LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9616, 14 September 1894, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Another of the fine class of vessel* engaged in the frozen meat trade between this colony and London, arrived yesterday { Sydney. The latest visitor is the splendid new steel steamship Per'h«;iire, one o 5 Messrs. Turnbull, Martin and Co. line' which comes he; e under the auspices of the New Zealand Shipping Company to load general cargo for London. The Perthshire left London on June 9, and came straight out to Brisbane under steam in 47 day? which is believed to be the record passage' via the Cape of Good Hope. After shipping a large quantity of frozen beef, wool, tallow and general cargo at the various ports in Queensland, the Perthshire called in at Sydney to take in bunker coal, and then left for this port. Some idea of the immense carrying capacity of the steamer may be formed from the fact that she has five bold* capable of providing storage for 8100 tons of deadweight cargo, three of the holdi being insulated, for the conveyance of frozen meat, dairy produce, etc. At present shs has on board 2160 tons beef, 1000 cases preserved meats, 3000 bales wool, 90j casks tallow, and 400 tons general cargo She leaves for Lyttclton to-morrow morning to complete her loading for London. f The question of running trams on Sunday came up for discussion at yesterday'- meeting of the City Council, an application having been made by the Tramways Company for permission to run on the eastern and western circuits on the day named. Several members thought public feeling one way or another had not shown itself while others objected strongly on conscientious grounds. Eventually the matter was sent to the Legal Committee in view of the public pulse being felt. Mr. Farrell yesterday evening at tb City Council meeting drew attention to thfact that men were going from house t> house selling numbers to place upon houses. Thiß was being done without authority, and numerals were sold in the most hap! hazard fashion. The Mayor said if peopU were foolish enough to buy numbers for their houses from strangers they had only themselves to blame. The annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Northern Boob and Shoe Manufacturing Company (Limited) was held yesterday afternoon, Mr. George Winstone presiding. The directors' repo'ro and balance-sheet were of a satisfactory and encouraging character, and the declaration of a dividend of 5 per cent, on the share capital was a feature which spoke for itself. A report of the meeting appears in | another portion of this issue. A few weeks ago we drew our readers' attention to the fact that the large sum of £512 had been paid to a member of the Fountain of Friendship Lodge of Oddfellows, Auckland, for an illness extending over a period of seventeen years. An instance of a greater amount paid to another member of the same order, but cf the Waikato Lodge, Thames, has been brought under our notice, both members, strange to say, dying in the same month (July last). In the latter case, the brother had been in receipt of sick money for a period of twentyone years and one week, during which time he had received the enormous sum in sick pay of £746, which, with the funeral money, £25, makes a total of £771. The money "is regularly paid every fortnight by the lodge visitors, and the sick brethren are regularly visited by appointed officers. It is pleasing to learn that the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows is progressing in Auckland city, and in the provincial district, both numerically and financially. At the Thames the progress is very marked, and the two lodges there have large surpluses of capital, which is carefully invested in good securities. A special meeting of the ISewmartet Borough Council was held last evening for the purpose of considering the applications for the position of turncock for the borough. There was a full attendance of councillors, His Worship the Mayor (Mr. F. G. Clayton) presiding. No less than 37 applications were received. The Mayor moved, " Thau seeing the large number of applicants, the whole be remitted to a committee consisting of Messrs. Laxoi, Lumpkin, Edgerly, Page, and the mover, to select eight of the 37 applicants whom they consider eligible for position, and report to the Council at tha next meeting." Mr. Edgerly moved as an amendment, "That the matter be dealt with at once." Messrs. Laxon and Laurie spoke to the amendment. The resolution was carried on the casting vote of the chairman. The applications were then opened, and the names made known to the members. . A special sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held on Wednesday afternoon, before Mr. H. W. Nortbcroft, S.M., when an application was made by Dr. Laishley for the attachment of moneys accruing from the Harbour Board for work done to the judgment debtor. Dr. Laishley applied that the money be attached. Mr. F. lagger opposed the application, and said that he held the order against this money, which he had lodged with the Harbour Board. The secretary of the Harbour Board gave evidence that although the order had been registered by him, yet the Harbour Board had not, nor had he made himself liable for the payment of this money to Mr. Jagger. Dr. Laishley contended that it was competent for the magistrate to make an order in favour of the judgment creditor for the amount. The magistrate admitted the soundness of Dr. Laishley's contention, and made an order as requested. An inquest on the body of the late Mr. J. W. Young, first mate of the American barque Mary Hasbrouck, whose sudden death was announced in the Herald of yesterday, was held at Gleeson's Hotel, Customs-street West, yesterday afternoon, before-Dr. T. M. Fhilson , coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr. R. Miller was the foreman. Evidence was given by Captain William Ludwigfi (master of the Mary Hasbrouck), Edward Roberts (steward), and Dr. Mackellar, Constable Stanyer representing the police. Dr. Mackellar made a postmortem examination of the body, and found that both lungs were seriously affected, and the opinion of the medical gentleman was that the lung affection was of about a year's standing. The jury returned a verdict that] death was caused from hemorrhage of the left lung. Yesterday the flags of the vessels in harbour and various business places were at half-mast. The deceased is to be buried this afternoon at Waikomiti.

"It never rains but it pours." No less than four Justices put in an appearance at the Police Court yesterday morning to offer their services in the despatch of the morning's business. The Clerk of the Court accepted the offers of three of them and dismissed the fourth.

The Union Company's steamer Ovalau left for Fiji last evening with a miscellaneous cargo of timber produce, etc. Among the cargo was a fine yacht built by Messrs. Logan Brothers for Mr. Snell, of Fiji, and is named the Munia, after one of the islands in the Fiji Group. She is a handsomelooking boat, and is 32 feet overall.

The winner of Lady Glasgow's prize at the Flower Show, given for competition to pupils of the districb schools, was a pnpi belonging to Newton West School. The Coolgardie Prospecting Syndicate notify elsewhere that the list is filling up, and it is expected will be closed in a few days.

The Auckland Union Parliament will meet this evening at (the Y.M.C.A., when a debate will take place on Legislative Council Keform and an Elective Cabinet

We have to acknowledge receipt of Ifae 28th annual report of the French Society for the Protection .of Apprentices and Children in Factories, which has its headquarters at 44, Rue do Rennes, Paris, and has been recognised as an establishment of public utility by the decree of the 4th July, JBt>B. This society has for its object the amelioration of the condition of apprentices and children employed in factories, and by all the means which, while respecting the liberty of the manufacturer and the authority of the head of the family, will act in conformity with the spirit of the laws on apprenticeship and on the work of children in factories. To become a member of the society it is not necessary to be a manufacturer or an employer of children in any way, it is sufficient to be In sympathy with the amelioration of the lot of j children. The report, which is very complete, extending to nearly 200 pages of ciosely printed matter, shows that it has been doing very good work on behalf of women and children. The honorary president belongs to the Minister of Agriculture, of Commerce, and Public Works. An honorary council also appointed by the Society is eompssed of Government officials who sympathise with the object, but whose position precludes their taking an active part in its management, of lawyers, doctors, etc. It has committees of religious instruction, of elementary education, of artistic teaching, and the judicial committee. Nine special commissioners comprise the various industries wiiich employ children. The employment of funds is determined each year by the council, and the revenues are applied (1) to the publication of a report of all the facts relating to the condition of the work of children employed in industries in France or in foreign countries and (2) to aid, to encourage, or to single out by rewards, all those who have directly assisted, moralised, or instructed children, employed in either small or large industries, as well as those v ho have co operated to the same result by an invention, a publication, the institution of contests between apprentices, or by founding special scholarships for them. The Society rewards en stance soknntllt, persons who by their solicitude for apprentices, have aided it in its work, the foremen and forewomen who have taken an interest in the welfare of children in their charge, also apprentices who have been noticed for their irreproachable conduct and morality. It awards (1) special mentions of acknowledgement, (2) medals of silver and bronze, •ml (3) prizes in cash and savings bank deposit books. Those who remember the " bad old times" in France of sweating child labour—when little children were kept in establishments till midnight, and fell asleep at their work—will appreciate this excellent and humane mission this ,

society is fulfilling in France. Christchurch Truth, in its " Parliament sary Sketches," has the following respect-J ins: the member for Waipa:—"Mr. Lang,/ who at the general election won the Waipa/ »eat by a majority of nearly two to one, was born in Kent, England. Whether he is f\

man of Kent or a Kentish man I am unab/ to say, but I imagine the latter. He w educated at Blackheath, and came to N> v Zealand some twenty-two years ago, }™d took to farming, a a most men from /ent do naturally. He has been chairman 4 ie Waipa County Council for the pas/seven vears, and a member of that bod/ for a longer period. He bears some resstoblanee to Mr. Fergus in the face, but is nob so gaudy in appearance, nor does he possess the organ-like lungs of that-resonant Scotchman. His countenance is indicrtive of strong common-sense, and is adoned by voluminous hair and the smile of ' person with a good opinion of himself art! neighbours and a healthy digestion. common with most of those new members who possess any share of modesty, M* Lang is aware that his Parliamentary experience is at present of the smallest, and he is therefore content to keep his eyes open, learn the ropes, and indulge ii the maximum of reflection with the ninimum of rhetoric. IS ot that all of the rev members have been dipped in the pool jf diffidence. A few of them have never heard, Or, having heard, ignore the German proverb, "Speech is silver, silence is gold," and >latber on every subject which occupies the attention of the House with inconceivable and dysentrical glibness. Mr. Lang is happily not one of that long-tongued fraternty. He is nevertheless, the makings of a good and useful member."

At the Opera House yeste<lay evening Pollard's Liliputian Opera Company repeated their performance of/*' Erminie " in the presence of a large end appreciative audience. To-night the e'er-popular " Les Cloches de Corneville," always a welcome item in ony repertoire, will be given. The music is admittedly the finest ever written by Flanquette, and "ollard'a juveniles, when they played the opjra in Australia recently, made quite a nasie for themselves with it. The pare of Gaspard is taken by Master Stephens, and as a piece of character icting, his impersonation of the old miser bas been very highly spoken of.

The usual fortnightly meeting of St. Alban's Literary Society took place last evening in the schoolroom, Mount Roskill Road. Mr. A. F. Burton presided. There •vas a crowded attendance of members and rieitora. A mass of routine business having been transacted, Mr. J. B. Graham delivered a highly interesting lecture on "Irish Ballads." The lecturer, in the course of his address, traced Irish minstrelsy from the early ages, referring especially to the Irish bard, poet, and minstrel, Carolan. Numerous selections were given from Moore's melodies, and the lecturer at times, carried away by enthusiasm, broke into song. In illustrating his subject he was ably assisted by Mrs. J. Bradstreet, Miss Wood, Mr. J. J. Boak, and the Misses Graham. The lecture was received with

Siucb appreciation, and at the conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Graham, on the motion of Messrs. F. G. Cwington and E. Kordon.

" The Land of the Mikado, or 700 Miles Through the Heart of Japan with a Kodak," was the attractive title of a lecture given laat evening by Mr. W. H. Smith at the Helping Hand Mission. Mr. Brown presided. There was a crowded attendance, many having to stand throughout. The lecturer gave a chatty description of his travels among " the French of the East," depicted their social and commercial life, national customs, racial peculiarities, and religion. Western civilisation was completely revolutionising the Japanese, who were adapting themselves to the new order of things with wonderful readiness, and facility. The country was exporting £16,000,000 of products annually, and importing £4,000,000. Her exports were rice, wheat, silk, cotton, etc. She was now competing in some lines in the open markets of the world. A series of views by Mr. Smith were shown by limelight with the oxy-hydrogen lantern, by Mr. C. Cooper. A cordial vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer for his entertaining and in-

structive lecture. A promenade conversazione took place last evenir.g in St. Sepulchre's Schoolroom. There was a large attendance. The opening item was a pianoforte duet by the Misses Bridgewater and Wilson ; character song, " Robin's Return." An exhibition of Indian clubs and dumbbells was given by a number of young lady pupils of the Auckland College and Grammar School; character song, "The Bogie Man," Mr. D. McCormick. The concluding portion of the entertainment was a laughable farce entitled "Rum 'Una from Rome," the fol-, lowing being the cast of characters: — Arabella, Miss Pierce; Shrimps, Mr. R. Williamson ; Captain Smith, Mr. A. Williamson ; Chips, Mr. D. Hay; Hercules, Mr. E. Gilfillan ; Ajax, Mr. C. Hay. The performance elicited great laughter, the dialogue being smart and the acting good. "God Save the Queen" brought a pleasant evening's amusement to a close.

Artesian boring in South Australia has been spasmodically carried on, the results having been disheartening, and drilling had alrrost been abandoned as a failure when the news of the remarkable successes in the

eastern colonies, together with a visit by Mr. Cox, who is one of the pioneer borers of Queensland, led to the hope that artesian water might yet be found. Mr. Cox expressed the opinion that there is every prospect of abundant supplies of artesian water being discovered in South Australia, the reason for past failures being that work was stopped. before the bores had been pushed deep enough, the theory held by the Water Conservation Department being that it was useless to seek for water below 2000 feet. Queensland ' experience has proved the fallacy of this supposition, and the Government of South Australia intends to make fresh attempts in the light of these more favourable reports.