LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10418, 16 April 1897, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Am English mail arrives by the Rotokino from Newcastle to-day, but owing to its being a Post Office holiday, it will not be sorted until to-morrow. The Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) arrived from Wellington yesterday by the Mahinapua. He will leave again for England on Saturday by the outgoing San Francisco mail steamer. The Bishop states that though he will not have much time to spare he may find it difficult to deny liimselt the pleasure of spending a week or » in visiting a few of the more celebrated places of interest in the United States on bis way Home. His stay in the old country •ill not be long as lie expects to be back in New Zealand in November. The Bishop, who is accompanied by Mrs. Wallis, is •a excellent health. He is sorry lie cannot spend a few days in Auckland on the preient occasion. Dr. Wallis preaches at St. Sepulchre's Church this morning. Another old colonist has just passed away st the Thames in the person of Mrs. Chas. Hosking, who arrived in the colony in 1855 by the ship Rock City. The deceased lady *»» well-known in the Auckland district, and more especially in Waiuku, where her home was for many years the home of the Weeleyan ministers who came to that district. She succumbed to an attack of la grippe and fever after a fortnight's illness, st the age of 71 years, and her remains were brought from Thames yesterday for interment at Waiuku. The Auckland Chrysanthemum Society's •ighth annual Show was brought to a close yesterday evening, though unfortunately the boisterous weather throughout the day militated considerably against the attendance, From an artistic point of view, the i 1897 Show was one of Ihe most successful •»»r held under the auspices of the Society, ' the blooms being numerous and of a high I «der, while the decorations added greatly -V to the spectacular effect ; the whole being ••; post pleasing to the eye. Financially, g however, it is feared that the Exhibition .;'. will nob be up to expectations, for while the m ttle of blooms by auction last night, Mr. i£':' L - Lewis officiating, resulted in good prices If king obtained, the attendances have •V;-, lot been as large as had been looked for- %; ward to, while the expenses have been someH what heavy. ■■f The Ponsonby Schools Committee held "•' Its ordinary meeting yesterday evening, P Mr. Leys (chairman) presiding. With reference to the Board's recommendation of ML* lady teacher for the post of second assistant at Bayfield School, was resolved to "quest the Board to forward to the comII mittee the names of male teachers (Class D) : v eligible for the post. Mr. J. C. Mill was appointed as fifth assistant teacher at Richmond Road School. ~., life Constable Connolly, of Kihikihi, brought . down a Maori lunatic prisoner named , Terata Hakamiato Auckland today, who Was committed to the asylum on the "rfica.l certificates of Dri. Rotation tad 1 i i v wall. ,

A very pleasing ceremony took place at the Epsom School yesterday upon the occasion of the headmaßte', Mr. W. N. Mcintosh, leaving that school in order to take charge of Onehunga. The children and teachers of the sobool had subscribed money enough for a beautiful marble clock and a handsome tea sorvice, and after dinner, when all were assembled in the large room, Mr, and Mrs, Mcintosh wore sent for. The olock and tea service were then presented to them by Mr. Newland, a member of the school committee, while an address was read by one of the elder pupils. Mr. Newland, in making the presentation, dwelt upon the many sterling qualities of .Mr. Molntosh, and in the course of his speech said he felt sure that Epsom was losing a valuable member of the teaching profession and a useful member of society. Mr. Mcintosh thanked the donors in a very neat speech, in the course of which he gave the ohildren many valuable hints, and in bidding them good-bye trusted he would be as happy in Onehunga as he had been in Epsom. Mrs. Mcintosh thanked the children for their kind gifts, and before concluding the proceedings Mr. Molntosh called for three cheers for Mr. Newland. The children on leaving the room gave three cheers for the retiring headmaster and his wife.

Yesterday afternoon the children attending the Onehunga District SchooLassembled in the largo central room to bid farewell to their headmaster, Mr. R. D. Stewart. Mr. James Robb expressed the sincere regret felt at the removal of Mr, Stewart. In taking charge of VVellosleystreeb he Would have greater scope for his abilities, and would be able to help on the cause of education even more than he had dona while at Onehunga. Miss Freddy Scott then read an address from the children, after which Miss Lucy Austen and Master Harold Warren came forward and presented Mr. Stewart with a handsome silver cake basket and pair of gold sleeve links. Mr. Robb, on behalf of tho teachers, next presented Mr. and Mrs. Stewart with a very pretty afternoon tea set and tray. In reply Mr. Stewart expressed himself as being extremely sorry at parting with his teachers and scholars. Some of the formor had been with him during the whole of the time he had charge of the Onehunga School. Be referred to his successor (Mr. Macintosh) as one who had already won golden opinions in the profession, and hoped the children would co-operate with him in keeping the school in the first rank. Three cheers for Mr. Stewart brought an interesting gathering to a close. Mr., Mrs., and Miss Stewart wore afterwards entertained by the teachers at afternoon tea.

The Chrisfcchurch Press is dissatisfied at the explanation given by the Government for raising the charges for the telephono service. It states:—lt is, wo believe, not so much the amount of the increase as the injustice of it which specially rankles in the minds of the victims. What the Government propose to do is to make their good customers pay for the bad ones. Whether the alleged loss of £3000 a year on the telephones as a whole is a genuine loss, or merely a matter of book-keeping, nobody will pretend that the £5 a year subscription which Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch tradesmen have been paying has not afforded a good profit to the department. If there is any loss at all in New Zealand, it is not on the telephone system in the large centres, but on the political telephones which are planted about the country in districts of the " right colour."

Two drunkards wore cautioned and discharged at yesterday's sitting of the Police Court. Fifteen informations laid against H. M. Smeeton charging him with having committed breaches of the Shops and Shop Assistants Act, 1894, wore Bet down for hearing, but on tho application of Mr. McAlister, who appeared for the Inspector of Factories (Mr. Hugh Ferguson), tho cases were adjourned till after the holidays, and will be heard on April 26. Messrs. J. Gilmour and J, Gordon, Justices, sat on the Bench.

The alleged sly-grog selling case' at Kawhia como on for hearing on tho 23rd instant.

There were about a score of applications forreliefyesterday before tho Charitable Aid Board, but none of them were of publio interest.

We have been requested by Mr. Gailey, president of the St. James' Presbyterian Church Christian Endeavour Society, to state that they have not authorised any person to canvass the suburbs for subscriptions in connection with the society on behalf of a poor widow.

The Auckland police authorities have reoived information from Constable Law, of Coromandel, that he had arrested Charles McPherson, on warrant, on a charge of false pretences at worn; also John Conrade, on warrant, charged with neglecting to provide for his child, and that accused had been remanded for eight days.

The Town Clerk (Mr. P. A. Philips) has been moving in the matter of presenting un address to tho Premier (Hon. R. J. Scddon) to-morrow, congratulating him on his visit to England to toko part in the record reipii celebrations, but owing to to-day being a holiday, and other difficulties which have arisen, ho has been obliged to abandon the project.

A man who was arrested last evening, and who made it lively for the police, was found, on being searched at tho Police Station, to have a lump of road motal wrapped up in his handkerchief. The police had their doubts us to whether he was an amateur geologist.

The B.s. Clansman brings up this morning from Russell two prisoners naruod James South and Win. Mosley, sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for larceny by the Russell Bench.

There were in the lock-up last evening six persons on charges of drunkenness and James Wilson for being drunk and disorderly, and ilJrace Graham on a charge of stealing from the person of Henry Fitzsimmons, stated to be a seafaring man, a watch, chain and pendant, and £9 in one pound notes.

With the viow of increasing the popularity of their socials, the Caledonian. Society decided to vary the form of the entertainment providod, and the success of tho innovation wa* amply proved last evening, the occasion of the first of the new series. Notwithstanding the boisterous weather the attendance was large, and those present look a marked interest in the evening's amusement. Mr. McCune acted as chairman. A well-selected dance programme was gone through, Mr. Cowloy providing the music, and interspersed with the dances the following vocal and instrumental items were rendered :—Overture, Mr. Cowley ; song, " The Deserter," Mr. Diamond; song, " Tho Good-bye at the Door," Mr. Stanton song, Miss Harleyj song, " East and West, or London Life, Mr. Diamond; song, "The May Queen,' Miss Barley; song, Mr. Staunton. The singers were accompanied by Miss Lowther.