LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Norwegian barque C. Tobias, having completed the discharge of her cargo of coal from Newcastle, underwent a further survey yesterday by Captain Plunkett, : surveyor to the underwriters, and Mr. George T. Niccol, representing the captain and,owners of the vessel. The result of the survey was that the barque was condemned, and will be offered for sale by auction on Wednesday next. It has been .decided that the stores, sails, etc., will be offered separately by auction. The barque will be open for inspection until to-morrow, when she goes to an anchorage in the stream. Captain Johndahl will give every attention to those who wish to inspect the vessel, ,

The erection of St. Matthew's new stone church is . proceeding apace, and the contractors are confident that the edifice will be in readiness to hand over to the trustees in September next, when the contract time expires. The nave walls are now built up to the full height, and the cross arches in the nave are in position, whilst the roof is well under way, the principals being in. The chancel is almost finished, requiring now but the groining and vaulting of the roof. The south transept is completed, including the handsome rose windows in stone, which are to be surmounted by a cross. The erection of the side aisles is finished, with the exception of the roof, which, however, is well in hand. A height of about 65ft has been attained by the tower, and generally the "main work now ahead of the builders is the roofing of the church.

The Government have arranged with Mr. G. W. S. Patterson for a loan* of that gentleman's fine collection of kauri gum samples, to be forwarded to the St. Louis Exposition', U.S.A., as one of the exhibits in the New Zealand court. The collection numbers upwards of 1000 pieces of gum, and should prove a splendid means of advertising one of the most important of the colony's industries.

Our Cambridge correspondent writes: — On Saturday evening, while a lad named Stanley Blackman, aged 14, was riding from Cambridge to his home at Fencourt, his horse fell, throwing him heavily to the ground and rendering '•'. him unconscious. Mr. Jesson Lake, who was riding in the same direction,' came along subsequently, and, his horse shying, he dismounted and discovered the lad's condition. Blackinan was carried into a residence close by and medical aid summoned. At the time of writing the lad had recovered consciousness, but it will be a week or so before he is well again.: ■ ■

Three swimming races, under the auspices of the Northern Swimming Club were got oil at the Albert-straet baths last evening, and they excited considerable interest. The 72yds men's event (silver medal, presented by Mr. A. Kpbn; president) was raced in heats, the results being : First heat—o. Wilson (ss. handicap), 1; D. Millan (45.), 2. Second heat—W. G. Gibbons (25.), 1; A. Warbrick (45.), 2. Final—o. Wilson, 1; A. Warbrick, 2. The event for youths under 18, 72yds, was won by A. Taylor (55.), with B. Hare (35.) second; and the race for boys under 15, 50yds, by J. Gibbons (55.), with J. Sheehan (35.) second. . * A lad named Dodd had a couple of his fingers badly bitten on Tuesday last (writes our Cambridge correspondent) by a leopard belonging to Fitzgerald Bros.' circus. It was thought at one time that the hand would have to be amputated, bub fortunately this was avoided. ; " Wm. Hobson was charged before ML R. S. Bush, S.M., at Paeroa, yesterday, with stealing a cash box containing £40 12s, the property or Mr. D. J. Evans. He pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court ioi sentence.

Mrs. Neligan, wife of \ the Anglican Bishop of Auckland,; has ii&tiguirated the " Guild of Courtesy'! at the Chapel-street school, an organisation aiming at teaching school children courtesy, geneiosity, gentle, ness, and similar virtues. Tin bops undertake to refrain from swearing, -Smoking, dis- "" ' respect and disobedience, 1 and the girls to ,' be obedient andier*»astful, an{ to eneour.. age others to be so also. Badgts presented to children .who were regarded! by schoolmates: as the most courteous tad gentle were awarded to Oscat Stephins, • James Barry second, and Gladys Bathttfst, and Gertrude Dobbs second. The bulges were presented by Mr. and Mrs. Joh& Mitchell The guild, which has been introduced by the: headmaster, 'Mr. Draffin, is a. pui*ely voluntary affair. " ...... [ A sawmill hand employed; at Mercer, named Thomas Calloway, was cauglt in a belt yesterday, and sustained serious in* juries. He was brought to town by. train and taken to the hospital.; Here an operation was performed by Dr. Collins, medical superintendent. The patient, who is only 21, was suffering from a very serious compound fracture of the lower part of the leg. Auckland applications for: letters patent, which have been accepted at Wellington, are':. —C. P. Winkelman, improvements in electric fire-alarm; J. L. Kirkbride, automatic street sweeper Tom Vivian and H. W. de Baugh, ' lining for boilers, steam cookers, etc.; A. J„ MePharlin (Whangapoua) and R, 8. Goodison, improvements hi miner's spear pumps and C. B. Hawkeswood, improved rooting tile / and ridging,. ' ' ' , The Methodist Conference at Sydney dej clared its wish, on March 8, in regard to the order of service" embodied in the manual on which some debate took place on the previous nightr-by excising it. This procedure, however (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph), can hardily be construed into a& official disapproval of this section of the committee's recommendation— there were many members of conference who did disapprove, seeing in the departure the beginnings of Romanism, as one phrased it— but rather as a disinclination to give a Suggestion which might be received in the nature of a direction. As, however, any congrega- . tions who wish to do so may• still adopt the order of service recommended by the committee, or any similar form, the position does not seem to be very much altered!. Another question which provoked a somewhat warm discussion was the proposal of the Rev. J. E. Carruthers for the open, reading of stations in the representative conference,, instead of as now, in camera, by the ministers only. He advocated .. the ; change mainly on the ground that it was the logical outcome of-per- . . mitting laymen to have a say in ithe stations | at all, and, moreover, the' existing system | was unworkable. The opposition contended I that the change involved a violation of the compact of union, and the Rev. W. H. Beale pointed out that wLile the ministerial was an ever-changing element, it would not be fair for laymen/' to have the power of inflicting privations which they as laymen would not have to share. When ministers made the appointments there was an element of give-and-take, based upon a "common experience and a common liability to privation. The French Presbyterian.' missionary schooner Croix du : Sud, which touched ' at .Fitcairn Island recently, narrowly escaped: being lost with all on board previous to her arrival. The story of her eventM voyage has been told by the. Rev. Mr. Cody, a missionary from Pitcairti. . About the middle of October the schooner sailed from Maltai, Tahiti, having on board a missionary party headed by M.dePamaret, president of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary a + thai place. The party was to make »tour of th» Protestant mission!! in various islands, in. volving a trip of mare than 2000 miles : Th*, vessel .-was in charga of Captain Tdre»a*nita, a native; who even at the start distrusted hii own ability as a navigator. However, he had previously . skirted the coast, taking: United States Consul Doty and Professor f Aline from Papeete to Maltai, and the missionaries embarked on their long trip without misgivings. It iSoon developed, however, that the captain hail lost his reckoning, and for many clays the schooner engaged in a vain search for land. All on board suffered' .greatly from hunger and thirst, being at one time for three clays and a-half without water. The three small children of M. de Pamaret very nearly succumbed. The schooner flew a .flag of distress, which was sighted on December 18 by the American barque I. P, Chapman, Captain Kendall. The little schooner was supplied with water and stores, and directed to Pitcairn Island, where the suffering missionaries were i most kindly* treated, There, Captain Young, a competent navigator, took command of the Croix da Sud, which then proceeded on her voyage. • ■

The Cook County Council has decided to send; a letter to the Government " dealing comprehensively with >? the dissatisfaction that is experienced throughout the district generally at the neglected policy pursued towards it by the Government, and the need for a larger expenditure of colonial revenue in this part of the colony." Among the subjects to be referred to are the following: —Government votes and their inability to "materialise;" more speedy prosecution of the Karaka railway; sepa- i rate land and education boards:; power to , make own valuations, etc.