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Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 93, 23 April 1891, Page 4

To-day we publish our customary sum* mary of news for transmission by the San Francisco mail leaving here on Saturday next. The budget of news is again exceptionally heavy, occupying about five pages, and to afford the necessary ppace for ifc we have again issued a special supplement. The summary is a very complete and exhaustive one, and the matter Doing arranged in an interesting and readable form, the edition will be found valuable for seeding , to frienda at a distance. No additional charge is piade for tb c increased size of the paper. Only » limited number of extra papers will be printed and thoaS desiring to mail the edition to friends in the old country and elsewhere should secure their copies at once. ■ • •■•-••■ -

The Hon. G. McLean, Chairman of Directors of the Union Steamship Company, arrived in the Manukau by the s.s. Gairloeh yesterday afternoon. He leaves for Sydney in the mail steamer Alariposa, due to-morrow. In conversation with one of our representatives this morning , , Mr McLean stated that the object of hia visit to Australia was to endeavour to put tho present San Francisco mail service on as satisfactory a footing ai possible, and to popularise the route among intending passengers Mr McLean has hopes that Canada~-«uJUL._-branch the present service at Honolulu before long. The recent amalgamation of the Tasmanian Steamship Company with the Union Company is completed, excepting that the sanction of the shareholders is yet required. After visiting Melbourne, -Mr McLean returns again to Dnnedin.

To-day is St. 'George's Day, but the festival has been celebrated in a quiet manner so far as Auckland is concerned. The banks, insurance and law offices have been closed, but beyond this and a crickeb match that is proceeding in the Domain there has been no other public observance.

The Brokers' Association closed at one o'clock to day in honour of England's patron saint St. George. The last meeting for quotations was at noou. During the whole of this week thereh as been very little business afc the Police Court. This morning there were only two inebriates, who were dealt with by Mr H. W Bishop, E.M. One being a firso offender was fined 5s or 24 hours in default. The other was a mere youth named James Robertson. He pleaded guilty to having been drunk, and was fined 60s, or 7 days hard labour in default.

M r Dβ Castro, Chairman of the New Zealand Electrical Syndicate, met the members of the City Cou.ncil at a special meeting last evening, and explained at length hie proposal for lighting the city of Auckland by eloctricity. Hβ estimated that the cost of doing so in an efficient way by means of from 2Q to 25 towers, containing from 100 to 120 arc lamps,would be about £2,400 per annum by mean* of overhead wires. Underground wires, ho said, in reply to a question, would coat live or six times as much for the wiring as the overhead system, but of course the actual cost of other plant and lighting would not be increased. Some discussion took place on the subjuct) of overhead wires. Mr De Castro insisted that with the supervision proposed there would be practically no danger. As copies of the Bill proposed to be submitted to Parliament were not ready for consideration, no decision was arrived at, and further consideration was deferred pending the report of the Council's solicitor upon the Bill.

Ab the Resident Court, Chriefcohureh, yesterday, Frances Inds, brewer, was fined £20 for a breack of Trade Marks Act by gelling colonial porter in bottles with English labels.

We learn on inquiry from Dr. Wilkini that Colour-Sergeant Taylor, who met with a serious accident at the sham-fight on Tuesday night, is doing very well. This morning he was able to see objects placed before his eyes, and there ie reason to hope that his eyesight will be saved.

A case of more than ordinary interest was heard at tho Native Land Court »b Rotorua yesterday. Taekata te Tokolhl appeared as applicant on behalf of two Maori minora to be appointed successors to the deceased Nirimona Pini, and entitled to the section of land en which Lake House is buills. Mrs R. Graham appeared as an objector, and gave evidence to the effect that a will had been made in her favour by Nirimona Pini in 1881. Taekata te Tokoihi cross-examined Mrs Graham, and stated the will (produced) was a forgery. Judge Wilson ruled that if such an allegation were, raised it placed the matter beyond his jurisdiction, and proceedings to teet the will would have to be taken in the Supreme Court.