LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11771, 28 September 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An English mail, which left London on August 23, will arrive from Sydney by the s.s. Zealandia to-morrow night.

Mr. Justice Cooper and the members of the Arbitration Court left Waihi for Te Aroha yesterday afternoon. They are expected to reach Auckland to-day.

In another column will be found the report and balance-sheet of the South British Insurance Company, which will be presented to shareholders at the annual meeting, on Wednesday, October 9.

At the Crown Lands Office yesterday, Mr. \V C. Kensington submitted to auction the following three lots of rimu timber, standing on Crown land at the village of Mamaku :—Lot 1, area, 19 acres and 3 roods, containing 177,750 superficial feet of rimu, upset price £44 8s 6d ; lot 2, containing 428,750 superficial feet, upset price £107 8s 6d; lot 3, containing 441,000 superficial feet, upset price £110 ss. There was no bidding from the attendance, and the lots were passed, and remain open for purchase at the upset price.

The appointment of a secretary to the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board took place yesterday, at a meeting or th& members of both bodies. The Rev. Monsignor O'Reilly presided, and there were 15 other members present. Thirty-four applications were received for the position, of which 21 were from Thames applicants, six from Auckland, two from Waihi, one from Te Aroha, one from Remuera, one from One-: hunga, one from Hawera, and one from Melbourne. The number was first reduced to 17, then to seven, and next to three, at which point the names of the applicants in. the running were Messrs. J. E. Banks, S. Carter, and W. H. Lucas. A further ballot struck Mr. Lucas out, and left Messrs. Banks and Carter, and the final ballot resulted in a tie* each securing seven votes. This made it incumbent upon the chairman to give a casting vote, and he gave it in favour of Mr. Banks. That gentleman was therefore declared elected, subject to the approval of each board at their next monthly meeting. A vote of thanks to the. chairman terminated the proceedings.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at the Star Hotel, Newton, by Mr. Gresham (coroner), on the body of a child, named Kenneth 'Frank Christian, aged 14 months, son of Mr. Timothy Christian (a Norfolk Islander), residing at the corner of Arney and Burgoyne streets. The child lost its life yesterday morning by a very distressing accident. It seems that Mrs. Christian had occasion to go into the back yard for about five minutes, leaving the child in the kitchen. Before going out she shut up the oven, and looked round to see that all was safe. The bedroom door,, which adjoined the kitchen, was open, and in that room there was a large tin travelling trunk, the lid of which was partly open, about 4in, through some clothes being stowed in it. On returning from the yard she called the child and got no answer, and on looking into the bedroom found that the child had put his head into the tin trunk, and the lid had closed on his neck. The child never moved on being released. Dr. Walker was sent for, and found the body of the child still warm, bit life was extinct. The only evidence taken was that of Dr. Walker, and the bereaved mother. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the child was " accidentally suffocated." The infant was; an only child, and a remarkably fine one. Much sympathy is felt for the parents.

A few friends of Mr. W. J. Courtney (ex-member of the City Council) met last night at his residence, " Courtney Placs,"' Ponsonby, and as a surprise presented him with a very handsome silver-mounted pipe, on the occasion of his 66th birthday. About 20 were present, and ? very enjoyable night was spent in songs, parlour games, etc. An excellent repast was prepared, after which Mr. A. Daw made the presentation, and in an appropriate speech congratulated Mr. Courtney on his restored health. Songs were given by Miss Annie Courtney, Mr. T. T. Masefield, Mr. Tyler, and Mr. James Stichbury (with banjo accompaniment), Mis Mary Courtney accompanying or the piano. Speeches were made by Messrs. S. Hanna, Stichbury, Masefield, Mitchell, Butler, and McCutcnen. Mr. Courtney responded in a very feeling manner. A pleasant evening was terminated by singing " Auld Lang Syne."

Captain Mcintosh, of the Onehunga, Rifle Corps, leaves for Wellington by■ the s.s. Ngapuhi to-morrow, to attend the Military School of Instruction for Field Work, established by the uovernment for. officers. Captain Mcintosh was unanimously elected to represent the Auckland district, on the nomination of Colonel White, the commander of the district.

A meeting of the Master Carters' Union was held last evening, at the Ranfurly Rooms, Queen-Street. Mr. J. J. Craig presided. All the principal firms were represented. The proceedings were of a private nature.

Mr. Woolley, the American temperance lecturer, has conducted brief missions in Hobart and Sydney, and is engaged for Melbourne, Ballarat, and Adelaide, mm which port he sails by the China on October 10. The New Zealand Alliance is taking advantage of his spending some days longer than anticipated in Australia,, and is endeavouring to push its project for securing a return visit to New Zealand in 1902 to a successful issue.

We again call attention to the excellent entertainment to be given at the Opera House to-night, by the Auckland Banjo t Guitar, and mandolin Club. In addition to the instrumental part of the programme;, vocal items will be given by Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Hodges, Miss Ada Mathesoii, and Mr. Arthur Ford, and Mr. F. Carter is down for harp solos. The club should again secure a bumper house. The boX plan is at Messrs. Wildm&n and LreH'St

The interest in the race for the America ■■H Cup is keener this year than it has been ; for many years. This probably arises from . a very widespread belief that the English ■: yacht on this occasion has a better chance • ; of winning the. cup than has ever been the case before. The first race of the series of five took place on Thursday, but owing to the course not being covered in the ; prescribed time was declared off, and will be resailed to-day. The performance ot the Shamrock will, however, raise the hopes of her supporters. With an eightknot breeze she forged ahead of the Columbia, and had soon a lead of half-a-mile. Unfortunately the wind then began to die awav, and the Columbia obtained the * lead, and when the race was declared oft was three-quarters of a mile ahead. Uzolgosz, the murderer of President McKinley, has been sentenced to death by electrocution. He maintained a listless demeanour fci Court, and in reply to a question if fce had anything to say why sentence should not be passed upon him, asserted that he alone was guilty, and that no one was aware of his plans. The sentence will be carried out on the 28th of next month, that being the earliest date according to the law. Botha has again moved. After a demonstration on the borders of Natal at De Jager's Drift, he retired to Nkandi Hill- lb is now announced that he is proceeding further north. The Boer leaders in Europe are endeavouring to revive Anglophobia on the Continent, and galvanise into life pro-Boerism in England, coincident with renewed activity on the part of the guerillas still in the field. The Dutch Government have informed Kniger that they have decided to hold aloof from South Africa.

The Otago Daily Times, of the 18th instant, gives the following additional particulars of the death of the lute Mr. George Eliott Eliott. He died suddenly from heart failure in Custom-house Square, just as he was about to return home after attending to some business in the city. He had recently been suffering from an attack of influenza. Mr. Eliott Eliott was 84 years of age, having been born in 1817, and he came out to New Zealand in 1840, lauding at the Bay of Islands. He was one of the earliest officials in the forties. In March, 1841, he entered the office of the Colonial Secretary in Auckland, as a clerk. In 1843 he was record clerk at £150 a year, and in 1856 he had risen to the position of chief clerk at a salary of £250 a year. In September, 1862, we 2nd him secretary to the General Post Office at Auckland, at a salary of £400. In January, 1864, the seat of Government was transferred to Wellington, and Mr. Eliott moved with it. In 1855 he was in the same capacity, at a salary of £600 per annum. He retired on November 30, 1872. When hostilities with the natives broke out in the early sixties, Mr. Eliott did splendid service by going to Sydney, where he raised a volunteer contingent and brought it over to Auckland, assuming command. After his retirement from the Government service he went to England, but came back to the colony in 1876. and it was shortly afterwards, that he took up his residence in Dunedin. Mr. Eliott took a great interest in church affairs, and seiTed as churchwarden in addition to acting as lay-reader. His first wife. Miss Lavinia Morn, died in 1883, and by her he has left four sons and three daughters. Mr. Eliott married again in 1884, Mrs. Levien, of Nelson, who.survives him. Mr. Huntly Eliott (under-secretary to the Mines Department), Mrs. C. A. Hickson, and two other members of the family live in Wellington. There is only one unmarried daughter, who resided with her parents.

At the Opera House on Monday next, the musical comedy combination organised by the Brothers Cosgrove will commence a short season, opening with a highlysuccessful corned well described as a "big laughmaker." Among, the names of the company we notice those of Miss Cecile Hughes, Miss Queenie Cross, Miss Jessie Raymond, Miss Lilian Tree, and Miss Gertrude Millar, while such popular artists as Messrs. John and William Cosgrove,' Fred Becker, Robert Nelson, J. Fitzgerald, R. Alien, Basil Standing, A. Goodwin, i'awcett, Rowe, and others are to be found among the list of the gentlemen. -

Application has been made to the Humane Society through its secretary, Captain Linn, for recognition of the heroic conduct of Mrs. Munk, of Dannevirke, in rescuing her three young children and a little giri from a burning house, on July 13. Mrs. Munk managed to get out from the house with her youngest child, though both were badly burned in the endeavour, and then, as the doorway was blazing fiercely, she broke a window and rushed back again for her boy, aged five. In spite of fresh burns received in this attempt, she returned again zo the house, entering by another window, and succeeded in rescuing another of her children, and the little girl, named Mary Lambert, who was living with them. After this she walked for half-a-mile to a neighbour's house to place the little ones in safety. Unfortunately, her wounds, which included awful bums upon the face, back, chest, and limbs, together with cuts received upon her hands and feet from the glass, proved so severe that she died three weeks after the rescue. The application to' the society is for the in memoriam certificate on vellum, and is being made by her husband.

Good progress is being made (says the New Zealand Times) in connection with the scheme for holding an inter-'varsity tournament in Christchurch next Easter.. The Victoria College Committee has adopted, with a few slight modifications, the programme submitted by the Canterbury College students, which provides for an athletic meeting on Easter Monday, a tennis tournament on tho Saturday and Tuesday, and a debating c-'test on the Saturday evening. It has been decided that competitors in all events must have been students at one or other of the colleges within 12 months from the date of the tournament. The first prize in each event is to be a gold medal, and if the consent of the Senate can be obtained, the arms of the New Zealand University are to be engraved on one side. The programme for the sports meeting will probably be as follows:— 250 yds, 440 yds, half-mile, one mile, flat, 120 yds hurdles, high and long jumps, and possibly putting the weight. All championship events are to, be competed foi from scratch. The points to be awarded will be five for first, three for second, and one for third, and the college whose representatives gain most points in championship events shall be deemed to be the champion college, and shall hold the champion banner oi challenge cup (if one is available) until the next annual championship meeting.

Mr. H. A. Stratford, S.M.. of Dunedin, gazettes a change of his name in the following terms:—"l, Henry Aldborough Stratford, of Dunedin. in tne colony of New Zealand, barrister-at-law, stipendiary magistrate, etc., etc., do hereby give notice that, in compliance with the request of the Hon. Lady Henniker, and out of love and affection, I have assumed, and intend henceforth upon all occasions and at all times to sign and use and to be called and known by tne name of Augustus with and before Henry Aldborough. and the surname of His Excellent the Right Hon. Lord Hartismere— Strali'ord-Hentiiker in lieu of and in substitution of mv present surnames of Strat: ford. . . ."

The agitation against the export of Maori curios, and the pronouncement of the Government on the subject, have already had a good effect, says the Wellington Post. Mr. T. E. Donne, Superintendent of the Tourist Department, state? that the prospects of a Bill being brought into effect to prohibit the export of Maori rarities and works of art has paralysed the operations of curio-dealers in Auckland their special habitat —and practically put a stop to the purchasing of such articles from the natives. There are also, it is satisfactory to note, other and ir.ner factors that are" striking at this undesirable traffic. One of the finest Maori art collections in Wanganui was purchased by a speculator and taken to London, where it was sold last July in. 381 lots, and the speculator has written/ to state that he lc<V. £400 on the transaction. Efforts are being made by Mr. A. Har;6iiton,of Dunedin, to induce the Governmf/nt. to establish an ethnological museum o$ Maori art in Wellington,. \

Mr. Withefoi'd has been granted four days' leave of absence from Parliament, on account of ill-health, and arrived in Auckland by th'e'Ngapuhi yesterday morning. It was reported at a meeting of the Wellington Hospital Trustees a few days ago, that the sterilising or germ-killing plant obtained from Europe for use in the Victoria operating theatre, had been practically installed. A trial of the plant will be made shortly in the presence of the trustees. . When the motion for the second reading of the Exportation of Arms Bill was before the Legislative Council the other day, the Hon. W. Jennings drew the attention of the Minister to the fact that two turret towers used in the war in the early sixties, were now- lying rusting on the bank of the Waikato, near Mercer. They bore marks of the battering of bullets, and were historic relics. He thought one should be placed in the Albert Park. Auckland, and the other in the Parliamentary grounds. The. Hon. D. Pinkerton said the old Maori feuds were better forgotten). It was not wise to perpetuate them. The Hon. W. C. Walker said he did not see how the matter related to the Bill, and the subject was then allowed to drop. The Rev. Mr. Hewitson, preaching at Knox Church, Dunedin, last Sunday, remarked":—"l have no doubt that there are positions in Dunedin, the success in which, or even the tenure of which, demands that you shall not be too zealous in church work or in combating moral and social evils. There are positions success in which also demands that you shall have some pliancy. Only recently I was asked, 'Is it right of me to type a letter containing a lie which is dictated to me?' I asked, ' What if you should refuse''' and got as answer, 'My place would be tilled.' Last week I was speaking with an old friend who was once connected with the Government. He told me that one morning his chiet complained of being unwell, and when asked why, he replied that tho previous evening he had been present at a long Cabinet meeting. ' You know,' he said, ' I like to keep a clean conscience, and it is exceedingly difficult to do it in politics.' This incident occurred a number of years ago, but I imagine that it is no more easy to keep a clean conscience, and succeed in New Zealand politics to-day than it was 20 years ago."

It will be remembered that Mr. Walter Wright, tho well-known Auckland artist, went Home some months ago to the Old Country, with a view of presecuting his studies in his profession both on the Continent and in the Mother Country. On .arriving at Home he discovered that the art institution at Antwerp, at which he intended to study, was shut up for three months, and accordingly did not go there, but visited Paris. Subsequently he went to England, and has been studying under Stanhope Forbes, A.R.A., <in Cornwall. Letters received from him recently indicate that he and Mrs. Wright contemplate returning to Auckland about the New Year.