GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1536, 7 August 1901, Page 28

GENERAL NEWS.

At a meeting of the committee of the Hawke’i Bay A. and P. Society, it was decided not to adopt, for the present, the rule of the Manawatu Society that sheep exhibited at the show, excepting fat stock, must he entered in the Flock Book or accepted for entry in the same. Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains have instructed Mr William Turnbull, architect, . to prepare plans for pulling down and re - building the southern section of their property. The new wing will extendfrom Lambton quay along Brandon street, and will take in the site of the old Fire Brigade station. The quay frontage is to he three stories high, but behind that a portion of the new building is to be four stories in height. Messrs Davis and Browman have secured the contract for erecting additions to Messrs W. and G. Turnbull and Co.’s new premises. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court in Wellington will be opened on the 12st inst. The following cases are already on the list: Fong Lee, indecent assault'; Edward Creasey and George Kelly, theft and indecent assault.: George Jas. Eden, alias Reid, forgery; Palmer, theft; Thomas Ramsay and Edward Burrows, vagrancy; Hori Mohi, assault; Walter Richmond, sheepstealing ;Te Ao Mohi, forgery; Andrew Fraser, theft; George Howe, keeping a brothel ; Charles Cockery, horse stealing; Albert Watkins, assault and - robbery ; Wm. Stewart Lee, forgery (two charges). Professor Ray Lankester has written to the Government as follows: —The trustees of the British Museum have recently received from his Excellency the Governor of New Zealand a valuable preaent of birds collected by his Lordship during a trip taken by him in the Gov©rnment steamer to the Southern Islands of that colony. As a result of this expedition some very important additions have been made to the British national collection of birds, and the trustees desire to warmly thank th© New Zealand Government for their good offices in placing all possible facilities at his Lordship’s disposal. It is a month on Wednesday since the first heavy fall of snow came at Burke’s Pass (says the Timaru “Post”;, and since that time there has been. no black ground. The snow plough made a track round the village last week. This track is eight feet wide, and is a boon to wheeled traffic. At present, however, in many places, the track is covered with ice about two

’inches thick, and requires skilful driva ing. At the top of the “long cutting” the snow is two feet deep and on Tuesday the mail was packed through to Grey’s Hills. Icicles two feet long have been hanging from all the houses, and in the moonlight have presented a preta ty sight. There is no question, writes Mr H. W. Lucy from London to the “Sydney Morning Herald,” that from the newspaper point of view the visit of the . Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to Australia has proved what is known on the stage as a frost. When the voyage was planned there was keen competition among the London news* papers to obtain permission for their representatives to accompany the Royal party. It was given in certain cases, , but the resultant records of the journey fall a little flat. This is, of course, due to the competition of war news. Events in South Africa still hold the field with the newspaper reader?’ and sufficient for the day is the excitement thereof. Among the cargo just discharged from the Tomoana at the Queen’s wharf, are 2166 steel rails, 289 bundles fish plates, Also other railway plant intended for use in connection with the Puponga coal mine, Collingwood ; where a light railway and a new pier are being construct. *d, in order to facilitate the shipment of Puponga coal to market in larger quantity. From an article which appeared in the Nelson “Evening Mail,” of 19th July, it seem s that the private company owning the Kuponga coal mine, has recently been registered in England as a public company, with a capital of £70,000 ;and that considerable sums are being spent in various directions for labour and plant, with a view to developing oh a large scale the ooal measures discovered, ana exploited by Mir Joseph Taylor, who is now in Wellington in connection with the shipping of the railway plant to Golden Bay. A Bluff correspondent of the “Southern Cross” writes: —“A very old resim dent of Bravo, Stewart Island—Emmanuel Goomes—went out fishing" the other day, leaving his daughter, aged sixteen years, at' home.- Soon after, she observed the boat drifting about as though there was no one aboard. Becoming alarmed, she plunged into the sea and swam out to> the craft, to find her father lying in the bottom in a fit. Seizing the oars she pulled for the shore, which was reached after a hard . struggle. The next trouble was getting the sufferer out of the boat to his home, about 200 yards along the beach. She succeeded in this, and then took the boat and rowed down to the echoolhouse, three: miles away, and, obtaining help, pulled back to her home, where she had the pleasure of finding that her father was gradually coming to, and recover* ing his speech. Alice Gdcmes is a

A Press Association cable message states that the Argentine warship Presidente Sarmiento arrived at Melbourne on Saturday from Wellington, after a passage of ten days. The progress in the butter-making industry in the Argentine during the past season has not been so great as in pre. vious seasons, owing to floods having visited the dairying districts.

The Terrace School is to be rebuilt in brick, and tbe Riddiford street School, Newtown, about the condition of which there has been an agitation for some time, is to be practically reconstructed.

Charles Ross was arrested by Detective Broberg on Saturday on a warrant charging him with having forged and uttered a cheque at Christchurch. He was brought before the Court on Saturday afternoon, and remanded to appear at Christchurch to day. A Masonic gathering took place at the Trocadero on Saturday night to bid farewell to Bro A. J. Powley, who is about to take up business pursuits in Auckland. Bro Lachman presided. Bro. J. H. Pagni during the evening presented Bro. Powley with a handsome Masonic jewel. Various toasts were honoured. Songs were given by Bros. Williams, Borrows and Ritson.

Prospectors who have been engaged for nearly twiO years in the vioinity of Picton and Mount Pleasant have struck a small seam of coal at Shakespeare Bay and another at the Elevation. A company has acquired prospecting and mining rights over 2000 acres of freehold between Picton and Koromiko, and over the property of Mr Clemens, at Shakespeare Bay.

__ The Nelson Education B<oard has de. cided to dispense with the services of Mr W. Ladley, inspector of schools, at the end of six months, on account of his continued ill-health. If at the end of that period Mr Ladley is able to renew his work he will be reinstated. The salary of Mr Harkness, the Chief Inspector, has been increased by £SO, and he has been authorised to engage an assistant for a period of three months. During last month old-age pensions were granted in Wellington as follows: Mr John Dumble, aged 65, 36 years in ''the colony, £8 per year; Mrs Elizabeth Dumble, aged 67, 36 years in tbe colony, £l3; Mrs Alexandrina Stone, aged 67, 34 years in the colony, £lB ; Mrs Catherine Caroline Andrews, aged 67, 26 years in the colony, £18; Mr Alexander Hardy, aged 65, 40 years in the colony, £18; Mrs Rebecca Aston, aged 66, 44 years in the colony, £lO,

Sensational accounts wer e current' in the city all day yesterday with regard to a man having been severely maltreated by a robber, who used an axe noon his victim. Th e story was without foundation so far as the bloodthirsty part of the attack was concerned. That an assault with robbery was committed iu the vicinity of the Public Library was, however, true. Two men there set upon a third one on Saturday night, and relieved him of a few shillings, but owing to their necessarily hurried doings they were unable to complete their work, for they left a couple of pound notes in a pocket of the trousers worn by the victim. Last night William Andrew Kennedy and Joseph Calders were arrested on a charge of having been concerned in the assault.

The Rangitikei County Council has for some years past been applying to the Wellington Land Board to collect certain rates from settlers under penalty of forfeiture. A long list of bush settlers was furnished, but as the amount due in each instance was only a few shillings, th© Board declined to. undertake the troublesome and disagreeable task of collection. Quite recently the Council repeated its. request, ana the matter came up at Thursday’s meeting of the Board. The Commissioner considered that th© defaulters should be afforded an opportunity of explaining matters. Other members of the Board point, ed out that local bodies had been in the habit of collecting rate s from settlers on whose roads they expended money. It wals decided t 0 call upon four of the Rangitikei settlers, who owed sums varying from £5 to £8 for rates, to give an explanation. They are to be informed that their sections are liable to forfeiture.

Dr Pomare, the Government medical officer for the Maoris, has informed the representative of a southern paper that the native race is making very gratifying progress in the adoption of European ideas of sanitation and cleanliness. The old-time whares ar© disappearing in favour of more sanitary dwellings, and the Maoris are awakening to the value of fresh air and pure water in the domestic economy of the race. They realise, too, that it is only by adapting themselves to European methods of life, and doing away with the old insanitary conditions, that the Maori race can be saved from extinction. Already, in the few months that have elapsed since the Government set on foot this sanitary crusade, there has been a marked change for the better. The Maoris, in most parts of the country, have learned their lesson in the laws of health with the greatest readiness, and what is more, have shown an equal willingness to put the new ideas into practice. So much so, that men well qualified to judge do not hesitate to predict that it will not be long before the MaorLideas ,regarding health and sanita-

I It has been decided to -offer to public . competition at an upset price of two- : pence per acr e per annum, the lease for a term of years of 8100 acres of open I country in the Waimarino district. - About half of the area is forest reserve, and the remainder Crown lands. The

land is volcanic and of poor quality. In view of the heavy losses sustained this year, especially in the North Island, the fire insurance companies appear to be showing increased activity in prosecuting their inquiries int 0 any suspicious cases of fire. An inquest is to be held this afternoon into the origin of a recent fire in the neighbourhood of Wellington, at which some interesting evidence will be tendered.

The following pupils of the Misses Carr and Hardie have just received certificates from Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, England, for having successfully passed an examination in the theory of shorthand:—Misses Davidson, Hilda Stone, Martha - Peck and Iris Fraser, Messrs Alfred Brown, Charles Tiller, Reginald Westqn and Arthur Coad. Mr W. B. McKenzie, of Wellington, has received advice that at the show of the Williamstown (Victoria) Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society he secured one special, two first, three second and two third prizes with his African owl pigeons, besides the championship awarded by the Federal Frill Club of Australasia for the best young African owl in the show.

Despite the fact that our leading merchants and business people are averse to having the proposed new Customhouse in Wellington built along tbe sea front, the Government intends proceeding with the work, and will probably place a sum on the estimates for the purpose towards the end of the present session. Plans for the new building have been prepared and are being considered.

-W G have to thank Messrs John Jack and Son, spirit merchants, for a copy of a beautiful pictorial brochure, entitled “ Pictures of Inverness,” in which is included “ a peep into Glen Mhor Distillery,” and a description of Messrs Charles Mackinlay and Co.’s whisky stores, Leith. The 'illustrations , are splendidly executed, and the descriptive reading matter is of great interest. The host of imitators which ever rises around success is being exemplified in th© city in the matter of housebreaking. Following on the “big breaks” of a week and a month back, ■quite a number of miniature burglaries have been committed. The latest triviality of the kind reported is a breaking into the store of Mr John Creighton, in Tinakori road. Watches and other valuables were left untouched, although t 0 gain an entranc© the depredators had prized open a window. Th e opinion of the police is that the work was that of boys more in search of comestibles than of money. It is a significant fact that the Land Board is being stormed with applications for permission to extend their holdings from settlers in all parts of the Wellington district. On Thursday a great deal of time was expended in considering ap_ plications of this, sort, but in general the Board showed itself indisposed to mak© an y alteration in the status quo. An exception was made in the case of settlers at'Taihape, who for a long time hav© been complaining about the size of their holdings, and stating that they cannot make a living out of 'hem under existing conditions. The Taihaoe settlers interviewed the Board cn the subject, and that body has promised to grant an extension of holdings wherever possible in that locality. The following reply has been received through his Excellency the Governor to the addres s of sympathy sent to his Majesty the King some months ago by the Senate of the University of New Zealand : street, 26th June, IGOO. My Lord, —I have the honour to inform you that I have laid before the King the address from the Senate of the University of New Zealand, which was forwarded in your despatch of the 10th ultimo. In accepting this address, his Majesty has commanded me to request that you will convey to the Senate an expression of his warm thanks for their sympathy on the death of her late Majesty, and assure them that it will always be his earnest endeavour to promote by all means in his powhr the moral and intellectual advancement of his loyal subjects in New Zealand. I have, etc., J. Chamberlain.”

The Conciliation Board continued the hearing of the painters’ dispute on Thursday, but the evidence which was called threw but little additional light on the points in dispute. Mr Tustin, in the course of examination, said he had known union* ists to take a, contract at half the price tendered by him (witness) —a price which could not possibly secure them the minimum wage demanded. A great deal of time was wasted in tedious cross-exami-nations and interchanges pf personalities. Towards the close of the day, when Mr Smith (representing the Harbour Board), was conducting a cross-examination, the other employers’ representatives in the room commenced a general conversation. The chairman sharply called for order, whereupon Mr Tustin and his colleagues withdrew from the Board room. Very soon afterwards they returned and intimated that the Wellington employers intended to take no further part in the proceedings. Mr Tustin said they had elicited all the evidence they wanted and considered they would he wasting value

In consequence of the wholesale theffc of ferns, shrubs, etc., from the Public Domain at Khandallah, the Board in another column - offers a reward for information which will lead to the conviction of the culprits.

Dr MacGregor states that it has b?ea found necessary to propose an increase in the rates of pay for skilled artisan attendants at lunatic asylums, owing to the general rise in wages. He thinks all the asylum clerks and stewards are underpaid.

The question of extending the system of single railway tickets so that they will be available for more than one day, is being considered by the Minister for Railways. Some difficulty is found in arranging a proper system of checking the tickets.

At a sitting of the Divorce Court on Friday a decx - ee nisi was granted by Mr Justice Edwards in the case of Vickerstaff v. Vickerstaff. The petitioner was Sarah Vickerstaff, of Eketahuna, and the grounds of divorce, desertion and cruelty. A similar decree was granted in the case of Arthur Deadman v. Bessie and Fred Deadman (the co-respondent being an elder brother of the petitioner), with costs on th© highest scale.

A witness at the Conciliation Board’s proceedings on Friday from Wanganui gave some rather interesting particulars as to the relative cost of living in Wellington and Wanganui. Wanganui, he stated, was the most expensive town to live in, firing and meat especially being dearer there than here. Four-roomed houses cost from 9s to 12s per week, and vacant houses were immediately taken up. Living, he stated, was cheaper at Palmerston than in Wanganui. The price of kerosene in this colony has occupied the attention of the Premier. A deputation which waited upon him on the 31st relative to the placing of a bonus upon certain products of petro_ leum shale introduced th e question of competition by outside companies. Mr Seddon said he would like to see a little more competition somewhere.. When the Government reduced th© duty on kerosene, it was anticipated that in the natural order of things there would he a reduction in the retail price of the commodity, but th© actual result bad been an increase. He thought such a state of things was reprehensible. The deputation protested that it would have no objection to competition among local merchants—it was th© competition of big outside companies for the purpose of running off th e New Zealand company to which the exception was taken.. An alleged, housebreaker named. Alfred Hornby was arrested on Tuesday week by acting-Detective Allan Cameron. He appeared at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to answer charges of having broken and entered the. warehouse of Laery and Co., on the 20th instant, and stolen thre© watches, valued at £8 10s, the property of Laery and Go. He was further charged with having on the 15th instant broken into the dwelling of Mrs Wheeler, Dixon street, and stolen, a watch valued at £5. On the application of Mr Wilford, who appeared for accused, he wag remanded till August sth. Bail was granted in two sureties of £SO. Joseph Gregory was fined ss, or twenty-four hours'' imprisonment, for drunkenness. Edward. Sandbrook was fined 5s and 7s costs for leaving his vehicle unattended.. A boy named Silas Hatcher was bound ‘over to keep the peace towards Digby Jowers for three months.. He was ordered to find one surety of £lO and pay 19s costs- Messrs W. G. Tustin, John Collins and Andrew Collins were the presiding Justices.