LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11427, 18 July 1900, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

In our third page will be found Part 11. of Rudyard Kipling's story, " The. Way that He Took," which was commenced in last Saturday's paper. On Saturday next we will publish another story by Kipling, entitled "Folly Bridge," in which one of the characters is a New Zealander. lhe resident? of New Lynn have for so»e time been considering the project of eating a public hall for the district. I**Parker has kindly offered a site clotf to the school and main road. Some £D A" S been already collected, and a committee has been appointed, of which Mr. Tlpmpson has been elected chairman, and M l . Waygood secretary, with a view of canvassing the district tor subscriptions. Itis anticipated that, the project will be dily carried out to a successful issue. To-day is Arbor Day, but on inquiring at the offices of the Board of Education the authorities were unaware of anything being done at the school playgroups, either in the city or suburbs. The municipal authorities were in equal ignorance of anything being done ill the way of tree-planting. It was stated that Arbor Da; had been more honoured in the breach (tan the observance, and that there was no rational sentiment behind it. The Supreme Court will not sit, and some of the Governmsjfc offices will be closed, which will give the members of the Civil Service another Govefoment holiday, but that is all. The Customs Department will be open as usual. In our obituary column will be found recorded the death of a very old identity, at

his residence. Mount Eden, in fte person of Mr. Alex. Hunter, builder, at Hie ripe ago of 85. He was well known in Auckland, in business, in tho "early fifties," and in 1863 met with a severe loss in hs building factory being destroyed, by a eyebne, vhich visited Parnell, inflicting a loss m him of about £1000. He was a good, lypicil settler, and of late years has lived a retired life. An accident befell Dr. Moir's trap yesterday while being driven down Queer-street. It appears that another trap passid the front of tho doctor's gig, when the driver, in order to avoid a collision, pulled up his horse sharply, whieh caused the horse to bolt, the result being that one »f tie shafts of the gig was broken, and Di. link and iiis driver were precipitated to the ground. They, fortunately, escaped unhurt The horse, with trap attached, then boll'd down Queen-street, till opposite the Bankof New Zealand, whore it. came into collisan with the carriage of Dr. A. G. Purch«. The coachman in charge of the latter mrriago managed to pull his house round, ard thus averted the full impact of the collision, the only damage sustained being that the fide of the carriage was turned. The horse wai then secured, before any further damage codd bo sustained by cabs on tho stand.

An ordinary general meeting of the shareholders in the Auckland Gas Company will be held at noon on the 30th Inst, for Mio purpose of declaring a dividend. The twister books of the company will be closed fora the 24th to the 31st tost., both days indusive. An extraordinary meeting of shareholders will also take place at the same tine and place, when the following resolution will be proposed ; — That tho Articles of Association be altered in the following manner: There shall be added to subsection B of article 65a the words 'or of the Aucklajd Harbour Board.'" Should the resolutitn b-i passed by the required majority, it w.ll be submitted for confirmation as a spechl resolution to a second extraordinary meeting, which will be subsequently convened.

The authorities of the Costley Home iiform us concerning the case of the yontii Win. Tremayno, who was alleged to hare been sent from tho Costley Training Institute, Richmond Road, "without 24 hours' notice, and without a shilling in his pocket," that Tremayne yesterday se:<t a letter to tie master and matron of the institute, Mr. aid Mrs. Hendre, thanking them for all they haJ, done for him, and requesting that it should be laid before the trustees, to show that he was not ungrateful for the kindness which had been shown to him in the institution. Tremayno has, it is stated, received a further advance of wages from his employer, from 10s to 14s per week. Like most colonial lads, he wants to handle the money he earns, and can now maintain himself. The case of Wm. Tremayne is not one for the benevolent or philanthropic.

The Southern Cross Log (the organ of the Melanesia!! Mission) for the current month is to hand. The initial article is entitled "Kalilana Mala" (the rounding of Mala). There is an interesting article on " How Our Girls Amuse Themselves on Norfolk Island." The Rev. R. B. Corains continues his " Personal Reminiscences of Bishop John R. Selwyn." The hon. treasurer acknowledges Melanesiao Mission receipts to the amount of £1086, and of contributions to the new ship fund of £124 19s 2d.

A beautiful brass tablet, prepared at the Herald Office, has been placed on the new flagstaff recently erected at the Onehunga public school. The tablet bears the following inscriptions:— tablet was erected by the people of Onehunga to commemorate the departure of the undernamed volunteers for active service in South Africa: First Contingent—Trooper J. Montgomerie, 0.R.V.; Trooper M. Kirkbride, 0.R.V.; Trooper H. Whyte, C.R. Second Contingent—Trooper C. Lennard, 0.R.V.; Trooper W. Worrall, O.R.V. Fourth Contingent—SergeantMajor G. Brown, 0.R.V.; Trooper A. Jackson, 0.R.V.; Trooper H. Robinson, O.R.V. Fifth Contingent-Ser-geant Colquhoun, O.R.V. ; Trooper G. Hunter, 0J1.V.; Trooper McLeod, civilian; Trooper H. Bray, civilian; Trooper R. Smith,, civilian; trooper J Gorrum, civilian; Trooper W. Urquhart, civilian; Trooper"A. Suttie, civilian." The tablet bears date June 13,1900.

Ihose who are in the habit of using the bicycle in Auckland will no doubt be interested to know that a meeting of cyclists is to be held at the Y.M.C.A. Hall tomorrow evening, to consider the advisability of laying down cycle paths along the main streets in the city and suburbs. That such an improvement is urgently needed all cyclists will agree, but without organisation m the shape of combination of those who cycle, nothing of a satisfactory nature can be effected, and it is therefore to be hoped that there will be a large attendance at the meeting, in order that any resolutions brought before the civic authorities urging the construction of paths may carry weight with them.

At a meeting of the Auckland Co-opera-tive Terminating Building Society, held last night, in the, Wesley Hall, Pitt-street, the holder of share? 160 and 461 was declared the successful drawer of £400 in the first group. The holder of shares 283 and 284 was the purchaser of £400 in the second group, at a premium of £42 5s per share. The holder of share No. 786 was the purchaser of £200 in the third group, at a premium of £46, and the holder of share No. 60 was the purchaser of the other £200, at a premium of £40 Is 6d. Mr. A. J. Entrican, the chairman, announced that the fourth group of shares had heen fully subscribed, and that ipplications for shares in the fifth group were now being received.

A petition is being circulated for signature praying Parliament to give favourable consideration to the case of Mr, James Mackay, formerly warden and resident magistrate at both Collingwood and on the Hauraki Goldfields. The petition sets forth at length the claims of Mr. Mackay for special consideration, and states he is now 69 years of age, and not in good circumstances. As far back as 1854 he explored the north-west portion of Nelson, and was the first to discover that the Buller and Grey Rivers were navigable. In 1859, and for years subsequent, Mr. Mackay was entrusted with the work of purchasing lands from the natives on behalf of the Government. Mr. Mackay first reported the discovery, by natives, of gold in the Ohinemuri district, and for services in the Waikato during the native troubles connected with the murder of Sullivan, near Maungatawhiri, had a service of plate presented him. During his career Mr. Mackay arrested 20 Maori criminals. Mr. Mackay has the misfortune to bo without a pension, although having rendered varied and important services to the provincial and colonial Governments of tin day*.

, of the; City Council sits tcs. day it is understood, to inquire into com.' plants made by Mr. J. E. Taylor, as to aU fejjd ■ discourtesy, by the messenger .of the Fie Library, Mr." Sime, when visiting the • '• library. A document has been signed by ' /'number of citizens, to be placed before the, committee, in which they testify that they are frequent visitors to the newspaperroom and library, and that they have received nothing but uniform courtesy" am} , kindness from the official in question, The woman, Mrs. Marsh, who attempted suicide by shooting herself With a revolver-'•'-'• recently,'is said to be progressing favour, ably at the hospital, and is likely to recover - notwithstanding the character of the bullet wound. The bullet entered the breast': about an inch below the left nipple, and i" came out at the back, 2in from the spinal HI column, and in line with the tenth rib. ■ >;J: VA lad named Joseph L. Godwin, 13 year* . of age, whose father is dead, and whose Imother has forsaken him, was committed ;'• at Thames yesterday to St. Mary's Indus, ■trial Home, Ponsonby. ;;<,,; "Clericus." writing in the Daily Mail, savs:— "While we are so enthusiasticallyffl taking steps to secure full justice and equality - : for men of our race in South Africa, would 1 It not be well to do the same for the clergy I§| ordained in our colonies, who visit, or after ;•; years of honourable service, return to live lit in England. It is a fact, although nigh'-" incredible, that a colonial clergyman « L: 1 forbidden by law to officiate until he.hasf§& complied with offensive and almost prohibi.'-;:' 1 tory conditions. Also lengthened service; • abroad in the Church is counted as a bar to ; ; rather than a claim for, preferment, especi-81 ally at the hands of Ministers of the Crown m who have such extensive 'national' patron-' age. A list of colonial clergymen rewarded by the present Government would be edify,'. ing." ■• -.',"■'

Tenders for the following works have bren dealt with by the Coromandel County Conn.' cil :—Whnngapoua-Coromandel Road, No; 5 contract. J. Ecclestone (accepted), £9<(';' Other tenders for this work were; $] O'Brien, £109 10s ; Morgan and Ecclestone' £115 ; Harding and Fuller, £141 10s; %' Ross, £145 10s ;J. Morrissey, £195. No! 1, Coromnndel-Kuaotuhti Road, gravelling, H. Davies (accepted), £69. Other tenders •'•; T. Trial, £87 10s ; W. H. Robinson, £95 ! * 17s 6d : M. O'Connor, £93 10s; W. R' Robinson, £100 7s ; S. I'hah, £103 ; % McQuoid. £105 ; J. Morrissey, £110. Re!. pairs Cabbage Bar Road : F. White, £23 10s ; G. Bridle. £27. Overflow dam, Cab-'; base Bay, Owen Evans (accepted). £14 10s. Other tenders : F. Cock. £16 ; J. Evans, £H4 10s. Cemcterv repairs, B. Boss (accepted), £19 19s lid. Other tenders R. Montgomery £23 ; W. J. Sanderson, £26 10s. '

The second annual meeting of Dr. TibbW Vi-Cocoa (Limited) was held at the Cannonstreet Hotel. London, on April 25 last. Mr, Thomas Smith presiding. The annual report and balance-sheet submitted showed that the net profits for the year amounted to £38,698 5s 4d, an increase on the previous year of £1688 15s 3d. Over £100,000 o{ the funds of the company were invested in British Consols and British railway debenture stock. On the recommendation of the directors a further sum of £10,000 was placed to the reserve account, making in all £20,771, and a dividend of seven per cent, declared for the past 12 months upon the ordinary share capital. A balance, after allocating 500 guineas to the Mansion House 'fund in aid of the Indian famine fund, and the soldiers, sailors, widows, and orphans' section of the Transvaal war fund, of £1836 10s 3d was carried forward.

The Agricultural Hall has been leased for 12 months by Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, and will bo reopened next Saturday by their celebrated Waxworks and Bijou Minstrel Company, which includes such talented artistes 'as Mr. Martyn Hagan, and Miss Lucy Fraser, sketch " artists; Mr. Will Stevens, known as the sad-eved shriek; Mr. Will Watkins, who is well-known in Auckland, and other artists of ability.