TELEGRAPHIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1511, 14 February 1901, Page 49

TELEGRAPHIC.

AUCKLAND, February 7. Sir Westby Perceval states that he is on a visit to the colony, and has no present intention of making his home in New Zealand. Sir Westby intends to remain a few days in Auckland, and will visit the Lake district, probably continuing his journey down the Wanganuii river.

At a meeting of the City Counoil Mr F. E. Baume, on behalf of the Gladstone [Memorial Committee, presented the city with a marble bust of Mr Gladstone, subscribed for by the Auckland admirers of the deceased statesman. The bust v.lll be placed in the free library. The steamer Ovalau, from the Eastern Pacific, brings news of the destruction by fire at sea of the four-masted barque Pyrenees, which sailed from Tacoma on 14th October with a cargo of wlieat for Glasgow'. During the voyage a fire broke out among the cargo. The nearest land was Pitcairn Island 1 , for which place the vessel was headed. There being no harbour on the island she went on to Gambier Island, 800 miles from Tahiti, where she was beached. The crew then commenced salvage operations everything possible being removed; but nothing could be done to subdue the fire, which, owing to the long time it had been raging, had complete control. Captain Boyce determined to abandon the ship, and a trading schooner from Tahiti being at the island, the crew and salvage were taken to Papeete. The fittings were there sold by auction for £2OO. The crew left for San Francisco by way of Australia on 24th January. When the vessel was abandoned the fife was raging from stem to stern.

The annual report of the Collector of Customs for Auckland shows that during the year the Customs revenue increased from £498,819 in 1899 to £525,905. The chief items of increase are: —Goods ad valorem, £9600; sugar, molasses and treacle, £8500; .spirits, £6590; tobacco, £5800; wine, £2000; cigarettes, £1000; cigars, £9lO. The items of decrease are:—• Weight goods (chiefly currants and raisins), £1500; coffee, £365; tea, £1700: chicory, cocoa and chocolate, £100; kerosene, £3649. Imports increased from £2,211,672 in 1899 to £2,617,215. The exports increased! from £1,860,604 in 1899 to £2,068,361. The shipping returns (foreign) show an increase both inwards and outwards. In 1899 the number entering was 221, of 311,825 tons, with 10,010 men as crews; while in 1900 the number was 223 vessels of 323,429 tons, with 10,293 men. The outward clearances in 1899 totalled 183 vessels of 214,351 tons, with 8543 men as crews; in 1900 there were 208 vessels of 222,265 tons, with 8532 men. The coastwise shipping trade compares as follows: —ln 1899, 9593 vessels of 1,148,939 tons, with 98,769 men as crew's entered inwards; in 1900, 9690 vessels of 1,189,149 tons, with 98,114men, entered outwards. Coastwise entering. in 1899, 9620 vessels of 1,215,667 tons, with 99,932 men against 9684 vessels of 1,258,282 tons, with 98,526 men. Excise beer duty increased from

£17,194 to £lß,lOl. The export of gold Vhas decreased from £624,739 to £605,398. Wool, grain and frozen meats all show increases.

THAMES, February 7. The Geological Museum in connection with the School of Mines was formally opened last night by the Hon James McGowan, Minister of Mines. GISBORNE, February 7. A young man named Sydney Gardiner had his leg very badly broken through a vehicle capsizing yesterday. An infant has been drowned at Tuamotu by falling into a well. GISBOKiNE, February 8. At a meeting to-night of the Chamber of Commerce, also at a meeting of tbe Liberal Association, the question of the sacrifice of timber in the Motu district was discussed. Both meetings passed resolutions urging that the Government should send an expert to give an authoritative report on the subject. GISBORNE, February 9. The Liberal Association last nisrlit gave notice to move in the direction of nominating Liberals for all local bodies elections. One member suggested that in the event of such action being successful they might make Liberalism a sine qua non of appointment to office, quoting American practice as precedent.

WANGANUI, February 7. The licensee of the Aramoho Refreshment Rooms was fined £5 and costs yesterday for selling a bottle of whisky to be cLrqnk off the premises, contrary to the conditions of his license.

NiiLSON, February 7,

Twenty-five candidates have been nominated for the seven seats on the Nelson Harbour Board.

NELSON, February 8.

At the annual meeting of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce, held to-night, Mr C. Y. Fell was elected chairman, and Mr S. Kirkpatrick vice-chairman. There was a large attendance, and the chairman dealt with many subjects in bis address. Complaints were made as to freight and steam service. The proposal from Wellington re a federation of chambers of commerce, with an executive at the capital, was favourably received.

CHRISTCHURCH, February 10.

At an inquest on the body of Samuel Bull, drowned in a boating accident, the verdict was one of accidental death. The funeral of Dean Jacobs yesterday

was a most impressive sight. The body was taken to the Cathedral, where a full choral service was held, Afterward*, preceded by the clergy in robes, the cortege went to the cemetery, where two ehoires assisted at the grave. Archbishops Carr (Melbourne) apd Redwood (Wellington), Bishop Verdon (Dunedin) and a large number of visiting Roman Catholic clergy have arrived to assist in laying the foundation stone at the new cathedral. They were accorded an en~ tliusiastic welcome at the railway station last night, and headed by a brass band and the Hibernians, marched to the presbytery. An address of welcome was presented to the visiting prelates. To-day a great crowd was present at the ceremony of blessiug and laying the stone, and £2OOO w r as subscribed. A most impressive ceremony was carried out with a3l pomp. Archbishop Redwood preached ai the Piro-Cathedral in the morning and Archbishop Carr in the evening. TXMARU, February 7.

At the Supreme Court to-day a man named McKay, charged with rape, was found guilty of common assault. The afternoon was occupied in hearing a case of incest, which was not concluded. TIMARU, February 8.

The Supreme Court criminal sessions closed this evening. Robert Elms, fer sheep stealing, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment; Alex McKay, common assault (he was charged with rajie), one year. Jeremiah McCarthy, incest with a daughter of fifteen, was sentenced to seven years. On a second charge relating to a daughter of eleven stay of proceedmgis was authorised. McCarthy’s case was remarkable, as the witnesses for the prosecution alleged that the mother knew of incest with a succession of j'cung daughters during the past seven years. The next door neighbours gave the prisoner a good character, and the defence suggested that the charges were the result of a conspiracy to get rid of the man. G. Botherway, charged with setting fire to a house he occupied up country, was acquitted.

DUNEDIN, February 7.

Samuel Flaherty, charged with an indecent assault on a child of tenner years, was to-day further remanded till the 12th inst., as the child assaulted is not yet well enough, to be brought before the Court.

DUNEDIN. February 8

At Clinton to-day a case of importance as affecting drink in Clutha prohibition district was heard. The police laid an information against one John Hay for receiving orders for liquor. Mr Fraser, the Crown Prosecutor, contended that the evidence disclosed that defendant had i eceived orders at Clinton for the supply of beer and that by virtue of the provisions of the Act, no commercial traveller or other person could receive any order for liquor in Clutha. Mr Findlay, for the defence, contended that liquor to be “supplied” must be within the county. Decision was reserved. At the Acclimatisation Society’s meeting a letter was received from Baron Bultzingslown, stating that he had walked from the head of Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound, and had been through the grandest scenery he had ever seen. In fishing the Waiau he caught a true grilse. He was too old a salmon fisher not to know the difference. A case came before Mr Justice Williams to-day in which C. N. Macintosh, of Timaru, applied to have his name removed from the register of the Mikonui Company, in respect to 150 shares, on the ground that he had not applied for them. The facts, shortly, were that Macintosh telegraphed Barr, Leary and Co. to reserve 150 shares for him. The firm signed an application on his behalf for the shares, and they were allotted. On receiving notice of the second call, which Macintosh said was the first intimation he had of the shares being allotted, he declined to take them. After; argument, Mr Justice Williams decided that telegraphing to Barr, Leary and 00. did not authorise them to apply for shares on behalf of Macintosh, who was therefore entitled to have his name removed from the register. At Port Chalmers to-day Alexander Thompson and Carl Kunst were charged with the murder of George Gibb, one of tbe o%arama’s crew, on the 2nd inst. Each pleaded not guilty, and were remanded to Dunedin till the 13th.

Two George street drapery firrgs were charged at the Police Court to-day with employing female shop assistants for a longer period than nine and a half' hours. Both pleaded guilty, but stated that the breach was due to inadvertence, they having overlooked the fact that in. keeping open late on New Year’s Eve and again on the succeeding Saturday they were keeping the girls late two nights in a week. Mr Graham, S.M., said they did not look like oases of wilful intention to break the law. Each firm was fined five shillings in each of four cases.

INVERCARGILL, February 7

The Federation Commission closed ite sittings here to-night. At the evening sitting Mr J. C. Mackley and Mr J. W. Raymond gave evidence, both strongly against federation. The latter made light of the cry that the oats trade was sufficient .reason for federating. Of those called here, four advocated federation, four . opposed, and six had no definite, opinions. The Commission opens in Dunedin on Saturday . morning*