NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 818, 5 February 1903, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) PALMERSTON N-, last, night. The Borough Council has accepted tho competitive design sent _in by Crichton and Mack ay, of Wellington, for a combined opera house, municipal chambers, public reading-room, and circulating library, ai an estimated cost of £9 )00. Tenders will be called for the work at once.

FEILDING, last night. 11l response to an invitation, the Premier has decided to open tho inaugural exhibition of the Fielding industrial Association in March next. WELLINGTON, last night. In connection vvitn tho carpenters dispute in which the men complain of the award of the Arbitration Court in fixing the minimum wage at Is -hi instead of Is (id per hour, it is star, d to-day that all tho carpenters in one largo contract have loft their employ metit. They wore repiacmi, liowovm, with little ailliouiiy. A number of extra clerks in the Government service at Wellington Wine dismissed at tho end of last month. Ihe Post says tho pruning knife will be still further applicd withiu the next few weeks. in tho Supreme Court John Joseph Murphy was convicted of indecent assault on a seven-year-old girl, and sentenced to three years hard labor.

BLENHEIM, last night. Joseph Taylor, master blacksmith, an olh resident and a prominent figure in Masonic circles, died, rathoi unexpectedly early this morning. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. Another distressing tramway accident happened last night on the Christchurch Sumner tram. A young man 'named Albert Martin fell olt a car and had both legs run over above the knees, his left leg being more severely injured than the right. . lie was removed to the hospital. Little hope is of his recovery. Martin, run over by the Sunnier train last night, died at the hospital early this morning. A young man named \V m. Murphy pleaded guilty this morning to stealing a horse, saddle and bridle, valued at £2B. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

ASHBURTON, last night. A young married woman, Mrs Fagan, died suddenly last night. She was on her way to a friend s house, and was found sitting on tho kero stone, and stated she felt unwell. She was helped into a house close by, and died in about half an hour. A postmortem and imprest will be held today. INVERCARGILL, last night. In answer to the protest against the abolition of Southland sub-volunteer district, Mr Hanan, M. ...11., has received a communication from Mr Scddon, stating that the step was taken on the recommendation of tho commandant, and it was useless having an expert if we ignored his recommendations on various matters, particularly when in tho direction ol economy, and when it was very' necessary that a reduction be made in the Defence expenditure.

DUNEDIN, last night

Yesterday afternoon, wnuu mo s.s. Alouowai was coming up tno Uaroor, y. Philips, the Union steamship Company’s waterman, was pulling off from Port Chalmers wharf to meet the steamer, accompanied, by Hansen. The latter suddenly fell into the bottom of the boat. Phillips pulled back to the wharf, and Hausen was taken on shore and promptly attended to, but life was extinct. Hansen was a fisherman, about 55 years of ago.

NEW PLYMOUTH, last night.; £The first annual meeting of the North Island Rifle Association commenced to-day, in fine weather. Competitors are present from all parts of the province, including Ijieut. Okov, of the Bisley team, and Taylor, an old Auckland marksman, 'i he W aitara match, 500 and 000 yards, ten shots each, resulted : Corporal White, 88, 1 ; Lieutenant Patterson, S 7,2 ; Corporal Armitage, S 5, ; i. There were 25 competitors. TIMARU, last night. At the Supreme Court to-day John King was granted an order of divorce from Elizabeth King. The _ parties were married in Victoria in 1879, and have six children living. The ground of divorce is adultery with an Auckland gumdiirger named Sundon. Mitchell William Woodhouse for suborning and perjury to save himself from trial of indecent assault, was sentenced to two years.