GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 233, 30 March 1912, Page 5

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

WESTLAND LAND BOARD ELECTION By Telegraph—Press Association. Hokitika, Last Night. The election of a member of the Westland Land: Board to-day by the Crown tenants resulted in Mr. George Mallinson; the sitting member, being returned. He polled 586 votes to his opponenjt't 135. There were 84 informal votes. THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BRIGADE Christcburch, Last Night. Superintendent E"rck, of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, has resigned, and at a meeting of the Fire Board to-night it was decided to accept his resignation. It is understood l that differences of opinion between the board and Supt. Erck led to the last mentioned resigning. Superintendent Erck, who comes from Melbourne, has been in charge of the Christchurch Brigade for the past three years. SAFEGUARDING! SEAMEN'S INTERESTS. . Wellington, Last Night. The Shipping and Seamen's Amendment Act, of 1911, has received thte Royal assent, and a proclamation will shortly be issued, bringing it into force on the Ist of May. The Act provides for the proper safeguarding of seamen's interests when they have been left *c»i 6hore through illness. The onus i.'s placed on the owners in finch, case «!f providing the cost of maintenance and medical and other attendance for the 6eaman and for the cost of his burial whe're the illness -or accident terminated in his death in New Zealand. For a breach of these and 1 other provisions of a similar kind a penalty of £IOO is provided. PROGRESSIVE INVERCARGILL. Invercargill, Last Night. One of Invercargill's greatest needs municipally has for long been an up-to-date sanitary system. In the h::\er area t of the city at any 'rate this want will soon be; satisfied, as the ratepayers to-day carried a proposal to bo'rrow £31,000 for this purpose, and the. work 'will be pushed ahead as rapidly as possible. The system will be extended later. ) A SERIOUS CHARGE. Auckland, Friday. At thei nquest of Mrs. Catherine McGill, who died in the hospital und'eir somewhat mysterious circumstances today, the hospital superintendent stated that the deceased was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, and the doctor could not certify the cause of death. Consequently a post mortem examination was held, which revealed evidence of an illegal operation. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against some petrson unknown. WELLINGTON'S CHIEF MAGISTRATE Wellington, Friday. So far, no candidates have been definitely announced for the. Wellington Mayoralty. Mr. Aitken, a former Mayor, has declined to stand, and to-day a deputation waited on Councillor Shirtcliffe | and asked him to reconsider his decision | not to come forward. He will give an answer to-morrow. A DESERTER SENTENCED. Wellington, Friday. John Farrell, charged in the court yesterday with deserting from the Permanent Artillelry, was ordered to be handed over to the military authorities. He had joined the Otaki as a trimmer, and was, arrested at Waitara. INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION Auckland, Friday. A meeting was held in the Town Hall last night in furtherance of a movement to obtain a world petition in favolr of international arbitration, under the auspices of the Auckland Branch of the International Arbitration and Peace Association. About nine hundred wprc present, the Mayor presiding. It was Iresolved that, in the opinion of ithe meeting, international arbitration was desirable in all possible cases before re--sorting to war; also that the meeting endorsed sending a world's petition to the next Hague Conference as a desirable means towards seculring international arbitration before resorting to war.