NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10654, 8 June 1912, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) RAILWAY FREIGHTS. 'GENERAL REVISION PROPOSED. AUCKLAND, Last Night. The Minister for Railways informed 'a deputation from the Sawmillers' Association to-day that a general revise ion- of railway freights: is proposed. He intended to a<sk his officers to make a report uipon the matter regarding the measurement- of timber. Mr Myers says that the Department desired to be paid only for what it carried, and he had already asked the General Manager and: the North Island Traffic ■Superintendsint to investigate the mattor, with a view to devising a satisfactory arrangemenft, • ,r SUPREME COURT. AUCKLAND SESSIONS. .. AUCKLAND, Last Night. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court wert> continued to-day, Mr Justice .Sim presiding. The hearing of 'the charge against Win-. Robert .Garner, <rf having committed a criminal assault upon a young girl about seventeen yearns of age, was continued, '.lit was alleged that the accused dragged the girl into a shop in Newton, and there committed the offence. After deliberating for about- an hour and a liaJf, the jury returned a verdict of ■g-U'Sty. A sentence of ten yeans' hard labour was imposed, Hiis Honour remarking 'tliait the crime, appeared to have been very deliberately planned. THE HICH COM M ISS! ON E RSHI P. FIXED TILL PARLIAMENT MEETS. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Questioned on. the .subject of the High Commisisionersliip this morning, - 1 1 he, P rime:aVEnistar (the. Hon. Thos. iMnekenzi!e)..eaid: "The position ■is 'fixed until: .Parliament meets., -and there will be 110 alteration 'beifore 'then." -• • ■ " _____ COST OF LIVING COMMISSION. EVIDENCE AT DUNEDLN. DUNEDJN, Last Night. Giving aniiddnee 'before the Cost of Living Commission this afternoon, Robert .Breen secretary of the Otago 'Trades and Labour Council, .said that the employers admitted that the cost Of -living had increased, • yet ill many, trades the 'wages had 'remained unaltered. Bute-hem-' -assistants at slaughter yards received an increase of 5s » week, whlieh affected about 15 ,men. The price of meat could 'not have been affected by .tlie increase. Mr Fainbajirn: "It amounts to Is £d .per carcase." .W. iMun'ro, a master baiter, said ithat the price of br'ead to-day was not 'motre than it was ten years ago. The 'cost cf distribution was at least Jd per loaf miore than the manufacturing tost. Private monopoly would give'the 'public cheaper bread than the present competitive system. He advocated a' municipal monopoly. W. H. Warren ilield that the land, question underlay all other questions. Thomas Smith, butcher, .denied the 'existence -ctf any combination to regulate the prices of meat. The price of cattle had risen., and also wages. The Commission went into committee to hear evidence by D. A. Adkin, assistant general manager of the Union Steamship Co. W-m. Grey, farmer, said that the' increase in> the cost of rural land in recent years had 110 doubt- led .to the Tinicrealsed cost cif living. Farmers "were short of labour all the year round. John Clarke, farmeir, attributed the increased co?<t of living largely to extravagance. Owing to the shortage | of labour lie would not crop nearly go ■much next year as he had formerly. The Commission will sit to-morrow morning rto take the. evidence of any farmers iHv.ho (wish- to-tender .it. . The ' Comnjissioners . dnteind, to proceed • Christ chutrch by the second express, ; 'if Ibu&iness permits,