GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 175, 15 July 1908, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

AUCTK)NI£EI!S" RATIiS. By Telegraph..—Press Association. Napier, Last Night. In reply to complaints which have been made over the action of the Associated Hawke's Bay Stock Auctioneers in raising the commission on sales ol live stock in their yards to 3% per cent., it is explained that the reason is that the brokers have awakened to the fact that they have previously been giving their services to farmers at unremunevativc rates, taking into account the risks of the business.

STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE. Dunedin, Last Night. Early on Monday afternoon Theresa Mead, who lived with her parents at Musselburgh, suddenly disappeared, anl has not been seen since. She went out with her father at midday, and after remaining with him for a time announced her intention of walking home. Later on a woman resembling Miss Mead was seen going towards Lawyer's Head. Subsequently a' muff and coat were found on top of the heights fronting Bird Island. They were identified us belonging to the missing girl. Miss Mead is 3-1 years of age, and has been in illhealth lately and peculiar in her ways.

PROTECTING THE TIJIBER INDUSTRY. Greymouth, Last Night. A large and enthusiastic meeting of the citizens of the town and district passed a resolution urging on the Government the urgent necessity of imposing an import duty on Oregon pine. DRIVERS' DISPUTE. Napier, Last Night. A conference was held to-day of delegates from the Napier Driver.*)' Union and employers of Napier, Hastings, and Dannevirke, to discuss the demands of the Union, but as no agreement could he come to the matter will go before the Arbitration Court. ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES. ' AVellington, Last Night. The immigration and emigration returns for June, 11)08, disclose an excess of departures over arrivals to the number of 52. This is an improvement on last year's figures for the same period, when the excess amounted to 323. The figures are as follows-.—looß—Arrivals 2700, departures 2758; 1007, arrivals 1878, departures 2201.

THE SALVATION ARMY. Wellington, Last Night. The Salvation Army authorities have arranged to acquire Ruth Island, the negotiations having just been completed.' Pakatoa Island is only leased, but Ruth Island, which is but half a mile distant from Pakatoa, is being bought outright. There are over 300 acres of land onlne newest purchase, and this will give opportunity for work which the patients did not possess on the more circumscribed island of Pakatoa. which has only 01) acres. It will now be possible to classify the patients with a completeness that hitherto could not be attained. BAKERS' STRIKE. Wellington. Last Night. The strike committee which has taken charge of the operative bakers' case meets every night, working quietly (o prolong the strike till the employers agree to better terms than those awarded by the Arbitration Court. A member informed a Post reporter that since the committee issued its circular last week two small unions have held their ordinary meetings, and incidentally the circular has been considered. The result is a contribution of £75 (,£SO from one union and £25 from the other). It is anticipated that within a fortnight Wellington unions will contribute £SOO, and it is expected that financial assistance from other districts will ho solid in the meantime.

CHARITABLE ATD. Auckland, Last Night. There has been an unusual increase in the number of applications for charitable aid for the last five weeks, and a number of these are the result, it appears, of families having been deserted and left destitute by fathers against whom maintenance orders are in force. The unemployed element is also a contributing factor at the present time to the demand which is being made on the funds of the Board; and this means that temporary assistance lias to be given to a number of families.

THE UNEMPLOYED. • _ Auckland, Tuesday. About eighty men were registered" as unemployed yesterday, including a number of the Fifeshire's immigrants. The loaders of the unemployed agitation claim that the Government's offer to employ fifty men on Northern railway lines is not one that can be accepted with advantage to the men.

SELLING BEER WITHOUT A n LICENSE. '" Cliristcnuic'li, Tuesday, •j Charles William Ileasley, proprietor ; of an oyster saloon, was linen £2O anil ll costs for selling beer with oysters wil.lis out a license. ■'i PAK-A-POO. Christchurch, Tuesday. ; Ah Mow was fined £lO for selling ! pak-a-poo tickets. ' WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS. Wellington, Tuesday. The annual report of tlio operations > of the Wellington tramways lias been • compiled. It covers a period of twelve months ending March 31st. Tlie total revenue for the year was £122,094, as compared with ',£00,010 earned in the previous year—an increase of £20,373. The total number of passengers carried during the year was 20,103,723—an increase of 3,208,080. During ||„. vollr there were 220 (?20) collisions with vehicle.-), and 35 accidents lo persons. 100 of which were caused by passengers (mostly ladies) stopping from moving cars. The cost of repairing cars damaged through accidents was £IOO. FALSE PRETENCES. Invereargill, Tuesday. A man 75 years of age, charged with obtaining an old age pension by false pretences, as he had a sum of '"£347 in Hie bank, pleaded guilty. The Magis- . Irate said the old pensioner could no(. be fined under the Act, and. as be was over OS, could not be imprisoned. It I was a mean, dirty offence., ami, if possible, he would have given him six months. Accused was admitted to probation for six months and ordered to pay the costs, "£3 Km. !