LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 326, 19 May 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A large number of Hastings "sports" left this morning for the Napier Park races. Important business is notified for the meeting of the Hastings Literary and Debating Society, to be held at St Matthew's Hall this evening. There are on view in Messrs Stubbs, Patterson and Co.'s window several oil paintings by Mr De Lisle of this town. The New Zealand views are well chosen and excellently done. The sea-scapes show talent and bold execution. At 1.20 this morning the fog horn at the Tomoana Freezing Works was heard performing, and smoke in that direction proclaimed a fire. A blaze was noticed by one of the workmen in the old office, and the alarm being given willing hands were immediately at work under the direction of Mr G. Cooper. Within ten minutes the fire was well under control, and fortunately the damage was slight. The work put in by some of the hands would have done credit to an efficient fire brigade, and it is due to their promptness that a conflagration on a large scale did not ensue. It is supposed that the fire originated by spontaneous combustion amongst a quantity of cotton-waste. A number of scrim bags were destroyed, but the damage is slight, and is covered by insurance.

This morning, before Messrs Fitzßoy and Beilby J.P.'s, Harry Stanley was charged with being in possession of a horse cover, the property of Mr Joseph Friichley. Mr Fritchley gave evidence to the effect that he met accused, who told him he could return him a horse-cover he had lost. The accused said he saw a young fellow putting on a large cover on a sm&,ll pony, and as he knew Fritchley lost a cover he questioned the youth, with the result that he satisfied himself that the cover did not belong to him and took it saying he would return, it to the owner and nothing more would be said about it. Mr Fritchley not receiving the cover brought the police round in order to recover his property, which was given to him. Harry Stanley, who pleaded Not Guilty, swore he saw a youth putting a large cover on a pony, and said " That looks like Fritchley's horse cover." The young man replied that he found it, and the witness said he would undertake to return the cover to Fritchley and that nothing more would be said about it. He pledged his word to this effect. He told Fritchley he had the cover, and would return it to him, but refused to give the name of the person who took it, and Fritchley said as he only wanted the cover nothing more would transpire. Afterwards Fritchley came to his house, accompanied by the police, and proceedings were taken against him. Cross-examined by Constabie Smith the accused said he would not tell the name of the man from whom he received the cover. The horse ws s a small one of a light bay color. He thought the cover was like Fritchley's because of its size. No one was present during his conversation with this man, and no one saw him bring the cover home. He would not say what the direction of the party's house was it might have been about a quarter of a mile from his (witness's) house. He brought the cover to his house about 10 o'clock at night. He did not pass any lamps or people. Hugh Campbell, carpenter, sworn, said he worked with the accused for eighteen months. Fritchley came down to where they were working, and Stanley said, " I've got that, Joe," and then went outside with Fritchley. The accused spoke first. Mr Fitzßoy explained to the accused that he had no option but to sentence him to a term of imprisonment if he would not tell the name of the party who took the horse cover, and he asked him to consider before replying. After thinking some moments, Stanley still refused to divulge the name, and their Worships decided to recognise the accused as the guilty party. Mr Fitzßoy said there were a great many petty thefts in and around Hastings lately, and an example must be made. Stanley was sentenced to a month's imprisonment in Napier gaol. It is stated that Williams and Kettle lose about £SOO over insurances by the Gisborne fire,

The Skating Rink will be open to-night at the Princess Theatre. The full programme of the Flood Relief Sports will appear in our Saturday's issue. Train arrangements for the Queen's Birthday holidays are advertised elsewhere. A coffee supper and social takes place at the Wesleyan Church to-morrow evening. The arrangements are complete for an excellent programme, and the affair promises to be a great success. The Napier Harbor Board has decided that the salary for the combined positions of secretary and engineer shall be .£4OO per annum. The harbor master is to be granted £250 and horse allowance. James P. Thomson, the enterprising draper of Heretaunga road, has received a big shipment of seasonable goods ex Rangatira. "With all the latest novelties, the prices will be found extremely moderate.

At the Tomoana fire this morning Mr Nelson, sen., was one of the most industrious in quelling the blaze. One or two of the hands who could find nothing to do were roused up by one of the foremen with the remark, " What a jolly shame, you fellows letting the boss work. ' The speaker was not killing himself with overwork when he made the remark. Another fire was discovered at the rear of Thompson Bros.' premises shortly after noon to-day. Fortunately water was at jiand and the fire was extinguished without any difficulty. A spark-catcher should be placed on the sawmill smokestack at once. Tradesmen cannot afford to keep a man on watch during working hours every time the wind is from the north or west. With the splendid appliances for fireextinction at the Tomoana Freezing Works, it is a wonder that a brigade corps has not been started there amongst the hands. This morning, although many of the workmen were quite unaccustomed to the practice some really smart work was put in ; but had the fire had a firmer hold there is 110 telling what the result might have been. The hands would only be too glad to assist in the formation of a corps, and there is no telling when important works such as Nelson Bros.' may be unfortunate enough to require their assistance. In the third round of the Auckland golf championship Pryde beat Gillies. Mr 11. S. Fish, M.H.R., is reported to be recovering from the serious throat trouble which threatened his life.

Mr John Smith was injured in the cellar at Newbigins brewery and not in that of the Albert Hotel, as was reported. The State school mid-winter holidays have been fixed as from the 25th June to 12th July. The rabbit-freezing industry in Southland is attaining gigantic proportions. The Mataura works are now turning out 40,000 bunnies a day. The City solicitor has decreed that the Wellington corporation has no power to impose a bye-law insisting on a fee for the registration of bicycles. The late MrsW. H. Eves, who died at Wellington recently, was 83 years of age. She saw the Queen's coronation and her wedding, and was looking forward with interest to the Jubilee celebrations. The Waikato Argus of May 13th contains the following:—"The Rev. Dr. Hosking, who occupied the chair at the Rev. Mr Walker's temperance address, held in the Wesleyan Church on Monday evening last, referred to certain mis-state-ments concerning himself that had been circulated throughout the colony by various newspapers. He stated that he had been accused that on the occasion of his farewell meeting in the Hawke's Bay Circuit, when it was proposed to sing a well-known hymn—God be with you till we meet again—' that he objected to the hymn being sung, as he had no desire that they ever should meet again.' As a matter of fact he had not objected to that —or any other hymn—being sung, and indeed no reference whatever was made by anyone to the singing of the hymn. He had stated on several occasions that the morality of the Hawke's Bay district was lower than in any other part of the colony, but that statement he was prepared to prove by statistics and other means. The fact thai Dr Hosking was presented with a purse of sovereigns on the evening of his farewell, must be accepted as proof that good feeling existed between him and his congregation."

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