DOMINION NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2298, 17 September 1908, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

[Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 16. The Auckland Presbytery carried a resolution almost unanimously to make an overture to the General Assembly to take into consideration the use of some of.the manuals or forms approved by r other branches of the Presbyterian Church, or to take steps for the’production of a special manual with provision for responsive reading or liturgical services. The Board of Education, after considering the inspector’s report with reference to the deficiency of pupils as regards history, resolved that the inspectors be requested to suggest some more suitable text book than Warner’s history. The first strawberries of the season came to town from Birkenhead to-day. NAPIER, Sept. 16. Richard John Cowles, -alias James Smith, wss sentenced at the Magistrate’s Court to six months on three charges of larcency. There was a welcome change in the weather during the n.ight, useful showers succeeding a lengthy dry spell. All hope of the steamer Aeon turning up having been . abandoned,Messrs Oran by and Co. have arranged! a duplicate order of Oregon. pine. A steamer is now loading at Vancouver, and is expected to arrive in the colony in about six weeks. The. municipal subscription library and freo reading-room at Port Ahuriri was formally declared open this afternoon by the Mayor of Napier (Mr. J. Vigor Brown), who expressed the hope that it would be a successful institution and ere long require to' be enlarged. PAHIATUA, Sept. IG.

A meeting of dairy farmers protested against the now dairy regulations, especially those requiring payment of .a fee, the construction of concrete floors .and: races, and the branding of cows. WELLINGTON, Sept .16.

A New Zealand Natives’ Association was formed in Wellington 'lastnight on the lines of similar associations existing in Canada and Australia.; The objects arc to inculcate a national spirit in tho New Zealand native born, to stimulate a high standard of living, and to promote industry, art, literature; and science in the country.

To-day the Wellington Presbytery resinned discussion on the Rev. Gibson- Smith’s book “The Cross of Christ.” A motion to overture the General- Assembly on.the matter was carried' by 8-votes to 5. Edward Thomas Hughes alias Savlo pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court to forgery. Hughes was last week sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for escaping from Point Halswell gaol, where lie was serving a sentence for forgery. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to tlie Supreme Court for sentence. The following is Captain Edwin’s weather forecast to 3 p.m. to-morrow; Strong winds to gale from the northwest, changing toward west -and south, west, are probable at all places northward of Napier and Wanganui, but from the south-east, changing southward.. thence to Timain and Queenstown, ,and from between north-east and south-east elsewhere. Rain is probable everywhere, with falling barometer.

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. IG. A meeting of grain and seed merchants' was held this morning to discuss the provisions of the Agricultural Produce Importation Bill. It. was decided that Messrs I). B. McLaren and C. H. Hewlett proceed to Wellington and represent the views of .the Christchurch merchants on the measure, to the Minister for Agriculture. In connection with the abnormal earth currents that were noticed on Saturday by the Telegraph Depart.lneiit, the director of the Christchurch magnetic observatory points out that on Saturday’s records of the magnetographs at the observatory, there is recognised a remarkable magnetic storm; Large ;perturbations of the earth’s magnetic field are shown from 9.24 a.m. until 6.30 p. 111., and after that time the disturbances were much smaller, the storm gradually dying away in the course of the next six hours. In general character the storm was similar to the great magnetic storm of November Ist, 1903, and though the range of the disturbance was smaller, the storm has, no doubt, been recorded at the other magnetic observatories dotted over the surface of the globe. The storm was probably accompanied by remarkable auroral displays in some parts of the circumpolar regions. DUNEDIN, Sept. IG. A special meeting of .the committee of the Chamber of Commerce was held to-day to receive a denotation with reference to the Agricultural Produce Sale Importation Bill. After hearing the deputation it was unanimously resolved to forward a telegram to the Premier, the Hon. R. McNab, the Hon. Dr. Findlay, and members of the Upper House, - arid Messrs T. Mackenzie, J. Allen, and Malcolm, M-P.’s, asking that consideration be deferred until such time as further information can be obtained and a more workable measure introduced.