LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12184, 2 February 1903, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

?Thj> Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) and Mr. Justice Conolly will sit as an Electoral : Court, at the Supreme Court Buildings this j; : moriiing, for the purpose of dealing with the .Parnell and Grey Lynn electoral petitions. Both these petitions have been with- . 'drawn, but it is necessary that they be for- :, mally called on before, the Court set up for ■ the purpose of dealing with them, and the sanction of the Court given to the withdrawal. I , ' The Arbitration Court, which has beeu transacting business in the country districts during the past 10 days, will resume its city ; ' sittings at the Supreme Court Buildings this morning. The Huddart-Paiker steamer Westralia • arrived from Sydney yesterday afternoon, ' after a quick passage across, bringing alarge number of passengers in both classes, ;•-« the majority of whom landed at Auckland. The passage was a very enjoyable one, fine weather prevailing most of the way. On ? Friday evening last a concert was held in ''"" the dining saloon of the steamer, at which ■ : there was a large attendance, and Mr. H. Macneill presided. A programme of 10 musical and vocal items was gone through, and at the conclusion a collection was taken up, and £1 2s 6d obtained. On | Sunday morning Divine service was conducted by the Rev. Warlow Davies, M.A., and the collection amounted to £1 15s. Both these sums will be handed over to the National Shipwreck Belief Society.

' A great deal of prominence is being given just now to complaints of\ one kind and another respecting the electric tram service. It sometimeshappily not frequently pens that the conduct of those who patronise the cars also gives cause for complaint. An instance occurred at Newmarket at about half-past six on Saturday evening, when two men, considerably the worse for liquor, boarded a car and created a disturbance by their noisy and offensive behaviour. The motorman promptly bundled both men out of the car, much to their chagrin and the relief of the rest of the passengers.

The Takapuna Jockey Club's Summer Meeting was continued at the North Shore course on Saturday afternoon, when the weather, though somewhat threatening, remained fine for the greater part of the day, and there was a good attendance of the public to witness the sport. The principal race of the day, the Takapuna Jockey Club's Handicap, was won by Mr. Montgomery's Strathavon, who had scored in the Takapuna Cup, run on the first day. Full details of the meeting, which will be concluded on Wednesday next, will be found in another column.

Mr. Gresham (the coroner) held an inquest at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel on Saturday, relative to the death of Henry ffm. Barikiville, a labourer, who was crushed to death by a fall of earth while laying a drain in Upper Queen-street on Friday. Robert Johnston, a workmate of deceased, stated that at the latter's request they removed a set of the timbers supporting the sides of the drain before the deepening had been finished, without authority, in the absence of Mr. Irvhe, the contractor. Matthew Blair, inspector of works under tho City Council, said ie warned deceased of the clanger of removing the timber, but had no authority to prevent it. Dr. Roberton stated that sortie of the deceased's ribs were broken, but the cause of death was suffocation, the result of pressere round the chest. The jury returned a verdict showing that deceased died as the result of an accident, no blame attaching to anyone. • ' ,

Our Taranaki correspondent writesAt the inquest held on the remains of Mrs. Jane Mollen, aged 52, held at the Courthouse, New Plymouth, on January 28, the evidence showed that deceased was confined to the New Plymouth gaol, as she was wandering the town in a demented state. Dr. Fookes, who made a post-mortem on the body, found deceased was suffering from heart disease. The cause of death was sudden syncope, owing to heart disease. The fluid found on the brain would account for the eccentric state of the deceased. The juiy returned the following verdict:—"That deceased died from disease of the heart." The deceased was on her way from Waihi, Thames, to hei husband at Whangamomona, where she was to reside.

Some time ago the South Australian Minister, for Education appointed a board of inquiry to suggest economies in the Education Department. It drew up a series of regulations, -which would have ultimately resulted in the saving of £13,000 a year. The Ministry considered this was not sufficient, and the Minister for Education submitted further . regulations, which were adopted by the Executive. These will result in the stopping of the automatic yearly increase of £3000, and make a cash saving starting at £2000 a year, and ultimately reaching £20.000 a year. These savings will be brought about by alterations in the remunerations of teachers. No salaries at present received are to be reduced, but the chances of future increases and promotion are lessened. The number of schools in each of the 12 classes has been fixed, and the maximum and minimum salary to be paid for each school is to be reduced. Tlifi highest amount will now be £420 instead of £450, and the lowest £120 instead of £110. Formerly schools were promoted from one class to another by increase in the attendance, but this automatic promotion has been done away with.

A few days ago Mr. A. Tonkin, an employee at the post office, Buninyong (Victoria), had a trying experience. His dog had fallen into an abandoned shaft, which was filled with water to within sft of the top. In trying to pull the dog out Mr. Tonkin overbalanced and fell in. It was impossible to get out of the shaft owing to the earth irbeing washed away. Mr. Tonkin kept his head above water by alternately swimming and catching hold of roots, which repeatedly broke. The dog several times ■scrambled on to him, when both would sink. After the lapse of two and a-half hours, the dog became quite exhausted and was drowned. Mr. Tonkin at length found a ledge about sft under the surface of the water, and sloping inwards, upon which he could place his foot, but he slipped off it time after time. He was discovered almost jet the last gasp by his mother and sister, who, with assistance, dragged him out. Mr. Tonkin, who. had been in the water about three hours, _ at once collapsed, but recovered under medical treatment.

Our Raglan correspondent writes that though diligent search has been made no trace has yet been found of the bodies of the three men drowned by the swamping of a boat at Raglan on Thursday last. The boat sank immediately after filling, the occupants being left struggling in the water. Two of them, George Lewsley and James Ensoll, were unable to swim. Hugh Taylor an assistant in Mr. B. Hamilton's store, did his best to rescue Ensoll, and was taken on board Mr. Foss' yacht in an exhausted condition. Mr. East, who was on the yacht, which was unfortunately without oars, cut away the jib sheets, throwing Ensoll tue end of the rope, which caught round Taylor s neck, and he was drawn on board, Ensoli sinking directly afterwards. Great sympathy is felt for Airs. Ensoli and family in the loss they have sustained. Herbert Sutton, who was also drowned, was a son of Mr. Charles Sutton, of Raglan. He had recently passed his examination a- an engineer, and was to take charge, of a launch running between Raglan and Wamgaro. He was very popular, and took an active interest in sporting matters in the district. George Lewslej, who was a comparative stranger in the district, was working -tat Mr. Sutton at the time of the accident, lhe sports were at once postponed the whole funds being handed over to Mrs. Ensoli, and independently nearly £60 was collected on the spot. Herbert Sutton hat has since been recovered,

The through train from Auckland to Thames was fully an hour late in arriving at Paeroaon Saturday. The cause of the delay was the firing of the axle of the guard's van. This necessitated the removal of all the luggage to another van. The train ran into and killed a cow when approaching Te Aroha.

The Southern Cross Log states that the following, is the position of the Melansian Mission new ship fund, as per latest advices: — Cash contributed in England. £11,952 : cash contributed and paid through New Zealand, £5225 ISa 9d; cash contributed and paid through New South Wales, .02513 Is 4d : total, £19,691 Is Id.

At the close of his sermon at St. Paul's Church yesterday morning feeling reference was made by the Rev. Canon Nelson to the death of the late Mr. James'' Mackie, who, for the past 22 years had been an officebearer of the church. At the evening service the vicar again referred to the loss sustained by the congregation, and the hymn. "Now the Labourer's Task is O'er," wis sung. The " Dead March " in " Saul" was played at the. close of each service.

j An open-air recital was given in Albert Park on Saturday evening by the members of the Waihi Brass Band. A number of the selections to be played at the forthcoming contest in Masterton, and other items, were rendered. There was a good attendance of the public.

During the performance of "Work and Wages," at the Opera House, on Saturday night, a. beautiful shower bouquet, with dainty asparagus trailers, was presented to Miss Fitzmaurice Gill. The compliment was tendered by the officers of one of the warships at present in port. The bouquetwas the handiwork of Miss Una Waters, floral artist. Queen-street, and reflected great credit on her establishment.

At to-morrow's meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board Mr. Cozens will move, " That til* harbourmaster be instructed to survey and report as to the best position in Parnell for a wharf, to enable the population of the eastern suburb and the inhabitants of Newmarket, Epsom, Remttera, and Onehunga reasonable facilities to use the harbour, now denied them."

The following fishing notes nre taken from the Hot Lakes Chronicle of Saturday last: — Trolling on the lake has become a favourite amusement; every afternoon a number of boats are out, and the occupants are all mere or less successful. On Monday last Mr. W. Ci'oken caught 13 lish, weighing 21Jlb, in less than an hour. Mr. Fallon has booked a number of fish, but they were nearly all taken with their trace and minnows. A party in Worthington's boat have had fair .sport; one day's take was 31 fish, with the loss of three minnows. The irater at Atiamuri has been very dirty owing to the late rain, consequently the fish have not been biting freely. The Rev. Mr. Blackburne, who has been enjoying a holiday at Galatea, is delighted with the fh fishing obtainable at that place. He took 18 fish with a governor; the largest weighed 2£lb. The inanga, a small indigenous fish common to the lakes, and which generally comes in large shoals about the months of December and January, have not put in an appearance this year, owing, perhaps, to the voracity of the rainbow trout. Either the fish have taken to the deep water or have migrated to Rotoiti. Their absence may account for the avidity with which the trout take the artificial minnow on the lake, a thing unknown until the present season. Very few brown trout are now seen in the lake; even during the spawning season they were missed from their old haunts.

An accident occurred on Saturday morning to a married man named Wm. Reake, of Tennyson-street, Grey Lynn, resulting in serious injury and necessitating his removal to the hospital. He was standing upon a plank at a height of two storeys, working at.a new. building in Richmond Road, when his support gave way and he fell to the ground. On arrival at the hospital he was found to be suffering from a fracture of the left leg and a dislocated ankle, besides other more or less severe injuries.

The Christmas and New Year holidays at the public schools have come to an end, the primary schools under the Education Board reopening to-day. The Grammar School,' St. John's Collegiate School, and Epsom Hall School reopen on Monday next, February 9, and Prince Albert College, Kiag's College, Mount Eden College, Ladies' College, Remuera, Girls' College, Devonport; " Gleniveagh," Grafton Road; " Melmerly," St. George's Bay Road; and "The Willows," Wynyardstreet, on the following day, Tuesday, February 10.