SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 36, 11 February 1904, Page 4

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) A SERIOUS CHARGE. KAIAPOI, Wednesday. The Maori, Hone Maaka Mokomoko, "was convicted on a charge of committing / incest -with his daughter, but sentence ■was deferred, pending the reference of legal points to the Court of Appeal. SCHOOL INSPECTORS' CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The joint conference of school inspectors and teachers continued consideration of .".he new syllabus tc-day. Most of the amendments carried were of a technical character. It was derided that regulations be introduced whereby any qualified teacher may be paid extra capitation grant if he give secondary education in schools out of reach of the secondary schools., and that, as a general principle, the work of small sehooß be lightened, not so much by reducing the number of subjects taught as by accepting a moderate programme u> studies other than English and arithmetic.

RAILWAY ENGINES COLLIDE.

' WELLINGTON, this day. ; Two locomotives, while moving to and from the water tanks at the UpP* Hutt this evening, came into collision, with the result that one was seriously damaged, thrown fvoni the track, and turned upside down, a fireman on tne derailed engine being considerably shaken.

SEPTIC POISONING.

DUNEDIN, Wednesday • An inquest was held to-day toiwMjJ the death of Mary Cook, a married **• man. who died in the hospital. J-» medical evidence was to the effect tna death %vas due to septic poisoning, was an internal wound, the reasonaow inference being that it was inflicted » an effort to procure a miscarriage, could have been self-inflicted, but *• more likely to have been inflicted by <*» other person. Deceased told a mea«»» man that she had caused the miscarry herself, but had been well coached * another woman. The inquest w*s journed till Saturday to secure J« •"" tendance of the nurse concerned- .