YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2224, 30 October 1907, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Press Association. AUCKLAND. Tho question of payment of witnesses giving evidence at inquests was again mentioned at an inquest concerning the victim of tho tram fatality in Ponsonby road. A married man, who Juid lost some time, and consequently [ wages, in attending to givo evidence in the ease, asked the coroner (Mr. Gresham) if he could claim his expenses. The coroner replied : “There are no expenses allowed for witnesses. It is a shameful thing, and should not be.” Tho witness then remarked, “It •makes a' man feel like Lord Nelson in turning his blind cyo when he sees an accident.” Tho witness added that he had lost 15s in, attending the inquiry. Tho coroner saiid there was no help for it. Mr. London, solicitor, also expressed his views on tho subject. “If they would only elect members of Parliament who would consider these sort of things,” he said, “.instead of blithering about other matters of no interest to the community, there would be some sense in it, and some good done.” Several of the witnesses attending tho inquiry liavo boon present a couple of days. At the Arbitration Court, tho Bricklayers’ Union sought an award. Tho main points of issue were the hours of work, minimum wages, apprentices, and the appointment of a competent working foreman where three or more bricklayers were employed on a job. They asked for a 47 hours’ week, which were the hours at present being worked; an increase in wages from Is 6d to Is 7jd per hour; apprentices to be legally indentured for five rears, wages at 10s a week for the first year, Iss for tho second, 20s for the third, 30s for the fourth, and 40s for the fifth. After hearing evidence the Court reserved its decision.

: A somewhat peculiar case occupied the attention of the Samaritan Home trustees at their meeting yesterday afternoon. Some 15 months ago a girl who, in 1905, had been committed to the Te Orangja State Home for Girls was sent to the Samaritan Home, and a short while ago the trustees of the latter Home proposed to let her go out to service. The matron of the Te Oranga Home then demanded tho girl, hut the Samaritan Home matron refused to givo her up, notwithstanding the order of the chairman of her committee to do so. Tho chairman thereupon suspended her and the sub-matron, who likewise refused to deliver up the girl. At the meeting yesterday the members agreed that the matron and the sub-matron had acted from a strong sentimental reason, and while supporting the action of the chairman, decided to reprimand tho matron and sub-matron, and warn them that any’ future disregard of instructions would result in their dismissal. The chairman thereupon resigned liis position, but was prevailed upon to withdraw lais resignation till next meeting of tho Boa i’d.

Tho Arbitration Court, dealing with compensation claims, divided £350 awarded in the case of IVan. Geo. Herries, killed • iai the City Council quarry, to be apportioiaed £ll6 13s 4d to the widow and £233 6s 8d for the maintenance of three children. J. Sutherland’s claim against the Union Steamship Company for injuries sustained to a hand on the steamer Haupiri was reported to have been settled out of Court. In the case of tho widow of Captain Gonzales, who lost his life at seia after 21 years with tho Northern Steamship Company, the Court allotted one-third of £349 to the widow, and the balance to her six children. CHRISTCHURCH.

Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., will hold an inquiry on Thursday into ail alleged case of nagging in the cleaners’ shed at the Christchurch railway station. There was beautiful weather today in Christchurch. North Canterbury reports that r-ain is wanted much to benefit the crops and feed. Mid-Canterbury reports that feed is in abundance, and tho crops verypromising. DUNEDIN. The Carpenters’ Union have decided to nominate Air. McCullough as workers’ representative on tho Arbitration Count, and Air. Young, of Wellington, as deputy member. "PALMERSTON.

People arc thronging into Palmerston by every train, in anticipation of the Muna/watu A. and P. Association’s Show, which opens on Wednesday, and promises to eclipse all previous records. There is a very strong desire expressed on all hands that Parliament should be adjourned over Thursday, to enable the Premier, Leader of tho Opposition, and members to visit the Show, where an assemblage representative of all the North Island, and much of the South Island, will he gathered. Tins course, suggested by the Manawatu Times, is being strongly endorsed by local feeling. Exhibits are being sot out in the various sections. Judging is already begun. The art and technical sections are particularly strong, and the display of the technical schools is claimed to he the finest yet made at any such show in tho Dominion, and a revelation of what is being done in our schools. The technical, art, and photographic sections occupy -a null frontage of 610 lineal feet, and fill the lecture hall and a large space in the great industrial shed. Judging in these sections is proceeding. Mr. W. Boro ring, who acted as judge at the N.Z. International Exhibition technical school department, is acting in .1 similar capacity at the Palmerston Show. The judges of needlework (Mrs. Hamilton, Wellington) and photography (Mr. F. Deniton, Wanganui) have arrived and commenced work. "WESTPORT. A tunnel, 65 chains' in length, on tlio Westpont-iStockton Coal Company’s lease, lias been completed. The coal throughout is of remarkably hard quality. Work generally on the. lease is 'progressing expeditiously, and should bring the mine up to the coal-producing stage in good time next year. WELLINGTON. It was decided by tho Cooks’ and • Waiters’ Union to support the candidature of Mr. W. T. Toung, secretary of tho Seamen’s find Tramway Employees’ Union, for the position of deputy representative on the Arbitration Court. The Union also decided to support Mr. McCullough iii opposition to Mr. It. Slater lor senior position. Owing to increasing work, a cable, making the fifth, is to he laid across Cook Strait from Lyall Bay to Whito’s Bay, The cable is on the s.s. Opawa, due from London next week.

Tho s.s. Tutanckai is now shipping cable-laying gear to carry out tho work.

Tlio Shopkeepers’ 'Association decided to observe King’s Birthday holiday on tho lltli instead of tho 9th, and now tho secretary of the Shop Assistants’ Union has instructed that as that body is working under tlio award of tlio Court, which provides for observance of a holiday on the date on which it falls, and as there is no provision for substitution of any other date, double pay will bo claimed if tlio grocers open their shops on Saturday. A deputation from the Bible-in-Schools League, with several members of Parliament, waited on the Premier to-day and asked that' the Bible sliould bo read in schools as a classic, also that a science class for pupils and teachers bo provided. During the proceedings a discordant note was sounded by more than one speaker, who appeared to differ from the wishes of the deputation as a whole. A school committeeman 7said the deputation did not- represent the feelings of tho districts that elected school committees. Others denied this assertion. Mr Malcolm, M.H.R., said that tho request that the Bible be read in the schools merely as a classic was cither an abomination or a subterfuge. Mr. J. Allen could not understand the objections to the requests. It was not a" question of dogma, but of history.

Tho Court of Enquiry into the fire on the s.s. Tura'kina found there was no evidence to disclose the actual cause and origin of tne fire, -and the court therefore was unable to say wliother it could have been prevented or not. The Court was unanimously of the opinion tnat spontaneous combustion m llax or tow was not the cause of tho lire. The inspection of the cargo prior to shipment and during receipt is totally inadequate. Tho Court also emphasises the danger of allowing men engaged in working cargo taking their coats and waistcoats into the hold. The temperature of tho holds__is not taken regularly enough. Recommendations to meet these points are made by the Court.

Mr. AV. Ferguson’s resignation of the position of secretary and engineer to the AVellington Harbor Board was considered by tho Board in committee yesterday afternoon. On resuming, it was decided that the resignation of Air. Ferguson be accepted with regret; the committee regrets to learn from Air. Ferguson that he is unable to negotiate for a continuance of his services, and desires to place on record its sense of the extreme value of such services to the port of AYelliiigton during the past 234 years; further, that the committee recommends to 'the Board that an agreement be entered into with Air. Ferprison, lie having indicated liis willingness to agree to the same, that the services of Mr. Ferguson as secretary and engineer terminate on November Ist, 1908; that he be granted six months’ leave of absence from Alav Ist. 1908, and that lie for a period of five years from Alay Ist, 1908, act as consulting engineer to the Board, if arrangements can be made bv him to effect this, liis fee as consulting engineer to he £ooo per annum, such sum to cover the whole of tho remuneration of Air. Ferguson for such consulting services. There was some warmth shown during the discussion In reference to the circumstances that led £o the resignation, namely, tho Chairman’s recent ruling that the secretary could not tako part in discussions at tlie Board meetings without the unanimous consent of the members present. Air. Ferguson has accepted the position of engineer to the AVellington Gas Company at. a salary of £ISOO ner annum, with liberty to tako private practice.