LOCAL AN GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11953, 30 April 1902, Page 4

LOCAL AN GENERAL NEWS.

Thk > weather lerday-wtiSi 1 exceedingly stormy, the blowing very strongly from the north! raising a heavy sea.. in the harbour, ivy TO n e u during the day and late iafbeniglit, considerably interfering with ft wor of loading and: ■, discharging of vol a the wharves. Bad weather is repora a ii along the coast, the smallet '. vessel-riving yesterday all . reporting heavy beitiirt}-, thick weather, and heavy rain. I gunboat Lizard left for , Wbaugaroa casj yesterday morning, but after battling (th f the strong head wind and sea for wmple of hours,'' returned to port. / Tbttparture of the Hud-dart-Parker steameiftingainite for East Coast and Southern has been postponed until six o'cra'this morning,'" and the : Northern ..ComjpL'ig•:. steamers Terra* ■■ nora, for Tauranga a! Ohiwa; Waiotahi, for Tairua and Whanitata; audi Chelmsford, for Whangareilre all detained in harbour by. the 'bad mher. i A sitting in cbambeiWas held" yesterday morning by His Honor! r. Justice Conolly at the Supreme Court, the list, which'com-' prised tome'7s applicants, .was'iiu excep- < tionally long one, as tlibusiness has been.' accumulating during tl abseiue of the Judge at the Court of ipeid and the Gisborne sittings. ; Forty-ok , appjeatioi.sj for probate of wills were gin ted, and orders for letters of admlnistracm: v»re granted in 14 cases. ;On the petitlnof dr. Thorne, acting for Messrs. John ftms Jnd Co., His Honor made an order for the v nding up of the New Zealand Glass Coapiur, which wan indebted to the petition's -iij the sum of £84. There was also^ajlarß^number of small applications before His Honor,-- none of which were of public hi\ere . f; :, The criminal sittings 'of - be Supreme Court, which open on Monda next, do not promise to.be very lengthy f As a rule' there are about 30 cases for Lis Honor to deal with, but so far the ca idar for this session only contains 13 cas< /, . • -/, Dr. Mason, chief health Seer, has selected a site for the erection ( the new contacts' hospital, which has be i approved of by ' the Minister and -practic ly so by the sub-committee set up by the CM bodies interested, | who have given, I -!"l Mason full power to deal with the niatfa Dr. Mason leaves by the Ngapuhi this afternoon for New Plymouth, en route > " Wellington, where he will see the Ministr and arrange the legal matters in connectit with acquiring the site in question. 'Dj, Mason, is anxious to get the matter fixej up as soon as possible, arid remove the,preJnt buildings in the Domain. His next visl here ! will, he hopes, result in ths final srftlement of the abattoirs question. 1 : / ,'

The est!on ;of furnisphig Admiralty House cropped up at a meejng of the Auckland Harbour Board yest'eiay. It was suggested that blinds should early .procured'■„. to save the interior of tic building ;from' i damage by the suii,- and MY. : , A.' H. Nathan suggested that the' whole Question', of" furnishing should be gone into by a committee. This was agreed to, and tie matter was referred to the committee tbo already have matters ih connection with the drainage of \ Admiralty House under thu'r control. '•'. ■■• •■' .''..V ■■"•■'. \'i- "." .'.'.'- * In his report to the . On&unga Borough Council on the Onehunga water supply, Mr. Pond, Government analyst, after stating the various ingredients found. in the sample of • water analysed, states:—The cklou*- and ab- , sence of smell is, all that could be desired, ' The chlorine"is not higher than in this.same class of water at the mam Western spring or the Panmure spring. The v»ry heavy trace of phosphoric acid and the wtenfc of the vegetable matter and moving ouj'anis'niy are disquieting. The amount of vegetable matter is certainly objectionable", and every, effort should be made to eliminate this?undesirable element. Ii; no' other method can be adopted, then recourse to filtering will be necessitated. .The chairman said, he considered Mr. Pond's report was highly satisfactory. Mr. Vause said the report, like many others received, proved ; the -water tc be about as pure as it could be. V The Council would see that the springs were kept clean from all vegetation. : Mr. Hhaldrick said the report justified the Council in ordering it. He trusted that the Council would sink a shaft in the springs, and after concreting it, cover it with an iron, roof; v •: He moved that the report be received. This was agreed, to. • ' '.ty. : t i

Our Waihi correspondent. gives some further particulars regarding '-the, accident to Mr Fred. Lipsey, who was picked up in an unconscious condition on the main' road between Waikino and Waihi on Monday. According to, an; eye-witness, the' trap Lipsey was driving turned sharply round one of the bends on the road about half-a-mile on the Waihi side of "the" Junction bridge, and Lipsey was thrown.'■ out. The horse was stopped by a man named Davies, who returned with the trap to the ! scene of the accident, and brought the unconscious man into;: Waihi, where his ' injuries wore attended to. The only visible wound was a deep gash on the side of his head, which necessitated eight or nine stitches being put in. On Monday night Lipsey was reported to: bo in a - v / critical condition, -fcat yesterday morning the doctor reported that he had regained consciousness, and had passed the critical stage.

Considerable interest is being manifested amongst, lumbers of the Stock*. Exchange and others as to the -effect on company promotion of the Companies Act of 1901. Several small companies, rather than issue a prospectus for the public to criticise, have, it is said, registered .without, one. Promoters and , shareholder have now !an opportunity afforded, them of seeing or the ?km Uck, , fflnd I fairlv "ft" not*It liS 00 ? under *l new "Edition*. .ew *2 that some °- { the "visions in the .ieM Act are vexatious and.: unnecessary, and render it very difficult *».easily handle ny company 4 proposition, ' however good, out, on the other hand; investors can no T f Aot J?. a "i th » t .« u jyt»ing is held back, foi be' ,r bn ! t,es witb penalties l Sv«°. 01 ™ tors ' and with S of Si VMons of the'.'letta. and something f»- In , - ordei > ascertoin th? Art 8 n tr the Avorkin g effects of vmtoti ' a Hera representative called one of rtland - n!et - Mr - Holmes is one of the promoters of the Taupiri Sawmill Company, and the report of the interview appears in another part of this issue.

.}*, ? W Z L,Bn Bor °ug!»'Council having agreed to frame a by-law requiring that all use-boxes befitted with ti lids so that SS«2 ay rf*°# i 6 ' l , b !° t0 feed herefrom. Dr. I" ZLv U6f L «*«- officer, is to meet representat.yes of .!, he Council this morning £ nnectlon , ™th the matter. *He will atterwards ,confer .with representatives of that i&i J ? Uac i 1 Wlth the view of inducing minimk/,1 a similar precaution to minimise the risk of keeping rats alive. Dr. Sg a high opinion: of the initiation of the iicheme. ■.

An inquest was held at the asylum yester. day by -Mr.'Oresham, coroner, on a male patient who died on the previous day. The jury returned a verdict of death"torn senile 5 decay. ,■■•; ■. . *~•'■ :'■.-.■ :-.y;- >,',■:., . ■.; .'^'f A «

: .■; Uk„U, „ -""""!' , ■ .-. ',- . ..-,■:. ■■ - i LE— -All the information from South Africa I | , Strengthens the hope that the negotiations I I.V'toow in progress will result in the termination of the war. The Utrecht and Vryheid j commandos: have, it is said, declared in fa : ! i ; i vour of peace. , Commandant Botha was present at the meeting. Though peace ne- j $ gotiation* are in progress British f military j jif operations continue to be carried oil, Lord ft Kitchener's weekly report accounts for 25 j % Bom killed, 78 taken prisoners, and 25 gutI rendered. Three officers "belonging to the. jl American warship Chicago, guilty of riotous k conduct at Venice, have been sentenced by !? local Court to terms of imprisonment. The commander of the 'ship has expressed ftp'* to the Prefect his profound regret at the -V incident. i : As a result of the elections in I France, the Government are expected to have i a clear majority of 100 in the, Chamber of 1 Deputies. Africa is recommended by the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives to build two battleships of 16,000 tons each and two armoured cruisers of 14,000 each. .

Our Huntly correspondent states: —Mr. Lucas, of Cambridge University, has been busy hydrographing Lukes Whangape and Waikaie. Mr. Lucas proceeded to Whangape lately in Mr. Wad*'s steam launch, and took all the requisite soundings. Mr. Lucas intends visiting the Northern lakes this winter, and going southward (kiting the spring. He is carefully mapping out his work, which should, when finished, be of great interest to the scientific world.

As showing what th* fruit export from New Zealand might yet become, it is only necessary to look-at the fruit export trade of Tasmania. Up to April 12 15 large steamers had r jailed, from . Hobart this season loaded with green fruit for the British markets. These steamers carrier! away 259,536 cases of *• nit. On the üboye date three more steamers had to sail to complete the export of this Season's crop. When will Auckland's fruit export equal the above?

The Auckland Electric Tramways Company, as will be seen by advertisement published in another part of this issue, notifies that an issue at par of 28,503 shares of SlO each in the company will be offered in London and Auckland. The list of subscriptions will be opened at the local office of the company to-day, and will close on Tuesday next. The full prospectus of the company may be seen upon application.

Another old local identity in the person of Mia. Eliz.i. Johnston, the wife of Mr. Noble Johnston, of Katikati, has (telegraphs our Tiuirangit correspondent) passed away to the great majority. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston and their family came out with the first Veaey Stewart settler* to Katikati in iiiiii, and took up some really good river flats.;: A few years ago Mr. and Mrs. Johnston retired, and left the farm to their son, and have since .resided at Tauranga. The Johnstons are amongst the most respected of the old Katikati settlers.

The following telegram from Sir Joseph Ward has been received by* Mrs. Virtue, the widow of the patient who died at the hospital on Monday :--" lam exceedingly sorry to hear of the death of your husband. Please accept|Riy' sincere sympathy in your trouble." The body of the late Air. Virtue was cremated at the hospital crematorium, the service being, conducted by the Rev. K. C. Budd. The contacts in the case have been released from isolation by Dr. Mason, chief health officer, who states that all tire well, and that there is no sign of another outbreak. ~ -

• The inaugural address in connection with the coming season of the Athenroum Literary and Debating Society, which was to have been given by the Rev. 11. Kelly, M.A., last night at t the Y.M.G'.A. Rooms, was postponed on account of the wet weather. The secretary will announce the date when the address will be given.

The Commercial Pacific Cable Company of America are .laying a cable between San Francesco and Manila. The first section will be to Honolulu. This cable is now being made, at the rate of 600 miles per week. Mid will leave England finished about July 1.

The Wairoa Guardian has an article on Bow the Hon. J. Carroll has fulfilled his election pledges, in which* it says: —"We warn our member not to attempt to tickle our "palates with a glowing panegyric on .what his Ministry has done for the Empire, etc., etc. The electors want something BMW than that. We want matter-of-fact reasons why our member has not curried out at least part of the programme he laid down nearly three years -ago." The Uisborne Times, writing on the same subject, says "It would be a good thing for the East Coast if its member were less given to promises and a, little more inclined to deeds. Mr. Carroll's speech at Tokomani was truly characteristic sof that gentleman, bub his blaisishroents were to a great extent lost upon those present at the meting on account of the treatment that they have received at his hands. He was most candid in acknowledging his itins of commission and omission, but at the same time he assured them that nothing occupied a larger place in the region of his ambition than to represent the East Coast, with which lie was natively associated. Their welfare, he said, had always a prominent place in his mind, in fact, it was .dearer to him than it was to themselves. These fine sentiments are 'all right in their way, but they have been rung on the electors of Waiapu for so long that they aw about worn out, and it is time they were accompanied by something 01 a practical nature.'

A, good meeting oil the Waimata Valley (Poverty Bay) branch of the Farmers' Union, was held on Wednesday to meet Mr. Cuddie, the Government dr.iry expert. Mr. Cuddie stated that a creamery could be started with about 800 cows, and'a factory with 400, if there was likely to be an increase ; although the. distance was not too great to send cream down to the factory DO the fiat, a co-opera-tive factory of their own would be better; there would be no difficulty about financing a factory, as any of the banks would advance the requited capital, about £2000; so far in Now Zealand every co-operative factory was a success. As to separating the cream at farmers' homesteads, Mr. Cuddie said it was not generally successful, though it could be done ; Victorians had spoilt their butter trade by home separations. Mr. Cuddie said 50 to 75 cows were plenty to work through one set of yards. Settlers could soon work their herds into good dairyones by careful selections shorthorn Jersey unci shorthorn Ayrshire made capital dairy cows, also the Holsteta cross was a good one. ' Ah to which were the worst cattle for dairying, Mr. Cuddie said, "Well, Herefords are no good." One of the chief things in starting a factory was water, which must be good and plentiful, about 500 gallons a day being necessary; it was imperative the water should be analysed, which the Government would do free.

A ludicrous scene at the troopers' luncheon in Wellington (when the toast of "The King" was proposed) was witnessed, according to an exchange, when o halfcaste Maori sprang on to a chair arid commenced a realistic haka. This was allowed to go on for some time, when the Premier gave the word to stop him. Four officers attempted to execute the order unsuccessfully Then the troopers commenced to pelt the offender, against discipline, with apples, buns, and confectionery. _ Mr. Seddori sprang to his feet, and with the glare of battle in his eyes, roared that If another apple was thrown the man would be placed under arrest. The turmoil ceased., only to be renewed when at the toast of "The Royal Family the band struck up " For He's a Jully Good follow," for Mr. Seddon, and those surrounding him, (countermarched them with the [.National Anthem. The riddle here now is, "If it takes ; four officers five minutes to stop one Maori warrior, how long would it take to,stop 5000?" At next meeting of the Harbour Board Mr. A. K. Harris intends to move for the erection of a 1 wharf at Orakei as a cattle 'landing;' •> , ', . Mr. W. J. Napier, M.H.R., will address ;bia constituents in St. James' Hall, Welling-i;on-ttreet, this evening at eight o'clock.

i> The following were the exports from Poverty Bay for the month of March :-— Carcases mutton, 10,591 j carcases lamb, • 4668 ; quarters beef and pieces mutton,' 170 tons cwt; preserved moats, 89 canes wool, 2402 bales; manure, 737 sacks pelts, 271 casks and kegs; grass-seed, 1487 sacks; butter. 484 boxes; bones and bonediist, 194 tons; barley and oats. 13 sacks; chaff, 10 sacks: maize, 3529 sacks j; hides, 163 i beet*. 40 18-gn). casks. 65 cases:: tallow, 529 casks; "casings, 20 casks and kegs; potatoes, 78 sacks; pigs and sheep, 33 ; bulls and horses. 12; timber, 1464 ft; lemons, 83 cases ; fruit, 360 tons ; linseed, 264 sacks ; miscellaneous. 264 tons measurement.". 11l his London letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr. H. W. Lucy says:—Report of the death in Australia of Charles Dickens' younger son recalls some pathetic passages in Porster's life of the great novelist, showing the fond father slaving and planning for the happiness of his family. Is? the case of Dickens, even more than usual .in ordinary life, the children of a supremely great man have not in the main succeeded in maintaining, much less extending, the family fame. Two of Dickens' sons settled in Australia; and one, the elder, is yet alive. A near kinsman of whom his illustrious father Would he justly proud tells me that the two emigrants long ago passed entirely out of the family life. Since, 35 years ago, Charles Dickens ;vent to see his younger son off from Southampton nothing has been seen of him in the home circle, and very little heard. New Zealand is shortly to be visited by another noted temperance advocate, in the person of Miss Florence Balgarnie, a lady whom the official organ of the temperance party in England has described as "a living force for rurhte/msness wherever her • powers are allowed to come fully into play." Evidently New Zealand is considered an appropriate field for talents such as hers, for .Miss Balgarnie is but one <.t several well-known tenifrmce advocates and organisers who purpose making a descent upon the colony within the next few months. Miss Balgarnie is said to be an able and interesting speaker. She has come out to learn, she told a Sydney audience the other day. Nothing had given her more pleasure than to visit the colonies, for she claimed to be a native of the same riding of York.il ire as Captain Cook. In Mi-g----land, she said, she sometimes felt, herself to be a sort of outcast, but in Australia she had realised that she was among emancipated women. Naturally Miss Balgarnie is an ardent and persistent advocate of woman suffrage. She was secretary of the London or Central Society in connection with the movement for six years, and sheclaims that the suffragists' organisation in England has educated women in the suffrage movement in a way that the movement itself has failed to "do. To a Sydney Daily Telegraph interviewer Miss Balgarnie spoke enthusiastically of the progress that is being made in temperance reform in England. In Liverpool, which Used to be called " the black spot on the Mersey," no fewer than 345 licenses have been refused since 1839, although the population has in the meantime increased by 78,000. ''And with what result?" she asks, s "'ln 1889 there were 16,000 arrests for drunkenness. Last year there were only a little over 4000, so that the cumber 'has been practically reduced three-fourths. Miss Balgarnie expresses her belief that Messrs. Rowntree and Sherwell's well-known work on prohibition won the appreciation only of those who had studied the question from the academic, not the practical, standpoint. To her Mr. Sherwell "seems to have gone out of his way to discover the failures of prohibition rather than to make a note, of its successes."

The Ceylon Standard of April 1 (the date is somewhat suggestive) says:— visit of the Bight Hob. Richard Seddon, the great Premier of New Zealand, to South Africa, iin his way to the Coronation/will again start the rumours, current some months ago, that he would be appointee' first Governor of the Orange Colony. t Such an appointment would be excellent from every point of view. Mr. Seddon is the leader (if the State of the Empire which is the most democratic oi all the States which go to make up that Empire. New Zealand is even far more democratic than the United States, and her social legislation has reached a point statesmen at Washington regard beyond the bounds of practical politics. Though Mr. Seddon is such a democrat he is a loyalist and Imperialist to the cove; indeed, he is one of the pillars of the Empire. His .reception in the United Kingdom will be intense in its enthusiasm. He is even more to New Zealand than Sir John Forrest was to West Australia, and that is saying much. Mr. Seddon is masterful, but he has shown that his masterfulness was of the right order. This Lancashire lad, who some 30 odd years ago left St. Helens to seek fame and fortune in New Zealand, has risen, by his sheer abilities, to one of the most important positions a man can hold. His name is a household one wherever the British flag flies, and it is an honoured one too. When Sir West Ridgcuay assumes the High Commissionership of South Africa he will have to support him, if Mr. Seddon is made Governor of the OAnge Colony, the strongest man, we think, who could be placed in the position to which vie have referred.."