LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10454, 28 May 1897, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

In the opinion of the City Engineer the experiment of laying asphalt on tho etreete has proved a success. The portion of Shortland-street asphalted has, undtr the circcmetances, stood remarkably well, and Mr. Anderson thinks that with ordinary attention—no more, kowever, than than required for the usual maintenance of roads —the asphalt) should lait. Nothing can be done until after the winter, and before the spring the matter will probably be discussed by the City Council and a decision arrived at. If it bo decided to asphalt Queenstreet, a difficulty will be experienced in keeping the traffic off the asphalted parts until such time as the material has set, but some method will doubtless be adopted h> get over this difficulty, It is urged that with tho asphalt the ground will be rendered impervious to ram and the washings of the street, and that consequently the streets will be,cleaner and the city healthier. There ie to be no further official enquiry regarding the deach of John Homo at Wailiaia. Dr. MacOegor hat written h the chairman of the Southland Charitable Aid Board as follows :—•'! %m directed by the Hon. W.C WalkSr to inform you th*u til the evidence given at thr inquest hm betn laid before him, and that he is satisfied that, inasmuch a. thr bot>rd tit* yeitrs ago offered to admit Howi into the home «t Invercargill and the o9e. has been ouen ever since, and as no further application for relief was made to th« hnnrrl, no fault cm be fairly charged against t.h..t body, whiob appears to have only done its duty to the best of its ability. The Minister doea not think that any further enquiry is required." Some strange allegations were made at the inquest on the body of a married woman mined Catherine Ann Maloney, aged 19, who died on 30th April, at Adamstown, near Newcastle (New South Wales). It appears that the deceased and her husband had quarrelled regarding Mrs. Maloney , s frequent attendances at dances. With a view to preventing a recurrence of tbeee visits, her husbhnd endeavoured to detract from her pereonal appearance by cutting off a portion of his wife's hair fringe. In n fit of temper the young wife unnoticed shrew herself into the fireplace, where tho flames ignited her clothes. For some time she bore the torture without screaming, but her husband at length discovering what had happened, did his utmost to put out the flames. The injuries received were, however, so severe thab the unfortunate woman died shortly afterwards. Deceased admitted to a neighbour that she tried to burn herself to death. A verdict was returned by the jury that death resulted from self-inflicted injuries.

Auckland shopkeepers are evidently alive to the ad visibility of aignalisine the Record Reign. A deputation of tradesmen waited upon the Mayor yesterday, and in the course of discussion upon another matter, it was stated that the tradesfolk were prepared, at their own expense, to keep their places of business illuminated all Jubilee night. The suggestion was also made that all shopkeepers should be invited to " light up "on the occasion. The Mayor did not think there would be any difficulty about this.

A deputation of tradesmen, appointed as a committee to represent a largo body of shopkeepers, who feel aggrieved at the prohibition of the use of naked lights outside places of business, waited upon the Slayor (Mr. P. Oipnan) yesterday. The deputation was composed of Messrs. Hobbs, Hopkins, Smeeton, Bradutreec, flannan, Self, Kendell.and Shackelford. Mr. Hobbs urged that the by-law recently put in force should be rescinded, and asked the Mayor to give notice oi motiou to that effect for next meeting of the City Council. Several members of the deputation epoke, pointing out that the use of tho lights outside shops was a great boon to street traffic, and was the means of minimising danger in that respect, also, that the use of lights inside •hops addod materially to the risk of fire. As to covered lights outside shope, Mr. Bradstreet mentioned a caae where one had buret, and he had been threatened by a lady, who thought she had run great risk. The Mayor said all naked lights outside shops, without permits, were against the law, but ail that was wanted was to bring them under control. -He would bring the matter before the Council, with a view to granting permits, and to provido fer naked lights being included in the same category as closed lights.

A man named Jobn Foote, a carpenter, met with a painful accident yesterday at Roman's Hill, Onehuiiga. Mr. Foote was engaged enlarging the residence of Captain Clarke, of the a.s. SVeka, and whilo working at the top of the new structure a beam suddonly pave way, throwing him to the ground, a distance of 14 feet. As the sufforer's injuries were found to be internal and of a serious nature, Dr. Erson was immediately sent for.

Our Hobsonvillo correspondent records the death of Mrs. Midgloy, wife of the (superintendent of the Hobsonville Sundayichool. She passed away at her late residence on Sunday afternoon, at the comparatively early age of 40 years. Deceased was a sister of Mr. R. O. dark, of Hobsonville Pottery Works. She was highly esteemed by young and old, and was a zealous worker in the Sunday-school. Her place will not be caeily filled. She leaves her husband with three young children to mourn their loss, The iuneraj took place on 26th, at the Hobsonville cemetery, where a large number of relatives and friends assembled to pay their lasb tribute of respect to the deceased. The Rev. A, McLean, of Avondale, officiated.

While riding down Shortland-street, yesterday afternoon, a cyclist named Challon lost control over the maohine, his feet slipping off the pidals, and there being no brake on the bicycle. The machine came down the incline »(i a great tp«ed, the rider steering with difficulty. At th» bottom of Swanson-streit the bicycle collided with an elderly man named John Cltale, knocking him down, while the cyclist also had a nasty spill, Beyond receiving a severe shaking and a slight contusion oh the back of the head, Cleale was uninjured, while the bicyclist also escaped unhurt, The machine was, however, knocked about a good deal. A handsome silver cup has been donated by Messrs. Arcb. Clark and Sons, to be competed for at the Suburban Poultry Fanciers' Club Diamond Jubilee Celebration Show to be held at the Drill Shed in June. It ia a very handsome specimen of the silversmith's art, standing some eighteen inches high, with very pretty relief ornamentation. On the lid of the cup is a female figure with a victor's crown in outstretched hand. The cup is to be awarded to the exhibitor of the best game bird in the show, And has to be won twice in succession, or three times in all, before becoming the absolute property of the winner. The secretary intimates by advertisemend that the art) union prizes and all the cups and champion medals, are now on view at the shop of Mr. Henderson, cabinetmaker, Karangnhnpo Road.

A stioking-up ease occurred at Wellington a few nights ago at the corner of Torystreet and Courtenay Place. A man named Charles Johnson, employed as messenger at the Te Aro branch of the Bank of New Zealand, was passing thab corner, when a person aiked him for a match, following up this request with another for the tune. Johnson attempted to piss him, but the stranger blocked his passage, and another man, stopping out from the corner, felled him by a blow on the eye. Ab that moment, however, two men passed by, and the assailants made off, without having achieved their evidont object of robbery. A large amount of sickness exists just now in the Ohinemuri district, influenza being most prevalent amung the miners. At tho Golden Cross (Waitekauri) quite a number of men have been compelled to lay up, euffering from "la grippe," which a woeit or so ago was thought to have been typhoid fever. Children are also suffering considerably, and the many Auckland friends of Mr. and Mrs. Spry will regret to loarn of the death of their youngest child, which sad event took place at Paeroa last night.

The Woodville Examiner of the 19bh in.it. has the following in reference to the Auck-land-made ammunition :— "Several Woodville sportsmen yesterday tried tho respective merits of thn sporting Ammunition manufactured by Eloy and the Colonial Ammunition Company, of Auckland. The cartridges tested were loaded with 42 grains smokeless powder, and ljoz No. (i shot. The standard test was Adopted, viz,, 40 yards range, and the circle 30 inches. The result was that the colonially manufactured article put 231 pellets within the 30inch circle, and Eley'e 181 pellets. As the standard average pattern is 200 pullets, the pattern of the Colonial ammunition is really excellent. The targets can be viewed at Messrs. Monteitb Bros., where the Colonial ammunition can be obtained. Aβ the ammunition is very much cheaper than the imported article, ibshould become popular." On making enquiry yesterday regarding young Bailey, who was thrown from hia born on Monday last, Dr. Mackellar stated that the patient showed some improvement, and he was now hopeful of his recovery. The lad is partly conscious. A public meeting was held at Cambridge on Wednesday night for the purpose of considering the most desirable way of commemorating the Queen's Record reign. Numerous proposals were made for celebrating the event, ranging from the installation of an electric light) system for the borough, to the sending Home of a letter of congratulation to Her Majesty on the length of her reign. As nono of the schemes put forward were clearly formulated, or worked oat in detail, ib was resolved on the motion of Mr. Wells to appoint a committee to receive and conI eider suggestions, and to report to another meeting. A committee of twenty gentlemen were then appointed, which decided to meet on Monday next to consider suggestions received up to that time. It was considered desirable that the school children in the district should participate in any demonstration that may be made, in order to impress them with a sense of the historical and national interest of such a commemoration.

At Sydney the Rer. George Hay, who, during the last sittings of the Presbyterian General Assembly, was declared by that body to be no longer a minister of the Presbyterian Ohurch of l(ew South Wale?, came before the Full Court, by his counaol, and moved for a rule nui for a prohibition restraining that body, and also the Presbytery of Sydney, from carrying out that sentence. He filed a long affidavit in support of his application. The Court, after hearing the argument, said they were quite clear that they had no jurisdiction in a matter of this kind, where the members of the Church banded themselves together under certain laws for regulating their own procedure and business. Tho Church stood somewhat in the position of a railway company or board of bank directors, who met together to consider whether an officer in their employ had done his duty or not, If Mr. Hoy lud iwy rights, the Equity Court <vaa the one, they said, to which he should go. Mr. Justice Owen, however, expressed a doubt as to whether u Court of Equity would interfere, unless temporal interests were involved—wlietlior it would hold itself capable of dealing with the meroly ministerial position of the applicant. Amongst the craft which occupy a position in what iu locully known as " Rotten How" in Lyttelton Harbour ie the slenmer Mullough. She is a little craft between 40 and 60 tons register, and wae built just 42 years ago by the well-known Belfast builders, Messrs. Harland and Wolff. It has been said that the Mullough was the first steamer built by the firm, but it appears to be certain that she was amongst the firab batch. She sailod out to Sydney from Ireland, and then oame on to Lyttelton under sail and steam, and arrived there in 1859. She wn9 immediately placed in the Heathcote trade, and many of Canterbury's early settlors may still remember their first acquaidtanco with the country, as aeei) from her deck as she wended her way up tho Heathcote River. She has remained at Lyttelton for many years, but for a considerable time she line been out of commission. A few days ago she oame o£f the slip, where she had been put through a course of extensive repairs. About a dozen now plates were put in the top sides, which, by the way was the only part of the Mullough which had been affected by the hand of time.

Some eiplit months ago Captain Lang, of H.M.B. Narcissus, brother of Mr. Lang, M.H.R. for Waikato, was drowned with his boat's crew in Groomvitcha Bay, on the China station. Only now comes the news of the recovery of bis body. According to advices received by the San Francisco mail, it is aaid that a Japanese eailor and four others discovered the bodies washed up 74 miles south of Groomvitcha Bay on 30ch September last, and that in the pockets of one of them, evidently Captain Lang's, u sold watch, rings, and other jewellery were founds These were taken to Japan and sold The J»paneee sailor and hie confederates were imprieoned for the theft, »nd the circumstances detailed above were diecovered. A portion of the jewellery has been recovered and forwarded to Enclwd to the oflicer'e widow. A staple man named Alexander Qoun. nard committed suicide by cutting bis throat at hie lodgings in Redfern, New South Walee. The landlady heard a noise in the room occupied by Gouenard upstairs, and went up to eee what was the matter. At first her knocks were unheeded, but a repetition led to the door being opened by the inmate, wbn simultaneously fell.prostrate on Hie floor, the portion eyideiitly being too much for him. Hβ presented a terrible sight, hie throat being cut from ear to ear, and hit feature being besmeared with blood. A razor, oovered with blood, lay on the floor a short distance away, and how tiounnard managed to open the door w»b, considering his condition, inconceivable. A doctor was sept for, but on iirrival he found life to be extinct.

It is a notable fact that not a scholar in tho standards w»a absent this year during the examination of the Woodville School. There were in t|ie lock.up last evoiiing one person on a charge of druukennose, »ud a man charged with lunacy. Hi will ¥ medically examined to day.

A Hastings gentleman recently received a letter from hie sister in Duogannon, in which very complimentary references wire made to our new Governor and family. In the course of some interesting remarks, the writer says :—" You wilt be surprised to hear of Lord Ranfurly going out to New Zealand. It is well for you getting such an excellent man as he is. We *r« inrry to part with him ; h« i< »o kind, so clever, and hard-working. Of faiiy Ranfurly I cannot say too much. She has the kindest heart that anyone ever possessed, and she ii lovely." An account of the recent trip of (he Hinemoa to the Southern Islands states that On the Aucklands the sheep and cattle are doing remarkably well. Out of a mob of 23 sheep no less than Iβ were " longtails," showfng that the lambing mutt have been good, On Endorby a party from the steamer came upon a mob of cattle, and found near by a sea lion that bad been badly gored—evidently by one of the bulls. lb was so severely ripped that Mr. Freeman, chief steward, «hoo it to put 16 out of its misery. Sea Hone were very numerous on Enderby Island, end several fine photos were secured by Mr. Phil Muir; but no fur seals were to be seen there. Though enow hns fallen in Tasmania, Viotoria, and New South Wales, there was no trace of it here. A number of penguins and albatrosses ware captured on the Snares and Antipodes.

A sacrilegious trick thab calls for the strongest condemnation was perpetrated in Uore Cemetery the other day, when the tombstones on four graves were knocked down, In one case (he tombstone was polished granite and was in the shape of a cross, about sft. high, standing on a stone pedestal counter, to which it was attached by two iron spikes cemented into the counter, and so great was tin strength used that the cross was completely wrenched off and thrown down, In other oases the stonoa were costly and handsome marble slabs, apparently cemented to their pedestals. Mr. Cook, tho caretaker, says that everything was right! when he left the cemetery at six o'clock in the evening. There are no evidences of cattle having been in the place, and the only conclusion is that the acb was perpetrated in a fit of wanton mischief.

for, for the Kennedy's Bay and Cabbage Bay districts, in which some persons were recently fined on charges of sly grog selling. A deputation from the temperance organisations intend to wait upon the Hon. T. Thompson (Minister of Justice) in reference to the licensing question, and other matters.

The weather last night was such as to hold out the strongest inducements to home staying. In spite of that, however, the Opera House was exceedingly well attended to witness the final production, by the Auckland Comic Opera Company, of "Princess Ida." The performance wai as successful as any of tho season, and the members of the Company deserve the highest credit for the excellence of the first operatic production essayed by them. Their season should become a fixture ; their productions will certainly be looked forward to in the future,

A general meeting of the new Horticultural Society is to tike place this afternoon, in Mr. Wright's rooms, at a quarter pait four. The committee propose to start the operations of the society by holding three shows in the coune of the year. It it hoped that as many as possible will attend the meeting, ae it is important that the committee should know what amount of support they may expect before they commence work.