LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12544, 11 April 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Another instalment of the account; of the recent Antarctic expedition of which the New Zbaland Herald has secured the copyright, will be found on page 6 of to-day's issue. A rough statement of the traffic on the Auckland district section of the New Zealand railways during the Easter holidays shows that about 20,000 people took advantage of the cheap fares offered, this being a substantial increase on previous years, l aQ figures quoted are exclusive of the large number of tickets issued in connection with the race meeting at Ellerslie, and the heavy short-distance traffic for which ordinary tickets are issued. At the Supreme Court on Saturday, before the registrar, Mr. H. C. Brewer, decides absolute were granted in the following divorce.oases:--Isabel Major v. George Everett Major, .Mary Ann Sherman v •John Sherman, Christian Robertson Simpson v. James Simpson. Mr. J. It. Reed appeared for the petitioners.

The Premier of New Zealand lias for warded us copies of the resolutions passed at a public meeting in Sydney on March 29 Inst, with reference to the importation of Chinese to the Transvaal. They are as follows:-(l) "That this meeting of the citizens of the Australian Commonwealth hereby emphatically protest against the proposed wholesale importation "of Chinese coolies into South Africa, under Imperial sanction, and hereby places on record its appreciation of the efforts of the Right Hon. Riohard Seddou, ths Commonwealth Ministry and the Labour party ill the hederal Parliament, and of the Democratic parly m the House of Commons in endeavouring to prevent such unjust competition against the loyal white workers of the Empire." (2) "That the thanks of this meeting be transmitted by cable and lettei to the Right Hon. Richard Seddon, Premie) of New Zealand, and to Mr. Alfred Deakin [the Federal Prime Minister; Hie Leadei I of the Labour party in tin;. Federal Parliament; to the Right Hon. Sir Henry CampI bell-Bannermann. Leader of the Liberal Opposition in the House of Commons; to Mr John Burns, Mr. William Crooks, Mr J T. McNamara, M.P.'s, and to the Rev! Dr. Clifford, speakers at the recent antiChinese demonstration in Hyde Park, London, for their disinterested and patriotic efforts to maintain the stability of the British Empire by promoting arid preserving the racial, industrial, and social integrity of the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic races of the hmpiro." During the running of the Flying Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club's Autumn Meeting at Alexandra Park on Saturday afternoon two 01 the ponies engaged came to grief. Pabwaihi fell fust and brought down Stoekbridge, whose rider (Salman) quickly scrambled clear of danger, but Speakman, who had the mount on Pahwaihi, was not so fortunate. On ,' his failing to rise, assistance was at once sent to the spot, and ho was picked up in i an unconscious condition. Restoratives were applied in the stewards' room, and Speakinan, who regained consciousness in a few minutes, appeared little the worse '■ tor his mishap, beyond the shaking and a | bruise or two. *

A hie occurred at Helper's Creek on Friday night, when the house of a settler named Lyon was burned down. Mr. Lyon, who usually lives alone, was absent at'the time. The house was completely destroyed.

Subscribers will be glad to learn that their telephones are about to bo freed from tne ! objectionable "singing-sound" which I : caused by the contiguity of the electric t« * • ; current. Mr. W. G Meddings, Inspect ; telegraphs, spoka through this i office 'l a J f evening, and the result was a revelation the efficacy of the new metallic returns whir) •"•'• are going into the Pafnell-Epsom, and branch .lines, and will be completed by the end of the month, and probably (he wire will lit completely installed an far as Onehnno? Mr. Meddings voice was heard as dearly 2, though speaking at but a few feet away 1 j from the listener. Every word was disthetlv J heard, and there was no other' intervening j sound whatever. On Friday a number ofl telephones of subscribers at K'ewrnarkefi ! were fitted with the metallic circuits an : I were found to answer very well indeed ' TV, I Kingslanrt and Ponsonby lines will be dealt with in duo course. < An important point in connection with tin insurance of workers has just engaged the .attention of the Mount Albert Road Board and the New Zealand Accident Insurance Company. It related to an employee named William McDonald, who had been totally disabled for a week. A doubt arose as to whether he was entitled to compensation hi a letter to the Road Board, Mr. Mariner' Auckland manager of the company, said pay' ment was deferred on the ground that the man, having only been disabled for seven days, had no claim under section 5 of the Act of 1903, which provided that compensation should not be claimed for the first week of the injury. In consequence of the principle involved the company hud not paid any other claims on these lines before. Mr Mariner added that he had gone to much trouble in seeking legal advice, and corresponding with the head office. He now found that the Road Board were right in their contention that their employee, being totally and not only partially injured, was entitled to compensation, and he accordingly remitted £1 4.9 6d for seven clays' half-pay.

A telegram has been received by the St. John Ambulance Association, Auckland from Major Alexander, notifying that His Excellency the Governor would be pleased to present the certificates on the 25th prcx. in Auckland. The committee accordingly decided to bold the annual meet in? of the association on that date at the Choral Hall. It mar be mentioned that His Excellency has always shown the keenest interest in the operations of the society and now that the Governor is leaving the colony, the various centres hWe. decided to present to him 3. handsomely illuminated address, setting forth their" appreciation of his kindly arid sympathetic interest iu their work. ; A Maori child was accidentally drowned lin the Walmamaku River last week. The i little one, eluding those who were supposed ! to be watching it, evidently had made its ; way to the river and fallen in. As soon I as it was missed, an active search was made, j and the body was recovered some distant* j down the ttream. The coroner, Mr. Gresham, held two in quests at Avondale Asylum, yesterday. la the one case, that of a male, the deceased had been an inmate for 26 years. The cause of death was senile decay. The second case was that of a married woman, aged 35, who came from Tahiti, and had only been in the asylum a few weeks. The cause of death was found to be pneumonia, and epilepsy, ""j In reply to a letter from Mr. Mervym J. Stewart, secretary of the Katikati Road Board, asking that a railway reserve be surveyed from the Waihi railway terminus to the freehold area at Katikati, the Hon. J. McGowan, Acting-Minister for Public Works, has written to the effect that the suggestion has been noted for future consideration. ', ■ I Probate lias been granted by Judge Edwards, sitting in Wellington, in the following estates:—Robert Mansfield (Mr. W. Coleman), John H. Mulling (Mr. W. Coleman), Frederic Lewis Beart (Dr. Bamford). Letters of administration were granted in the estate of Sir Charles Bales (Mr. J. C Martin). 1

Our Whangnrei correspondent tele* graphs:— Friday morning Mrs. Atkinson, mother to the county engineer here, was found dead in bed. The deceased lady, who was 62 years old, was in good health on Thursday evening when retiring to rest. She must have passed away in her sleep without pain. An inquest' was held om Friday afternoon, before Mr. J. M. Kilien, coroner, and a jury. 'After hearing the medical testimony of Dr. Hull and the evidence of Mr. Atkinson, sen., the jury returnod a verdict of death from apoplexy. Mr. Atkinson and family have the sympathy of the whole community in their "bereavement.

A young man named Francis Wm. Kek sail appeared on remand at the Thame* Police Court on Saturday, charged with' having received and converted to his own use certain moneys whilst holding the office of dog registrar for the Thames Borough Council. Mr. J. A. Miller appeared for the proecution, and stated that since his: arrest accused had given up the books and collars, and had also paid all the moneys that were deficient. Consequently it wa« not intended to produce anv evidence against accused, and he (Mr. Miller) now asked for permission to withdraw the proceedings. As the police offered no objection, the Bench consented to the application. Messrs. Robert .Scott and Thos. Killgour, J.iYs, presided. Saturday' 3 sitting of the Police Court' was held before Mr. 0. C. Kettle, S.M.i A first offender, who pleaded guilty to a/ charge of drunkenness; was convicted and discharged. Another first offender, who was charged with being drunk in Shorthand* street, refusing to leave the Commercial Hotel, and damaging a window in the hotel, was lined 5s and costs in respect to the charge of drunkenness, and was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon on the other charges, 011 condition that he made good the damage done. The Mount Albert Road Board, at it* meeting on Friday, issued 17 £100 debenhires for the £16.000 water supply loan*' making a total issue to date of £6700. The whole of the, loan is being advanced by th© c Auckland Savings Bank at 4-£ per cent,' interest, plus sinking fund, and is repay-' able in 26 years. The security consists' of the water supply, plant, revenue of the district, special rate, etc., increased in value by the growing settlement in the Mount Albert and Kingsland districts. The increase of ratable' value during lust v«ar was £116,269.

The Auckland Salvation Army Band arrived at Thames on Saturday afternoon from up-country. They were met at the Bhortland railway station by the Battalion and Hauraki Bands, and also by a very large assemblage of people, who'gave the visitors a most hearty greeting. The two local bands played the visitors through the town to the Salvation Army Barracks, where, before the bands. separated, the army officials thanked the home bands for the kind greeting they had extended to the visiting band. Special services are being held at Thames in connection with the Salvation Army.

The egg-laying competition at Hawkesbury College, New South Wales, for a year has concluded. The winner is R. E. Warren, whose Silver Wvandottes made a record of 218 eggs per hen"; W. Wild's Black Orpingtons were second. The competition has been a remarkable success: 420 hens idiow a profit on the year of £251. and the I cost of feeding totalled £122, and the 68,672 eggs laid were returned at £373 15s. Every pen showed a profit on the cost of feed.' The pen returning the smallest value showed a margin of 6s per hen. Mr. Thompson, in his report, states that the test has demonstrated that with close attention and constant work egg production will pav well, and that good results can be obtained from the plainest food, and that maize can be fed ■largely with good results; that hens will laybelter without than with mates, and at less expense, and that the smaller the flock in each pen the better the results. There were in the lockup last night five persons charged with drunkenness, two with theft (both seafaring men), one- with vagrancy, and ouo with threatening behaviour,,

~A tram accident was averted last night by the prompt action of a motornian. When the quarter-past eight tram from Kingsland rt-as earning down Symonds-street, past the cemetery, a horse, pulling a trap fell on the rails just in front of the car. The motorman applied his brakes smartly, and pulled up his car, about 18in from the horse's feet. There were two or three people in. the trap, who might have been injured had the oar not been pulled up.

The blind man, .Tames Fielder, who was taken to the hospital on Friday night suffering from laudanum poisoning, has left the hospital for the police station, He stands charged with attempted suicide, and •will appear at the City Police Court this morning. Apparently Fielder did not know how many warm-hearted friends he had in Auckland, otherwise he might have tested their benevolent regard in some less startling fashion than taking cold poison. Since he has been at the hospital he has had no end of inquiries made as to his health, and has also received kindly messages from some, very prominent Auckland residents. His removal to the police cells did not alienate the sympathies of his many friends, for they have sent him choice cuts from the. .'roast of their own tables, together with such " medical comforts" as the regulations permit. Perhaps the most sympathetic visitor that Fielder had yesterday was the small boy. his Fidus Achates, who leads him about, supplying eyes to the poor blind man. This small boy called four or live times at the station yesterday to see his charge and to condole with him in his confinement.

Our Hamilton correspondent telegraphs: —Tenders for debentures for & loan of £13000 for the erection of a town hall at Hamilton were opened by the Borough Council on Friday night. The tender for the wholo amount, of Mr. C. O'Connor, of Auckland, was accepted at a-half per cent, premium. The debentures bear interest at . the rate of 4 per cent.