DOMINION NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1917, Page 7

DOMINION NEWS.

A DISASTROUS ACCIDENT.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, April 2.. „™f 7 -.?° t,lis m °™ng the big new ow,Ooo gallon reservoir wnioh wa3 recently erected in the City Council yards in Manchester Street, near the* destructor, "burst, and the liberated water m a few seconds did damage estimated at between £2OOO and £3OOO. The urick wall of the city morgue was completely demoMed, and the battery house of the Electrical Department, containing £2OOO worth of batteries, was razed to the ground. The powerhouse had a< narrow escape from very serious damage. The reservoir was used to hold an extra supply of hot water for the Municipal Tepid Bath.

A STRIKE PENALTY CASE.

Greymouth, April 2. Mr. Hutchinson, S.M., gave a lengthy reserved judgment in the case Inspectors of Award v. Blackball Coal Miners' Union, a claim to recover £2OO penalty in respect of each of two strikes in January and February last. At the hearing in February the facts with regard to the strike Were admitted, but the technical points were rajsed by Mr. O'Regan for the defendants that the agreement under the Act was not binding, in that the dating of such agreement made it for a period of three years ten days, whereas the Act provides a maximum of three years. The magistrate upheld this contention and gave judgment for defendants, regretting having to do so, as the defence had no merit in fact.

THE BUTTER-FAT LEVY.

Woodville, April 2. The local branch of the Farmers' Union met on Saturday afternoon, and, after considerable discussion over the butter-fat levy, the following resolution was unanimously passed: "That it be a recommendation from this branch that the executive take immediate action to get the butter-fat levy abolished. It is an injustice to n large section of the small producers of the Dominion, being an indirect tax of from. 5s to 15s per acre to the hardest workers and the poorer class of farmers; also that all branches of the union b* asked to pass esolutions to strengthen the hands of the executive."

A DISASTROUS SQUALL,

Wellington, 2. I There was u drowning accident on Lake Brminor yesterday, by which Charles Hornsby, a married man, aged 50 years, and Emil Hybcrg, aged 15 ytars, Jost their lives. There were three sailing boats on the lake when a sudden squall arose, and the whole three boats were nps.it. The other occupants were rescued with the greatest difficulty. The bodies have not been recovered.