LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A CONFKRKKCK of delegates from the various railway leagues in the Auckland province, and several other public bodies interested in the proposed East Coast railway, was held under the auspices of '.he Auckland Railways League, at the Chamber of Commerce rooms yesterday afternoon, tliA object being to discuss the best means of ensuring i'fto speedy completion of railway communication between Auckland and Gisborne. There was a, large and representative attendance, and the meeting was thoroughly unanimous in regard to the importance of pushing on the coastruction of the railway. , Resolutions were passed to the effect that the route should be by way of Waihi, Katikati, Tanraiiga, and Opotiki, thence leaving the question of route to the Government to decide, and that the Government be asked to place a substantial sum on the Estimates to' carry on construction at both ends of :he line. It was also decided to urge upi u the Government the desirableness of raitway connection between Mamaku and Te Puke, and between Pokeno and Paero;>, the object of the latter work being to shorten the journey through the Waikalo by 44 miles. It ivas decided to circulate petitions in favour of these works, and that a deputation representing each "f Jho districts concerned be sent to Wellington during the coming session, to back ip ilie petitions. A full report of the proceedings will be found in another part of this paper. The f usual budget of. Athletic Notes , by "Lynx" will be found in page 5 of to-day's supplement. The road-bed in Wellesley-street, near Lome-street, collapsed yesterday, leaving a great hole 12ft long by 10ft wide, and about 12ft deep. The traffic of cars on the down line was suspended, as the hole was underneath the rails, one of which was' suspended over the hole, with the concrete foundation adhering to the metal. The down traffic had to be diverted, but no interruption of the outward traffic was experienced. The City Council took immediate' steps to rail off the cavity, preparatory to filling it in. A heavy van had passed over the road where the collapse took place just before the earth caved in. This is the second collapse in a city street since Wednesday, the first being in Alten Road. The subsidences are attributed to the recent heavy rain. The rainfall registered for the month of May, Mr. Clieesemaii states, was 4.61 in., which is an increase of 2.32 in. over May of last year, and 1 an increase of 3.60 in. over t he same month of 1904. If the average for the past 53 yep,is is taken, there was an increased downpour last month over the average of 0.40 in. • The heaviest fall that occurred last month was during the 24 bonis ended at half-past nine a.m. on Thursday, when 1.56 in. was registered. Oil May 4 there was a, fall of 1.02 i». * : It is not generally known that the Union Steam Ship Company carries on a regular service with India and Eastern ports, bringing into New Zealand at intervals large quantities of tea. oil, gunnies, and general Eastern products, and exporting horses and general cargo. The vessel employed is the fine twin-screw steamer' Aparima, nearly 6000 tons burthen, and • she is fitted with all tlie latest improvements in modern shipbuilding. She has splendid accommodation for first, second, and third class passengers, spacious promenade decks, and in addition to a large general carrying capacity, has room for cargo in her refrigerating chamber. Special attention is called to her movements, as given in the advertising columns of this issue. In reply to a, telegram sent by Inspector Cullen to Constable O'Reilly, stationed at Opotiki, regarding the reported purchase of arms by Rua, Tapu (the Maori prophet), Mr. Cullen has received the following message : ■ " The Opotiki Herald, of May 29, commenting on the articlc in the , East Coast Guardian, statesln our local contemporary's issue on Saturday, there appeared certain awesome conjectures concerning Rua Tapu. We are authorised , to state hat- there is absolutely no reliable ] foundation for the wild sentiments to which publicity has been given. The correspondent of our contemporary is evidently an alarmist of the first order, who himself lias become paralysed by the workings of an over-fertile On making inquiries at the hospital last night as to the condition of James Meahati'y, who was seriously injured by a train accident on Tuesday morning, it was stated that he is slowly improving. A six-roomed house belonging to Mr. William Craig, of Pukekohe, was totally 1 destroyed by fire on Thursday. It up- ' pears the owner went to Tuakau, leaving a ; small fire in the kitchen range, and it is 1 supposed that 4 a spark ignited something ! lying near the fireside. The building and ' furniture, valued at about £300, were insured in the New Zealand Government ( Office for £200 and £50 respectively. - ' At its meeting last night the Auckland 1 Headmasters' Association passed a resolu- ' tion of condolence in connection with the *, death of Mr. ' S. Luke, late chairman of i the Board of Education. " \

The following tenders were accepted yesterday by the Education Reserves Commissioners for leases of land for 21 years, l with the right of renewal.- —Hokianga subl urb 1 acre 2 roods. £-5 5s per annum: Kaw--1 ilia North, 278 acres, 0 Schrivor, £6; , Maungataniwha. parish, 49 acres, Thomas E Watts, £2; Mangalete, 105 acres, E. B. . Bealc, £2; Omaha, 7G acres, . Henry { Brown, £4 10s ; Opalieke, 101 acres, . Richard F. Price. £2 10s; Pirongia, 25 j acres, £1 145,; 152 acres, .1 J. Oorlelt, » £7 3s 6d ; 'J'awhoa, 15 acres 1 rood, £ James Mason, £3 lis Whati Town South, I 3 roods 5 perches, S Adamcnsko, r £1: Auckland suburb, 1 acre 3 roods j: 21 perches, J. J. Craig, £12 15s; TeAroha 216 acres, J. Lennard, £70 4s (six tenders); same, 65 acres, H. Hand well, £24; ' and Pupuke. 82 acres, J. W Haves, £2. l , ' i An old resident, Mr. Joseph Marriott, . died at the Auckland Hospital on Wednes- ) day. He arrived from England on the , barque Adamant, in the- year 1879. Mr. . Marriott worked for several years enginer driving at the Coromandel gold mines, , also at Huntly and Kauio mines. The , interment took place privately on Thurs- , day. at the Symonds-street cemetery. He leaver a widow, also three daughters and ' one .son. all of whom are married, also numerous grandchildren and great-grand-j children. i The exhibition of the Auckland Society , of Arts at the new gallery, Coburg-street, , continues to attract large attendances. This afternoon tea will be served by ladies f- connected with the society, and a crowded , attendance is expected. Marriage's orl_ chestra. will perform a selection of music v both afternoon and evening. Mrs. Wal- [ rond's beautiful picture, " Tutara" (£3 8s), J hits been sold. The gallery will be open ' on Monday as usual. i The address upon "The Aims and Func- ' tions of Industrial Associations," which was ; to have been delivered by Mr. S. Brown, on Wed Head ay night last, but. was postponed owing to the severity of the weather, will be given at the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening next, at ' eight o'clock. The Northern Company's steamer Rarawa, which left Onehunga on Thursday afternoon, was detained inside of the Mamikau Heads until halt-past seven a.m. yesterday, owing to the rough state of the bar. The Rarawa did not reach New Plymouth until twenty minutes to eight p.m. yesteiday. During the second and third term of the session lectures will be delivered by the professor of chemistry at the University College on Fridays at three p.m. This course will provide for the requirements of candidates for the intermediate medical and similar examinations. A course of lectures on "Sound,' 1 specially adapted to the requirements of students of music, will be given by Professor Brown during the second term of the College Musical School. The course will consist of about nine lectures, which will be given on Wednesday evenings at eight o'clock. These lectures, which will be amply illustrated experimentally, will be found to be ot use to all who are interested in music. Further particulars may be obtained at the office of the registrar at the college. The Melanesian Mission is the special foreign mission of the Anglican Church of New Zealand, and the Diocese of Auck*, land has provided that special collections should be made for the mission to-morrow (Whit-Sunday). By Melanesia is meant the long chain of 50 or 60 islands lying between the New Hebrides, and New Guinea. The total population is, perhaps, 200,000. Cannibalism and " head-hunting" still exist, thought they are dying out before Christianity. White traders are few. but the kanakas are returning 'in large numbers from Queensland, so that a, crisis in the history of the mission has been reached. The mission steamer makes two voyages every year, calling each time at 150 sta- . tions. taking boys and girls to and from Norfolk Island, carrying stores, and conveying the Bishop about his diocese. The expenses of the mission last year were about £14,000. New Zealand contributed £3000 (Auckland diocese, £550). The opening meeting of the Auckland Institute for the present session will bo held on Monday evening at eight o'clock, when the president-elect (Professor F. D. Brown) will deliver the presidential address. . The programme of lectures to be delivered at subsequent meetings includes one on "Earthquakes"' by Professor Thomas: The Mystery of 'Matter," by Mr. E. V. Miller; "Our Drinking Waters," by Mr. .J, A. Pond; "The Evolution of the Railway Locomotive," by Professor A. Jrirman: and " School Humour," by Mr. IT. G. Millies. The entrance to the lecture hall, will he open to members and their friends from half-past seven to eight p.m., after which time any vacant seats may be occupied by the general public. A dangerous turn on the Penshurst Road, about, two and a-lialf miles from Hamilton, Victoria, was the scene of a .shocking motor car accident, about one o'clock a.m.. on May 14, resulting in the death of Mr. Robert Rymill, grazier, of Penola Station, South. Australia. Mr. Rymill, accompanied by his gardener (Alexander . Howie, a youth), was driving home from Melbourne in a 15-horsepower Darracq car. Owing .to rain affecting the sparking apparatus, he was delayed on the Read, and Penshurst was not left until eleven o'clock. At the scene of the' accident the road turns sharply at right angles at the bottom of a. long incline. Mr. Rymill was aware of the existence of the turn. The car was travelling at the rate of about 12 miles an hour, when Mr. Rymill noticed a wire fence a. few feet ahead. He tried to turn, but the car. having left the metal, the wheels would not grip on the slippery ground. They skidded, and the car struck a post broadside, knocked it out, and went through the fence, overturning on the other side. Howie was thrown clear, but Mr. Rymill was pinned under the car, which weighed 23c wt-., the arm-rest pressing right across his chest. He told Howie to extinguish the lamps and raise the car with a screwjack. Howie did this, but Mr. Rymill died before he could be extricated. Assistance was obtained, and the body was removed to the hospital morgue. . Two people occupied the cells at the lockup last night, one being charged' with theft, and the other with indecency.