LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The steamer Manuka, which arrived at Auckland last evening from Sydney, brought 600 bags and hampers of European, foreign, and Australian mails- Ovei 200 bags were despatched South by tho Main Trunk express last night, while the Auckland portion will be delivered in the city and suburbs this morning. The mail 6teamer Marama, which is duo at Auckland to-morrow morning from Vancouver, via ports, ie bringing several hundred bags and hampers of European, Canadian, and Island mails for New Zealand. The Moeraki, duo at Wellington on Wednesday morning from Sydney, has on board a large quantity of Australian mail matter for the Dominion, the Auckland portion of which should arrive on'Thureday morning.

An inquest was held by Mr. 1". Fgizer, S.M., on Saturday into tho circumstances of the death of an old man named Robert Brown, who was found dead in bed in a board inghouse in Grey Street on Thursday. Dr. F. W. King, who had conducted a post mortem examination, said that the man's lungs were conges tee, and tho cavity of the chest was full of fluid. Tho liver and kidneys "were also affected, and tho heart was diseased. Death was due to failure of the heart, supervening on pleurisy. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.

A message by wireless, received last night from tho captain of the Union Company's mail steamer Marama, stated -that tho vessel will arrivo at Auckland about 8 a.m. to-morrow from Vancouver, via Honolulu and Suva. Tho Marama loft the Canadian port on Wednesday, June 10, and is running well up to contarct t'me. Sho has on board over 120 first, second, and third-class passengers for New Zealand and Australia, while her cargo for tho Dominion amounts to 450 tons. Tho Marama is timed to sail at 5 p.m. tomorrow for Sydney direct.

The arrangements made by tho Harbour Board's traffic manager and his staff to cope with tho traffic on the Queen's Wharf on the arrival of the Manuka from Sydney last evoning wore very satisfactory. Tho 6teamer berthed at a time when tho lower portion of Queen Street and the waterfront were thronged with the usual Sunday night crowd. Tho gates extending across the front of the wharf were closed, and a chargo of 2d was made for admittance to tho wharf. Barricades were erected at each end of that portion of tho wharf where tho vessel was berthed, and those who paid for admission to the wharf were kept outside the barricades. A clear space was thus left at the ship's side, and tho postal authorities wero able to handle the largo mail without hindrance, while the clear space in tho large shed enabled the -Customs authorities tq •pass the passengers' luggage without loss of time after the steamer had been cleared.

Tho seqjch for the missing fishing boat Andrew, and her crew, Russell Howo and William Nicholson, has not yet discovered any conclusive evidence of their fate. Nothing has been 6een of tho boat since it was hidden by a squall off Cape Brett towards midnight on May 17, five weeks ago, During her return voyage from the Cook Islands, via Nukualofa and Sunday Island a careful watch was maintained from the steamer Tutanekai, but no trace of tho boat or the men was found. It was hoped that some news might bo learned at the Kermadec Islands, and a boat was sent ashore and inquiries made of the settlers on Sunday Island. Thoy had not seen either tho lost boat or any wreckage. A further search will bo made by th« 3 Tutanekai during the next eight days. Visits will be made to tho numerous uninhabi«l islets of the Kcrmadecs, as it is possible that, tho two men may have found a refuge on one of them.

After a somewhat slow passage of four days two hours, the Union Company's steamer Manuka arrived at Auckland shortly after seven o'clock last evening from Sydney direct. The Manuka cleared tho New South Wales port shortly after 4 p.m. on Wednesday last, and met very favourable weather, light south-east winds and smooth seas being experienced throughout the voyage. The slow passage was attributed to the very poor quality of tho bunker coal taken on board at Newcastle, the vessel steaming only about 300 miles a day. The Manuka was a full ship this trip, having on board 245 saloon and steerage passengers, which included about 81 members of a theatrical company, 67 Chinese (for Eastern Pacific island), and two Austrians. The Manuka also brought a full general cargo for Auckland and other New Zealand ports. She will sail again this evening 'for Sydney. She will make one nioro voyage from Auckland to Sydney, and on her 'arrival at tho latter port on July 17, the Manuka will withdraw from the servieo, and Bail die following day for Wellington to take up tho running in the Sydney-Cook Strait-Melbourne service. The Maheno will re-enter tho AucklandSydney direct service in place of the Manuka in July, leaving Sydney on July 22, and arriving at Auckland on Sunday, July 26.

When the Governor of New Zealand was making his tour around the Cook Islands recently the natives of the various places visited generally appeared in gala attire, and occasionally the costumes displayed were a little startling. Uniforms containing striking colours were very popular, and it was a surprising but not uncommon thing to see a very dignified person in the dress of a vice-admiral, or infantry captain, conducting a nativo dance ajid struggling with a sword, which would constantly get botweon his legs and trip him. At ono island a gentleman with a costume partly composed of mirrors did much to gladden the assembled company, and at Rarotonga, on ono occasion, all loyal Caledonians gasped as a party of quick-footed nativo dancers marched on to the ground. They were led by a gigantic Rarotongaii, who was completely clad, from kilt to sporran and dirk, in the classical national dress of Scotland.

Tho Resident Commissioner at Nine has asked the New Zealand Government to take steps to stop tho destruction of the native birds of the island. Every Niuean native now who wishes to bo up to date provides himself with a sporting gun, and makes eipeditions after the birds, with the result that the pigeons, doves, parrakeets, etc., are rapidly decreasing in numbers. It is said tha'. an example of what may happen in Niue is provided by Rarotonga, where the native birds arc now found only in the fastnesses of the inland mountains, and where the authorities are now introducing English birds to keep tho insect pests in cheek. The Niuean Commissioner suggests that a limit be placed upon tho importation of firearms and ammunition.

Tho services of no fewer than 8000 electoral officers will be utilised in New South Wales alone during the coming Federal elections. It is estimated that there will be upwards of 2500 polling places, compared with 2352 booths at tho last election

The erection of'a new picture theatre in Manners Street, Wellington, baa been prohibited by the City Council, which has refused to issue the necessary building permit. The grounds upon which the Bylaws Committee recommended tho refusal, and upon which tho council acted, were that tho building did not comply with tho by-laws regarding the necessity for side courts, and also that it was considered, after inspection of tho plans, that tho building would be capable of accommodating 1000 people. It was required that a hall of such size must faw a street 60ft in width, and Manners Street did not comply with that condition.

The 70th anniversary of the introduction of Freemasonry to New Zealand was celebrated on Friday evening, when Ara Lodge, No. 343, Irish Constitution, held a function in commemoration of the foundation of the lodge. The Ara Lodge is tho pioneer of Freemasonry in New Zealand. It held its first meeting on February 9, 1843, at Auckland, under a dispensation from the Australian Social Lodge, Sydney, bearing the date of September 12, 1842. Its present charter is from the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and bears the date of June 12, 1844. Tho annual installation of the officers of tlie lodge was held at high noon on St. John's Day (June 24), and the officers and members, in order to fittingly celebrate tho occasion, decided that tho installation should be followed two days later by a social function, in which tho families of members could take part. This function was held in the Freemasons' Hall, Princes Street, and was attended by over 200 brethren and their lady friends. Dancing, music, cards and supper, and an address by the Worshipful Master (Bro. C. J. Schnauer) made up a most enjoyable evening's entertainment.

When a native of Niuo dies lie is usually buried on land adjoining a roadway, and some of the public thoroughfares of the island are moro or less lined with the ornamental graves of departed lesidonts. But the thing that greatly interests visitors is tho islanders' custom of placing upon the gravo some article that was much valued by the deceased in his lifetime. Thus recent callers at Niue saw upon tho graves such articles as a green sunshade, a watch, a pair of roller braces, and— the property of an island gentleman who had met, in Auckland, an enterprising second-hand dealer—a sadly rusted typewriter. Tho goods placed upon a grave are perfectly safe; tho average nativo would sooner kill himself than interfere with the disposition of a dead man's properly.

Tho following four gentlemen have been nominated for the position of councillor for Ward B of the Borough of Mount Albert Messrs. J. T. Aspden, E. Griffith!;, E. 8. Inwood, and H. Tiarks. As there are only two vacancies to be filled a poll will bo necessary, and this will bo taken on Saturday next.

A matter affecting the dairying industry was discussed at the monthly meeting of tho Taranaki executive of the Farmers' Union (telegraphs our Taranaki correspondent). A letter was received from tho

Auckland provincial executive asking an opinion on tho remit, "That the Government should erect an up-to-date college to teach factory managers the work of manufacturing butter and cheese on similar lines to those in Canada." Considerable discussion ensued, the meeting being almost unanimously in sympathy with tha proposal. Mr. Dunn, vice-president, was of opinion that all factory managers should bo properly trained ana qualified by (.lamination- A man who had the power to condemn, tho dairy farmer's milk should be properly qualified. A resolution supporting tho remit was carried.

High ideals aro held by Herr A. L. Krcutzer in Tegard to music. " The study of music," he said, iu the course of his lecture on "The Violin" at the Choral Hall on Saturday night, " whether vocal or instrumental, should not bo considered as a more pastime or amusement only, but> as an education, a refining art, a grand acquisition which does not fail to show ita influence through life. "Music," ho continued,. "is a highor revelation than all science and philosophy, and although only a creation of human intelligence, it is a. divine link with heaven, and, as Plat<i has truly said, ' it givee a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety, and life. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good, just, and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but nevertheless dazzling passionate and eternal form.

What may ho called a baptismal freak! seemed to bo disclosed to tho Brighton (Vic.) Bench, when a witness to whom the oath had been administered, said his Christian name was "J.P." AH concerned promptly desired to know what names "J.P." stood for. Tho man, ramer petulantly reiterated that his name _ wag *' J.l\"—that and no more. A solicitor on the other side asked him whether "J." stood for "Jay," but the witness hotly rejoined that ho was "no more a jay" than the enquirer. He then informed Their Worships that from his birth his father had called him " J.P."-nothing more and nothing less—and had him christened so; which made the magistrates reflect, in tho midst of their surprise, how ea-sily the titlo had fallen to the witness as a birthright, compared with the difficulty so many reputable citizens find in securing tho attachment of thceo two initials to their surnames. Why the man's father eccentrically christened him with such brevity and with so much suggestiveness could no mora be conjectured than Charles Dickens, in his novel o£ "Edwin Drood," seemed able to guess about the identity of one "P.J.T.," whose initials, with tho date 1747, ornamented the front of one of tho London inns of court. After a lot of absurd theorising Dickens finished with the remark that "T.J.T.' possibly jabbered thus in 1747.

An extraordinary instance of the gullibility of a foreigner came under the notice of the Sydney police last week. A Maltese named James Marcha, who had been working at Mount Morgan for some month?, took it into his head to go homo to get married. Ho came to Sydney and booked his passage in tho Omrah. IVliilo feeing the sights of tho city ho camo across a mags man, who quickly lot him know that he was going home to Franco and intendod travelling by the Bamo boat. They went for a walk, and the stranger remembered that ho had to pay for fiorao ore, and that he would have to go back to the boat to get his money. Then a sudden inspiration seized him, and ho asked Marcha if ho could cash a note for £10. Marcha. did so willingly, and handed him over 10 sovereigns in exchange for a note purporting to be on the Bank of Brisbane, and bearing the words—'" I promise to pay bearer the sum of £10 when the sun goes down." The confidence trickster disappeared, and so far as Marcha is concorncd the sun has not yet gono down. Martha subsequently tendered tho note in payment for a meal at a restaurant, and tears streamed down his faoa when he was told that tho picQO of paptf had no monetary value..