LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12852, 28 April 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelson) intimated at last night's meeting of the City Council that the installation of the Mayorelect (Mr. Arthur M. Myers) would take place on Wednesday next, at noon.

At the annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Matthew's Church last evening, the Rev. W. E. Gillam complained bitterly of the practice of some of those attending the church services in placing damaged coins in the offertory boxes, and suggested that the churchwardens might put the offenders to shame by handing the "coins back to the givers.when detected, with the polite suggestion that some mistake had been made. If the vicar was not stretching the long bow, and it is hardly to be expected that the head of a. church would be guilty of so doing, it would seem that a very large proportion of the damaged coins in and about the city find their way into the -offertory boxes at St. Matthew's.

Before taking his seat.at the City Council last night, the Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelsoii) congratulated the members of the Council 011 their election. The ratepayers had endorsed the old Council's policy so well that every member who sought re-election was returned. This would be the last meeting at which he would preside, and he would congratulate them upon having Mr. Myers as 'their Mayor-elect. He came to them without' any previous municipal experience, and Mr. Myers - did the same, but he knew that the members of the Council would give their Mayor all the assistance they could, and that Mr. Myers would be a worthy occupant of the Mayoral chair.

The only nominations received to fill two vacancies on the Epsom Road Board were those of Messrs. W. R. Bloomfield and J. Edgerley, the retiring members, who have been declared duly elected. The following nominations have been received to fill three vacancies on the Remuera Road Board: — The Hon. E. Mitchelson, -Messrs. C. R«nson, I'. Spencer, T. Mahoney, and D. Fallon.

At last night's meeting of the City Council the old councillors who were members of the various committees on the last Council were temporarily reappointed to the same committees, in order to the business of the next fortnight. The permanent committees will be appointed at the next meeting. The four new. members of the Council were distributed amongst the temporary committees as follows : -—Mr. H. M. Smeeton, Finance and Legal; Messrs. A. E. Glover, li. S. Tuclehope, and R. Farrell, Streets Committee. . The Libary and the Art Gallery Committees were also reappointed temporarily.

With a view to augmenting the funds of St. Matthew's parish, the authorities have been levying a small charge on persons exploiting the tower of the new stone church, ancl some £15 lias been collected. The innovation ban, however, not been without its drawbacks, for after regaling themselves with the tine view to be obtained from the tower, numbers of visitors have marked the occasion of their visit by scribbling their names on the inner walls of the tower, much to the annoyance of the vicar (the Rev. W. E. Gillam) and the office-bearers. In order to prevent a continuance of this objectionable practice, the Rev. Gillam suggested at the annual meeting of parishioners fast night that the names of the"" offenders should lie published in the ' newspapers, and a sub-, stantial reward offered for their conviction. 'A letter from the tinker-Secretary of. Ctie Department of Justice was received by the City Council last night, enclosing copies of the riders added to the verdict by the jury at the inquest on the body or Elizabeth Foster, who was killed in a collision between a tram car and a St. Helier.s, Bay 'bus in February last. The riders of the jury were as follows:—(1) That the by-laws which regulate the vehicular traffic should be enforced on trams. (2) That motormen should pass an examination other than that of the company's officers. (3) That the Council should appoint an officer to see that the speed of the trams will not endanger public lives. (4) That a Royal Commission should be set up to inquire into the entire working of the tramways system. The letter was referred to the Streets Committee.

- - - - - A case. of some. hardship was brought} under the notice of the Grammar School Board at its meeting yesterday, when a. ,/<|J letter was read from the Hon. Colonel , % Pitt, asking for the admission of a girl named Elsie Brooke to a free place in the school. Miss Brooke passed the sixth standard at the Terrace -School, Wellington, when under 13 years of age. Titer® was no school to which she could he adhi it ted at Wellington, and she removed .. , to Auckland. By the time she arrived in Auckland she was over age. The headmaster (Mr. J. W. Tibbs) reminded the Board that the girl was over age, and could not be admitted to a free place in the school, and instanced another case where an applicant for a free place was over age by two days only, and could not be admitted. The JJoard decided to inform Miss Brooke that as she was over age, she could not be admitted.

With reference to the Auckland Electiic Tramways Company's letter to the City' Council, raising the question as to the liability for repairing the tramway track in Queen-street, owing' to subsidences in the roadway, the Streets Committee, to whom the matter was referred, made a recommendation at last night's meeting of the Council. This was that the Council decline any liability in the matter. The committee's recommendation was adopted.

It was announced at the Grammar School Board meeting yesterday that Mr. J. P. Hooton had placed the sum of £55 on investment, in order that the interest, £2 2s per annum, might be devoted to the purchase of a prize, to be called " the Eric Hooton prize," as a memorial of his son, Eric Hooton, a Grammar School boy, who was drowned in the Kaipara. The form of the prize was to be. left to the decision of the headmaster, Mr. J. W. Tibbs.

John Henry.Dunn was remanded for the piobation officer report a few days ago on a charge of obtaining from Annie Amelia Coombes £3 10s : by means of a valueless cheque. At the Police Court- yesterday Mr. Elliott, who appeared for the accused, said, in face of the unfavourable report of the probation officer, he withdrew the application for his client's treatment as a lust offender. He said the accused had express-' ed the wish that a prohibition order might be issued against him. It was only a drinking bout that had caused his client to forge the cheques. He had come to town with, £60 or £70 to his credit, and -had spent all that. The prohibition order was issued, and the Bench said that, in the face of the report, they would have to sentence the accused to three months' imprisonment.

At last night's meeting of the City Coun*! cil, Messrs. S. C. Brown and J. McLeod, tvro retired members of the Council who • did not seek re-election, as councillors, . wrote resigning their various positions oil the committee, which they held. " Th«Mayor moved that the resignations be accepted, and the ex-members be thanked for their past- services to the various com'" mittees oil which they served. Mr.' Parr said that the course the ex-councillors had taken was a creditable one. Mr. Brown was resigning on account of ill-health, but in the case of Mr. McLeod it was for adifferent- reason, and he would suggest that- Mr. McLeod's resignation be not accepted as the Council's representative on he Charitable Aid Board. Mr. McL-eod had an exceptional knowledge of this work, and he moved that lie lie asked to retain his position on the Charitable Aid Board. The motion was seconded by Mr. Court, aud supported by Messrs. Bagnall, Casey, and Knight. The Mayor withdrew his motion, and Mr. Parr's motion was carried unanimously. .... The Auckland Weekly Nf.wj,- now issued, deals with a. remarkable variety of sub-, jects, and contains some striking pictures of events of both local and wide general in-, terest. Of immediate local interest will -be the excellent series of views of the Auckland' volunteer Easter manoeuvres, which concluded on Monday at Takapuna; the Auckland ' Racing Club's Autumn Meeting, Auckland - • Electric Tramways Company's annual picnic, and tbe Mayoralty contest for Auckland City. Of wider interest at the present time will be the striking double-page of pictures of Russia's Baltic fleet in Eastern waters, and some of the Russian naval leaders. The warships include most of th« vessels which will take part in the impend- f ing great naval battle wftli Japan, and tha picture conveys some idea of the strength of the fleet upon which the Russian hopes are centred. Other current events dealt * s with include the recent destructive fire at Wanganui, and the Presbyterian Bible Class Union's Easter camp at Wellington. Industrial and scenic views comprise some excellent scenes on the North Island Main Trunk railway route, which show the works - m progress at both northern and southern extensions, and some beautiful views in both North and South Islands.

At the meeting of the Crown Lauds Board yesterday the Commissioner (Mr. James Mackenzie) referred to the fact that certain swamp lands were taken up by men who ... were often not bona-fide settlers. Some of . S.i them merely applied for it because of th« flax growing upon it, and' for future specula* ; i tion, and avoided the conditions of tin Lands for Settlement Act by applying for exemption from residence, and extension of , time to fulfil the improvement conditions,' urging in support that' the state of that ground made'it impossible for one to liv» ' If on- it, and often equally impossible for a selector to drain it. Suck ease's, said th» ' ' Commissioner, were difficult to deal with, as the excuses were reasonable,'although it was often clear that genuine settlement had never been intended." He suggested that ' • wherever practicable drainage should preoed« the offering of this class of land for selection. ~ • : The cases before the Board, which were ol old standing, would have to be considered on their merits. lii most- ov the cases the ques- , tion? of residence and improvements were postponed for six months. .. 'V J Messrs. John Burns and Co. have written' to Superintendent Woolley, ,of the Auckland Fire Brigade, enclosing a. cheque for£lo 10s, as a, token of theii appreciation of the brigade's promptness in suppressing the- -V • recent lire in their warehouse. The letter' - states that '"a law minutes more and our warehouse would have been entirely destroyed. Wf consider that it was saved by your prompt arrival and action." A small boy named Willie Bulcraig, of Queen-street, Onehuuga, met with a. sever* N accident yesterday afternoon. . Ho . £■' riding;a! .horse from, the paddock, . wheit - two l bovs threw stones at the animal, with-see-the _ result that he boy • was - -thrown- *-V<! '«. ,h#aysy to the ground. - Willing assistance •.« yi : "- was forthcoming immediately, and t-ha - boy was removed to his home. ' Dr. W. G. , ,> Scott was sent for, and after examination X discovered that the left arm was badly fractured above the elbow. The injured _ _ member was set, and the lad is doing- as 'well as.can be expected. - ; '■*' - Our Matakana correspondent writes:—- - »' The contemplated closing of the dairy factory . *' J has now taken place at a much earlier date*' * than intended, chiefly owing to the long * n* > £§! drought. , ... A decree nisi was made absolute vester* | || fl-iyyby Mr. Justice Edwards in the divorce, case of Johanna Angus v. Alexander Angus. Probate was granted in the deceased estates 01 Neil Andrew Anderson and John Moore- • f-

A farmer named Robert Bilkey, residing at Buckland, was admitted to the hospital yesterday, suffering from a crushed thumb. His hand was caught in a. seed-drill. A partial Kvnpiitation of the thumb was found necessary. "

A sailor named Neilson, employed on the, e.s. Marere, was admitted to the hospital yesterday suffering from serious injuries, the result of falling into the vessel's hold. His head is very badly injured, and last night his condition was very grave.

A Press Association telegram received from Christchurch last night , states: — Mr. W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, will deliver a, political address at the Theatre Royal 011 Monday night. He visited' Sheffield to-day, and will go to Akaroa to-morrow, in thr, company of Mr. R. H. Rhodes, member for the district. Mr. Massey returns to town on Saturday.

At Went worth (N.S.W.) recently Henry Wren, a military veteran, was presented with medals in recognition of services rendered in the Crimean war with the 17th Lancers. and during the Indian Mutiny with the 12th Lancers, as private, to replace the originals, which were stolen from him. The ceremony was performed at the Courthouse by Mr. l. F. Butler, police magistrate, who congratulated the old warrior oh the position he evidently held in the eves of the War Office, as no trouble had been spared to replace the Tallied tokens. Wren, who is an old age pensioner, was heartily cheered as he left the Courthouse.

A recommendation was before the City Council last night, from the Stieets Committee with reference to a proposal of the city engineer that the footpath in Short-lund-street, from Queen-street, to the east side of the post office, should be paved with mineral asphalte, at a cost of £127. and High-street, from .Shortlaiwl-street to the lise in the grade, at a cost of £174, The committee recommended that Highstreet. from Short land-street as far as the grade will permit, be paved with mineral asphalte. at the contractor's schedule price, £174, and that the remainder of Highstreet- Vulcan Lane, Durham-street East and West, O'CoHuell-street. and Chanceiyslreet be paved with concrete and Coroinandel granite sets, the city engineer to report the cost. The secoud part of the committee's recommendation was referred back for further consideration. An offer from the Neuckatel Asphalte Company to pave the Shortland-street footpath for the distance named, at 8s 6d per square yard, was accepted on the same committee's recommendation.

The newspaper postage to British North Borneo and Labuaa lias been reduced to Id per paper, irrespective of weight.

Commenting on the Premier's speech at Pahiatua, the Christchurch Press says: — "Mr. Seddon twitted Mr. Massev with not knowing that one of the reforms the latter was advocating was already the law of the laud. Mr. Massey had said that the Opposition would extend the Advances to Settlers Act t< towns and cities, and Mi. Seddon pointed out that the Act of 1389 already made provision for this. I r does, in a fashion. Sub-section sof section 12 runs, foi instance, as follows: —'In the case of urban. or suburban laud, on which no buildings exist, tie amount of the loan shall not exceed one-half of the value of the laud, and *o loam shall be granted except for the eWctioH of buildings on the laud. That is to say that a working man who has bought a quarter-acre section at, say, £80 and wants to put up a £3CO or £400 house on it, can actually borrow £40 for the purpose. if the Department will lend him so much. It usually has it* own opinion of the value of land, and the borrower might find his section was valued only at £60 for lending purposes. He would, therefore, get £30. paid in instalments as the work of building proceeded, towards the cost of his home. What ,Mr. Massey wants is the adopt by the Advances to Settlers' Department of the building society principle, hv which a borrower could get some more substantial assistance than a paltry £30 towards building his house."

At the Broken Hill Quarter Sessions a camel-driver named Meer Raz Gool was arraigned ou two charges of shooting Gunny Khan with intent to' murder him, and, on a second count-, with shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Accused pleaded not guilty. Considerable interest was manifested in. the case, and quite a cloud of turbaned countrymen of the principals hovered about the precincts of the Court. 'The Crown case was (hat early on the night of December 26 some man concealed in the vicinity of the house occupied by Gunny Khan, tired at the latter while he was entering his gate. Inquiries made elicited the information that the..accused, a recent, arrival at Broken Hill, had been seen seveial times with a revolver, and had told one Gool 'Mahomet that he had bee* promised £500 by his countrymen at Hergott Springs if lie shot Gunny Khan. After a few minutes' retirement, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty, and accused was. acquitted.

During a discussion on the coloured labour question at the Chamber of Commerce, Conference in Sydney, reference was made by a Queensland delegate to the sugar industry, and the continuance of a bouus on white grown sugar for 10 years. A South Australian representative objected to the conference dealing with t.he matter at all, as it was purely an affair for the State most concerned'. It was no use experimenting with a 'bonus, for the evidence showed that white labour is impossible in the northern part of Australia. . "No bonus," he said. " can sustain the industry, it can only soothe its dying moments."

Speaking at a smoke concert, given by the Victorian Employers' Federation at Melbourne, Mr. K. K. Smith said it was belter to spend a little moiev in organisation than to pour out thousands of pounds in law costs, as had been doae by the employers Lu New South -Wales since the Arbitration Act hud come into force. Mr. It. S. Walpole said a certain gentleman, who would be nameless, had recently put forwaid a scheme for a. national democratic association for the purpose of fighting on the lines of. anti-socialism. As citizens of the Commonwealth, they wanted to ascertain what that, gentleman's • policy was before they subscribed to it... They bad a right, to know. He believed, with Mr. Bruce Smith, that the people of this country wanted, "dot'a. passive policy, 'but a programme of an ' active character, which would wholly or partly erase some of the legislative-blots from our national records.

A hive of bees which had been robbed of their honey and brought in from the bush and placed in a box. attacked the fowls on Mr. G. H. Hawkins' premises at Goroke, Victoria, as they were running about in. trie yard, killing four of them, aud maiming about 2,0 more. So savage were the bees that it, was only by catching the fowl] one at a time, beating the bees off them, and placing them in a covered 'box, that any at ' all were saved. From the comb of one Minorca hen as many as 50 bee stings weie afterwards extracted.

|pw There were live persons in the lockup last night,-three of whom were charged with drunkenness, one With obscene language, and H ■ one With tiiefC. mm- i