LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10697, 10 March 1898, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

rim extensive alterations and improvements recently effected in the machinery init other portions of the Big Pump at the Thames have alroady borne good fruit, for at yesterday's meeting of the Thames Drainage Board it was mentioned that one result of the improvements effected was a substantial reduction in the quantity of coal used. Previously the average consumption Df coal was about fovea tons per day, while since the improvements have been made the average daily consumption of coal has been reduced to about six tons. It will thus be 30011 that the saving to the Board in one year will amount to a substantial sum, while an additional advantage is that the machinery performs its work much more efficiently than before. Some time back the question of the delays in the delivery of cargoes from the wharf sheds to importers was discussed by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and it was decided to communicate with the Harbour Board on the matter. The latter body have also given consideration to the matter, and the subject will be again mentioned at tha mooting of the Harbour Board Committee this afternoon, when a committee of the merchants of Auckland will wait on the Harbour Board Committee, and confer with them on the necessity that exists for the providing of additional facilities to ensure the prompt delivery of cargoes. The keeper of the Mount Eden Magazine, George Croft .auddleston, who on Monday pleaded guilty to having misappropriated four sums of money which were in his custody as an officer of tho Government, was brought up for sentence at the Supreme Court yesterday. Judge Conollv, after hearing Mr. Earl (prisoner's counsel) and several witnesses as to character, etc., decided to grant probation for the term of twelve months. Mr. Earl said it was almost certain that Huddleston would, had he retired from the service with a good character, have been granted some £200 retiring allowance. A native named Ngohe ' -Sffohe was convicted of haying broken and , entered a store attached to the Kihikihi! Hotel, owned by Mr. Maunder, and stolen '. if-, .?', ? of % nor from Maunder's Hotel at Kihikihi, and was sentenced to a year's imprisonment. The same Maori was con-' victed last year on three charges of sly-grog selling up in the King country. A boy named Raymond Miller was charged with having indecently assaulted a child at the Mauku, but the jury found he was not guilty. Dr. McArthur appeared for the accused. It living been suggested that Sir Robert Stout should not bo allowed to retire from I the political arena without receiving some! testimonial from, the people as a recognition : of his labours while a member of Parliament some of Sir Robert's Auckland friends have" I decided to co-operate. A telegram has been i despatched to Wellington, asking for T.\ ticulars and upon receipt of the required 1 information the co-operation of those in Auckland who appreciate the work done by Sir Robert, and who are willing that that An examination of the site of the fire at an outhouse (which occurred yesterday momng to Customs-street West), fails to explain the origin of the fire. The outhouse, though on an adjacent allotment, is built up against he basement of Mr. Atchison's worktop ™L e /£ apparently rose on the outside, and then ran up the planking to the door on the ground-floor of the workshop. As showing the truth of the adage that the £ fl nve minutes is everything at a fire, the flames had burned through the workshop door to within two or three inches of a quantity of joinery in the workshop, and in the yard were stacked considerable qua* Mies of timber for contracting business. Some plumbers had been at work at the mulcting repairing some piping, but the fire was some distance from where they were working and on the other side of the buildm S, and the fire could not possibly have arisen from their operations. But for the promptitude with which Constable Hendry gave the alarm to the fire brigade by telepone from the Gas Works, and the celerity of.the brigade, several hundred pounds worth of property would have been destroyed., * i

Mr. Edgar Ashcroft, the inventor of. tin".', ■ new process of treating sulphides in jfe, South Wales, and the manager of the eiten- '.'■ she works in connection "with his invention which he has erected for a wealthy svndi- ':• '■'-'. cate at Cockle Creek, in that colony, is a' prestnt in Wellington with his wife. They : - are on their way to Great- Britain, and will' ' leave Auckland for San Francisco on the' 19th instant. Mr. Ashcroft is a nephew " 0 • the official assignee in Wellington. _ '-.- We direct the attention of our readers who are interested in the philological studies ■. ■ • to the notice which appears in another!. column of two courses of lectures to be de< livered at the University College by Pro*''; V'. fessor Talbot-Tubbs. The course on grammar is intended to illustrate the. progressive : V development of the syntax of the Latin sen- ■'■'■'■'. tenco. No similar course has hitherto been '" delivered in Auckland, and as it deals wjtb. "''. : the most interesting side of grammatical ■' ; - ' study it ought to prove attractive, not merely t,' to regular students, but to teachers and ail '■■'■ well-educated persons who tab an interest ■ ,v in studies of this description. These lectures' '£• are to be delivered on alternate Friday even. ''£■ ings at seven o'clock, commencing to-morrow ' ''''■- evening. The first lecture of the ordinary ." course on philology is to be delivered on V Saturday morning at ten o'clock. The hour '■ may be altered to suit the convenience of '•'" .''■.■ those who wish to attend. ' y A deputation of the members of the New- : 'k ton Borough Council took a roam over the " borough yesterday, chiefly with the view of '' ■' inspecting several existing nuisances. The : Council take serious objection to the disposal " within the borough of city refuse. The •'■' city contractor, it appears, has rented a piece ''■ <.-■;" of ground just inside the Borough of New- &■[ ton, and on this spot all the gatherings of •'' ■'■'■ the city are emptied. A huge mass, raqstly "f of dry rubbish, lias been collected, hut hi '■■''•'■ several places the mass is wet and foetid, and "'''■ the worst feature of the affair is the selec- ' " tion, for this filth bed, of a site considerably '-. less than half-a-mile away from the Western -'.-■■ Springs. The wind yesterday was blowing : ':i the rubbish away from the springs, but with, a favourable wind it is evident that the city ' water must occasionally get the benefit of •■■•' the proximity of the dust heap. About 40 ■"' pigs wcro found feeding on the garbage. The- *H councillors also took a look at the nightsoil ■•■' depository, which, it may be mentioned, also : lie? about half-a-mile from the springs, butt ''-'.' on the other side. The Newton Borough- ■'••' Council are determined, if possible, to put' ?i an end to these nuisances, and it is probable ':"■ ■ that the owners of the lands will receive early' ■'•■' notice to see to the removal of the rubbish. "/'. The annual meeting of the Avondale! =' Presbyterian Church was held on Tuesday .'■'■. evening in the above church, the Key,, "■''•!' Alex. Maclean presiding. The clerk of ? : - Session and Board of Managers, Mr. Ander- ■').'• son, read the combined report, which dis- .-£■ closed a very satisfactory condition of afj ■ ':'■ • fairs in all departments of the Church's''■■". work. The financial statement showed that''' ■*■'. from all sources there had been raised our- 1 ''■'• ing the past year nearly £400, including the-' :'.'. liquidation of the debt on the manse, and?' \ also the painting of both church and manse,'- "■".'' besides various other improvements of the" ;: ■ church property. Between the various re- l? ports the choir, under the leadership of Mr,.-' A Nesbitt, rendered choice anthems, and Miss ■ ; '.:' Eyes and Mr. H. Burrows contributed solos, ~'.'"X Miss Harper, the church organist, rendered '■-'-/. an organ solo in her usually finished man- ■€ singing one of the gems of the evening, :■' During the evening, the pastor, on behalf of .=•,:' the Church, presented Miss Harper with a ■':■ •>"' beautiful silver-mounted purse. In doing so,' 'V« he referred to the very efficient manner in : :: which she performed tho duties of organist/ ' ■'. often at considerable personal inconvenience.' '-■- His remarks were well chosen, and received Y. with hearty applause by the congregation. ■■>■■' Mr. Nesbitt responded on behalf of &liss '":■■'-. Harper, and thanked the friends for such '•!■''.- a pleasing mark of their appreciation of her '-" services. Light refreshments were handed ■&' round during the evening by the ladies of <:.': ; the congregation, who kindly provided the ■-•■ same. A word of praise is due to Mr. Johns ' ; . and those associated with him for the success '..'/■■ of this part of the programme. The pastor -'''v closed the meeting with the Benediction. ; .Our Mercury Bay correspondent writes']' :' —On the 6th an accident befell Mrs. Joyd, : -'.' : which fortunately did not prove fatal Mr.' : '■'" and Mrs. Joyd went for a picnic. jfc - : '-- Joyd lit the fire while Mrs. Jovd went to«/:'.« deep pool for water, where she fell in; and.'--":: ■ sank. When she rose to the surface shi ■■*'£• struggled to reach the side. Her husband "." i thinking there was something wrong, went v 'l '■:" to ascertain the cause, and there found Ml !' wife exhausted in the pool. He speedily '.; hauled her out of her perilous position, and V took her to the nearest neighbour's house; ' ;V gave her some restoratives, and got her put \. to bed. With the exception of a few | bruises she has sustained no injury. || We understand that Professor Sclimitt ' "'v has just received the intimation from her $, ladyship, Lady Ranfurly, that she has great .':' pleasure in continuing the medals instituted ' '■'■': by Lady Onslow and continued by Lady Glas- :■:. gow. This is a most gracious act, and no, M doubt the medals will evoke keen competition '":• '■' among the students of the School of Music of , ; i the Auckland University College. Her lady- f ship also, in giving the intimation, wished f tho institution every success. The medals l ; offered for competition by Lady Onslow and '':'.'; Lady Glasgow were keenly competed for, 'g and greatly prized by, the recipients as a 4 souvenir and remembrancer of the first lady.'- ;;,' in the jr.nd—the wife of the Queen's repre- ! sentutive. Lady Eanfurly's kindly and ,■ thoughtful act in encouraging a sister art ,- ; to that which she has devoted herself frill - •' be fully appreciated, and will bless alike the : giver and the recipients. ■;"/ There arrived by the s.s. Mahinapua nine* ; and by the Gairloch two, enterprising dig-' gers, who intend to join the s.s. Cape Ot*>'' way, en route for the Klondike goldfields.f , They come from all parts of the South, andi will probably find out the truth of one bit, of proverbial philosophy, that " the rolling: stone gathers no moss."* [ Our Coromandel correspondent writes :—'■ Serious complaints are publicly made as re-.' gards the sanitary arrangements at Opitonui! A close settlement has suddenly been established in that locality, but is devoid of any local authority, and up to the present timer _/ the Coromandel County Council, in whoso .-■ area the district lies, have taken no steps to remedy the evil. It is clearly the duty of that body, through its inspector, to com« -; | pel proper sanitary regulations to be adop i ted. One serious case of typhoid has already, ] been sent from Opitonui to the Coromandel Hospital. I The Auckland railway authorities have started a gang of workmen connected with the maintenance section, to work at the '.\ northern end of the Domain Tunnel, the ob- | ' ject being to substitute concrete walls for J the open timbering, which was beginning to '} show signs of decay, and required immediate attention. The undertaking is under ; the supervision of the foreman of works, and . owing to the large quantities of earth which •'. , wilt require ■» be removed, lines of rails ;'. , are being laid down on tho Mechanics' Hay . >'; 'intake. A number of trucks are daily trans- x , porting the material from the excavations, ! and as there is an immense quantity of earth ito be operated upon, the result will be ti ■; ; aid in filling up the intake much more ; ...; I speedily than would otherwise be the case. ; ': 1 The cost, altogether, will be considerable, I but as the reclamations will gradually re- f | j move an eyesore, and tend to the promotion of the public health, the citizens will he . glad to learn that the undertaking has been started. "| The Great Northern Brewery (Messrs. - ;■ Seccombe and Sons, Kyber Pass), has, we { learn, been formed into a joint stock com- y; pany, the shareholders being principally the beneficiaires in the property, plant, and '; buildings, in addition to a few local shareholders. The position of the staff and em- $ ployees will, it is understood, undergo no |j change. Mr. John Mowbray, of Parnell, ;: will bo the first chairman of the board of ,i| management :■'■.• The funeral of the late Mr. Alexander ~; Mewburn took plat* on Tuesday. A short -■ service was held in the Alexandra-street -.; Church, conducted bv the Revs. C. E. Ward m and Hall. At the' Purewa Cemetery Mr. . : Ward conducted the service, assisted by Mr. :■. Trenwith. An in memoriam service will. :- be held on Sunday evening in the Alexandra- I -v Street Church. Among the wreaths sent by .'•.. sympathising friends was one by the Railway ■ Parcels Department, deceased's son belong- y.;; ' ing to that branch of the railway service. .-r'.Si As the outcome of the late feud in the, ■ • : ; Women's Liberal League, a number of the ... members are contemplating amalgamation ■;. with the Democratic Union. The Demo- ~ cratic Union will have a word to say about.... that, but its general meeting to consider the matter docs not take place for a fort- : ;,-. night yet^

Lmfc night a social was held in Wesley pall to welcome Mr, Judkins, lecturer and secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, and Mrs. Judkins to Auckland. The meeting having been opened with a piano duet contributed by Mrs. Mitchell and Miss Lester, and prayer by Mr. J. Brame, Miss A. (jrindrod movod the following resolution:— «'lt is with very great regret that we receive news of the death of such a leader gl) d worker as Miss Francis Willard. The ] 0! i to our common cause of ridding humanity of the drink curse will be very great, and we tender our heartfelt sympathy to our American sisters in this heavy bereavement." This was seconded by the Pew A. Peters, and carried in sympathetic silence by all rising. Mr. R. French, who presided, addressed a fow kindly words of welcome, and was followed by Mr. C. G. Hill, president of the Total Abstinence Society and of the Band of Hope Union ; JlissF. Brown, president of theW.C.T.U., s nd Mr. Cook, of thel.O.G.T. and 1.0. R. Air, Mitchell then sang the solo, "The Arrow and Song;" and Mrs. Hunter, "The Old Couutree." Mr. W. H. Judkins, in replying, said he waß pleased at the welcome extended to himself and Mrs. Judkins. In the course of his address Mr. Judkins said he was certain tho temperance party did not get credit for the votes which were actually cast for prohibition. Although there were not a great number present they were sufficient to convert the whole of Auckland to prohibition if they would work. He emphasised the objects of the prohibition party and the nature of their demands, namely, a demand for the undisputed right of the peoplo to decide by their votes whether liquor shall or shall not be sold in a district or in th 6 colony. Mr. Judkins, who is a very fluent and powerful speakor, will be in and around Auckland for the next fortnight speaking in different centres. Miss Grindrod recited "Bring the men up to their colours;" Mrs. Hunter, solo, "The Carnival;" Mr. Mitchell, solo, "Queen of the Earth," A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the friends who had supplied the musical programme, and the meeting terminated.

A prisoner who lias just completed his sentence at Mount Eden Gaol, George Norman, makes two complaints to us. He Bays that when he went in, between three and four years ago, ho was far above the average of men in bodily strength. Alter lie had been in a few months rheumatic goutset in, and impaired his whole system. About eight months ago, Dr. Philson, surgeon to the hospital, recommended Nor man to petition the Governor for his release, on the ground that ho was sinking under the confinement and diet of the gaol. Dr. Fhilson recommended his release, and read to Norman the certificate he had written about his ca-o. About that time His Excellency the Governor visited the gaol, with Mr. Crouch, one of the visiting justices. A short time afterwards, a reply to the memorial was received from the Government, saying that the grounds on which release was claimed wero not sufficient. Norman complains that l here is not in the gaol any hospital diet. When a man has to go to the hospital, hie dietary scale is diminished by onehalf, and if he wants milk, he has to givo up the other half. Norman states that if he had been released when he made the ipplication, be might have been able lo partially re-establish his health, but as it is, he is now (it for nothing, his heart being strongly affected. He is indeed a wreck. He says that one young man whose relatives have some influence in Auckland made an application for release on the grounds of ill-health, and obtained it at onco. Norman says that he has no complaint to make against the gaoler or any other of the officers, If they err at all it is on the side of humanity. But there ought to he a dietary scale for those who are compelled to go to the hospital, and application for release on the ground ot danger to health ought to be dealt with impartially. The monthly meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, which has lately taken up the duties of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Society, was held on Tuesday laßt, Mr. Wilding presiding. The secretary's report for the month showed 15 fresh cases, and sorao old ones had been dealt with, also three cases of cruelty to animals. Air. Westby was appointed inspector, and is to bo sworn in as a special constable. The chairman reported that in accordance with the resolution of the committee the various musical and dramatic societies had been asked assist the society during the coming season. One of them—the Auckland Orchestral Union—had sent a very courteous reply. It was resolved that the annual general meeting be held on a, date in May, to be fixed by the chairman, so as to, if possible, secure the presence of the president, His Excellency the Governor, Lord Ranfurly. The annual meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society took place yesterday. .Mr. James Hurtt was re-elected president, and the Council was reinforced by some fresh blood. The financial position of the Society has improved by about £80, but the annual revenue is still considerably below that of former years, Tho value of the Society's labours in stocking the streams of the Auckland district with trout are now manifesting themselves, in providing a pleasant and useful sport for the tourist and the country settler. It was stated at tho meeting that the streams in the King Country, at Otorohanga and Te Kuiti, were now providing good fishing, the trout being from two to four pound weight.

At a meeting of creditors in the estate of Edwin Arthur Bell, grocer, held at the Official Assignee's office yesterday morning, tho sworn statement of the debtor was read. It was stated that various things in the estate had been sold, realising £49 10s. The book debts were estimated to realise £134 10s, the collection of which Mr. Lawson stated he would do all he could to facilitate.