LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12601, 27 June 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A Sim?, mail, winch; toil- London ■ oft. May .1 20, arrived front Sydney by the Mararoa j yesterday, Anfio-Colomal Sfottt 'and Per- ; serial Items from our London coffwpOHdent will be found elsewhere in this issue. The steamer Rarawa left Onehunga at twenty minutes .past 10 a.m. yesterday, with a large number 'of ..members of Parliament on. board, including the Hong. Major Harris, W. Beehan, T. Thompson, and W. Kelly, M.L.C.'s, Mil Messrs. A. Kidd, F. E. Bonnie, C Fowlds, J. H. Withefbrd, A. P. Harding, T. K. Sidey (Caversham), R. M. Houston, E. 0. Moss, F. Lawry, W. F. Massev. M. M. Rirkbride, E. W. Alison, W. H'.'Herries. and J. Bollard, M.H.R.'s. these gentlemen will arrive in Wellington to-day, in readiness for the opening of Parliament tomorrow. Mr. J. H. Witheford had a narrow escape of missing his passage. As hie did not arrive from Birkenhead by nine a.m., the time at which the train left Auckland, a ferry boat was sent for him through the courtesy of the Devonporb Ferry Company. On reaching Auckland, Mr. Witheford jumped into a cab that was waiting ready, and was driven off as fast as the horses could, go to Onehnnga. He just boarded the Rarawa in time, as she was a few minutes late in getting away.

Drivers-of vehicles are complaining loudly of the constant danger to which they are subjected when crossing the railway bridge on the approach to Manger* Bridge from Onehunga. On Saturday morning no less than five horses arid vehicles were stuck up, and unable to cross the bridge, owing to a railway engine having been brought to a standstill near the bridge, and in such a position that the smoke and steam travelled up the* side of th© bridge and immediately over it. This, of course, so frightened the" horses that they not only refused to cross the bridge, but some of them became almost unmanageable with fright. Drivers of vehicles are afraid that a serious accident will happen if the practice complained of. is continued. The Auckland Rugby Union district cup matches were continued on Saturday, when the second round of the competition via commenced. At Alexandra Park Ponsonby j and City played a drawn game (three points j each), and at Devonpoit Newton beat North Shore by seven points to nil. The I results leave Newton with a lead of half I it-point from City, with North Shore and prison by next, "in that order. ' Full de* tails of' Saturday's football matches Mid other athletic sports -will be found in anoiljeppMt of today's paper. A meeting of .the TJnivisrsity College Council, convened for Saturday forenoon, lapsed for want of a quorum, It was 'remarked by the chairman (Sir 'Maurice O'Rorke) that the quorum (five member's) was too large", and should be reduced. Ho also incidentally, mentioned that the principal - business, -of -the .meeting- was to confer with Til, Bi'i'Uit • M.n.Pi,, on several matters to be brought tinder the notice of O-ovewiinant during thSf PiMlhin of Parliament, but as that gentleman was unable to attend the meeting . nothing was done. Mr- 0. ...J, Paw has given pMfif.of his . intention ..to., move .at |h& next sitting -of the Cjty Council ? »-'* That the Streets Coin.' jraittea take the necessary steps to enable electric light to bo supplied by the Council from the destinjetor shortly to be erected,"" ■ it.iwipfi received yesterday by- Inspector ' Gull-en from 'Constable- Keep, at ' Port j/Albert, stated that a ' timber-wether- named j .John QiihikffflJ, aged %b, hud been missing j for a few days. -Re left a sawmill where h* lis employed at }l i ' u i in a, punt, with ! 'some logs in tow, 'intending to go to Tauho«- [ He 'never reached there, " ano now-: pwtlw are. out searching for him. The fire brigade turned out to another false alarm, 'on Saturday morning, just' before ■■ noon, this time in, thf (Jraitofj, district. On . Saturday night the brigade received a call to the residence of Mr. Giddy Drak#*fstr#et, where they 'found i chimney on'fire. - ■ The fife was quickly extiagpifilifj, ■ While en, duty op the Devcinpert Ferr/ Tee on Saturday night, ■ Oonstab}« MoCorniaak found the ferry office window broken. Suspecting something wrong', \w entered, the , «fic«s-,. but found ■wei t ythi|tg"iß' good ordef. I He fastened up the wredow with boards, ' ! and kept an eye on -the place throughout the night,: It is-supposed, that soma&ne lean* against the window, sawl broke it.--The sale of ■ work-and haisaas': In. «dl of Si|... , James'Prefhyteriaij, Charsb organ fund wneluded on Saturday, when the takings amounted to £&T for the day. So far, the results of the bazaar, after 'payment of all expenses, will, with the 04 in hand, 'bring the' organ fund up to roughly £250, Everyone connected with the affair- worked hard and cheerfully. Our Cambridge eorresp«inde»t ■■ntlkmtmr' A .case of .considerable importance to fanners mid land agents, as defining the liability of a principal in a case where two agent* l have been employed to sell th» same property, Was called on m th* Magistrtit-e's Courf./G'am-' bridge, « (l I'nday Th', *)k>nt'ff William Davidgc, a HamiUon lund agent, is suing <>MqLv ]»cath kr £200, commission" m, the sale of Moan** vale Estate to Messrs, Howe Bros., of RonA'otea.,. Mr. Death ha" alr«*ndy paid eoinnjiisiion. to M#ill's, W. u<mtev mi in m&pfol of the f-w& sale. Messi-. Ruasell and Campbell are acting for the plaintiff, and Mr, M, V, Di*on for the defendant-.' The iitm was adjourned till July' 15, so that Mr. Jlowe's. evidence may he trim at Falnierston .North, :■ :;-'■"■ ' "«■.-.■../ a- *■;■>■■"■.-?";;

The Dforfeh-em Lnmlna-ry, in an article on "The J>and .Question in the Far North." say*■.: ys "ha| the Government, which boasts of h. thiji lihr in i...■..- fi> mr.117 years linger tlia.a any other p:i.-4 Admiiifetratfop, dosja lor the North in rehpeet to l^^eltlemenjil 1 Nothing | " Absolutely nothing'! Oto »wns letiirr!:; sfcnw tliaf, becansie of the four jjortlifirn: ~*;■•'.. .on the taking of tfe last census," "it was shown th,"-t Bay of Islands, jiokia'iga, and Whangaroa Counties were virtually Kicnefc in _ the wind, while Mangpnui County had gained a few hundreds in papnlatipn. But that increase of population was mit caused by .legitimate land settlement nor pepnaiu»nl, industry, bufc ratlin by flliaus, who sought to extract a, handsome return from the rich .gam deposits, and then- Ct, Up here we are sadly fn need ..of populatipni but let our hint' lav,a be ever so liberal and advantageous to the settle" in : pi?Qsp«6t-i?e, : ■ wfet ''eftPthl?' \im ' p theret J in taking up land whero theya ape neither ; roads, 'bridges, railways, or markets for [ produce? Those who talk #opfi""■ li|fi»l measures for taking up pf land undfir'any system whatever, : should fti'Bt %$% that there are roads of soma Ascription the vicinity of the land go opened, up for Motion, We do not mv& for 'gaspipea' of any grade or colour, and the agitator; who talks so much about settling the 'lands is a muff in our estimation, unless ho also stipulates that the various blocks should be roacled in reality, and not upon paper only out of the Consolidated If and before asking' new chums to go npiaa the land." ' ■ '

Mr. Loyeridge, ex-preside,!}! of th« Ma§ter Builders' .Association, Sydney, in a paper which he read in Brisbane recently, refers to the question of ftpprenti«eships. "la these States,'' he. mm/ "the' dayt (|f"*»ppmnticeship are frequently coniidiwad to be. but this prelude to obtaining' better wageD, and -the youth 'is 10|:,.SQ pss\. concerned to become an expert mechanic as he frequently is to gat away at the"' tiloek * in order to attend a bicycle meet or other sporting function. Not that 1 wish to decry sport in, any way, but' the growingdesire of our youth to plane this consideration above all others is one that not only saps his loyally as a workman, but also weakens his whole moral torn., without which the propel' attainment of a standard of competency is, "in my opinion impost Bible,"". ~,-♦ ■:..- ■-.'*

' A special. meeting ; of the Harbour Boaye will be held tomorrow aftfrooon, ts : -#j! sider-two. applications in reference to th* leasing, of'Aßainalty Hotee.; * ■■■'''-,