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Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 212, 5 September 1903, Page 4

struggle,

A forecastle hand named C. Pligh employed on the s.s. Hawea met with an awkward accident this morning. He was engaged painting the vessel near the stern post and was supported on a small punt. Without any warning the propeller was set in motion, striking the punt and causing it to cant up, the sailor being precipitated into the Avater. Luckily the propeller did not make many revolutions, and Pligh succeeded in getting on board a lighter alongside the steamer none the worse for his immersion.

Driving through Karangahape-road yesterday afternoon the shaft of Dr. Hardy Neill's buggy broke, with the result that the doctor and driver were precipitated on to the road, fortunately without injury to either .The horse carreered madly, turning into one of the side streets, colliding with a milk van-, and eventually came to grief opposite the Newton East school, tumbling on to the footpath. The contents of the buggy, lamps, rug, whip, etc., were strewn along the line of route.

The new wing of the Salvation Army Prison Gate Home at Epsom was officially opened this afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of persons interested in the meritorious work carried on by the Army amongst discharged prisoners. A number of people who arrived some time prior to the opening were shown over the premises by the staff officers.

At the Waitemata County Council meeting yesterday complaints were raised by Messrs. Macky and Bruce that carters of sand from Milford Beach, Takapuna, to Northcote and Birkenhead were cutting up the roads, and it was suggested that a charge of 1/ per load should be made on all sand so taken. The question was decided by Mr O'Neill giving notice to move at the next meeting that a wheel tax of £10 per annum be imposed throughout the county on all carts employed for heavy freight between May and September. A meeting of/reditors in the estate of John Blacir, contractor, was held yesterday afternoon, Mr Gerrard, Official Assignee, presiding. The following resolution was passed: "That a composition of 5/ in the £ on all proved claims against the estate be accepted in full settlement, that a deed of composition be executed accordingly, and that the bankruptcy be annulled, provided a bank cheque or other approved security covering the amount required by the Assignee to pay a dividend of 5/ in the £ and all charges incidental to the winding-up of the estate be lodged with the Assignee within three months from date."

We regret to learn that sheep depasturing on the estate adjoining Cornwall Park have been worried, and, in some eases, killed, by dogs which have accompanied visitors to the Park. The bylaws provide "That any dog found in the Park may be shot or otherwise destroyed." Tt * would be most regrettable should the trustees be forced to strinrrently .enforce this by-law. We would therefore urge the public to see that their dogs are under perfect control when entering the Park.

The Whangarei Chamber of Commerce has at last secured a telephone exchange from the Government, and it will be opened so soon as the residents make a sufficient number of applications. A meeting of Mr Charles Grey's supporters is called by advertisement. The secretary of the Auckland North Island Main Trunk Railway League (Mr R. R. Hunt) has received the following wire from Messrs Alison and Harding. M.H.R.'s: — "We mngi'-tulate the league on opening raii'.vay to ,Mntroa, and assure you that we shall not neglect any opportunity of pushing it forward." By way of following up the Presby-

tcrian Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Rev. W. Gray-Dixon, M.A., will to-mor-row evening give an address on "The Catholic Presbyterian Church md Its Future." at St.' David's Church. Khyber Pass Road.

i Attention is directed to an adnrtise- ■ ment in another column-referring to a lecture on "Trustees, Executors, etc.," delivered at a meeting of the Wellington Accountant Students' Society by Mr John S. Barton. A.I.A.V. The pa'__phlet i should be of interest generally. Ladies using the Vv'ertheim and Wheel- : °r and Wilson sewing machines will notice by an advertisement in another column that Lock, Upton and Co. have | a special artist and teacher from the i Australian headquarters, giving exhibitions of fancy work at the Y.M-C.A. "Rooms. j The residents of "Avon-dale will be : pleased to hear that the proceeds of the minstrel entertainment got up by I Messrs Ward and Co. amounted to £13, i and the money has been handed over to ' the secretary of the Public IfYil, thus I enabling the committee to pay off the I balance of their indebtedness. ' The Garrison Band will give a peri formance in the Albert Park on Sunday afternoon in aid of their contesting funds to Palmerston North. The above hand ha 3 always been willing to assist alt demonstrations and charitable obj'ifits.

In the course of Ids remarks at the welcome to the Rev. J. Gibson Smith to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wellington, the Rev. J. Reed Glasson (Congregationalist) expressed the opinion that the time would come when it would not be a question of nearness between the two churches, but one of union. The time for an organic union was perhaps not ripe yet, but in the meantime they could cultivate the feeling of fraternal regard, and he pledged himself to do all he could to bring the two churches together. Mr Gibson Smith, referring to this subject, later in the evening, said that if it Avas within his power at all to be able to help on this great cause he certainly would not be behind his brother minister in helping it forward.

Police Court proceedings to-day were brief. Mr. H. W. Brabant presided. Two first offending drunkards were ardored to forfeit a guinea bail for non-appear-ance, and Mary Friend was fined 5/. Martin Brady, a bright-looking bare-legged little feliow of about eight years, was committed to an industrial school as an indigent boy, to be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. Mr. Strathern, relieving officer, told His Worship that the boy was an illegitimate child, whose mother was dead. His father had deserted him, and he was supposed to have left the colony.

Dr. Barraclough, at the Yorkshire Society's dinner (says the Wellington "Post") took issue with those who state that poverty exists in New Zealand. Those who had seen poverty and the bitter struggle for life in the Old Land, he said, knew there was no real poverty in New Zealand. Poor people we had, but abject poverty we had none. The speaker had also heard a lot of the slums in this young country, and was told Halning-street was one of the worst specimens in Wellington, so he inspected the locality. "Why," he added, "Ham-ing-street would be a respectable street or° even an aristocratic street in Whiteehapel. From what I have been able to ascertain, slums in New Zealand are like the snakes in Ireland—they don't exist." This satisfactory state of things was largely due to the more equitable distribution of wealth in New Zealand. There was a level of prosperity in New Zealand which he believed did not exist in any other country in the world. If a New Zealander was not content and happy then he ought to be.

Mr James Jamieson, who has the contract for building the Christchureh Roman Catholic Cathedral, has just returned from a business visit to the hardwood timber districts of .New, South Wales. In the coarse of a conversation with a representative of the press, he' said he was much astonished to find that forest areas cut 30 years ago in Australia have on them at present timber almost ready for felling. This has not been the result of any artificial reforesting, but is simply due to natural causes, it appears that when all the marketable trees were cut young ironbark and other hardwood trees immediately sprang up, and replaced the trees that had been cut. Now that Australians are fully realising the valuable asset they possess in these hardwoods they are conserving their bush lands by thinning them out, and leaving only "the most marketable trees. Mr Jamieson was informed on reliable authority that in the space of 45 years a tree would grow which would give a beam of 40ft. or 50ft. in length. A bowling alley has been provided for the juvenile inmates of the Institute for the Blind, through the kindness of MrW. E." Hutchison, builder, who generously constructed an alley 25ft long and 4ft broad. Mr H- M. Siheeton, one of the trustees of the institute, when in England saw a bowling alley at the College for the Blind at Norwood, and having mentioned this to Mr Hutchison, that gentleman decided to make one for the Parnell institution. The nine skittles are connected with weights, whcih enable the blind players to set them up correctly, and the balls, after delivery, fall over the. floor of the alley and return by an inclined plane to the bowling end. A set of organ pedals for attachment to a piano have also been given by Mrs H. E. Bennett, of Parnell.

The Board of Governors of Nelson College considers the Government grant of £0 a year for free pupils at secondary schools too little. The following are the scholarships at the Roys' College at "Nelson:— Endowed, £50 10/, £24, £24, £15, £10, £C; foundation, £25 10/, three of £12, £10, £7, £5, £2; free tuition, thirteen of £10 10/. The Girls' College scholarships are: —Endowed, £50 10/, £12 12/, £12 12/; foundation, two of £12 12/, and four of £10 10/; free tuition, eight of £10 10/. About 100 pupils at £0 a head are expected. The fees are: —Boarding, £40 a year; tuition, £12 12/ a year, which has been reduced to £10 10/ if each term's fees are paid within twenty-one days. The endowments amount to about £1000. The principal of the Boys' College receives £500 with board and residence, and ■ there are eight assistant masters, their salaries ranging from £80 to £2!JO. The principal of the Girls' College receives £1300, with board and residence, and- there are six assistant mistresses, with salaries from £50 to £ 150.

A. branch of the Australian .Natives' Association is to be established in Wellington. At a preliminary meeting, presided over by Mr J. J. Callaghan, and attended by. a large number of enthusiasts, a resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr T. W. McDonald, seconded by Mr Marsh, that such a branch be formed. Those present were constituted a committee to carry the resolution into effect.