LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11440, 2 August 1900, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tire reassuring news which wo published yesterday regarding the Pekin Legations is confirmed by later intelligence from various sources. Hut until a strong military force reaches tho capital, or the Ministers and other foreigners are conducted to Tientsin, their position continues to bo very critical, for although a truce has been arranged the attack may bo renewed at any moment. It is satisfactory, therefore, to learn that General Gaselee, who is in command of the Indian Contingent, has decided to advance at once on Pekin, hoping the forces, of the other Powers will join his expedition. There are signs that the Chinese Government, fearing the consequences of a large force advancing on tho capital, are taking measures to prevent attacks 011 foreigners. Some additional details are given this morning of the surrender of Prinsloo's commando. The Boer general attempted first to obtain an armistice, and failing in that he next sought to make terms, but nothing but unconditional surrender would be listened to by the British, and eventually the Boers had to submit. The total number is now given as 986, with 1482 horses, 945 rifles, a nine-pounder gun. and 50 waggons. Lord Kitchener is organising the relief of Rustenberg.

The Hkrald Monthly Summary, for transmission by the next outward San Francisco mail, will be published to-morrow (Friday), Those desirous of forwarding the Summary to their friends in Europe, America, etc., will have ample time to do so, as the newspaper mail closes on Monday next, at 9.30 o'clock a.m., up to which hour papers for mailing may he obtained of runners at the post office. This mail will be due in London on Wednesday, September 5.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr. David Goldie), accompanied by Mr. H. W. Wilson, town clerk, paid an official visit to H.M.s. Porpoise, and were kindly received by Commander Ravonhill, who congratulated the Mayor 011 his recovery from his indisposition.

The Minister for Lands announces, with regard to the new tourist road through the Urewera country to Rotorua, that by next summer he expects to see a road completed from Waikaremoana to Rotorua, with branch connection to follow. This will provide through communication from Napier to Rotorua by way of Wairoa, Waikaremoana, and the centre of the Urewera country.

His Honor Mr. Justice Conolly will sit in Chambers to morrow (Friday), and take bankruptcy cases immediately afterwards. His Honor leaves for Gisborne on Saturday.

Yesterday Inspector Cullcn received the following information from Sub-inspector Wilson, relative to the result of the prosecutions at the Te Awamutu Magistrate's Court, so far as the cases have been heard before Mr. Northcroft, S.M. The decisions have been postponed until the remaining four cases are heard, which will take place to-day. I The following are the cases decided John | Ormsby, Mrs. Ormsby (Otorohanga). John Hetiti, Annie Hetit, Elizabeth Reynolds, C. H. Holland, Wm. Thornton (ToKuiti), Alex. Campbell, and Hurcilia Taimana (Poro-o-tarao), pleaded guilty to two charges-of sly grog-selling each. Other charges against them were withdrawn. Edward Fulwasser (Kawhia) and Mere Te Ronga (Opururu, near Te Kuiti), were convicted of two charges of sl.v grog-selling. The charges against the hitter's daughter, Tere Te Ronga, were withdrawn, the defendant being a very young girl.

Our Paeroa correspondent telegraphed last night:— miner named W. Grace was injured in the Crown mine last night. A stone fell from ihe wall, striking him between the shoulders and rendering him unconscious. He was removed to Ryan's Hotel, and to-day had recovered sufficiently to be taken to his home. A young man named Flatt also met with a distressingly painful accident this morning. It. appears that he was engaged working at the excavations at the back of the Woodstock Company's battery, and when using the pick a piece of steel ilew up and struck him in the oye, cutting deeplv into the pupil. It, is feared that lie will lose the sight of bis eye, but with a view to having the advice and attention of a spccalist, Mr. 1' latt left for Auckland to-day.

It was anticipated that a further large batch of the Austrians who recently landed in Sydney, en route to the gumficlds north of Auckland, would have arrived here yesterday by the s.s. Mararoa, but when that vessel came out of quarantine and berthed alongside the Railway Wharf, it was found that but three Austrians were, on board. Inquiries instituted elicited the fact that some 50 Dalmatians had remained behind in Sydney, the Union Steamship Company having declined to cany them across unless thev entered into the bond of £10 a head, as provided for by the New Zealand Government, in order that there should be a surety that they would not become a burden upon the State. r l lie three who arrived complied with the conditions, but apparently the others were not prepared to do so, hence the refusal of the Union Company to carry them and incur risk, as they would not have been allowed to land at this port without complying with the conditions.

The Customs returns for the past month show an increase of over £9500 on the figures of July of last year. The net Customs duties total £47,434 8s 3d, against £42,377 12s lid, an increase for this' year f ii?£°/i 56 7} 5s 4d. The beer duty totals £.1146 4s 3d, an increase of £13. The gold exported amounted to 15,099 ounces, valued at £52,722, against 14,264 ounces, valued « $>1,363 -for last year. Silver totalled 36,477 ounces, valued at £4235, against 30,844 ounces, valued at £3635. Exports of butter totalled 155cwt, valued at £734 Cheese, 117cwt, value £376. Frozen beef 1372cwt, £1600. Lamb, 615 Tales' weighing 218cwt, value £356. Mut' , 01 ]' 9^70f rCil3 A s ', WGiMn g 23840wt, value £2781, Other frozen meat, ? cwt ' r !uG T £59, ' a total valui of £5805. Lost year the values were: Butter, £228; cheese, £276; beef, :1 i a n^ £343! and mutton, £2162, v ' tlle i]lcroase for this vear being £1481.

Our Thames correspondent telegraphs: — The Hon. James McQwvan, Minister for Mines, has donated a guinea to the flag fund of the aiokaraka school. Arrangements wo in progress for a flag-unfurling, ceremony taking place sksrthf,

A meeting of subscribers of the propiwt| 1 New Zealand Glass Company (Limited) wj, | held at the office of Messrs. Jesse KinRsSM I Co., 71, Queen-street, on Tuesday.\ The at 1 tendance was large, representing more tin 4® I half the proposed issue of shares, tap! I Mennie was unanimously elected I of the meeting. In introducing the mhi.2 1 the Chairman said he was quito saiiffSj I that the special features of this gfesinakir * industry, and the many natural advantS® « possessed by Auckland, should result in Z, - I establishing an attractive and highly.pfir@ I able business. The Chairman then intro 1 duced to those present Mr. Lambton *ptll 1 Mount, to explain the object of the meatinj "« r f and answer questions. Mr. Mount explained 1 that his credentials proved that he bad beenift I intimate with the art of glassmaking for Jft'fil 1 years, and that this, in connection with I knowledge acquired in both Kurope and ?? 1 America, had' established his reputation M-ft 1 an authority on the subject, lie would now' I say that with the special advantages poj,xfrl sessed by Auckland, he Would undoubtedly' '• 1 establish, with the permission and assistant 1 h of those who would take shares, an industry;®. 1 of importance to this city, and one high]?'®' I profitable to the proprietors. Aucklandl possessed the finest sand he had ever seen I or heard of. In other places glassmakenf 1 used sand-crushers, but nature here had done'- > 1 that work for them. The next item, fuel i | was cheap, and Northern coal for makine il water gas was as good as the most espeti- f sivo. Again, the proposed site of the works ; I was an ideal one, large in area, with still I water at the brink of the establishment v I Finally, the market now in this colony was " nearly three times the make of the proposed i works. After discussion, in which much enthusiasm was exhibited, and complete 1 unanimity established, the Chairman pro. ■! posed " That a company be formed to be called 1 tho New Zealand Glass Company (Limited) i of £12,000 in 12,000 shares of £1 each, as i! per draft prospectus, and that on 6000 sharej i being applied for they go to allotment, am] j that the total shares to be now issued do ' not exceed 8000." The motion was seconded 1 and tho meeting unanimously adopted the | resolution. The Chairman then moved | "That provisional directors be now appoint- f ed," and named Messrs. J. L. Wilson, John I Scliischka, Geo. Cozens, John Endean, and 1 himself, five members, which was seconded ' i put to the meeting, and carried. The Chair' I man then moved "That Mr. J. W. Hender- I son be appointed secretary pro tem." A vote I of thanks to the chairman terminated tho 1 meeting. j

The following letter in settlement of tie question of wages and conditions of labour in the flour-milling trade has been addressed to the chairman of the Conciliation Board " Auckland, August 1. Bear Sir-. We. the undersigned, employers and cm. plovces, have agreed to accept the scale of wages and conditions furnished to us by your Board and Millers' Union, on the strict understanding that all the New Zealand flourmills are legally bound at same dak to adopt similar wages and conditions. We think it would be most unfair for the Auckland employers and employees meantime tc be tied to a certain scale of wages and conditions, and leave our competitors a free hand' which may be for months, until thev were forced to agree by the ruling of the Court, Auckland is the dumping ground for NewZealand flourmills. Wo think, and rightly too, that there should lie one ruling for the fourmills of New Zealand. — We remain your obedient servants. Northern Roller Milling Company (Limited). P. Virtue, manager ; Bycroft (Limited). James Hume, manager ; S. C. Brown, mill proprietor ; J, B, Hove.:, president. John (i. Walsh, secretary of Auckland Flourmillers' Union."

Yesterday afternoon, at the corner of Vic-toria-street, a man named Jas. Mitchell, employed at Remuera, met with an accident. He was sitting on the front of a Remuera bus, when the horses suddenly swerved round, and lie was precipitated on his head on to the roadway, getting a severe cut near one of his eves, and also being badly shaken, Ho was taken by bystanders to the shop of Mr. Gilbert, chemist, where he was attended to by Dr. Bedford, and then taken to the hospital.

An implication has been filed by the Auckland Tailors' Industrial Union, citing 83 master tailors before the Conciliation Board ill connection with a dispute regarding the log, Jhe Board will sit on Tuesday, August 14, at ten a.m., to deal with the matter.

At a public meeting of the Thames Public Library Committee, Mr. James Renskawpresiding, the balance-sheet for the year ending March 31 last showed that the receipts and expenditure were about equal, and totalled £205 19s 7d. It was unanimously agreed that the specimens and cases at present in the library should be handed over in trust to the School of Mines Council, the reason being that the room is required, and as there is now a public geological museum, the latter was a more fitting place for them. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Thomas CantJey for his services as auditor.

Hie Foresters' Hall, Onehuuga. was veil filled last night by a happy and delighted audience, when "tie prizes won by the scholars of St. Peter's Anglican Sundayschool wore awarded. The entertainment was provided by the children themselves, with the help of the vicar (Canon Haselden), and some of the teachers. The school numbers 230 scholars, of which number 67 won prizes. The following are the names of to first and second prize winners in class: — Girls: Ella Haselden, Elsie Coldicutt, Kathleen Haselden, Alma Ansell, Mabel Herbert, Gladys Richardson, Elsie Colledge, Olive Russell, Ivv Wadman, Elsa Barr, Gladys Haselden, Doris l'hipps, Ethel Ansell. Muriel Kelsall, Cissy Rowe, Rose Coldieutti Bertha Smith. Boys: Alfred Richardson, Charles Richardson, Percy Skinner, Sydney Bass, Ashley Skinner, Frank Richardson, David Plowman, William Wilson, Richmond licathart, George Kelsall, Ernest Coldicutt, Allen Buxton, Loria Grundy. The children and their parents and friends seemed delighted.with the performances of the young people.

Fuller particulars from Tonga with reference to the stranding of the barque Helene, at Nukualofa, show that the barque arrived on Saturday, July 7, from Sydney with a large general cargo for Messrs. Vines, Cuing and Perston, and anchored in the stream. She was ordered into quarantine, and weighed anchor on Sunday morning about- eight o'clock to go over to the quarantine station. The vessel WIS in charge (if the Government pilot (a native). She missed stavs, and went broadside on to the large reef, Her stern was resting oil a ledge of coral. -:-l with every wave she- rose and fell heavily. It was seen fWDI town that she was in 'a bad position, and several vessels went down to her assistance, whilst a big crowd of n./.ws assembled on the beach. Thee was a strung north-west wind, and a heavy sea running. In® barque is a wooden craft. ?b years old, and it was soon seen that, unless she were off, her life wouU be short, for when tide was full she would have soon been pounded to pieces on the reef. The American schooner Wth Foot ancle red sonic distance out, and after scin* bard work a hawser was put across between her ."'id the barque. After a good deal of heav:n,' the bafQUfl began to move, and eventually came clear. She was then taken to -he quarantine is land, where she lav when the mail left 0 July 21. She was 1,.,ki0e. not seriously but fears were entertained that if a wero to come on she would he in BraT.8 raT . danger of founder: :. The question o salvage was being argued out in the to' sular Court, but the matter of the hahtl) of the Tongan Government for the ® CCl ®L' and resultant damage to hull and car S' will take some time to settle.

The larrikins in Upper Syinonds-streot M* again in ovidc-nce, in the way of annoy fa the residents of that neighbourhood. A half-caste, Jas. Cribh. was convicted "' Te Awamutu on Tuesday <>( striding portmanteaux of Mr. Jackson, surveyor, ■> sentenced to four months' hard labour. A boy named J. Bindon, son of Mr. W. • Bindon, of Parliament-street, while P' I ",* in the park reserve at the foot of Syn>° a street, accidentally stepped on a "J 0 ,, bottle, resulting in one foot being ■>' J cut. 170 was taken to the hospital) ff* l the wound was stitched.