LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11372, 15 May 1900, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The inaugural ceremony of hoisting the flag at the Mount Eden public school, by His Excellency the Governor, will take place on Friday next, at three o'clock.

Tie publish in another column the account furnished by our correspondent with the Dint New Zealand Contingent of the calamitous affair at Doornspruit, when Colonel Broadwoods force met with such a .harp reverse, The Boers carried out the operation with great skill, and managed to effect a. complete surprise of a portion of our force All the men appear to have behaved with great bravery, and many heroic deeds are recorded, especially on the part of the gunners, I he New Zealanders rendered good servi * in aiding to extricate the force. The details o this unfortunate affair, in which so many of our men were engaged, will be read with great interest. We also publish an interesting letter from our correspondent >vith {he second Contingent.

It is currently reported that it is the intention of the city authorities to cut down and remove all or nearly all the deciduous trees growing in Princes-street. We can scarcely believe that such an act of vandalism is likely to be perpetrated in this, perhaps the most beautiful street in Auckland, Hie bcenery Conservation Society have communicated with the Mayor on the subject

. The Museum gauge showed that on Sunday 0.06 inches of rain fell, and for the 'A hours, up to half-past nine yesterday morning, the rainfall was 0.65 inches. As there were several heavy showers during the afternoon there is little doubt that the total rainfall amounted to close upon an inch.

The American mq steamer . sumed her voyage 0 A £_ ~V a ?P OJI reSan Francisco short „£ Jg*.* terday afternoon, t m„„„ ■ clock Yes- -■.:-''. going off in the and i, Quiteamimbero^S? steamer at this port' )r sW^^drthe':" " several others will 1 SJ rancis «>> and A large quantity of lv S s U Apk were shipped for Si v r l «' pelt etc., cargofor%iawa a % CI 2 t h¥# annoyance and di«PP«menUllW' on June 1, Mariposa is ue 8t g nF^ci*feon June 1, 6an Fra ncisco

The recent house-to-^ inspection,, ? the police is bearing sofe fruit ' S'^ cases of haNlnginsam^ptSesSf 24 of casting offensive mat* 0 r£SH rnents, were set down or S f llot "" : Police Court yesterday S« tLe ' late in the evening, and, consider at her were dealt witl,,alti;ffiS was made on account ff. deST^ : raised in the majority if the S " T the majority of cases mvictiohn recorded. Thedefend.nl one ca JZ * excuse, said he had neve receivedla ing that he would be had no opportunity toclean the S Sergeant Walker pointd out lice, after making an inspection, had power to go back an warn the offender His Worship said (hi could he no 22 as anyone who read he newspapers 3 not fail to recognise the danger of insanitary premises at the present tim Another defendant, after pleading m n ' stated that she htfelf had called the £ stable's attention b the filthy state of £ premises. An emanation showed that AI was only getting even with her landlorl who had refused to remove some rubbish left by a former .cnant. The obligim, (Z narrowly escaped jeing fined. His WorshiT however, allowdthe case to be withdraw?'

A sitting of ft, Arbitration Court will bo' held m Aucklaixjon Friday, the 25th inst at ten a.m., at he Supreme Court Build' ings, before Mr, Justice Martin and Mesas* Slator and Bro\ui assessors. Disputes filed by the Curries', Saddlers', Carpenters' Bootmakers', Carters', and the Typographical Industrial Union), will come on' for hearing

To perpetuate tie name of Sir George Grey, Parliament Ist session voted the sura of £200 a year for the purpose of founding scholarships in thi subjects : Physics astronomy, and geobgjr, to be called the'"Sir George Grey Schdaiships." The Auckland College Council his received intimation that the vote has been equally divided between the four Universit' Colleges in the colony, and they have ben asked to award the scholarship for the Auckland district. It j<j open to undergraluates, whose academic standing does not exceed three years, and is tenable for one yea'. The Grey scholarship cannot be held it tie same time as any other scholarship or exhibition. At the Council meeting yesterday the Government's offer was accepted, and a committee was appoui> ted to frame regulations for the examinai tion.

At the neeting of representatives of Road Boards held last evening at the offices of the Archhll Road Board, it was decided with regard to the Symonds-street gully drainage, wheh has been an annoyance to a number of siburban districts, to take steps to abate th nuisance under section 53 of the Public health Act, 1876. This section deals with d'ensive ditches and collections of matter, aid it may interest citizens to peruse the ful text of the clause in question, It runs as dllows:—"Where any watercourse or opa ditch, lying near to, or forming the boudary between the districts oi any local boad and any adjoining district, is foul and offenive, so as injuriously to affect the district of well local board, any Resident Magistrate ma-, on the application of such local.board, Simmon the local board of such adjoining distict, to appear before any Court, having jurisdiction within the district of such fist-mentioned board, to show cause why an order should not be made by such Court fa' cleansing such watercourse o? open ditth and for executing such permanent or oih=r structural works as may appear to such Court to be necessary. Such Court, after tearing the parties, or ex parte, in case of tin default of any of them to appear, may nxke such order with reference to the esecutbn of the works, and the persons by whon the same shall be executed, ; and by whom aid in what proportions the cost of such works shall be paid, and also as to the amount thceof, and the time and mode of payment, as'to such Court may seem reasonable." Sone parties estimate the cost of carrying the awer from the city boundary to the sea at £1-2,000, which, though a large amount, would hake a good and effective job of the drainaje, for seven interested districts. A curious fact has come out in the discussion of the cemetery gully drainage question, namely', that the natural watercourse behind Kitangahape, Newton, and Arehhill, is a trac of country which forms tse easiest, shortest, and best-graded outlet of the city, from tie head of Pitt-street to the Mount Albert md Avondale djtricts, and that were the sever completed, the roadway could then be contracted as indicated, making the site of a brmer nuisance into a pleasant drive. It semis that a road was originally laid off on this line, and exists on the survey plans.

The matter of the appointment of a headmaster for Newmarket school will be again before the Education Board to-morrow. It seems that the matter is by no means settled, although the Board found that the charge of canvassing made against Mr. O'Donoghue had not been established. The opinion of the Board's solicitor has been taken on the question whether Mr. O'Donoghue can now be finally appointed by the Education Board, or whether the matter has again to go before the Newmarket School Committee, and it is understood that Dr. Laishley's opinion is to the effect that the Newmarket Committee must be consulted. The importance of this opinion lies in the fact that since the matter was last before the Newmarket Committee an election has token place, and the strength of parties on the committee has entirely changed, so that a reopening of the question at the committee would, in all probability, lead to lively proceedings.

The recent purchase of land at the Hutt, for the purpose of suburban dwellings for Wellington workingmen, and the near approach of the opening of Parliament, directs attention to the question of workmen's dwellings in the Avondalo district, for which Mr. J. Bollard, M.H.R. for Eden, worked so hard last session. A Herald reporter had a talk on the subject with Mr. Bollard yesterday, raid the Eden representative stated that he intends to have another hard fight for his scheme in the coming session. The scheme to be adopted with the Hutt property is, Mr. Bollard points out. altogether unsuitable, chiefly on account of the inadequate sum the Land Purchase Board propose to expend on the dwellings. It is provided that the-leaseholder is required to expend not less than £20, which the Board supplements with another £20. " This," says Mr. Bollard, " is no new experiment, it having been tried rear Christchurch, and resulted in the erection of a collection of hovels, ill-suited to tho needs of the occupants." Mr. Bollard's scheme includes an advance of £103 by the Government for a building, and this, he says, should be expended in the erection of a good shell, allowing the leaseholder to improve the exterior as his means will pf* mit. Assuming that the land is well selected,. Mr. Bollard fairly urges that the Government, would run no greater risk ot having the buildings left on their hands than any private person erecting such building for the purposes of investment, as suitable tenants could always be found for st' cn houses near the town if the facilities for travelling to and firm the town are satisfactory. Mr. Bollard has in view a class of tenants who would probably be little able to lay out their own money on the building, but who, in tinm, vould. by his scheme, be able to secure a comfortable home for themselves vithoji risk to the Government.

The young lad Fitzgerald, who was jatallv injured' by a kick from a horse, and died in the hospital, was between 16 and 1/ « afS °? age. His mother resides at the settlement of Ngaruawahia, in the Waikato.

A seaman named Newton, who m f«?'£ an accident on board a vessel in the r', bour yesterday, was taken to the bosp" for treatment. It was necessary to perioriu an operation.

An old pensioner named Thomas Bawling' died suddenly at Mrs. Kates' boarding house, Thames, on Sunday, from. alien"- 1 " of the heart. Deceased had been in rece i of charitable aid, and for several weeks was an out patient of the hospital- w 87 years of age, and an old Wjjmj veteran, being formerly a soldier in t" e Regiment, No inquest w necessary, ■

" M colonist passed away yesterday V°&n2 Sni- A. Clark, relict of the tf&S&JiWd Clark, who was first J» te t Auckland, and the founder of the * firm of Messrs. Arch. Clark and ■9tea§&&* ■ She died at her Sons,, rata- Brae," Remuera., at the ripe residence, deceased lady, with her age of r" cajne •to Auckland from Beith, jmsbana, . ark was for over BSs&ssociated with old St. Anr,b-« Presbyterian Church, being at its open- " dof which -church her husband was "'W' : * In her earlier days in Auckland, • ?r '-Clarkwhen health and strength pers£' a was' noted for her church activities. sSAr- Messrs. Archibald and uMiv Clark, the well-known warehouse>Jlffl a daughter (Mrs. O.C. McMillan), J7. i aree number of grandchildren. Her fihS-law (Mrs. McCosh Clark) only ■ rived from London, .with her family, the ? ' before Mrs. Clark's decease. It is anIS'ced elsewhere that interment is private. X premises of. Messrs. A. Clark and Sons •111 be closed to-day and to-morrow in con- ' lequerice'el the death of Mrs. Clark.

..Qdr Maungakaramca correspondent 'writes:'—Mr. Hilford had a very narrow Lape'of a broken leg one evening recently. Kidin" along from Whangarei, and hearing '* vehicle approaching, he put his pony at the trot on the pipeclay formation. Ho , id not ■ gone 'above two or three chains ' before his pony P ufc «liis front foot into the inevitable rut, and fell, rolling on the rider. The only reason' for Mr. Hilford's escape was that he fell over the edge of the formation, 'the pony-being light did not fracture any of the rider's limbs, but nevertheless Mr. Hilford received a few bruises and a severe shaking. -' The Whangarei County Council apparently appear to be very : much in love with pipeclay as a material for road-forming as a substitute for metal, much more so than the unfortunates that are compelled to travel over it. Along the Puwhero swamp, some three or four miles, which is tho only part of the track that has any pretence to a decent grade, is completely spoiled and botched by this stuff. It is laid something over the width of a dray, tjlie greater the depth the deeper the ruts. After deducting the ruts there simply remains a onehorse track in the centre. The casual language of drivers is positively painful to a sensitive ear. Year after year the public funds are being expended in this locality on the rotten material, why, only the most astute councillors may perhaps be able to explain to the taxpayer. The lack of serviceable metal cannot be the reason, because there are limestone outcrops and other metals within a reasonable distance, which, after ft test, have stood the traffic fairly well.

The funeral of Mr. S. Hadfield, of the Auckland post office staff, and a member of the Sydenham Lodge of Druids (Christclnirch), was well attended on Sunday afternoon by members of the Auckland and Ponjonby Lodges of Druids. The remains were interred at Waikumete cemetery, the Rev. W. J. Williams?' conducting the service at the grave.

: . Our Hamilton correspondent writes: — regret to report the death of Mrs. Robert Drabble. She and her husband were amongst the first of the Waipa settlers. Mr. Drabble died some years ago. The couple we widely known and respected for their industry and integrity.

Papers by the mail contain the following announcement:— death of Major S. D. N. Grinsell, late of the 50th Regiment (the Queen's Own), which is announced from Edinburgh, creates another gap in the ranks of the survivors of the Crimea. The son of a soldier who fought at Waterloo, Major Grinsell joined the 'army in 1853, and subsequently saw service in Turkey, Crimea, Ceylon, New Zealand, and Australia. For distinguished services in the Crimea, 1854-56, he received the medal with two clasps (Inkerman and Sebastopol), as well as the Turkish medal. He also received the medal for the New Zealand war of 1863-6. For the last 16years he was secretary of the Army Scripture Readers' Society for Scotland, whilst h had also acted as secretory for the Naval and Military Bible Society. The youngest his sons is engaged in the campaign in South Africa as a member of the Cape Mounted Police. '

'■". How defective drains are dealt with in London is shown by the following incident: -Mr. Bell, a builder, of Doddington Grove, Battefsea, was summoned to the South-west-ern Court, at the instance of the vestry oi St. Mary, Battersea, for neglecting to lay down a proper drain in a house in Oulton'street. Mr. W. W. Young, for the vestry, said the case was a very bad one. Defendant had been directed to put down a new drain, and he laid it on the top of the old one in so careless a manner that when the vestry's officials had the ground opened, mo. the drain inspected, everv joint was found to be leaking. It seemed to him disgiaceful that a builder should be guilty of cendnct that placed the health and even the ««s of the inmates of the house in peril, defendant contended that the drain was woken by the vestry's employees when thev opened the ground; but the chief sanitary Rector emphatically denied that. Mr. Horace Smith agreed in thinking that the Wnce was a serious one. and imposed a .!»% of £15, with costs.

A few days ago Mr. A. J. Gould, M.L.0.. Weed to the Premier of New South KH? * deputation consisting of Lady nams,iiissLevvy (secretary), and a number ™ otter members of the women's branch of ™ Society for the Prevention of Crueltv to g»b. he Mutation asked that an'im- » method of destroying stray dogs to "M now adopted should be followed, and it that a lethal chamber similar mm at Battersea in England should be nstructed. It was stated that a chamber "'tills character had been built in Sydney. S!/- found to be an expensive affair, mm m "de of killing do?s now resorted to iul Btran,in! them. It was also asked .nat the police should give owners of valuable 2,? more time in which to recover m the Premier stated that he thoroughly nuncd with the views of the deputa- • '°»- Experiments made in connection with ™ Present chamber showed that death was .painless. It was found that 50 dogs which . ere .introduced into it were unconscious in m minutes and dead in ten minutes. It *?' to him that a proper lethal ™>mto could be constructed for about £"ft and if this was the case he thought W provision should be made immediately 10 meet the wishes of the deputation. "<; has been forwarded to the New gJVWales Minister for Justice, aea,in « . 'to the question of prison reform. r t is «ow that on December 31, 1684, out of J? 373 of the population of New South iSm one person was in gaol. In 1894 the inlflOT Were one person out of every 480 ' 18QR ' one erson out of evcrv 6i5 ; in ttS one erson out of every 646 : and in 3 one person out of every 682. On »Tor 31, m ' the ? enernl population • J '1-251,450, and the gaol population 2604. «the end of 1899 the general population £j« 1.456,650, and the gaol population 1989. ./"i these figures it will be seen that during |4 tat five years the gaol population detisS- Mtua,, y by 615, but relatively, as Wds the population, by 834. Cte io rangements fol St- George's lowing y° 8 12th annual dance, on Thursday. May ' vita? 16 ° W com P ,etc ' ancl as numerous infill l 'ons have l)een issued a very successTan en J°- vaD,e gathering is anticipated. aaff? 1 of the warships in port have sig- ■'.-.•. the,r intention of being present, Jam b "; aar ' ,1(!ld in connection with St. -ins i! Prejbyteriaa Church, Thames, dmfcuj ■ ■ latter part ; 0 f last week, realised a ' crnt SUm of £198 ' a result which reflects &s!* the ladies of the church, who l: *W hard to make the affair a success.

: -'i'Sr y / dney Sundft y Times las started a.£ S y d ney Sunday Times Las started if j3? T 4 - M a tril > to Co,onel Baden " 'S man" u° m ifc calls " a soldier and a H'W'ftV' * De fund is to lie used for the purKigpSSS»t»ng the hew with the best "one* r 10rse for military purposes that SfefijPvP?J> fixed «P with saddlery made SfffiKSte 1 from Australian leather, toWrick, l-,? Sword of honor, the hilt to be aea Wh 'Australian gold. *"*S% rf - fte Education Board, says the ! ■-■'■-^mJ^k is lar B e, t!lken «P at each,l ■ 0| *hict ' a osfc of trivial business, much ? 0 >» «M at all, and a large i®kttd k: n .. of >t couW for better be. trans•litionutv 7 ° o1 Committees. In ad* *% of i,, ,' t " ere is alwaß a certa Jn q" a "- ; ' to^BhoiSSv -, routine mat te r that could : * «mm feU with by the secretary "'■' » V..!: , " aoes not always pay to *«nyth. steam hammer to crack a