MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1156, 27 April 1894, Page 25

MISCELLANEOUS.

The request of the Ballanco Memorial Committee for leave to erect the proposed memorial stone in the grounds of Parliament Buildings was considered by Ministers in Cabinet last week. It was finally agreed to submit to the House next session proposals for the placing of tho memorial in tho Parliamentary grounds.

For some time past the Board of Governors of the Wellington College and Girls' High School have been desirous of selling to the Government the Rangitumau Reserve in the Hutt Valley. The Government have now intimated to the Board of Governors their readiness to buy at the price agreed upon, provided the Board is in a position to give a valid title. The reserve has an area of from GOOD to 8000 acres, and if acquired will be utilised for settlement purposes. Mr E. F. Hawko sends us £1 through the Secretary of the United Hunt Club towards the King Fund.

[3§Last week the members of Court Sir George Grey, A.0.F., presented illuminated addresses to Bros. C. 11. Gillespie and C. Hewitt, who have been Trustees of the Sanctuary for upwards of 25 years, but who have been compelled to resign, owing to ill-health. To their efforts the Court owes much of its present success. The officers and members of tho Sanctuary went to the houses of tho two brothers, and the presentations were made by Bro. J. T. Webber, P.P., in neat and appropriate speeches, and were feelingly acknowledged. A very pleasant social hour was spent at Bro. Gillespie's. Mr S. Ross, Willis street, illuminated the address with great taste. George Gibbs, who was agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company at Hawera, pleaded guilty at the Supreme Court at New Plymouth last week, according to a Press Association telegram, to 11 indictments, including forgery and embezzlement, and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. Mr S. Waters, so long and favourably known as confidential clerk in tho firm of Levin and Co., has been appointed agent in the Wellington and Taranaki districts for Goldsbrough, Mort and Co. This important firm propose to extend their business in New Zealand, and have chosen Bisley and Co. as their chief agents for tho Colony. The appointment of Mr Waters is an exceptionally shrewd one. Ho has a knowledge of the trade and commerce of Wellington which has been acquired by an experience such as very few men are able to boast of. His many friends will be glad to hear of the important appointment he has received. Mr Waters will open offices in Wellington. Tho Wanganui Borough Council are supporting the Chamber of Commerce of that town in tho demand that Wanganui, and not Aramoho, should be the station for the through train. The Council are also asking the Railway Commissioners to connect the train leaving Wellington at 1.30 with that leaving Palmerston at 5.30 for Wanganui, and thus give people leaving Wellington at mid-day tho opportunity of arriving at Wanganui at 10 p.m. The monument erected to the memory of the late Chief Wirihana at Tahoraite was designed and supplied by Mr Thos. Miller, Customhouse quay. With regard to tho recent death of the Maori woman Retimana, at Petone, the Wellington branch of the Medical Association has passed a resolution expressing the opinion that Dr Lamb was justified in refusing to attend the woman when first called upon, seeing that another medical man was available, and that in cases of life and death no practitioner should refuse to assist another practitioner, whatever terms they may be on, but that in this case Di Lamb, though refusing to act with Dr Scanlon, did all that humanity required. It was decided to draw the attention of the Government to the fact that the money which used to be paid for medical relief for the Natives has in great part, if not entirely, been withheld during late years, contrary to tho promise of the New Zealand Government to the British Government when the charter was granted, and to ask that this money be restored to its legitimate purpose. The Resident Secretary of the Colonial Mutual Life Association has received a cablegram from Melbourne announcing that at the annual meeting of the Company, in that city, the directors' report for the year ended 31st December, 1893, showed very satisfactory results. In spite of tho enormous depression existing all over Australia, the new business completed reached the Large figure of ,£913,053, whilst the total funds now exceed .£1,600,000. Since this Society was initiated the new business issued by it is over twenty million pounds sterling. We have been informed from the office of the Registrar of Electors that all persons who failed to vote at the late licensing elections are to be struck off the rolls.

A copy is to hand of " The Newspaper Press Directory " issued by Messrs C. Mitchell and Co., the well-known advertising contractors, Fleet street, London. This work is a most valuable index to the newspapers of the world, and is in itself a powerful testimony to the power and universal spirit of the press. The volume contains also an exceedingly useful digest of newspaper law and legal decisions during the year. The work altogether should prove very useful.

A new paper is to be established at Opunake, Taranaki. The first issue will • probably appear in a fortnight. j The affray at Wanganui in which Sergeant Villars was stabbed was investigated at the Wanganui Police Court on Thursday, when Stephen Neary, tho accused, was committed for trial. Ser-

geant Villars has recovered, and was able to give evidence.

Mr C. 11. Mills, M.H.R. for Waimea Sounds, is in Wellington, with the object of interviewing the Premier with regard to oyster culture in the Sounds There is a general opinion prevalent in that district that the Sounds would form an excellent ground for the culture of the oyster, and Mr Mills' mission is to try and get regulations made giving settlers some encouragement to embark in the business. With leases for fairly lengthy terms and nominal rents of the foreshore, something, it is felt, could be made of the industry, which would be beneficial alike to tho settlers and the general public.

A new Foresters' Court, which will bo carried on as a branch of tho Wellington district, is to be opened at Ohingaiti, near Hunterville, at the end of next week.

The man Burgess, who recently caused somewhat of a sensation by marching a man ho had "arrested" to the Police Station, and who was subsequently committed to the Mount View Asylum, succeeded in escaping from the institution at at 1 o'olock on Sunday morning. Clothed only in his shirt he managed to get through a window and made off, no one knew whither. A line and cry was at one© raised, but no trace of his whereabouts could be found, and at 4.30 a.m. the news of his escape was telephoned to tho Police Station. Momnted-Constable Smith was at once sent out in search of him, and eventually found him near Ngahauranga, clothed, and riding a horse in the direction of Wellington. He was handed over to tho care of a warder and taken back to tho Asylum.

A Commission of Enquiry consisting of Dr MacGregor (Inspector of Hospitals and Asylums), Mr J. B. Haywood (Secretary to the Treasury) and Mr J. K. Warburton (Public Trustee) was engaged last week in investigating certain charges of unfair treatment preferred by Mr Charlton (one of the two Government Veterinary Surgeons recently brought out from England) against Mr J. D. Ritchie (Secretary of the Agricultural Department) and Mr Hull, an inspector. Mr Charlton has resigned his office as Government Veterinary Surgeon.

Tho annual report of the directors of the Wellington Public Hall Company, to bo presented at the annual meeting on tho 4th May, is as follows :—Tho directors present tothe shareholders tho annual statement of accounts. A sum of JB3OO has been written off the premises account. Out of tho balance at credit of profit and loss account, the directors now recommend tho payment of a dividend at the rato of four per cent, per annum, which will absork ,£260, and that tho balance, .£7l 16s,^H

carried forward. Two directors rotifer by rotation, viz., Messrs W. W. Johnston and J. E. Nathan, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.

The monthly meeting of the Wellington Art Club was held last week at the Exchange Buildings. There was a full attendance of members and their friends, including Mr Spong. A largo number of sketches were exhibited, which showed a. decided advance in the working abilities of tho Club. Mr J. Baillie has offered special prizes for best designs for member's card and cover of catalogue of annual exhibition.

A meeting of delegates representing tho various friendly societies was hold at tha Foresters' Hall Friday night regarding tho proposed dispensary scheme. Mr W. JT. Moore, of Court Sir George Grey, presided. It was resolved that a general meeting of all members of friendly societies be held at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lambton quay, on Friday, 4th May, when full information is to bo given respecting the scheme. Lodges representing over 1000 members in all have notified their willingness to join in tho movement.

The Colonial Treasurer left on Friday for the South. The Minister of Lands has also gono South. Mr McKenzie goes on to Central Otago to formally open the nina miles section of railway which has just been completed from Middlemarch to a. place called Moloney's, but which henceforth is to bo known as the Rock and Pillar, after tho range of that name which, flanks the Strath-Taieri plain at that point. The remaining nino miles of the railway lying between Moloney's and Hyde is also very near completion, and will bo ready for opening in a month or two. Of the extension from Hyde to Eweburn (22 miles), which was authorised last session, some two or throe miles are now in course of formation. Mr McKenzie expects to return to Wellington during the first week of next month.

The Otago Education Board have sent a». circular letter to the Wellington Boar J asking whether it is correct that- tlj© Wellington Board does not place upon the same footing as its own teachers teachers from this (Otago) district applying for schools in Wellington. The letter was read at Wednesday's meeting of tho Board, when the chairman denied that ths Wellington Board followed any such practice. They engaged a teacher from Dunedih only four months ago. Mr Young said it was all very well for Duncdin to throw stones, but ho happened to knowthat a Wellington teacher who applied for a school at Dunedin recently was told by the secretary that they trained their own teachers, and invariably gave them tho preference. That was what they all dicC Mr Fraser: And quite right, too. Tho Board decided to reply that it was no principle of the Board to exclude teachers from other places, but they, recognised that their own teachers should be pro« moted, and all things being equal, they gare them the preference.