LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11605, 20 March 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ran-' furly) and his private secretary, Captain! Alexander, arrived at Katikati on,Satiu>t day night last, and attended church on Sun* l day morning, after which they drove*"to- ! - "Athenree," and were the guests of Mrs.! = Stewart. On Monday morning His Excels lency started for Paeroa, which place was reached last evening. Lord Ranfuriy stayed at the Criterion Hotel, and yesterday the party left by train for Te Kuiti, en route to New Plymouth and Wellington. i The statements -made by Lieutenant'; Colonel Gudgeon, British Resident at Raro-f tonga, with reference to diverting the orange* trade from Auckland to Wellington, on the , ground that the natives of Rarotonga were J; not receiving remunerative prices for their . fruit, have been brought under the notice- . of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and; . the executive of that body discussed the matter at a special meeting yesterday afternoon*It was felt that the information at the dig* l% posal of the Chamber was not sufficient to-' enable any definite action ito be taken, and' the question was referred to the Produce ,;, Committee with instructions to report to the) executive at as early a date as possible.

A poll will be taken on the proposal to| bcrrow £8000, in connection with the Free< man's Bay park scheme, oh the 27th mat.* between nine a.m. and seven p.m., at tha polling booths, mentioned ' elsewhere., vEvery person enrolled on the burgess roll - ; (except persons whose qualifications are resi*; > dential, who are not entitled to vote) shaUj >, be entitled to record one vote, and no more* , at such poll. . ' '.'• ' ,

The Sinclair and Gillies' scholarships fund is; now in receipt of an annual income ;of % £160 per annum, a larger* amount ■, than .■ss£ endowment has hitherto yielded. Thidj. ; enables the Auckland University College; ■ Council to give £75 per annum to each of the scholarships instead of the £50 formerly, offered. The Gillies' scholarship is nowvacant, and an examination of candidates.;; will take place shortly. The scholarship isl tenable for three years, and can only be held by a candidate whose parents are unable to give him University ■■ education without) pecuniary aid. ... /

The polling to decide the question 0$ the* introduction or otherwise of the system of rating on unimproved land values in lie; Borough of Grey Lynn takes place to-day at the Borough Council Chambers, ; the polling closing at seven p.m. Considerable interest is being taken in the matter by the ratepayers, and it is anticipated that a large number of voter will be recorded. . . •

A special meeting of the Auckland Rateij payers' Association was held last evening in the Alexandra-street schoolroom, the presf ; dent (Mr. C. Wood), presiding.- Owing to the* inclemency of the weather, the attendance ■ was small. The annual report and balance-" ; sheets were adopted. It was decided to postpone the consideration of selecting candidates for the municipal election, until tb« public ; announcement of candidates wag made.

Mr. H. H. Metcalfe has received the fol* lowing tenders for the supply of pumps, en<i gine, and boilers, : for the Manukau • Water •;. Supply Board, Onehunga:—Hadley and : ,; Co., £2373 (accepted); John Chambers an* Son, £2435;. John Burns and Co., £2450;! J. McLellan (Wellington), £2570; E. Potter and Co. (including erection), £3484.

An inquest was held yesterday aftemoon/i before Mr. T. Gresham (coroner), at 4 the* Criterion Hotel, Albert-street, into the cirri cumstances touching the death of May Mills,-, one of the victims of the Doating; fatality, which occurred in the Auckland Harbour on, - Wednesday night last. Sergeant Forbes,j.; represented the police. William Feed, '* < fisherman, residing in Nelson-street, and one of the occupants of the boat at the time* ■ identified the body lying in the morgue as that of May Mills, 24 years of age. . Wit' | ness gave a corroboration of the evidence published in yesterday's issue, and adduced' at the inquest on James Pert, who was also", a victim of the accident. Witness further.' stated that when the dingey capsized 1 : the! woman Campbell caught hold of, deceased,; ;; but she freed herself. When it was found, ; that the dingey would not support the fourj persons in the' water, witness told deceased to swim ashore, but she refused to leave the ■ others. Witness swam to a cutter close by, to obtain a dingey, but not being able to find - one, became exhausted, and lost conscious-* ness. Witness said that the cause of the* accident was a heavy sea striking the boat/V ■ and Campbell ; stumbling forward, thus ' knocking the scull out of Pert's hands," and; , the boat then capsized. Mary Campbellgave similar evidence. Walter Eggento» ; : deposed to finding the body of deceased a'fe' seven o'clock yesterday morning at high- > water, almost on the spot where the dingey, | capsized. A verdict of "Accidental drowns ing" was returned. •,

Our Kaipara Flats correspondent write* ft : —On Wednesday, the 13th inst., there passed to her rest one of our oldest identities in the; ;>. Serson of Mrs. Wyatt, relict of the late Mr>,) eorge Wyatt, of Chidham. The deceased: ; and her family were amongst the earliest set-! tiers who made a home, more than 40 years! ago, in what was then dense bush, enduring; with great fortitude the many hardship*./ and privations of pioneer life. For tha ; last 12 years, Mrs. Wyatt was a. semi' invalid, being practically confined to her = own residence, but in ail local affaire she-, took a great interest, and, as a member of the Anglican Church, her pecuniary assist* ance was always liberally offered, and, in fact, all movements for the well-being ofi the district received her liberal support* j: The deceased was 87 years of age; ami;net descendants, all of whom, I believe, are jresK dents in the Auckland province, are very! numerous. The funeral took place, on; March : 16, and a ; number of .l friends s an* neighbours followed the remains to their i final resting-place in the cemetery, adjoining| the Anglican Church. The Rev. E. M« Cowie, who, as visiting missionary, wad well known to the deceased, came down from Auckland specially to perform the last rites of .the Church, : and in a short address, de* - livered at the close of the ceremony, t€BWj fied to the 'high esteem in which she was, held. • .*.

Fs-Ptesident Steyn is suffering from dysentery. Fourie and De Wet have quarrelled, and the former's commando has broken up. It is also reported that he is ■willing to surrender. According to Reuter the assurance given to the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg by the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the ' ilanehurian agreement, is now said to have had reference to a treaty made last November in regard to Port Arthur. The assurance which was : a verbal one, was to the effect that Russia was not engaged in negotiations with China, yet a fortnight afterwards the Manchurian Treaty .was entered into. The general feeling will.be that the Russian Foreign Minister deceived the British Ambassador,' and that at the time he mire him the assurance Russia and China were in secret negotiations. '. The Chinese Minister at Washington has been instructed to advise the Imperial Court whether the Manchurian agreement is inimical to Chinese interests. He has also been informed by the American Government that it is urgent that 'America should know Russia's intentions. The Berlin correspondent of the London "■i Times . says there is a well-founded belief Vthere in. the existence of a Russo-German - treaty dealing with the China question. The American mail steamer Ventura left :■> Sydney > for Auckland yesterday, and is due ion Friday evening next. The steamer brings an English mail, via Suez. Mr. John J). gpreckels is a passenger by the steamer. Owing to the quarantine regulations the Ventura will not berth at the wharf, and during her stay, in port no communication will be permitted with the steamer from & the shore. Yesterday Mr. J.. H. Witheford received the following cable message from Mr. Spreckels: — Regret that owing to the quarantine regulations I will bo prevented from meeting you. I intend visiting you later this year. Thanks for your cour- ; tesies." ' ■:■■ S

.;' The Auckland City Schools Committee jmet last night at the Wellesley-street School. There were present : Mr. G. Squirrell (chairman), Dr. A. Walker, Dr. F. W. King, Messrs. Holloway, Mackay, Sherson, and JfcLeod. The secretary of the Board of Education wrote stating that the Board had approved of the headmaster's suggestion to form a cadet corps at the Napier■j street school tinder certain regulations. It was resolved that the committee accept no responsibility for the replacement of any of the rifles." On the motion of the chairman the request of the Public Schools' Athletic ' Association that a holiday might be granted in the city schools on March 29, the occasion of the association's annual sports, was granted. •' .'. . -

; Our Drury correspondent writes: — am ■sorry to record the death of Mrs. Harding, wife of Mr. Henry Harding, who is in the employ of Messrs. A. Buckland and Sons. She died in Auckland on March 11, at the early age of 41, leaving a large family of . 12, the youngest of whom is only seven months old. She was interred in the Anglican Cemetery at Drury on March 13, the service being conducted by the Rev. 0. R. Hewlett. The funeral was largely attended by sympathising friends from Auckland, • Otahuhu, Waiuku, etc. The coffin was covered with many beautiful wreaths. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Harding, especially as he has scarcely recovered from the serious accident he met with when his horse fell with him, about four months ago. - : - , 'Our Palmerston North correspondent writes: —A boy named Duxfield was admitted to the Palmerston Hospital from Pohangina, on March 15, suffering from a broken thigh and injured knee, owing.to falling off a gate. .:;.. Mr. Robert Craig, surveyor, who reached Wellington in ' the ship Tyne, in August, 1841, and in the following year, in company with six others, made the trip to Nelson in an open boat, died at his residence in Little Pipitea-street, Wellington, last Friday, at the age of 79 years.

[ A smoke concert is to be tendered by the \ Auckland bowlers to Messrs, -D. E. Clerk" and J. V. Dingle, to wish them bon voyage on their departure for England, to take part in the bowling tournament. " It will be held in the Masonic Hall, Princes-street, on Saturday evening next. Tickets can be obtained from the secretaries of clubs, or from Mr. Andrew Holden, who has been chosen hon. secretary of the function. The musical arrangements are in the hands of Messrs. Towsey, W. Culpan; and Hegman.

The Union Company's steamer Omapere, on her way tip the coast, called in at Tuparoa, and took on board a large number of Maoris, who were landed at Kennedy's Bay, to take part in the proceedings in connection with the opening of the new Maori Anglican Church at that place. ,

To convenience a number of old age pensioners whose instalments will be payable on the first of next month, the Stipendiary Magistrate will hold a special sitting of the Court at noon to-day. Those claimants and petitioners whose cases were adjourned lastWeek, and whose applications were not reached, should therefore be in attendance.

On Saturday the Northern Gun Club had intended to shoot against the Waikato-Club's score for the inter-club cup, but owing to tome of their team being away they were unable to do so. The match is therefore now off, so far as regards the Northern Club, but it is in order for any other club affiliated to the association to challenge the present holders. When all the club*, have challenged the first round for the cup will be closed, and the- winning team will be declared.

There were in the lockup last evening, Keraka Kerapa, on a charge of theft at Huntly, committed fin trial by the Huntly Bench; and Joseph Allen Clarke, on a charge of wife desertion at Auckland.

The Auckland Polo Club sports will be held at Potter'? Paddock on the 30th ins The events are : Bending race, hurdle race, polo ball race, polo cup, ladies' bracelet, steeplechase, cigar and umbrella race, president's cup, tandem race. The first event is to start at one o'clock.

. A son of the proprietor of the National Hotel, Cambridge, a lad about ten years old, was brought home on Monday evening suffering from, concussion of the brain, through having been thrown from a horse. He was progressing favourably yesterday morning.

"J At a meeting of the Auckland Cycle Roads League, held on Monday night, it was reported that the petitions asking the Government to make the Cycle Boards Bill a Government measure have been already signed by hundreds of cyclists.

An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the origin of the fire which destroyed a block of seven buildings in the Kapanga Road, Coromandel, on Tuesday) week last, was held yesterday, before Mr. T. W. Rhodes, J.P., acting coroner. Mr. H. M. Shepherd, representing various insurance companies, was present. After hearing a considerable amount of evidence the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the fire originated in the premises of Alfred Richards, but that there was no evidence to show how the fire started. The jury also added a rider complimentary to Mr. Max D. King and the Salvation Army officers for promptly going to the aid of Mr. P. Hackett and rescuing him, as otherwise his life might have been sacrificed.

A seaman named Sverson, a Dane, narrowly escaped drowning yesterday in the Thames Gulf. ft appears that ho accidentally fell overboard from the cutter Pearl, whilst the vessel was beating up the gulf towards Thames, and not being a swimmer he was almost exhausted by the time his mates got to his rescue in a dingey.

A tributer named George Comer, met with a painful accident yesterday morning, whilst at work in the stopes above No. 4 level, in the Saxon section of the May Queen Hauraki mine, Thames. A fall of mullock from the :';. roof of the stope occurred, which, striking Comer, knocked him down and inflicted a deep gash on his head, which bled most pro- ■;' fusely. ,; The mates of the injured man had him at once 'conveyed to the surface and token to the hospital, where Dr. Aubin *f-und it necessary to istitch the wound. 'After that was done Comer was able to return to his home., Z\t^''-^t-■■'.■■■ ■■ '' : ; : \'f'v '■ ''-, ' '■■ '■■!