THE WEEK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 11

THE WEEK.

THE BOMXBTXON. Lord Liverpool, tin* newly-*ppoißt«d Governor of New Zealand, amwad by the steamer M*lwa on Tuesday, V*& received by the AdminSefcra.tor (Sir Eobert Stoat), the 'Prime Minister, and toe Hon. F. 1L B. Ffcher, and vac subsequently entertained at Junoheon in the Town Hall by tie Mayor and Councaiote. Lord Liverpool proceeded to Wellington iiy train in the evening, »nd 'was eworn in next day.

The Auckland Harbour Board on Tueeday dfceuesed at length, the resignation* of traro awdstant . engineere, - Moaere Powell arid jilcKay, -who raised eeriooe questions regarding the m«jthod» of carrying out various Jjaxbpnr -works, and adopted this method of disclaiming responsibility for work carried out under existing conditions. The Engineer (-Mr W. H. Hamer) -presented a report denying ihe allegations made by Messrs Powell and McKay, and asserting that the organisation' of 'hie office was •thoroughly good. A resolution wae moved approving of the action of the chairman in accepting the ireagnations of Messre Powell and -McKay. An amendment fo? inveetaga'tion" of the charges was rejected, aa -wta aleo a further amendment to ask for a Departmental inquiry, iJie original motion being eventually carried, ried.

At the annual prize-giving of the Auckland Grammar School on Thmsday night the headmaster (Mr J. W. Tibbe) expressed the convietida that the majority of "free place" scholars are not in a position, educationally speaking, to profit by the work thai they are expected 'to undertake. The entrance examinations and the "work done subsequently had ■proved to him thai a number of certificated senior boys left the primary stage of our educational eyatem without accurate knowledge of any eingle subject. He. maintained that the standard of efficiency was too ]crw, and that there was in. th-e primary eebools a general tendency to ignore what need to be regarded ms the "fundamentals" of a liberal education, more particularly to neglect the teaching of English. The Rev. C. A. Watson, Vicar of St. Paul's Anglican Church, on Sunday night laet gave specific reasons for the wearing of Eucharisfcic vestments, and stated that under no circumstiancee would their uae he lessened or discontinued while he ■was vicar of the parish. A record shipment of 39,000 boxee of butter was taken from Auckland this week, 10,000 boxes being despatched by the Marama for Vancouver direct and 20,000 boxes were sent south for transhipment to the lonic at Wellington to be delivered in London. The adjoitrned inquest on the body of an infant found in a brief bag on the steps of the Northcote ferry tee on November 22 was held on Tuesday, and - a verdict was returned of "Wilful murder againe* some person or persons unknown." A sensational occurrence wae reported from Marton on Monday, when H. W. Urquha-rt, a resident of Wellington, and Leaa Gordon, whose parents reside in Marton, were found dead" on the roadside. The evidence given at the coroner's inquest went to show that- Urqehart and- Mise Goriion were 4nfa.taa.ted -with each other, tlu&t on learning he wae a married man β-lie attempted to"'break'off the intimacy, hut he persisted and ultimately - arranged an interview for the purpose ostensibly of exchanging love letters. The position of ithe bodies, and bullet wounds- evidently inflicted by a revolver found' lying alongside Urquhart, wfo-o had his left arm around the girl'e body, -told the story of the tragedy. The jury returned a- verdict of "Murder and euicide while temporarily insane." A fatal accident ■with a etrange eequel occurred on the road from Pahi to Papa.roa laet Saturday evening. Mr S. H. Sayers (Otamatea county clerk) was riding in company with Mr D. Dufaur, clerk in the National Bank, -wiem his horse bolted, and he >wae thrown, and killed. Dufaur disappeared* and for two days search, parties endeavoured to trace him. He eventually returned *b Baparoa in an exhausted state, having evidently been wandering in £he bueh partly demented as the result of seeing Sayers killed. • IMPERIAL, The Home Rule Bill baring passed through the committee stage, the House of Commons has this week been engaged upon another highly contentious measure ia the Welsh Church' Disestablishment Bill, which has made fair progress without material amendment save that I the Queen Anne Bounty, amounting to some Jl 15,000 i year, has been excluded from the operation of the measure, tflia with the consent of Government. The debates have been marked by a good dea] of acrimony. jir. jsun*r Law.aude a policy speech on Muiiuiiy lugnt, denning cue aunuae vi tne party tonuurds taritt' relorm. jie saiu ui*t -mc greatest pro Diem wiHi wiiiL'-h sc»tejinen were i<*ced wae now to obtain a fairer metnoii of aistnbuting industrial weaitn. lie oeueved tUat ilie remedy lay in 00-operauon assisted by a, fau - fiscal system. 11 the Unionista were entrufiCea \vitii power, he &ud, it was not intended to impose food taxes without tirst convening , a colonial conference to consider -the wuole question of preierential trade. Tlie question of food duties would only arise alter the deliberation of the coaxerence. Ihat was why he objected to submit the proposals to a referendum. The ideal policy was free trade wiuhin the Jiimpire. it was impossible to get it now with tbt colonies, although a system of preference would tend that way and would .ultimately end in that direction. Mr. JLaw promised that the proposed duties would be clearly defined before the general dec tkm. He hoped that it would be unnecessary to impose more than a dutj on wheat. If, after the conference witn the colonies, the duties were regarded «* unnecessary, they would not imposed. The speech roused considerable tiontroveray, and many, newspsyere accused Mr. Law of seeking to itipose the odium of taxation of food upon" the colonies. The Canadian naval questioi has«oot yet been settled, and the debate on Mrs Borden'e policy will last into they-Sew Year. It is rumoured that he the scheme to incorporate J£e spini .-of Sir Wilfred Lanrier'e proposals-by making the proposed gift a nb.clfenjrfvof Canada's na-»-y- The Senate with a desire to kill the bill. Kf it does, Mr. Borden will proceed to a-ajend it- upon the lines - of the English Ba-riiement (Veto) Bni. ' ■■ ■ j':,|&^ Mr. Anetei Ch*mbetten, .^amidng r *t Dumfries,.said t>.' ..- ; ad not seen hia ■way-clear to sufT" , J , jnpuleory trai»ing because ie« that it mee^/» aon » na 4&ecsliar problem,! rd, ™a?= brought **_ eil parties. - trate«-Jit all, but before V r ; J

"JSbe neeotiations for peace in. the TMBottd tare xn*4e no yiogrees during tRe week. The delegates mcV on Mont- j day, bat aa adjournment, was necessary- , to enable the Turkish delegates to inquire from their Government 'whether they could sit with the Greek envoys, that nation not having signed the axmiatice. Turkey )\pa consented, and the c negotiations should commence in earnest •tor&aj. There has been some fighting , around Janina, and both Turks *nd ' Greeks claim a -victory. It is reported that the Austro-Serb difficulty has been • settled, Servia agreeing to accept a, commercial port on the Adriatic, connected by * neutral railway. The ambassadors of the Powers have met in London, and are reported to have come to an agreemnt on the status ef Albania, and the territorial changes . which should follow the war. ; Portugal is in .a condition of unrest, and a coup d'etat is reported to have been planned against the Government. Troops are held in readiness in Lisbon. The Mexican rebellion has again been fanned in flame, and sbarp ajfhting ie reported at HuejuquiHa, 350 nriles |rom the capital, some hundreds being killed on each side. A railway disaster occurred in Switzerland on Tuesday, 25 being killed and 100 injured as a result of a collision. The wounded were under the wreckage for four hours, and many suffered great tortures. THE COMMONWEALTH. The Federal Referenda. Bills, authorising the Government to take referendum proposals to extend the constitution to enable the Government to control monopolies, hare all passed both Houses of Parliament. A strike of ships' officers is threatened . owing to the High Court having cancelled the award in the Merchant Service Guild's diputes, on the. ground that the dispute did not exist as an inter-State •affair. The men threaten to strike if their rates of pay are reduced. A massacre is reported from Papua, whEre a gang raided several villages aad murdered the natives wholesale. A punitive party has been cent out.