THE REPORTED MURDERS IN THE NORTH.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 128, 31 May 1904, Page 6

THE REPORTED MURDERS IN THE NORTH.

A HOAX SUSPECTED. [BT TEI.KORAFH — MtKSS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 30th May. In a telegram to beadq^uirtors at Auek- ' -land Constable M'Cjirthy, of Kawhia, i>©ports that a man is said to havo informed people at Mivrakopa on Sunday morning thnt five mon had been shot at >k>kou river, over two days' journey from Kawhuu Nobbing has boeu heard of the affair either at Mokau or To Kiriti. The constablo thinks the nnnour ahoax, as there are no sottlers or camps between Mnrnkopa and Awakino.

Tlio polling for tho election of five Councillors to fill the extraordinary vacancies on the Petone Borough Council took placo yestorday, and tho result, as follows, was animncod by tho Returning Officer (Mr. Alexander Wdwler) shortly bef oro 8 o'clock last night : — John' Wakehaan, 450 ; WiHiain" Kidd, 386 ; William B. Nicholson,, 353 ; John F. Bowles, 350 j Walter Hill, 328; Louisa Raby, 306; John L. Morrison, 218; George Jones, 210; Edwin W, Woodhouse, 105. Messrs. Wakeham, Kidd, Nicholson, Bowles, nnd Hill were declared elected. Subsequently most of the candidate*) briefly addressed the electors, and returned thanks. The Pacific Lodgo of Druids hold its quarterly (summoned meeting laat night, Bro. W. S. Wceton presiding. It w»» decided to call a special meeting to discuss the terms on which tho Gsattd Ix)dgc of Victoria proposed to allow threo lodges lo join the North Island District. A lrea-rty • veto of thanks was accorded to Bro. Win. Tucker few Uie dftiuttion of a. gold trophy for competition by mevmbera in mtroducmg new members. Uhe nomination of oflicoits for tho current term remitted ns follow*: — A. 1)., Bro. J. Binglmm; V.A., Bros. D. MiSitviay and W. A. Pickard; Secretary, Bro. E. Bold; Treasurer, Bro. N. O. Binnie; A.D.8., Bros. T. Hearn, T. Boshec, and D. M*Qilvray; V.A.8., Bros. W- P. NWiol«m, R. Anderson, R. J. 8. Hardic, a»ul T. J. Furlong; 1.G., Bros. W. G. Mekfentn, H. J. S. Hardae, and F. Nichohon; 0.Q., Bro. G. Dixoti ; Minute Secretary, Bro. R. Haggertyj Auditor, Bro. It. M. rsnacs. Tho Initial Dramatic Company will iuterpret "Xho Ticket of leave Man" at* PotOrto on Thursday next.. Th© Viatefc CM> b;ill will bo liold in tho firudde' H*il to-ronrrow u\%ht. Tl»o nuwic will be supplied by Miss Hawthorn's Baud. Tbo. appointment of Dr. Marks to succeed Dr. Wilson as assistant house surgeon at tb* Wellington Hospital, wn» eontirmcd by the Hospital Trustees to-day. Only one person in Wellington was adjudicated a bankrupt during the month of May, uh compared with threo for tiro previous month. Tho sire- selected for the sterilising plant at the Blvft in (otates the Dunedin Star) t»t Green JPoint, near Ocean Bcucli station, on the BUtff-invw&u-giH line of railway. As at QtobuUu, in Auckkind, a siding ie to bo bud down to tho site by the Railway Department. Whatever portion of tbo machinery con be obtained m the coloay wiH bo ordered here, but the revolving spherical J boilers in which the- boncduet is to bo sterilised will have to bo imported, and tho order for tltene hns already been cabled. Thero will be five of thoso batten) — thnce for Auckland and two for the Bluff. Tho bonedust will be sterilised by etaun iv tbeso boil«ra, and will then bo dried in patent revolving driora. Six tons of bouedust way be treated in each boiler at one time. Mr. J. D. Ritchie, Secretary of Agriculture, and Mr. Laurie, tho eapert i« dbargo of tho sterilising stations, are on their way to arrange for tho erection of the plant at Green Point. After a personal tour of investigation to a*oert»ia tbo progress being made- on the Central Otago Railway lino construction, tfc> special reporter of ttw A4«xa»dra Herald says that there are about 120 men working on tho line between Chatto Creek and Ophir. At tho latter place the framework of the goocte 6hed ia erected, and the engine- shed is itearing completion. About twelve carpenters und painters are at work on tho station building, which, when completed, will bo a commodious und respectable structure for tho country. This building will bo finished in three weeks. Approaching this station tho sleepers and rails are being laid at the rate of ten chains* a day, and in a day or two the rails should bo lnia to Ophir railway station. Ballasting is completed to within ono mile and sixty chain* of Ophir, and, given Un.o weather, the ballasting should bo finished to Opbir by the beginning of July; but, taking everything into considf«.«?ion it appears proUblc tUt it will bo August o: S.*p-«>nibe-r bet oro tho lino :i> *pen !(»•• ,<ius.<ienpex traffic *» Ophir,