LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9828, 24 May 1895, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

In a letter just received by Dr. Laishlev from the Right Hon. Sir G. Grey, 7, Park Place, St. James's, S.W., Sir George Grey states • —"I am glad to say that 1 am getting better, and stronger, and am almost capable of taking again a part in public affairs."

A Chamber sittings was held at the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice Ootiolly. There were a large nnml'sr of applications, principally for probate in the wills of persons who hi.d died during His Honor's absence in Wellington. No contentious applications were brought forward, and the proceedings were not lengthy. To day being Queen's Birthday, the Supreme Court will be closed, but the offices will be open as usual to morrow, and the routine sittings, bankruptcy 011 Monday, Chambers on Tuesday and Friday, and banco on Wednesday, will take place next week.

Meetings of the shareholders of the Talisman and New Bonanza mines were hold yesterday at the company's office in the Exchange Buildings, at which an amalgamation of tho two areas of 30 acres each, was arranged upon on the basis already agreed upon by the directors of both companies. As to the incorporation of the Marmion and Golden Treasure in the amalgamation as was originally intended, no offer was received from either of these companies which it was thought advisable to submit to the shareholders, bub it was left open to the directors of the Talisman to purchase for shares or otherwise those properties. The resolution of the meetings did nob to any material extent affect the market value of the shares, as it was a foregone conclusion that the amalgamation "f the two principal properties would be assented to.

Ab the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, Mr. iNorthcroft, S.M., gave his decision with regard to the question of costs in the recent action brought by Thomas Quoi, restaurant-keeper, Queenstreet, against Dr. Laishley, barrister and solicitor. Air. Cooper appeared for Dr. Laishley and Mr. Brassey for Mr. Quoi. His Worship declined to give costs against Quoi, as he considered that Dr. Laishley had partly brought about the trouble by being so negligent with regard to his cheque-book.

The municipal authorities are putting the streets in order for the winter, and their exertions have been stimulated by the recent accession of wintry weather. Watercourses, which have been choked by rank vegetation, are being cleaned out, tho grass and weeds cut down on the paths, in side streets, and fresh supplies of gravel spread for the benefit of pedestrians. The thoroughfares of the city are, on the whole, in very failorder at the present time.

Last evening about nine o'clock a young man named George Jackson was arrested in Karangahape Road, ft eft ton, by Constable l.owther. A crowd speedily assembled, and Inspector Hickson, who was passing along the thoroughfare on his way to his home in Ponsonby, came to the constable's assistance, and the young man then walked quietly to the police station, a crowd of two or three hundred persons followed the moat of the way, but Inspector Hickson turned the crowd back at the entrance to Durham-street West. Jackson is charged With using threatening language to Constable Lowther, and also with resisting him in the execution of his duty.

In yesterday's paper it was mentioned in our London correspondent's letter that a mine named the Achillea, in Skipper's Gully, Otago, was being floated. The City Leader has an article on the project, in which ib says that the officials at the New Zealand Colonial Office were wroth at the way in which they had been dragged into the business.

Yesterday morning ib was discovered ab the premises of Mr. J. Hill, fancy goods dealer, Karangahape Road, that a pane of plats glass had been cut with a diamond or other sharp instrument during the nieht, and had then fallen inwards upon the goods in the shop window and become broken. The act must have been committed between nine o'clock on Wednesday night and daylight yesterday morning. Robbery does nob appear to have been the motive, as several pounds worth of goods could have been taken, bub nothing so far has been missed. A large pane of glass was accidentally broken in the verandah of Mr. John Ellyetb's shop the same day. A large Newfoundland dog who was with its owner in the D.S.C., gob tired of waiting upstairs and jumping out of a top storey window on to the verandah, fell through the glass portion on to the pavement below, fortunately without) injuring anybody.

By the mail just in front-America one of our mercantile firms received the following letter " Allow me to intrude upon your valuable time by requesting you to sand me any information about your part of the world that could be of interest to parties wishing to emigrate there. Should this be out of your line, kindly hand to someone interested. Your island has always been the goal of my ambition. Please send information for a party of mixed occupations :—Farmers, labourers, mechanics, clerks, merchants, etc., with and Without capital." Merchants without capital i 8 rather peculiar. As the recipients are no! immigration agents, and hesitate at taking responsibility of description, they handed the letter to the kkald. and wo shall b« pleased to give the address of the writer tc any who are interested in the above in> quiry, from Winlock, Washington, United States of America.

At yesterday's meeting of the City Council a memo, was read from the Town Clerk drawing attention to the recent night robberies which he said showed there wag need for more police protection. The Mayor said the Commissioner of Tolice had been written to on the subject but no reply had been received.

Certain lands, portions of the University College endowments in the Taupiri digtrict, Waikato, have been for some time declared open for sale or selection in terms of the Land Act, 1892, the applications tc be entered by Wednesday, 22nd instant. There wer« 17 sections of areas ranging from 05 to 114 acres offered for selection, applications for which were opened yesterday, but only four were applied for, and they were allotted as follow Section 2, 104 acres, and section 3, 99 acres, M. Ralph ; section 4, 101 acres, Wm. Evans, and section 6, 114 acres, Thomas McGlynn, Five small grazing runs in the same district, ranging in area from 953 acres tc 1992 acres, were also on offer, but there were no applications for them.

Early yesterday morning an elderly man named Frederick Yates had a narrow escape from being drowned. By some means he fell over the Queen-street Wharf, between the steamer Taupo and the wharf, and received some rather serious imjuries to his head and face, having evidently struck the belting of the steamer when ha fell over. Fortunately, one of the crew of the Taupo heard the man falling over, and he was promptly rescued. Ho was taken to the Hospital by Canstable Flavell, where his injuries were attended to by Dr. Makgill.

Meetings of the Finance and Legal Committee and of the Works and Tariff Com' mittee of the Harbour Board were held yesterday to consider certain matters referred to them from the last meeting of the Board. The items were dealt with seriatim, and the reports of the committees will be presented in the usual, course. An enquiry was held yesterday at the Thames, before Mr. Charles Haselden, coroner, into the circumstances attending the fire which destroyed the premises of Mr. D. H. Peat, in Heale-atreet, Parawai, on Monday last. Nothing new was elicited, however, and the jury therefore returned a verdict to the effect) that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.

References to the sudden death of th« Very Rev. Father Downey, 0.5.8., and the death of Bishop Moran, of Dunedin, were made at the various Catholic churches of the city and suburbs at the services held yesterday, Ascension Day. In commemoration of the death of Father Downey, a Dirge service was held at St. Benedict's Church last evening, at which Bishop Luck and a very large number of clergymen took part, the"ceremonial being most impressive and solemn. To-day, after the Requiem Mass, which is to be held in St. Benedict's Church ab ten o'clock, the funeral will leave for Panmure, as it is arranged that the interment should take place in the cemetery of that town.

In yesterday's iseue appeared a letter signed " Traveller," complaining of the lighting of the carriages running to and from Onehunga. We are asked to state that if our correspondent will communicate with the Auckland station-master, letting him know to which train the complainant refers, the matter will receive attention.

The detachment of Permanent Artillery which arrived from Wellington on Wednesday came across from the North Shore yesterday morning, and left by train forßotorua. They were in charge of Sergeant-Major Richardson, and will march from Rotorua to Galatea In order to join the force under Lieutenant Hume.

Notwithstanding that the municipal authorities have placed receptacles aS intervals in the Albert Park, in which to deposit lunch papers, the grounds are still being strewn about with pieces of paper. It appears a difficult matter to instil in some people habits of order and tidiness. In this case the authorities have to get one of the city employee* to collect the lunchpapers thrown about by persons who take their luncheon in the park.

The Auckland Women's Political League, hating adopted unanimously the following resolution, have communicated with the whole of the Women's Political Leagues throughout the colony (about a score in number), with a view of getting them to consider and adopt it, and forward it to the Premier between the Ist and 10th of July so that the action of the Societies may b» simultaneous :— " That in tho opinion of (name of society) it is absolutely necessary for the good government ul the people that all laws relating to the immoral conduct of women should be so altered and framed as to include both sexes ; and more extended power be given to Stipendiary Magistrates and police for the suppression of immoral houses, and the arrest and prosecution of persons found therein."

The attendance at the Art Gallery still keeps up very well, notwithstanding the winter season is advancing. There are very few of the tourists to Rotorua,*as well as the Australians going South, who do not make a point during their stay in town, to pay the Gallery a visit.

A meeting of the executive of the garrison ball committee was held in the officers' room, Drill Shed, last night, Major Morrow presiding. A number of details were arranged. The tender of Mr. Jones, of Ponsonby, for catering was accepted, details as to printing programmes and tickets were arranged, and it was agreed that the music be supplied by Hunter's Band ; also that tickets bo placed for sale at Messrs. Wildman and Lyell'e and Upton and Co.'s, stationer's shops.

An exhibition of novelties was opened last evening in the premises opposite the New Zealand Insurance Buildings in Queenstreet. There was a large attendance during the evening. , One of the chief features of tho show is the champion lady, boxer of Australia. The exhibition is open nightly.

The tattooed man was on exhibition last evening at a shop opposite the Savings Bank, and was visited by many persons. The tattooing has certainly been most artistically done, and is well worth seeing.

The second lecture of Mr. C. E. Jones on "Parliamentary Side Shows," postponed from last Tuesday night, takes place at the Y.M.C.A. Hall on Tuesday evening next, when there will no doubt be a large attendance. The last lecture of the series entitled "The Normans," eventuates on Wednesday evening at the same place, the management having been unable to secure the City Hall.

Special services were held yesterday, being Ascension Day, in the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches. Three services were held at St. Sepulchre's, at all of which Archdeacon Dudley officio b«((. After the evening service a meeting wan held at 1 which a branch of the St. Barnabas' Association, the object of which is to assist the Melanesian Mission, was formed. About 50 gave in their names as members. Special services were also held at St. Paul's conducted by the Rev. C. M. Nelson. At St. Matthew's, the Rev. L. FitzGerald officiated at the sarly communion and at eleven o'clock. In the ovening the service was takon by the Rev. George Mac Murray, and Was well attended.

There was a crowded attendance ab the social hall of the Young Men's Christian Association last evening, when Mr. James Beard delivered a lecture on the subject of "The Mind, Brain, and Nerves." The lecture, which was of an extremely in» teresting character, was attentively listened to by the large audience.

The third popular concert of Mr. John Birch will bake place ab the Ciby Hall on Monday next.

Smith and Causey's premises will be closed . to-day (Queen's Birthday), and open all day on Saturday. 5 X