LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14224, 22 November 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The English mail, via Suez, arrived from Sydney by the Maheno yesterday morning. Personal items and other interesting „ news from our London correspondent will- be found elsewhere in f this issue, together with the usual budget of Australian items. :i

Saturday was the 46th anniversary of the battle which was fought between 1300 English and an estimated force of 400 or 500 Maoris, at Rangiriri, on November 20, 1863. The Maoris had /constructed their main line of entrenchment across the narrow piece of land which divides the Waikato River from ' Lake Waikare, and put up such a stubborn and; gallant defence that despite repeated attacks by the British their position ,;' still remained uncaptured when night fell." * The Maori redoubt being completely enveloped, General Cameron, the British commander, decided to wait until next day before * renewing the onslaught, but ; happily there was no occasion for this,- as when daylight broke on the 21st the natives, numbering 183 men and two women, surrendered. The general was unable to ascertain what had become of the original force of • the natives, or what was their loss, as'the wounded had been removed during the night, and ' numbers of others escaped. Thirty-six dead Maoris were found and buried, and it was believed that numbers were drowned or shot at the Waikare swamp. The British casualties were 39 killed and 89 wounded.

Asked by a Herald representative last evening his opinion of the report of the Police Commission, the Hon. Jas. Me-. Gowan,. ex-Minister for Justice, said :— "In the first place I did, not support ; the setting up of the Commission. There was never anything calling for it from my point of view. A magisterial inquiry was all that was necessary -in regard to Mr. Arnold's charges, whereas the report and the evidence have brought in an immense amount of extraneous matter. The findings of the Commission appear to me in some respects to be more or less at variance with the evidence. I don't think, however, that the Commissioner of Police, conducted his case in the best manner. Without intending it, he appears to have aroused some little feeling in the Commissioner." ' * . - ;.

The > prohibition meetings held yesterday afternoon and evening were largely attended. >" The following.resolution was submitted to both meetings and carried, there being but six dissentients at the afternoon meeting, and but one at that held at night:—"That this meeting of citizens of Auckland protests against any unauthorised compromise being made with the trade, and furthermore declares that with a majority of 33.351 votes.in favour of no-license, without time notice, there is no excuse for the bargain made, which is cowardly and immoral, and further, this meeting hereby appoints "' Messrs. Richardson and Walsh as delegates to proceed to Wellington to place the above views before the convention to be held in Wellington on Wednesday next."- ~

—^^--~-J _ _- ■■:•■■: as*;',;.'; So far the municipal-owned elpHil* tramways in Now Zealand have not i % able to show anything like the same ■ ?!?-' centage of profit as the A Uc hT company-owned enterprise. The ?' gross Wellington revenue from Anrn \ ' last to October 13, a period of a nt ! more than six months, amounted. £ £71,665, as compared with £72 019 f the same period last year. The work? expenses totalled £49,651 as a ** S £49,204 for 1908. After providing interest, sinking fund, and depreciate charges, the net result to October 13 • credit balance of £286. For the san,'' period of 1908 there was a credit balan t ' of £1913. The revenue for the four wJJ'" ending October 13 amounted to £10,35/ a decrease of £146, compared with.th* corresponding period of last year. Th* working expenses (£6898) for the same ' period were £215 less than the amount ?j paid in 1908. _v™»

While the crowd was filing off tK grandstand at Alexandra Park on Saturday, s after the running of the Otahuhu" Trotting Club's Flying Stakes, ayy oung' g lady had the misfortune to trip and fall : down the steep stairway. When assistedto her feet it was found that her nos» was badly lacerated, while her face left eye, and forehead were bruised and bleeding. She was taken to the waiting-room' and attended to. '■■'. .>•■■••■■"?««>

There has been a falling-off in the'out- -: ward passenger traffic from Wellington !•' to Sydney (says the New Zealand Times).; ■ The Moeraki, which sailed for Sydney oh! Friday evening, took only 140 passengers' from New Zealand. '« ■ , In illustrating the ability of the Tan-' piri Coal Mines, Limited, to cope with any extra demands during the Newcastle strike period, the chairman of director! •*' (Mr. E. IW. Alison) remarked;f to »??: Herald representative that the company was possessed of proved areas extending as far as from Auckland to Otahuhu 'in ' length, and from Ponsonby to Remuera" in width. "The mines would, if required be able to supply the whole of the North Island with coal for at least a centum I to come" Mr. Alison added that there was no occasion to import Newcastle coal l into New Zealand except, perhaps, a,' limited quantity for gasworks and for use by blacksmiths. In anticipation of in- f creased demands, the company had largely added to its machinery and hauiage; plant.

'; At the ' inquest held 'at ; '.',_Otahuhu on i, Saturday on the body of John Trimble, a well-known farmer, who died suddenly on' Friday, death was shown to have I been! due to heart failure, accelerated by worry, The jury returned a verdict accordingly;'• 1 ■?. : The following notice of motion has been' . given by Mr. J. H. Bradney for the neil' meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board ?! —" (1) That a return be prepared by the sec- ~ retary, to be submitted at next meeting' of the Board, showing the amounts of the several contracts with the Ferro-Con-crete Company for construction of Bail-! way Wharf. Also, separately and in detail, how the amounts of £1935 2s 6d and £4850 12s 6d, paid to Board's workmen and to tradesmen for inspection and ex*' tras, as set ■ out in * the returns furnished to the Board, dated respectively October;;; 18 and 26, 1909, _ are made ■ up, and the work, or works, ;: for !, which ; inspection , js charged, the nature of such inspection! and such extras. (2) That in future »1 monthly statement be famished showing, the amounts expended on the Railway Wharf and sheds for repairs and main ance. (3) . That ; the Drainage ; Board be instructed to carry out Mr. ■•• Midgeiy. Taylor's recommendation to syphon the,

sewerage across Orakei Creek."

Referring to the Ohinerauri River silt- 1 If ing' question in conversation with ' a 1 Herald :i representative " last evening, the' Hon. Jas. McGowan, ex-Ministerqlforij If Mines, stated that provision .was; ; ,inadepll| five ; years ago by which the' County ■ Goun-! ■■;■ ( ; cil has power to summon the Minister for J Mines to "move" the Warden to take the I evidence of the parties , concerned,, aijdj 1 allocate a portion of the gold duty froM | the * different ; districts, say, V the Waihi | Borough, the Ohinemuri; County, and even; 1 the Thames County, if necessary," for %$ | purpose of; clearing the- river. "Clearing 1 the river in my opinion," Mr. McGowan 1 went on to''' say, "is * much <•■ the '■' cheapest, 1 and ' most effective way -of doing away,, J with ; the f trouble. rThe amount of tailing* 1 in the river jit the present time, if dreplg* j 1 ed and thrown up on the banks,' wouldi come in as excellent material or?the:iai|# p way to be constructed from Paeroa to | connect with the Auckland main line, andjp \ will certainly be wanted for that portion J across the Piako' Plain. • "A Girl Clerk," in a letter to the 01*$ Daily Times, says that the time has corns . for girl clerks' to unite and form a unions "If the union of male clerks is not going 1 J to- advocate that girls doing equal wrkr ■ ' with men should not". receive the sjima ; pay," she says, "then we cannot <*•* bst-_ ter than support ; them,, and make ''■'• ' " union as strong as possible. If the rak» clerks-are! going to oppose the employ- ;H 1 ment of girl clerks, then it behoves us to 1 form a body for our own protectionwit out any delay. I understand,; however,. : that the union will advocate 'equal ■'': with equal work," so I hope the organ- - j isers will be supported by every girl clerK j in Dunedin. • . < ; A two-storeyed brick . building .in | Hobson-street," situated nearly opposite | St. Matthew's Church, and owned by,: I Messrs. Howard and Bunting, has been .J purchased by Mother Joseph Aubert,: | foundress of the Order of Our ; f j Compassion, as a home for foundling** and will be formally opened for that purpose in January next. The building | eminently suited for its requirements,. , having many large and well-ventilated rooms, and being fitted up with every convenience. The home, which will ° | conducted on the same lines as the Hom» | of Compassion,: Island Bay, Wellingtoipg I will be strictly undenominational, "J" 1 * | depend for its support on the offerings 0 the Auckland people. - ''" ''■"■' ■• : ' '■•■■:■'"'■ ?WiVf l _ , - - ..

i The session of the Auckland Instit u » ! will close this evening, when a namw short papers will be, readjat ; ; a• "WV I to be held in the : library- of .the, A* U I land Museum. Mr. C. Cuff will 1 a new cam-lever balance, m- "• _ | Devereux will contribute some notes the meteorology of Waihi, Mr. ,: ,>. | I will give an amount of the naturdhsattg, of the Scotch heather and Mr. J- {ing wart will bring forward f™ ! «W notes on the aeration of the Auiw „ ,j ,j lava beds. „ T ■~...„„ who a \ r : Mr. W. H. George," of WelU n gt™> ™ 8$ I | few months ago paid a visit/to in«? . I 1 brought back with him over **> vej i 1 picture*, and during the week will ff■ | tures, illustrated by limelight W*«^> sgh. i 1 the Baptist churches of this cl % .*«#*s; I lectures to be given m the ;§ Upper Queen-street, on Mondaj, aafl **■ - I da/will be quite different in character | an entirely fresh lot of slide* I |