GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 42

GENERAL NEWS.

The appointment of Jas. S. Maclaurin, D.Sc., F.G-S., to be an analyst under the Adulteration Prevention Act is gazetted. According to the “Bruce Herald,” the damage done by small birds to the crops in the Tokomairiro district is attaining alaxming dimensions. Out of a total of 3445 animals slaughtered at the Dunedin municipal abattoirs in two weeks, only-four cattle were condemned as unfit for food.

The Eketalimia County Council has declared ragwort to be a noxious weed, and the Pakiatua Councy Council has declared all the plants enumerated m the schedule to the Noxious Weeds Act. It is notified in the “Gazette” that the shooting season for fallow aeer m the Wanganui district will open on the Ist March, and close on the loth April- In the South Wairarapa county the season for shooting deer will, open on the Ist March, and close, on the 30th April-

A very '-pretty: wedding took place in SC 'MarV's 'Church, * Bcuicoot street, on the 13th instant, the contracting parties being Mr Joseph Warren, youngest son of the late Mr William Warren of the 65th Regiment, and later of the Defence Department, and Miss Jane Mulholland, of Ebor street, Wellington. The Rev Father O’Slida conducted the- service. The bride wore a dress of grey cloth, handsomely trimmed with white satin, and silk chiffon, with hat to match. The bridesmaid's, who were sisters of the bride, wore dresses of white tucked muslin'and'black picture hats-. • The bridegr dam's present to the bride,-, was a erold cable bangle, and to each bridesmaid ne gave a gold ring and a gold brooch.

At a meeting of members of the Star Boating Club last week, a presentation was made to Mr W. E..Benda-11, to mark the occasion of his marriage. The presents comprised a handsome silver teaand coffee service, a set cf carvers, an oak and silver salad bowl, and a liqueur stand. Mr Bethune, in making the presentation, spoke in eulogistic terms of the many services rendered to the club and its members by the recipient during his fifteen years 5 membership, and mentioned that his name was on almost every trophy in the club, in addition to which he had a lengthy list of -wins at open reirattas. Mr "Benda 11 feelingly thanked his club mates for the handsome presents which they had given him. The journal of the Department of Labour for February reports as follows of the labour market at Wellington: Building and engineering trades still busy; hoot trade brisk; clothing trade busy in all branches; retail trade (general) very good -In all branches. There were a considerable number of applicants for unskilled employment during the month, several of whom were assisted to the country districts for the harvest and grass-seeding. A number were also sent to public works. Good condit ons are generally reported throughout the W ellington district. The building trade is stated to be dull at Hunterville, Pahiatua and Fketakuna, and the retail trade to be very dull at Huntervill®. Among the appointments in the Post and Telegraph Department gazetted last week are the following : —Permanent — c. S. Gallic, cadet, Martinborough; nonpermaneoit —J. E. Jorgensen, postmaster and telephonist, Kilbirnie; Henry Macfarlane, postmaster, Belvedere; C. Roadley, postmaster, Tinwahi; E. Parrott. postmaster, Rawhitiroa; Blanch E. Stokes, postmistress, Taumatatahi; Marv Jordan, postmistress and telephonist, Te txoro- Post offices have been opened at Belvedere, Kilbirnie, Taumatatahi, Tinwahi and Turangarere ; money order offices and post office savings banks at Colyton and Otakeho; postal note offices at Brooklyn, Kilbirnie and Ngaire ; a telephone office at Glen Oroua; and a telephone bureau at Silverhope. The highest rainfall in the North Island for the month of Januiary was 14.71 inches at Mangorei, where rain fell on 20 days. The heaviest fall for a period of twenty-four hours was 3.81 inches on the Bth ult. at Ngatima,ru. The lightest fall for the month was 1.19 inches at Ouvier Island, where rain fell on only four days. In the South Island the heaviest aggregatetefall was 17.22 inches at Puysegur Point, where rain fell on 18 days. At the Quartz Ranges (Collingwood) the fail was 11.26 inches. Puysegur Point maintains its record by having also experienced the heaviest fall for a single day, 5.02 inches having fallen on the 3rd ult. The lowest rainfall in the South Island was five inches at Woodbury (Geraldine), three inches of this having fallen on a single day. The rector of the Wanganui Collegiate Boys’ School is strongly of opinion that his senior pupils should be instructed in the elementary principles of “first aid to the injured.” and as the result of a communication from him on the subject, the committee of the St. John Ambulance Association in Wellington has arranged with Dr Hatherley, of Wanganui, to give a special course, of lectures for juniors'. An examination will subsequently be hold, but this will not be an equivalent to the ordinary “first aid” one, and consequently any successful examinee desirous of qualifying for the medallion examination would have to attend the ordinary “first aid 5 * lectures and pass the stipulated re-examinations, in addition to the above-mentioned junior examination, before a medallion could be awarded.

The appointment of Mr Theophilus Cooper as a Judge of the Supreme Court is gazetted. The Rev Ivo E. Bertram (Presbyterian) has been gazetted an officiating minister under the Marriage Act. One of the finest collections of Maori curios in the colony was recently sold in Wanganui, and will be exhibited in Australia and the Old Country. A conference of friendly societies is to be held in Wellington during the next sitting cf Parliament, the idea being to press for reform legislation.

Messrs R. P. Maxted, T. Allender, Q. Willis, and 11. J. Christenson correctly guessed the weight of five sheep (3451 b) at the Mastertou show on Wednesday The sum of £23 was realised by the association as the result of the competition.

Mr C. B. Robertson, of the) Town Clerk’s staff, having resigned to take up a position with Messrs Sargood, Son and Ewen, Mr Charles Collins lias been appointed in his place, he having been second on the list cf applicants when Mr Robertson was appointed. A Press Association massage from Auckland states that Mr J. M. Witheford, M.H.R., has received a cablegram from San Francisco, stating that Mr John D. Spreckels, of the Oceanic Company, left in the Ventura on the 14th instant for Auckland. Mr A. R. Atkinson last week obtained- from, Dr McArthur, S.M., a delay of proceedings on behalf of the defendant in the case of W. R. Porteous v. T. J. Thompson, a claim for £52 3s 9d in connection with partnership transactions. It is the intention of defendant to apply for a, transfer of the proceedings to the Supreme Court.. Mr Dalziell is appearing for the plaintiff, and the matter is to be dealt with by the Supreme Court this morning.

Mr W. Tonks wishes us: to state that the had no intention, in his remarks at the S.M. Court, tore fleet upon the sanity of the Court of Arbitration, hut merely to express his 'preference for the S.M, Court as a-place where he might get consideration. In the case against Mr Tonks for- selling under-weight bread, the Court dismissed the charge. The “Times” report of what transpired in Court was throughout absolutely correct.

The powers of the chairman of the Conciliation Board in influencing the settlement of industrial disputes heard before that body are not generally understood. They have been erroneously compared with those possessed by the President of the Arbitration Court. The President of the Court, however, has much larger powers than the chairman of the Board. The President, m event of his colleagues differing, can materially influence the complexion of the award to he given. The award must meet with his approval, whereas the chairman of the Board has merely a casting vote in event of the members of the Board being unable to agree, although the recommendations made may wander far from his own private judgment. The recommendations in the drivers’ case were fairly unanimous, it is understood.

In tho Magistrate’s Court on the 21st Dr McArthur, S.M., delivered his reserved judgments in the cases of W. G. Tustin) v. Garland and Wilson, Walter and Robinson,, claim £BS 12s, and of A. Smith v. the same defendants, claim £79 19s, each case being a claim for preferential treatment as against the remaining creditors of the assigned estate of the last-named three defendants. His Worship held that the plaintiff Tustin had established his right on lien to’ be treated as a preferential creditor, but the claim, of Smith, was disallowed. Costs totalling £7 10s were allowed to Tustin, but the defendants were allowed £ll eosts against Smith. Mr Young appeared for plaintiff Tustin, Mr Dalziell for plaintiff Smith, Mr Myers for the trustees of the asigned estate, and Dr Knight for defendant Garland. A claim for £5 5 s was made by H. Brown against Job H. Meyer. The plaintiff had allowed the defendant to stack timber on a section ot land, and the question in dispute was whether or not an arrangement had been made between the parties that the defendant should pay rent. After some evidence had been taken plaintiff’s counsel (MuDalziell) elected to take a nonsuit in consequence of the absence of a material witness. At the same sitting of the Court Alfred Searle sought to recover £36 from Ignatius Singer for breach of agreement to keep plaintiff in his employ. Mr vv llford appeared for plaintiff and Mr Dalziell for defendant. The defence to the case was that the contract was mutually determined. Judgment was given for plaintiff ior £6 12s paid into Court by defendant, with 12s costs. Dr McArthur gave judgment for plaintiffs in the following oases in the absence of the respetive defendants: —Martin: and Jones v. Daniel O’Sullivan, £2 18s 6d, costs 10s; Commercial Agency v. Robert and Alberta Talbot, £2l 12s 7d, costs £3 Is; J. Duthie and Co. v. Henry D. Hopkins, £6 113 4d l , costs 8s; Mary H. Child v. Alfred H. Vennell, £4 10s, costs ss. Judgment summons: —L. Schatz and Co. v. Malcolm S. Brunette, claim £ls 11s 7d; order made for payment of £1 per month, in, default fourteen days’ imprisonment in Wanganui Gaol. <

There has been received at this office a copy of the “Statistics of the Colony of New Zealand for the year 1899, with statistics of local governing bodies for the year ending 31st March, 1900. The statistics have been compiled in the Reg-istrar-General’s office from official records, and the volume has been issued from the Government Printing Office.

It is probable that the original intention of the Government to construct a two-foot gauge line of railway from Stratford to Kawakawa, on the North Island Main Trunk Railway, via Whangamomoma, will be departed from in favour of che gauge (three feet six inches) of the existing lines of railway in the colony, so as to enable it to carry the heaviest class of goods. The report of Mr Monaghan, who has been making a preliminary survey of the proposed railway, is expected in a few days, and if his report is favourable to widening the gauge, the Minister for Railways will recommend its adoption.

Classes for teachers will be held during the year at the Wellington Technical School on Saturdays from 9.30 to 10.30 in the following - subjects : —Perspective, freehand, me ic’. and memory drawing, light aria shade, drawing from the antique, and painting. There will also be a class for wood-carving, but a foe of 5s a quarter will be charged for this, as it is an extra subject, and it is not incumbent on teachers to pass m it. Lectures will be given on paper folding and mounting/, brush work, cardboard and clay modelling, from 10.30 to 11.30. Classes in drill will be held, probably from 11.30 to 12.30, but the time has not yet been definitely fixed.

The Official Assignee’s accountant presented a report at a meeting of A. J. Giddings’s creditors on Friday, showing that the bankrupt had kept a proper record of his transactions, hut that his expenses had been out of proportion to Inis profits. The accountant made no charge of extravagance against the bankrupt, who had only drawn £2 10s a week for the keep of himself and family. It was resolved, “That the debtor be grunted an immediate discharge, on the ground that the books were properly kept, and that his position is due to losses made in the ordinary course of business without suspicion of fraud.” A vote of thanks was passed to the Assignee’s accountant for his services.

In the Magistrate’s Court on Friday William John Hammond was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for having stolen £6 and a pocket dictionary from a member of the Fifth Contingent named Thomas R. Horne. The accused pleaded guilty to the charge on the advice of his solicitor, Mr Luckie. Frank Robinson, who pleaded guilty to a charge of having stolen a camera valued at £l2 from Thomas Stonebridge, and who was remanded for the probation officer’s report on his character to be submitted to the Court, was admitted to probation on condition that ho obtained a surety of £SO for his future good behaviour. The Wairarapa. Maoris (writes our Carterton correspondent) are urging the Government to allow Papawai to be the meeting place between the Duke of York and the natives of New Zealand. Although the Wairarapa is not - the most populous Maori district in the island, the natives consider the recognition is due on account of their loyalty to the Crown in the troublous days of 1867, when, they withstood the warlike appeals of the fiery Titokawaru and other rangatiras. Many old Wairarapa settlers still remember the visit of those Northerners —when peace and war hung in the balance—and how, finally, a refusal was given by Ngaturi, who swore he and.his would remain true to Wikitoria. No laud disputes of any consequence and no spilt blood have blurred the history of the valley since the Treaty of Waitangi. The Wairarapa natives’ peace-loving conduct is in marked contrast to that of some of their Northern brethren, consequently their contention that some honour should be shown them seems perfectly fair. Messrs Tamahau Mahupuku and Henare Parata, who have the matter in hand, are sanguine as to their success.

Mr J. G. Pasco© (formerly of the Public Works Department) returned on Friday from Australia, where lie has been on a visit for the past three months. Through the courtesy of the Under-Secretary for Lunatic Asylums in New South Wales, Mr Pascoe visited the Parramatta Asylum during his stay in Sydney, and had an interview with Oreswiok, of Tichborne claimant fame, who is at present living there in confinement. Mr Pascoe came casually in contact with a gentleman who is believed to have been the real Sir Roger Tichborne, over forty years ago, when he landed from the Osprey, and his object in interviewing Creswick was with the view of identification. He was unable to do so, however, notwithstanding the fact that he had a lengthy conversation with him, but this is scarcely to be wondered at, considering the very long interval which has elapsed. Creswick is in first-rate health, but appeared to be subject to an occasional temporary suspension of his mental powers, and during one of these brief mental abberations he banded Mr Pascoe a small parcel, which he requested him to deliver to someone residing between Sydney and Melbourne, it need scarcely be added that the parcel in question belonged to the asylum authorities, and was quietly left with the warder.

The Governor ha? been obliged to abandon his proposed trip through the Urewera Country this summer. H:s Excellency will leave in a few days for Auckland via Rangitikei, Taupo and Waikato.

The s.s. Moana, Captain Carey, will take the place of the s.s. Warrimoo, sailing from Sydney for Vancouver on April 22nd.

A Press Association message from Dunedin states that it was Hubert Henry Dacre, Auckland, and not Howard Henry Baker, who passed the dental examination. At fhe Mount Cook Police Station on Saturday Lizzie Grigg, charged with drunkenness, was fined 40s, or in default seven days’ imprisonment. Mr F. McFarland, J.P., occupied the Bench.

Levin and Co., Limited, have decided to ei'ect a four-story building, to comprise offices, store and bond on Customhouse quay, opposite the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’s building.

The annual sports g.-t’-ering of No Marlborough Hibernian Society will Le held on Monday, March 18th. Arrangements have been made for a steamer te lonvey competitors at the local meeting on March 16th to Blenheim to arrive there in time for the meeting. Nominations close on Friday next, with Mr John Barry, secretary. Programmes and full particulars can be hud on application at the “New Zealand Times” office.

The fire in the Cardiff coal-mine, near Westport, is still raging, and there appears no immediate prospect of extinguishing it. The smoke can be distinctly seen by passing vessels, and from appearances the area of fire has extended much further than was supposed. As the coal is of excellent quality it is a matter for deep regret that such an immense quantity is being destroyed, and it can scarcely be a matter for surprise that there is considerable local feeling in consequence.

By the last San Francisco mail Mr R. E. Hayes, of the General Post Office, received advice of the death cf an uncle, Mr T. A. Trenwith, of Atlantic City, U.S.A., a well-known and: highly-esteemed United States naval veteran. Mr Tfemvith served through the civil war as an engineer on the flagship of the redoubtable Admiral Farragut, and was present at the taking of New Orleans. The deceased gentleman was sixty-two years of age at his death, and was buried at .Philadelphia with naval honours.

The Wellington City Corporation has entered into a supx>lementary contract with the New Zealand Electrical Syndicate, Limited, for a term of five years from January Ist of thi-s year. The syndicate agrees to erect and put in working order twenty-three additional arc lamps of 2000 candle-power each by July Ist next. These lamps are to cost £l9 per annum, against £2O, charges for seven similar power lamps already in use under the previous agreement. The cost of incandescent lamps used in lighting the streets has been reduced from £4 10s, the previous price, to £3 10s, and the Corporation can order more twenty-candle-power lamps to be erected at a similar cost.. The thirty arc lamps are to be lighted from sunset to midnight. The saving effected in the twenty-candle-power lamps will amount to £7lO. This sum will, be expended in the installation of the twenty-three arc lamps to he used in improving the lighting of the main thoroughfare,-, of the city.

The “Lyttelton Times'’ remarks that if the Federation Commission fares as well elsewhere as it has done in Christchurch, its report will not lack the •weight of authority, as the witnesses were all of a representative character, and well qualified to speak on the broad general issue as well as on special issues. “We cannot help,’'’ adds our contemporary, “being struck by the overwhelming preponderance of opinion against the proposal that New Zealand should join the Commonwealth. Of the eleven merchants wlio gave evidence, seven were emphatically opposed to federation and four were advocates of the union; of the manufacturers seven were against and four in favour of the union; whilst of the witnesses whose positions on public bodies gave them a claim to he considered representative of the community, not one advocated the alliance with our neighbours. The president of the Industrial Association, the chairman of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, a tried and experienced citizen and statesman like Sir John Hall and the presidents of industrial bodies all expressed the opinion that New Zealand had nothing to gain by the great political change, and the president of the Trades and Labour Council gave evidence to the same effect, which we know will be endorsed by the workers in all parts of the colony. The farming community was apparently content to leavel its case in the hands of two witnesses, one an advocate _ and the other an opponent of federation. Of the thirty-five witnesses examined in Christchurch, twetnty-five adduced reasons why we should not throw in our lot with the Commonwealth; nine favoured the change; and one refused to express an opinion.”