LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12280, 26 May 1903, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Fighting is reported to nave taken place near Monastir between the Turkish troops and a band of rebels, the latter being defeated. The insurgents in San Domingo dynamited the arsenal at Santiago, the commander being killed, and 21 others mortally wounded. Some painful particulars of the horrible cruelties perpetrated in connection with the recent anti-Jewish riots in Russia are supplied by a German doctor attached to the Kishnieff Hospital. A striking demonstration of Nonconformist opposition to the London Education Bill took place in the metropolis on Sunday, when upwards oi 100,000 persons assembled in Hyde Park and listened to speeches against the measure. During the proceedings the King drove through the park, and watched the crowd with much interest. The London newspapers are apparently much impressed with the character of the demonstration. The Standard regards it as a protest not so much against the London Education Bill as against the whole education policy of the Government. The Barker millions, regarding which a lively discussion is proceeding in the Paris press, appear to be almost as mythical as the supposed fabulous wealth of the mysterious Crawford, which formed the basis of the Humbert frauds. At all events inquiries in Sydney regarding the reported millionaire, who is said to have hailed from that city, have brought to light the fact that a man of the name of Barker, who was fond of talking of his enormous wealth, committed suicide there some years ago in circumstances of abject poverty, and that his brother, who had the same delusion about a fabulous fortune, left Australia. for Europe a short time ago..

His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ranfuriy) laid the foundation stone of the Veterans' Home at the Three Kings yesterday, at noon. He was accompanied by Lady Ranfurly and party. In the afternoon His Excellency and Lady Ranfuriy entertained the veterans at a luncheon and concert at Government House. This evening the Governor will attend the concert, to be given in St. Benedict's Hall, in aid of the Veterans' Home and Association.

The Herald Summary, for transmission by the next outward San Francisco mail, will be published to-morrow morning. Those desirous of forwarding the Summary to their friends in Europe, America, etc., will have ample time to do so, as the newspaper mail closes on Friday next, at 11.50 a.m., up to which hour papers for mailing may be obtained of runners at the post office. This mail will bo due in London on June 27. The Right Hon. the Premier has received congratulations by cable from the Parlia- I mentary party at Suva upon entering his ' eleventh year of Premiership through the Hon. Mr." Mills. The Huddart-Parker steamer Zealandia arrived from the South shortly before eleven o'clock last night, and anchored in the stream for medical inspection, which j was carried out by Dr. E. W. Sharnian, j the port health officer, and the steamer j berthed at Quay-street Jetty No. 2. At l Dunedin the Zealandia took on board 250 j tons of cargo from the steamer Gracchus, \ but upon the outbreak of smallpox on board , the latter steamer at Lytteltoa, the whole of the cargo was discharged and the Zea- : landia thoroughly fumigated throughout. ! At Wellington, Napier, and Gisborne the ' steamer had to undergo medical inspection ; before she was permitted to berth at the j wharf. A reply has been received from His Excellency the Governor, by Mr. W. R. Holmes (secretary of the Citizens' Ball Committee), signifying bis approval of the date fixed for the citizens' ball, viz., the 16th prox. A canvass of the city for guarantors will be made during the week, and each guarantor will be entitled to a double ticket for the function. A meeting of the Reception Committee will be held to-night at eight o'clock, and the Hall Committee will meet to-morrow at four p.m. at Mr. Holmes' office.

An electric car collided with a dray near McDonald's nursery oh the Epsom Road on Saturday evening. The dray, belonging to Messrs. Cunningham and Co. t and driven by Mr. Norman Cunningham, was going to Onehunga with a load of iron bars. It was overtaken while on the tramline by an electric car. The motorman evidently did not see the dray, and young Cunningham, not thinking the car was so near, was just pulling off the tramlines when the car crashed into the rear of the dray, throwing one of the hsrses against a telephone pole, on the side of the road. Cunningham escaped without injury, but one of the horses had its jaw broken, and had to be destroyed yesterday morning. The car and one of the motors were damaged, and the traffic was delayed for some twenty-five minutes.

At a meeting of the Grey Lynn Borough Council last evening, Mr. J. A. Warnoct stated that Mr. Warnock, the former Mayor,

iad asked him to inform the Council that he

had been informed from an official source that during the next fortnight the fire risk of the Grey Lynn Borough would be altered, which would mean a saving of £25 per cent, to all insured.

As showing the importance which the Maoris attach to the recent settlement of the Waikato Maori land difficulty, the Premier received the following telegram from the Maoris at Rawene: "Hearty congratulations to the man who saved the Empire."

The Wellington Musical Festival Committee has received about four hundred applications for enrolment in the chorus. Owing to the limitations of the Wellington Opera House stage, however, this number will have to be reduced to 275. The programme for the festival, which is to last six nights, has, subject to one change, been definitely adopted. It contains "The Messiah" and "Elijah," "The Golden Legend," Coleridge Taylor's " Hiawatha," Dr. Villiers Stanford's " The Last Post," the epilogue from Dr. Elgar's "Banner of St. George," and other notable works. Either 'The Spectre's Bride," or "The Ancient Mariner" will also be included.

Our Kaukapakapa correspondent states that on Sunday Captain Dawson, superintendent of the Sunday school, and Miss Sim-

cock, who lias taught in the school for many years, were presented by the children, the former -with a naadsome hymnbook and the latter with a reference Bible on the occasion of their resigning their respective positions. Mr. Speer, in an appropriate address, made both presentations. Captafc Dawson, on behalf of Miss Simcock and himself, thanked the children for the nice presents. He stated that he had held the position for 23. years continuously, and that during that time he had spent on books and other requisites the sum of £120.

A miner named Davy, employed at the Talisman mine, Karangahake, fell a distance of 30ft down a mullock pass above No. 7 level on Saturday. He fortunately landed on a heap of soft mullock, into which he sank up to his shoulders. His working mates extricated him after four hours' hard work. Davy was practically unhurt.

t, The foundation stone of the Veterans' Home, at the Three Kings' Farm, was laid yesterday by His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ranfurly), in the presence of several thousand spectators, including a large muster of Imperial and colonial veterans and representatives of the defence forces. The function took place under lovel> weather conditions. After laying the stone, His Excellency delivered an address. Speeches were also given by His Worship the Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelson), General Babington (Commandant of the New Zealand Forces), and the Hon. James Carroll (Native Minister). The ceremony was followed by a luncheon to the veterans at Government House, given by His Excellency, some 400 being present. An afternoon of harmony followed. The proceedings throughout were of a most enthusiastic nature t and very appropriate to the celebration of Empire Day. A detailed report of the day's functions appears in another part of this issue.

Our Wellington correspondent states that Mrs. E. H. Crease, an old and respected resident of Wellington, died at Newtown yesterday morning, after a lingering illness. The deceased, who was a native ol the colony, is survived by a grown-up family of five daughters and two sons. One of the sons is Mr. Frederick Grease, managing director of E. H. Crease and Son, Limited, and the other is in business as a chemist at Karanganake, Thames.

On Monday evening, during the passage from Gisborne to Auckland, a very enjoyable and successful concert was held in the social hall of the steamer Zealandia, at which the Hon. J. T Peacock presided. At the conclusion of the concert the sum of £2 10s 6d wa« collected in aid of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Relief Society.

In connection with the recent discovery of human bones near Alpha (Queensland), Dr. Voss, Government medical officer at R-ock-hampton, who examined the bones, states that thev belong to a male aborigiual of probably an advanced age. There is nothing about the bones to indicate the cause of death.

A case which aroused considerable, interest was recently concluded at Murwillumbah, New South Wales, in which Timothy O'Keefe sought to recover £200 from. John Quirk, for negligence hi regard to a fire, by which a large quantity of cane belonging to the plaintiff was destroyed. The jury awarded „» verdict for the full amount claimed.