LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10034, 22 January 1896, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

fo-DAY will be observed as the statutory half-holiday. Inspector Ferguson has received a good many notifications that the day of closing would be on Saturday, so that possibly there will be but little change to that which has ruled for the last nine months or so.

The first meeting of the newly-elected Thames Drainage Board was held yesterlay. The ptnomitl nf the Board is exactly the same as it was last year with the exception that Mr. James Macfarlane has been e'ected to till the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Richard Spratt, a member of the Board. Mr. (i. S. Kissling was re elected chairman. An estimate of expenditure was submitted and approved, and based on this u levy of contributions on tho contributing bodies was adopted. The Board will meet on the 31st instant to hear "})peals against the assessments.

The regular meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, and a considerable amount of routine business was transacted, but there was very little debate able matter, and the meeting was not f, lengthy one. A detailed report of the proceedings is published in another column.

The Government have given Inspector Bickson extended authority to employ the Steamer for some day* longer to search for the bodies still qnrecuvered in Kaipara Harbour, from the late yachting Casualty, Owing to the lapse of time since the ili->a»:er, it is anticipated that the bodies unaccounted for (six) will now rise to the surface.

We have received a copy of Bond's Almanac, Diary, and Directory for tho districts of Waikato, Rotorua, Te Aroha, and adjacent settlements, for the current year. It contains a good deal of useful information for country settlers, and also much that is specially useful to the district* above-named.

A meeting of bakers took place last evening at Dalian'* dining-rooms, Queen-street. There was a good attendance. Mr. John Burton presided. The object of the meeting was to discuss matters of special interest to the trade. The first was the Shop Assistants Act and the half-holiday. Three alternative courses were proposed by the chairman, in his opening remarks, (1) to servo outside customers on Tuesday and have a short round on Wednesday ; (2) to serve all customers double on Tuesday, and (3) to ask the bakers' operatives to start a little earlier on Wednesday morning, and by this means, with tho aid of an extra cart, get through by the middle of the day. There was a great difference of opinion on the proposals, and the only conclusion come to was that each tradesman should have a free hand to make such urrausrements as best unswered his bnsiness. question of the weight of bread, in connection with tho Bread Act, was then gone into. It wag pointed out the great difficulty, the almost impossibility, °f complying with' the provisions of the A ct. The bread first put into the oven was Jta last taken out, and some people would ® &v 6 their bread baked till it was crusty, whatever might be the weight, so that evaporation set in and brought tho loaf below the leeal weight. The matter was discussed from all points of view, bub no definite genevtil conclusion was arrived at, Th" question of the annual trade picnic came up for consideration, and it was decided to - hold one on the second Wednesday in February, a committor, consisting of-Messrs. King (convener), Cowan, Everett, Stephenson, and Buchanan, was appointed to make the necessary arrangements.

The December number of the Australasian edition of tho Review of Reviews is to hand. The "History of the Month" is crisply written. Dr. -Sprinjitliorpe contributes a useful paper on "The Health Aspects of Australian Cycling," while Professor Mortis furnishes an article on " New Australian Poetry," more especially tali* with tho " Songs of the South," of Mr. J, B. O'flara,

I Yesterday morning aboub five o'clock an attempt was made to enter the premises of I Mi-. Parkinson, confectioner, Victoria-street). Theao promises haro been attempted twice already, so Mr. Parkinson fitted up his shop with one of Mr. M. MoDermott s burglar alarm bells, which was ringing when he came down to business at 8 a.m. These useful instrument)), we understand, tiro, by instructions from the railway authorities, to be fitted up in all the railway i stations throughout the colony.

'The ordinary meeting of the Women's Liberal League was held last evening in the Wesley Hall, Pitt street. After confirming the minutes of the previous meeting, Mrs. Kirkby moved a resolution, of which she had given notice last Tuesday (the effect of which is to embody the views of the League on the temperance question), as follows :—" To secure the right of the electors by a throe fifths majority of those who record their votes to control or abolish the liquor traffic.',' On being put to the meeting, this was carried by a show of hands; and it will now take the place of that " object" in the Leaguo's constitution, which was to secure the samo right by a bare majority. It was agreed to have the above included in the addenda to the platform, which will be reprinted and circulated. The membors decided to accopt Mrs. Kerr's resignation of tho office of president with much rotrreb. An interesting paper on " Men's Trades," was read by the secretary, Mrs. Gibson. Mrs. Johnstone occupied the chair.

The results of tho scholarship examinations held in December wero announcod at the meeting of the Board of Education yesterday. In the senior (open) grade forty-eight candidates had been oxarained and eleven scholarships had been awarded, the successful candidates in most instances being scholars of tho Auckland College and Grammar School. No less than one hun* dred and forty-four had contested the Junior District Scholarships and in this instance twenty-three scholarships had been awarded. Mr. Gdy in referring to to the scholarships allotted said that slits was the largest number ever given by the Board in one year, and a pleasing feature in connection with the results was tho excellent percentage that had gone to the country districts, the children from the outside schools having held their own against those of the town and suburban schools in a most praiseworthy manner. The names of the successful candidates will be found in our report of the meeting of the Board in another part of this issue. A complaint from Mr. D. O'Donoghue re alleged suppression of cortain letters and documents which ho held should have been forwarded by toe Board to the Ponsonby School Committee with his application for the position of headmaster of the Richmond Road School, occupied tho attention of the Board during the whole of the afternoon, and several matters of importance, including the consideration of the Richmond Road School appointment, were not doalt with. The Board decided to moot again on Tuesday next.

It is said to be the intention of the Government to retire tho men at present employed as bricklayers at the Avondalo Asylum. They will be paid for work done, and fresh selections of the most competent men will bo made from tho original list supplied by the Labour Bureau, and the usual ballot takes place.

Within the last few days a party of workmen belonging to the Gas Company have been engaged in breaking up the eastern end of Pattoson street, in order to raise the gas mains, which are lying too deep in the street. As the ground is made ground every precaution has been taken in opening tho trench to timber it securely, but notwithstanding the rain of Monday night caused the kerbing and pavement to sag, the asphalt pavement opening and cracking for some distance. In another column appears the announcement of the opening of King's College at tho Towor, Remuera, on February llih. The principal, Mr. Graham Bruce, who is well-known in Auckland as having been for some years one of the principals of St. John's College, has spared neither pains nor expense in adapting the buildings to the requirements of a first-class school. The class rooms and dormitories in point of health and comfort will compare favourably with those in the best schools, in England. A large building has been erected adjoining the main building, which is being fitted up as a gymnasium. The teaching staff consists of nine fully-qualified instructors, of whom four are resilient masters and university graduates. The visitor is the Rev. W. Beatty, M.A., who, we are informed, has promised to take a personal and active interest in the conduct of teaching of the Scriptures in the school. There is no doubt that Mr. Bruce has the confidence of a large number of people, and there seems to be every reason to believe that tho school will have a most successful career.

An inquest was held at Mairetahi, on the body of Samuel Richardson, gumdigger, aged 74, on the 17th inst., by Mr. R. Sinclair, acting coroner. The evidence went to show that deceased was in bad health. Un the 15th he was seized with sudden illness, and was attended to by hi.i mate Goldrich, who administered some remedies but on returning to boo deceased after an absence of a few minutes, found him dead. The jury returned a verdict of " Death from natural causes," in accordance with the testimony of Dr. Lindsay. Deceased was single, and had no relations in the colony, but a brother resides at Llanricost, near Tripin, Derbyshire.

The local constable at Parnell, Constable Hutchinson, reports to Inspector Hickson, that the missing man, John Thorburn, has been seen in the Domain by tho caretaker, Mr. Yates. It is alleged that Thorburn, who is 70 years of age, occasionally leaves home suddenly and absents himself for a few days. He could not at his time of life have remained in the Domain for the time for which ho has been missingover a week— it is concluded he is in temporary lodgings somewhere. After Mr. Yates saw Thorburn in the Domain the constable made a search for him there, but unsuccessfully.

The second wool sale of the season, under the auspices of tho Auckland Woolbrokers' Association, will be opened at tho Wool Exchange at 9 o'clock this morning. The brokers have large catalogues, and thoro is likely to be a good deal of competition. Tho sale will be opened by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Mr. A. Buckland (Buckland and Sons) will follow with a vory full list, Mr. J, M. Philson will then sell on behalf of Huntor and Nolan, and Mr. Itingswell will offer the consignments made to G. W. Binney and Sons.

It was anticipated that only one opportunity would bo given of hearing the Steinhauer • Bahnson Concert Company during their stay in Auckland, but owing to the delay in the arrival of the company, who were to have opened the Opera House for a season of comedy, Madame Stoinhauer-Bahnson has been able to secure two dates, and has decided to give two extra concerts at the Opera House on Monday and Tuesday next, in which the same artistes who achieved such a brilliant success at tho inaugural conocrb, will again appear.

The resignation of Miss McLood, superintending imrco at the Adelaide Hospital, has again brought the Hospital trouble to tho front. According te statements made by members of the Hospital Board she has taken this step owing to the growing difficulty of maintaining discipline among the nursos, who, since the publication of the report of tho Inquiry Commission have shown _ increasing disregard for proper authority. Members took a gloomy view of the position, and attributed the unsatisfactory stato of affairs, and also the considerable falling off In annual subscriptions, to the interference of the Government jn the management of the institution.

A second billiard match of 500 up between S. Pell and Wilkinson (of Gisborne) was played at the I'rlnoo Arthur Hotel lust night, the local player again conceding the visitor 100 points start. Pell reversed the previous rosult by defeating Ins oppo. nent by 118 points, ho scoring tho full 500 as against the 282 compiled by Wilkinson. Tho Arab portion of the game wag evenly contested, bub in the second half the Auckland player caught and passed his opponent rather easily. ho particularly large breaks were recorded during the game, tho winner's best being 36 and that of the loser 12', though several nicely-compiled breaks alining from 20 to 30 were credited to the dctor. There is some talk of a deciding

contest/, both players having placed a game each to their credit).

Entries for the Auckland Regatta will be received by the committee at the Waitemuta Hotel between eight and ten o'clock to-night. So far the arrangements are proceeding very satisfactorily, and ib is expected that the annual aquatic ovont will prove as successful as any held of late years. More than ordinary interest is being shown in the raoo for mon-of-war and naval cutters, several crews from the warships now in port intending to take part in the contest, one of the orews having secured the cutter belonging to the Thames Mavals to row in. A challenge has beon issued by the Devonporb Naval Artillery to the crew of the Auckland ftavsls, who have beaten the former crew on previous occasions, to again try conclusions with thorn at the regatta. To-morrow a number of yaohta, including the Viking and Volunteer, are to be floated into the Auckland Dock for cleaning preparatory to the regatta.

A remarkablo operation has been performed in the Newcastle Hospital by Drs. Harris and Horsfall. A young man received a severe gunshot wound in the thigh in August last, which destroyed the great sciatic nerve, muscle and sinews. Two months after his admission to the hospital an operation was performed. Two gun wads, several grains of shot and a piece of trouser's cloth were removed from the groin, The wound healed, but the man was unable to use the leg, which became paralysed. Ten weeks ago ho was readmitted to the hospital. The doctors procured and killed a sheep, and while the animal was still warm they removed about six inches of the sciatic nerve. Putting tho patient under the influence of anaesthetics they made an incision in his thigh, and introduced and stitched in the nerve from tho sheep. Galvanic treatment was applied till the beginning of December, when he was able to leave the hospital. The patient can now get aboub with tho assistance of a stick. Ho has a little difficulty in raising the foot, bub is rapidly recovering the full use of the limb. He suffers no pain or inconvenience from the borrowed nerve.

It is worth noting that so far as the Great Eastern Railway in England is concorned, important concessions havs lately been made respecting the carriage of agricultural concessions which ought to rejoice the hearts of both farmers and consumers. The arrangements appear to be that from the lit of December last farmors in certain districts can now. Bend small parcels at the low rate of id for 201b delivered free, and Id for each subsequent 51b up to 601b. One condition of this arrangement is that produco must be packed in rectangular and uncordod boxes. The railway company have agreed to supply suitable boxes at very low rates, from ljd for a box weighing lib and capable of holding a fowl, a dozen eggs, and a pound of butter, or their equivalents, up to 5Jd for a GJIb box that will hold GOlb of produce. As the boxes will not be worth returning, the cost of return will be done away with. Farmers, if so disposed, can find their own boxes, but they must be of the shape required. An official of the railway company remarked to a representative of the Daily Graphic: "With packages of nil sizes and shapes, three-quarters or more of our van space is wasted; it is so difficult to pack them together. The common open basket with an overhandlo, so dear to market women, has often to be given a place by itself on tho floor. You can't put anything on top of it, and, being oval, it is difficult to wedge it in on the top of other packages." With flat boxes, however, carefully dosigned to pack well, all available space can be filled. It seems that under the former rates the charge was 4d for a parcel under 31b, 8d for lGlb, and 2a 6d for 601b. Under the now scale 601b will only be Is, If rates such as these become general over all or most of the railway lines in the old country, a great impulse should be given to the trade between farmers and consumers, while middlemen in the shape of butchers, greengrocers, etc., will experience a considerable shrinkage in their business.

The united special mission services of the Rev. C. H. Yatman were oontinued yesterday. The meeting for business men at 12 30, in tho rooms of the National Association, was the most largely attended of any of tho series yet held. Mr. Yatman'9 subject was "The Relation of Prayer to a Business Man's wholo Life." At 3 p.m., in the City Hull, he addressed an assemblage of about 1000 children, his subject being " Early Christianity," based on the passage, " Remembor thy Creator in the days of thy youth." It was a happy, forceful presentation of truth to the children with excellent results. In the evening, at the City Hall, the address was on "Job," and the lessons desirable from his life. Mies Alice Rimraor sang two sacred solos. Today Mr. Yatman will address tho business men as usual. In the afternoon at 3.30, at the Y.M.C.A., Mr. Yatman will deliver the first of three addresses for women only, on " Woman and Her Special Work." The subjoct in the evening at the City Hall will be "The Scene of the Crucifixion."

In physical education a celebrated physician argues that, by exercising certain muscles, it is possible to develop certain suctions of the brain. His argument) has special reference to foeblo-minded persons, whoso mental condition, in his opinion, might bo improved by the right kind of muscular exerciso.

Tho Northern Steamship Company will run a special oxcursiou to tho Great Barrier Island on Tuesday, the 28th inst., returning to Auckland about ten o'clock on the following night. It is intended to oall at Whangapoua burial ground, scene of the wreck of tho Bs. Wairarapa, Maori Bay Burial Ground, Port Fiteroy Harbour, Blind Bay, and Tryphenn. Intending excursionists should make arrangements as early as possible, The company will also run an excursion by the s.s. Clansman to Russell, on Monday next, carrying excursionists for tho Kawakawa races.

A meeting nf subscribers to the Auckland branch of " The Navy League will bo held in the Harbour Board offices, to-morrow afternoon, at threo o'clock, to appoint olficors, and to transact any other business, By advertisement elsewhere Mr. J. M. Brigham, secretary pro tern., notifies porsons wishing to booome members of the l-oagne that they will oblige by forwarding their subscriptions to him. The scale of subscriptions for members and associates, etc., is given in the advertisement.

The sories of health lectures which Dr. Emily Brainerd Ryder is about to deliver to the ladies of Auckland on Monday next, arc, she states, entirely an Australian idoa. She had not thought of giving such lectures when leaving India, and they are in response to an oft-repeated request from the ladies of tho colonies. Dr. Ryder is highly endowed by tho Duchess of Connaught and Lady Harris, of Bombay, by the wife of the President of the United States, Miss Frances Millard, and her work in Australia has beon commended by a number of influential clergy Several religious associations, conventions, and synods have passed resolutions endorsing Dr. Ryder anil her work. Her first lecture, ontitled " How Not to be III," should bo of genoral interest to all ladies,