LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12760, 10 January 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Is consequence of a tablet failure, the express train, clue fit the. Auckland lailuaj platform at twenty in'unites to six o'clock last evening, did not arrive until seven o'clock. The tablet system was introduced between Auckland and Mercer sonno time ago, to ensure the greater safety of the travelling public, but by some means last evening the tablet was lost. I ins necessitated a- reversion to the safety protection system, which entailed the delay c J I the e> press at t'hePaerata station, ami accounts for the late arrival in town. The .Auckland Hospital Hoard had their first discission over 'the report of the Royal Commission on tin; hospital yesterday afternoon. The leper!:, though published a, month ago, was .only received i»y the Board on December 28, and members were about equally divided as to whether the consideration of it should not be dej'eired for a time. -\IL were agreed thai, the portion with reference to the Wallis White case and oilier matters with a hearing on the charge against Dr. Collins should not be discussed, but on the casting vote of the chairman it was deeiilcd to deal Willi certain of the Commission recommendations which have no bearing on. 1 lie charge. Oil this decision being arrived ai. Mr. .I. Bollard and Mr. A. R. Harris refused to take any part in the discussion, and left the room. I.he ques--1 ion.-, of providing a. lift, and of improving the sanitaty arrangements at- the hospital were icferrU'l to the Hospital Committee, and the .Finance Committee was askerl io repot ton the. question of fees. tin the latter subject members of the Hoard generally disputed the figures given by the Commissioners in their repot I. The assets of the National Class Company, Limited (in liquidation), consisting of the buildings, plant, materials, and the leasehold interest of the site, were offered for sale by auction yesterday by Messrs. Cochrane and Son, under instructions from Mr. H. Ceraid. official liquidator. There was no competition for the properly, which was bought in at the upset price of £1200 bv Mr. 1.. J. Bagnall, on behalf of the debenture-holders. The crust of the roadway at the foot: of Albert-street (opposite tin:* New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company's buildings) gave way yesterday, exposing a large cavity eight, or nine feet deep, and extending several feet each way. The cavity is apparently a portion of an old sewer, and the crust where it gave way was not. more than about 12in in thickness. The dangerous area has l>een enclosed by City Council workmen, preparatory to repairs being fee;cd. ft i,< expected thai a. start will be made with the erection of the City Council's new refuse-destructor in Patfpson-street to-day. Mr. J. J. Meldrum, who arrived' here front Sydney on Sunday, will supervie the wot k. At a special meeting of the Parneil Borough Council, held last, night, a new by-law was passed, compelling the providing of water closets within the municipality. Such water closets are to be constructed in accordance with the provisions of the borough by-law* relating to v,aler closets. All closet< already erected that, do not comply with the by-law are to ho removed on or before the first dav of July. 1905. The penalty for a breach of the by-law is a- Jim- not exceeding £5. Tho nine-roomed dwelling-house in Upper Queen-, reel, partially destroyed by lire on Saturday night last. was insured in the South British oflice for £900. Full details of the fire were given in yesterday's Hi:i:ai,i>. William Mill, a young man residing at Birkenhead, who was admit led to the hospital on Saturday last with a. fractured leg. caused in attempting to cross a- ditch, is making favourable progress. The same may be said of the jockey Carruther.'i, who dislocated his hip while riding in a race at the Auckland Hating Club's recent summer meeting at Klh r.-die. A case <>t supposed ptomaine, poisoning is repotted from Katikaii. On Saturday last Mr. a ltd Mis. Wigloy. of (he Talisman Hotel. a visitor named Miss Hick;, and two servants at the hotel, were suddenly seized with violent illness and internal pains. Dr. Clatidge, of Waihi, was summoned, and gave the opinion that the illness was caused by ptomaine poisoning. Mr. igley suii'eied most, but under medical care, all live tire making good progress towards recovery. he cause of the poisoning is unknown. A small boy was charged at the Police Court, yesterday with breaking a pane of glass in a railway carriage, of the value of 6s. Mr. S. K. McCarthy, S.M.. heard the case in his private room. Sergeant Hendry said it had since been ascertained that the boy threw a stone til a telegraph pole, and as the train came round the corner at that moment the stone, missing the post, smashed a pane of glass in one of the carriages. The magistrate, after warning the boy, ordered him to pay the te si of the damage, and the fee of a witness. Instructions have been given by the Commonwealth Home All.til's Department, that estimates of population for ascertaining the purport ion of members for each State in lie House of Representatives shall lie made up to December 31. There has been a long controversy as to whether Victoria should not lose one member, and Queensland not gain one. The collection of rolls in South Australia, A\ est Australia, and Queensland has to lie completed before an electoral commission can redistribute the boundaries. 'J he Mayor of Wellington the other day informed his Council (stales the Wellington Post) that the trains wore not paving, and many have wondered why, in view of the trattie, which has been apparent since the electric lines were opened for general use. If the expetience- of some citizens is in anv way general, the reason the tramways do not. pay is not difficult to determine. The experiences of a city business man, who is a. justice of the peace, may be cited. On Wednesday of last week, he had occasion to make short trips on the. cats on three or four occasions, and twice during the dav there was no demand made upon him for fares. The same evening he remitted the money in stamps to the. tramway oflice. The following day he secured one free ride, and again, from conscientious scruples, as well as inspired with the. desire to see that the city was not a loser, he remitted the uncollected fare. His third experience of similar neglect occurred oil Saturday. He ! had mentioned the laxity of tram guards to one of our staff, and immediately left to go ito his otiiee. He took a tram, and live minutes later rang up to say that he held the uncollected penny in his hand, and intended to once more forward Hie value to the proper quarter. Others, the Post, is informed, have had similar experiences during the short time within which Lite cars have be.- tunning, whi b seem? to show that, either the guards whose duty it is to collect the tales have too much upon their hands, or that some of them arc. careless in their duties. On none of the above-mentioned occasions, it is said, were the cars carrying | an extraordinary number of passengers.

Naturalisation figures for the year 1904 show that 2047 men and 60 women were naturalised in Australia. Of these 683 were Germans, 310 Swedes, 393 Italians, 158 Norwegians. 146 Danes, and 87 Russians. The balance consist of French, Finns, Creeks, Poles, Austrian*, Swiss, North Americans, Dutch, Roumanians, Portuguese, Spaniards, Turks. Ilclgians, South Americans, Hungarians. ami Bulgarians, in numbers varying from 82 French down to two Bulgarians, Of the total. New South Wales contributed 1377, Victoria 321. West Australia 250, Queensland 113, South Australia 25, and Tasmania 21. Alt old Maori chief of note, named Belli Ilitaua. Tui'on, died a 'few days ago at actihi. Pehi was the highest in rank of all tho Upper Wanganui natives, and, in tiro Maori wars, from 1864 to 1870, was a piominont man amongst the llauhaus. His elder brother, the venerable Tophi Turoa, died at Wanganui a few months ago. Physically. Pehi was a fine specimen of the old-school Maori-— soldierly-looking, and well, tatooed. He was present at the battle of Mouioa, on the Wanganui River, in 186' I, when he ami fr-'S iellowTJaubaus, who meditated a descent upon Wanganui town, wore defeated by the friendly natives. For many years after the war he isolated himself from all Europeans. and lived chiciiv at a remote little settlement in the Waimai ino forest . '1 his earned for hint from the Power Wanganui natives the soubriquet of "to runt noho-mofn ' —the owl which abides in the depths of the bush. It was not. often that ho caied to emerge from his seclusion, but in ,'ater years lit* occasionally visited Wellington, and he was one of tire chiefs who presented valuable gilts to the Duke and Duchess of York ow, the occasion of their visit t-> Rotorna. Pehi was in Wellington lor some time towards the end of last session of Failiameut, in connection with tribal land mutters. He was an old friend of the Hon. .1. Carroll, Native Minister. Rut for the presence of mind of Porter Palmer a, serious accident would have occurred at tho Favndon railway station on Monday last, (.says the Napier Telegraph). About 25 minutes past four two trains were crossing til- that station. Tho down from Hastings was on tho siding, and the one from Napier just drawing info the station when a man (whose name is unknown) stepped on the line in front of it. 'lire engine was almost on top of hint, when Porter Palmer sprang from the platform and lifted hint bodily across the line out of danger, just io the nick of time. The death c." an old Maori at Pet one recalls a scene in the lives of his father, the chief Porutu, and Mr. Thomas McKenzie, a well-known citizen of Wellington. who started tho Independent in the forties, and is the oldest living newspaper man in the colony. The Post tells the sloty thus: —"ln Match, 181 the ship Adelaide arrived in Wellington with » large number of immigrants oil board. Bad weather came on its the vessel made port, and it was found that a landing could not be made at Pet one. The Adelaide then sailed up to what was known as Lamb toil Harbour, and dropped anchor off Pi pi tea. Point. Two -of the immigrants, Mr. T. W. McKenzie. of Ohuznee-slreet. and the late Mr. 'licehurst, who afterwards lived in the Waitarapa. arranged to sleep ashore in a wattle and daub hut which the New Zealand Company had built on Thorndon Flat for Dr. J-'vans, and which, up to that lime, had not been occupied. As they were -it ting in front of the where. Porutu and Lis two wives,' and 20 or 30 of is followers, appeared. The chief looked ast if he meant- mischief, and ho scon made it- evident that lie intended to kill the- two Europeans. He rushed up and down in. front of the whare, brandishing a tomahawk'. and he soon worked himself up into a state of frenzy. Just as tilings looked particularly serious for McKenzic and Ticehurst, one of Porutn's wives tool; oft' her mat and threw it over the whites, thus rendering them ' tapu.' She then put her bend on the ground at their feet, and invited her lord and master to kill her instead of -the two pakehas. Her action maddened Porutu, as he recognised that if ho took her life and the lives of the Europeans after what she had done, he would break the 'tapu.' and* that, according to Maori custom, was out of Ihe question. After giving further vent to Iris feeling*. he marched off in high dudgeon, and M.lveitzio ami Ticehurst breathed freely once" more."' The country between Whaiekopae and Cahite.i is not (says t he Poverty Bay Herald) frequently traversed, and for the pakeha- to do so with horses is somewhat of an achievement. The Messrs. Monekton Brothers have recently returned from a visit- to Rotorna. Going to the thermal .show-place v by way of Opotiki, they spent four days at- Rotorna, and then decided to come back by way of Galatea, with a view of ascertaining the nature of the Taltora block, which will shortly be opened up. They were the subjects of plenty of dissuasive opinions when, they announced the.object of their venture, being told that they would not succeed in getting through. However, they started on the way, and made the journey to Miingapohatu with fair ease. From thence to V\ barekopae the difficult part commenced. They engaged a. Maori guide, paid paid hint £1 to show the track, which it was almost impossible to pick out. The natives were found to be unfavourable to visitors, assuming, no doubt, that- their object was goldprospecting. The country from Mangapohatu was Sound to he very wild and broken and was negotiated with the utmost difficulty. J. he Messrs. Monekton were riding polo- ponies, whose size was suitable for the hills, bill even with them it was hard work getting along. I'or miles the country was little better than a quagmire, and the animals otten sank knee-deep. Bong detours had to be. made to avoid big trees which had fallen across ilie track. The hardest portion of the journey was accomplished with the aid of the Maori guide, the partv stalling at seven o'clock in the morning, and not reaching a pa. near Mr. Steel's, haiekopae, till time in the evening. Their experiences were such that they' are not likely to recommend this route for anyone wishing to have a. holiday jaunt to Rotorua. The Cisborne City Band are (says a (iisborne paper) practising assiduously in view of the forthcoming contest in Auckland in February. Bandsmen have put in flirts nights work a week, and from the New Year will devote four evenings per week in their laudable endeavours to reach the highest degree Of proficiency possible. Oreat progress has been made with the contest pieces, and with another six week's practice they should reach a high grade of perfection. In looking ii some accounts at, the Magistrate's Court, Blenheim, the S.M. noticed th,! the ''teditor had added charges foe postage, some of these items being as much as .is and is 6d. His Worship said that Inwould have to disallow these items. Tim creditor said that the cost of sending out these i.ills over and over again— or' them extending over three veai>-—had been pretty considerable, and he thought he w.ls entitled to some return. His Worship said that 7s 6d for postage would mean that an account had been sent out 180 times. 11$ could not alliow the charge to be included.

A number of light fruit cases, similar to t hose which recently carried fruit from California, are being distributed by the Queensland Department, of Agricnltuie to growers in different parts of that Stale, with a viewto testing then adaptability to the local trade. A number have also been sent 10 the Hermitage State Farm, to lie used for grapes and other 11 nils. T'ruit packed in these cases arrived from California in excellent condition, and it is hoped to transit- tender fruits to distant parts in a first - class stale, thus expanding the markets and securing better prices. Tin* cases will carry XOlb of fruit ill four spale baskets, each holding 51b. The total cost landed in Brisbane, including the freight, duty, and the original cost ill the Slate of Washington, amounts to a trido over 6d per crate. The cases are extremely light, and are made in Mich a way that there can be no crushing of fruit. At. the hist meeting of the Melbourne University Council a discussion took place nu the question of publishing a. list, differentiating between candidates who pass the. martriculation examination for the first time and those who have previously passed and presented themselves a second time was discussed. Dr. Leeper moved that the registrar bo instructed, in publishing the results of matriculation examinations, to differentiate between those candidates who pass for the first time and those who have previously passed and have now presented'themselves again. Ho pointed out that the University of London did not allow a second entry of -v candidate who had passed. Here it was not. desired to go so far as that they wanted to encourage candidates to come up for honours. Hut there .should be Mini distinction in the publication between those who came up the lirst time and the veterans. (Laughter.) lie understood that it was not uncommon for some schools to send the same candidates up three or lour times, and believed all did it more or less. l)r. Barrett said there was a strong feeling on tlio part of secondary schools that such i step as was proposed should be- taken. After conversational discussion the motion was agreed to. For some time past negotiations have been carried on between a sub-committee of the Victorian University Council and the Council of Agricultural Education with reference to the proposed establishment of a faculty of agriculture at the Melbourne University, and the position of students at the Dookio Agricultural College in relation to it. The committee of the University Council wrote suggesting that in lieu of its first proposals for the founding of the diploma and the degree of Agriculture, the Council of Agricultural Education should be asked to provide facilities for students who had received the necessary scientific training to conduct the field and practical work of agriculture at Dookie. The Council of Agricultural Education replied that that council could not concede the control of the issue of the diploma in agriculture, considering that-' the practical and scientific knowledge "of subjects appertaining to agriculture taught at the Dookie College ' were sufficient, for an intelligent class of agriculturists. A willingness was expressed, however, to meet the University committee by providing facilities for students who had received the necessary scientific training for the degree in agriculture being taught the field and practical work of Agriculture, on condition that such teaching was entirely tinder the management of the council. Inquiries are now being made by an engineer representing the Indian Government as to the suitability of New South Wales hardwood sleepers for Indian railways. The representative of the Indian Government has made exhaustive investigation into the matter, and the Government has placed him in possession of all available data. The durability of New .South "Wales hardwoods has been demonstrated sufficiently to warrant a large trial order which' has been placed, and there is even* probability of another extensive market being opened for the natural resources of the State. A record, has been established this year in rega.ul to the picking of ripe tomatoes from outride vines. Growers have hitherto considered themselves lucky if they have gathered outside fruit by Christmas ; but it has been reported that ripe tomatoes were picked this season from an outdoor plantation about the middle of November. This is such an exceptional thing that tomato men are sorely puzzled as to how it was done. Many practical farmers are beginning to realise that it is a mistake to attempt to work a large area of land. They have (says the Southland Times) not only come to this conclusion, but they are trying to place their views before their neighbours. It is no uncommon thing now to hear a farmer state that it is hi* belief that it is more profitable to work 200 acres well than to attempt to work 1000 acres. 11l is is a good sign, and as farmers generally realise this we shall see a gradual adoption of better methods of fanning. The untoward weather this season is telling ou the profits of the dairy farmer {says the North Otano Times), who fiudo that- his butter fat test is the lowest in his experience. The pasturage has no substance in it, and the cattle might almost as well try to exist on water as on most of the grass that has come away under the stimulus of the daily showers and wintry weather. The result is that the butter fat at- the factory shows a very marked depreciation. The condition of affaiio is therefore bad for the supplier and for the company. Mr. Nathaniel Grace, one of the most widely known settlers of the Wairarapa, died at Gladstone on Saturday. Mr. Grace had been in good health up till 'Thursday, when he was working in the hayiie.d. On Friday morning he complained ox being unwell, and shortly after became unconscious. Death was due to hemorrhage of the btani, possibly brought »p. by oxer-exertion while making hay. The lute Mr. Grace had been a resident of the district for over 21 yeais. He was a member of a number of local bodies and societies. He leaves a. widow and one sou. The burning of papa clay for use on roads in the country districts of Wellington and Taranakt is assuming practical shape, and there is every prospect that papa bricks may soon be available in districts where good, hard metal cannot lie obtained. The experiments made so far have been very satisfactory", and several of the local bodies, including" the Rangitikei County Council, are nowundertaking the preparation of papa for road construction. One day during the Christmas holidays half-a-dozen settlers, mostly Crown tenants, hailing from the same district, gathered at a central township in Wellington province. They had £250 between them, and they were going to the races nest day On coming back from I lie races, five bad no money, and one had £14. What did they do? Go home' No ; t!lftV wired away to the bank— each has. or had. a banking account-for more money, to go to the races again next day. "1 know all these men," said the narrator of this story, " and I know that on their sections they work hard for their money all the year round, wet and dry.

As an indication of the departing Maori customs, it- was noticed at the recent' Otaki gathering tnat almost every vestige of native clothing had disappeared, all tho natives weaving "store clothes." The chatter of the children was more English than Maori, and at the conclusion of the chiefs' speeches the listeners maiked their approval by the well-known pakeha "Hear, hear," instead of the Maori " ivapai." A specimen of interest to entomologists was discovered recently at. Wallabadah. New Soul i i Wales. in the shape of a gigantic locust. The locust was iound by the sons of Mr. T. .1. Harnett, of Willow Bend orchard, while bee-nesting. he, specimen measures between Bin and 9in in length, and between Tin and Gin in girth near the head. A young man had an exceptionally narrow escape from violent death it! Gore (says the Ma I aura Ensign). lie attempted to board the half-past twelve train for the. north, which was already moving away from the platform, and in so doing his feet slipped from under him. lie managed to grasp the stanchions of two adjoining carriages with his arms, but could not obtain a grip with his hands. He was rapidly slipping beneath the wheels when his plight was noticed by two of the porters, who grasped the voting man's legs, taking the weight olf his arms, and at the same time signalling to the. I engine-driver to stop the train. Complaints have been widespread in Melbourne at the fact that there has been a string of holidays there. Some years ago Christmas Day fell on a Thursday. As the Friday was Boxing Day, and Saturday a half-holiday, ii was decided that it was no use to turn to business on Saturday morning. So Thursday. Friday, and Salurdav were, declared holidays. Since then it has been considered the correct thing in Melbourne to have four days' public hoi Ida v at Christmas. The State Departments close, and with them the banks and many other important business houses. Shopkeepers anil workmen alike have been venting their indignation at the grotesque length to which the holiday mania is being pushed—the first, because business is at a standstill, and the banks are closed ; and the others be .M use in many cases they have been deprived of a day or two days' pay. Tt is not often that one hears of an allnight fitting in connection with the business meeting of a friendly society. The annual meeting of the Orange Grand Lodge for the Middle Island was held on Monday evening last, at Dunedin. At a quarter-past ten p.m. the delegates, to the number of 70, fiat- down to a banquet provided by the Dunedin brethren, resuming in business session an hour later. Several motions for adjournment were negatived as the night wore on, but it was not till seven a.m. on Tuesday, when the business sheet was exhausted, that the Grand Lodge was closed. A patty of Wangamii gentlemen made a successful ascent of Ruapehu on Tuesday last. They encountered an unusual amount of snow, The last;. 2000 ft. o> the climb was j over snow slopes and glaciers, wherein innumerable steps had to be cut. The descent, i over the snow and ica was more difficult and dangerous, and the party were three hours on one ice face. Ice axes and ropes are indispensable for this climb. The party ascended Ngauruhoe on Wednesday morning. Tho weather was line, but very misty. They lost, their way. and had difficulty in locating a suitable ridge to ascend. The, mist became denser, giving way to driving rain and sleet. Tho wind was also unfavourable, driving tho fumes from the crater into their faces, and making the crossing of two snow slopes dangerous. The party reached the east lio of the crater, but it was impossible to obtain a view of the volcano's activity, as the sleet, combined with tsinoka from the crater, was almost overpowering, and rendered it. impossible to see more than live yards. Tho rush and roar of the crater were most, distinct. The descent was rendered practicable by piling stones every few feet near tho summit (hiring the ascent. '"It's good to be a Chinaman sometimes, J after all!" was a remark oveiheard at: the Greymouth Magistrate's Court the other day after the magistrate had convicted and discharged a Chinaman charged with a breach of the borough by-laws in riding a. bicycle ween sunset and sunrise without a light. A week before the magistrate lined several Euiopeans 10s and 7s costs for the same offence. The reason why the magistrate let the Chinaman off was because. " he did not know i~. law." "But.'' added the magistrate, "'you musn't do it again, and should warn your countrymen." A failly quiet- year is promised by Old Moore in his almanac for 1905. Hut- notwithstanding his promise he goes on to predict fires, collisions, earthquakes, cyclones. wrecks, tidal waves, assassinations, deaths of great rulers, colliery explosions .almost monthly, and a number of undefined "appalling disasters." In January—Death will reap a rich harvest of financiers, butthe general health will he good. In October —the date is not definitely fixedthere will be a royal marriage with tin American beauty, binding the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes still closer: there will be much wealth brought from the Western Republic by pretty bridal American women. Til No-vemlK-r —A miguty ruler will nass away with a suddenness which is tragic. A case in. the law courts at this time will cause much washing of aristocratic linen in public. Our Raglan correspondent writes:—The s.s. Kia Ora reached here on Sunday morning (January 1) in the face of a stiff gale, which made things very unpleasant tor the passengers and excursionists, most of whom were bound for Kawhiii, with the intention of being present at the regatta and carnival, for which a three days' programme had been advertised. lint worse treatment was in store for these holiday-seekers, for when the steamer once got alongside the Raglan Wharf the weather continued so bad that she was kept prisoner there for four days, and there was nothing else for it. but for them to resign themselves to circumstances, and make the best of the situation. Some abandoned all idea of reaching Kawhia, and took paspage by launch to Waingaro, returning thence to Auckland, via Ngaruawahia; others went overland to Waikato, and the residue waited patiently till the fury of the wind and sett abated, and allowed the steamer to proceed on her journey, which was not t ill Thursday morning. . The Kia Ora had a rough time crossing the bar as she came in on Sunday, the rudder chain having snapped. It was comparatively fine weather when she left Onehunga the previous afternoon, but she met the gale as she came down the coast, and was unable to make the harbour that night. Her passengers will have rather unpleasant recollections of how they spent the finish of the old year and the beginning of the new year. Theie. is abundant evidence (says the Southland News) to prove that a large Maori camping ground existed at a. late period in the vicinity of Otapiri Gorge. Many valuable relics have been unearthed thereabouts, and, one day last week, while harrowing, Mr. A. Jamieson turned up a greenstone ear-ring, correct iu shape, and measuring 2in by J 2 in. ,

Tho man Frank White, who was admitted to the hospital on Saturday night last, suffering from injuries to his spine, caused by falling out of a spring cart at Kiugsland, was in much the same condition as when admitted, on inquiries being made late last night-. A movement is afoot in Christ church to hold an egg-laying competition. It has been decided that the best- means of furthering the idea is to establish a. club for the whole colony, one object being the holding I of a laying emmet ii ion. A resident of I'.allaiat has had an unfortunate experience, lie holds a good position in that town, but on December 20 he was arrested and taken to Bendigo on a charge of deserting his illegitimate child. The prosecutrix, ou seeing him, however, at once declared that he was not the man wanted, although lie bore the same name, and was strikingly like him. His immediate discharge was at once granted.