NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 280, 19 August 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

. (by telegraph—r&Ess association.) — —-4— OVERDUE. THE STEAMER AEON. Auckland, August 18. , Tho steamer Aeon is now some 20 days overdue on the passage from San Francisco to Auckland, and no tidings of her whereabouts havo been received. When.the Aeon .was last at Auckland she was in charge of Captain E. A. Downie, who was accompanied by his wife. The deck officers were:—Chief, Mr. D. Thomas; second, Mr. A. S. Leek; third, Mr. M. Lancaster. ' The- engine department was in charge of Mr. J.- Mirrott, with Messrs. H, Irving, W. A. Thornton, and M. Hastie. The vessel carries a.Chinese crew, including sailors, firemen, and servants, numbering about thirty, SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP. Wanganui, August 18. Whelch, the Akaroa sculler, telegraphs that he does not intend accepting;. Thoroughgood's challenge to row for' the championship of Australia. EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA'S BIRTHDAY. Auckland, August 18. To-day is the anniversary of the birthday of the Emperor of Austria and King 0 f Hungary. Tho Emperor completes to-day his 78th year. At the Austro-Hungarian and other foreign consulates flags, were flying in honour of tbo occasion. The foreign consuls and many prominent citizens paid their respects to Sir. E. Langguth, the Austro-Him-garian Consul for New Zealand. TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. •i jo run;-: " ' Dunedln, August "ll At the criminal sittings of the Snpreas Court Frank George Melhop pleaded gniliT on four charges of indecently assaStmg pupils at the Mornington School, and ttcis sentenced to two years' imprisonmeat ma hard labour. SHORTHAND BY THE BLIND. Auckland, August IS. When making a short speech at the Industrial Exhibition, the Premier spoke at the rate of eighty words a minute for the benefit of a student from the Blind Institute using ono of tho shortliand typo machines invented for, the use of blind persons. The boy managed to take his report easily. The reading of the notes was done entirely by tho sense of touch. Sir. Joseph used several long words purposely to test the student, which were afterwards repeated with accuracy and without hesitation. The Premier said ho hoped to see the shorthand students from tho Institute taking ; their place as' stenographers in commercial and professional houses. NEWS IN BRIEF. Dunedin, August 18. Tho Acclimatisation Society • recently ordered ono hundred little owls, and has now been advised by the High Commissjoner that 65 wero shipped by the Aotea, whiph is due at Port Chalmers on Saturday. The balanco follow in a week or two. v . At tho Policc Court, John Purcell was sent to gaol for twelvo months as a rogue and a vagabond. : 1 After a long spell of dry weather, steady rain set in- this morning. Hawcra, August 18. In tho District Court, before Judgo Haselden, two Natives, charged with perjury, were acquitted.