LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10045, 4 February 1896, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Yesterday Messrs. Halse and Yisser, the Commissioners appointed by the Cape of Good Hope Government to report upon agriculture in Australasia, were chaperoned over the Free Public Library and Art Gallery by tho Town Clerk (Mr. P. A. Philips). They also visited the Auckland Museum, and were much interested with what they saw at both institutions. It is a pity that they were not taken in hand on at rival by either tho President of the Chamber of Commerce or the Chairman of the Harbour Board, and shown the leading industries of the city, especially the timber industry and the Calliope dock. It was not till last evening that they heard incidentally of the Kauri Timber Company's establishment and of the Calliope Dock ; but as they leave this morning for Waikato and tho Lake Country, they were debarred the pleasure of seeing either the one or the other. Mr. Visser is simply enraptured with what he has seen of New Zealand, and says that, had he seen it when ten years younger, ho would have cast in his lot here as a colonist; and he has eight sons, three of whom are in Johannesburg, The business of the Supreme Court was resumed yesterday after the long law vacation. Mr. Justice Conolly held a sitting in bankruptcy, and there wore a considerable number of applications foi discharge to deal with. Some were opposed, and tho sittings were consequently prolonged. His Honor will sit in chambers this morning. The telegraph line to the North Cape" lighthouse is completed, and communication was established on the last day of the year. Old rails havo been utilised in it* construction. The wire is of copper, and the distanco from Awanui to Cape Maria Van Diemen is upwards of 62 miles. From Awanui the line goes to Ohora store, and thence to Parensrarenga and Cape Maria Van Diemen lighthouse. It was talked ol whoa the line was predicted that one valuable purpose to bo served would be the reporting of shipping pasting the Cape, especially the regular trading steamers between Sydney and Auckland. From what we can gather, tho lighthousekeepers havo received no instructions in the matter, and that the line is not used for any such purpose. This seems a most extraordinary procedure aftor all tho talk in the General Assembly about this business. The Minister of Lands has written to the Town Clerk (Mr. P. A. Philips) stating in reply to a communication that the Chief Surveyor has been requested to define the boundaries of the Waitakerei Domain whenever he can spare 0110 of his staff to do so. It might be that some little time would have to elapse before ib was convenieut to do the work. In connection with the death of Mr. W, M. Mowatt, Chief Inspector and Principal Engineer Surveyor, at Wellington, a telegram was sent yesterday to Mr. Cable, asking him, on behalf of Messrs. \V. J, Jobaon and L. Blackwood, of the Auckland department, and Institute of Marine Engineers, to procure a floral wreath, and place it on the coffin of deceased. The following telegram was also forwarded to the widow : —" Mrs. Mowatt, Wellington. Messrs, Jobson, Blackwood, and all marino engineers of Auckland, send deep sympathy in your affliction. They, too, have lost i sincere friend." Our Rotorua correspondent writes:—Mr. R. J. Gill, land purchase agent, has commenced to acquire for the Crown one of the Okoheriko blocks lying about eight miles south of here. The Moerangi block adjacent to Whakarewarewa is also being purchased. Mr. Cheeseman, after carefully examining the 151b fish sent from here, pronounced it a true brown trout. Larger specimens, he states, have been caught in Lake Wakatipu and tho larger streams in the South. Lie thinks that fish of this size will be found to spend most of their time in the lako feeding on koura and inauga, only going up the streams to spawn or when full of food, as at present. On Saturday an inquest was held on the body of R. L. Garland, of Mauku, who died under peculiar circumstances on Friday last, as narrated in yesterday's issue. The evidence of Messrs. Chandler, deceased's attendant; West, manager of the estate, and Dr. Clousbon, deceased's medical attendant, was taken. Mr. W. Thome, deceased's solicitor, addressed the jury briefly, after which they returned a verdict to the effect) " That deceased look an overdose of chloral while- suffering from temporary insanity." For several months past deceased has shown signs of mental aberration. One of his delusions was that tho was about to become a poor man, though his income was about £2000 ayear. Complaints having been made of the diversion of licensed vehicles, on certain days, from the routes endorsed on the licenses, contrary to the bylaws and much to public inconvenience, the Town Clerk (Mr. P. A. Philips) has written to the owners of such vehicles calling attention to the matter. On holidays the inconvenience arising from taking licensed vehicles off the regular routes is very great. An inquest was held yesterday by Dr. Philson, coroner, on tho infant Geo. Barney O'Shannessey, usred four months, boarded out under tho Infants' Life Protection Act. The jury, after hearing the evidence adduced, returned a verdict of Death from natural causes." At tho Onehunga S.M. Court, yesterday, before Mr. R. S. Bush, S.M., D. Mcßrierty was charged with supplying liquor, in his house, to Isaac John Jackson, against whom there was a prohibition order in forco. The evidonce against the accused went to show that he was seen receiving certain liquor from a hotel and taking ib over to his house at the Manure Bridge. Constable Brooking deposed that he wont to tho house about nine p.m. on the 28th ult., and found Jackson there with a pannikin of beer before him; Mcßrierty and 0110 Trninor wore also present. Trainoi stated that Mcßrierty had brought beor tc the house on two occasions, but ho was not certain that Jackson drank any of it. Jackson admitted getting a supply of boer from Mcßriorty, but it was earlier in tho day ; he denied having provided tho money for the liquid. His Worship said he would have to dismiss the case as it stood, but ha thought it had boon clearly shown that liquor had been thore, bub at a different time to that on which the prosecution relied for a conviction.

Stable interest is now being token Ik. the residents of Devonport as to be I ion of adequately draining th l n a l<rh, and othor sanitary matters. Tho Z°; a h Council recently rejected a motion t0 take preliminary steps to initiate a Iper system of drainage. Mr W. J. Bior forwarded a letter to the Council, Sine out that the delay in facing the Lstion of drainage was imperilling tho ffi of the residents. The Council need a resolution on this letter, saying [hey wore fully alive to the importance of tho drainage question, and alleging ( that Mr Napier's statements wore exaggerated." Mr. Napier lias sent to ,|, c Council a letter, which _ will be road at next meeting, saying that he has consulted medical authorities, and can prove that "the want of proper drainago in many of tho streets of Dovonport has produced and is producing an amount) of preventive sickness." Mr. Napier concludes thus:-" do not wish to be an alarmist, and can testify that notwithstanding tho easily remediablo drawback.- to which I have referred, Devonport is one of the healthiest suburbs, and my reason for troubling you with these letters is mv earnest wish to see a district for which Nature has done so much, made absolutely healthy by a proper observance of hygienic laws. What is primarily required is a proper plan for the drainage of the borough prepared by ft competent engineer, and then the drainago should be done under skilled supervision. Hoping that you will fully consider the whole question and see your way either to initiate a proper and adequate drainago Fchemo or refer tho matter to tho people for instructions."

We have received a communication from Dr. M. Docelli Walker, of 2, Airlio Place, Dundee, Scotland, making inquiries concernin" Mr. Monk-house, painter, "well advanced in years, and said to bo living ill Auckland. lie is said to have painted tho name Osprey on the Bella, the vossol in which Sir Roger Tichborne was supposed to be. He may not have known at the time it was the Bella ho was painting over with the name of Osproy, as tho woodwork had been painted black before he was engaged to do so. It would be to his advantage to send a letter to Dr. Walker to say it ho was tho ma;, who had been asked to do the work." From the information we have obtained, Monkhouse was a decorative painter, and at the present time would be over 60 years of age. He was in Auckland early in " the sixties," and had a farm at Vfaaha, but returned to Auckland, engaged at his trade, and decorated the Paniell Hall. Monkhouse was a fellow lodger with Mr. Thomas Herbert, then of the Union Sash and Door Factory, Mechanic's Bay (now of tho Timber and Joinery Works, Railway Wharf), He also decorated the premises of the Messrs. Mason Brothers, hairdressers, Queen - street. Monkhouso went away to Melbourne, where ho became a teacher in an art school. Three or four years ago he took a run over to Auckland, and paid a visit to Rotorua. While in Auckland, ho called upon Mr. Thomas Mason. He returned, so far as is known, to his art duties in Molbourne, and inquiries mado in that city should lead to his being traced out, unless he has died iu the interval. Yesterday afternoon Dr. Emily Brainerd Ryder gave the last of a series of health lectures to women only in the City Hall. There wero about a thousand women present. The subject was "Health and Hygiene," as affecting women particularly, arid as she has done throughout the course, Dr. Ryder spoke most earnestly, simply, and emphatically, explaining the natural law of health, which cannot be broken with impunity, and urging everyone to trust mote to the instrumentality of sensible diet, hygienic clothing, and hot baths than to medicines and other treatment. Dr. Ryder s advico about dressing and manage-ment-of babie.'wasdeeply interesting toall the mothers present, and her long experience in women's and children's hospitals enabled her to speak with certainty, and made her words more impressive. At both the beginning and end of the lecture questions were asked by members of the audience, and were replied to. By special request Dr. Ryder will give two additional lectures, the first on Thursday afternoon at three o'clock, in the City Hall, to those ladies who have been unablo to attend tho whole course, and will be a synopsis of the course, and tho second on Friday evening, in Wesley Hall, to women engaged in business or occupations which prevented them from attending tho afternoon lectures. The principal business before the Parnell Borough Council last night was the proposal of Mr. Stewart, C.E., acting for an English syndicate, to obtain certain concessions for the construction of an electric tramway through the borough, as part of the arterial system. The subject was discussed at considerable length, and it was finally decided to publish, at the syndicate's expense, the advertisement notifying their intention to apply to the Governor to confer their powers on the syndicate, subject to the specification?. Mr Stewart was in attendance and made full explanations as to the intentions of the parties whom he represented. The proceedings are reported iu mother column. A petition to the City Council has been sent in by Dr. Bakewcll to the following effect :--" That in the opinion of your memorialist-! there are ample provisions in other existing laws, than the C.I). Act, 1569, if properly enforced, to put a stop to juvenile prostitution, and disorder thence arising in the streets, so far as law can effect the object; that your memorialists therefore trust that your worshipful Council will not put in force the said Act, because it is impossible to do so without causing discussions that are most undesirable from every point of view; and furthermore, because no such Act can be efficacious unlcs it is supperted by the community at lnrgu with some approach to unanimity. Th:.- would not be the case in New Zealand, and an organized opposition led by furious fanatics would certainly defeat all the objects of tho Act." Attention has been called by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to the desirability of fixing slopping places for trams and other public vehicles in the city, similar to the method adopted in Southern cities. The City Council have been approached on the subject. Nothing further has transpired respecting the twin babies found on the doorstop of a lousehukler in Parnell. Detective Chrystal ind Constable Hutchison aro still working away with a hope of being able to trace out the mother. On the passage of the 8.8. Manapouri from Sydney, an address was delivered by Mrs. Harris on board, and a collection of 12s 9d was handed over to the Auckland Sailors' Home, on arrival. The Council of the Home desire through our columns to thank Mrs. Harris and the officers of the 9.8. Manapouri for the contribution. Two constables of the detachment sent to tho Urewera country some months ago, roturned yesterday to Auckland, namely, Constables Eastgate and Keep. At the Thames Police Court yesterday a woman named Mary Stewart was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment in Mount Eden for vagrancy. Tho usual monthly committee meoting of the New Zealand Society for tho Protection of Women and Children was held in the Society's office, Dunblane Buildings, yesterday afternoon, at four o'clock, There were present: Mr. Wilding (in tho chair), Rabbi Goldstein, Rev. H. Bull, Mr. Gittos, and the secretary, Miss Porter. After tho routine business had been gone through, the Rev. F. Warren was unanimously elected a member of the committee. Tho Rev. H. Bull moved the following resolution :-" That the Society desiros to express its deep regret at the death of the Right Rev. Bishop Luck, ono of the vice-presi-dents of the Society, and to recognise the valuable support rendered by tho departed Bishop to this Society during his lifetime." The motion was carried unanimously. The usual account of the month's work was given. Twelve cases were reported as having been dealt with by the Society since its last meeting. By arrangement with the Now Zealand Railway Department, the p.s. Osprey will run an excursion to South Head, Kaipara, on Saturday next, connecting at Mount Rix with the special train leaving Auckland at C.50 a.m., returning in time to catch the evening train same day. Weather permitting, a landing will be mado close to Mr. A. Buckland's South Head homestead, from whence a view is obtained of the rolling breakers of the bar, and the vast expanse of the Tasman Sea. Tho Pouto Maori Brass Band, so favourably received during tho j last excursion, will be in attendance, j

The following notices of motion for the noxt meeting of the City Council, have been given by the Mayor (Mr. J. J. Holland):— " (1) That this Council request Governor to make provision, in the first session of Parliamont, for permanently closing the Symonds-street Cemetery; and (2) that the Stanloy-atreet sewer, which at present crosses Grafton Road, be extended up the Cemotory Gully as far as needful to convey the drainage from the graveyards." We havo to hand the first number of the new series of the Australasian Independent, published in Sydney, and the co-editors of which aro the Rev. D. T. Risely, LL.D., and the Rev. T. J. Pepper. It contains an in meinoriam notico of the Rev. S. Robins, well-known in Auckland ; an article by the Rev. W. J. L. Gloss, 8.A., formerly of Auckland, entitled, " Young People in Council." Mr. Gloss is president of the Young Men's Christian Association and ohairraan of tho New South Wales Congregational Union. The Independent publishes an account of the launching of tho London Missionary Society's schooner Olive Branch at Whangaroa. It also contains a large amount of interesting general news. It is reported by tho Waimato correspondent of the Oamaru Mail that some crops in the district are so heavy that several farmers have had to go back to the old reapers and hand-tio their crops. The general returns from all classes of crops will bo better than they havo been for yoars. Our Knukapakapa correspondent writes: —" An accidenb occurred at the railway works on Saturday morning last, by which a man named Robert McMillan will probably lose his right hand. The men wero engaged pilo driving, aad while tho ram, which weighs about 20ovtt, was being hoisted, McMillan was in the act of placing a pieco of sack over the top of the pile, whon by some moans tbo monkey slipped, and the ram fell on his right hand, crushing it in a frightful manner. Dr. Rogeb, of Helensville, was ab onco sent for, and promptly attended to tho sufferer, and recommended his immediate removal bo tho Hospital. He was takon in a jigger to Helensville, and on to Auckland by the 4 p.m. train. Mr. McMillan has been a settlor here for a nutnbor of years, and is a married man with a largo family. Much sympathy is folt for him in his trying circumstances." A correspondent writes There has been some capital fishing in the various streams about Oxford, now Tirau. The sizes have varied. Several caught by one party turned the scale at about four and a-half pounds, One angler returned with sixteen fish as the result of ono day's sport. There is a very large quantity in tho hatching grounds of the Acclimatisation Society near Oxford. Tho funeral of Frodorio Scott, youngest son of Mr. John Scott, of Mangore, took place yesterday and was attended by a large number of residents of Mangero and surrounding districts. The body was borne 10 the grave by a number of the school companions of the deceased, and at the grave side a very appropriate hymn was sung by the teachers and scholars of the Mangere School under the direction of the heidinaster, Mr, Mellsop. The funeral set vice was impressively conducted by the Ror. J. Headrick. There were also present, Revs. M. Kirkbride and Ferguson, and the Captain of the Salvation Army. Tiiere were in the lock-up last evoning Abraham Codd, arrested by Sergeant Gamble, on a charge of being drunk and disor lorly ; Michael Reardon, arrested by Detective Quirk, for larceny of a bag of clothing; and Thomas Normoyle, for travelling as a stowaway on the s.s. Manapouri ,\nd not paying his fare of £2 5s from Sydney to Auckland. A very large congregation attended the Catholic Church, Howiok, on Sunday. A brake with about 40, coming from Ellerslie, and a goodly number from Panmure in other vehicles. Monsignor McDonald celebrated High Mass at eleven o'clock, the local choir being augmented by a contingent from Panmure, Mrs. Fleming taking the role of organist The musio of the mass was executed in a very devotional manner by the conjoined choirs ; and the visitors, after a repast, strolled through the wellkopt grounds of the Monsignor, and afterwards paid a flying visib to the well-con-structed wharf, returning about four o'clock for Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All appeared charmed with the prettinoss of the village and surrounding scenery, which might be equalled bub not easily surpassed. The day, on the whole, may be looked upon as a red-letter day for Howick, A committee has been formed for the purpose of tendering to Herr Louis Tutsehka a benefit concert in the City Hall on Monday noxt. Herr Louis Tutschka is well known in Auckland, and we regret to record that he is now suffering from a mental affliction which totally unfits him from pursuing his profession. When in health he was over ready to lend his assistance to charitable objects, and it is to be hoped, now that he requires himself some help, that the public will recognise his claim to their sympathy. The present movement should appeal to all who aro charitably disposed, a3 the family aro really in very straitened circumstances. The Elite Musical and Comedy Company gave its initial performance last night in the City Hall. Owing no doubt to tho uninviting weather prevailing, the audience was not so large as usually greets a variety entertainment. Those who did attend, however, wero treated to a very good programme, including two comedies, dances, and songs. Mr. Harry Thomas, who has not appeared for some time, was welcomed back and very much applauded. Mr Will Sylvan was also well received in his topical songs. Other items were contributed by Misses Howard and McDonald, and Little Evie —a very email child who danced Highland flings, etc. ; also by Messrs. Charles Moore, J. Hayes, and T. Oakes. There was at the Opera House yesterday evening a larger audience even than on Saturday, to witness the production, by the St. John Burlesque Company, of the oxtravaganza "Cindorella." Recalls wore again the order of the evoning, and the piece throughout was played most enjoyably. To-night Blue-Eyed Susan " will be given, and should attract large houses.