INTERPROVINCIAL

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 443, 3 June 1899, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL

(BY TELEORAPH—FBBBS ASSOCIATION). Wellington. Last Night. At the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee the Bench granted renewals in every case except two or three where fire escapes were not finished. These were adjourned for a fortnight, the Bench warning the publicans that their licenses would be endangered if the work was not then satisfactorily completed. In only one case was a complaint made of Sunday trading, but the Bench refused to take any notice of it.

Giving evidence before the Conciliation Board in the seamen's diopute Mr Jaß. Mills manager of the Union Company said the men's demands would involve an increase of expense of £17,000 per annum. Already they paid £15,000 more in wages than the fleet would cost if it were an Australian oompany and if the headquarters were removed to Australia an expenditure of between £!200.000 and £300,000 would be lost to the colony. He also urged that as the HuddartParker Company was not joined in the proceedings, they might have to run side by side with another company worked at the lower rates of pay. He mentioned that the compuny paid £4286 per annum in New Zealand for overtime.

Mr Sinclair, telephonist at Port Robinson, Cheviot, has advised the Postal Department that last night a man named Walsh saw a big body of stuff drifting to the north, apparently the size of the steamer VVukatu, which trades to Kaikoura. It will, he thinks, turn out to be the hull of a vessel. Mrs Sinclair also saw the object. The Postal Department has instructed the telegraph stationmaster at Kaikoura to inform the road overseer there of the discovery in order that & sharp look-out may be kept for the object. Marton, Last Night. The clothes of the eldest daughter of Mr W. Hammond, of Ohingaiti, aged 22, caught fire and she was severely burned round her body. Sha died last night.