LATE NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 938, 10 July 1903, Page 2

LATE NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, last night.

Delegates from local bodies met again to-day to deal with the requirements of >tho Act lor the destruction of small birds. A resolution to take no action, but pay Government pro rata for carrying out th? work, was affirmed, with the addition that Government be asked to amend the Act at once, so that it may be made workable. Section 9 precludes a local body from laying poison within three hundred yards of a dwelling without the consent of the occupier. This makes the Act a nullity in the borough of Invercargill. Suburban boroughs cover (roughly) ten thousand acres, much of it bush land, and, as the Act states, this is a sanctuary, for birds.

WANGANUI, last night. At the inquest to-day on the body of Poahu Ratawa, who was run over by a train on Wednesday evening, a verdict of accidental death was returned, no blame being attachable to anyone. WELLINGTON, last night. New regulations have been drafted by the Marine Department in regard to the provision of life-saving apparatus for ships, in order, if possible, to minimise the loss of life in the event of wrecks. These regulations ■are not binding on owners. Ships are divided into classes, and each vessel will be required to carry the number of boats specified for her class and the stated quantities of supplies, consisting of water, limejuice, tabloids, peasmon, jelly, biscuits, chocolate, etc. Mr Henry Wilding has been appointed Deputy Inspector of Lunatic Asylums and Hospitals. .Messrs John Clark, George Matthewson, and William Sievwright, are Gazetted as memibers of the Gis- , borne Harbor Board, and Messrs S. Carnell and Henry Williams of the Napier Harbor Board. The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable message from the Agehi-Gene-rai, dated the Bth inst. :' “At the opening of the wool sales, competit.on was very animated. Compared with the closing rates of iast season, greasy, coarse, and medium crossbreds were a half-penny dearer ; merinos and fine crossbreds were at .about par. There are 8,800 bales of New Zealand wool available.” AUCKLAND, last night. The City Council to-night resolved by eleven to two to abolish the ward system in the city. This will necessitate reducing the number of the Councillors to twelve, and the holding of a new election.