TELEGRAMS.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 125, 24 November 1906, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

[Pbb Pbesb Association.] Wellington, November 23. At a meeting of the executive committee of the Seddon Memorial Fund this evening the following resolutions were adopted:— (l) That in the opinion of the committee it is desirable to create scholarships rather than to oiect a technical university; (2) That subscriptions be invited from all parts of New Zealand for the purpose of creating a capital fund, the interest from which shall be applied to the establishment of scholarships, to be known as Seddon scholarships. The Habitual Criminals and Offenders' Act of last session was put into operation to-day for the first time when William Jenkinson Sparrow, alias Simmons, came up for sentence. He had been convicted the previous day of being found by night without lawful excuse in a house from which he had stolen ss. This man had 21 convictions recorded against him, and in 27 years he has spent 25 in gaol. The Chief Justice, after listening to a long speech from prisoner sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, and declared him to be an habitual criminal. This means that Sparrow will not be released at the end of two years, but will be consigned to a reformatory prison. Christchurch, November 23. An inquest was held to-day touching the death of James Gillies Mcllwraith, who died suddenly at the Rotherfield Hotel yesterday evening. Medical evidence was jfeen that death was due to poisoning by prussic acid, and a verdict was returned that the man died from poison self-administered. There was found oi the body of deceased a piece of cyanide of potassium sufficient to kill five men. and the doctor said he did not think it was right that such a poison could be purchased freely in a photographic shop, when restrictions were imposed in the case of the sales of poison at a chemist's shop. The coroner promised to communicate with headquarters on the subject. Stratford, November 23. The Wanganui Methodist Synod ccncluded its sessions here to-day. It was resolved, in view of the urgent need for church extension throughout the colony, and the embarrassed state of the Home Mission Fund, that this Synod pledges itself to raise one shilling per member throughout the district in addition t> ordinary contributions, with a view to all circuits and home missions stations throughout New Zealand falling into line. This, it is estimated, will raise £100 in Wanganui district and a total of £720 in the colony. A resolution was also passed affirming the desirability of constituting New Zealand a separate conference.