in Australia, where he took part in light and grand opera. 'He first sang in Chrisfchurch in 1872 and his final appearance on the public platform was during the 1900 Jubilee Exhibition. Deceased is said to be the only son of Tom Spring, .champion pugilist of engfand. THE 00 AC CRISIS. DUNEDIN, Aug. 30. Owing to the coal shortage the Union Company has decided to withdraw tlufpMonowai from the East Coast service on arrival at Dunedin this week. She will lay up at Port Chalmers indefinitely. The Mararoa, which had been recommissioned for the NapierAuckland service, is also held up at Port Chalmers owing to the coal shortage. , There was no alteration to-day in the position regarding the dispute at Taratu, Green Island,. and Mataura coal mines. The employers, as stated on Saturday, have agreed to leave the matter in the hands of Mr P. j Halley. He left for Wellington this morning to meet representatives of the Miners’ Federation. The Otago pits worked, as usual to-day. THE PUKEAWA TRAGEDY. NO ARREST YET MADE. AUCKLAND, August 30. With only faint clues to work upon, the task before Detective-Sergeant Cummings and the five police officers who are assisting him of tracing the murderer of Sydney S. Eyre is proving 1 a difficult one.

A reward of £250 has been offered by the superintendtfnt of police in Auckland' for information leading to the conviction of the murderer. Superintendent Wright returned to Pukeawa this morning. A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE. CAPTAIN’S ANXTOTTB TIME. WELLINGTON, August 30. Fears for (he safety of the Blackbait Co’s s‘earner Ngakuta. which left Greyniouth on Wednesday night for Wellington, were set at rest on Saturday nigh \ when the vessel arrived after a very tempestuous trip, which was not without a series of incidents. The voyage occupied three days, hree and a-half hours. After leaving Greymouth the Ngakuta encountered tremendous seas, which pitched over the ship .as High as the funnel. For

a day and a-ha if she was hove-to. Dur-1 ing .he height of the storm a large meat safe was swept away, and crashed into the rail, against which it jammed the chief officer (Mr. Pryde, and an able seaman named Sharpe. The latter’s leg was fractured, and Mr. Pryde received a gash on the forehead, besides suffering injury to his shoulders. They were both removed to the hospital on arrival. Captain P. Dowell did no., '-leave the bridge from the time of leaving Greymouth until arrival in Wellington. A MEAT SHORTAGE. GREYMOUTH, Aug. 30. Butchers complain of difficulty in securing meat supplies locally, contending that stock growers are seeking £4 per lOOlbs, and butchers arc sending a representative to other districts to buy on their behalf. It is contended the Board of Trade should investigate. , A BODY FOUND. TIMARU, Aug. 30. The body of Boyd Thorhson, a rabbiter, lost on Mount Nessing run three weeks ago, was found to-day by a musterer at, the top of Hakataramea range near a well-defined track. Searcij had to be suspender a fortnight ago owing to the snow, which disappeared a day or two ago.. The body will be brought, to Albury for an inquest. CONFECTIONERY WORKS CLOSING. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 30. As no sugar is In the factory, and there is little chance of obtaining any foh some time, Aulsebrook and Co. are gradually closing down their big confectionery works. It is expected by the end of the week nearly 400 bands will be thrown out of employment. TAILORING TRADE AWARD. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 30. The Arbitration Court’s award in the l , tailoring trade fixes hours of work*, at 44 per week after January Ist. Minimum wages for males, including pressers, are £4 10/, plus 5/ bonus; and for females, £2 10/ per week for first six months after completion of apprenticeship thereafter not less than £2 5/ plus 5/ Bonus. Piecework i s to be paid at the Tate of 1/4| per hour for males, and lid per hour for females. FATALITY ON WESTPORT WHARF WESTPORT, Aug. 30. W. H. Murridge, a fireman on s.s. Kittawa, was killed on the railway at the crane wharf this evening through being run over while the shunting of coal was proceeding. Deceased was single, 32 years of age, and a native of England. TELEPHONE CHARGES. WELLINGTON, 'Aug. 30. „ Further amendments in the scale of telephone charges, with effect from Ist inst., ard announced. Rates for the first mile, in the case of both business and private connections, remain unaltered, but thereafter a reduction of 2/6 will be made for each quarter or fraction thereof. At the four principal exchanges the minimum rate for business subscribers will he £9 10/ per annum for the first mile or fraction thereof. The total subscription amounts “to only a fraction over sixpence per day. The distance over which half-rate connections may he made, namely 25 miles which was in force prior to the recent amendment. has been reverted to.