LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 156, 23 November 1896, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦ The Premier, who is at present in Greymouth, will be back in Christchurch on Wednesday. On Friday he will attend the Agricultural Show in Dunedin, and it is probable that he will return to Wellington on Sunday. Dr. Ewart, Medical Superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, left for Sydney on Saturday, on pleasure bent. During his absence the institution will be in charge of Dr. Greig. The quarterlj criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened and closed at Blenheim on Friday without a case for trial. Mr. Justice Edwards congratulated the Grand Jtlry on the fact, and in accordance with time-honoured custom was presented by the Crown Prosecutor with a pair of tf hite gloves. Out of a panel of 52 jurors sworn in at the Criminal Sessions this morning, no fewer than 10 applied to be excused. - Three pleaded deafness, two were over the age of 60 years, and three produced medical certificates. One juror had a milk run, which it would be inconvenient for him to leave, and the tenth had certain semipublic duties tq perform. All were excused except the two last-mentioned. The Secretary of the Marine Department (Mr. W. T. Glasgow) was interviewed on Saturday by a deputation from the Shipmasters' Association consisting of Captains Woster,. Banks,-. Croker, Bate, Marchall, Bowling, and Kennedy (Secretary), who protested against the enforcement of the Act of last session requiring that foreign-going sailing vessels built wholly or partly of iron should have their compasses adjusted before leaving New Zealand ports. The deputation asserted that the regulation was unnecessary, and that if it was enforced shipowners would be put to needless inconvenience and expense. Mr. Glasgow", in reply, pointed out that it was not within the power of the Department to interfere with an Act of Parliament, but he promised to lay the representations of the deputation before the Government, so that if necessary some amendment might be made in the law next session. A skilled tod Systematic burglar was unearthed at the Magistrate's Court this morning, in the person of a tiny boy over whose head there had not passed 11 summers. His name was Henry Marslen, and he appeared on a charge of having attempted to commit theft at the Empire Hotel.' He was discovered on Saturday systematically going through the drawers and boxes of the lodgers, and when arrested stated that he had been j-ent there by a bigger boy, with instructions to steal what he could. He had, however, done the business in such a skilled manner that had he not been discovered the suspicion would hate been that the rifling of the rooms was the work of a clever gang of burglars. When arrested he had nothing on his person, but he admitted having searched six rooms. It was discovered in Court thatthe-lad was an inmate of Burnham Industrial School, who had been licensed out to his mother living in this city. His Worship accordingly convicted the boy and sent him back to the school. An English mail consisting of 61 bags, which left London on the 16th October, will arrive here about Wednesday afternoon by the Mararoa, whioh left Sydney on Saturday afternoon. For some time past correspondence has been going on between the local manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Mr. T. H. Hanna) and Mr. Walter Halse, of Capetown, with a view to the opening up of a trade in New Zealand products with the Cape. Mr. Halse, who" Vras' one of the delegates tent to this colony by the Cape Government for ths purpose of ascertaining the ixtent of our agricultural and pastoral rescources, is convinced that many of our jroducts would find a ready, sale it the Cape, and he has been making .inquiries on the subject from Mr. Hanna, who has supplied him with current quotations for stud sheep, draught horses, timber, and grain. A difficulty has, however, occurred in the matter of transport. The New Zealand Shipping Company could, it is believed, be prevailed upon to send one of its steamers Homo via the Cape, but it is understood that the freight would be as great as if the cargo were taken on to London. The Union Compan3 r has expressed its willingness, on payment of £3500, to send a vessel capable of carrying 2000 tons dead weight and 500 live sheep, to leave in February, March, or April, the lastnamed month preferred, and'will undertake the responsibility of securing a return cargo. Mr. Halse was only recently informed of the Union Company's offer, and has not yet had time to fully consider the position. The ratepayers of the North Ward of the Onslow Borough were addressed on Friday at the Khandallah Hall by Mr Durrell, who seeks re-election as Mayor. The matter of most interest in this part of the borough is improved communication with town, and replying to questions on this subject, the candidate stated that he would readily assist in the Ward raising a loan for the purpose of making a new road, provided it was laid off so as to serve the majority of residents. | Mr. Durrell was accorded a vote of thanks. The meeting was fully attended, and Mr. Curtis was'in the chair. The Committee of the Wellington Rowing Club has made the final arrangements for the art union which the club is conducting in connection with the Exhibition. The schedule of prizes shows a total value of £210. The tender of Mr. A. Linley has been accepted for selling the tickets in the Exhibition, where the prizes are on view, Arrangements hate been made with lit. George Norton fdr the supply of new plant, including two clinker gculling boats and a racing maiden clinker four, the latter to be ready in time for the Christchurch Regatta in February. The club's new racing outrigged four will be.finished at the end of the month, and the builder, Norton, proposes to place the craft on view in the Exhibition for a few days. While bushfelling in the Pelorus Valley last week Mr. George Pope, jun., probably saved his life by prompt action. The tree he was felling struck another in its descent and bounded back in the direction of Mr. Pope, who threw himself oa the ground beneath the shelter of alog, acrora which the tree fell. He was struck by the shattered branches, escaping with a broken collarbone and some contusions. Seven boxes of gold, valued at £23,000, were brought from the West Coaat by the Wa'inui last night, consigned to the National Bank and the Bank of New Zealand. Yesterday the Gothic took away from this port for London seven boxes of bullion, containing 61090z 17dwt, and valued at £20,457 5s 6d, shipped by the Bank of New South Wales. The Wellington friends of Mrs. T. H. Williams, of Nelson, will regret to hear of her somewhat sudden death. Although she had an illness some months ago, she seemed to have recovered and to*be in fairly good health. Mrs. Williams was to have left last week for a trip to Wellington, but she caught cold, which, after a few short days of illness, terminated in her death. She leaves a family of six, all grown up. Several heats of the Star Boating Club'i junior sculling race were got off on Saturday afternoon. J. Fairchild beat H. G. Lewis with ease; G. J. Reid defeated 0. Bendall by six lengths; and C. W. S. Cox beat C. J. Stevens by three-quarters of a length. Heats were awarded to C. J. Stevens (who was, however, afterwards beaten by Cox) and S. Harcourt, as their intended opponenti did not appear.

The following will supervise the second grade art examinations under the auspices of the Wellington Technical School, which begin on Saturday, sth December: —At Wellington, Messrs. J. A. Tripe, A. Loxton, and T. R. Fleming; Masterton, Rev. A. Yorke; Pahiatua, Mr. A. Fraser; Blenheim, Secretary of Education Board; Westport, Mr. F. Slee; Greymouth, Secretary to Education Board; Nelson, Inspector of Schools. The third grade art and technical examinations will begin on Friday, 27th inst. Inspector Pender has received information from Sergeant - Major Scanlan, of Palmerston North, that a boy named George Hy. Farland, aged 16 years and 9 months, was killed at half-past 6 o'clock on Saturday evening. In the company of two other boys, ho was galloping a horse along the road two miles from Palmerston, when his horse stumbled and fell, rolling over the boy and killing him. An inquest is being held this morning. The boy's parents live in Palmerston. Christopher J. Bolstead, builder, of Newtown, was to-day adjudged bankrupt. A church parade of the Wellington College Cadets took place yesterday. There was an excellent muster, under Capt. Ward and Lieut. M'Kenzie. An appropriate sermon was preached at St. Peter's by the Rev. Mr. Johnston. The boys, who marched with great steadiness, were played to and from church by the Garrison Band. Mr. Recknagel, of the Mines Corporation of New Zealand, who went over to the Wakainarina to inspect the Golden Bar Mine, which is under offer to that company, has returned to Wellington, and expresses himself pleased with the appearance of the property." " Mrs. Mary Harris, a resident of Majori-banks-street, slipped on the wharf last night and broke her ankle. Her injury was attended to by Dr. Pollen at his surgery. The Palmerston North school children are to make an excursion to Wellington on Friday, in order to visit the Exhibition. Arrangements have been made to take them, round the harbour in the afternoon. A four-roomed unoccupied cottage at Picton, owned by Mrs. Isabella Atkinson, and insured in the Norwich Union office for £100, was destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. Mr. Justice Edwards will sit in Chambers to-morrow. Whether or not the absence of a bar at the Exhibition induces excessive drinking when the visitor gets outside, there was an unusually large number of sobered inebriates Waiting in the police cells this morning to be dealt with. Eight of them, of whom two were women, suffered the usual penalty of the first offender, while Timothy O'Keefe, John Jansen, and Mary Mahony were each fined 10s, or, in default, sentenced to 48 hours' imprisonment. A seaman named Chas. Kleefish appeared on a charge of having stolen a pair of boots, the property of a shipmate on the s.s. Star of England named David Murray. Accused admitted pawning the articles, but asserted that they had been given him by another sailor on the vessel. He was accordingly remanded till the 2nd of December, when the ship will again be in port.. A man named Arthur L. Stevens, who was employed as a waiter at the Royal Hotel, but was afterwards dismissed, pleaded Guilty to the theft of a number of articles, valued at £2 10s, belonging to the head waiter of Jhe hotel, Cowley E. Clark, as well as of a counterpane and a towel belonging to George Ross, the licensee. It appeared that the things were taken from the room of the head waiter, and that the accused was drunk at the time. He was remanded till the 30th inst. for the report of the Probation Officer. A prohibition order Was issued against David Bowie, to apply to Wellington and suburbs for 12 months. Entries for the Junior Fours and Senior Pair club competitions of the Wellington Rowing Club close at the boathouse on Wednesday, at 6 p.m. At the Church of England, Kilbirnie, yesterday afternoon, a children's flower service was held, when the Rev. Mr. Monckton gave a suitable address. At the conclusion the children, who were each provided with a bouquet of flowers, thoughtfully took them to the Hospital and presented them to the inmates of the children's ward. We desire to acknowledge with thanks from Mr. Hurcomb, fishmonger, of Cubastreet, of a box of his smoked herrings, which are excellent in flavour, and are sure to be much appreciated by purchasers. We can recommend them as a most acceptable breakfast relish. A striking example of how fires do sometimes occur was given at Mr. Rogers's hotel, Greytown, kst week, when, pays the Masterton Daily Tlines,a party of Masterton cyclists noticed that a mat behind a cut-glass water-bottle was on fire. The cause of the fire was simply the sun shining through the glass, and "the rays were so concentrated that paper was easily set on fire in a few seconds. This should be a lesson to people not to leave water bottles too near a window, in case of an accident. | The art union in connection with the Wellington Horticultural Society will be drawn at noon on Wednesday at Mr. E. C. Batkin's, tobacconist, Lambton-quay. The time for receiving entries for the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club's meeting is extended by advertisement to the 24th inst., at 6 p.m. Our readers are reminded of the " social" to be held this evening at the Salvationist Citadel in Vivian-street. The rehearsal this evening for the ladies of Mr. Maughan Barnett's Musical Society will be held in Mr. Hill's Rooms, Exchange Buildings, instead of at the Dresden Rooms. Miss Ringwood, well known in connection with her gymnasium and with massage, has 'returned to Wellington to resume massage treatment, which has now become so popular. We publish an advertisement elsewhere. Messrs. A. G. Tame & Co. notify that, owing 1 to the races and the Mayoral olection taking place on Wednesday next, they have altered the date of their sale of vehicles, harness, and drays to Thursday at 11 o'clock. Mr. W. P. Shortt continues to-morrow, at 11 o'clock, his sale of furniture, and on Wodnosday, same time and place, a stationer's stock-in-trade. The goodwill and furniture of a centrallysituated boarding-house is offered for private sale by Messrs. A. G. Tame & Co. Messrs. George Thomas & Co. sell tomorrow, at HiLUstreet, superior household furniture. Messrs. A. Gr. Tame & Co. sell to-morrow, at Lower Hutt, stock. &o. i

The annual distribution of gifts has once again been begun afcTe Aro House, and until farther notice all purchasers of 103 worth and upwards at that well-known establishment will receive a handsome present varying in value with the amount of their purchase. The great popularity of these gift fairs has been abundantly proved in past years, and we feel suro that, attention having been called to this year's prosent-giving, throngs of customers will hasten to participate in the benefits now being dispensed atTe At 0 Houso. It may bo said at onco that the presents themselves are greatly superior to anything jof the kind previously offered. A special shipment of goods has been recaived from England, amongst which have been included innumerable novelties. Ornaments, bric-a-brac, toys, and useful articles of evory description are comprised in the shipment, and it tfill bo a strange taste that can find nothing suitablo in the assortment. Special linos are advertised as aft additional attraction, and everything points to a big boom during the progress of the annual Gift Fair at Te Aro Home,