TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 110, 11 May 1910, Page 10

TELEGRAMS.

« £>ItESS ASSOCIATION.] FALL OF TWO-TON STATUE. AUCKLAND, 10th May. Some excitement was caused in Queerwstreet to-day as the result of a statue weighing two ions suddenly dropping from a height while being shifted. The efforts of a gang of workmen 'to move the great stone monument, which has so long stood out in the upper story of the Mutual Life Association's buildings, was watched by a large and interested crowd. The' monument was successfully lifted preparatory .to lowering, but the next hiippening was. entirely unlooked for. A •■esQunding crack like a shot from a revolver was heard, and then the great mass of stone came down with a thud. Fortunately it landed on its base, and by its . own - weight crashed through the asphalt and buried itself at least eighteen inches in the earth. No projections in the -lower ' story happened to come 'in the way, or the monument would have been turned over and the figures hopelessly smashed. As it is, the outstretched arm of the figure of the mother (who is pourtrayed as protecting her childien from wolves) was broken by the concussion, and one or two minor injuries of a like kind received. Otherwise, however, the monument, which is a valuable one, carved from Egyptian stone, was not damaged. The footpath had fortunately been roped off before an nttempt was made to lift the monument, so that no one was injured. HATCHES THAT WERE MOT POSTPONED CHRISTCHURCH, 10th May. On Saturday last the Rugby Union fixtures here were not postponed, and comment has been made in regard to the i alleged disrespect to the late King. In an interview the president of the union (Mr. G. H. Mason), who was absent from town on Saturday, was reported to have expressed regret 'that matches were played, and to have blamed the referees j for not stopping them. At a meeting of the management committee of tho union this evening, Mr. Mason explained that he certainly had expressed regret that the matches were not postponed, but the remainder of tht alleged interview in which he was made to place blame on the referees was practically ar invention of the writer. ANTIQUITIES STOLEN. AUCKLAND, 10th May. Some time ago the discovery \vas mode that one silver and two gold antique watches, valued at £300, had bean stolen from one of the glass cafes lin the Auckland Art Gallery. "IJhe I articles were part of the M'Kelvie collection, Ihs matter was kept very quiet, tho police being of opinion that it would be easier to bring the thief to book if no publicity were given. Detective Cox has succeeded In recovering one of the gold watches, and the silver watch, and to-day he arrested I Henry Vincent Bruning, alias Harry | Renaud, a fitter at Karangahake, in connection with the theft. CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. CHRISTCHURCH, lOth May. The local grain market is very quiet, the death of the King having temporarily suspended all but urgent business. Wheat is exceptionally dull of sale, no one seemingly being inclined to buy, except at prices that growers do not see their way to accept. The best offers from Auckland are 2d per bushel below what they were a week or two ago, and fears are beginning to be entertained there of Australian flour coming in. Oats are very firm, and only small offerings are being made. Cow grass and white clovei seed is now coming in, and for the former 6d to 7d, and for the latter 6£d to 7id is offered. Potatoes are firmer hi consequence of short offerings. MISCELLANEOUS. ' j _ i AUCKLAND, 10th May. The Auckland Harbour Board has deferred for three months the question of , enforcing compulsory pilotage. j DUNEDIN, 10th May. j At a meeting of retailers to-day, it was agreed that in future the King's Birthday (3rd June) be observed as a holiday, and that as 20th May next, the day of the late King Edward's funeral, is to be observed as a holiday, the usual holiday on Empire Day (24th May) be not observed this year. November 9th will now drop out of the list of holidays CHRISTCHURCH; 10th May. At the inquest on John Joseph Daily, an old-<ige pensioner, seventy-nine years, who died suddenly at midnight, a verdict of death from heart failure was returned.