LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11057, 8 May 1899, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Hon A. J. Cadman (Minister fol Mines) is still confined to his residence at Avondale but we are pleased to learn that his state of health has shown a slight improvement. An English mail, via Suez, which left! London on March 30, arrived from Sydney by th" Mararoa yesterday. Anglo-Colonial Notes, Personal Items, Latest Mining News, ar-d other interesting items from oui London correspondent will be found in another part of this issue. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that Mr. Eamshaw, formerly member for Dunedin, will contest the Wellington scat in the Opposition interests. A notice appears in our advertising columns this morning stating that Dr. F. W. Pennefather (late" Acting-Judge in the Supreme Court.) and the Bishop of Wellington, who have been appointed by- the Primate and Bishops of New Zealand, in accordance with a resolution of the General Synod, a Cornminion to inquire into matters connected with the St. John's College trust, will commence the inquiry early this week in the Boardroom of the Diocesan office, Victoria Arcade, All parties claiming any interest in the trust are at liberty to be present at the inquiry. It will be convenient if persona who desire to appear before the Commissioners will send their names to the Bishop of Wellington, at the Star Hotel. An effort is being made by the Mayor to provide a number of ornamental seats foi Albert Park. In Wellington seats have been furnished by citizens, each seat bearing on a plate the name of the donor, and Mr. Goldia hopes to get about 20 seats donated for Albert Park, in which event the seat."! now in the park would be removed, to the Western Park. Six seats have already been promised, one each by the Mayor, the Hon. W. Swanson, T. Maseficld, Alfred Kidd, Mrs. F. W. King, and ' Mi. Benzoni. of Wellington. The seat donated by the Mayor, and another sample seat, have now been placed in the parkThe Mayor's seat bears on a plate " Pre« scntcd by the Mayor, 1899." The nominations received for the vacancies on the Mount Eden Road Board being in excess of the vacancies, a poll of ratepayers , of the district was taken on Saturday be« tween the hours of nine a.m. and six p.m.j when the following voles were recorded : -i R. Udy 186, C. J. Tunks 166. P. McNab 147, R. Ross 89, J. Davies 35, W. J. Cooke . 30, informal 7. Messrs. R. Udy and C. J, - Tunks being the two highest were accord? 1 .; ingly declared elected.

His Worship Mr. H. S. Wardell, KMj presided at the Auckland Police Court on Saturday mornine;, when John Wilson, an elderly man pleaded guilty to being an idle and disorderly person, in that he had insufficient lawful means of support, and was sentenced to three months' hard labour. Sub-inspector Wilson remarked that the accused had spent about 25 years in goal. Henry Lawson, a foreign seaman, was convicted of disobeying the lawful commands of Contain Ed. Thomas Smith, of the s.s. WaiJ mate. The specific act was that the ac cused went ashore when he should have bees at work, and that ho refused to come bactf when ordered to do so. His Worship said the accused had been guilty of disobedience, buff the case was a trivial one. He ordered the accused to be imprisoned until the rising of the Court.

In view of the prospective operations of the Electric Tramways Company, there is some speculation going on in the purchase of land along the tramway routes, present and projected. It is stated that some of the secturns have been taken up in the belief that! they will have to be repurchased by the company as stations for the working of the lines. a , The attendance at the Art Gallery is keep* ing op we 1, but it is sad to see the deteriora. ion which is going on in some of the pictures, from various causes. The number of vis. ors at the Free Public Library, and the public newspaper-room, is increasing now the weather is becoming unfavourable for some outdoor sports. The loss of publications or books is st, 1 far below what it is in the AusIndian institutions. It is stated that Mr ' Bushell, who unforinnately got both arms broken in the railway accident at Rakaia, will have to undergo an operation of a painful nature before he is free of his sufferings. The right arm was severely crushed at the elbow, and has set, but perfectly straight; and an examination under the Rontgen rays shows that some pieces of splintered bone must be removed. It will also be necessary to again break the arm and bend it. The usual monthly return prepared by the Department of Mines of New South Wales, shows that 31,8940z of "old were produced in New South Wales during the month of April, which is an increase of 19,0020z on the corresponding month of last year. The total quantity produced during the first four months of the present year is estimated to be 129,6820z, a net increase of 34,2600z over the same period of 1898. ' A special meeting of the Onehungi Borough Council was held on Saturday night to appoint two members, with the Mayor, to sign the burgess roll. The town clerk reported that no objections to the new valuations had been received. After transacting the above business, the Mayor (Dr. Krson) made a statement on the water question. * At the last meeting of the Kirikiriroa Koad Board, a circular from the chief valuer asking for the valuation roll was read, Hie clerk said this was simply a dodge to get information for nothing. 'The roll was not yet made up. and even if it were, he di.l not see why he should be called upon to give the Department the use of his time and brains. Mr. Fairer said he noticed that in Cambridge they have refused to give the valuer the use of the rolls without payment. It was resolved, "That the application be acceded to provided the clerk was paid for the time and trouble expended in making up the roll." The most extraordinary stories are still being published in the Southern papers as to the class of people, in some instances, who have been awarded old age pensions. Several have already been before the Courts, and in some instances the granting of the pension appeared to have no other effect than to set them on a festive bout.

I The Thames Hospital building fund bene- W I fits to the extent of £35 lis 6d bv the re- M cent Chrysanthemum Show, held under the W auspices of the Hauraki Ladies' Benevolent « society. The Government subsidy on this If amount, however, will bring the total sum M up to about £80. M Notwithstanding that building operations M Will probably be interrupted by the rainy M season, there is still a good deal of building ill going on, more especially in the suburbs, ffl home large contracts will shortly be coming M forward in brickwork. ' k i

A very commendable, act of courage was aerformed by Constable Thomson when on luty on Queen-street Wharf on Friday morning last, which deserves to be recorded. Shortly before uaylight, when in the vicinity of the Water Police Station, he heard cries coming from the Aireetion of the Northeoto Jerry Tee. Hi looked, and saw a man struggling in the cater who had apparently stumbled over the tee into the harbour. The constable got a life-buoy and threw it to tho man. It fell about a yard on the other side of him, and he called upon him to grasp it. The man seemed to be thoroughly exhausted, and made no effort to seize the buoy, when Constable Thomson threw off his coat, jumped in all standing, and reached the man as lie was going down. Ho got the drowning man to the buoy, and held on to him till two or three civilians could get a boat and rescue them. The man (Daniel Kennedy, an old soldier) was taken to the police station, stripped of his wet clothing, put in blankets, given somo hot lea, and brought wand again. He was then taken to the lospitnl, under instructions from Sergeaut Treanor, for further medical treatment.

During the discussion on a paper read by the delegates of the Congregational Union at ritrathlicld. New South Wales, recently, the Rev. W. I'linlifTe Jones encountered 11 hornet's nest through making some unguarded remarks on the question of home and church training. He claimed that too much attention was being given to hoys at the expend of elders : in fact, that there was too much "coddling." "Hang the young people," said he," as a rule, when joining the Church, they are all anxious to get a Sunday-school class, which they cannot teach for sour annles ! We want the old people and their experience." His ideal was Kipling's '•jiriishwood liny," who. though he played Billiards a little, and indulged in cards'occasionally, was a fine fellow. Church codUiinir. in i.i- opinion, was to be deprecated. After several of the male representatives present had handled .Mr. Jones and*his hero, somewhat severely, ho was passed on to the tender mercies of one of the ladies, who indignant Iv informed the meeting that the address of Mr. Jones had " grated on her ears." For her part she would sooner seo one young man saved at the outset of his career than four old persons, who managed to achieve that distinction "by the skin of their teeth," at almost the termination of a useless life. Eventually. Mr. Jones smoothed matters over by explaining that what be was opposed to was •'grandmother coddling." The members of the Hanraki Ladies' Beclent .Society have presented Mrs Woolley. wife o| the Rev. W. R. Woolley, with a liable geld chain, as a mark of their esif. in. Mrs. Woolley has for many years fulfilled (he duties of secretary to the soeitty in question, but is, with her husband leaving the Thames district shortly. The programme of the military carnival and sports to be held on the Paeroa race-cnni-se of Queen's Birthday appears in our advertising columns. It consists of no less than 18 interesting events. The gathering should prove most successful from every point of view. J The police have, so far as can be learned, not made much headway with the jewellery robbery in Ponsonby which took place last week, though they are still assiduously working for a clue.