INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7369, 17 November 1898, Page 1

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(by telegraph.)

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

WELLINGTON. November 17.

Mr George Fisher has retired from the Mayoral election and. Mr Blair will probably be returned again unopposed.

DUNEDIN. November 16. At the Baptist Union the annual report of the Baptlsb Missionary Society was read byftho Rev. A. Dewdney. The general

income had been LllsO 10s, to which haa to be added a balance of L 96 5s lOd from last year. The expenditure had been L 1402 4s Bd, leaving a debit balanoe of L 155 10s 2d. The report was adopted. Resolutions were passed authorising the incoming committee to purchase sections adjoining the compound at Chandpore; that earnest efforts be made to increase the general fund ; that the Union sympa* thise with the Victorian action of a joint orphanage and boarding school, and request the children, through the Sunday schools, to raise LIOO for it; that sympathy be expressed with the agents in the field. Mr H H. Driver was re-elected secretary, and Mr A. Hoby treasurer of the committee of the Union. About) 150, including ladies, sat down to a missionary luncheon. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. I. .Tolly (Presbyterian), Rev. W. Saunders (Congregational), and Rev. Mr Laycock (Primitive Methodist). The Conciliation Board met to-day to deal with the tailoresses dispute, all the membeis being present. Mr Halley. for che tailoresses, said that the log had been prepared, and, with the exception of two items, had been agreed to by 35 out of 48 firms in Danedin and district. Members of the Union had a strong and decided objection to work with Non-unionists. Evidence was given by Miss Whitebourn, Secretary to the Union. W. Scott, as one of those opposed to portions of the proposed log, said the masters were strongly opposed to being compelled by law to give Unionists preference in all cases. Mr Crombie, for the other master tailors asked the Board to define " Bespoken order." The Board intimated lb would give its decision on Saturday. November 17.

Mr Ritchie, presiding at the National Insurance meeting, drew attention to the unusually heavy losses, which are over L 12.000 in excess of last year. The Melbourne conflagration, and the big fires la Auckland, besides minor fires, made the past year a disastrous one for insurance companies. In the marine department, the losses on the China and the Mataura were specially misfortunes. So far as the National Company was concerned they could congratulate themselves that at the end of the year their losses were only LIOOO on underwriting. They had to encroach on the reserve funds to pay a dividend, but the Board looked on last year's lossgb as exceptional. Everything pointed to a further reduction in interest, as the rate was lower and investments more difficult than ever. This was unfortunate, as they preferred the greater part of the dividend coming from investments rather than depending on the fluctuating results of underwriting. Regarding State insurance, it was very unsettled and disquieting that such legislation should be threatened yearly, and it was not compatible with the Premier's shrewdness in matters of finance, seeing that insurance companies contributed so largely to the consolidated fund. The National alone contributed L 2200. • The Waihora was floated off last night and will resume her voyage this afternoon.

AUCKLAND,

November 16,

At. the Police Court two bookmakers named Alexander Phillips and Roberb Cleland were fined L 5 and coats for betting with infants on the Ellerslxe racecourse at the last spring meeting. Thomas Bowan, George Laurence, Arthur Liley, William Kelley, Ernest Kelly, William Thornton, and Robert Johnston (lads) were fined 3s and coats 9s for making bets on behalf of persons whom they knew to be infants. Rhoda Parker, a woman, wa» also similarly fined for a like charge. Samuel Lindsay was fined Lt, and costs 9<j. on a similar charge. In two charges of betting with infants against Alfred E. Glover, sonr., one case was dismissed. In the other cases, in conjunction with Hugh Glover, judgment was reserved. James Hartley, the missing secondhand dealer, who left Motufcapu in an open boat for Auckland, on the 6th inst., is believed to be drowned. An effort is being made by Messrs Bell and Rountree, settlers, of Sunday Island, in the Kermadec Group, to develop the resources of that island, and the schooner Croydon Lass, now at AuckUnd, is to proceed shortly to Sunday Island, under Captain John Austin, and thence to Nivo (Savage Island) in order to procure native labor for the cultivation of sub-tropical fruit, maize, etc., on Sunday Tsland, for export to Auckland. The New Zealand Talisman return Is a record one. During October the mill worked 24 days and crushed 874 tons of ore for 5025cz of bullion, valued at L 3.738 10s, at the rate of L4ss 6d per ton. The Woodstock also showed an improved return. In all 1000 tons of ore were crushed and treated for bullion valued at L 2367 during the month. The New Zealand crushed and treated 2700 tons for bullion valued at L 5194, which is an improvement on the previous month, and the mine Is said to be opening up splendidly. The Waitekauri also get another record return; from 1777 tons of ore the yield of L 6075 was obtained.

CHRISTCHUROH. November 17,

Two lads, while carting sand from a section at Dalllngton, yesterday, discovered the skeleton of a man burled about three feet deep in the sandhill. It ia thought probable that the bones are those of a man named Vennall who lived in the locality and whose disappearance, some twenty years ago, created a remarkable sensation. There was a suspicion of foul day regarding the disappearance of the man, and, though strenuous efforts were made to trace him, they were unsuccessful. The possibility of the skeleton being that of "Vennall has thus resurrected a long-buried mystery. A meeting of the committees of the Industrial and A. and P. Associations laßb night resolved to form a limited liability company for the purpose of ereoting a hall, to be entitled the Canterbury Agricultural and Industrial Hall. The ninth annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association was held last night. Sir Robert Stoub was elected President, and the Presidents of affiliated clubs were elected VicePresidents. Consuls: Messrs J. F. Pnllen (Wellington), A. E. Epgleton (Hawke s Bay), A. Franois (Canterbury), A. H. Phillips (N.S.W.), E. A. Morris (Queensland). The 100 yds championship was allotted to the Wellington Club. Th# allocation of the rest of the championships was referred to the executive, the North Island clubs to have the preference, If possible.