LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 42

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A ballot for the selection of a Liberal candidate for Manukau, between Messrs R. D. Stewart and J. Parr, resulted in favour of the former. Mr Edmund Cook, late Chief Postmaster at Dunedin, and well known among New Zealand bowlers, died rather suddenly at Dunedin last Sunday from strained heart, owing to overexertion at walking. Deceased, who was sixty-eight years of age, retired on a pension two years ago. He was for many years in the Chief Post Office in Wellington, where he became chief clerk. Mr Cook left Wellington to take the position- of postmaster at Thames, and subsequently was removed to Hokitika, then Timaru, and finally Dunedin. A marriage was solemnised at St. Matthew’s Church, Masterton, on Saturday last between Alfred Adrian Gover, of the Indian Civil Service (Madras Police), eldest son of Alfred G. Gover, barrister-at-iawj - Madras, India, and Daisy (third cousin of the bridegroom), daughter of Mr F. Gover, of Masterton. The officiating clergyman Was the Rev Sanders Spencer, and the service was fully choral, the church being filled to oveiiowi-ng. The chief bridesmaid was Miss Winifred Nettlefold, the others being the bride’s sister, Joyce, and Miss Helma Kummer, while Mr Sidney Gover, brother of the bride, was best man. After a reception at Fernridge, the newly-wedded pair left for Wanganui, on their way to RotOrua. After a month’s tour they are expected back in Masterton for a time, and will leave for India "towards the end of October^ The following is the list of deceased persons’ estates (of £IOOO and oyer) that have been finally certified to by the ‘Secretary for Stamps during the last month:- —Wellington—Angus McLeod, £3752; Charles Hambling, £2015; Mary Schmidt, £1766; Campbell Campbell, £4281; Andrew Angus, £1333; Henry W. Robinson, £1540; Herman H. Schorfman, £1360; Henry Humphrey Jackson, £19.759; Henry Shuttleworth, £3858; James Brock Tarr, £1308; Sarah Jane Raine, £2127; Emanuel Turner, £2406. Auckland—William H. Gaw, £3332; Burton John liavcney £2195; Mary Jane Hampton,. £1299 ; Walter A. McCaul, £2662; Adam Madill, £1289; Edward Hammond, £11,192; Grace Anne Cole-Baker, £IB6O ; William -H. Snelling, £3074 ; Francis Hodge, £13,275; Hamlet Orurn, £1321; James Coffey, £2591; Jam es M. Todd, £21,016. Canterbury—Thomas McCormick, £3005; Jonathan Brown, £4995; Mary A. W. Sharland, £1474; Bryan Eahey, £1748 , Richard Hoare, £3737; Emma B. Hichens, £2216: Thomas McGarten, £1907 ; Agnes Dodds, £1715: Robert Reay, £12,154; Robert Robinson, £IOSO f James Brown, £12,752; William Johnston, £4582 ; Arthur Hales, £9350; Francis Weir, £11,233; William Simpson, £3331 ; Joseph Bell, £3349: Lionel O. Mathais. £2600. New Plymouth—William E. J. Bullocke, £1196: Hugh Parsons Mills, £1247. Nelson—Samuel Bolton, £1549; Alfred Biggs, £1527; George Cook, £3119. '.Hawke’s Bay—Caroline, Hern, £1111; "xhomas Waldron, ,01976. Gisborne— De Costa, £6608. Blenheim —'(jfebrge Dodson, £9668; William Hfirvey, £2470; David Herd, £4954. s‘Southland—James 5 ‘Southland—James Scott, £2344 ; (Thomas Norman, £8120; James Blakie, £8213; Thomas F. Smythe, £9737.

Tobacco-growing promises to develop into a large State industry in the Transvaal. Lecturing at Barberton on the subject of tobacco culture before members of the De Kaap Agricultural Society recently, Mr Altenroxel, manager of the Government tobacco farm at Zoutpansberg, announced that the Government had decided to establish a tobacco division of the Agricultural Department, and to obtain the services or experts in the growing of tobacco, also to establish a commercial bureau to introduce Transvaal leaf on the European markets. Mr Altenroxel declared that the"*Barberton district is capable of producing the highest grade of cigar leaf that could be grown in South Africa, also the finest light pipe tobaccos. A pathetic incident happened in a certain town in Hungary, where the celebrated pianist, Mark Hambourg, was giving a recital. The blind Prince X., who is well known to have, been an intimate friend and ardent admirer of the late Anton Rubinstein, was present at the audience. Suddenly he rose from bis seat, and exclaimed: —“My dear Anton ! My dear Anton! They told me you were dead!” And with these words he endeavoured to find his way to the platform. He had been so vividly impressed by the similarity between Hambourg’s playing and that of Rubinstein, that he bad actually thought the Maestro was there in person, and it was some time before he could be convinced of his error. Mark Hambourg, who was visibly affected, afterwards spent some time as a guest of the 'musiclover. awakening pleasant recollections by playing to him many of Rubinstein’s favourite solos.

News is to hand by the Sonoma, that a New Zealander was, among the victims of the disaster on the United States gunboat at San Pjego last July, when a terrific explosion caused the loss of scores of lives. Prank De Curtoni, an oiler, whose body was recovered from the wreck, was a native of Nelson, New Zealand. He went to America thirteen years ago, and took up hi 6 residence with his uncle, Mr J. De Curtoni, a grocer.. Seven years ago he enlisted in the navy, and was assigned to the Yorktown when that vessel was in the Philippines. He was afterwards transferred to the Oregon, and upon his second enlistment, three years ago, he was detailed to the Bennington. Four sisters—Lilian and Elizabeth Curtoni, Mrs P. Harding, and Mrs A. Burton—and two brothers —Edwin, residing in San Francisco, and Louis, an engineer on the transport Logan, and formerly of the cruiser Olympia—survive him. At the time of his death De Curtoni was twenty-nine years old. The annual report of the New South Wales Railway Commissioners to the 30th June last has been issued, and shows a general improvement upon the previous year. The total earnings of both services are stated to have been the largest on record, and amounted to £4,497,585, as against £4,239,398 to June, 1904. The total expenditure for the year was £2,817,829, which was a decrease of £114,716 on that of the previous year. The balance of earnings over expenditure amounted to £1,619,756, but the interest on the capital expended calculated at 3.582 per cent, —the average rate of interest on the State debt—exceeded this amount by £36,698, which, therefore, represents the amount of the loss on the year’s working if proper allowance has been made in the accounts for depreciation. The railway accounts show that the percentage of profit to capital invested was for 1905 £3 9s 3d, as against £2 16s in 1904; but the tramways show a movement backward., their percentage being £3 10s 4d for 1905, as against £3 14s 8d for the previous year.