Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8965, 16 April 1890, Page 4

The Weather. —A fine steady rain fell all day yesterday. The weather was much cooler than on the two previous days. Personal.— Mr E. Mitchelaon, Minister of Native Affairs, and Mr Fulton, M.H.R., returned to town last night by the Manawatu train. English Matt-— The s.s. Tarawera, which arrived at the Bluff at 6.30 last night, brought an English mail (via Brindisi). The Wellington portion will probably reach here on Friday. Magistrate’s Court, —At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Robinson, R.M., two first offenders charged with drunkenness were dismissed with a caution. Sarah James, similarly charged, was also dismissed ; and Elizabeth Adams, accused of habitual drunkenness, was remanded, pending inquiries whether a person in whose employ she has been will take her back. Jeremiah Finnerty was ordered to pay £1 per week toward the support of his wife and children; and a protection order, with custody of her two children, was granted to Louisa Jansen, against Peter Jansen, her husband.

Football. — A practice match between the 1 Athletic and Poneke first fifteens will be played at‘Newtown Park on Saturday afternoon. Perjury. —The police have laid aa information against Henry Barton, charging him with committing perjury during the hearing of the recent gambling prosecutions, in which Barton was the defendant. The case will be heard on Tuesday. An Unfortunate 'South. —A subscription list is being taken round various districts for the relief of the unfortunate youth John O’Halloran, who had his arm torn trom its socket in the Eclipse Hemp Mill, on the Oroua Downs Estate, b itween Foxton and Palmerston North. The youth is a native of this city. Benevolent Society Trustees. —The nsualweekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon in the Queen’s Chambers, there being present Rev Van Staveren (chairman), Messrs J. Collins, P. Monaghan, and R. C. Kirk. A largo number of cases were dealt with, and after the passing of accounts amounting to £6 4s, the Trustees adjourned. The Volunteers. —The circular issued by the Defence Department recently, warning officers in command of companies against incurring liabilities, was intended, we believe, as a measure of precaution in ease re-organisation of the force is decided on. It is probable that the question will be discussed next session, and an early remodelling of the Volunteer system is by no means nnlikely. I NFECTIO USN ESS OF INFLUENZA. Whether the scientists have or have not discovered the influenza microbe (says a Home paper) no doubt need be any longer expressed as to the infectious nature of the disease. We learn from Paris that Dr Proust has just cited a case before the Academy of Medicine which threatens to add a new horror to the dangers of the deep. The ship St Germain was bound from St Nazaire to Vera Cruz, but called at Santander, and took on board a passenger from Madrid, where the influenza had reached the stage of an epidemic. The St. Germain up to this time had a clean bill of health, but In four days the doctor was attacked. In the end 154 passengers out of 436 were on the sick list, all suffering from the “ new ” disorder, but in a mild form. After this, one need not be surprised that the mysterious disease has spread itself over the greater part of the world. Chess Club. —The annual general meeting of the Wellington Chess Club was held at the Exchange Hall last evening, Mr C. W. Benbow being in the chair. The annual report aud balance-sheet were presented, and showed that the Club was in a very satisfactory condition. The election of officers resulted as follows : —President, Mr C. W. Benbow ; Vice-President, Mr G. Didsbury ; Secretary, Mr A. J. Littlejohn ; Committee, Messrs W. F. Barraud, A. Campbell, W. Whittem, Q. Wright, F. H. Bakewell ; Match Committee, Messrs F. Kelling, W. Mackay, B. B. Allen ; Referee, Mr C. W, Benbow ; Draughts Committee, Messrs A. Campbell, F. Grady, E. Petheriok ; Auditor, Mr P. Tait. It was decided that steps should be taken with a view to bolding a Chess Congress in Wellington during the coming year. Votes of thanks to the retiring secretary (Mr B. B. Allen), to Mr A. Campbell for the use of a room for the holding of meetings, and to the chairman, termi. nated the meeting. Australian Style of Wrestling. —The Committee of the Melbourne Athletic Club have for some time.recognised the.advisableness of adopting an Australian style for wrestling, and it has, after consultation with some of the leading wrestlers of the colonies, drawn up the following rules (reserving the right to either add or to modify), which are a mixture of all the leading and best known styles cf the present day:—No hold shall be (allowed with the hands and arms lower than the waist. The use of the legs for tripping shall be allowed. The wrestlers must have their finger nails out close. No striking, scratching, gouging, or break, ing of fingers shall be allowed. The wrestlers to be costumed in tights, trunks, undershirts, and shoes with rubber soles. The ground vrestling shall be limited to three minutes’ duration, five seconds to be allowed the wrestlers to rise to their feet, when they shall at once resume wrestling The wrestler whose one shoulder shall strike the ground first, when thrown on his back or side, shall be considered to have been fairly thrown. Strangling is strictly forbidden. The referee shall have the power of deciding a match against any wrestler committing a deliberate foul. Judgments. —Mr Justice Richmond delivered several judgments in Chambers yesterday morning. The appeal of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States against the decision of Mr Robinson, R.M., awarding John Bertie £SO damagas against them, was dismissed. This is the case in which Mr Bertie recovered damages in connection with a tontine policy taken out by him. Hisjdouor said there was no proof of fraud on the part of the Society, but inasmuch aa fraud was a question of fact for the magistrate, no appeal could succeed if there was any evidence at all as a foundation for the magistrate’s decision. Leave was given to Mr Gully to appeal. The appeal in the case the Union Steam Ship Company v. Morton was also unsuccessful. This was a case in which the magistrate at Napier had given Mr Morton damages for the loss of a portmanteau shipped at Lyttelton for Napier, and lost. Hia Honor upheld the Magistrate’s decision. Judgment was also given in the case Lilley, Skinner and Co. v. the Commissioner of Customs, the questions in which were whether goods shipped from London to Melbourne and there (a) reshipped for New Zealand without being landed ; (b) landed and held in bond for some months and then reshipped ; (c) landed and duty paid; and then reshipped for New Zealand under drawback, were dutiable in New Zealand under section 39 of the Customs Law Consolidation Act as amended. His Honor gave judgment in favour of the Commissioner of Customs. The Hemp Trade. —The Rangitikei Advocate of Monday says : —On Thursday next a deputation representing the industry will go to Wellington with the object of interviewing the Premier, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Harbour Board upon matters affecting the vital interests of the trade. One of the objects which they desire to impress upon the Government Is the advisableness of offering an adequate reward for the invention of improved flax-cleaning miohinery—a sum sufficiently large to stimul&te the inventors of Europe and America to endeavour to solve the problem. It is hardly necessary to show that even if the Government secured by the payment of, say, £IO,OOO, the invention of a machine which would materially reduce the cost of producing fibre, the increased railway receipts, which would follow the re-establishment of the industry, would recoup the public funds within n year, and the financial gain to the community would be immense. The deputation will endeavour to enlist the interest of the Chamber of Commerce in their efforts to secure a general redaction of freight, storage charges, etc., and to such an extent as will allow of work being resumed at the mills, and they will also urge open the Harbour Board the advisableneas of making all the concessions in their power at once before the trade has suffered absolute The choice of alternatives seems to be limited just now to half a loaf or nona, and the keeping up of the charges to boom rates on the part of those in whose hands at present rests the fate of the industry would be a suicidal policy; Mr J. C. Wilson, M.H.R will accompany the deputation to Wellington,

Rarotonga. —Through statements mad©duriog the stay of the Rarotongan troupe, annmber of people contemplated - settling in Tonga. Mr Esam, British Consul there, who is nowon a flying visit to> Auckland,, has published a nete of warning. He states that the land is held tribally, and can only. - be leased at 15s an acre per annum, (eraterm of five or seven years - that Europeans could not clear the land, but would-have ta employ native lab ur at 2s per day per man, and that they would have no profitable opening for produce. The Rev Mr Hutchens,agent of the London Missionary Society at. Rarotonga, also writea to Mr Easm :—“1. hear a number of people intend to come here through false representations as to the size and capabilities of the island. You will agree with me that it is a pity for people tocome down here only to wander- along the beach doing nothing.’' A Fox in a Castle.— lt- was recently reported that a fox had bean run down in a.cellar, ahd now we read of a fox killed in a castle. The West street barriers werechasing a hare across the country near St. Margaret’s, when puss gave them the slip. Just at this time a fox was started, and the hounds gave chase. An exciting run ensued, the (ox leading the hunt across the country at a great pace into Walmer. Some football players stopped hia course there, and he struck of! to the grounds of Walmer Castle, running round by the moat.. Earl, t.ranville and some friends came out to witness the sport, when suddenly the fox made straight for the castle, and, crossing the drawbridge, passed through the open door, right iu through the corridor as far afi* drawingroom door, Here it was brought to* bay and killed by some ofjtho hounds, which> had followed it. Photographing the Sultan. There was a terrible fuss at Constantinople m consequence of a German photographer having rashly attempted to take an instantaneous photograph of- the Sultan ashis Majesty was proceeding on horseback totho Mosque, He was detected by a functionary, and the guard at onoe rushed on him, smashed all hia instruments to atoms, and dragged him off to prison,., where he discovered that he was in. a truly serious plight, for the Koran strictly forbids the depicting of the human form, and his attempt to photograph the Sultan< was therefore regarded as high treason .of a. peculiarly diabolical kind. If the culprit - had not been a foreigner he would probably have been quietly strangled, or otherwise got rid of ; but, thanks to the energetic - intervention of his ambassador, he was released after a month’s imprisonment, on condition that he quitted Turkey once and for ever. The Lady and the Bust.— -It is not. polite to go into a lady’s house and throw her gods into a poud. That unchivalrons action was performed by a gentleman at Wandsworth, who is suspected of being. an ardent Cladstonian. The lady (a lone* widow) was a friend of his ; but he coaid not extend his friendship to a bust of r Lord Beaconsfield which stood in the ball. He took down the bast - and threw it into a pond, and the lady wants tohave him brought to justice. The* magistrate at Wandsworth had no balm for this aching wound. He could donothing to the Gladstoniau image- breaker,.. but be smiled derisively, and suggested , that, if the lady had a bust of Mr Glad--stone, she should have her revenge by throwing that iato the pond too. But ■ that would be vengeance upon Mr Gladstone, which is not what she wants. She has promised to make the magistrate’s life * a burden to him until she gets justice. - But if the gentleman has any proper Gladstoniau foeliug he will have the bust fished up. The Electric Eight.— Several complaints - have reached us regarding the early hour at which the electric light is shut off. When the Council proposed to economise the water - of the Karori reservoir by curtailing the water supply to the electric light turbines, . no one had much to grumble about, as it was evident that owing to the long drought it was necessary to preserve all the water possible, more especially as it was reported that water was scarce at the Wainui«o-mata. But for some weeks p&'st there has been aplentiful supply at Wainui. For the last - fortnight no water has been taken from the* Ksrori reservoir for the turbines, and the whole power has been derived from Wainui alone. The whole of the city lamps have been ■ supplied from the two dynamos in Panama - street, and although those machines were not • intended to supply the whole town, they have done their work very wall. Take last night, for example. At midnight, although the dynamos were not working to their full*, power, the whole of the city lamps were - brilliantly lit, and yeithey were extinguished ■ at 12.30. Now, if the Wainui water is sufficient to drive the turbines, even if not at fall speed, yet sufficient to enable the whole of the city lamps to give a decent light to midnight, why on earth oould they not be lit for a few hours longer, aud prevent tbose--whose employment or business takes them out at an early hour from saying harsh things about the Lighting Committee ?' The contract between the citizens of Wellington and the Electric Light Company provides that the light shall be in operation from dark to daylight. As the Wainni water supply alone provides sufficient light up to midnight, we fail to see why it should not also, especially as the pressure increases about that hour, provide light for the earlierhours of the morning. Even to run the lights at half their nominal candle power would be preferred to the miserable darkness of the present. The City Council should at onoe see into this matter. Our preparations for the Autumn Season are now Complete, and we have incur Drees Department such a superlative choice of the Newest and Latest Fashions in Autumn and Winter Fabrics as it has seldom been in our power to show at the Wholesale Family. Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House. We invite the special attention of ladies to our Enumeration on the 7th page of this paper, of some very handsome unmade Robes. These are admirably assorted in Braided, Silk, and Chenille Embroidered and Combination Robes. Without exception, they are some of the choicest Dress Materials that have ever come within the precincts of the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse) Te Aro House. We have also a variety of other materials, 25 inches, 42 inches, 44 inches, and 50 inches wide, such as Colored French Meltons, Fonle Serges, Homespuns. Amazons, Fancy Tweed, Plaids, Bonnetts, Knickers, Splashes, Flecks, Broken Checks, and Jacquard Borders, most beautiful goods in every variety of fashionable and useful colors, and varying in price from 6£d to 3s 9d per yard, at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House. It is almost superfluous to say that our two large, Commodious Dressmaking Departments which have been for so many years in successful operation, are still presided over by most talented and accomplished dressmakers, and that the strict essentials of a good dress, ‘fit, finish, elegance,’ can be bad as of yore, at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House,