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Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 122, 24 May 1902, Page 4

To-day was the anniversary of the birthday of the late Queen Victoria. The day was observed as a partial holiday in New Zealandj the banks, insurance offices, and Mining Exchange being closed. All the other business piaces were, however, open as usual, and beyond ' the Takapuna races there were no special attrac? tions for the day. In the Commonwealth States Victoria Lay was ob* served as a public holiday.

. Mahuta's village of Waahi, on the Waikato River, has.the unique distinction of possessing a band of feminine musicians. This is a life, or rather whistle, band of eleven Maori o drls and women, augmented by the necessary male in the person of youth who acts as drumuwr. The ladies' instruments are long tin whistles, and the effect, with the addition of die. arum, is exactly that of a drum and fife band, rather highpitched, but sweet and pleasing, as. are aiso the players. This band is only recently organised, bnt plays exceedingly weilj and on high days and holidays it makes things merry in the village square at Waahi." The bands women are apparently picked for their good looks, as well as their musical abilities, for they are air rather'handsome girls, arid as they pipe away at '"Hold the Fort," or "Safe in the Arms of Jesus : ' (the last-named air is a great favourite with the Maoris) pr some dance tune, with their brightest yellow, or pink, or red, or blue "roundabouts" and equally gay gowns on, they 'make a picture besides whjch the, v p. din: ary masculine b .rid is prosaic in the extreme. When the Native Minister and party visited Mahuta's settlement this week the ladies' ilm ;bafid met.them,* played them up to the entrance to the village niarae, and then opened out into two ranks and played away on a popular hymn tune Maorified into quick-time as the visitors marched solemnly through. One of the members of the band is a rather remarkable looking girl by reason of her peculiar golden-reddish head of hair. She is a pure-blooded Maori, but is what tne natives call an "urukehu," a survival of an ancient golden-haired tinge in the Maori, a relic of some long-forgotten racial strain of Aryan blood which now and again crops out iri the Maori and the Polynesian. The band, on state occasions in the royal kainga, is headed by a Kingite retainer bearing a large white flag, inscribed with the legend "Itangimarie" ("Peaceful").

It is with widespread and genuine regret that the announcement of the death of Mr R. A. Lusher will be received. Mr Juusher passed away at his residence, Hamilton-road, yesterday afternoon after a long and painful illness. Deceased had for very jpiany, years been.. a resident of Auckland. When he first arrived in the colony he entered, the service of the Telegraph Department, and was placed in charge of the Mercer station. Later, he was at Onehunga, and subsequent; ly for some years officer-in-charge at Auckland. ) Severing his connection with the Department, he became associated with the Royal Insurance, and had for many years prior to hi.i fatal illness beer provincial representative of that., leading. English company. Mr Lusher took an active interest in public matters in his own district. Por a considerable time he was a churchwarden of All Saints', Ponsonby. Of a genial and kindly 1 nature, widely known and respected among the business community, the death of deceased at the not very advanced age of 67 will be deeply regretted by a wide circle whose sympathy, will be extended to the widow and family in their bereavement. The funeral left the late residence of Mr Lusher at two this afternoon for Purewa.

The business at the Police Court this morning, was of. very short duration. One first offending "drunk" was convicted and discharged, another who did not appear was fined 10/ arid costs. An offender whose last conviction was in 1898 was fined 5/ with the,usual alternative. Francis McKenna was fined 10/ or 48 hours in default for his second offence within six months, and Mary Lewis £1 Or one week in default for her third offence within the same

period

The Waikato River is in a flooded state just now, owing to the long-con-tinued rainy weather, and the lowr lying swamp lands around Mercer, Rangiriri, ai.d other parts of the Lower Waikato adjacent to the river are covered with water. Some of the swamps near Mercer, Whangamarino, and Rangiriri look like great lakes, the flood waters stretching for miles over the submerged tracts of rushes and raupo. Near Mercer the water invaded some of the whares and cooking-houses of the natives, and in several places the islands in the river were flooded. '

The entries for the ping-pong tournament to be commenced at the Federal Club Rooms, Wellesley-street West; on Monday night, close this evening at Messrs Partridge and Co.'s warehouse, Queen-street. Mr W. B. Eyre has kindly consented to act as referee throughout the tournament. Five splendidly appointed tables will be in use.

Our advertising columns this ■ evening .contain a manifesto-of the newly formed Society for the, Promotion of Bible Teaching in State Schools. This society, represents with practical-un-animity the opinion of the ministers of religion (other than Roman Catholics) throughout the colony. In some places, notably Wellington, it includes every Protestant minister without ex-, ception. The society, proposes to- en-; ter upon a vigorous crusade in favour of the introduction by legislation of 4nse ctarian religious instruction into the national schools. There are many, it is- contended, by the society, who are so dissatisfied that +hey are ready to prefer even denominational schools to the purely secular, system, but they believe this dissatisfaction would be removed by the adoption of the principles of the sor ciety. The society proposes that no teacher shall be compelled against his conscience to impart religious instruction, nor scholar to receive it. The lessons would be compiled, as was recently done in Melbourne, by a Commissibn, representative of the various churches, "and would be accompanied by printed questions.

Rates for Norfolk Island and Fiji (via Extension): Alternative rates on cablegrams for Norfolk Island and Fiji via Extens'xn have been fixed as follows: Norfolk Island, 7d per word; Fiji, 1/per'W^rd.

The relatives of Sergt. W. B. Jessup, son of ,Mr W--Jessup, of the General -Post Office, Auckland, have just received news of that young soldiers death. Enteric fever carried him off on 4th April last, at the Elandsfontein hospital. Sergeant Jessup served with the South African Light Horse and the Scottish Horse, and was with General Bulier's forces at the relief of Ladysmith. He was shot through the hand in an engagement near Stariderton, and during his long .service had many other exciting experiences.

Captain Hugh McKenzie died at his residence, Mahurewa, yesterday, at the age of 66 years. Captain McKenzie traded out of the port of Auckland for many years as -master of vessels engaged in the intercolonial trade. He retired from the sea some years ago, but returned after having been in the ship chandlery business for a time. He again retired a year or two ago, and settled on a farm at Manurewa. He leaves a widow and grown up family. The interment will take place at Mangere to-day.

Mr E. Bockaert,. of the. firm of Skeates and" Bockaert, has returned from the South, after having tested a Werner motor on a Skeates cycle on the West Coast roads. Though the weather was most unfavourable and the roads very bad, some good times were recorded. A run from Patea to Waverley, a distance of eleven miles, was done, in twenty-four minutes, and on the whole Mr Bockaert was very nuich pleased with the motor. He brought back with him an Esquimaux dog, which he purchased in Wanganui. It is one of the clogs left behind by the Arctic exploring ship Discovery, «rid is quite»_io»elty in this part of the world. There are only three of these dogs in the colony—the one P.wped, by Mr Bockaert, and two in Wellihgton, owned by. Sir Joseph Ward.

Our Waihi correspondent wires:— "Mr. Horatio Wahnsley, who left Waihi four years ago last March for the British Columbia, goldfields* writing to his brother here, says that since writing last he had read a good deal about the Uganda Protectorate, and in consequence had written to the Colonial Secretary, London, for particulars. Mr Chamberlain forwarded his application to the Foreign Office, which sent him Sir H. Johnstori's reports and maps. Mr Wahnsley' will probably leave British Columbia for Africa in about two months' time to settle in Uganda."

Donations are coming in steadily for the Ashford litter fund, which has now reached £53 17/10, viz.: Amount previously acknowledged, £42 2/10; Messrs. Kempthorne, Prosser & Co., £11/; Colonial Ammunition Company, £I*l/; collected by Mr A. Ramsay Carnie—Mr. A. J. Tapper, 5/; Mr. John Endean, 5/; Mr. William Hooker, 10/; W.H.8., 5/; sums under 5/, £1 1/; to sal, £36/; Avondale Brick and Pottery Company, £i 1/; Leyiarid-O'Brien Timber Company, £22/; His Worship the Mayor, £11/; Steamship Company, £3 3/; total, £53 17/10. Dr. Sherman has consented to lecture to the St. Sepulchre Church Club, and Dr. Inglis will next Wednesday give his first lecture to men on "First Aid to the Injured." Dr. Parkes on the following day will give a lecture to ladies, also at the Mercantile Chambers. Dr. Guinness had agreed to j lecture to the newlyformed branch L at Waihi, and Dr. Sjptt will attend to the class now being forfned at Onehunga. ....

By kind permission of the Commanding Officer of H.M.s. Ringarooma tbe amateurvari?ty troupe of that war vessel will next Thursday evening give a concert at St. George's Hall, Great North Road." The proceeds of the entertainment are to be devoted towards' assisting the widow and family of the late Mr J. W. Binns, of Richmond, Grey Lynn. The case is a Reserving one, as Mrs Binns has seven young children to provide for. As an opportunity will be afforded on Thursday night to have an enjoyable entertainment and at the same time aid the orphans, no doubt there will be a large attendance. *

At a meeting called at the railway station, Auckland, on Wednesday evening last for the purpose of electing a committee to carry out the railway annual social, a large number attended and a strong committee was formed, of whom Mr A. J. Bennett .eleefced chairman and Mr J. Warren secretary. It was decided to hold the social in St.. Benedict's Hall in "about six weeks' time. Various subcommittees were formed to carry out the business, and neither pains or expense will be spared to make this function, as in the past, a thorough success.