NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 73, 21 March 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

KOYAL COMMISSION WANTED. Per Press Association. I Palmerston N.. Friday. A meeting of delegates representing the district local bodies decided jester- a day afternoon to ask for the appoint- s ment of a Royal Commission to ,iv p „rt 1 upon the steps proposed to he taken to 1 Control the overflow of the waters „f I the Manawatu, Oroua, and Pohangina nvers and all „ U ier matters connected therewith.. I . THE QUEBEC CELEBRATIONS. ' ~ Auckland, Friday, .bir Joseph Ward, in replving to an invitation fro,,, the Governor-General of Omadn, regrets that owing to the NewZealand Parliament being in session he cannot accept the invitation to attend the Quebec celebrations in Julv, but nopes to have New Zealand suit'ahy represented. THE NIMROD AFFAIR. Wanganui, Friday. In regard to the statements concernlong the crew of the Antarctic ship Nimrod, a Wanganui resident states that, when l„. w as ,„ Lyttelton a duv or two ago he conversed with several "members of tile vessel's crew who told hint that the whole of the present state of a Hairs was due to friction between Captain England and Lieutenant Shackelton. Captain England was engaged as navigating officer, but Lieut. Shackelton, when the vessel arrived at the ice, at- • tempted to interfere with his duties and dictate his course. Captain England re--1 fused to do anything but what he him- ' self thought best for the safety of the ship. Hence the trouble. The men) . declared themselves perfectly willing to - serve under Captain England, but did i not relish the prospect of serving under i Lieut. Shackelton.

SALVATION OF THE WAIKAIIAPA. Masterton, Friday. < Fanners arc jubilant over the alum- i dant and continuous rain. About an inch and a-half has fallen since the rain set in. The visitation will be the salvafion of the district. The effect in the shape of improved values is already apparent. Information from several sources states that the recent fires have resulted in material benefit to individual landholders in many instances. ADVICE TO HOTELKEEPERS Dunedia, Last Night. At the Police Court to-day, James Gcddes, licensee of the Douglas Hotel, was charged before Air. Widdowson, S.AI., with having unlawfully permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises, and with selling liquor to persons already in a slate of intoxication. The case was dismissed on the groirhd tiiat there was no evidence that the person obtained the liquor which made him dr.nuk at the hotel «i question. The' 'Magistrate said, however, this case emphasised the prevalence of juvenile drinking, it showed a deplorable state of things in regard to the young men of Dunedin, and to the young men of the Dominion. To all hotelkeepers lie would say it would be heller for them if they gave young fellows only one drink. That young men were entitled lo drink there Co-uld be no question, but it would be better to serve them with only one drink and no more. COMPENSATION CASK. Palmerston N., Last NightThe compensation case in which Air. E. J. lliddiford claimed .C 2200 from the Minister of Railways in respect of a piece of land taken from the frontage of his section at Longbtirn in connection with the Foxton-Pahnerston North railway, was heard at the Supreme Court |to>day before Mr. Justice Cooper. A large amount of evidence was given, and on arrangement was arrived at whereby the claimant should receive .C3OO in full satisfaction of his claim, and also two level crossings giving access to his property, each party to p:iy its own costs and lj guineas to each of the sessorsA CASE DROPPED, Wellington. Last Night. The Government has decided that no further proceedings shall be taken against .lohii Lloyd, the Nightcaps m ine manager, who was tried on a charge of manslaughter, the jury failing to agree. Eleven of the jury wire for Lloyd's acquittal and one for his conviction. HOKITIKA HARBOR. Hokitika, Last Night. A large and enthusiastic public meeting decided to -support the Hokitika Harbor Board in the proposed legislation lo raise XUC,OOU for harbor improvements. CONSIGNMENT OF GRAPES. Wellington, Last Night.. A consignment of South Australian grapes in excellent order reached Wellington this morning, via the south. The cold weather, however, made fruiterers less desirous than usual of laying in larger stocks, and this fact, added to the further happening that a fairly large lot of Dunedin grapes came to hanil unexpectedly, made low prices rule throughout the sale. The bulk of tho offerings had to b e quitted at 3d and 4d per pound.

THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY. Wellington, Last Night■At the request of a number of sawmillers, Air. W. H. Field, M.P., wa'-ltcd! upon the Minister for Public Works and Hallways this morning and asked when the Mlway Department, would take over thl Main Trunk railway as far as Ohakune or Raiigataua. Mr. Field pointed out that millers were paying Is lid per hundred feet on all timber wliich they-sent over the section of the railway still in the hands of the Public Works Department, and they were anxious to know when the line would be under the control of the Railway Department, wliich would mean the 'abolition of the Is 3d rate. The Hon. HallJones informed Air. Field that the section would be handed over to the Railway Department in June.

j SCPER ANN CATION BOARD. Wellington, Friday. The Superannuation Board is to meet four times yearly, special-meetings hei mg held when required. Members only receive travelling expenses. By special leave, the Public Trustee shall invest funds in freehold securities at current rates of interest. Uninvested funds will bear the '-common fund" rate of interest. Allowances to widows ami children will he payable on the last day ol each month. J IWICMCAHGILL CoriiTV---'' I I li'vercargili. Last Night. Adam Middlemen, a lad, was remanded to-day on a charge of having placed-on the Kingston line at Ciarston a quantity <W UU'itcnal sufficient to have derailed the tram. Georg 0 Holmes, alias Albert Patrick Newman, pleaded guilty to having forged the name of W. Stewart to an authority for J. H, Kirk and Co. to pay George Holmes £ls, and having altered the same to "John Brookes." Accused was remanded for seutence.

. ENGINEERS DISCHARGED. Dunedin, Last Night. , I Partly as a result of the recent awan in the engineering trade, ami partly owing to the slack season, a number of inei employed in the agricultural departmen of Messrs Reid and Gray's implement works, were discharged this week. II appears that previous to the aware which came into force on Monday, tho wages paid were Ms, 9s, and 10s per day, while the award provides for a uniform rate of Us. The firm could not pay the award rate, and about a dozen men were discharged. Their discharge necessitated paying off seven other members of the linn named. It is said that the awards all'eeled Otago and Southland only, and provided for a higher rate than was paid | in t.lirislchurch, where the rates were h and Ss per day, the result being that the linn were unable to compete with manufacturers elsewhere. As slocks are fairly large, it would have hcen lVeicc*--Biiry, apart form the award, to pay oil some men.