NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3660, 24 December 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

STEWARDS’ STRIKE OFF. WELLINGTON, jDec. 23. Mr Kennedy, manager of the Union Company, announced at 2 o’clock that he had received intimation from the Cooks' and Stewards’.Union that instructions had been given the men on the inter-island ferry boats r ‘ to withdraw all notices to leave, and to resume duty. The question of wages was left over until after the hoi - / days.

A SOLDIBEfS LOSS. FIRE AT OAMRU, Dec. 23. At 3 o ’clock this morning a bakery and grocery store, owned and occupied by A. T. White, a returned soldier, was completely destroyed' by fire. It was an bid building and burned fiercely. The insurances on the building were ,£2OO and on the stock £SOO. NAURU PHOSPHATES. WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. The representatives of New Ze,aland? Australia, and England, who are jointly concerned in the production of phosphates from Nauru and Ocean Island, are at present conferring in London, and leave shortly for Australia. They will have the business in full running order before the next season’s demand for phosphatic manures arises in New Zealand, and the Government is at present msCEing inquiries to satisfy itself that sufficient plant exists in New Zealand to convert the cargoes of phosphate into' suberphosSbate. If the facilities are inadequate, it is intended to erect a Government works in a central port, probably Wellington. 1 .

MR HILEY IN INDIA. WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. News has been received in Wellington, from Mr E. H. Hiley, formerly general manager of New land railways, that he has accepted an important railway appioutment in India, and has proceeded to that country. . EX-SOLDIERS ’ CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, This day. A conference of (representatives of ex-soldiers’ organisations, from all parts of the Empire is to be held in Capetown on February 23rd next. Earl Haig will preside. The countries to be represented will be Great Britain, Canada, South Africa Aus- * ' y tralia and New Zealand, and delegates will attend from fourteen separate organisations. The conference will discuss many matters of interest to returned soldiers. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers ’ Association has nominated as its delegates to the gathering Messrs C. W. Batten (Wellington) and W. E. Leadley (Christchurch). WANGANUPS PROGRESS. This day. Building posmits for the year ending, December 24th Borough are valued at £231.453, about 50 per cent, above those of last year.