LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12954, 25 August 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An accident occurred at the Central Fire Brigade station yesterday, whereby a fireman named William Wilson sustained some painful and severe injuries. The men were engaged loading bran and chad!' on to one of tin' reels for conveyance to the Ponsonby station, when tile horses attached to the vehicle started unexpectedly. Wilson ran to catch the reins at the horses' heads., when lie fell, and the wheels of the loaded reel passed over his chest and arm. Di. Bardie Neil was soon in attendance, and he bound up the wounded arm and ordered the man's removal to the hospital. No bones were broken, but it will not be ascertained for a. day or two whether the sufferer sustained any internal injury or not. At a. late hour last night Wilson was progressing favourably, and there were no signs of any serious injury internally,.

Edward Moore, a labourer, of Second Avenue, Kingsland, died at the hospital at midnight on Wednesday. It appears that on the 19th, in consequence of a peculiar letter received by Inspector Cullen, a constable was sent out to Moore's residence. The wife of the deceased informed the constable that- her husband had been drinking for some considerable lime, and that he saw shadows, etc. Dr. Grant was called in, and ordered Moore's removal to the hospital, where the man died on Wednesday As Dr. Walsh is prepared to give a certificate as In the cause of death, which, he states, was heart failure following on delirium tremens, an inquest will be unnecessary. ' As the deputation of the Auckland Railways League to Sir Joseph Ward could not be received, owing to the visit of Sir Joseph being put off, the council of the league held another meeting, when it was arranged that Mr. Murdoch McLean, the. well-known contractor, and Mr. James Stewart, the wellknown civil engineer, will visit the Newmarket tunnel site, and report to the council on the cost of duplicating the tunnel, for the information of the Government. The Minister lot Justice', replying to a resolution passed by the Auckland City Council, urging an increase in the local police force, states that increases have been recommended in the four large centres. With reference to the request for a special constable to control the rush of persons to tramcars, the Minister states that he cannot promise this, even in the large cities. The police do not interfere, beyond seeing that the bylaws are adhered to, unless called to assist in ejecting persons, as it was clearly the duty of the tramway authorities to provide for and control their passengers. The police had instructions to see that no obstruction lo traffic in the streets was occasioned.

A young man named James Morris, employed by the Kauri Timber Company at Ouehunga, met with a painful accident yesterday through getting his hand caught in the machinery of a frame saw while he was oiling it. Three of the fingers were broken at the joints, but it is expected that amputation will not be necessary. One of the largest boilers for shore use in Auckland of local manufacture lias just been ordered from Messrs. G. Fraser and Sons, engineers and boilermakers, by the Northern Roller Milling Company. The order is for an additional marine boiler of 275 horse-power, on a steam pressure of 1451b. At a special committee meeting held at the Drill Hall yesterday afternoon of the Empire Veterans' Association, to take into consideration the advisability of making a presentation to Lord Ranfurly's eldest daughter, Lady Constance Knox, on the eve of her marriage, it was resolved that circulars be sent to all members asking for subscriptions. A special committee was appointed to carry out the wishes of the committee. Mr. James Stichbury (hon. secretary) has consented to receive subscriptions at 25, Coombes' Arcade, Auckland, so as to relieve the hon. treasurer.

! Dr. .1. M. Mason, chief Government health i oilier, left Auckland for Wellington yester- ( day. Dr. Mason has been visiting the Cam- ; bridge .Sanatorium, and also Rotorna. While I at the latter place he inspected the drainage system at present in course of construction, and expressed himself well satisfied with the work so far as it has gone.

A public meeting was held at the Public I Hall, Onohunga, last evening to protest against what is deemed an unnecessary increase in the borough rates, and to express disapproval of the Council's policy. There was a good attendance, and Mr. W. Morton, sen., was voted to the chair. Mrs. E. Yates, ex-Mayor, addressed the gathering, and condemned the Mayor foi not keeping I to the platform upon which he was elected. 111. was then moved, and adopted with one- | dissentient: " That, the Mayor and the five ! councillors who voted the increase of rates ! form Is 3Jd to la skl in the £, be asked to resign." After further discussion, it was agreed that all those willing to take actios remain and organise a petition calling for the resignation of the councillors and Mayor as above, A youth named Mark Fletcher, employed by Mr. Roberts, of Onehuuga, met with air accident last evening while riding a horse in Queen-street, Onehuuga, through colliding with a cart. The young fellow got thrown, and; was for a long time unconscious. The curator of fisheries (Mr. Ayson) slated recently that whilst he had not. personally made any investigation into the prevalence of disease amongst the fish, it seemed to him that it was a question how long Lake Rotorua could maintain its present very large, stock of fish. Reports, he .--aid. would indicate that the fish bad been in poorer condition last season thai) in previous seasons. The number of fish in the lake, he said, was constantly increasing, and it was a question of whether the number might not become too ! great for their natural food supply. He was not, he said, in a position to say that the food supply had decreased, but from inquiries which he had made from the natives at Ohinemiitii it was evident that in regard to l he kora (one of the principal sources of the food supply of the trout) there had been a. diminution. If the supply of food was decreasing, lie thought it might be possible | to supplement it I>v the introduction of other small fish. The matter was one which he thought should be investigated. Mr. Ayson pointed out that the Rotorua fisheries were certainly the most valuable in the- colony, ami perhaps among the most valuable in the world. It was a most important adjunct to the tourist attractions of Ike place, and in view of its national importance it was, of course, to the interest of the Government to assist the Acclimatisation Society in maintaining these lislung grounds in the best possible condition. It was therefore very important that the investigation which had been commenced by Mr. Gilruth should be systematically followed up.

Thursday, July 20, was a red-letter day j for the Roman Catholic Mission in Samoa, as cm thai day the benediction ceremonies of the .splendid cathedral in Mulivai, which lias just been complete!, were held. Many visitors came to Apia to witness the ceremonies, including Commandant C. T. B. Moore, Governor of Tutuila, -Mrs. Moore. Miss Howells, Bishop Vklal, of Fiji, Pater do Feuoil, Vicar-General of Noumea, and the whole of the Roman Catholic Mission clergy in .Samoa. The benediction cere- | mony was performed outside of the cathe- ! dral, and lasted about half-au-hour. As His ; Lordship the Bishop of Samoa, Dr. Drover. I was suffering from an eye disease, His Lord:- ; ship Dr. Vidal, the Bishop of Fiji, con- | ducted'the ceremony, assisted by Pater de : Feuoil, Vicar-General of Noumea and representative of His Lordship Dr. Fray see, ; (he Bishop of New Caledonia, and" the I'rovicar, .!'. Remy. After the benediction was over, a solemn high mass was held in the cathedral. A meeting of the committee of the Auckland Scenery Conservation Society has been convened for the purpose of discussing the proposal to take the Metropolitan Ground Uor a college site. " '

A correspondent writes as follows to th* editor of the Taranaki Herald (New Ply. mouth):—"Street-walking is now, alas a usual mode of, passing the evenings for young people of- both sexes. The custom has quite passed the limit of common sense and decency even m our little bush towns and it is of the utmost importance to the future well-being of their children that parents should realise how they fail j„ their duty, when they allow their children such highly prejudicial liberty at night. If our clergy will preach down this evil custom from the pulpit, and if you and your brother editors will use your mighty pens to point out, in black and white all the shameful neglect parents are guilty of whose hearths and homes are so unattractive that even schoolgirls seem to prefer the streets, a better order of things may in time prevail." To which the Manawatu .Standard adds: These words might with equal or even greater truth be written of Palmerston. It is really pitiful to notice the number of young men and girls who spend their evenings parading the Square.

An impudent case of stowing away occurred on the voyage of the steamer Kanowna, between Fremantle and Port Adelaide. A few hours after the vessel left the Western port two stowaways were discovered in the steerage, and one, more audacious than his comrades, in the socond cabin. The steward, thinking the latter was a passenger, cleaned his boots, and brought him a cup of coffee in the morning. He was only found to be a free passenger when the passenger-list was checked at breakfast-time. At the Port Adelaide Court all three were ordered to pay a line of £2 each, or go to gaol for one month. One complained to the magistrate that they had all three been put in a dark cell down one of the holds, with no bed to lie on, and nothing to eat and drink except bread and water.

A remarkable incident happened in Flinders Lane, Melbourne, on a recent Saturday. The day was very windy. An employee of the Metropolitan Gas Company (says the Age) was returning to the offices of the Company with a Gladstone bag, containing a large sum of money in notes (nearly £700, it is stated), which he had just received from the bank fop the payment of the employees' wages. As he was going up Flinders Lane a sudden gust of wind sent his hat flying, and on the impulse of the moment he thoughtlessly put down the bag on the pavement in order to give chase. As he did so the bag flew open, and the sportive Boreas sent the banknotes whirling through the air like leaves in an autumn gate.' With frantic haste did the horrified employee pursue the vanishing wealth, and, incredible as it may seem, he actually was successful iu recapturing most of it. Three £5 notes, however, were missing, and as he mournfully scanned the lofty buildings around him to see if they were still floating aleft, he was seized by an idea. He sought Mr. Walters, the caretaker of St. Paul's Cathedral buildings, and suggested, to him the possibility of the notes having, lodged on the lofty parapeted roof of the cathedral itself. Mr. Walters, although considering the idea a "forlorn hope," obligingly ascended that high eminence,;., and to his great astonishment, and no doubt to the loser's also, found one of the notes, daintily folded in two, lying in the leaden gutter close to the parapet.

During the sittings of the Tariff Com-, mission at Hobaxt evidence was taken which disclosed that objection was taken to the duty on brushware, and a suggestion was made that it should be 15 per cent, all round. From inquiries made it had been ascertained that the Australian article had not the finish of the imported, and that there had been no increase in .the sale of the Victorian manufacture. Mr. Nicholls, of the Cascade Brewery Company, said the present duty on hops was right. Tasmanian hops did not have all the necessary constituents, and Bohemian had to be imported, and their use enabled the brewery to turn out an article which was replacing English beer on the Australian market.

At the Pitt-street Congregational Church, Sydney, on August 13, the Rev.' N. M. Hennessy spoke to a large congregation on "The Labour Party and Belie! in Gild." He quoted five statements by Bebel, Bakinin, Arsene Dumoirt, Fewsback, and Kail Marx, and went on to show that although these people were more or less regarded as authorities on industrial matters, the Labour party in England were in no way committed to their utterances, nor had they been accepted by the Labour party in Australia. The Continental voice for the greater part was atheistic, Dumont, who spoke for the French labouring classes; saying: "The God notion must be expelled from the human brain." This was not the condition of affairs prevailing in England, where amongst the .Labour party in politics were to be found some of the most -fearing men— who took interest in Sunday-school and Church alike, and who preached the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Coming to the Australian voice en the question, Mr. Bennessy added that when he reached Sydney he endeavoured at the outset to find out the true tone of labour politics. He was introduced by Sir John See to one of that circle, and found that what was true of the English .Labour parly was true of it here—there was a strong religious tone pervading it. . On these grounds, and viewing certain j statements which had been attributed to members of that section ' here, lie urged Ins listeners not to let their prejudices grow or their judgments be warped respecting those persons in whose hands were, in part, the government of the country. A strange story. is told about Major von Wissman, the well-known African explorer, by the Vienna, correspondent of the Daily Mail. Major Wissman committed suicide recently. The story goes that soon after his return to Berlin from the Governorship of German East Africa, if was noticed in the capital that he had fallen into disgrace at the Court, although ho was graciously welcomed on his first arrival. The reason for this was that about a week after Major Wissman arrived in Berlin the Kaiser noticed the explorer taking a walk in the Thiergarten. His Majesty at Once stopped his carriage, and asked Major Wissman to enter it and sit beside him. The Kaiser then bade, his companion forget during the next hallhour that Ids Sovereign was sitting beside him, and to say to him, as man to man, what he really thought, about German colonisation. What the explorer told His Majesty was never revealed, but alter a brief ten minutes' conversation tue Kaiser, in a stern voice, bade the coachman stop, and dismissed the .explorer without ceremony. .From that time onwards Major Wissman never again enjoyed the Imperial favour. Two sections, 7609 acres in the Wharopapa survey district, West Taupo, were granted by the Land Board yesterday to Robert league on the occupation with right of purchase system at a half-yearly rental of £6 9s sd. Two persons charged with drunkenness were the only inmates of the police cells lasS evening.