GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1511, 14 February 1901, Page 40

GENERAL NEWS.

Mr Martin. Kennedy entertained the orphan children of the Hill street Convent at a picnic in the spacious grounds surrounding his residence at Salamanca road on tie 6th, The day bemg singular!} pleasant, the little ones enjo} e , ’ one of their annual treats, very mud -

The estates of twenty-three c '- a f ed persons have been placed 101 ministration in the nands of t;, p lie Trustee, including those of John • Milne, Joseph H, Milk, Agues and Edward looking., all or 4t the meeting of the Gaelic Society held last week, Professor McKenzie cbated he had received a- letter from his Excellency the Governor tanking the society for the -message o ' conveyed in connection wnh the dtatn of the late Queen. Mr Lawrence Milmoe, who died at >ew Plymouth a few days ago, gained distinction during the Maori wars m the defence of the pah at Turu-turu-moka . He settled at Hawera, ana had resided there until removing, # m bad health, to New Plymouth some time ago. he was of a very charitable nature, and had a large circle of friends. Three places are being mentioned as likely to prove .suitable for a- site ro the Queen's statue when erected, the Basin Reserve, Parliament no use grounds, and the triangle opposite tne general Pose Office. The consensus ct opinion seems to be favourable to Me latter site, and that is the one which will probably be chosen.

At last week’s meeting of the Otty Council, the Mayor welcomed Councillor “Wilieston on his return from where he represented the Council at tnc Commonwealth celebrations. bins ship said he was glad to see Couiieiilo Willeston back at the Council meeting, and hoped his health had been ranvigarated by the trip. Councillor Willeston. acknowledged the compliment conveyed in the Mayoral remarks.

Mr Justice Denniston administered a deserved rebuke at the Supreme Court on the 7th to those people who frequen the Court when cases with disgust mg details are being heard. One of the witnesses gave her testimony m * ® f p" o-reat reluctance, and the Cron n f?° fecutor had much difficulty m getting evidence from her. His Hanoi, ** dressing the witness, said: Speak up , I am here, and the jury are here, to ; o ourdutv We owe no consideration to those "who come here to listen to disgusting details." The result was a perceptible thinning out of the audience.

A stowaway named John Wilscji "’as brought before Dr Me Art aur, • > / the Magistrate’s Court on the 7th instant charged with having travelled from Sydney to Wellington without having Sid his fare of £2 15s. A fine of oos was inflicted, with the option of fourteen days’ imprisonment. Bei a am Ed ward Cooper was convicted of having stolen £l6, moneys of James t. mc Ewan. He was ordered to make rest ■ - tntion, and to come up foi when called upon. David Ross, .or tne.t of £6 10s from James Edward, was similarly dealt with. John McSweeney was sent to prison for one month for having wandered abroad to gather m alms, an Patrick McGuire, on a chaige of drunkenness,, was ordered to pay Us firm and 21s doctor’s expenses or m default to go to gaol for fortv-eigl t hours.

The exceptionally severe storm winch S took place at Duntropn last week appears to have covered a greater area, than was at first supposed. It extended fsays 'the “North Otago Times ) down to Awamoko and the intervening area telt the full force of the battering of the hail, many farmers having their crops whoJy or partially, destroyed. The lightning, too, was werv severe. It struck tfie iron roof on Mr J. Johnston’s house at Awamoko, and, fusing the metal, threw it down in front of the bouse. Mr Johnston’s son was driving a reaper and > binder in a field when a flash threw him ; ckiwn and he was quite dazed for some time 5 after, IVIr G. Aitchison’s gorse "fence was fired in two-places by che lightning, and Mr Method, the race who was passing along the road at the time, being close to where the lightning struck the fence, was thrown dovra7 and has not yet recovered from th© effects of the shock.

The area under crop and the estimated weld in different cereals, as calculated, bv the Agricultural Department, is as follows : — Wheat : 206 463 acres a* £ bushels to the acre, total 5,574, ooobu.l ,i c Oats- 449,534 acres at 34 busne.s per acre total 15,284,156 bushels. Barlev : 30,831 acresat 30 bushels per acre total 924,930« bushels. The visible amount of wheat on han , 514^350 February, 1900, was stated at 12,014,00vj bushels. Of this the fallowing quantities have been consumed: —beea ioi 206,465 acres at 2 bushels per acre, 412,930 bushels ; consumption of 6 busbi'els per head of population for eight months, 3,216,140 bushels; wheat and flour exported to 30th October, 1900, .2.191,752 bushels; total consumption, , 5.820.822 bushels. * The amount left on [hand at the 30th October would accordingly be 6,693,528 bushels, but the l amount returned as on hand at that date I was 4,506,412 bushels, leaving a defi- ** <1 187,116 bushels.

The Official Assignee, has intimated the sale in the Bernard McGuire estate of 116 paid-up shares in the juioi: Gully dredging claim tor £3O.

We have to thank the New Zealand Shipping Company for sending us a copy of the calendar for 1901 issued by the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship line. The calendar is embellished with views of Canadian scenery and an illustration of one of the company s fine steamers.

A n Order-in-Council in last week s “Gazette" states that payment of capitation allowance to Eaucatun Boards for the half-year encang the 31st March 'shall be according to the working average attendance of the quartos ending September 30th and December 31st, 1000.

The inferiority of the French miners to English colliers is shown by tne fact that the average output ot a miner m me denurtmeut of Kurd or Pus de Calais is onlv 152 tons per annum, while that of a Durham collier is 333 tons or more Si Vv Shrij niSe shillings, while in Durham it docs ‘uot exceed five shillings.

In his statement filed with die . ; • i a gsio-uee F. Av. Butler, 31111101, - cial A>- g ’ a iat he commenced bankrupt, sajs 1 saddler in business in Newtown as & add July, 1808; giving ‘WhflJtae" In of+nrnpv 'to manage the Dusme^s. the face of growing competition he was crippled by want of eapital, .nc na« o' difficulty in collecting: accoanfc. ow•11Cr He had been forced to hie ins pe tiHon through pressure from his largest creditor From the statement it appeared that bankrupt’s total liabilities amounted to £166 15s 2d, and total as sets to £l3O, leaving us ot At; 10d Among debtoi .5 pnuc-pa feors are: -jfessr. Butler go 12s lid; AV. AATggms £3o A\ iMm. Mit*hell, £9 los ■ -hie first meeting “a demolition of great creed in Fore street E.C., vV e W ine bit of Milton’s London is to be re me Dit “Daily Chromcie ). moved (says the ua. y fJ iq ed" date 1.680, and its emblems °f tne flio’bt of time —a scythe, hour-glass, sku S?“c?os‘“M eZ. Tto gate known i in- the, ‘‘Great Gateway, is a ■notable relic of London before the gt eat fee Through it Milton must have been Srnoh and its grim sculptures must t ir s in y Forl SLinixsiSHS without hope of renewal.

The annual rjenio & Pany *O h their employes and thpir friends was held at- u y . tplio t T most enjoyable affair. Ihe paSy, numbering over two hundget™ taken over to the Bay cellent i unc heon an d The' 1 firm provided prizes for sports, which made up amusemeat of the V A teft be i Vee denartSSits created grear amusement, the cottee tug _ staffs, the _j. Qirxim won the a & Birney being second, donkey 5 d which created Sreat Mrs N. Reid elusion of the successful presented he arty cheers were competitors. Thye Mr N . SS£ " party returned to town shortly after seven o clock.

"Rvitish furies in divorce cases seem jus® now to be in a Pftiouiarly generous mood, when it comes correspond anr tbfsyd-; We and °on 6 twe '£^°e° s t of e thrßoy B rM«L°: ISantey with i««) for the loss of hi. 3ES \y d b sr «i-' f6 SSWsaward against Knightley was well for not content with abusing his professional privileges in a most blackguardly fashion he attempted, m defending the case, to induce the l ur y to believe that Major Harvest hadkeen guilty of collusion. In this he failed miserably , but it was proved to sat; isfactiou of the jury tempted to porsuade Ma]Or Harvcse commit misconduct, so that Mrs aa vest could obtain a- divorce. The Ma inr as became an officer and gentleman, refused to have anything to say to sue a proposition, and to the wife's credit it must be placed that she refused to be a party to the doctor's attempt to brand her husband as a conniver at her adultery.

Mr. Mrs and Miss Rev ell, who were injured by the trap accident at Rongotea, are .slowly improving m healtn. As the Hen. J. G. AVard is unable to take part in laying the loundation stone of the new post office at I eliding, he has bci&n invited to attend the opening ceremony when the bunding is completed. The members of the Protestant Alliance Friendlv Society throughout the! colonv have ‘presented a memorial to his Excellency the Governor containing an expression of sympathy with the Royal Family on the death of the Queen, and tendering the loyalty of the society to his Majesty the King.

It was found necessary on Thursday bv the doctors attending Lieutenant Collins to perform an operation ’on bis wrist, which was shattered by a Mauser bullet at the battle of Qttoshoep. The doctors anticipate that as a resiut ot tiieir manipulation Lieutenant Collins will partially recover the use of the dam a ged limb.

Several pictures, measuring 17in by 23in, of the ceremonies held in Wellington in connection with the proclamation of the King and the fuuc-ral services on Saturday iast, are being shown at the shop of Mrs Hermann, photographer, Cuba street. Reduced pictures of the two events are also on exmoition. They form an excellent memento of the scenes they depict.

From the Citizens’ Life Assurance Company, of which Mr J. Erankis Lane.oi Customhouse quay, is resident secretary for New Zealand, we have received an enlarged edition of the company s neat brochure entitled “* or the V.C., and also another booklet, entitled aheT wo Premiers,” both of winch are admirably designed to interest the public m the company’s methods, and to commend life "assurance to them.

The swimming races in connection with the Clyde Quay school were held at the To Arc. baths on Friday afternoon. Ihe results were as follows : —Championship ( gold medal presented by Mr Bay)—-V\ . Hyde, 1; D. Elias, 2; A. Black,3. Junior Championship inedal piesent ed by Mr Bay)-—P. AAilton. 1, J. McLean. 2. Senior Handicap (Mr Dav idson’s prize)—AV. Hyde, 1: A. Black, 2. Junior Handicap—J. McLean, 1; M May, 2. Neatest Dive—P. Milton and H- Meech, tie, 1; TV. Wilton, 2.

At Kaiwarra last week a ‘‘social" was tendered to Trooper M. McCallum a member of the First New Zealand Contingent, who returned by the troopship Orient last month. The guest the evening was presented by Mr M. Wilford, M.H.R., on behalf of a numbeir of friends, with a Rotheram hunting watch, a gold chain and a gold ring, and an illuminated address. The. attaii was worked by a strong committee, ot which Mr R. E. Flaws was chairman and Mr S. J. Ambrose hon secretary.

Air H. J. Manson, of Cluny Park, Palmerston North, has received news of the death of .has father, Akr Villiam Manson, of HuntingtoweSc, Hawthorne, Melbourne. The deceased gentleman came to the colonies with his brother, the late Mr John Alanson, in the fifties, and settled in Victoria. He frequently visited New Zealand, and resided tci some time at Cluny Park. On the occasion of his last visit, about nine months ago, he was not in good health. Mi Manson, who was seventy-two years old, was a brother of Mr Donald Alanson, of Edinldllie, and of Aliss Manson of The Pines, Feilding.

The second monthly report issued by the Agricultural Department on the condition and prospects of the fruit crop shows that in the jtia/vvera and Norinanby districts nearly all the crops reported on were under the average, .cherries having suffered from the ravages of birds, and gooseberries from fungus. In Hawke’s Bay the prospects are better, quite a number of the crops being reported good. At Woodville peaches are a failure, ana apricots, nectarines and pears are under the average in quantity and quality. At Otaki the crops generally are reported upon favourably, only apricots, peaches and raspberries being under the average.

The Napier “Daily Telegraph” publishes a report concerning “some rather strange proceedings” at the Hastings c<lice Court on Thursday, before a Bench of Justices. It was understood that five • persons were to be charged with disorderly conduct, but- on the Clerk or the ’ Court rising to read the chargesheet he was stepped by a local solicitor after he had uttered “Michael O—— ' The solicitor said he wished to plead guilty for the defendants, who were reputable people. The case arose out or an accidental encounter, counsel sard, and he then appealed to the police to- ' withdraw the charge. Sergeant Smart refused to do, so. Thereupon the Bench, without waiting for th« charge sheet to be read, ordered the defendants to pay the cost of the summons between them, and expressed a hope that the rence would be a warning to them, lhe names of the defendants were never mentioned in the Court proceedings, but the “Telegraph” mentions that some days previously it received a requisition on behalf of five mein., who wished their names to be suppressed from proceedings then pending at Hastings. lhe perpetration by a Bench of Justices of such a travesty on justice as that above indicated would seem to imply that the Goddess is no longer blind, but simplj strabismus-eyed. —.—

About £9OOO is already m hand-re-wards the £15.000 required for the purchase of a new steamej for the Melanesian Mission.

The drill sergeants who have been acting as instructors to the CanterDury school teachers report favourably on the results of the classes, and recommend that practical examinations should lie held, and that the teachers should bo supplied with drill manuals and Smdei rifles. .

Returns for the quarter ending December 31st show that there woi e schools in the Wanganui haucntion D with 293 teacners ',l-9 male ana 154 female). The scholars on the rod it the beginning of the quarter were 10499! and at the end of. the quarter 10,629 (5482 boys and 514/ gn'U). T average weekly roll number was 10,300.

The “Mutual Life for February, just to «,e following item regarding me future tent ions of the late Agent-Gen ei a 1 ct \ew Zealand :—“ Our London cnainnan, SfrWertby Peroeval, K.C.M.6., arnrf at Svdney on 24th ulto., by the -GM.S. China, and will visit New Zealand and some of the Australian States before returning to the Mother Country.

A meeting of members of the No. 4 Co-operative Building Society /was held last week to decide by baLot a lo< appropriation. Mr A B Anderson chairman, presided, and there ~ oood attendance. Messrs O. Neihon and James MoLachlin were appointed scrutineers. The number drawn was bO, held bv a lady member who has three shares "in the society, and becomes entitled to a loan of £3OO free of interest.

An anomaly in criminal law was mentioned in Court on Monday by Mr Wilford, while he was appearing as counsel for accused in a case of obscene language. Mr Wilford pointed out that t man could use obscene language m a railway carriage and only incur a fine if the information was laid under the railways bylaws, there being no imprisonment option; Luit when an information was laid under Act of Parliament the only punishment possible was imprisonment—there was no option ot a fine.

There is an interesting article in the January “Australasian Insurance and Banking _ Record’ on the crease in the profits o ‘ doing business m these colonies. • he total net profits for the year g«n>unted to £1,274,000 as against £875,000 during 1889. Taking dividends paid for 1898 they totalled £627,810, tor io»J £660 014 and for 1900 £822,320. In six instances’ no dividends on the ordinary share capital have been period under review. . _ In four instances, viz., the Bank of North ■Rnnk of Victoria, E.S. and A. Bank, ana fhe National Bank of Australasia a recommencement was made during three years. Four other banks— the Oitv of Sydney, National Bank of TasSania! Ro y yal/Bank of Q-enstend and W.A. Bank—have not altered them cu dettids, while the remainder (eight banks! galttw’sUh Wales 9 to 10 per ro'pir^C^rct^f^aJman^/ to IS 7 per’ cent; National of New Zealand, 6t07 to 8 per cent; Royal of.Aus train), 3 to 4 per cent; and the ?e“sfor the^f %or£ble Despite factors which may have tended to reduce profits, there is ncfl expansion of trade, continuous aa vance Tn iSal estate, and the sound condition of the majority of the oolomes. And all this should lead to an increase of banking business and profits. A very racy' story is told of an linneHal private* who was billeted out to restrict teetotal family” mWm. After he had been ocme, the host remarked that he hopeu bis 3 soldier guest would not family being rather strict mr S , - inSSkfeg spirits. Tommy enjoyed h« beer, and being anythin* but £ ha ’jf p he crite, told them so, but added time e could have anything he wanted i t : the while thanking his suptheir cordial greeting. he J £ost asked his per was announced the ho a yash his empst if he would x,. guesx> T ‘‘Well we can go to --ne ?SrdS?,. t afd° t f PRmg m vome e te w a oonfidential tone sail i iciUO r,. but I find are ver 5 r v _ stric a i, t +-] e nip occasionally— I must have a httle haye ** a J:ih l ’ J Mind, not a word to the one of course, and Wlf „,;i v persuaded to have a second. WheS bed time was announced, the good wife safd she must show the visitor to the room she had prepared for him. When she and her guest had reached the apartment, the door again was softlv closed, and in muca the same oonfidential tone—“Of course, we arei very strict about drink, you know; but I hare a slight affection of the chest, and I find I 'must occasionally taiso a little stimulant.- But not a word to my husband!” • A bottle was produced, ana the red-coat had another series ot.mps. The pantomime was repeated on several occasions, and, by keeping faith with husband and wife, Tommy had a very enjoyable time. How his mates envied him when he retailed the experience at mess is spoken ot frofii enc^o^n^M the K ri fM ViiVwiliifßfflßSafMlSHH. l

It seems (writes “Kepler’’) a most suitable time for such a military commotion (never before seen in this country), when the planet Mars is at his nearest point to the earth. Henc« the activity of the observatories in looking out for signals accompanied by his invisible moon’s phobos and metu. He passes north about' 1 a.m. Mars is most attractive at present—a fiery red; but when at greatest distance from the earth he sinks down to a second or third magnitude star.

Surgeon Maillard, who left H.M.S. Archer in Sydney, being invalided home, is a possessor of tbe coveted Victoria Cross. The distinction was earned during the troubles in Crete a few* years ago, when under helavy fire, the 'gallant mod : .co carried a wcuntied b liejacket to a place of safety.

Lieut. Keimett Dixon, of H A.S. Archer (recently commissioned on the Australian Station, and now in port for the first time), was married curing the vessel’s stay in Sydney to Miss Evelyn Adams, daughter of the late Lieut - General Adams, who, when he dud. was in command of the British garrison ar; Gibraltar.

The Petone Borough Council met last Monday, his Worship tthe Mayor being in the chair. Councillor M.othes reported that he had conferred with the Hutt Borough delegates, and they had decided that Wednesday should be the statutory half-holiday. The Mayor said the Government had communicated with Mr Bunny respecting the entertainment, of the Imperial treops at Bedlam Park, slating that in the event of the expenses not being fully subscribed it wculd suggest that the Council should bear a proi rata share of the liability. It was agreed to. meet the wishes of the Government. A return prepared at the instance of Councillor Austin disclosed the fact that the expenditure incurred in connection with the preparation of the Reereation Ground for the Trotting Club 1M been met by the receipts.

The Seatoun Road Board met last Monday, Mr Townsend presiding. The Under-Secretary for Public Works wrote stating that ih© Shelly Bay road would b© repaired by prison labour within the present month. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Mabin, seconded by Mr Zohrah, that- an account of £75 due to Mr Fulton for work done by him in connection with wharf construction he paid out of ordinary revenue, such expenditure to be subsequently recouped from loan money when such is obtained from the Government. The subject of removing rocks from Kanaka, and Worser Bays was left to Messrs Townsend and Mabin to deal with. A thanks was accorded to Mr Hearn for his offer of a horse to remove stones, etc., from the Picnic Rocks. It was decided to take over Fetter’s crescent forthwith. It was also decided to draw public attention to. the fact that anyone removing boulders from the Worker Bay foreshore would be liable to prosecution unless the Board’s permission was first obtained. Accounts amounting to £l3 13s od were passed for payment,

- Tli? • Stipendiary- Magistrate, Dr McArthur, presided at the Magistrate's Court on Monday morning. H. E. Hammond, charged with deserting his wife at Masterton, was remanded to appear there this morning. Nathaniel Armadia = was remanded to appear at Christchurch on the 12th instant on a similar charge. John Nugent, charged with assault, was ordered to> appear on the 15th instant-. C. W. Winter was ordered to pay £1 per week towards the support of his wife and child. A separation order on the wife’s application was granted against Hugh Macfarlane. Defendant has also' to pay £1 per week for the maintenance of his wife and family. A. P. Smith was sent to prison for one month unless arrears under a maintenance order arc paid. Mary Wilson obtained a separation order against husband, Archly bald Wilson. Deiendant was ordered tp! pay maintenance at the rate of 10s.|!|pr' week. James Knight was ordere||lFtn pay 10s per week towards rj;y;|jt?frif-e’s. support. J. O. Armstrong, whC has three children in ot. Joseph’s Industrial Home, wars charged with failing to provide for their maintenance. He was directedl to pay 7s 6dl per week. An elderly person named Jane Maria Gilligan, charged with having no visible lawful means of support, was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. In the meantime, the trustees of the Ohiro Home, of which institution the defendant had been an inmate, have offered! to give her another chance.

The committee of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club met on Monday, the ®ommodore of the club, Mr A. H. Turnbull, being in the chair. The balance-sheet in connection with the regatta was ’presented, showing a balance on the right side. The secretary was instructed to arrange for an afternoon tea at Day’s Bay some time in March. The new rating rule was discussed, and it was resolved to leave the whole matter ever to a future meeting. A vote of thanks was passed to Messrs R. J. Walters and T. M. Collins for their services on regatta day.

The estates of the following deceased persons have been finally certified at the /amounts given : —Wellington—Robert Henderson, £123 11s 6d; Ann Walker, £450; Rose Reynolds, £339 3s Id; William C. Stewart, £347 2s; Millen, £9912 9s 4d; William C. Smythe, £1258 9s 6d; William Chant, £779 6s Id; Ellen M. Sexton, £197 13s 7d; John Molah, £IOB os 8d; James H. A. Brock, £340 8s 8d ; Catherine M. Horner , £199 17s 8d; Henry Holland, £1424 12s od. Napier—Eugenia G. Gibson, £333 4s 4d; Cornelius Crowley, £322 16s 2d. New Plymouth—Harold H. Chambers, £316 4s 6d; Cardin Somervail £355; W. H. J. Setter on, £1165 ISs 2d.

On Friday last Mr Ellingham arrived at Grmondville from Waikopiro, and stated that- on returning to his cottage at the latter place he found that it had been broken open. The body of a man was found in a kneeling position at one of the bunks, while a gun was lying at the other. The walls, floor and ceiling were bespattered with blood and brains. On returning to the cottage with a constable it was found that the man had shot himself in the side and in the head, the side of which Had been blown off. The xxody was taken to Ormondville. From the marks on it, it is considei od almost certain that tie man is the unfortuuate Whisky, who was recently arrested for lunacy ,and afterwards liberated.

Mr Thomas Mackenzie, addressed representatives of the farming class in the Lawrence Town Hall on - Saturday night (Mr Bonnet M.H.R. for Tuapeka, presiding), on the evils which heA had found connected with the handling of colonial produce on the Londonyhiarkets. He also, referred to the--preju-dice which he had found to exist against the consumption of our frozen mutton,, and described the method he had adopted to break if down. He advocated several reforms,' including , a system of careful and reliable grading, and that failing the insurance companies doing their duty Government should establish a State insurance department in connection with the shipment of our produce, and provide in the policy that a certain man who should be named in the policy should have the assessment, and that his decision should be final. Mr Mackenzie was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.