GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 22, 19 February 1909, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

A NEW MAGISTRATE. ''lM By Telegraph.—Press Association. ChristehurcU, Last Night. The Hon. Dr. Findlay stated to a Press interviewer that further appointments to the Magisterial bench would be necessary on account of a number of the present officers retiring. Cabinet lad decided to appoint Mr. Young, of Westport, to the Bench, and he would be placed in a goldfields district to act as magistrate and warden. The Minister considered the appointment a good one. Tile new magistrate was a son of the engineer to the West port Harbor Board, and had been educated at the University of New Zealand. He had practised as a solicitor for some years, and during his stay in South Africa mid acted as magistrate there, . EXCESSIVE VALUATIONS.

luvercnrgill, Last Night. In regard to the valuations by the Valuation Department, a committee of the Town Council, after conference* with the valuer, has decided that the assessments are high, and that after individual eases of what are considered undue increases have been dealt with, the inspecting valuer should be requested to make a percentage reduction all round on unimproved values. A meeting of the north end ratepayers to-night protested strongly against the increases made in unimproved values in the district, ami nppoi.iled a deputation to confer with the Inspecting Valuer. The meeting also resolved to call upon ratepayers to individually lodge objections to the valuations.

ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE FUND. Duiiedin, last Xight. The total amount contributed localiv towards the Italian earthquake relief /mill is £m Us. The fund Ims now <,,ost ' d - . rim

oij) age ptfxsroxs. !| Wellington, Last Night, j' Oomplaints have been received bv the (.ovemnient. from persons living in'back niiiiitrv districts and who are desirous ol untuniing old age pensions, that thev are compelled to travel in some ease's long distances in order to reach the oflice ol the nearest registrar. The Minister in charge of the Department (Hon. 1). lliiiWo) has under consideration the granting of further facilities in such cases. The Minister explains that it Js not, necessary for these people to personally attend the oftice. Any reputable person known to the Registrar can sup- (( ply (he particulars* if lie is able to do *»■ It is required by the Act that before a pension is grautcd the applicant lias to make an affidavit that the deelaration is correct, but even this .provision in Ihe Act is objected to in districts | where there is no Justice of the Peace ami in which, travelling is diflicu't. These wiuplaints do not refer to the '.payment of the pension in regard to which apparently there are no difficulties.

THE ADMNtiTOX EXQUIRY. (lnistcliiireh, Last Xight. the 11,,n. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, informed a Truth reporter this morning that everything was rendv iw the. opening of I lie enquiry into the allegations concerning the Addinglon workshop,. The enquiry, he s„|,|, would la- opened •'cere .shortly." He was not veil prepared to state who were the commissi,,,,,.!-., appointed to conduct the enquiry.