LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12931, 29 July 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

We publish in to-day's Supplement the first of a series of articles specially contributed to the Herald by Dr. W. H. Fitchett, author of " Deeds That Won the Empire," "Fights for the Flag," etc. Dr. Fitchett is at present on a visit to America and Europe, and his- articles will deal with men and things abroad'. The first of the; series gives a very interesting and graphic account 'of the class of passengers which the writer met travelling , by the "All Red Route." Dr. Fitchett mentions that several New " Zealanders were among , the passengers, "all going to a country where the farmer gets the freehold of the land he clears and cultivates, for," he adds, "tho discontent in New Zealand with the leasehold system, if inarticulate, is both deeper and wider . than New Zealand legislators realise or will admit."

Oil Thursday • Mr. John Mathieson, the well-known contractor, sustained a very nasty accident through being knocked down by a bolting horse 'in Custom-street. The horse struck him on the shoulder, and the wheel of the' cart passed'over his body, breaking a rib, and causing internal injuries. Mr. Mathieson was taken into the ; ironmongery, store of Messrs. John Bums and Co., where lie was attended to by Dr. Gore Gillon, and afterwards removed to his home in Shelly Beach Road.

The Herald Summary, for transmission by the next, outward San Francisco mail, Will be published next Wednesday 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 bo due in London on September 2.

The Police Commission, consisting of Messrs. H. W. Bishop, S.M., and J. W. Poynton, commenced their sittings in Auckland at the Supreme Court Buildings yesterday morning. The proceedings were watched by a large number of detectives and constables, who comprised the audience.,. Inspector Cullen, Sub-Inspector Black,, and a number of sergeants gave evidence. The proceedings are reported at length elsewhere. It is . probable that several complaints will be made by private individuals on Monday morning.

A cool robbery was 'perpetrated in broad daylight in Queen-street yesterday. A man entered the doorway of the shop of Mr. Cyprian Hannah and snatched up a' case containing watches and ' jewellery. Then he bolted down the street. A hue and cry was raised, and the people began the chase, and in the meantime the thief was running at his hardest. Constable Hammersly joined in the pursuit, and effected the arrest of a man named Francis Mitchell. ' The case and its contents, which are valued at £23, were recovered.

An English mail, via Suez, which left Loudon on Juno 23, is due at Auckland from Sydney by the Zealandia to-morrow. :

An old man named Henry Slades Eades died suddenly at Henderson yesterday morning. The deceased, who was 64- years of age, and had been in feeble health for some time, lived with Mr. Cramvell. After making inquiries, the coroner lias decided that an inquest is not necessary.

The coroner (Mr. T. Gresham) conducted an. inquest fit the hospital yesterday upon the death of the young man, Francis Abraham ■ Clements Rose; who shot himself with a revolver some days ago, and subsequently died at the hospital. ' 'Evidence was given by Dr. Jones, who said he was called to the Thames Hotel on Tuesday last, and found the deceased lying in a bedroom with a bullet wound in his forehead, 'and powder marks on the skin. Rose was alive, but in a very critical condition, and . was removed, to the hospital. John Henry Rose, a Waihi miner, and a brother of the deceased, stated that deceased was injured in the Waihi mine some: months ago, , but knew of no reason why he should have taken his life. The evidence of Edward Henry Holt went to show that the deceased had been ailing for some time, and on occasions seemed to be rather despondent, Bernard Luks, . son of the licensee of the Thames Hotel, said that deceased appeared to suffer considerably from his back. On Tuesday, about one o'clock, witness was informed that the deceased had nob got up, and that his door was locked. He accordingly gained admission by means of the fire-escape, and found deceased lying on the bed, and a revolver in the middle of the floor. The police and a doctor were at once communicated with, arid the man taken to the hospital. Dr. -Aitkin, "physician at the hospital, gave evidence as to the deceased's admission and subsequent death, the cause of which was injury to the brain, the result qf a bullet' wound. The jury returned a verdict of suicide during temporary mental derangement.

V The' opening chapters of a new , serial story, "A Bitter Harvest," by -Caroline Hastings, author of " The Cross of Circumstance," "For the Sake of One Woman," and other popular stories, will be found in to-day's Supplement; The story is ably, written, and contains much interesting adventure and a strong vein of love and romance running through it will make it popular with a large number of readers. The second instalment will be given on Monday, : and thereafter the story will be continued daily in the columns 'of the New Zealand Herald.

On Monday evening, at eight o'clock, Professor F. D. Brown will deliver a popular lecture at the Auckland Institute, Princesstree;, on " Alcohol as a Fuel." The lecture will be open to the general public, and numerous experimental illustrations will be given. The subject is one to which much attention lias been given of late, and will doubtless. attract a large audience of members and others.

His Honor Mr. Justice Edwards held a Chamber sitting of the Supreme Court yes-; terday, and granted . probate in the following estates of deceased persons:— Clow (Mr. Clayton), Alfred Benedict Tickell (Mr. Griffiths), John O'Donnell (Mr. Napier), Margaret, Ross (Mr. Stewart), Benjamin Jones (Mr. Gri'bbin), Major James Gay (Mr. Newton), Nicholas Henry Julian (Mr. Guilliam), and . John Goonan (Mr. Stewart). On the application of the official assignee an ordei was mad© for the taxation of costs re James Sherley. . Oh the motion of Mr. Skelton an order was made to enter up judgment in the case of Mathews versus Atkinson. '

At the annual meeting of the congregation of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Ghuroh last evening, Mr. G. J. Garland, in touching on matters relating to the hall recently erected, said that he could let the building more frcquenty if it was thought fit that it should be used for' dancing purposes, but he had not done bo because he felt" that the congregation would not approve of such a course. Mr. John Reid was evidently not entirely in sympathy with Mr. Garland, and pointed out that quite apart from the financial aspect it seemed that those who indulged in dancing derived a' good. deal of pleasure from it. After he had suggested that the question- of letting, church halls should be referred to the general assembly in the form of an overture for their decision thereon, the matter was allowed to drop.

; The Rev. Flynn Anderson, chaplain to H.M. forces, who has been for th& last five years in South Africa, in the course of a lecture at Wellington, which was presided i over by the Premier, strongly denounced the introduction of Chinese into that country.- They had : displaced native labour, of which there was plenty, and he hinted that there' might be grave-difficult ties with th© native population in consequence.

.At a meeting of the Cambridge Borough' Council on Thursday the Mayor gave notice 'of motion as follows: —" That the necessary steps be taken for raising a loan of £12,500, as follows:— Kerbing and' asphalting ; Duke-street East, and Victoriastreet Last, for the full:width, as far as Victoria Square, and asphalting two miles of other streets to a width of 21ft, £2000 installation of gasworks, £5000; public hall, library, and municipal buildings, £3000; waterworks extension, £1000; drainage, £1000; saleyards, £500; total', £12,500. The Mayor also moved, and Mr. 01 bole seconded, "That Messrs. Ferguson, Wilkinson, M. Bunyard (engineer), and the mover, be a committee to consider the practicability, etc., of the scheme, and th© amounts set opposite each item." This was carried.

Our Thames correspondent announces the death of Mr. Henry Murphy, youngest son of.; the late . Sergeant Murphy, ' which took place. at his mother's residence, Cochranestreet, on Tuesday last. - Deceased, who was barely 27 years of age at his death, had been suffering from a lung complaint for some considerable time. Everything possible was. done to try and check the disease, and for a brief period there appeared hope of his ultimate recovery, but eventually he became worse. The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon, the remains being interred in the Short land cemetery.

The Tailoresses' Hall, Cook-street, which lias for ,so long been the meeting place of the Trades and Labour Council, came under the hammer yesterday, and was sold by Messrs. S. Vaile and Sons for £400, including the furniture in the hall. The hall stands oil a level allotment, 34ft by 65ft Bin, just off Hobson-street. Mr. William Coleman was the purchaser, on behalf of Mr. Williams, who resides in Cook-street, close by the hall. .

Owing to the omission of a line from the headmaster s letter. read at the meeting of the Grammar School Board, and reported in yesterday's Herald, the latter portion of the letter was not quite clear. The third qualification for a free place in the school is a certificate of proficiency . gained at the junior national scholarship examination.

The exhibition of the Society of Arts continues to attract large attendance, although the frequent showers yesterday accounted for a slight falling off. The'pretty little "Sketch in the Domain," by Miss McKenzie, was sold yesterday for £5 5. The exhibition will remain open until Saturday next.

; Two persons charged with being drunk and two persons charged with theft, occupied cells at the watch-house last evening. ' ...

Tie oommittee who have undertaken tin task of working up different entertainments in aid of the Auckland charities are receding very encouraging 'offers of support from various quarters. Mr.' Quinlan (manager) |<•>" states that the arrangements for the " muff'' football match are all complete,, and that ' it is to be played at Alexandra Park on August 26, between a team from H.M.g Phoebe and Quinlan's selected, with ball sft 6in in diameter. The Auckland Rugby Union has generously given the committee the sole right of Alexandra Park free of charge. Mr. Tcwsley (chairman) has got a good working committee together. If were not for himself, Mr. Atkin and Mr. Denniston persevering in the matter, the charities would not have benefited as it is hoped they now will. The charities benefiting by the undertaking are: Veterans' Home, Blind Institute, Benevolent Society Society for Protection of Women and Chil- ' dren, Ayr-street Home, St. Mary's Orphanage, and the Bisters of the Poor. The committee hope that the general public will S interest themselves in helping this deserving object. . .

. The last Methodist Conference, following aa example set by the Presbyterian Church set aside from circuit work one of its ablest '

ministers as an organiser on behalf of youne men's Bible classes and kindred associations . \ for the benefit of young men and women. f '' The minster chosen is the Rev. Charles Porter, who had just completed a very successful term of three years in Hawera. ' Mr. Porter has been at work in his new*capacity since April, and has amply justified his appointment. He is to arrive in Auckland to-morrow morning, and will commence his northern campaign by. holding a week's mis- ' sion in the Methodist Church, Devonport. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. ■ The boundaries of the ridings in the new county of Waitomo are gazetted. . There are seven ridings, viz, Te Rau-a-Moa, Otorahanga, Hangatiki, ; Waitomo, Mairoa, Paemako,. and Te Kuiti. Each riding is to return one member. The election of the ' new County Council ,is fixed ;for August 26, and the first meeting will be held at Te Kuiti on September 4. , A man named Peterson met with a painful accident yesterday (writes our Kaukapakapa correspondent) /through slipping on the doorstep. He sustained a fracture of the leg. ' The Post Office notifies that the postage on newspapers to Cyprus has been reduced to Id per paper irrespective of weight.' Owing to a breakdown in the contractor's' boat, there was no nightsoil service in portions of the city on Thursday night. •! . . :: v .' •