LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12909, 4 July 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The members of the New Zealand Rugby football team for England, who play in Australia prior to leaving for the Old Country, left for Sydney by the steamer Victoria last evening. Mr, Neil Galbraith, lion, treasurer of the New Zealand Union, goes as manager. Members of the Auckland Rugby Union Committee, and a large number of football enthusiasts and personal friends of the players, were on the wharf, and took leave of the team. Hearty cheers were given for the departing footballers as the steamet moved off. The team, which plays three matches in Australia—the first on Saturday next, against New South Wales —consists of the following players: — Messrs. Roberts, Wallace, Glenn, Gillett, O'Sullivan, Hunter (captain)), Glasgow, Thomson, Mynott, McGregor, Johnston, Booth, Casey, McDonald, Corbett, Nicholson, "Smith, and Seeling. Thomson, who received an injury to his left leg in the match New Zealand v. Auckland on Saturday, was about again yesterday, and should thoroughly recover the use of tin limb before the team reaches Sydney.

An important announcement regarding the procedure at inquests upon tramway fatalities was made by the coroner (Mr. T. Gresham) ■ at the hospital yesterday, while conducting an inquiry upon the body of Edward Jones, who was killed by being knocked down by a tramcar near the Royal Oak Hotel on Friday evening. Mr. Gresham said that in order to avoid unnecessarily protracted inquiries upon tramcar cases over which he might preside, he would,, when counsel applied for leave to watch the proceedings on behalf of their several clients, adopt the following courses: (1) After the jury had viewed the body the inquiry would always be adjourned for a week, or, more; and (2) counsel would be requested to lay their briefs of evidence before the police, who would decide as to what evidence it was necessary to ■ call, subject to any special evidence which the coroner might decide to hear. In adopting this course he said it would prevent matters being discussed in the Coroner's Court which should not be discussed there at all, as in the case of Mrs. Foster, who was killed in the collision in Symonds-strect.

The work of compiling the Parliamentary electoral rolls for Auckland East, West, and Central is well in hand. Already the preliminary rolls for Auckland East and Auckland Central have been completed, and/may be inspected at the registrar's office, Government Buildings, Custom-street. The registrar (Mr. E. H. Montgomery) and his staff are now working upon the preliminary roll for Auckland West-, which it is expected will be finished some time this week. A house-to-house canvass will then be madia

in each of the three city, electorates for the purpose of correcting existing mistakes, and bringing in all fresh claims for enrolment.

An inquest was conducted by the coroner (Mr. T. Gresliam), at the Newton Hotel, yesterday afternoon, into the circumstances surrounding the death of a married woman named Sarah O'Halloran, which took place at her residence in North-street, rather suddenly, on Sunday morning. Evidence was called to show that when the deceased retired with her husband on Saturday evening, she appeared to be in good health. At about half-past four on Sunday morning she started coughing, and when her husband spoke to her, and received no reply, he became alarmed. On striking a match he found that she was dead, and he immediately communicated with the police, who rang up Dr. King. Dr. King said that when he arrived upon the scene lie found that the woman was dead, and had been so for about an hour. As he could find no external evidence as to the cause of death, he conducted a post-mortem examination. This showed that death was due to fatty embolism of the heart, which was rather large, fatty, and flabby. Otherwise there was little wrong with the woman. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

The new steamer built by Mr. C. Bailey, jun., to the order of the Union Steam Ship Company, for service at Gisborne as a tender for the company's steamers visiting that port, will bo launched from the builders' yards, Custom-street West, at eight o'clock this morning.

Between three, and four o'clock to-morrow morning there will be a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, in which the planets will be separated by two degrees and a-half of arc. As these planets are now easily visible at seven a.m., there will be no difficulty in seeing the occurence, as by that time the two planets, will not have separated appreciably.

Yesterday morning, while Messrs. Allen (who is on the staff of the National Bank at Waihi) and S. Hamna (assistant borough clerk) were driving to Waihi from Paeroa, the vehicle, a two-wheeler, came to grief. After traversing a few miles of the journey the horse bolted, and the two. young men were jolted out, but escaped injury. A little further on the runaway horse was brought to a standstill, and catching up to the horse and top Messrs. Allen and Banna resumed their journey. On reaching the hill at the foot of which is Doherty's Creek, the animal started to play up, and bolted down the hill and across the creek, the horse, sulky, and men being thrown over the embankment at a point; about 50 yards from the creek. A box of money to the value, it is understood, of £3000, which was lying at the bottom of the vehicle, also went tumbling down the embankment. The two young men extricated themselves, and had the good fortune to escape with slight bruises and a few scratches.

Some little amusement was caused at the meeting of the Pamell Borough Council last evening, when the applications for the position of ponndkeeper and dog registrar were being considered. In one reference read, the applicant was said to be "fairly honest." In another the candidate expressed his willingness to reside in "Parnell City" if appointed; while another gave as a recommendation the fact that he had served in the South African war.

At the meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council last night the question of the oyster beds was considered. As Dr. Frenglcy had reported that it was only courting fever to eat oysters off the beds in the Manukau Harbour, to the east of the Mangere bridge, and as he desired the Council to move in the matter, it was decided to ask the Government to close down the beds. a$ they are ai menace to the public health*

The funeral of the late Mr. Wm. Clarksom - ' look place in the Papakura Presbyterian M cemetery on July 1. There was a large at- ' ' ; tendance of friends and settlers, including "M a number from the surrounding districts? The Rev. T. A. Nome, of Pokeno, officiat-' ed at the grave, where, he delivered a suita'ble -address, and referred to the deceased's long connection with lie Presbyterian Church. The late Mr. Clarkson having ex-' pressed a wish previous to his death°thafci the hymn " Shall We Gather at the River''' be sung at his grave, 'this was accordingly done, the whole assemblage joining in the well-known hymn, The chief mourners • were the deceased's son,. Mr. William Clark- " son, and brothers, Messrs. George and David Clarkson, brothers-in-law Messrs. E.."' ■ 11. Solomon, T. Bennett, 1"). Robertson, • and neph'ew Mr. J. Jackson.—[Own Correspondent.]

There has been an outbreak of diphtheria at Birkenhead. During last week one child died at Chelsea, and one at Birkdalc, and there are several children. dangerously ill.

An important deal in valuable city freehold . property was effected , yesterday,' Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Evvcn (ware?' housemen) purchased from Messrs. J. Roherton and Co. the block of land containing rather over a-quarter of au acre, with building, situated on the southern side' of Dur-ham-street East, and immediately above the rear portion of the. film's warehouse. The block, which also has a frontage to' Durham Lane, lias been secured with a view to the future extension required) of Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Ewen's premises. Tim' price at which the.property changed hands has not been disclosed. ' . ' '.

An alteration has been made by the Auckland City Council in the system of leasing city reserves. In the past; these

reserves, in common with lands held underV ; similar conditions by other local. bodies, ' have been leased for terms extending from ' ■■' 33 to 99 years, and in many cases without'' 'V valuation for improvements effected, and ' in other instances with only.a'small proportion of the valuation. The Council lias ■ adopted as a basis. of leasing the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act,. 1900, which permit of a lease for a term not exceeding 21 years, with two provisos. ': The first provides that the lessee may!. prior to the expiration of the .existing.term':'.'' have a new lease for a further term not exceeding 21 years '.(arid containing the ' ' same covenant as the existing lease), at a 'i rent to be fixed by valuation. .The alterna- -V tive provides that prior to the expiration ■ '.' of the existing lease the new lease for a further term not exceeding 21 years (containing the same covenant), shall be put up to public auction at the upset price of ■ the annual value of the land only, as fixed by valuation, and subject to any. new in-- . I coming lessee paying the outgoing lessee ' the value of the buildings and improve-V ' ments as fixed by valuation. This 'is popularly known as the Glasgow form of lease, ' and is in great favour in southern parts of ,- ' the colony. Under it the lessee' gets the ' full benefits of any improvements made on his leasehold during the currency of the lease, and full valuation should he permit : the lease to terminate under the second

option. The first sale' of leases of city reserves under the new conditions takes place next Friday, when reserves in Pon- 1 ,- sonby Road, Wakefield-street, Grafton Read, and Hereford-street (off Karangahape Road), will be offered for said V public auction.

The coroner (Mr. T. Gresham) conducted : an inquest at the hospital yesterday mom- ' : : ' ing upon/the body of Edward Jones, v/ho'' was killed by being knocked down by a tram- '' car near the Royal Oak Hotel at a late hour,'''' on Friday evening. Evidence was given to ''' show that the deceased's eyesight and hearing were defective, it being suggested that;',''" he probalbly missed Iris way in trying to get; back to the Oostley Home, where was an.- % inmate. A passenger upon the car, a carter" V;' named Frank Stephen Fraser, aid that; ' while sitting inside the car he saw some-' . thing move in front upon the rails. The. car was then travelling at the rate of eight j miles an hour. As soon as he saw the' • object in front of the car he felt the applies/ tion of the emergency brake, which brought- v' the car to a standstill. On going outsiderhe found that the deceased' had been struck by the car and thrown clear of the rails. /

Dr. Dudley, who attended the deceased shortly after the accident, said that death was due to a fracture of the skull. It was

not deemed necessary to call the rnotonnan. The jury t returned a verdict of accidental death. Mr. Cotter watched the proceedigs on behalf of the Tramways Company.

During the next few months the usual' winter.service will be in operation in con-' nection with steamers between Onehunga, and New Plymouth. Mails will therefore, be sent from Auckland on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, in lieu of : daily, except Saturdays, as during the sum--mer months. In.the opposite direction mails will be received on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, in lieu of daily. except Mondays.

The small steamer Naumai, belonging to the fleet of the Northern Union Steamboat Company, met with an accident to her shaft : off the lighthouse, Kaipara Heads/, on Saturday morning last, and had to anchor. Distress signals were displayed, and were observed from the steamer Kawau, which was on her usual trip from Dargaville to Helensville at the time. Captain Pearce, of the Kawau, went to the assistance of the disable! steamer, and towed her to Helensville.

Mr. P. M. Hansen, managing director of the Auckland Electric Tramways Company, has been advised by the London board of directors that the proposals in connection with the extension of the service to the Mount Ecler district 'are under consideration. It is expected that something definite will be heard touching the intention of the directors with regard to the service by tin next English mail.

The strawberry-growers in the Birkenhead, Northcote, Birkdale, and Mayfield districts have been taking advantage of the fine weather of the past few days to push on with the important work of planting,which is greatly in arrear owing to the unfavourable weather of the past mouth. The area planted this season is about the average.

Our Coromandel correspondent states that a man named J. Harris, suffering from appendicitis, was carried from Matamataharakeke, 16 miles across the ranges, by a number of his mates, to the Coromandel Hospital. '

An interim dividend at the rate of sis: per cent, per annum has been declared upon both preference and ordinary shares in His Majesty's Arcade and Theatre Company, and is now payable at the office of the company, Bank of New Zealand Buildi»8«>: Queen-street.

State of His Majesty's prison, Auckland for the week ending July 1:— Awaiting trial,, 12 males; penal servitude for life, tuea males; hard labour, 167 males, 18 females; imprisonment, one male; default of call* two mate, one female; received during th» week, 14 males, one female; discharged, 1* males; total in prison, 185 males, ■19 '** males. : V

There was in the lockup last night «M $mon charged with assault.