GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 144, 9 June 1908, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

WANGANUI TRAMWAYS. Per Press Association. Wanganui, Last Night. The ceremony of turning the first sod in connection with the tramways was performed this afternoon by the Mayoress. The contractors hope to have the trams running before Christmas. RECORD TRAMWAY RETURNS. Dunedin, Last Night. The city tramways established a record on Saturday, when they carried •")7,H40 passengers. The previous best was on the occasion of. the Besses o' the Barn Rand's visit.

INCEST. - ■ Invcrcargill, Last Night. A young man, George Robinson, pleaded guilty to incest at Wairuki, and was committed to Dunedin for sentence. THE PREMIER AT CIIRISTCHURCH. Christchurch, Last Night. The Prime Minister delivered a political speech to-night in His Majesty's Theatre, which was packed to the doors. He replied at length to recent criticisms, and sketched the policy of the Government for the coming session. At the close of the address he was accorded hearty votes of thanks and confidence, an amendment of thanks only being lost.

DUNEDIN MATTERS. Dunedin, Last Night. A meeting, convened by the Mayor, decided by a small majority that Empire Day be celebrated in future as a holiday instead of Prince of Wales' Birthday. It was decided to also form a large committee of representative citizens to forward the object. From inquiries made locally as to the price of meat, it appears prices are likely to remain as at present for the next couple of months, but there is every probability of an increase after that. A leading'butcher states that owing to the drought and bush fires in the North Island supplies of slock are smaller there than usual, and Canterbury, which generally draws from the North, will have to come to the South.,

WELCOMING THE GOVERNOR. Palmerston N., Last Night. A meeting of citizens was held to-day to consider the most suitable form of welcome to the Governor on his arrival to take up his residence at Pa.lmersto.h* on the 18th inst. A committee of 20 was set up, and it was decided that the Mayor and Mr. W. T. Wood, M.P, should meet the Governor on arrival. He will then be escorted, if fine, to t,u<( showground, and, if wet, to the Opera House, where an address of welcome will he tendered. The volunteers are to parade and the school children will also assemble. It is probable that all business places will be closed on that da\r.'* A social function will be held on a subsequent evening.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Palmerston N., Last Night. G. W. Taylor, a cab driver, has been committed for trial at the Supreme Court for an alleged criminal assault on a crippled girl.

TIMAKU NEWS. , Timarir, Last Night. The Borough Council to-night resolved by seven votes to six that the town clerk take the necessary steps to abolish the ward system before the 'neSjt' municipal election. The argument of the movers of the resolution was the inequality of the present wards in regard to population and rateable value, and the Mayor supported the motion as a democratic movement. The streets were lighted to-night for the first time by electricity, Scott Bros., of Christchureh, being the contractors. A very much larger measure of candlepower is Supplied than by the Gas Company, but at a considerably increased cost.

RAID OX A PAK-A-POO SHANTY. Wellington, Monday. Police officers raided the Chinese quarter at Haining street in search for pak-a-poo players. Two Chinese were arrested on charges of being keepers of a gaming house, also a'dozen Europeans of being found in a common gaining house. As the result of the raid at Haining street on Saturday night At Joe and Joe Wee were to-day charged with allowing pak-a-poo to be played on their premises, and Charles Oscar Ranstrom, Peter Lupayne, Charles George Brearley, William Walker, John Pntersot, James Ready, John Meech, Ernest Evans, Charles MathiesOn, and Joseph Stranton were charged with being found in a common gaming house. AH were remanded till Monday next.

INDECENT PICTURES. Napier, Monday. Arsenc Le Petit, tailor, for unlawfully exhibiting in his window .pictures of an obscene nature, was fined 10s and costs,

CLOSER SETTLEMENT. AA'airon, Monday. A public meeting decided to petition the Government to acquire two estates of a total area of 18,000 acres for closer settlement. These would cut up into t m-ty-six farms. The sections adjoin the town.

PROHIBITED PERSONS. Wangaaul, Monday. At the S.M. Court this morning *Mr. Haselden, S.M., dismissed a charge brought against a cabdriver of procuring liquor (hiring the currency of a prohibition order. The facts were that dejendanl was given liquor by a passenger m his cab. Defendant did not ask for it or gut his passenger to procure it. Counsel contended that defendant's act was not one of procuring, and the fact ol a prohibited person being found drinking should not be sufficient evil i ence ~f ins ]„ lvj , lf , vmnml tlle ]iqHol . ilie .Magistrate upheld this contention.