LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9580, 3 August 1894, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Last night the Union S.S. Company's steamer Ovalau arrived from Fiji with a cargo of raw sugar, fruit, etc. To Captain Beaumont we are indebted for particulars regarding the wreck of the Norwegian barque Ephialtes nt Fiji, which appear in another part of this issue. The flagship Orlando left Suva for Noumea, Brisbane, and Sydney on July 29. Au "A* Home " was given at Government House on July 2(3, at which Rear-Admiral Bowden-Smith and the officers of the Orlando were present, and also at a citizens' ball on the 27th. Mr. Carl Raymund Zimmer, the district medical officer of Suva, died from consumption on July ■ 25, and was buried the next day. He was only 29 years of age, and arrived in Fiji last year. The friction that has arisen between the civic authorities and the Harbour Board in reference to the dual capacity pertaining to representatives of the former sitting with the latter body, was again apparent yesterday evening at the meeting of the City Council. Mr. Atkin brought forward a motion to appoint members for a conference against whom duality of interest could not be charged. This gave rise to a discussion as to the deposit of sewage, etc., in the harbour. Mr. Farrell said the language used by some people in regard to the matter was more filthy and injurious than anything that went into the harbour, while Mr. Trenwith said the whole matter had been stirred up by one person, apparently with no other purpose than that of notoriety. Eventually power to confer with the Board was withdrawn. At a meeting of the directors of the Portsea G.M. Co. yesterday, Mr. Grace, the mine manager, explained how the mistake bad arisen in regard to taking chrome for gold recently. It transpired that everyone had been deceived by the appearances, and that the men in the mine, and in the neigh bourhood, had bought in, thinking the prospect was a wonderful one. Considerable complaint has been made as to the want of better light in the Reference Library. At yesterday's meeting of the City Council the Mayor drew attention to . this, and invited the members of the Council to see how matters were for themselves, ; This was done, so it is probable an improve- ( menb will be effected. Specimen burners with pendant in the reading alcoves and on , standards ab the centre tables were on view. A large number of people congregated in " the streets last evening, to witness the ! Salvation Army Trades Union procession. A crowded congregation assembled in the Barracks, to see the different trades at work. After several soldiers had spoken. Captain Harlow said that the reason of their having their special trades meeting was to give the public some idea of General Booth's social scheme. He noticed in one of the papers last week a paragraph having reference to the scheme. The writer of the article in question had mentioned that a number of agriculturists and traders in the vicinity of the Hadleigh farm colony had ' got up a petition complaining that General Booth had broken faith with the public, and had U3ed the money given for the scheme to get up workshops and sell their produce, etc., from the farm colony at a much lower figure than they (the petitioners) could sell; that the General paid such low wages that it was impossible for them to compete with the Army. He I (Captain Harlow) regretted that the < paper had not published General Booth's 1 reply to the accusation of the petitioners, < Knowing that a large number of people read ; the papers, he (the speaker) felt it his duty - as a representative of the Salvation Army < to defend the scheme, and to give General - Booth's reply, which he read at length. In 1 reference to the Army books and finance ' Lord Onslow, late Governor of New Zealaud, i had got a special select committee appointed i to examine the Army books and their < scheme. The reply of this committee was that the books were soundly and well kept, and the money spent judiciously. Captain Harlow said, in conclusion, it was only fair that the public should be made aware of both sides. The Army was a public organisation, and they were open to public criti- r cisms. The large meeting broke up shortly after nine p.m.. The audience signified < their satisfaction at the reply by applaud- t ing at intervals. , The twelfth annual show of the Auckland ( Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Association i ffa« opened in the Agricultural Hall yes terday afternoon, under the most favour- ' able circumstances. The show is one of the ' finest that the association has yet held, t both the number of entries and the quality \ of the exhibits surpassing those of former , years. The collection of pigeons is worth going a long way to see, every shade and , variety being_ represented. The arranging * of the different pens of birds has had the <■ careful attention of the committee, and as I there is plenty of room in the Agricultural I Hall there is no overcrowding, and every- ' thing is shown to advantage. The show I will be open to-day from ten a.m. to ten ' p.m., and to-morrow from ten a.m. to half- I past nine p.m. l There were nearly 50 applications for ] relief before the committee of the Hospital and charitable Aid Board yesterday. A i goodly number were renewals, but therewere , several new cases. Only one of them was ( of any public interest, namely, that of a < man who appears to have been particu- ] larly unfortunate, and travelled round the j greater number of the ports of the colony. ; Yesterday morning Dr. Erson and Mr. G. < Jackson, Justices, presided at the One* ( hunga Police Court. The only case before ,1 the Court was that of two young men named • Frank Morgan and John Clark, who both i pleaded guilty to a charge of travelling ( from New Plymouth to Onehunga in the , steamer Mahinapua without paying their < fare. The former stated he came from - Taranaki, and the latter from the South, The Bench said steamship owners must be i protected, and inflicted a fine of £2, or in ] default 14 days' hard labour. I At the Police Court yesterday morning ' Messrs. M. Niccol and T. Peacock, J.P.'s, presided. One first offender for drunken- ' ness was fined 5s and costs, or in default < twenty - four hours' imprisonment with hard labour. An expressman named ' George Clarke was charged with having i committed two breaches of the New Zea- ] land Railway By-laws by plying for hire at the Auckland Station without a < license. The case was adjourned until < the 21st instant. Mary Adarnson was I charged, on the information of Elizabeth ' Esdals, with* having used insulting lan- 1 Euage towards her on the 27th of July, i Mr. (}. N. Brassey appeared for the com- J plainant, and Mr. McGregor for the de- i fendanb. On the application of counsel . the case was adjourned till Monday next. <

, » Our Pokeno correspondent writes !~lb is , frith regrel.thab;l we to chronicle the death of another , of * t! Pokeno'a pioneer settlers, in- the person of Mr. John MoNeish, at his residence on Wednesday night, at the comparatively fresh age of 52. Mr. McNeish came from Glasgow, Soobland, about 1864, and settled on his present farm where he has ! since resided: For - the past 18 years deceased has-been Jin delicate health, and was formerly attended by Dr. PhiLaon. About 10 years ago he visited the Old Country in company with his wife and family, partly on account of his health. Mr. McNeish took a great interest in public affairs, and was at one time a prominent member of the local road board, and up to the time of his death he was a member of the Franklin Agricultural Society, and was always successful in carrying off prizes for exhibits' of fruit, etc. He was also the owner of the well-known blood horses, Blair Athol and Carbineer. Mr. McNeish, ranks as, one of the most successful of our oldest residents, and the news of his death will be received with widespread feelings of regret. Dr. King, of Auckland, visited deceased during the week and will give a certificate ; consequently .no inquest will be held. Mr. McNeish leaves a widow and two daughters (Mrs. J. Foot,, and Mrs. G. W. Elliott) to mourn their loss. The funeral is arranged to take place on Saturday afternoon. The "A" Battery paraded last evening at the Drill-shed, under Captain O'Brien and Lieutenant Bosworth, Adjutant Grant was also present. There was a fine muster of over. 60 strong. The men were put through a course of company drill, in which they acquitted themselves very creditably. A party of "liberty men" from H.M.s. Rapid yesterday chartered a brake, which was duly decorated " fore and aft!' with bunting, and drove through Queen-street on their way to the suburbs, the procession attracting general attention, as they had an outrider in scarlet coat, and the brake was escorted by three naval Max Rinkles on horseback. They returned to town in the evening after their day's outing, and sat down to supper at Mr, E. Waters' restaurant, Queen-street. The men enjoyed their holiday very much in their usual rollicking good-humoured way. The anniversary meeting of the Grafton Road Wesleyan Band of Hope took place last evening at the church schoolroom. There was a crowded attendance, there scarcely being standing room. Tho Rev. L. M. laitb presided. The following programme was gone through with great acceptance :— Overture. " Chantdu Poete," Orchestra. Songs ! " Glory to my God this Night," Mr. Benton ; " Before I had taken the Pledge," Mr. F. Souster ; " Bella of St. Mary's,", Mr. Young ; " The Nightless Land," Miss Bamforci ; "Nazareth," Mr. Higgit; two glees by the Band of Hope Choir; minuet, " Samson," and march, " Hill in G," by the Orchestra. Recitations : "Trouble in the Choir," Miss Olphert ; "At Home To-night," Miss Webley, and two by Miss Bertha Souster and Mr. Holdsworth respectively. An amusing dialogue, entitled " Women's Rights,' was given by Miss Jennies and Co. The musical selections were rendered Under the conductorship of Mr. Forbes- At an interval, the Rev. L. M. Isitb delivered an interesting address on The new Temperance League, its Organisation and Objects." The entwtainmenb was much above the average, and a very pleasant evening was spent. Tho deatn is announced of another old colonist in the person of Mrs. E. Mudford, wife of Mr. Mudford, sailmaker. She was one of the passengers by the Duchess of Argyle, which arrived here in 1842. Mrs. Mudford leaves a grown-up family of six sons and four daughters. The meeting of the Auckland Union Parliament this evening is likely to prove more than ordinarily interesting, as ib is understood that there is a Ministerial crisis on, and that the Parr Administration is likely to be defeated on the question of extending the principle of universal suffrage to municipalities. In the event of the crisis being averted then some other questions will come up for consideration—the amending of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act by (1) repealing the half poll, (2) simplifying ballot papers, (3) making clnbs amenable to the people's .vote.; the abolition of Grand Juries; and the desirability of making smoking by youths under 16 an offence. The usual fortnightly meeting of St. Alban'a Literary Society took place last evening in the schoolroom, Mount Roskill Road. Mr. Nioholls occupied the chair. About sixty persons were present. Messrs. A. F. Burton, W. Hill, and E. Nordon were appointed to do battle for the society in the second round of the Literary Societies' Debate Tournament. A debate then followed on the question "Should Compensation be granted to Publioans ?" Mr. 5. B. Graham opened in the affirmative, and in a logical and incisive manner, animadverted upon the unfairness of depriving a man of his living without granting him some recompense. Mr. W. Hill followed in the negative, and adduced some very strong arguments in favour of his contention that compensation should nob be granted. Messrs. H. Edmonds, J. Mcllveen, E. Nordon, H. Martinson, McKinsbrey, Mrs. McKinstrey, and others also took part in the debate. The annual Home Mission meeting was held last night in St. John's Wesleyan Church, Ponsonby. The chair was occupied by Mr. F. L. Prime. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. W. Morley (organizing secretary of the Home Mission), (J. H. Laws, and by the chairman. An abstract of the annual report was read by Mr. Alexander Thome. During the evening the choir gave several musical selections, under the leadership of Mr. Horsley. The attendance was somewhat affected by the inclemency of the weather. The meeting closed by pronouncing the Benediction,