LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Hkrald Monthly Summary, for trani mission by tho nexb outward San Francisco mail, will bo published to-morrow (Thurs.] Those desirous of forwarding the Summarj to their friends iu Europe, America, etc. will have ample time to do so, as the newspaper mail closes on Saturday next, al 11.30 o'clock a.m., up to which hour papers for mailing may be obtained of runneri al the posb office. Thia mail will bo due in London on Wednesday, Alay 19.

At yesterday's meeting of the Board ol Education, Mr. S. Luke was appointed chairman for the ensuing twelve months. The retiring chairman, Mr. J. Muir, when moving the election of Mr. Luke, took up a standing position behind the chair usually occupied by the chairman, and on being reminded by 11 r. Udy that the chairman should occupy the chair, said he had adopted this attitude in order to prevent a scene. Speaking to the motion he said Mr. Luke was well qualified to fill the position. Mr. Harris cordially seconded the motiop, and supported the last speaker with regard to Mr. Luke's qualifications and suitability. He added that had Mr. Muir been again a candidate for the vacancy he (Mr. Harris] would have supported him ; feeling that hi was one who had been most civil and courteous to all during hie term, and had conducted the proceedings of the Board ii a gentlemiinly manner. On Mr. Aluirt asking if there was any other nomination, Mr. Lambe n*ked that he (Mr. Muir) would allow himself to be again nominated for Uμ ■ position, and roferred in complimentary terms to his occupation of the chair last year, and the confidence reposed in him at shown by the fact that he was recently returned by the echool committees at the '• head of the poll. Mr Woodward opposed Mr. Luke's election, but beyond thii opposition the Board was unanimous. Mr. Luke returned thanks, and in conclusion moved a vote of thanks to the outgoing chairman for the manner in which he had acquitted himself of hie duties during the past year, which on being put to th( meeting was unanimously adopted. The City Assessment Court eat yesterday j at the Magistrate's Court, Mr. H. TV. i Brabant, S.M., presiding. Mr. P. A, Philips (Town CJerl<), mid Mr. \V. Gulliver, \ appeared to support the valuations. Object , tions from ratepayers in the Grafton, Pornß Sonby, .mil Karangahape Wards were hoard, ■ and twenty-nine reductions were made, 1 mostly with tho consent, of the Uity Council authorities, representing a total of £l% The Court will sit again today.

Yesterday afternoon as a dogcart was ' being driven down Symonds-street, the horse took fright at .-omething, and bolted. The occupants of the trap were Airs. David Robertson and her daughter, and they got thrown out. The horse and trap continued their wild career as far as St. Paul's Church, where the trap collided with one of Guy'i buses, and capsized, and (job smashed up, The horse went on along Symonds-street and Waterloo Quadrant and was finallystopped near Princes-street. In the meantime Mrs. and Miss Robertson were picked up and taken into Dr. Sharman'e residence. It was found that the younger lady had fortunately escaped serious injury, her only hurt being a few scratches about the face. Mrs. Robertson, however, is suffering from concussion of the brain as the result of the accident. The horse and trap were owned by Mr. David Robertson.

In the course of a discussion at yeater« day's Board of Education meeting the architect (Mr. Mitchell), with reference to the action of the Government in granting an amount equal to the last valuation of schools destroyed for the re-erection of the same, drew attention to a rather important fact in this connection. Where a school has been standing for a number of yean the valuation naturally decreases as time goes on, and in the event of a fire the last valuation return is accopted as the figure which the Government is prepared to vote for the re-erection of the school, the consequence being that the amount is much below what it would cost to erect a school equal in quality to that destroyed. It was considered that something definite should be arrived at as regards the matter.

Our Albany Correspondent writes :-0e Thursday ni ? ht, April 8, the Albany Board School was burnt to the ground, together with the contents, consisting of a valuable public library, Sunday-school and day-school libraries, school furniture, piano, and harmonium. The accumulation ol many years has been entirely swept away. The young people of the district are the chief sufferers. The building and contents were not insured. The fire is supposed to have been the work of a passing iuebriate in quest of a night's lodging. Numbers of these unfortunates are frequently to be seen, and sometimes stumbled over on the highway to town.

In reference to the proposed establishment of a Children's Hospital in commemoration of the Queen's Jubilee, the Mayor . (Mr. Boardman) yesterday received from '■!■ Mrs. Ellen Browning a cheque for £50 a3 a , contribution towards the fund to be opened in that behalf. Such an auxiliary to the present Hospital Mrs. Browning look! upon as much needed, and in every way most suitable and comprehensive, in that while placing on record our appreciation of Her Majesty's beneficent reign, it will at the same time enable the establishment in our midst of an institution the want ol I which has long been deplorod. '; The monthly committee meeting of the i; Society for the Protection of Women and ■$. Children was held in the office of the H A.M.P. Buildings yesterday afternoon, at 'M half-past three o'clock. There were pre- 4 sent: Rabbi Goldstein (chairman), Mrs. M Kerr-Taylor, Revs. H. Bull and W. A. J Sinclair, Messrs. Fowlds, Baker, and j£t, Brookfield. Ib was decided that the rf annual meeting of the Society be held iu # the Young Men's Christian Association |?| Hall on April 26, at half-past three p.m. <cM Mr. W. 0. Garland was appointed collector S| for the Society in placo of Mr. Adams, who -_\1 had resigned owing to his leaving Auck- ■• J land. The secretary , report showed that j during the month 23 cases had been ~;| brought before tho Society, three of these J had been taken before the S.M. Court. The • « annual report and balance-sheet was pre- r ; tented to the meeting. * ■ All arrangements are now complete for the appearance in Auckland of Mies Ad* Delroy and her company of entertainers, and a prosperous season seems assured. The initial .performance will eventuate -at ; :, the Opera House on Saturday evening. .r; j The season here is limited to seven night*. ■• i The box plan is now open at W'ildman and . : Lyell'e, The company come with an excellent ■_','- reputation for presenting an entertainment ;Vj«-K at novel and original as ib is chaste and ' refiQQd. ';">■:-.• ' ";-.| ' ■ ■ ■ •' 'inm

\Liady residents of Utakura are ovitlv not satisfied with the administrative ere of the local school committee, and Ptakine B teps to place matters on (to *k!ml 8 more satisfactory basis. In this nnVction, a letter was read ab yester'flleeting of the Board of Education, i « Mrs. Esther Trigg, of Utakura, in uA, she proposes that the Board ehould lit of « committee of ladies being }* ed in the district, as the men were •aviso much that they could not attend * * r ly to the duties pertaining to the üBL The communication created considMe amusement, and it was decided to foforni the fair writer that if the ladies of the district were householders, and eligible ndertheAot, the matter was entirely in J:' I, own hands, as regards the appoint pent of a committee. The Hot Lakes Chronicle hopes that the tain service during the winter will be L e r than it was last year. It enys :- ''During the winter months of laet year (nine left Auckland at 9.35 a.m., arrivingtore at 7.40 P ,m, >at ' eaßt > 'hat was the tar the train was supposed to arrive, but, except on a few rare occasions, it did not not in an appearance till 9 o'clock or later, The number of invalids arriving here during the winter months is increasing in a very .npreciable degree, and it ie monstrous that they should be subjected toall the inconveniences and discomforts ot a twelve hours' journey when the dietanco could be accomili?hed in one-third lew time. A petition L the Minister of Railways is in course of signature, asking that the time-table should be arranged so as to allow the train to arrive ij Cre during the winter months not later U) M 6.300r7p.ni."

We understand that the operations of Hβ Glen Var Wine Company are proving of considerable service to those in tho eurroooding districts who have takon to nape-growing. The faefc of having a market for their grapes is an encouragepant to extend the vineyards, and plant the choicest kind of grapes. Ultimately the industry of grape-growing ought to be stnost successful one in the North. The Glon Var Wine Company have had a very successful vintage this season, having pub through over 4000 gallons of wine of a very high percentage, besides 2000 gallons of cognac material for distillation purposes. We hear it is tho opinion of Captain Smith jnd tbe expert staff at Glon Var that the vintage ot 1897 will exceed in excellence wy former vintages.

Tho man John Morton, who was stabbed on board the stoamer Mamari on Saturday, night, is progressing favourably. Ho has been removod from the steamer to the Sailors' Homo, where he will remain until be has quite recovered.

The Women's Liberal League held its ueual fortnightly meeting yesterday evening in the Wesloy Hall. Mrs. Rule, president, was in the chair, Mrs. tlendre read a paper on " Equal Pay for Equal Work," Iα which she advocated the principle that wonicu and men, doing the same work, should receive equal remuneration The lecturer hold that until women were fairly paid for their work, their social status would not be raited,

At a meeting of tlio Mangore Bond Board held on Monday night, Mr. M. M. Kirkbride, chairman, tenderod his resignation us a member of Hie Board. Messrs. J, E. Taylor and A. Anderson expreencd the very great regret felt both by tlio Board and the ratepayers that Mr, Kirkbrido, who has proved himself a most ablo member, has found himself compelled to take such a stop.

The Sydney Morning Herald saye :— From tine to timo colonists have hoard of the adaptability of the climate and soil of this colony for the growth of the tobacco plant, and on several occasions specimens have been produced which tended to show (bat what was possible in this direction had only been indicated in a general way. There was generally a conviction that if someone familiar with all the details of cultivation and the curing of the leaf could bo secured by the colony the colonial growers of the fragrant weed would soon be taking their proper share in the production of tobacco of the better description for tbe world's consumption. Acting upon this Hpposition, the Minister for Agriculture hu appointed as tobacco expert Mr. A. M. ASuvell, of Greenville, United States, at a lalary of £400 a year, the engagement being for three years. Mr. Howell, who hae been itrongly recommended by the Secretary to the Department of Agriculture in tho United States, is expected to arrive in about two months' time.

A petition from the members of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria to the Federal Convention at Adelaide was entrusted to the care of Sir George Turner for presentation. The petition urge? that, in the preamble jf the Constitution ot the Australian Commonwealth there shall be recognition of Almighty God as the Supreme Ruler of Nations, and the ultimate source of righteous law and liberty amongst peoples. It also asks that in caees of national peril or deliverance, the Governor-General shall have power to proclaim a day of national supplication or thanksgiving. The petition baa been heartily signed in the congregntione of the churches over tho length and breadth of Victoria. It contains somo 10,000 signatures, the roll of names being 532 feet in length. Other Churches of the colony are understood to be sending petitions to a like effecti.

During the Easter holidays cricket teams from the Bay of Islands and Whangarei will visit Auckland and play a series of matches against the city clubs. On FrHay the Bay of Islands eleven will meet the following from the United C.C., viz. :- Brown, Craig, Cuff, Jotvitt, Labatt, Stembod, Saunderson, Lees, Watts, VVhelan and Walton. On Saturday the Whangarei team will iplay the following team from tho United, viz.:—Brown, Craig, Cuff, C. Hay, Steinnon, Lees, Jowitt, Saunderson, Walton, Watts, and another. Both matches will be played on the Domain Cricket Ground.

The Melbourne Argus Bays : — " The action of the Legislature of New Zealand in imposing a tax of £50 per head per annum on commercial travellers arriving from without its boundaries has caused a good deal of irritation amongst commercial men in this and other Australian colonies. It was condemned at a meeting in Melbourne representing 1500 commercial travellers, and the Premnr was requested to move in the matter. Tie communicated with the Premier of Now Zealand, exhorting him to havo the impost removed, and the latter hue "ow replied, stating that the tax is levied under authority of an existing law, and that msGovernmotit, with every disposition to take a favourable view of the suggested abolition of tho tax, considers it bast to •wait the discussion of the queetion in the Legislature, which will probably tako place •wly in the approaching session. This reply gives some hope that the objectionable impost will be discontinued." The fact is, that the House is only prevented from repealing the tax by the influence of Ministers.