LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12826, 28 March 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tiif.rk were two alarms of fire last evenin;,', due to burning scrub. The first was received by the City Brigade shortly before eight o'clock, and the call was to Edwinstreet, Newton, where some gorse was found to be ablaze. The- fire was in the centre of a thickly-built -neighbourhood, nearly all the houses in the vicinity being of wood. Superintendent Woolley considered that the fire was dangerous in the circumstances. The brigade used a plentiful supply of water, and thoroughly extinguished the fire. The second outbreak was at Clifton Road, Parnell, where some garden rubbish was found to be on fire on a. vacant allotment. The Parnell Fire Brigade was quickly in attendance, but their services were scarcely necessary, except for the protection of buildings in the neighbourhood. The fire was quickly put/ out.

The Hekaxd Summary, for transmission by the next outward San Francisco mail, will be published to-morrow morning. Those desirous of forwarding the Summary to their friends in Europe, America, etc., will have ample time to do so, as the newspaper mail closes on Friday next, at 12 noon, up to which hour papers for mailing may be obtained of runners at the post office. This mail will be due in London on April 29.

The estimates prepared by the secretary of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (Mr. Garland) for the year 19050, gives the receipts from all sources as £27,140, the principal items being the local bodies' contributions and subsidies, amounting to £19,752. The chief items of estimated expenditure are: Hospital maintenance £13,500, Costley Home maintenance £6000, aud charitable aid £4100.

Much anxiety is being caused by tho scarcity of water (writes our Mamaku. correspondent), this season) being the driest so far recorded in the history of the settlement. Some of the settlers have been compelled to move their stock to places where tho necessary water is available; and now householders are beginning to wonder how they will manage to get along if rain does not soon fall, many people having been for some time past dependent on the good nature of neighbours who are fortunate enough to be the owners of plenty of tanks or large cisterns. A heavy fall of rain would he welcomed by everyone.

A boating party bad a narrow escape from drowning in the Tauranga Harbour on Thursday afternoon. A squall capsized the boat, in which were two ladies and two gentlemen. The ladies were helped on to the keel of the boat, while one of their escort (Mr. E. Mcßoberfcs) set out to swim for the shore to look for a boat or assistance. After a long swim he was seen and picked up by the natives, who, on hearing of the predicament of the other members of the party, at once went to their assistance. The party was rescued after an hour's suspense, and most hospitably treated by the Maoris, who enabled them to return home next morning.

Mr. Robert William Dyer, who takes Mr. T. Hutchison's place as stipendiary magistrate for Auckland, commenced his duties by presiding over yesterday's sitting of the Police Court. Mr. Dyer has until lately been registrar of deeds at Invercargill. He will also act as chairman of the eight licensing districts around Auckland.

At the conclusion of the meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council last evening, a special meeting was held) for the purpose of considering the borough building by-law. The Mayor thought it better to go through the by-laws, and decide that every building to be erected in the borough must be of certain dimensions. Mr. Rowe was quite prepared to stand by the by-law, which he maintained was good, and made every provision for unsightly or "thrown together" buildings, while the town, clerk designated it the best by-law the borough ever had. On the motion of Mr. Rish worth, it was agreed to consult the borough solicitors, and refer the by-law to them.

The charges of assault which Mr. W. Richardson has preferred against the Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelson), Inspector Cullen, and Mr. P. J. Nerheny (president of the Auckland branch of the Liberal a.nd Labour Federation) were called on before Mr. S. B. McCarthy, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Tho case against Mr. Mitehelson was proceeded with, and tho case for the prosecution lasted the greater part of tho day. Mr. Martin (Mr. Mitchelson's counsel) then opened the ease foo the defence, and the hearing was adjourned until this morning. It is expected that the three cases will last over several days. A full report of yesterday's proceedings appears in another column.

The Huddart-Parker steamer Zealandia left for Sydney last evening with a. large number of passengers, and a considerable quantity of general cargo. Included in the shipments from Auckland were three boxes and 18 bars bullion, valued at £14,100, shipped by the Waihi Gold Mining Company through to London; and! lines of frozen fish, hides, ore, etc., for Australian porta.

The farms in Mangere are bearing a thoroughly parched appearance at present, and rain is sorely needed. Many residents have to cart water, while cattle have to be driven to the springs. Last Saturday the grass was accidentally set on fire on the side of the road near Mr. McKenzie's farm at Ascot, near Ihunmtao, and before it was beaten out over 10 chains of fencing wa? totally destroyed. The grassy swamp on the same larm on which many sheep graze has also been burning.

The Leader ■■ of the Opposition; • Mr W. F. Massey, M.H.R.,- will reply to the Premier on Wednesday evening, at t] l6 Auckland Drill Hall, and at tho close of the address, if time permit, ,he, ir will answer questions. Ho stated to ? friendV "I . have answered question* while on my I Northern trip, and lam prepared, to reply ' to questions on Wednesday night if the .v electors wish it." The amount received by the City Council * from the Electric Tramways Company' as license fees for cars, motormen, and con-' ductors for the current year was £294. The ? cost of collection was 10 per cent., leaving a nett balance of £264 12s. The amount . has been allocated as follows by the City Council amongst .the various municipal bodies of the district, the basis of apportionment being that of population : —City, ' £168 6s Id ; Grey Lynn, £24 9s 8d; Parnell, £21 16s 9d: Devonport, £21 3s sd; Onehunga, £13 8s 6d; Newmarket, £9 lis 6d; Birkenhead, £5 16s Id. On aletter enclosing a cheque for Grey Lynn's proportion being read at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, the Mayor (Mr. J. Farrell) said that the acknowledgment by the City Council of the suburban bodies' rights was due to the action of the Grey Lynn Council, by whom the question had been' first raised.

On Sunday the crew of the yacht Thetis, while cruising off Waiheke, fell in with a very large shark cruising around., After some little time the shark was hooked, but it- took considerable labour, to get it out of the water on to the deck of the yaeh',. The shark measured loft bin. The waters in the gulf are at present infested with these monsters.

An inquest will be held by the coroner (Mr. Gresham) this morning, on the body of Eric Thompson, aged 18 months, who died at half-past four'a;m. yesterday, at Mrs. Moran's licensed home, Sussex-street. The child had been attended by a doctor since the 20th iast. ' .'

The employees of Messrs. R. H. Abbott and Co. held their annual picric on Saturday last, at East Tamaki. An enjoyable time was spent. A number of races were' run, and some keen, contests resulted. The cricket match created much interest, and an exciting finish took place, a. draw being the result, each side making 38 runs. Mrs. 11. 11. Abbott presented a pair of handsome gold, sleeves links as first prize in the 150 yds handicap, which was won by J, A. McDonnell (10yds start). It appears that the ghost joke has been revived at Birkenhead. 'As a Dcvonnort resident was on Lis way.through the lower township of Birkenhead shortly after seven o'clock last night he saw someone clothed in ■. ['■ a sheet, who was evidently playing the ghost. He at once gave chase, the ghost taking to his heels aud gel ting away. Practical joking of this kind may lead to serious consequences, and the sooner it is- stopped the better, ... " ..._.:.': . ' : .: A letter has been received from. Commissioner of Police by the Grey Lynn Borough Council, in reply to a communication as to the need of greater police protection '• • in that borough. The Commissioner slates that arrangements will be made as soon as ,: possible to comply with the Council's request. A letter to the same effect has been received by Mr. G. Fowlds, M.H.R., from the Minister for Justice. The committee told off to investigate the' complaints made to the Premier by -~" the old men at the Whangarei OldMen's Home paid a '.'surprise visit^stutr 1 ""-'-■-, the place on Saturday afternoon, and found the old men at dinner. The committee sat ; T down and partook of the meal, which they ''.: found not only well cooked, but lit for anyone. At the close of the investigation ', the chief complainers were severely repri- ---„; manded, and told to find other quarters. ' The Hospital Committee of the Auckland Charitable Aid Board has reported to the district health officer (Dr. Frengley)' that a female patient recently left the hos- ■ pital against the advice of the resident medical officers. " " At a special ■ meeting, of the • Parflell ' School Committee, last evening, it -was-de- , :' cided to recommend to -the Board of Education the appointment of Miss Jane E. Collins (now mistress of the Taupiri school) -: ! to the position of assistant-teacher to fill i the vacancy caused by the promotion of J j Miss Jones.

At the Waihi Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs. T. ■ Gilmore and R. Holmes, J.P.'s, a man named Kenneth Morrison was charged with theft of the sum of £5 lis 6d, on or about the Ist inst. The accused was undefended',' and pleaded not "guilty. Sergeant 'Sheehatf prosecuted, and stated that accused was one of a party engaged under the co-operativec system on the Waihi-Paeroa railway.' On March 1 accused received as payment for work don« by the party the sum of £21 lis from the engineer in charge. He had, however, failed, notwithstanding repeated demands, to pay the sum of £5 lis 6d to .Charles Sergeant, the third member of the party, who was justly entitled to/that sum, being onethird of the amount coming to them. He understood, however, that the sum of £1 8s 6d had since been - paid, -to, Sergeant by the accused. After evidence had been taken to show that "Sergeant should, have received his full amount of one-third of the £21 lis, it was announced by Sergeant " Sheehan that accused's mate, Mulcahey, had offered to pay the amount into Court. This the Bench agreed to, and after warning the accused, entered a con-, viction and discharged him. . ' . .

Our South Taranaki correspondent writes: — representative meeting of members of ,'>; V tho Farmers' Union in the Hawera district was held last week at Hawera, to discuss the advisability or otherwise of nominating a-""~"~ candidate at the forthcoming election. After ||| a considerable amount of discussion, it was resolved that., in tie opinion of this meeting, it be a recommendation to the.provincial exe- ' : cutive that the Fanners' Union in the Ha-wera-district nominate no candidate. Tho Kaponga branch of the union came to tho same decision.

On Saturday night Mr. W. Grant's residence in Mill Road, about a mile from Paeroa, caught fire, and before the flames could be extinguished the kitchen and storeroom were destroyed.

On Sunday afternoon Mr. A. Carter'* barn and stables at Kamo were burned down (writes our Whangarei correspondent). Mr. Carter is a heavy loser.

The following is the state of. His Majesty's prison, Auckland, for the week ending March 25:—On remand, 9 males; awaiting trial, 10 males; penal servitude for life, 2 males; hard labour, 205 males, 22 females; imprisonment, 1 male; default of bail, 1 male ; received during the week, 32 males, 5 females ; discharged, 21 males, 4 females: total in prison, 228 males, 22 females.

Two little girls named Lipscomb vert' drowned in the Wolotulily River (X.S.VV.L The parents ol the children reside near the river. The deceased were playing on the bank, and the supposition is that one fell in and the other made an attempt to rescue her. - ■> - •',