MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 308, 30 December 1891, Page 7

MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Harbour Board bonds to the I value of £121,600 were sent through by the s.s. Monowai to England via 'Frisco, for loan conversion purposes. Bush and grass fires at the western corner of Palmerston North ate spreading rapidly. Two houses on the outskirts of the town have fallen a prey to the flames. Mr W. H. Levin's promised donation of £1,000 to a, fund for purchasing books for the Wellington Free Library has been paid to the City Treasurer.. The foundation stone of the building was laid on Dec. 16. At a meeting of Jewish residents at Wellington to form a committee to aspisb their distressed co-religionists in Russia, about £200 was collected in the room. The chairman, Mr Jacob Josephs, subscribed 100 guineas. Hon. A. J. Cadman and Mr F. Lawry, M.H.R., arrived at Hunterville from Wanganui on December 9, and were met by Mr Hursthouse, Government Engineer, from Kihikihi, at the Auckland end of the Main Trunk line. They then rode over the Central route. Mr Cadman mef with an accident, bruising his ribs, but fortunately not breaking any bones. j At a meeting of the Wellington Hospital trustees, it was stated that the daily expense of maintaining patients is lower there than in any other large colonial hospital, except that at Christchurch, where tho cost is about ljd per head less. The trustees recommended that additions to tlie Hospital to the cost of £5,000 should be proceeded with. Mr Percy Smith', Surveyor-General, Mr Gray, Secretary of the Post Office, and Mr Crombie, Property Tax Coix>:x>isMioner, the Board appointed to inquire into charge? against the Rev. De Castro, formerly of tho Public Trust Office, mot on Dec. 10. Only Mr De Ca&bro's evidence was taken, and the Board adjourned sine die. The '' Wairarapa Daily " states that the wheat crop around Masterton, especially in tho Makora and Lower Manaki, ia being destroyed in a wholesale manner by a small black grub, a little pest which is not unlike a maggot in appearance. It attacks wheat at the root, and works its way up the stem until it completes the work of demolition. The grub has only lately been discovered. A most excellent half-length life-size portrait of Sir George Gtey will in all probability shortly be exhibited at the Art Gallery. The picture, which is painted by Mrs C'apt. Mair (nee Miss Sperrcy), is at present under care of Mr Cheeseman, of the Auckland Institute. It was forwarded him by Major Mair, with n requefit that he would write or interview the City Council, and on behalf of j himself (Capt. Mair) and the artist, offer it for exhibition in the Auckland Art Gallery. "King" Tawhiao, who recently left the Upper Waipa, and passed through Hamilton with several of his followers, including one of his wives and a daughter, for Hukanui, has made a somewhat prolonged visit to Otorohanga and other parts of the King Country, advising the natives to hold on to the land and neither Eell nor lease. His latest religious idea is that the dead for some generations back will rise again, and the whole of the lands taken from the natives will come back to thorn again. Chew Chong writes to the " Taranaki Herald" that he has a cure for la grippe. He says this disease is well known in China, and proved to be a skin disease. By means of a needle in the hands of one who has seen the operation the parasite can be easily taken lrom the body of a person. Tho worst cases of la grippe can be relieved in a few minutes. He further offers to cure anyone coming to him without recompense, as his desire is to relieve all who are ill. He says if anyone ie so ill, and doctors have given them up, he will be most happy to try oven at the eleventh hour if his treatment will uofc effect, a speedy cure and so save a life. A very lively shock of earthquake vva 8 felt at Wellington at 4.40 a.m. on Deciem' ber 4th. The first shock was succeeded by another much worse, which startled people out of their beds. Inquiries have not elicited any damage in town, though it is generally agreed that it was the smartost quake for some years. Telegrams from YVoodviL'e, Master ton, Feilding and other places on the West Coast also report a severe shock, but no damage, except some chimneys thrown down at Alfrodtown. A sharp shock was felt at Napier at 4.35 a.m. At Wanganui a protracted earth tremor was felt about 4.40 a.m. The annual meeting of the Auckland Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Dog Association was hold on Dec. 28. The balancesheet showed that tho assets amounted to £125 3s 10d, and the liabilities of members £25, leaving a credit balance ot £100 3s 10d. There were debit balances totalling some £27 on the last poultry and dog shows. The report was adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows : - President, Mr A. Kidd ; vice-presidents, Messrs W. H. Cooper and E. Hay wood : committee, Messrs F, Holmes, W. Waddel, T. Shewring, T. McEwin, T. Bach, E. J. White, C. A. Fawcett, Tho3. Phillips, G. Towler, and A. A. White. At the termination of the business Mr Grainger was presented with a handsome marble clock by Mr Kidd, en behalf of the Association, as a memento to remind him of his connection with the Society. On bis motion it vas a!: 5 o resolved : " Thab Mr Grainger be elected a life member with all the privileges of membership, and that the committee be empowered to obtain a medallion recording that fact." On Dec. 15 a special general meeting of members of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation was held in the Jewish Synagogue, Princea-streei), in order to consider some practical means of aiding the distressed Jews who are at present s.itiering from autocratic persecution in Russia. Mr L. D. Nathan presided. A letter was read from the Chief Rabbi in London, and aleo one from the Russian Jews Committee, of London, asking for pecuniary assistance from Jewish conipatrioba in New Zealand to alleviate the ."ufferings of members of the faith in linssia ami tho.-se exiled from that country. A subscription list was .started in the room, with tho satisfactory result that the sum of £114 was collected. A committee consistin* of Me*-re I. Phillips, I. Alexander, L. D. Nathan, and H. N. Gold water, was appointed to collect further subscriptions. Offers lo assist in promoting an entertainment in aid of the cause were also made by Messrs L. L\ Nathan, ¥. E. B.iume, A. Myers, and I. Alexandsr, who were given power to add to their rn'Oiber.

Alfred Wm. Crofb, late Deputy Official Assignee at Gisborne, appeared afc the Gisborne Police Court on Dec. 16 on eighb charges of embezzlement of moneys totalling £132. Four charges were heard, aocused being committed for trial on each. Auckland Supreme Courtdidnot conclude before a quarter-pasc ten p.m. On December 4 in the indictment againsb Edward McGinley for unlawfully wounding John Donaldson at Kawakawa. After an hour and a quarter's deliberation the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty and the accused was discharged.' McGinley was defended by Mr J. A. Tole. This concluded the criminal sittings. Tenders are to be called in a fow days for the Te Aro Railway extension, Wellington. Ivlr.R. \V. Holmes, resident engineer in Wellington, is to take charge ot the works at the south end of the Trunk Railway, exchanging places with Mr G. L. Cork nowstationed at Pultnerston North. The Paltnerston North office is to be closed, the now engineer having his head quarters at Helensville. The interprovincial Chess Congress wae opened at Robson's Rooms on December 29th, the tournament evoking a good deal of interest amongst local chess players. Play commenced ac 10.30. Thore are nine competitor?, w>:., Messrs F. Siedeberg, jun. (Dunedin , ,. J.. Hookham (Christchurch), A. J. Littkjohn and Bakewell (Wellington Club), R. J. BSlrnes (Wellington Working Men's Club), A. Ashton, Jowitt, Trimble and Malcolm, of the differenb clubs in Auckland. The players were paired as follows, the first mentioned in each caso having the first move: — Mr Hookh.-un (Christchurch) v. 'Mr Seideberg (Dunedin), Mr Bakewell (Wellington) v. Mr Littlejohn (Wellington), Mr Jowitt (Auckland) v. Mr Malcolm (Auckland), Mr Trimble (Auckland) v. Mr Ashton (Auckland) ;' Barnes, a bye. The time limit is 15 moves per hour. Holiday-makers in Auckland on Saturday were fortunate in their Boxing Day weather. The weather was perfect for picnics and excursions, and was in fact all that could be desired until about half-pasb nine o'clock on Saturday night, when a very sharp rain-squall passed over the harbour. A fine westerly breeze was blowing during the day. At Wellington on Saturday the weather was almost all that could be desired, the wind being the only drawback. SThe s.s. Takapuua was to have run an excursion to Picton, but she did noc leave owing to the threatening aspect of tho weather. A fair number of excursionists wenb to the races at Palmeraton North, and sports at Porirua. At Christchurch on Saturday the weather was beautifully fine till six p.m., when rain began to fali. A large number of persons went to the seaside resorts. The Pioneer Bicyle Club's races at Lancaster Park, and the Druids' gala on the old Agricultural Show Grounds, Sydenham, were largely attended. Holiday-makers at Dunedin on Saturday were thoroughly drenched by the rain. Up to two o'clock the day was lovely. A smart shower then tell, and was followed by others at intervals until 4.30, when drenching rain fell in torrents and continued till midnight. Since then showers have been frequent. The crops will be greatly damaged by being laid, and it is feared that rain will have dissipated the prospects of a bountiful harvest. The proposed reclamation of the great Piako bwamp was the subject of ati impiortant interview which took place at Auckland on December 17 between Mr W. A. Graham, of Hamilton, Waikato, and the Hon. J. McKenzie, Minister of Lands. Mr Graham's proposals were embodied in the following statements: — The area was supposed to contain 200,000 acres of waste marsh, and there was held at present about 45,000 acres by the Government, waste ; 125,000 by tho natives ; and dO.OOO acres held in private hands. The upper 150,000 acres was separated from the lower portion by an upheaval of pumice from east, to west about 20 to 50 feet high, probably upon a calcined sandstone core. It was proposed by private enterprise to ' survey it properly,, and complete plans and estimates. After this survey the promoters desire to undertake the drainage of the whole and sell it, when drained, in 100 to 200 acre sections. The main- scheme was to cut a canal across to the Waikato basin. : The public gain would be the throwing; open of 130,000 acres in small farms,. Mr McKenzie said the scheme opened up a very large question, but he promised to give it his most careful consideration. Ha would visit the locality in the end of January or February.