GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 289, 26 April 1911, Page 5

GENERAL TELEGRAMS

BOOKMAKER PROSECUTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Chrtstehurch, Last Night. In the Magistrate's Court to-day Alexander McKenzie pleaded guilty to having acted as a bookmaker and laid tote odds at the Riecarton racecourse at Easter. He was fined £3O and costs on the first charge and £2O and costs on the second, the alternatives being three months' and two months' imprisonment respectively. BLUFF HARBOR BOARD. Invercargill, Last Night. Since the Blur!' Harbor Board resolved a month ago to give the whole of the pilot staff three months' notice of termination of their engagement, and Chief Pilot and Harbormaster Captain McDonald a year's leave of absence prior to the termination of his engagement, considerable interest has been evinced by residents of the Bluff and others in what they consider to have been the too hasty action of the Board. At to-day's meeting of the Board a motion was considered which in effect would have amounted to the reinstatement of Captain McDonald as harbormaster. The previous resolution dealing with the staff was carried by the narrow margin of 5 to 4. To-day. the chairman (Mr. R. A. Anderson), after expressing regret that outside pressure had made it necessary to give a full explanation of the. circumstances leading up to Captain McDonald's dismissal, gave a detailed statement. The motion was lost by C to 3. At a later stage, Captain Lountt, who has been second in command for 10 years, was appointed actingchief pilot and harbormaster. RAIN IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. Timaru, Last Night. The rain which set in on Friday has ceased. About a couple of inches fell, which was all absorbed. It was heavier on the hills and flooded the smaller rivers. PATEA HARBOR. Wellington, Tuesday. A deputation from the Patea Harbor Board waited on the Minister for Railways to-day. The Board objected to the Railway Department collecting the charges on weight, which resulted in a considerable loss to the Board. Formerly they charged on measurement. The change had been made without notice. The Minister said the, practice of the Department had been to compute the wharfage on weight. If the Board wanted to collect on weight and measurement the Board could do the work itself. The Department could not differentiate between Patea and other Boards. Mr| G. V. Pearce, M.P., said it would remain for the Board to readjust the charges.