AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 60, 12 March 1901, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

(Special to Times). Auckland, last night, “LADIES” IN COURT.

“I wish you to order all the ladies out of court, Your Honor,” remarked a prisoner on trial in connection with a rapo case at the Supreme Court this morning;

“ as I want to ask the witnesses some questions.” “ I can’t order them out of court,” replied the Chief Justice. “If they prefer to sit in court and listen to what they don’t like it is thoir own look-out.”

. It is a noticeable thing in the Auckland Supremo Court that during the hearing of divorce suits, maintenance cases, abduction, and other horrid joys, tho preponderance of attendance in the ladies’ gallery, and the frequency of the loafer, is always marked. Time after time Mr Justice Conolly has had occasion to rebuke the crowd of women that frequent the gallery to hear cases of this kind. Only the other day, during the hearing of a celebrated Auckland case with gruesome medical trimmings, Mr Justice Conolly angrily silenced many giggling “ ladies ” who wore the white dress of a blameful life, remarking that the court was always crowded to inconvenience on such occasions, and ho threatened to clear the court for the hearing of further evidence should the whiterobed ones parade their sympathy with either side of the case. RETIRING OFFICERS.

Ex-Sergeant Mulville, long and favourably known in Auckland, retires on a pension of £9l 5s a year. Constable Coolahan also retires upon a pension of TSS 8s a year. ORGANISING COMMISSIONER, Mr John Holmes, who acted, as Government Commissioner through Britain and America in 1897-9 S, has been selected by His Excellency the Governor as Official Organising Commissioner in connection with the forthcoming visit of their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. The Commissioner will visit the four principal cities in the colony to confer with tho local authorities and arrange with them the best form of. the receptions. Mr Holmes is a gentleman gifted with organising genius, and a remarkable grasp of details. No doubt his advice will be of much service to the community, and will help to make tho reception a perfect success. Mr Holmes is to arrive here to-morrow for tho purpose of arranging details for the reception of tho Royalties at Auckland and Rotorua.

THE TRIP TO ROTORUA. The latest arrangements for tho coming visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall to tho thermal region are:—The Royal party will reach Rotorua about Juno 13th. Some hours will be spent with tho Natives, after which the whole party proceed to Waiotapu and possibly to Wairaki or the Spa, returning via Rotorua to Auckland, whence they will embark and leave at once. The whole of the Grand Hotel, Rotorua, will be engaged for three days, and the house closed altogether to the public during its occupation by the Royal party and suite, which will consist of twenty persons in all. The hotel is to bo renovated and re-docorated. One apartment in particular will bo most elaborately furnished, and hung with the choicest silks, as a boudoir for tho Princess. NATIVE GATHERING.

The Native gathering is expected to be the largest ever witnessed. From far and near, they will come to welcome the Duke and Duchess, and spare no effort to make the event a memorable one in the history of Maoriland.

SEVENTH CONTINGENT. I am informed on good authority that the Seventh Contingent will not be ready for .’embarkation for South Africa for another fortnight, at least. The remainder of the men required to make up the Seventh Contingent from 300 (as originally intended) to 500 will be selected from different parts of the colony. It has been decided to form a Nelson company of tho Seventh Contingent, distinct from the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago companies.

OUR BOYS ON THE CORNWALL. A letter received in Auckland to-day by an ex-Gisbornite states that the troopship Cornwall reached Albany on February 15th, with tho New Zealand Sixth Contingent. All the Gisborne boys were well. Several of them had proved to be very bad sailors, but had been quite restored up to the time of writing. The veterinary surgeon was most assiduous in his attention to the horses. Notwithstanding the heavy weather the Cornwall had to contend with at times, only two horses succumbed, and they were committed to the deep. The men that were left ashore at Sydney had been sent on with the Now South Wale 3 Contingent by the Orient, so they will probably reach Capetown before the Cornwall. The Orient lias a greater reputation for speed than the Cornwall.