LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10099, 7 April 1896, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The vice regal part}attcnded the Ellerslic races yesterday, \ith the exception of Major Elliot, wb was engaged in the cricket match at the domain. Some members of the partywill be at the races to-day. His Excellent/ the Governor will open the Chrysantliemm Show on Thursday week. Our Paeroa corrosporJent writes:—The Hon. A. J. Ciidman, acompanied by his private secretary, arrivechere on Thursday, and in the afternoon wasieputationised by several residents of I'aeoa respecting the vexed question nf watt supply. The Minister informed the dtputaiion that ho was in favour of tho watt? being supplied by the local body, and i the Council or local body took the pnper procedure assistance would undoubteliy bo rendered by the Government. Mr. Cwlnian returned to ie A roll aby train. A long discussion took placo at the County Cuincii meeting with regard to the water supjly, but owing to the absence of the chaiimin the matte! was deferred for a month.

A Port Albert corresponded writes Mr. Massey, M.H.It., has informed several of his constituents that it is not his inten-

tion to seek re-election for iVaitemata. Not only in this part of the electorate where Mr. Massey received such large support, but throughout the whole ci H aitemata there is a general feeling ol regret that we aro about to lass an honest, straightforward representative. But when it becomes known that it is very probable Mr. Massey will represent Franklin or Manukau in the next Parliament, the feeling of regret will bo lessened as ha colony will still retain the services of one sc capable of representing the interests of agriculture. Mr. Monk is. again in tin field; but he says had not Mr. Masse l ) decided to retire, he (Mr. Monk) would liav< heartily supported him.

A somewhat peculiar accident happened to the steamer Akaroa at the Queen-street Wharf yesterday. The steamer was berthed at the inside of the last western tee, and was in charge of the watchman, all hands being on shore. Two young boys who were playing about on board tha steamer made their way below into the engine room, during the temporary absence of the watchman, and managed to set the machinery in motion, the result being that the steamer's lines were parted, and sha crashed into the Queen-street Wharf, doing soma damage to the stringer, and narrowly escaping collision with the barque Neilia Brett. Another lad who was on board the steamer went below and stopped the engines, and a number of men from the adjoining vessels went on board the Akaroa, and moored her safely to the wharf again. The boat of the steamer was smashed, and also a portion of the bulwarks.

Messrs. Callnan and White occupied the Bench at the Police Court yesterday morning, and sentenced Henry Slcane, who was convicted of the theft of a flask of whisky, valued at 3s 6.1, to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. The llask was the property of one James Hunter of the Alexandra Hotel, Parnell. George Yedder, in custody on a charge of stealing a diamond ring, value i's, from the dwelling of Arthur li,unsay, was remanded until Thursday next; and a charge against Samuel Blair of theft was adjourned for one week. For drunkenness one first offender was let oIT with a caution ; another was fined sj,s j , with the option of '24 hours; and John Shiers, a second offender, was fined 10s, with the alternative of 48 hours.

Our Rahotu (Taranaki) correspondent writes News was received on Sunday night that August Peters, a settler, living on the Ngarike Road, but who has a road contract with Stephen Finlay for tin Public Trustee on the same road, had shot himself dead during Sunday afternoon. G. Collins sent the information to Constable Hickman at Pungarehu, who took a party of men up to the scene of the accident, when Finlay and the two men working with him got deceased on a stretcher an! fetched him out of the bush, the task being of exceptional labour through having to lift the body across fallen bush, there being no track, which took some hours The constable had a conveyance up the road as far as it was practicable to take it, waiting to convoy the deceased to Rahotu. At Rahotu, ConstableTwomey, of Opunake, with Doctor Harrison, of Eltham, had arrived for the purpoe of holding an inquest. Dr. Harrison made a post-mortem examination. The inquest was held in the hotel, before Mr. G. W. (Jane, J.P., coroner, when G. Collins, S. Finlay, Doctor Harrison, and Constable Hickman gave evidence. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death. The annual show of the Auckland Chrysanthemum Society will be opened by His Excellency the Governor, on Thursday, the 16th instant, at the Drill Hall. Notwithstanding the dry season just experienced, ib is anticipated the number of bloom! entered will reach, if not exceed, that o! any former year. The hon. secretarj intimates, through our advertising columns that entries will closo on Thursday next, the 9th instant, at five p.m.

A correspondent of the Taranaki Herald writes to that journal from Christchurcli* " 1 believe (Jhristciiurch is the home of the oldest playing cricketer in the world, Mr. G. Wiliner,' the genial captain of tlio Veterans' Cricket Club. On the 14th of ■February the members assembled and presented their chief with a handsome and suitably-engraved silver cup to commemorate his eightieth birthday, and the Rangiora Club sent him an umbrella with a silver shield. To play cricket at eighty years of ago is wonderful, but 1 believo I am correct in stating that for sixty-nine years of that time Mr. Wiliner has been an active and enthusiastic cricketer,",

The police fores has only been recruited pi late from the Permanent Force, the men having to pass for two years through thai) force, so that in emergency they could be drafted to the batteries, and man the big rrull! in the harbour defences of the colony. A few days ago we stated that it was rumoured that the permanent forco men in the police force would be transferred again to the batteries in view of the state of affairs in Europe. Colour is given to this rumour by a Press Association telegram which states that "A number of men are to be added to the police force, which it present is undermanned. Recruits will not be confined to the defence forces." several applications have been received here from civilians desirous of joining the poll 0 force, and some of them have gone to Wellington, where the recruits are put throne 1 a course of instruction at tho Moui.t Coo'; _ Depot, The Permanent Force men doing street duty are rather ple.i-c.l at tho prospect of a return to their duty at tho batteries and harbour

defences. Tho water famine in Adelaide is assumiM! ,i serious aspect, as thoro has been jjttVr.iin for months past. Tho moral of tlic sir-t-* of aflairs should bo laid to heart bv Am'klander?, as any summer a similar f is:o o ; atlairs may arise here. At tho ond ci M.iicli there was only 50 days supply, ,„1 tie corporation has passed a by-law in;].v- g a fine of £20 upon anyone using the cry water supply for gardens or fiiHTor- Hitherto tho drains have been tij.-l'-d periodically, but that is now left to bo ii -I" by the bath service, which is not yet cat "d, as in a semi-tropical climate the ha Hi is almost a necessary of life. The citizens of Adelaide have been a.' careless as those of Auckland in the consumption of water, tho supply for February being closo on 40 gallons per heal, which is the Auckland rato, and it is jr.temied to bring the supply down to tho rite in Kngland, 'JO gallons per head. Tho t*o Adelaide reservoirs hold 1,019,500,000 j.iuias of water, but at the end of March there were only -40,000.000 gallons remaini::.', if which 80,000,000 gallons was roj:iriie I as residuum at the bottom of tho rtffrvoir?. and unfit for household use. It at pears that the Legislature has been diiuieil in opinion for years past batweon the rival schemes of Barossa and Happy Wiley, and only a water famine seoms likely to bring the bitter controversy to a :'.C'Se.

A Southern paper gives further particular concerning the recent fatal accident on the passage from Melbourne of the steamboat Mararoa whereby a steerago p.iS-eiH't-r named I. J, Kitrg was drowned. After clearing l'orb Phillip Heads Bigg ccuip'aiued to a passenger named Buirde ih.it i;e felt ■dck, and Buirde suggested that i: «v ?h'iald go on deck for the benefit of the iron air. On their gaining the promcna.ie lieck the vessel, which was then in the rip, L' 've a heavy lurch and threw Bigg tilth considerable force against the rail, sad he » as by the force of the impact doubled titer the rail (which is about 3 feet 6 inches hi;ii) and capsized into the sea. Tliuro was s hij:h sea running at tho time ('J.25 p.m.) an i 'he night was dark, but clear. The M:<r.i:oa steamed about for some considersbie time, but seeing-110 traces of Rigg the •eatch was abandoned. Nothing is known di the man further than that he had been I;vi:.j i:i Warragal, and judging from his clothing he was a labourer, The residence of Mr. John F. Bryers, storekeeper, U'aima, Kawerfc, was burned down cm the evening of the '.'lst ult. The itock was insured for £230 in the New Zealand, and the building for £50 in the sv.no 1 See. The origin of the fire is rnknouu.

Oar Mauku correspondent writesA meeting 0: the committee of the Franklin Agricultural Society was held 011 March 30, to settle up matters in connection with the late Snow, The accounts were gone through and pastel for payment, and tho treasurer was duly authorised to pay the prizes as avT.ar iei. and though the balance-sheet was not m.i up, he reported a large sum in hand iroti) the Show, and it was decided to i l l to the sum placed in tho bank at fixed deposit, so a- to make it up to £100, leaving t.io balance to pay all claims, after which there would ■•.ill be a further sum to put sway for the future good of the Society, which is in a sound financial condition, ihe large attendance on the 21st shows that the public from Auckland and surrounding district appreciate a day at luk'.knheon Show day. The secretary, Mr, Webster, was instructed to forward tse thanks oi the committee to the judges f:r their labour in the various classes, and it will be a satisfaction to them to learn that the committee had not a single protest to investigate. A desultory conversation was held after the meeting re tho future of the Society's Show, and the president, Mr. C. Barriball, suggested that as the Show had now got a firm footing, it would be well if a lease of the ground for Show purposes—say for twenty years— cculd be obtained, so that the committee could concentrate the Show more than as at present, by erecting cattle yards, etc., in the paddocks, which, of course, they cannot do as at present situated. It was thought Mr. Roulston, who owns the land, would be willing to come to some terms over it, as lie had always taken a warm interest in the Show ; in fact, he was tho father ot it. The subject will bo brought forward at the annual meeting of the Society, which was fixed to take place Mter Messrs. Hunter and Nolan's sale in ■July next.

it will be seen by advertisement else where that the Assets Realisation Board aie prepared to receive and consider offers ■or the felling or leasing of any one or more if their properties in any part of New Zealand. The general manager, Wellington, «ii! furnish any particulara desired to applicants.

further particulars appear in the West toast papers as to thu death of Herman Hockheim, said to be a survivor of the wreck of the airarapa, who is ■supposed to have committed suicide at Wanganui. It seems he was under detention at tho Wanganui police station on suspicion of larceny. lie was detained till G p.m. 011 Tuesday, but the person interested not turning up, he was liberated. Ashe left the station he was noticed to bo unsteady in his gait, so was re arrested under the supposition lie was drunk. Examination by medical men showed lie was suffering from poison, and prompt measures were taken to neutralise its effect, but to no purpose. Up to a late hour on Monday ni»l;t the man was in a critical condition. The mail died tit 11 o'clock on the following morning, alter he appeared to be progressing favourably and had walked to the hospital, where, however, he took a relapse and succumbed.

The Paragon Specialty Company gave another of its variety entertainments in tho City Jlall lasc night to a fairly good house, and each item of the programme, but more particularly the songs of Mr. U. I'd wards, and .Misses Morella, Howard, and Cameron, were loudly applauded. Messrs. Merenie and Connor appeared in an amusing sketch entitled "Gymnastic Instructors," and the remaining items were al.'o good.

In the Agricultural Hall, last night, Kiact s Circus showed to a full attendance ' j! spectators, and a specially-attractive Holiday biil was put on, including all the must, difficult and daring feats in the Company's (repertoire. The clowns were also more than usually funny in their antics, jifid the equestrian acts went off without a "itch, so that the audience was kept well sinu-ed during the whole performance, and "Cquontly testified its approval. At the City Hall, to-night, Mr. John fliers grand lime-light concert will take P-'*cu. It i» entitled, "A Tour Through re ami," and will be giren with appropri."'J' illustrated songs. Miss liettie Fuller, Jy.io wakes her first appearance, will sing «by and Joan," and Mr. Albert Lucas i recite "Shainus O'Brien." The popu'tenor ''i sing "The Minstrel Boy," lllarney," and " She Wore a Wreath of Km- 8 ",,. r ' Archdale Tayler and Miss * 'o Fitzpatrick also appear. JJ» ,oaal a " ent of the Labour Bureau ; c ' .S u son) has obtained a month's lvitV absence, and left yesterday for the 610 "' The duties of the office will in S| lln ni f antlmo be performed by Mr, MimpmTi B l' "'' s in c ' lai 'go of the Christ■"•lrc'i Labour Bureau.

IT OFTEN HAPPENS j. . * ♦ V'i'uuh S.'' t ' l ' 0VV!l "P'i a subject when Mild and f.- ' I'oss.ud'a Cavour Cigars. iu rackets Of 8 for is. oblamable everywhere