LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The latest news from the theatre of war is somewhat conflicting. Both the Greeks and Turks claim successes. The Grecian fleet appears to bo rendering effective service to the army. The Sultan it is said has issued instructions that the Turkish squadron which passed through the Dardanelles is not to attack the Greek warships unless under covor of land forts. The Turkish forces on land are marching on Larks* where a great and probably decisive battle will be fought.

The mall steamer Mariposa arrived from San Francisco, Honolulu, and Apia yesterday morning with the English and American mails. The steamer has been laid up at San Franoisco for a couple of months, during which time alio has been thoroughly overhauled in all departments. Being delayed at San Francisco for 54 hours, owing to tlio late arrival of the English mails, the Mariposa made excellent time across the Paciiio, and made up a good deal of lost time, tho aotual steaming time on the voyage being only 18 days 10 hours, the detentions at Honolulu and Samoa taking up another 15 hours. Very pleasant weather was experienced all the way, and the passengers had a artist enjoyable time. Tlio Mariposa was fairly patronised with passengors for this port and Australia. Among those for Auckland are Mr. H. Reynolds, of Waikata, Professor Bristol and Mr. A. W. Kennedy, who oomo with a troupo of performing mules and ponies. Included in the list for Sydney are Mrs, M. Williamson (Maggie Moore), who is returning to Australia after a short visit to America; and the Rev. Joseph Campbell, who has interested himself in various mines at 'l'e Arolia. Messrs. S. Hague-Smith (manager at Sydney for the New Zealand Insurance Company), C. E. Button, Mr. Holdgate, and the representatives of the Sydney press joined the steamer at this port. Tho Mariposa left for Sydney about half-past ten o'clock last night, her departure being witnessed by a large number of citizens.

The mails brought by the Mariposa yesterday were of the following dates London, March 20 ; New York, March 27; San Francisco, April 3; Honolulu, April 10; Apia, april 17. Personal items and latest mining news from our London correspondent appear in another part of this issue.

The Messageries steamer Polynesian lias arrived at Albany from Marseilles, and has been quarantined, owing to two cases of small pox boing on board. Mr. and Mrs. L. 1). Nathan and Miss Nathan are passengers by the steamer. A cablegram has been received from Mr. Nathan stating that both himself and family are in good health, and expect to reach Sydney on the 30th inst.

The returning officer for the City of Auckland notifies elsewhere that an election of Mayor will take plaoe, owing to the resignation of Mr. Boardman. Nominations will be received up to Monday, the 4th May, and the election, if necessary, will take place on Friday, the 14th May.

On the arrival of the mail steamer Mariposa from San Francisco yesterday morning, a large crowd gathered on the Queen-street wharf in the hope of catching a glimpse of the prisoner Butler. The Harbour Board, at the request of the local manager of the Union S.S. Company, howover, had a barricade erected nt the tee where the steamer berthed, and admission could only be gained by ticket issued by the company. This precaution enabled those having business on board the steamer to transact it promptly without being interfered with by the crowd. Of course, tho fact of Butler being a passenger by the steamer caused something of a sensation, and during the day the wharf was paraded by a larger number of persons than usual; but owing to the precautions already mentionod they could not got near the steamer, A strong posse of police wore on duty on the wharf during the day, under the control of Sergeant Clarke, In another part of this issue will be found full particulars of the voyage of the steamer, and of Butler's sayings and doinge and general demeanour.

A very serious accident; occurred yesterday afternoon to a little boy of twelve years old, named Norman Faulder, son of Mrs. Faulder, of West House, Newton. It appears that the lad with two of his brothers were looking after some horses in the paddocks—all three boys being used to horses from their childhood— as one of the animals was being let go Norman, boylike, got hold of its tail. The animal in question had always shown itself a very quiet one, but on this occasion it lashed out, striking the unfortunate child on the forehead. Assistance was at once procured and the boy was taken inside and Dr. Mackellar sent for. It was found that the skull had been fractured and that the splintered bone was pressing on the brain. With the assistance of Drs. Girdler and Roberton, Dr. Mackellar performed an operation, and removed the broken pieces of bone, and the little sufferer is now progressing as favourably as can be expected under the circumstances.

At yesterday's sitting of the Police Court Messrs. Morgan and Peacocke were the presiding Justices. Three drunkards were each fined ss, with the ordinary alternative. One of these, named Philip Mctiingham, pleaded guilty to the charge of using obscene language in Queen-street, and was sentenced to imprisonment for 24 hours. An old man named Robert Foster was charged with having bepged alms in a public place. _ It appears that the accused, who has been in the habit of begging in the streets, accosted a plain-clothes constable in the ' Albert Park, and asked ; for relief, The result was that the accused was locked up, He wat sentenced to ft aaath't iiaI ptiloomßQt.

Among tb«?art '■ by tba s.s. Mariposa from Sank Ifatuittco yost«rdaji ? ; morriinjt, was Mrs. J. K. Barney, Rhode Island, United State* America, bearing the highest recbliiriifiiri jatiohs as a worker in connection with the World's Women's Qhriitian Temperance Union. Both in America and *EnjjMtk). she has fconduoted sutjcfcwful teaiperanoo missions, while her work in aid o! female prisoners has led to her be(ng sonietlrnelcaiMd the* 11 Elizabeth Fry of AmV;i&i." She is superintendent for tim Worid'i Women's Christian Temperance Onion of Prison, Police Station, and Almshouse Visitation. Mrs. Barney has visited England several "times by the special invitation of Lady Henry Somerset for the purpose of giving Addresses on prison reform, and has travelled through the United States and Canada, visiting the prisoners, and doing all in her power for the reform of the prisoners. Through her efforts prison matrons have been employed in many parts of England and America. Mrs. Barney will hold a short series of meetings in Auokland. To-morrow evening she is announcod to preach in the Pittstreet Wesley Church on "From Jerusalem to Jericho." On Monday evening she will address Christian workers in the Wesley Hall on " Success in Christian Work." Other meetings will be hold of which particulars will be announced.

A son of Mr. A. 8011, of Wyndham-Btreeb (Mr. W. Graham Bell) has just passed his examination, at Melbourne as Associate of the Society of Accountants and Auditors of England. He is an old pupil of the Auckland College and OramifiSr School.

The apparently growing praotioe of compelling university professors to attend the courts of justice for the purpose of giving expert evidence is causing considerable complaint in the South. Professor Black, of Dunedin, seems to be one of the principal sufferers, and it appears that his compulsory absence from his classes has been causing inconvenience. At a recent mooting of the Otago University Council, Professor Sale observed that he did not know why Dr. Black should always be subpoenaed to give evidence in cases of the sort referred to. There ought to be a short Act passed relieving professors from beinv subpoenaed. Dr. Shand, however, reminded Professor Sale that the professors were already relieved from the necessity of sitting on juries. Professor Sale replied : •' I do not see why we should not be relieved from being subpoenaed to give evidence. It is not as if there were no other experts " The discussion of the mater then dropped.

The Auckland Society of Arte Exhibition, at the Choral Hall, was well attended yesterday afternoon and evening. In the evening, Judge Fen ton's orchestra held their usual practice, and performed a number of choico selections. The Exhibition will re-open to-day, at 12.30 to 5, and 7.30 to 10 p.m. In the evening, Burke's string band will furnish the musical programme. In the annexe is a water-colour painting, entitled " Stumps Old and New," by Miss Adela Roche, of Ohaupo. It has lieen admired, and pronounced by experts to be a wonderful and valuable work of art. It is Miss Roche's first essay, and speaks well for her skill and taste, and for her unexampled patience. The square containing the stamps is onclosed in a neat border, and the exhibit will be of considerable Interest to philatelists. Mrs. Breton has two exhibits of painting in human hair. One is a study of flowers, and the other of Old St. Paul's. The pictures are tastefully executed, and indioate an amount of painstaking ingenuity . which is something wonderful. But for these examples, it would have been doubted whether human hair could be utilised to produce such artistic results. A bust of Portia, in plaster, is executed by Mr. H. C. Harrison (Mangere). This sculptor had some exhibits in last year, and the present one is a very tine example of his work. The conception is considerably out of the common. Mr. Harrison also executes a medallion portrait, in plaster, which is very good in its way. Mr. Parkinson shows two exhibits by Mr. Henry Major; the first exhibit is a praiseworthy piece of work, a portrait bust of Sir George Grey, and conveys a very fair | impression of the Grand Old Man, but the sculptor has scarcely caught the expression of the face we are most familiar with. The same gentleman also exhibits another portrait bust by Mr. Major, namely, of the late Bishop Luck, 0.8.8., in the garb of his order, with rosary and cross. In this work ho has succeeded in catching the expression of the dcceasad prolate.

The following candidates have been nominated for the Ponsonby School Committee election on Monday Messrs, W. Leys,' J. Turner, J. Swales, W; B. Leyland, W. J. Rees, Rev. Collins, W, Taylor, J. Becroft, and S. E. Hughes.

The programme of the sixth of Mr. P. R. Dix's Monday Popular Concerts is advertised. This concert is an entirely new departure in the present series and includes Mr. Cooper's myriorama of the "Land of the Moa," besides which a number of the songs will be illustrated by limelight views. Mr. Abel Rowe sings "The Volunteer Soldier," a song composed by Alfred Hill, and is given here for the first time. Mr. Archdale Taylor contributes selections from lolanthe. Miss Gelston and Mr. Buttery appear for the first time at these concerts, whilst Mr, Wynyard-Joss, Misses Knight and Fitzpatrick are again included. The programme is undoubtedly a very popular one.

Popular interest in Bernard's circus is still unflagging, as was shown by the large audience which gathered at the Agricultural Hall last night. This afternoon a matinee for school children will be given.

The Easter Carnival at the Drill Hall is to be brought to a close this evening, when there will be a promenadeconcert and a clearing sale of the goods remaining on the stalls. Those who have attended the brill Hall during the week will have the last opportunity of viewing the pretty scene, «nd of bidding their aflieux to the attractions of the Carnival.

At the Opera House yesterday evening Miss Ada Dolroy and her company gave another performance to a highly-pleased audience. To-night the season will close, the entertainment being an exceptionally good one.

By the mail steamer Mariposa Mr. D. M. Bristol's Equescurriculum or School of Educated Horses, arrived safely yesterday, and in good condition. They were transferred to the island of Motuihi, the quarantine station, in order to their being quarantined for a fortnight, and will open Saturday fortnight at the Opera House for a short season, preparatory to touring the colony. There are eighteen head in the collection—horses, ponies, and mules—all of which are humanely educated. Denver the clown mule, is said to be the most wondorfully educated animal known, Sultan, the talking and mathematical horse, originally from Montreal, Canada, is another equine wonder who solves examples in arithmetic given by tho Professor as well as those propounded by tho audience. Tony is the only animal ever known to leap from a trapeze to a pedestal, and return to a flying trapeze while in motion. Johnny Sandbourne, the blind pony, also swings himself in the swing. Lotta brings specie from closed money drawers, skips the rope, trots and paces out at the word of command; Dynamite is the smallest mule known; walks a tight rope on a narrow springboard. Comanche is a rocking horse, and rolls a barrel over a see-saw board. This troupe of horses execute a variety of other equine feats Their performances are favourably commented upon by the Canadian and American press. A lantern exhibition of views of NewZealand and England, and of a trip through the Highlands of Scotland, by the Rev. G. B. Monro, was given at the Avondale Presbyterian Church. The audience was well pleased, and many expressed themselves as quite homesick after seeing views of the dear old spots. A hearty vote of thanks was tendered to the rev, lecturer. There was only one prisoner in the lock-up, a man for drunkenness.