LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The committee of the v Auckland Racing, Club at last night's meeting decided to proceed with the erection of a ; larger, more convenient, and more up-to-date totalis&tor. building, lat the Ellerslie racecourse, and accepted a tender for this and some fencing at £1595. The new building will be 140 ft in length by 25ft in width, and will hold 14 machines, seven inside and seven outside. Provision is also made for 26 paying - out windows, 13 of which will be imnde and 13 outside. The club apparently does not fear that: the anti-gambling agitation will result in the delegating of the machine. It was decided to close the telegraph office on the course.

The Auckland Weekly News, issued today, deals with a striking variety of subjects of widespread interest. Among the numerous current events will be found excellent pictures of the stranding of the Pacific Mail steamer Manchuria at Honolulu, the Union Company's new steamer Atua on the reef at Apia, New Zealand Golf Championship Tournament at Christchurch, striking snapshots of the jumping events at the Pakuranga Hunt Club races on Saturday last, the recent goods in Lower Waikato, oil-boring operations in Taranaki, the world's ' greatest fighting machine, H.M.s. Dreadnought, and an excellent portrait of Father Vaughan, who has been preaching sensational sermons against the "smart set" in London, together with a special double page of views in connection with the New Zealand International Exhibition at Christchurch. The number also contains the usual fine scenio and industrial views, besides some happily-executed character sketches and cartoons dealing with topical subjects.

The work of renewing the piles underneath the Harbour Board building, which were decaying, is proceeding satisfactorily. The whole of the old pile* have been cut and the heads renewed and surrounded with concrete pillars. Under the outer walls of the building two solid concrete columns, 4ft by 4ft, are being sunk to rock. The foundations at present are subject to the rise and fall of the tide, and a pump is kept at work to carry the water away. An immense quantity of water was pumped from underneath the building yesterday. The portions of the old piles that have been removed were in a very bad state of decay. When the present work is completed the building will be on a solid foundation.

The suction dredger engaged in reclamation work at Mechanics' Bay has brought to the surface many interesting relics, and a fine collection of these has been made by the Harbour Board'?; engineer (Mr. Hamer), and placed in the Board's offices. The specimens include rocks of all sizes and shapes, weighing a& much as 601b, saw blades, chains, iron of all shapes, stove pipe, boots, timber of various lengths, and even kauri gum specimens. As showing the force of the pump all these articles were delivered through a-quarter of a mile of piping. ' V

An unfortunate accident befell • a man named Alfred Isemonger yesterday morning. As he was cutting rivets ia the Northern Steamship Company's new steamer Ngatui.wa, a piece of rivet, about half-an-inch in length, flew up and penetrated his left eye. Drs. Pabst and Purchas immediately attended the unfortunate man, but it is feared that he will lose the sight of the eye.

There are several parties at present working on. three sea-beaches near Okarito, iii South Westlaud—namely, the Three-mile, Five-mile, and Sandfly beaches. , . A reliable, correspondent (says the New Zealand Mines Record) states that since last Christmas gold to the value of £2750 was obtained along these sea beaches for a distance of 18 miles. In May last the tide proved so favourable to the beachcomber that every available man at Okarito wa6 engaged ia the exciting pursuit of winning the gold from the sands. The gentler sex was also represented amongst the workers on these beaches. Recently gold to the value of £600 was brought to Hokitika by one person, and another party is credited with having sent gold to the value of one-third of that amount.

William John Dickson, a labourer, in the employ of tho Remuera Road Board, and residing in Ascot Avenue, Remuera, died suddenly yesterday. As the deceased was spreading metal on the road, not far from his residence, he fell dead. James Higgins was carting gravel with him at the time, and Dr. Dudley was sent for, bub upon arrival ho pronounced life extinct. The deceased was a married man, and leaves a large family. An inquest will be held at the deceased's residence, at ten a.m. to-day.

" All men who are in the possession of war medals and who are 70 years of age, and receiving less than Is per day, may have their pensions increased to Is per day, applications to be made to the secretary, Chelsea Hospital. This has been granted chiefly through the peraistent advocacy of the Veterans' Association, Bristol, England." (Vide Army and Navy Gazette, August 4, 1906.)

A pitiable tale of consequences of borrowing money from, money-lenders of the Shylock type was told by Mrs. Mary King at Melbourne, on August 21. She was sued by J. G. Mitchell for £26, balance due on a promissory note for £40. The liability was not denied, but Mrs. King sa!U that 10 or 12 years ago she borrowed £25, and so rapacious had been the demands of the lender that she had paid in interest and principal no less than £160 to £170. Then, to gain a brief respite, she had obtained money on a promissory note, which had come into Mitchell's hands. She continued tearfully: "lam now a beggar; They have taken all I have, even my machine, and I have assigned my estate. I have nothing." "Yes, she has been sold up, confirmed the plaintiff. "I am afraid I can't help you," said Mr. Dwyer, P.M. You signed the promissory note, and £20 is still owing." An order was made for the amount, with £1 6s costs.

A dispute between a farmer and a machine owner, as to the price of cutting chaff, was decided by the ' stipendiary magistrate at Timaru last week, who found tliat 4d for sheaf chaff under 100 bags and 3£d for 100 to 300 bags, were reasonable prices. The farmer had declined to pay more than 3£d and 3d, because he had never paid more before.

The Wanganui Herald lias been shown a horticultural curiosity in the form of a hyacinth which has bloomed underground. The bulb was left in the ground last season instead of being lifted, and by some means was turned upside down. When dug up a few days ago it- was found that a sprout had grown, pushing its way down into the earth. The bloom is perfectly shaped, flower and stalk being of a delicate waxy whiteness, the odour, however, being somewhat sour and sickly.

The police cells last evening were occupied by 13 persons. Six are charged with drunkenness, two with assault, three with being rogues and vagabonds, one with being idle and disorderly, and another with being an incorrigible'rogue and .vagabond.'.'•.

A night or two ago as tho scow <. 11(t no* was lying, off Onehunga Wharf she was en- ■ tered and ransacked by, a thief. Tim ma* ter and crew tverc all on whore, so the intruder had complete charge of the vessel The captain's and mate's cabins were visited and everything of any value taken. Some of the articles have been recovered, and a quantity of'clothing has been found floating in the water two miles higher up i the harbour. The matter has been placed n the hands of the police. J

The extent to. which the population of this country lias profited at the expense of the sister States (remarks the Gore (Otago) Standard) was indicated at the social gathering tendered in Gore on Wedneday night to the players who visited here that day to indulge in a game of Victorian football. About 60 persons were present, 40 or more of whom were Gore people, and with a few exceptions all had at one time or another resided in Victoria. A proportion of these were New Zealand born, and had gone over to '• " Melbourne during the boom period, but found their way back to their native soil, but the majority were Victorian natives, who left the land of their nativity for New Zealand, and are now permanently settled here.

Archbishop Care (of Melbourne) lias made known his views; regarding the new order of knighthood for the protection of women in a pastoral letter which was read in all the Roman Cittholic Churches in Victoria. In the course the letter he asserted that outside the Catholic Church marriage hart lost its sacramental and much of its sacred character. The- primary purpose of the Almighty in instituting marriage was largely frustrated by the artificial limitation of families and by race suicide. The indissolubility of marriage was destroyed by the recognition of divorce, and the unity of marriage was practically dissolved, not indeed by simultaneous, but by successive polygamy. Then, outside the married state, who could enumerate or weigh the sins of unchastity which defiled the earth? Although the latest official statistics connected with the illegitimate birth-rate of Victoria were by no means exhaustive, still they threw an appallingly lurid light on the extent and enormity of secret crime.

Something that is going on at the wharf just now ought to put the " steel ago" to shame (says the Dunedin Star). The Koputai was built in 1876, her plating being of wrought iron—the famous Lowmoor article. When she was opened up it was found that every plate was as sound as when it was put in. But then, the plates were made in honest days, w.ieu the artisan put Ids conscience as well as his muscles into the non oxidisable stuff. " Ho* long would steel have stood tinder the same usage asked the pressman who was shown the plates. " Not half the time,'" replied the foreman.