LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11870, 23 January 1902, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The colonial mails, which left Auckland by the R.M.S. Ventura on December 21, arrived in London on the afternoon of the 20th inst.

Yesterday being the first anniversary of the accession of King Edward VII., a short, form of the accession service was held at St. Paul's Church, Symonds-street. This consisted of the Te Deum, prayers, an address by the vicar (the Rev. Canon Nelson) based on the a text, " Render unto Cicsar the things that are Ccesar's," and in conclusion the National Anthem. There was a fair attendance at the service.

The Government oil engine schooner Countess of Ranfurly returned from an extended cruise amongst the South Sea Islands yesterday afternoon. Captain Worsley speaks in very high terms of the seagoing qualities of the vessel, and her adaptability for the trade. The oil engine, which was supplied by Messrs. W. A. Ryan and Co.,.the Auckland representatives of the Union Oil Engine Company of San Francisco, has given every satisfaction during the voyage, working smoothly and without a hitch upon each occasion when it was brought into requisition. The Countess of Eanfurly lias been away from Auckland for five months and seven days, during which time she has visited the Kermadecs, the Cook Islands (twice), Palmerston Island, Niue (twice), Penhryn, Rakahanga, Manahiki, and Suwarrow. On her passage to Auckland from Mangaia the schooner called at Niue, and landed Mr. Maxwell, the Resident Commissioner. Everything at Niue Avas proceeding satisfactorily under the new conditions. The schooner brings a cargo of copra, and will berth at the Queen-street Wharf this morning to discharge, and the vessel will remain in port; for some weeks, before making another cruise to the Islands. A look-out was kept from the vessel when passing Curtis and Macaulay Islands, bat there was no sign of life on either of them. On January 8 two sharp earthquake shocks were experienced.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of what will always be considered an important event in British history namely, the death of Queen Victoria. The only public notice taken in Auckland was a memorial display in the window of Messrs. McCullagh and Gower. The central emblem was a large gilt crown, with ermine band 4 and rich plush cap, mounted on a pedestal, which bore on the one side an anchor, and on the other a harp, beautifully executed in purple' Roman satin and white immortelles. The framed portrait of Her Majesty, with white silk drape and lilies of the valleythe favourite Royal flowerwith the bannerettes carrying explanatory legends, gave particular point to the whole. The national flags were shown in the rear, and a shield of arms surmounted the whole. < '

Two homing pigeons belonging to Mr.B. Pounsford, of the Auckland Flying Club, were liberated on Monday, 13th inst., at Christchurch. One of them reached 1 home safely on Tuesday last, after flying, 470 miles airline, which is the longest distance yet flown to Auckland.

At the Thames Police Court yesterday,,' before Messrs. Robert Scott- and J. L. Walton, J.P.'9, Thos. Day was brought tip on remand charged with misappropriating - certain moneys, the property of one of, the Thames "friendly societies. Mr. * E.. Clendon appeared on *. behalf of accused* and asked that the charge should be further remanded. He' stated that in.the first place the books of the society had only arrived from Auckland on the previous evening, so that he had not bad time to look them over and prepare the defence, and, secondly, the charge was one so impregnated with legal intricacies, that it was advisable the case should be heard before the stipendiary magistrate. . Th ? latter gentleman was go busy, however, at the present time that it. was ' doubtful whether he could take the case either this or next week. , Detective Herbert, who was in charge of the case for the' prosecution, admitted! the advisability of the case being heard before the magistrate, and suggested that a, remand : be granted until Saturday/ to see whether it would be pos- . sible to proceed with the charge then This was eventually agreed to, and accused was liberated on the same bail; as •before. The Auckland Tailors' Union have en* ' ■lered their protest against the recent German slanders, and at their: last passed a resolution urging the master tailors not to purchase material made in Germany, ; as the members of the anion object !o make up garments from German material, as a- ■ protest against the; German hostility to England and their slanders on the Brit-ism army"., -V ■ ■ Our Te. Arai correspondent writes: The*" funeral took place on January 18, : at the*: Arai Cemetery, of the late Mrs. Sarah, wife of Joseph, Benton, 'whose, painfully and rather sudden death at the age of 39 occurred on the 16th hist., after much suffering. Everything that could be , done proved oil! ■■' no avail, and Dr. Mountaine was summoned ; on Wednesday evening by , telephone from Maungaturoto, arriving. l early on ..Thursday morning, but ■ unfortunately could do nothing to prolong life. The intelligence was received with the most• profound sorrow and regret throughout. Te Arai and adjoining districts. She leaves a husband and one : daughter, three years old,, to mourn their loss. Mr. W. Latimer, evangelist of the Church of Christ; officiated at the grave, ' and delivered an impressive address to those 1 assembled. The deceased was a daughter' of the late W. Watson, one of the early Albertland settlers, 1 and was born at Wellsford. She was married about seven year;' ago to Mr. Benson, and came to residft amongst us at Te Arai. Deceased was of a kindly disposition, in her own quiet war* doing good to all around her, and one who tried to make the world bettei to live in,, as was testified by the numbers, present^ Some came from Wellsford, Port Albert,, < Tauhoa, Hoteo North, etc., to pay their: last respects to one who was known during! " her whole life amongst us, also to sympathise with the bereaved husband and re* latives. ~ A meeting was held in the CoromandeJ ' Council Chambers on Tuesday night, to ■■ consider the best way of assisting Mr. P. Petlcy, who had his hand blown off by • a dynamite accident. There was a largfl, attendance, Mr. McEwan being chairman.' It was resolved to at once open subscrip-/: tion lists in the different centres in the district. Twenty-six pounds.-, two .shillings : and nine.pence was subscribed in the hall. An executive was appointed,. consisting, of Messrs. McEwan, S. James, J.P., H. P. Hornibrook, W. Verry, J. : Roil, S. Inder [ (treasurer), and Ben* B. : Johnson (secretary). A Musical ; Committee was ap- : pointed to arrange for .a concert to be held in the hall on the 29th inst., the fire < brigade having kindly given up their claim on the hall for that night. It is hoped <; that sufficient money will be subscribed to : enable the committee to purchase, a business for Mr. Petley, Yesterday morning a youth named MeGrath, while attempting to get on the ' front step of an omnibus at Onehunga, missed his footing and fell to the ground. The wheels passed over ■' his right legji above the knee, but rio bones were broken." Dr.- Pabst attended the sufferer. Our Mercury Bay correspondent writes:) —A sensation was ;. created in the Bay -on Thursday morning by the death of Mr. Joseph Mclsaac, bush manager for the Kauri! Timber Company. He died at the "early age 'i of 47 years. He enjoyed fairly good health | until quite recently, and followed his occupation. Two weeks back he had to take to hisbed, and medical aid was summoned. Dr. Slator and Dr. Lowe advised an immediate ■ internal operation for an abscess. - A steamer - was specially chartered in Auckland, and; the, services of Dr. Lewis 'procured.) The operation was performed in .the Mercury Bay Hospital, three doctors' being present, v The patient did well for three. days, then achange for the worse took place,v and he gradually sank and died on the sixth day. The cause of the abscess was the husk of an

oat which had united: to his' entrails. Mr. Mclsaac was bom in Cape Breton, ; ! Nova Scotia, and was a colonist of ■■ 41 years. ; -He leaves a wife, five sons, ; and two daughters to mourn their loss. He.was of kindly disposition and deservedly ; popular. >: He was taken to the Roman Catholic Church, where the rites of the Church were administered.

His remains were laid to rest in the Mercury." Bay Cemetery ,on Friday afternoon. - Ail business places were closed, and private : houses had their blinds drawn, showing theii last respect for the deceased. The* mourners X'\were his five sons, three brothers,. and sis.' ter, and many relations. The funeral was a large one, a number of people having com*, from Whangapoua- and Tairua and many ■; other places. Father Egan, of Coromandel : : officiated at the church and grave, v ;—;; At the conference of the Farmers' Union at Broadfields, Canterbury, on Thursday, - when the small birds nuisance was. under discussion, one stated th-t in the; district the boys had formed what was ' known as " A Birdcatchers' Trust," one of the rules of which was that any boy destroying a nest would be heavily fined; '; i Several persons stated- that this " trust" made a very good thing out of selling the ; i eggs which were laid m the: nests which ~ they thus preserved. ■•:.;•-■; It has leaked out that three, or fouroort r I the passengers by the » steamer Eastern,;" which recently ...arrived in Melbourne with, smallpox on board, came over : to. this colony (says the correspondent of' a Southern paper). The Health Department got;: on their track as soon as the fact became -" known, and insisted upon their submitting- :', themselves to examination and giving their ' addresses, so that they can be watched." These precautions are deemed sufficient, but the incident indicates carelessness on j the part of the health authorities on the . other side. The flags at the freezing works and. Workmen's Library at Port Channel's were ' half-masted yesterday (says the Dunedin : Star of the 16th inst.), as a token of respect for the late Thomas Kirkwood, son - of Mr. Mungo Kirkwood, of Port- Chalmers. The young man, who left the port in the barque Dunnerdale, with Captain ,; Greenhalgh, afterwards joined the barque Cordillera, Captain Everett, which left Valparaiso for one of the nitrate ports in 1897, and was capsized, all hands, with the exception of the chief officer arid carpenter, being drowned. Although Mr. Kirkwood has made every inquiry about his son, it was only: yesterday that ;hc<;; : received confirmatory .. news of the lad's. death. The full programme tor Miss Julia/ : ; Moran's concert,; which takes place tomorrow evening in the Federal Hall, appears in our advertising columns to-day.'v. The programme has been arranged on "popular' lines, and is a very varied and ~ attractive one. Since Miss Moran appeared in Auckland some years ago, she has undertaken- much study in Sydney and Melbourne, under first-class masters, so; that her reappearance -■ here is attended with considerable interest to; those who knew, her '; previously, and to the musical public ; generally. This Will be the only oppor- ■ tunity afforded of hearing Miss Moran, as she returns home almost immediately. " ' ". .- ■. . ;.;■. r^ The: new Waihi Courthouse, completed some six months ago, is still locked up, pending gazetting formalities being through.

In the House of Commons an important •debate took place on the amendment to the f Address-in*-R«ply, the war policy of the Government being attacked. Mr. Chamber. > lain made : a brilliant speech in reply to his critics. In conclusion, he said, "We have the confidence, affection, and support of the colonies .in an unprecedented degree. * We toean to keep them." Sir William Har- : court,' Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, and Mr * Balfour also made speeches. The amendment was negatived by an overwhelmS majority. In his weekly report Lord Kitchener states that the Boer casualties m«luded 31 killed and 18 wounded, m addition to 170 prisoners and 41 surrendered. derations were interrupted by continuous ™sns There are nearly 5000 blockhouses in the Transvaal and Orange Colonies, . reouirini, 50,000 troops to garrison them. The Chancellor of the Exchequer states that the war cost £46,300,000 from April to December last. The French Minister for Foreign Affairs lias stated that France cannot mediate in the Boer war, and any attempt to enforce mediation would mean war. The Queen of Swaziland is urging Britain to annex her country. The King and Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales - attended a service at Frogmore in commemoration of the death of Queen Victoria yesterday. All the English papers contain Articles eulogising the lute Queen. Speakin" in the French Chamber of Deputies on the New Hebrides question, M. Delcasse, Minister for Foreign Affairs, said France only asked for the maintenance of treaties.

Arrangements have been completed between the committee of the Commercial Travellers' Association and Mr. R. H. Abbott, for the lease to the former of a portion of the new building to be. erected in Queen-street. The premises are expected to be available in May. -

An election to fill the vacancy in the Auckland Harbour Board, caused by the resignation of Mr. Arthur H. Nathan, will take place at the offices of the Board on February 13. Nominations close at noon on the 31st inst.

In the Foresters' Hall on Saturday and Monday evenings, Mr. Hubert (" The Daisy Man") will produce scenes and sensations taken on the battlefields of South Africa by Mr. Melton Prior, war correspondent of the London News, with Mr. T. A. Edison's latest invention, the kinograpk. The scenes to' be exhibited include a number in which the New Zealanders appear. Admission is free.

A round-the-world tour, from Auckland to San Francisco or Vancouver,, rail across the United States or Canada, Atlantic line to England, and back to Auckland, via Suez, with choice of P. and 0., Orient or North German lines, second-class throughout, for '£81, is a tempting trip for anyone with a few ;> Months' holiday at their disposal. Round trips by these popular routes are announced elsewhere by Messrs. Thos. Cook" and Son, covering also combination first and second-class, up to £104 10s. ■ This firm" inform us that in view of the coronation ceremonies in London in June next, accommodation by all lines is filling rapidly, ' and early application for berths is advisable for any, intending Homeward visitors.