BRIEF MENTION.

Evening Star, Issue 8236, 6 June 1890, Page 2

BRIEF MENTION.

Madame Pommeroy, the famous Rheins vintner, is dead. Her private fortune ia estimated at L 400,000. Judge Denniston refuses to allow applications for discharge to be heard in the bankrupt’s absence. The ‘Press’ is responsible for this:— “ Recently the charitable aid officer In a country district was applied to for relief from a widow whose departed husband had received a showy burial. The friendly society to which he belonged had paid L 25 towards the burial expenses. Out of this, it was ascertained, the widow had paid L 8 for a coffin ; also the cost of a hearse and mourning coach, two new dresses and an improver, a widow’s bonnet (the latter costing 38s), four pairs of kid gloves, two pairs boots, and a headstone for which she was indebted L 4. Within a week of the funeral she applied for aid, desiring to obtain 15s a week, or rations value 5s and i money 10s.” The surplus of L 250, arising from the Jubilee celebration at Wellington, is to be devoted to placing pictures and books relating to the early settlement of the colony in the proposed public library. At the Wellington criminal session yesterday John Scully, unlawfully wounding, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. The recognisances of Albert Brimble (criminal assault on a child), who ia believed to have levanted to California, were ordered to be estreated. At Auckland Joseph Henning way was sentenced to penal servitude for life for an unnatural offence, and Henry M'Quarry received twelve months’ imprisonment for forgery. Richard Hicks, of Hawera, for forging a promissory note, was admitted to twelve months’ probation and ordered to pay LlO costs of the prosecution.

The Crown land taken up at the Dunedin office during the week was section 10, block 12, Mount Hyde, containing ten aores, cash price 17s 6d, to Arthur Joyce on deferred payments.

Tradesmen are cautioned that spurious coin are in circulation. We were yesterday shown a counterfeit half-crown which had been paid over the counter to a tobacconist in Princes street.

The Minister of Lands, who reaches Dunedin to-morrow night, intends to address his constituents at Wyndham on Tuesday, leaving town by Monday morning’s train, and returning on Thursday night. It is reported that Mr W. Hutchison will probably be a candidate for Dunedin City at the next election.

A hundred patriots recently assembled in a north of Auckland district to map out a programme for the general election ; but when it came to guaranteeing the sinews of war they could not raise LI "between them.

The late Mr Henry Davies, of Cheltenham (England), had a unique journalistic experience. From the first issue till the day of his death (fifty-eight years) he was printer and publisher of the ‘Cheltenham Looker-on,’ and of late years was also its editor.

Constable Walker reports only one case of drunkenness in the Valley district for three years and a half. How is that for a record ? In reference to the alleged expulsion from a North Island school of a boy who refused to stack firewood, the teacher in question writes to explain that the boy was not expelled, but only “sent home until his parents or the Committee, to whom the matter had been communicated, had expressed some opinion as to whether a child should first judge as to a teacher’s right te give an order previous to obeying it.” _ The Wyndham Farmers’ Club are considering a proposition to submit stallions to veterinary examination. The ‘ Bruce Herald ’ cordially approves of the main provisions of Major Steward’s School Elections Bill, and thinks Mr Gillies’s suggestion to the Union street Committee of a registration fee for those who wish to exercise the educational franchise is well worthy of consideration. “ Unfortunately,” our contemporary goes on to say, “ it would, we suppose, require an amendment of the Act before it could be carried into effect, and the experience of many years teaches that a majority of our legislators would almost as soon vote for the abolition of the honorarium as interfere with the Education Act j and, if the members of the Lower House were agreeable to any such amendment, the Lords would throw it out.”

Owners of dogs have been remiss in paying their registration fees this year, and quite a batch of summonseß are being issued by the City Ranger.