LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10910, 15 November 1898, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Canadian mail steamer Warrimoo atrived at Wellington from Vancouver yesterday morning with the English mails, which left London on October 8. The Auckland portion of the mails will be brought up to' Onehunga from New Plymouth by the Nor'them Company's steamer Glenelg to-day, the steamer being expected to reach Onehunga early this evening. At a meeting of the Sir George Grey Me« •modal Committee last night Mr. J, M. Shera stated that he had just noticed an error on the tablet erected in the Public Library to commemorate the presentation to the people of Auckland of Sir George Grey's library and art collection. The tablet stated that Sir George Grey presented his library and art collection to the people of Auckland in January, 1887. He was surprised to see that, because, as a matter of fact, the library was presented many years before 1887. He (Mr. Shera) was the medium of the presentation, and lie was certain that it took place during the period the late Mr. James McCoslv Clark was Mayor, some six or seven years before the. date mentioned on the tablet, although it was not transferred from Kawau. He would look up the exact dates, and draw further attention to the matter, as he thought it within the province of the Memorial Committee to correct the error. The date on the tablet is, as a matter of fact, the date of the transference of the library from Kawau to Auckland, the presentation of the collection having been made, as stated by Mr. Shera, some years earlier.

A conference full of interest to farmers and pastoralists, was held at the rooms of the Auckland Provincial Agricultural Association yesterday, when the Council and delegates from kindred societies met. Mr. W. Westney, president, occupied the chair. Delegates were present from all over the province. One of the most interesting questions touched on was the use of furze as fodder for

sheep. Mr. Wm. McLaughlin, of Papatoetoe, gave a short account of his experience with it, and other gentlemen also spoke. Some remarkable instances of the stockcarrying quality of furze-land were given. The furze is cultivated in such a manner as to ensure an abundance of fresh young shoots, and these are readily eaten by the flocks. A report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere.

It is a significant fact that recently westerly weather in the Bay of Plenty, has prevailed for a period of 43 days out of 54 days. The schooner Aotea, which arrived yesterday, tacked the entire distance from Omaio to port.

The schooner Aotea, which arrived yesterday, brought from Tologa Bay an ancient carved Maori house of very considerable dimensions, the ridge being upwards of 70ft 'ong. It is consigned to Mr. Craig, of Princes-street, and is supposed to be intended for the ensuing Exhibition.

Judging from a good deal of what is publicly expressed, the idea is prevalent that the new tramways will be available within a few months. ' This is not, however, the case. Apart from the purchase of the existing trams, which it would appear lias not yet been settled, the public will require to keep in mind that the streets have to be surveyed, and estimates prepared, the plant has to be ordered, and in some particulars pmde and delivered. Then comes the making of the roads, the laying of the rails, the erection of the street posts, and necessary buildings for plant, all of which, even with due diligence on the part of the promoters, will occupy a considerable time. We understand, however, that, with the exception of the technical part of the work, no outside labour is to be imported, so that many of the citizens of Auckland will benefit considerably during the time the track is under construction. But how long this will oc- ( cupy, or when the work may be commenced, depends, we understand, on circumstance! over which the promoters have no control. We understand that the meeting of the Military Tournament Committee, which was to have been held to-night, cannot take pto, owing to business connected with the battalion encampment. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, the 29th. Dr. T. H. Lewis, on concluding his evi* dence yesterday at the inquest held by Dr* », T. M. Philson, on the body of the boy, ~ Hamilton Scott, said he wished to make a t complaint about a matter connected wittt ,• the morgue. There were, said Dr. Lewis, at present six or more ventilators in tW v ■ morgue that consisted of sheets of perforated . iron, and through these ventilators boys an larrikins were in the habit of watching medical men make post-mortem examinations, they did not, however, merely confine themselves to watching, but made disgusting re- - marks about what they could see. It was ■ not right that children should be allowed to , witness the examination of a dead body. 1 had been watched that afternoon, and na , turned the hose on, but he had other work to do than to turn the hose on children. d® ;_j would recommend that the ventilators be replaced by louvres, and thus children would be prevented from seeing what they shorn not, and a cause of annoyance to-medica . v men would be done away with. Sergeant Walker said he would report the compl ain , to the proper authorities. '*

i ß( rram has been received in ' AHd Mr. George Taylor "• 'Aw*'" 1 " -rraileST at Katoomba, New has , of Tt, Bth inst Mr Taylor South veteran of the Maori war, having was a? °W .missioned officer of H.M. srT imrnt in ie Hutt campaign o! # teg l " .1' as a commissioned officer of 1 845 ;* Wand Rifle in the Waile Auckland" 1863- He obtained an apkato camP i pSofflcein the fifties!" Iffi some time ago on a well-earned 3 - He got married about a month F® a °Tipreased « over 70 years of age at ftiiof his death. „ it M Smeeton, in a letter to Mr. J chairman Mount Eden Public S r Committee, has kindly offered to give gcbool • being first and second to the { f. P „ nd &t and second to the boys, atF l ?.' * t i, e jlount Eden school, for the f! ' bent holiday note-book." Such a S is to have recorded any facts of obsuch as the finding of insects, M, etc mot with in the neighbourhood, 1 Linff walks in the country, the date of Mine flowering, and fruiting, of wild A cultivated plants, the birds, with obser"!tioas of their habits, etc., and the weather 1 each day- The note-books are to be f' j«i in to the headmaster, the first day X school meets after the Christmas holi- > V The committee has accepted the kind °jr jir. Smeeton was led to do this by •dine that an educational council in Otago rinroosed offering prizes for the best-kept Ear note-book of a similar nature. May these examples be followed by others, Messrs Josiah Martin and Ed. Harrison lave kindly consented to act as judges, jjje return of infectious diseases submitted to the Victorian Hoard of Health the Tther dav showed that for the fortnight ended October 29 there had been 38 cases of tmloid ever and three deaths, as against peaces and 0110 death during the same wrioJ las' J 81 "- 1,1 the metro,olitan area Ji ere were '20 cases and two deaths, as Lirt five cases and 110 deaths in the corresponding period of 1897. The diphtheria les in the whole colony for the fortnight «re 66, with five deaths, as against 96 and tar deaths last year. In the metropolitan urea ], ere were 34 cases and two deaths, as afiainst 45 cases and no deaths for the corresponding period of 1897. The scarlet fever cases in the whole colony for the same period were 67 and three deaths, as against 149 cases and no deaths in 1897. In the metropolitan area there were 25 cases and no deaths in 1898, as against 79 cases and no deaths in 1897.

The annual meeting of shareholders of tie Levland-D'Brien Timber Company was held at the office of the company, Customstreet West, yesterday. Colonel H. Burton (chairman* of directors) presided. The balance-sheet showed that the year's operations had resulted in a profit of £10,108 3s lid. After paying the damages in connection with the Stclla-Waitemata collision (which we given at £2}52 2s). making the usual writings down, and payment of an interim dividend, absorbing £1498 10s 4d, the balance left was £5893 lis Bd. The sura of £5100 is to be carried forward as a surplus, a dividend of 10 per cent, paid, and the balance, £1320, carried forward to next rear. The report and balance-sheet were adopted, and votes of thanks passed to the chairman, Board, and the managing directors, Messrs. Leyland and O'Brien. A report of the meeting appears elsewhere.

Local telephone subscribers have on the whole readily fallen into line with the altered conditions demanded by the long-looked for changes inaugurated on Saturday last. It should be stated that the exceedingly arduous work of establishing the new system, has been carried out by Mr. W. S. Smythe, electrician to the Post and Telegraph Department, who had under him an able staff drawn from several of the chief offices of the colony.

Here were two men and two women in the lock-up last evening, on charges of drunkenness, and four women on charges of vagrancy, namely, Lily Clarke, Theresa Butler, Mary Riley, and Maggie Braslin.

The Southern Cross Log (the organ of the Melanesian Mission) for November is to hand. Some interesting missionary items are given from Norfolk Island. An account is given of the second Island voyage of the Southern Cross during the present "The Bishop of Melanesia at Alfington," is a narrative of bis visit to the scene of the ministerial labours of Bishop Patteson, the martyr Bishop of Melanesia. The " Solomon Island Sketches " are continued, the present article being entitled, " Walter Waaro, the First-fruits of Ulawa." An account is given of the building of a church at Matoa, Ulawa. It is stated that the property known as "The Nook," Upper Symonds-street, lately owned by Mr. G. Nelson Pierce, manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company, Napier, has changed hands to an enterprising syndicate, who purpose cutting it up in suitable sections for business premises. Although the purchase has only been completed within the last few days the majority of the sections have been bespoke, and in some instances sold.

The results of the telegraphic business at Remington on Cup day contribute something to the general evidences of the increase of popular interest taken in the sport (says the Melbourne Age). The total number of messages despatched was 2751, yielding a revenue of £147 6s 6<l, as compared with 2618 vhich were sent from the course on the Cup cay of 1897, and gave a revenue of £135 15s. In 1896, the messages made a total of 24 70, »nd the revenue £13119s lOd. Thus it will be seen that a considerable increase has taken place in the business during the last couple of years. Special arrangements had, as usual, been made for the rapid transit of long distance messages over the wires. The result of the Cup race was known in Wellington within a minute after the horses had passed the judges' box, and a number of cablegrams were despatched direct from the course to London. For some years the Telegraph Department- lias had a- convenient system of distributing information within the colony. _ By lodging in the morning the price of an ordinary telegram, any person Ma arrange to be promptly supplied with the result of any race in which lie may he interested. The moment the race is run, the names of the placed horses are forwarded to the Central Telegraph Office in the city, alienee tliev are supplied to all country offices that require them for local distribution. The system works excellently, and greatly relieves the Flemington office of the work of sending private messages.

A sensational railway accident occurred on November 3, near Ballarat East. The Geelong goods train in coining down the Warrenrolp hank became unmanageable, owing to 'he .Westinghouse brakes failing to act, and sweeping through the Ballarat East station, the bain was only brought to a standstill by colliding with a long line of trucks on the fading, some of which were badly damaged by the impact. A departmental inquiry will 08 held. The runaway caused a deal of excitement.

The usual gathering for the presentation °f prizes won at the recent Band of Hope contests took place last evening at the Forester s Hall. There was a good attendsnce Mr. C. G. Hill presided as chairman, and made the presentation of the 'Ms, assisted by the hon. secretary of the Hand of Hope Union (Mr. W. J. Macdcrm°tt). Prior to the presentation being Hade to the successful recipients of the prices, which amounted in value to £27, the Mowing programme of songs, instrumental selections, and recitations was gone through with great acceptance: —Piano Sol °, "Juanita," Master Alfred Saunders; song, "Father, Come Home," Miss Ruby lcMaster; recitation, "Yes, I'm Guilty, 1 lister Wm. Page; song, "Johnny Won't J®*" Master Alfred Ritchie; piano and v°j!? duet, " Snowdrop," Misses Bertha and .'""Lindsay; recitation, " Gough's Apostrophe to Water," Miss Zoe Hartley; song, toi ~m Adair," Miss Louisa Hawkes; choir (in o ' lo ®,' "Luna," Tabernacle; recitation, bough's Oration," Miss Agnes Hughes; PJo solo, "Scherzo Brilliante," Master arbines; action song. Tabernacle. Vocal "» to contest: Edward L. Lees, 1," St. T? es i. L. C. Hoyes, Newton Excelsior; I°™, Crawford, St. James'. A vote of , anks was accorded to the judges and J®*- The Tabernacle this year carries a. , e shield with 45 points, A vote of , ™s was accorded to the judges and the """MS of the prizes. WiN nf' I ,'. at " ie -Agricultural Hall, Mr. n. t ~ 'kins' Comedy Company will reA Lord for an Hour." All the Wail lart1 art specialties, including Mr. Will ~ ."I s " There was Hooligan," and the ceiu ] whirl dance by Misses Hettie Waran Alice Malier will be given.