LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9494, 25 April 1894, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An English mail, via Brindisi, bearing date March- Id, received by the S.S. Waihora from Sydney last night. The Portuguese Consul has received a cable message from the Portuguese Secretary ot State for Foreign Affairs at Lisbon, saying that the disease reported in this morning's cables as cholera is greatly aggravated diarrhoea. It has been prevalent for upwards of a month, during whicn time no fatal cases have been reported. The number of patients in the hospitals is decreasing. Yesterday the s.s, Richmond arrived from the Rarotongan Group. Intelligence from the Islands is to the effect that Lord Glasgow, the Governor of this colony, daring his recent official visit in the s.s. Binemoa, had made himself very popular with both natives and Europeans. The Richmond brings up from Rarotonga a ton of coffee, which the natives have sent to His Excellency as a present in token of their good will. There was a somewhat lengthy meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday afternoon. Details of the meeting are published elsewhere. The ordinary meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday, when a considerable amount of business was transacted. The election of a member to fill the vacancy oaused by the resignation of Mr. W. B. Buckhursb, resulted in Mr. W. Woodward being returned by a considerable majority. Th 9 quarterly statistics show that the number of pupils on the roll has increased by something over 900, which will mean a considerable increase in tie revenue of the Board. During the afternoon a large amount of routine business was dealt with. The question of the appointment of a chief inspector for schools will be considered at the next meeting of the Board. The operations at new St. Paul's Church have so far advanced that the church authorities have been able bo fix on Saturday, the 9th June, as the date on which the ceremony of laying the foundation stone will take place. His Excellency the Governor has been requested to perform the duty, and has consented if in Auckland, but in all probability Lord Glasgow will M in Wellington at that date. The offence of broaching cargo is on« which has been somewhat rare of late in this port, bub there are at present on remand no less than five men charged with this offence. The accused will be brought up to-day at the Police Court, when tb« charges will be investigated which art alleged against them. In addition to the large accession of works ' lately placed in the Free Public Library, an order for 400 volumes additional is now in London. The reference department has also been strengthened by fresh purchases ana donations. Owine to'a request made to the United States Government <by 1». Laishley, the Free Library will in future receive free of all charges all the publications issued at Washington by me Bureau of Education. On Monday afternoon a sad accident ending fatally, happened to a little girl named Gladys Mills, aged 16 months, whose parents reside in Cross-street, Newton. The child it appears was playing with her little brother, fire years old, who had got possession of a box of matches, in some way the little girl's clobhe . s ™ r ° accidentally set on fire. Before assistance arrived the little one was badly burned The child was taken to the Hospital for treatment, but died of its injuries yesterday afternoon. The coroner, Dr. .fnuson, has been notified of the affair. A practice of the pieces to be sung at the annual gathering of the Auckland Band of Hope Union, on Queen * Birtodaj' took place last evening, at the Tabernacle Schoolroom. There were about 400 djWw present, and the practice was conducted ny Mr Frith, who has for so many years occupied the post. The pieces are *** JJ be the best select on which has been made for years pas?, and the children acquitted themselves very well. The sittings at the Police Court yesterday before Mr. R. S. Bush, 0.w., were S prolonged than usual, a greafcdea o time being occupied in hear ng a «m£ charges arising out of a* a * a market between a five-horse 9 brew ex»mSmear. A host of witnessesJf-j—J ined, and the final result was dismissed.

of the Onehuoga WoKTw«a well at►fit die public, amcngst the spectators *» ded b lKdießfrom Auckland. The proproductive of several friendly ce*^ s *f a ruiß between the Mayor and pa** B^ 3 = Whilst discussing the advisa*>anC'Waning tho springs from whence biJW ° „h rlPfTves its water supply, the S* bor ? n Ert»S[Mr. Jackson that she had M»>' or , in fSS years before he had. Mr. eeen tie 9p "' *iy retorted ami laughter 3^fC "thought her Worship would *•* «lv have owned up to so many■years. Smilingly answered : "Oh yes, I *& more particularly a 8 ib adds to my H* 016 " ' ernffle nb have decided to conThe t nn fl rantino station at Motuihi ti Due J th Se lines laid down by the Island, on itc<i upon the Premier ! ChiS[lnspector of j Stock (Mr , » nd J'f a nd which were furnished to the Kitcb vr when in Auckland. / P Cfirst anniversary of sdjohn's Boys' , . Pm«onby, was celebrated last ovenC!uJ ,'! - concert, which wa* held in the inc. b > om There was a crowded attend--50110 The programme was a very long anCe ' (insisting of no loss I than twenty oDe ' each of "which was well received by 'faience, who testified their approval **?" tv applause. Miss Winifred Over by «- successful in her two recitations, "wrffwero remarkably well rendered. Mr. v r Dix made a favourable impression in V '„„ » Oeraldine," his efforts being SLrrtdiv recognised by the audience. « F Finer acted as accompanist, and xi I Horsley conductor during the even- • ,' The following is the programme :—SetoSm,orchestra: son?. Master A. Perm; imitation. Miss A. Weir; long, "Any Snt Bites." Mr. T. Garland; piano *r".Martha,- Mr. T. Biner ; song, "Old Home On the Farm," Mir. P. Tong ; !e '-Men of Harlech," St.- John's Boys' Cub; duet, "Peace and War," Messrs. BouskiUand Higgott; song, "Geraldme," Mr P R. Dix; tableaux and song, "On The Ball " Mr. E. Griffith and ten members 0 f St. John's Boys' Club glee, "Isle of Beautv " St. John's Boys Club ; selection ™ fife'and whistle, M:. 0. Fitzpatrick; , one "Comrades," Mr. A. Rowe; recitation Miss Winifred Over; duet, "Larboard Watch," Messrs. Bouskill and Hfg-L-t- piano solo, Miss Eva Harris; Bong, •'Cricket on the Hearth," Mass E. Laxon; recitation, Mr. D. A. Bodley. The entertainment was brought to a close with a namber of tableaux illustrating England's national game, cricket. The concert altogether was a thoroughly enjoyable one. The Auckland District Association of the Baptist Union of New Zealand will hold its JoDnal meeting in the Tabernacle tomorrow afternoon, when a conference of delegates will be held to receive the mission report and elect officers. In the evening tea will be provided for delegates and their friends, and subsequently a public meeting will take place (Mr. W. H. Smith presiding), when the Revs. W. R. Woolley and J. Blaikie will deliver addresses, and the committee's report aud balance-sheet will be submitted. A collection will be taken up in aid of the Home Mission.

The other clay " A Waitakerei Settler" pleaded for the protection of the kiwi, as being the farmers' friend, and stated that nnless steps for its protection were taken shortly it would be exterminated. A writer in the Otago Times speaking on native birds says :— " Kiwis are easily tamed, and some of these might be kept for their curious form and interesting nature. There is no hope of ever getting them to increase or breed, bub a few when secured might be kept alive instead of having their skins torn off their bodies almost before they are dead, and these sold to tourists, who only allow them to lie about till they are destroyed or injured. But kiwis and kakapos, like the native quail, must soon become extinct, and nothing can be devised to stop their extermination. Every year some museum wants a specimen, and will pay for it according to its scarcity. I was offered £75 for a specimen of the Notornis Mantelli 20 years ago, and the offerer would have been glad to get one at that price. So with the kiwi and kakapo —when it becomes very scarce the price will rise till they are extinct, and then their nkeietooa and bone* will be wanted and searched for. Huias, red and yellow mottled crows, and saddlebacks must pass iway, but, strange to say, with the exception of the nu'a, there is little or no demand for specimens of these birds. _ The native thrush, which is almost extinct, is bardly wanted by ornithologists, or else :hey have not realised the fact that it will be extinct in a few years. For 15 years I had not seen one except in museums." The Otago Times referring to the Auckland enterprise for establishing a whaling station at the Kermadecs, says :— We are glad to see that an attempt is to be made to revive' the whale fishery at the I Kermadecs. We doubt whether it will be permanent, as if successful it will soon result in the disappearance of whales from that quarter. But a3 there is no law for the protection of deep sea creatures, and 13 there cannot in the nature of things be such a law, it is just as well that whatever profit may accrue from such an industry should accrue to this country. _ The plan of action is at least honest cruising, which is less likely to exterminate the whales than the methods of hunting in grounds which have destroyed the seals of our coasts.

Las; evening Mr. McPherson, M.A., late inspector of Roman Catholic schools, read an e?say before the Athenaeum Literary and Debating Society on " The Civilisation 'jf Ancient Greece." He sketched the sistory of that country and the rise and progress of the arts and sciences, and in including exprc.-i.rcd his belief that Great Britain had reached the zenith of her power, and was on the way to decadence, as the same causes which led to the decay of other nations were underlying her national life. A good discussion ensued, in which a number of members took part. They contended that there was no reason to believe that Britain was on the way to decadence. The chairman (Mr. E. Bell) summed up the debate, and Mr. McPherson ; replied with vigour in an excellent speech. A. hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. MePherson for his lecture. There was another very good attendance ' to witness the performance of Bernard's circus last night, a large crowd being attracted by the free show given outside prior to the evening's entertainment. A good programme was gone through in an excellent manner. On Saturday there will be a performance in the afternoon, as well as the one in the evening. The well-known tenor, Mr. John Fuller, *ho conducted a series of winter concerts in Auckland last year, is leaving this city 'wChristchurch. The announcement will ta received with regret, as Mr. Fuller will be a loss to local musical circles. He announces his farewell concerb and last appearance in the City Hall or. Monday evening, when he will be supported by the eading musical talent of Auckland. An address will be delivered on the kew Australia Co-operative Association" ty Mr. Peter McNaught to-morrow evening * the Foresters' Hall, Newton. Mr. M c«aught was formerly a resident of AucklarK' and is connected with the above movement. There have been so many conflicting statements made about the above enterprise that it is desirable to ascertain the exact :art «> and the lecturer should be in a position to furnish authoritatively the "ten information on the subject. lb will neseen from the notice elsewhere that Mr. McNaught invites questions. There were in the lock-up last night two ™ en on charge of drunkenness, and another ma & on a charge of perjury.