LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11636, 25 April 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tub Mayor (Mr. D. Goldie) and Mi. Alfred Kick! visited the city abattoirs yesterday with Mr. Eeakes, Government veterinary surgeon, with the view of deciding as to the suitability of the site for the new abattoirs, which in all probability, will have to be erected to comply with the new Slaughtering and Inspection Act, which entails inspection of all thfl meat killed for consumption within the city. Mr. Reakes thought the present site unsuit' able, but was favourably impressed with 3 site a little nearer the Old Mill. A meeting of the Advisory Committee ol the Auckland Public Library was held lasi night, when c committee waa appointed to submit a scheme for the complete reorganisation of the library. Sanctioning over expenditure by borough councils for public events is not a new idea,, for the Municipal Corporations Act of 1387 contains the following clause: —" The audi-, tor of the borough is hereby authorised to allow any payment., which have been made since the commencement of the safd Act by the council of any borough on a resolution "thereof for any object in connection with the celebration of Her Majesty's Jubilee, although the same may . not have been 1 authorised by law." , ■ . . : ■ ■ -■

Mrs. Botha has been permitted by the [British authorities to pay - second visit to Jier husband, and this circumstance has given rise to persistent reports that peace negotiations are again- on foot. Further captures of supplies from the Boers are reported. _ A Turkish transport has been wrecked in the. Red Sea. Two hundred lives were lost.. The Chartered Company in Africa are offering inducements for Australians to settle in Rhodesia. An Irish AVI.P has been sentenced to six months'' imprisonment for criminal libel. . A number of celebrated paintings b\ the French artist Jean Dehaihe have been stolen in lance. A French mousignor lias been arrested on a charge of swindling. His defalcations are said to amount to £150,000. . ritish capitalists are establishing steel and iron works in Ontario at a cost of ten millions. Severe gales and floods have been experienced in Australia.

1 The 32nd annual meeting of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, held at Sydney on Monday last, as notified in our cablegrams, was the best in the history of the society. Satisfactory progress was shown by the report in every desirable direction. New and renewal premiums increased largely, a higher rate of interest was realised on the funds, and claims were less considerably than the expectation. The New Zealand branch Was the largest contributor of new business. The accumulated funds are now close upon a. million and a-half, all securely inTested and producing a good return. The report showb the society to be fully maintaining its reputation as a thoroughly well managed and progressive institution, and deserving of the loyal and generous support which it is receiving wherever it is established. We congratulate its Auckland members on their connection with an institution so thoroughly wide-awake to their best interests. A copy ot the report has been mailed to every member of the society.

The contractors for the new jetty on the western side ox Queen-street wharf drove the first pile yesterday. It. is hoped that the contractors, Messrs. IX. B. Martin and Co., will have this work completed well within the contract time, so that dredging may proceed. This jetty, when erected, should materially decrease the congestion at the lower western tee on the Queen-street wharf. The piles being used for the work are of unusual length, some of them measuring 65ft. Tuck's contract for deepening the berthage at the end of the railway wharf is proceeding very satisfactorily, while the contract under Mr. Hendry, for formation of approaches to Robson-sheet wharf, is Well in- hand, and should he comnleted within the specified time. This will not only provide an excellent road to the wharf, but a, good footpath will also he made, which has for some time been a felt want.' Some attention should, howevei, be paid by the Harbour Board to that, portion of the'roadway at its junction with Custom-street West, where the present contract ends. The roadway here is barely 18ft wide, and should be widened at an early date, as there is considerable danger to foot passengers in such a narrow space at a point, where the traffic is heavy.

At the Auckland Butchers' Association dinner and social at the Strand Cafe last night, when Mr. Salmon announced that I)r. J. Logan Campbell had been elected Mayor by 2600 votes, the chairman (Mr. G. Knight) proposed " The health of the Mayorelect. (Dr. Campbell)." The toast was drunk with enthusiasm and musical honours', "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" being sung. Ihree cheers were also given for Dr. Campbell.

The adjourned annual meeting of the: Riverhead Paper Mills Company was held yesterday, Mr. John Brown, chairman of the company, presiding. The report and balance-sheet, recommending payment of a dividend of 5 per' cent., v.ere adopted. Colonel Burton and Mr. John Owen were re-elected directors, and Mr. S. H. Matthews was ieappointed auditor. The chairman spoke of the good prospects before the company, and the manager, Mr. Greenlialgh, gave some interesting information to shareholders as to the work at the mill.

.On Tuesday afternoon a man named ftm. Holton. residing in Carlton Gore Road, fell off a dray in Weliesley-street East. Dr. Peutreabh attended to his injuries, and recommended his removal to the hospital. The "••mi, however, came to, and elected to re-t-i- ' his home.

'A young man named Andrew Webber narrowly escnpcd serious injury whilst working on a bush contract r.t Pnriri a few days ago. He was engaged at the time cutting down a small tree, when it suddenly fell towards him, and knocked Juni to the ground, with the result that bis head was slightly cut and bruised, and his foot was severely crushed, but fortunately no bones were broken.

Constable Hodson returned to Thames yesterday afternoon from Neavesville, .whither he proceeded on Monday last to inquire into the circumstances attending the robbery of a hub occupied by a gum digger named Page Collins, which affair took place on Saturday last. The constable made a strict search of the district, but was unable to discover either the stolen goods or the thieves.

We understand that Mesa's. J. M. and J. Mowbray have purchased the Waiwera Hotel and estate from Mr. Patteison, and that they contemplate making very extensive alterations and improvements, with a view to bringing that favourite resort' into greater popularity.

A valuable addition to the breeding stock of the colony has just been made by Mr. James Read, of Motutapu, who recently purchased in Sydney the splendid shorthorn bull Bullion. Bullion is at present in quarantine, and in clue time will be taken to his future home in Motutapu.

A large quantity of tramway material arrived by the s.s. Paparoa, and was being discharged yesterday morning. The goods will be stored on a vacant allotment along Reach Road, which the company has leased from the city for that purpose. The next shipment is due in about three weeks, and the following one in live weeks' time.

Fitzgerald Brothers' new continental, circus and menagerie will open at Auckland on Monday next for a Reason of six nighty wily on the Harbour Board reclamation, freeman's Bay. There will be day performances on Wednesday and Saturday, •the lat'.jst continental novelties, recently engaged by Mr. Tom Fitzgerald, will make their first, appearance to an Auckland public. The first of the new comers is the Jandachevsky iamily, who dance in Spanish costume a national dance illustrative of a bull fight. The Spanish clauses are lull of grace, and their beauty is peculiar to them. A famous name in the bill is a lady reengaged by the pothers. Mademoiselle Adelina Antonio, a French girl from the London Aquarium, who ascend* to the roof of the tent and on a trapeze there performs a Variety of daring evolutions, after which she drops to the net, turning a triple somerfiault on her way down. She" then re-ascends to a fixed bar, from which she daringly drops backward, turning a double somersault in her descent. Rhodesia, the lady juggler, introduces a number of feats qui to new to a circus. She performs a number of balancing and juggling tricks with all kinds of unpromising materials. Two French clowns, Gfiillaume and August, introduce a comic bull fight interlude. The. dog Black, x 'which enacts the bull, being a perfect demon in his own particular line, and a vast favourite with the audience, The three Dunbars have a wonderful and sensational trapeze act. In a wire cage enclosed arena a ; trains*! tiger rides a horse, and performs several. other acts. The great high-jumping Ret by the horses Newhaven, whose record is 6ft 6in, Stockman, and Cadet, is described as being a wond.irful sight.