NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 44, 11 February 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON ELECTRIC LIGHT, Per Press Association. Wellington, -Monday, Since tliu City Council acquired "tlief private lighting business of the Electrical .Syndicate there lias lieeu ii great expansion of business, and extension of plant and premises has become absolutely necessary. A new Uabeoc boiler lias been installed, and the contract for big extensions to the building have just been signed. The successful tenderers are -Mace and Nichrtison, of Wellington. The contract price is ,C!M4G. . FIRE PREVENTION. iJunedin, .Uondav. In view of the Cfiiistchui'ch lire,'the Duncdin Fire Board is urging on the CUy Council the proper reticulation of the area m Cumberland street to tin north of Rattray street. .Mr ft tav chairman of the Hoard, ,avs'there fa' absolutely no water supply j„ Cumberland street to the north „f feity street. AUSTRALIAN GRAPES. Auckland, Mond.v. lhe steamer which arrived from .Sydney on Sunday did „„i bring any "rapes Australian growers are disappointed with the result of the shipment or last week, which did not, return the growers Id per pound. As the season has not been good and the output is below the average, Now South Wales growers are not inclined to send further shipment* to New Zealand this season. Adelaide grapes will be ready a fortnight hence, i ", t tr ! il ! 3l "l lmt '"t may be made to ; the Dominion.

THRESHING PLANT BURNED. Miisterton, Mondav. A threshing plant belonging t 0 \\| r . Mutric, a W'airarapa resident, was found to be on tire when travelling behind a traction engine. There wa°s no means of extinguishing the lire, and the mill was completely destroyed. It is supposed that the lire was caused by a spark from the traction engine drawing it. WELLINGTON HARBOR BOARD. Palmerslon, Last Night, 11. Cohen was to-day elected unopposed district representative on the Wellington Harbor Board. 11 r. \V. T. Wood, il.i'., represented the district for the past two or three years. DAIRY SCHOOL SITE QUESTION.

Feilding, Last Night. Hon. B. McNab arrived at Feilding by the noon train to-day to inspect the proposed site offered by Mr. F. V. Lothbridge, M.P., for a dairy .school. After being taken over part of the district in a motor car, the Minister received a deputation on the matter. Mr. Fred. Pirani laid before him the advantages of the Feilding district for dairy schools, and showed the output of the district was 4000 tons of butter and cheese annually. The dairy cattle in the district were valued at £125,000. The Minister in reply said the result would be made known in a few days. He explained the object of the school was to teach the people to produce an article commanding the top price on the London market. He said the .school might become a peripatetic one, and be an advantage to the whole Dominion. It was very pleasing to the Government to see the great interest being taken in the dairy school. No country had done what New Zealand hid done for the dairy industry, and when the work of the dairy school developed, they would go in for the work of th>? chemist s and bacteriologist, and an extreme form of education in dairying. He hoped to see the day come when we would be able to challenge the work done in any similar institution, except, in Britain and America. The Minister left for Wanganw to-night.

CONGREGATIONAL UNION. Wellington, Monday. The subject of to-day's conference of the Congregational Union was "The greatest need of the Church," introduced by the Rev. Mr. McNaughton, who pronounced it to be ''The recognition of the Lordship of Christ." An interest 3 ing discussion followed. The Rev. J. R. Glasson considered that practical Christ was most needed, not the Ohristianfity of men, whose business methods were unchanged by their religion. Other members advocated the concentration of Christians on the burning questions of the times, such as socialism and the growth of irreverence and Atheism. Deputations from other Free Churches were introduced, and short addresses were given to the assembled delegates. Several of the speakers expressed their approval of the unification of the churches, and hoped it would some dav take place.

Wellington, Last Night. At the meeting of the Congregational Union this evening, addresses on "Modern Methods of School Work" were delivered by Mr. G. Hoghen, InspectorGeneral- of Schools, and Mr. W. Gray, principal of the Wellington Training College. WELLINGTON OPERA' HOUSE. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. J. C. Williamson has leased tno Wellington Opera House for live years. A PECULIAR CASE.

Wellington, Last Night. A peculiar case was heard at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. Riddel 1, S.M., this morning. William Rattrap Pope was charged with obtaining from Joseph William Salmon the sum of £0 Os Id by false pretences, and also committing the theft of £0 0s Id, the property of the Westland Timber Company. \\lr. Levvey appeared for the Timber Company, and Mr. Dunn on behalf of the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Evidence for the prosecutions on'lv was heard. It was stated that St. Thomas' Church, of which defendant was a vestryman, had ordered goods which had been supplied, but not paid for. It was further alleged that the vestry had paid the money to Pope to pay the company, and the latter had not 'yet received it. His Worship held that tlie evidence pro\duced for the prosecution had in no Way established a case. With regard to the charge for false pretences, his Worship stated it was quite clear that there was no intention to defraud, as Mr- Salmon, by his evidence, had stated that he was quite aware of what defendant was doing in connection with the charge of theft. His Worship held that no ease had been made. It was quite clear that there was civil debt, but there was no need to resort to criminal proceedings. Both informations were accordingly dismissed*! with costs £1 Is in favor'of defendant. DYNAMITfXG FISH. Napier, Last Night. Three persons were charged at the Magistrate's Court today with using an explosive substance, dvnamite, to catch fish. They were fined £5 each and costs.

HARBOR BOARD ELECTION. j Wellington, Last Night- [ The Wellington electors to-day elect-, ed Messrs Robert Fletcher and V. G. Bolton to the Harbor Board. There were four other candidates. Shipowners paying dues elected Mr. C. W. Jones, the Wellington manager for the Ilud-dart-Parker Proprietory, who defeated Mr. James McLelhm. Mr. J. J. IT.ukiidss was elected without opposition to represent the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, of which he is president. Mr. >T. W. McEwan, Mayor of Petone, was elected to represent the combined Wellington suburban bodies on the Board.

LABOR UNIONS AND STEAMSHIP COMPANY. Dunedin. Last NightThe latest move in connection with the dissatisfaction that has existed in flic ranks of wharf laborers took ph"e this afternoon, when the Union Steamship Company fded with the Clerk of Awards a reference to the Arbitration Court of the dispute between the company and the Wharf Laborers' Union. The wharf laborers, at a recent meeting, decided to cancel their registration as a union, and application in that direction was formally made. The Act provides, however, that the cancellation cannot be allowed whilst a dispute i<= pending. It is said that demands have been filed by the company, which will make a considerable concession both as to hours, rates of pay, and conditions, to the. union.

A" CENTENARIAN PENSIONER. Auckland, Last Night. _ Among the applicants for old-age jkmisions at. Waiuku was a native named Eparaima Pairrai, aged 104 vears: The old man was one of Dr. Maiinsell's missionaries.