MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 19 January 1899, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

The sum of £7077 10s was paid away in stakes over the A.R.C. Summer Meeting.

Sergeant Ellison (now inspector) is to take charge of the Nelson and Greymouth police districts.

Inspector Cullen has received official notice that he will have permanent charge of the Auckland police district.

Inspector Gillies of the Thames has been instructed to take charge of the Wanganui and West- Coast police districts.

Inspector McGovern, who has been in charge of the New Plymouth-Wan-ganui police district for several years, has received notice of bis transfer to Napier, Sergeant Gillies, who was recently promoted to rank as inspector, succeeds Inspector McGovern.

There were fifty bankruptcies at Wellington this year, principally among builders, clerics and storekeepers. Last- year the number was 52, and in 1596 thirty.

At a full meeting of the directors of the Bank of New Zealand this morning, Mr Blair, Mayor of Wellington, was unanimously elected chairman.

The books of the Government Life Insurance office have just been closed for 189S and show a prosperous year. The new business amounted to £712,----000, while voids have falen to £408,000, the best figures for many years past.

Captain Chatfield has resigned his position as Captain of the No. 2 Victoria Ride Volunteers and Lieutenant Dickson is now in command of the company as senior lieutenant.

In the swimming race the Provincial Championship of Canterbury, 220 yards, was won by F. Truscott (East Christcburch. Time, 3min 11 l-ssec.

An old colonist, has passed away in the person of Mr George Henry Cheeseman, who died at his residence, Gladstone Road, Parnell, at the ripe age of 72. He was engaged in business many years ago in Onehunga, and afterwards was an official in the General Post Office, Auckland.

A very old identity has passed away by the demise of Major Derrom, who expired at his residence* St. Mary's Rd., Ponsonby. on December 20. at the advanced age of eighty years. For many years the deceased commanded the Auckland volunteers and be displayed considerable talent as an organiser. Personally lie was very highly esteemed and respected.

Miss Tolhurst, daughter of the general manager of the Union Bank, was married on January sth at St. Paul's pro-Cathedral. Wellington, to Mr Thomas Young,, solicitor. It was a very fashionable function.

Health permitting, the Hon. J. McKenzie will probably while in England (says a Press Association telegram) make personal investigation into the condition of the dairying and frozen meat industries, and the manner in which our produce is dealt with, with a view to submitting proposals to Cabinet in the interests of the producers of the colony.

Another attempt is to be made to raise the sunken steamer Tasmania, wrecked at Mahia Peninsula on July 29th, 1897. A company has been formed with a capital of 10,000 shares at £1 each for the purpose of acquiring from Mr J. A. Belk, of Feilding, the patent rights of an invention of his for raising sunken vessels by means of compressed air. With the 'aid of this appliance the company will attempt the raising of the Tasmania. The cutter Coralie is now on her way to the wreck to make preparations, and Mr Porter leaves Auckland tomorrow to superintend operations.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company was held Dee. 29. The report recommended the payment of a dividend of five per cent., making a total of nine per cent, for the year, and £152 18/0 was left to carry forward. The totals of stock dealt with during the year were:— 279,224 sheep, 373,831 lambs, 71 cattle, and 122 pigs. The report was adopted. The question of appointing two auditors, instead of one, as at present, was discussed, but no change was made. The chairman reported thatthe new works at Fairfield, in the Ashburton district, would be opened in February.

A meeting of the committee of the Auckland Regatta was held in the Waitemata Plotel on Jan. 0, Mr. A. H. Nathan in the chair. The following- officers were elected to carry out the details in connection with the annual regatta:—Umpire sailing races, Mr G. V. Edcumbe; rowing races, Mr W. C. Bruce; judge sailing races, Mr J. Ansenne; rowing races, Mr S. E. Hughes; starter sailing races, Mr R. S. Reynolds; rowing races, Mr R. Logan, jun.; handicapper for sailing races, the committee and Messrs C. Bailey, jun., and R. Logan, junr.; side-show committee, Messrs J. Endean, jun., and E. H. Montgomery; measurers, Messrs C. Bailey and R. Logan, jun.; auditor, Mr T. Henderson. It was decided that the course for the races be the same as for last year. Entry night was fixed for Monday, January 23, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., at the Waitemata Hotel. It was decided to call for tenders for the printing of programmes, to' be issued at noon on January 27.

Mr Thomas Mackenzie in his London produce circular, referring to sales made with the object of seciirino- a definite fixed price says that by many a buyers price is only adhered to when the market is unchanged or hardens, not when it falls. During May thousands of lambs were sold by New Zealand agents to Home buyers at 2/4 to 2/8 a stone for delivery, and though the market rose sixpence a stone sellers who adhered to their bargain did not benefit one penny on the rise as regards fixed sales, but when mutton receded twopence to threepence, assessments for quality are demanded, and commonly twopence to threepence a stone allowed upon large proportions of parcels sometimes reaching ninety per cent of the line. Thus shippers and shippers agents in London think they are doing g-ood business by accepting UI.JJ. offers, the bargain in many cases only holding good in the event of no fall. From a Home buyer's view it is ' Heads I win, tails you lose.'