LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12654, 7 September 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Mr. JrsTiCE Edwards sat in chambers yesterday. Probate was granted in the estates of the following deceased persons:—Margaret Hill, Matthew Slattery, and Owen Commons (Mr. Mahony), Isaac James Burgess (Mr. Russell). Letters of administration were granted as follows:—Hubert Swallow (Mr. Mahony). Letters of administration in the estate of James Murphy were renewed on the motion of Mr. Bruce.

In consequence of a defiance of the rule made by the Electric Tramways Company in regard to the hours allowed for smoking on the small cars, the company is now entirely prohibiting passengers from indulging in the fragrant weed whilst travelling on this class of car. Hitherto smoking has been allowed on the small oars i'rom seven to half-past eight a.m., and half-past four to half- past six or seven p.m., but it is stated that one or two passengers have persisted in smoking at other hours of the day and evening, to the discomfort of lady passengers. Mr. Carey, acting-manager of the company, informs us that there is no desire to prevent passengers from smoking, and that the step that has been taken has been reluctantly decided upon for the reason stated. The company, however, intend to apply to the City Council for an amendment of the by-law," fixing hours during which smoking may be permitted on the small cars. In commenting upon a question of bail at the Police Court yesterday Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., said that the Legislature was now putting some very grave responsibilities upon magistrates. Day after day magistrates were obliged to find whether persons accused of serious offences were guilty or not guilty, and it naturally weighed heavily upon them. In the Supreme Court a judge could saddle the responsibility on the jury, whereas a magistrate had to act upon his own view. " That is so," said Mr. Martin. "It is a very grave responsibility, but, then you will find that nine out of every 12 men would ratbei be dealt with to magistrates than by juries." "That may be,'' said Mr. Kettle, as the subject dropped, but it weighs teuvily upon the magistrate, who feels the responsibility very keenly." This evening the planets Mercury and Venus will be seen about their nearest approach at present, the conjuction taking place near ten o'clock in the forenoon. After sunset the two planets will be visible near the western horizon, separated by some 5£ degrees of latitude. Mercury will be the higher of the two, with Venus close to the horizon; but observers must be on the watch soon after six o'clock, as Venus sets two minutes after seven. An incipient fire occurred on Sunday evening last at Messrs. Hunter and Nolan's saleyards at Epsom. The outbreak was fortunately noticed at the outset by some persons residing in the vicinity, and the shed being wet with rain they were the better able to subdue the flames. Only slight damage was done. The building was insured in the New Zealand office. The cause of the fire is unknown, as the yards were locked up on the previous day,

The Auckland Weekly News, issued today, deals with a remarkable variety of subjects. Of immediate local interest are the Auckland-Otago football match "and the Pakuranga Hunt Club's point-to-point steeplechase, both of which are capitally illustrated. A striking feature ot the issue is the fine series of pictures of beautiful New Zealand scenery and tourist resorts, for which both the North and South Islands are famed. The collection comprises town and river scenes in Southland, some of Hawke'3 Bay's picturesque back country, typical West Coast and Canterbury views, e full-page picture of Waimangu geyser in eruption, and some excellent views of Hammer sanatorium and hot springs. The portraits comprise Miss Lewis and Mrs. H. Jet. Eloomfield, of Auckland, who distinguished themselves by playing off far championship honours in the ladies' golf championship at Christeburch, the late Mr. Thomas Russell, C.M.G., and General Stoessel.. the Russian commander at Port Arthur. The doublepage of the issue contains soma fine panoramies of Timaru, Invercargil!, and Masterton, from excellent points of vantage. Other subjects dealt with include the wreck of the Saragossa, the perilous plight of the ship Astracana, H.M. sloop Clio, and the French warship Protet in Auckland Harbour, together with numerous other events of interest. ,

The comments of Mr. Justice Edwards, at the Supreme Court on Friday last, upon the question whether prisoners committed for sentence should be allowed bail, had a bearing on the charges against Robert Peace Heighway and William Morrow Taylor, heard at the Police Court yesterday. Before pleading guilty on behalf of Heip,uway, Mr. Reed wanted to know if His Worship was going to allow bail, as if lie was not, then he would plead " not guilty," so that his client, who would not then have committed himself, might got bail in the ordinary course of event* Mr. Kettle pointed" out that counsel was putting him in a very awkward position. Ultimately Heighway, who pleaded guilty to 17 charges, was admitted to bail in £850, and on Sir. Mays' suggestion it was stipulated that, he (the prisoner) would. have to report himself every week until the judge arrives back in Auckland, two months hence. The other prisoner, Wm. Morrow Taylor, was granted bail in £760, Mr. Kettle remarking that he only allowed it because the accused had assisted the police in the inquiries, because they were young, and because there was a' possibility of their being granted probation.

The difficulties of the Nelson-street school were under discussion at the meeting of the City Schools Committee last evening, the matter being Drought on by a tion torn the Education Board, stating that it was not prepared to provide additional accommodation in the infant department of the' school as requested by the committee, pointing out that there was a great deal of spare accommodation in other schools in the city. Mr. , Mackay considered the reply absurd,. It was stated, in the course of discussion, that the Board's decision would have t'le effect of compelling scholars to go to other schools in the city. This was considered objectionable, because parents were adverse to sending their young children long distances to school. Mr. Mackay thought the Board should modernise the school furniture, at least, asserting that many of the suburban schools were moire suitably furnished. Ho had a feeling that the school was being neglected on account' of antagonism towards the headmaster for nis religious beliefs. On the suggestion of Mr. Mackay, it was decided to priratelv interview the members oi the Board on the question, and in the meantime to agitata for improvements tc the school furnitiiire.

According to the .New Zealand Gazette i the following lands in 'the Auckland dis- j trict have been set, apart for settlement:— T« . Puhi Block, Orahiri survey district, 4505 acres; Mangawhara Block, Piako, ; Waihou, Waitoa, and Hapuakohe survey j districts, 9665 acres; the area situated in ] Blocks VI., VII., 'and VIII., Pirongia stir- j vey district, 3876 acres; the area situated i in Block VII., Pirongia survey district, I 387 acres. The following lauds in the Auckland district have been proclaimed to be Grown lands: —Qtarih&U No. J!a • (Ma- I, ngamuka), 195 acres; Whirinaki No". 2c, ' No. 1 (Waoku), 61 acres; Manukan- A j! (Russell), 176 acres; .Kaurinui No. 3a (Bus- i' sell), 2193 acres; ■ Waiotahi A (Thames), j' 94 acres; Whangaingatakupu No. 2b, No. 1 (Pirongia), ioO acres; RangitoioTuhua \ Nos. 46, 47,- 49, 56, 63, and 65 (Puhi, Ma- \ para, l Tuhua, Pakaumanu, and - COangitu), t 15,020 acres, h "::,Jr » i Further particulars of the recent storm at Lyell, on 1 the west coast of the South Island, show that when the lightning struck ;-.. the telegraph office a terrific explosion was j heard, and Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who, with their family, resided in the back portion of the premises, 1 rushed outside in terror, then ; rushed wildly back again' to rescue .their : children, who were screaming Iraiiicatlly ! | inside the building. All the lines were■[.'' damaged, and all communication with th« [ North was temporarily stopped. Mrs. Pot- j ter was in a fainting condition four hours, j owing to the shock. The crockery in the | rooms occupied by the family was all broken, and the building was on fire, but the supply i of water was plentiful, and the Sanies were promptly extinguished. S? Next day Mr. J. j Guinness, the lineman, while proceeding ; from Reefton to Lyell to repair the damage, ' was killed at the Inangahua Landing, raid- : way- between Lyell and Reefton, apparently i by falling from his horse. ' He was found i lying on the toad unconscious, and on a doc-1 tor arriving life was pronounced to be ex- | tinct. The deceased was 55 years of a/je, and leaves a Widow find a large family. He was a brother to Mr. A. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ... j The New Zealand: Gazette publishes tho following list of , lands in the Auckland district'"as permanently reserved for- the j purposes mentioned: —Town of • Mercer, section 10a, Blotek 111. (railway); Otama, | section 6, Block 11. (recreation) Tarawera, section 6, Block I. (recreation); Tarawera, section 7, Block T. (recreation)} j Piopiotea, section 1, Block I. (cemetery)} Te Papa parish, sectiote 244 to 250 inelu- i sive (preservation of scenery}; Kaiwaka | pariah, section 125 (recreation); town oi Rotorua, section 7, block <\UX. (site for baths); Taupiri parish, section 181 (Agricultural and Pastoral Association's purposes). The applications for the position of engineer and secretary to the Otago Harbour Board were opened at Dunedin yesterday. Some 40 engineers have applied for the position, eight belonging to New Zealand, and the majority of the rest to the Commonwealth. Two Aucklanders, Messrs. C. A. La. Roche and F. R. Trevithick, are among the applicants. After some discussion by the Board, all the names wej-e referred,to a committee of the Board to select 10 for submission to a future meeting. A meeting of creditors iu the bankiupt estate of Philip John Dudsou, flaxmiller, of Mangaiti (Te Aroka), arranged to have been held in the official assignee's office yesterday forenoon, did not take place, owing to the non-appearance of the bankrupt, who was under the misapprehension that the meeting i was to be held at the Thames. The meet- j ing is to take place at the official assignee's office this morning, at eleven o'clock. . The post office cases were again under consideration at the Police Court yesterday, 16 additional charges being preferred against ; Heigh way, and three new ones against Tay- ; lor. Each of the accused confessed, making j some sensational statements, and were committed for sentence. A report of the proceedings appears in another column. By order of the Governor it is notified in the New Zealand Gazette that the Piako River and its branches in the Piako, Ohinemuri, and Thames. Counties may be used under license 'tot the purposes of the Timber • Floating Act, 1884. Similai notification is given regarding Laing's Creek and its tributaries in the Waipa parish. , On the motion of Mr Thorne, Mr. Justice Edwards yesterday granted an order tor the winding up of the National Glass Company, in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 1903. .. The District Court sitting which was to have been hold at Thames yesterday has been adjourned to November 8

Specking in tne South Island on sport fa .'- New Zealand recently, Major Whitaey, who has fished and shot in many lands, was mm* ' f'[' I in praise of the trout-fishing of thin colon?, 1 which lie declared was better than attythJag lie had experienced in England, ■ Ireland f Scotland, Wales, or Norway. Asked ,hls ,- , opinion in regard to the controversy as to the merits of brown and rainbow trout, the major said :" As far as the North Island, is - 1 concerned, I think the rainbow trout is motj § suit-able. He is more game, too, and giygj . better sport. There is no doubt as to th« 1 splendid fishing to be obtained. One of. t New Zealand's well-stocked streams wot&! ; fetch £1000 a mile if it could be transport*!! f to Scotland and preserved." Major Whit- • I ney was also enthusiastic* about ILhe'dtw. ' ( stalking to be had, but he waxed indisamt 1 at the "pot-hunters," who went out.deteft ":.:.■'§ mined to secure as many heads a« possiblj 1 on every occasion. ''I would not alio* J more than two stags for a license," he de- J clared. \? *

A telegram published' in yesterday** " , L Hehald announced that Mr. Thomas Hart,-- ' \ London buyer in fancy goods for ■ Messrs. . \ Sargood, Son, and Ewen, had passed awuV jj in London on Sunday last. The deceased ', 1 gentleman joined the firm at Dunedin in 1869 I as a junior, and steadily rose to the position | of manager of the fancy goods department. - \ In 1887 he was appointed by the lat- Sir J F. T. Sargood to the position in London ,;' 1 which he held at the time of his death, and I which he had filled with entire satisfartjnj/ . I to the firm. He had a reputation for tho- f rough integrity., and was highly esteemed for ' 1 his sterling qualities, both by the firm aid " his fellow employees, as well as by all those . | with whom he came in contact. J'he flag at - I the local branch of the firm was flying at • I half-mast yesterday a3 a token of respect for '• the deceased. In a letter which was re- ' | ceived in Auckland yesterday the deceased \ stated that he was enjoying good health. ' 111© Huddersfield Daily Examine? of : July 26 states that Mr. William Brook Smith, formerly of Auckland, New' Zealand, and for the last twelve years residing at Topsham, near Exetei, died on July • 22, just short of 78 years of age. Be had made a marvellous recovery trom a ewers operation three years ago, and seemed tc have secured a fresh leas* of vigorous life; but a growth in the stomach of «offiewhat i rapid development hits cut short these hopes lof Ibis friends. Mr. Brooks-Smith Was one j of the elder sons of Mr. John Smith, of Luck Lane, Marsh, and was the .first; of many brothers and iistsrs to seek his fortune in distant lands. After; some yeari *K of successful work with his father: as 'ft fy; cloth finisher, he emigrated in 1543 its a . settler with a son of Mr. Kilner to Moreton Bay (now Brisbane), moving south • the discovery of gold. After staying a while in Sydney he settled at Sandhurst, . in Victoria, first as a gold digger and alter-' wards as a storekeeper. Here he 'Mice chanced to see Lord Robert Cecil, afterwards Marquis of Salisbury, drive a bull lock team through the town. ~ With th« capita] here acquired he started business as a miller m Auckland, with his friimd* Bateman Thornton and Josiah FiirUi., Hia jtf health not being robust, he < retired feiri business about 40 years ago, and ? lived first in Huddersfield, then at Ifceeth, ilk ■ Swaledole, and finally (when he found th« Yorkshire winter too rigorous) -'in the neigh- ■; bourhood of Exeter. He made many visits with his wife (who survives him) to;bi»| old '" friends at the . antipodes. / No ; on* : could I know him, however slightly, without teinz | struck by his unbending integrity. : Lik* most colonials, he wag profuse in hospi' .■ I tftliity, and he was generous in every' case of need. ■ Not long ago Mi'.'Brook-Smith wiped of! the debt on the new Odngrega* tional Sunday-school at Topsiham, Ivr a.

! giftor. fi&ou, Me could tail a good sii;ory | Bad enjoy one, and when ■in fair health 1 was the best of good company. ' The iiiter-« meat took place at Topsham Ctnietel'y. Representatives of the Steel aril Iron Company, Limited (Auckland), are - i leaving for London about the end of this month, with the' idea of forwairding : ts«tl! company's interests in Great Britain and America. A hundred cases of iroiisand < hare already been shipped by the company to both London and New York for dem&n. stations on a large scale in Stogie cities. The New Zealand Government' has been applied to in order to ascertain on what tenia the company wonld be granted'' ti»ii^ht;t6^;', : :; take sufficient water-powet"froimHh^HisWh Palls and other "8001063 in the Colony Co&ftjji developing electricity for use in the treatment of ironsand deposits.. and other New . Zealand minerals. Mr. J. Wisemian, a larg* i shareholder in the company, who ii at pre* i sent in r London, has : cabled oat ¥to th« | directors a definite offer for '{5000 share* I Thiß directors agreed to place 4i[)oo shaxttl !. I at 25s Sd net cash in London, not deeming i it wise \o allot- the whoi* ?5000 applied for.- ■■{ At the meeting of t'hs; council of the Auck- , land City Schools ;Oommitteesv,*held last ! evening, Mr. Thome advocated the Govern*" i meat being approached in respect to const!- . I tuting one of the city schools a high school, | \ on account of the shortage of jtccoimmodp.tipn jat the Grammar School. It was jvointei oft ' by Mr. Thorns that there was no rooni at S. the Grammar School-for more scholars, >aittj|§| I he understood that some had to go to OS* I hunga to secure the desired secondary edttia- ' . tioa. Mr. Mackay said he was assured {ijf I Mr. Tibbs, headmaster, that there was room ! for further scholars at the Grammar School; ■ and scholars had gone to Onehuniga at their ! own choice. He, however, would support au j agitation. for a high school if one w&f neosfi* : easy. No action was taken in the matter The question of the restriction is'i the. »i;« to 14 at which scholars can be admitted to secondary schools was referred to, and tl?« opinion was expressed that, the ag shouVi) be extendi to 15 years. , r ! « Mr. John Grigg, of the Thames Observa* ;.;.- : tory, writes: —A total eclipse of the sun *J will occur on Saturday next, September 10. f 1 It will not V! visible in New ; , Zealand 0* i i Australia, but * will be seen or ;'»' partial M j eolipse in all the Pacific Islands raisin 0* New : I Guinea, the \ line of totality lyinj, to the) J north of them, across the ocean to a point § en the coast at Chili, at or neai -Gopiapo, - j and terminating on the western slope of th*' | I Andes, in which neighbourhood scientific ! observations will probably be made. ■ * , . v ; An old veteran, named Mr. R. Mile*, 77' , years of age, passed away last night at the residence of his son, Osborne-stireet, New- ; market. The deceased served as a soldier * fen- a period of 12 years, andfought In the: Maori war, for which he received the modal. He was a member of the Imperial! Veterans* Aasooiatior, and was much respected by all who came into contact with him. . >'l^ A decree nisi was made absolute by.; Mr. Justice Edwards in chambers vesterday in '- the divorce case, Neil Peter Anderson, peti* • ticner, and Florence Maude Anderson, naspt/ndent, Henry Gullen co-respondent. It is stated that the Iffamilton Borough loan (£50fl0) for drainage works has beau refused by the Government. Probably aafff attempt :• will' be made to raise the loan, through private sources. The old building in High-street, originally j erected as a Congregational Crturch, has. i bean taken down and removed. It had "___ ! stood there from 18512. The site is required for the erection of business prenisea fo? ■■ Messrs. Fenwick and Co. A littk lad named Jones was passing along! I Gilmour-street, Waihi, yesterday, when » ■ ! piece of metal flew off from the water - mains which the borough workmen are toying down. and struck him in the calf «» the leg, inflicting a very nasty wound. It is reported that a piece of ambeirgris, about Ifiin in length, and weighing 200 a," has, been found on the 'Orakawa beach, new Waihi, bv Mr. F. O'Grafiy,' a local l-esidwnt. The substance hasj, it is 'itated, been tested and pronounced tv be genuine. ~ W ■ ■'■v ■-■'.■• "•."- The post offices at Cambridge, Te AWW mutu, and Te Aroha have been - vaised i» j| status from third tt second grade oi»«*, - arid the salaries of the postmasters in t'hwg* | increased. , ' ■ There were in the lookup last,■■night . three persons charged with drunkenness. The man, Chas. Kitchens, arrested on warrant at Ki&ikihi, charged with theft, i ; ?«|W brought to town in custody yesterday ;: *Vtjm 1 Constable Fitzgerald - and ■ lodged in the ! lockup, pending the hearing oft.be charge against him, ■ . :/i