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Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 18, 21 January 1905, Page 4

Captain Edwin's weather forecast for the 24 hours from nine thi* morning ie as follows: "Moderate.to strong ■westerly winds, glass risr. This being the 76th anniversary of the birth of King O>car of and ■Norway/, the Mr Sydney Nat.han. had the flag flying to-day, an example thai was promptly followed by th« othor consnVa.l*^. Messrs. Henderson and 'McFarlane have, received advirr that, the R.M.s. Sierra sailed from Honolulu at 10 a-m. on Thursday last in continuation of her voyage from 'Frisco to Auckland, one day behind time. She fs expected to arrive here on Monday. 30th inst.

An inquest, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Wm. S. Hutchins, who committed suicide by shooting himself with a revolver in the Central Hotel on Thursday afternoon, was held at the District Hospital yesterday afternoon, before Mr T. Gresham. coroner. The evidence bore out the facts detailed in our last, issue, nothing new being elicited. Thomas Mundy. an officer of the Salvation Army, stated that he had known Hutchins for seven weeks. He was not inclined to moroseness. and had never threatened to end his life. There was nothing unusual in hi? appearance when witness last saw him alive the previous day. Mr Speers.. licensee of the Central Hotel, stated that he spoke to deceased within two minutes of the commission of the deed, and he was then in a cheerful mood. Arthur Otley. porter, gave evidence as to the finding of the body. The jury re.turned a verdict, of suicide while mentally deranged.

A ease presenting some peculiar features came before Mr Macfarlane in the Balmnin Police Court recently. A man named Thomas Lewis sadd to He the first mate of a vessel reeentlv in Sydney HarlxniT. and holder of a. "master's certificate, was brought up on a change of disorderly conduct. No one appeared to prosecute, and the arresting constable could only say the man had been given in charge by a person whom he named. There was no evidence, and in the ordinary way the man would have been discharged sans phrase. But. Mr Reader said he was instructed to appear for the man in custody and to ask for costs. He declared the arrest to be part of a skilfully devised scheme to detain LewLtill the vessel was away, and to get rid of him without trouble. Mr Macfarlane awarded him £2 costs against the person giving Lewis in charge, with seven days' g..0l in default of payment. Lewis was, of course, discharged from custody, and left to look for his ship, which was, however, already at sea. Entries for the Auckland and Provincial Bowling Association turnament will close at 8.30 p.m. to-night at the Amateur Sports Club rooms.

Several wholesale firms in Adelaide have recently been victimised by a man who has used the telephone as an auxiliary. His method was to ring up a wholesale house, give the name of a. well-known suburban retailer, and order tobacco or other goods to be sent to Port Ad-aide by passenger train for a client, who would call for the parcel. In one instance tobacco valued at £20 was thus obtained, but was .subsequently discovered by detectives from a secondhand tobacconist, to whom it had been sold. The police are under the impression that the man. who for some time perpetrated similar thefts in Fremantle, has left Adelaide for Melbourne. The writer of the letter conveying the information to Sydney say:—"Possibly, the man may go straight to Svdncy. and try to repeat the "performance on some well-known house like yourselves." Wholesale houses, and also retailers, would be wise to bear in mind the timely warning.

The annual retreat of Marist Brothers in the North Island will be opened at the Sacred Heart College next Sunday by Redemptorist Father McDermott. of Sydney. Bro. Stanislaus, of the Provincial Order. Australia, who arrived from New Plymouth in the Rarawa this morning, will conduct the retreat, which will be concluded the following Sunday.

Negotiations arc still proceeding in regard to the English mail contracts (wires the Melbourne correspondent of a Sydnew paper on Friday of last week). Mr. Anderson, of the Orient Company, had a further interview with the Post-master-General to-day. No definite statement is forthcoming as to the result, but a Cabinet meeting is to be held next Tuesday, at which the whole matter will be considered. Nothing is expected until then. The Orient Company, it will be remembered, made two tenders, the price in each being £150.000, but the Commonwealth Government declined to entertain either, as the sum asked was much too high, and was. indeed, more than double that paid under the present partnership contract with the Imperial Government, which expires at the end of this month, and under which we obtain weekly service, through both the P. and 0. and Orient Companies. A rumour, which may or may not be correct, is current that, the Federal .Government is willing to pay £100,000, and another rumour is that there is now only a matter of £1000 between the negotiating parties; while a third rumour is that the representative of the Orient Company is coming specially from England to continue the negotiations.

The work of fitting a new boiler of H.M.s. Wallaroo to replace that blown to pieces as a result of the disastrous explosion at sea in January last is now being proceeded with at Garden Island, Sydney. The work has been delayed by a variety of causes. It was found necessary lo send lo England for a new boiler, which was duly forwarded by the R.M.S. Australia, that vessel, however, became a total loss at the entrance to Port Phillip Head in June last, and as a result the order was duplicated. The second new boiler arrived in Sydney about two months, and will be in position in the course of a few weeks.

The s.s. Pitoitoi will run an excursion to Riverhead to-morrow.

Everyone (says a Waikato paper). who knows the constable is aware that lie is a roiuwientious and zealous officer, but it miu *t be admitted that on n recent occasion his zeal got the better of him. According to the fact* as stated i n (h P Magistrate's Court. Naramawahia. a day or two ago. the constable had occasion to go to Waingaro to make inquiries regarding a fire which had o<-ciirred on the property of Mr Cyril Smith. ?<fr Smith happened to be at the residence of one of his neighbours. Mr Harold Bull, and the representative of the law and order called ibere. On arrival he found Messrs Bull and Smith at work trimming I he lawn with a scythe. It is st.atcd that he accepted the hospitality of Mr Bull, who was astounded a little later to receive a summons for working on Sunday, and Mr Smith al*o received a similar missive. The charges were laid under a section of the Act which provides 1 hat anyone who works at his trade or calling on Sunday is liable to a tine of £1. The defendants submitted that they were farmers, not gardeners, anil therefore could not be working at their trade or calling; in fact. they were only indulging in a little healthy recreation. The case caused a good deal of amusement, and His Worship with a broad smile dismissed it.

Some sensation was caused in the city to-day (says a Sydney cable yesterday! from the Governors secretary, asking for two detectives to be sent to Mossvale, where Sir Harry Rawson is staying, to meet the Melbourne express. There were many rumours, and a big force of police met the train at Redfern. It transpired that several thousand Treasury bills had been forwarded to Mossvale for Sir Harry Rawson's signature, and- that the' detectives were wanted to accompany the messenger in bringing them back to town.

The moonlight excursion tendered to the residents of Birkenhead. Northcote, and surrounding districts, by the DeAonpoo-tJ Steam, Feny Company, which had been postponed owing to an accident to the hew s.s. Albatross's rudder, has been arranged for Monday evening next. January 23rd. On this occasion no tickets will be used.

' A mcc.ting of the Council of the Auckland Sailors' Home was held in the Home last evening. It was decided to ; hold a picnic at Howick on January ! 30th, and to hold a special meeting of ' the council on Wednesday next to consider the question of improvements to the Home prior to commencing the I work of alteration.

A bright young Australian who recently competed for one of the Imperial navy cadet ships had to answer this question: "What is meant by the word 'Antipodes'?'' This should have been a "soft snap" for one who is an Antipodean himself- but to the amazement and amusement of his examiner he wrote: ''The Antipodes is a strange sort of wild animal." Yet the boy passed, because, like Jack Crossjay in Meredith's "Egoist-'' lie had other qualities which marked him out as a born sailor lad.

150 trimmed dress lengths from 6/11 each at Milne and Choyce's sale.—Ad. "Marion" Millinery Studio.—Sale of ; trimmed hats, toques, and bonnets, at ; greatly reduced prices. — H.M. Arcade, ! Queen-street. — (Ad.) Washing gloves, in white, black, and colours, at Sd. lOd. 1/. 1/3, 1/6 pair.—At Milne and Choyce's sale.—Ad. Oh, this sticky weather! I must pet some summer underclothing from the splendid stock at Geo. Fowlds', Victoria Arcade.—Ad. The best of all soaps for the laundry, j the bath, and every other purpose, is "Taniwba," distinguished everywhere for I its wonderful cleansing and lathering I propexti—.—Ad.