GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9321, 16 June 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

The movement to establish an institute for the street boya of this city, has, so far mot with encouragement, that nearly £4OO out of the £SOO required has been subscribed. With a view to make the claims which such an institution presents, more widely known, it has been arranged to hold a public meeting on Monday, ISth inst. At this meeting, which will bo held in the Exchange Hall, the Mayor will take the chair, and Messrs Fisher, Duthie, and Macdonald, M.H.E.’s, with other gentlemen will speak.

The death of Sergeant Price, at Master* too, will be beard of with regret by many in this city, where he resided for eereral years. The deceased came to this Colony eomo 30 years ago, after having served as a non* commissioned officer throughout the Indian mutiny. Having pasted some years in Canterbury he went to Auckland, where he served In the police force under Commissioner Naughton and Inspector Brougham. Having resigned at Auckland, Sergeant Price oamis to Wellington and again joined the force, in which be remained till his death, hating completed the twentieth year of his service in the Wellington dlstriot this year. He replaced Sergeant MoArdle, now at Waipawa, in the charge of the Maiterton station some eight years ago. A ehort time ago be came to Wellington and consulted Dr McKenzie for a throat affection, from which he was suffering. I>r McKenzie advised him to take a rest, and be had tinea been on sick leave. Deceased was C 4 years of age, and a native of Wales, and he was known by his superior affioere as a hard, working und intelligent officer.

The annua! churob parade of the Loyal Britannia and Antipodean Lodges of Oddfellows took place on Sunday. A large number of the brethren assembled at the lodgeroom, Limbton quay, shortly after 10, and headed by the City Band, under Bandmaster King, inarched to St. John’s Church, where an appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev J. Paterson, The beer duty collected daring last month amounted to £4034 17s 54 as against £4400 18s 4d for the corresponding month of last year. In the previous month of this year tho sum received was £4993 8s 9J. The principal contributions: last month were— Auckland, £978 13s Jid ; Dunedin, 1892 8a 9d ; Christchurch and Lyttelton, £706 lla 7d ; and Wellington, £452 7s 2d. From the return laid before the Land Board at its last meeting, it appears that tho total area of Crown lands taken up by selectors from May 28th to June 10th, 1891, was 2414 acres 1 rood 31 perches, the upset price paid being £1784 ss. The same

return showed that the total area of Crowe lands taken up from the 26th March to the 10th June, 1891, was 10,025 acres 2 roods, tho upset price being £12,775 18s 4d.

The Customs revenue collected during last month amounted to £115,164 0s Cd, as against £127,165 2s 4d for the corresponding month of last year, and £132,836 6s 101 for the previous month (April) of this year. Last month tho four principal ports contributed as follows Dunedin, £29,694 0s 10dj Wellington, £24,943 12s lid ; Auckland, £23,096 18s 5d • Christchurch and Lyttelton, £10,356 10s 7d. The sum received in tho two months of tho present financial year is £248,000 7s 4d, as against £253,447 16s 4d, for the same period of last year.

A juvenile musical prodigy Is making quite a stir in Feildiug at the present time. The Marten Mercury says on the subject : The youngster is only between eight or nine years of age, and shows a musical talent very rarely found in one so young. He has just composed, without the slightest assistance, and without the previous knowledge of anyone but himself, a piece of music, which turns oat to be a rather pretty waltz, and which a professional musician has pronounced to be correct in evoiy detail. The youthful Mozart his christened lb "Sfc. Vitas Dance Waltz,” Two days after the R.M.S. Tongariro left Plymouth, an A.B. named George Bartlett fell from the top gallant yard to tho deck, a distance of about 80 feet, fracturing two of bis ribs by the fall. Although every possible care was taken of the unfortunate man, he succumbed to his injuries a few days after the accident happened. The deceased leaves a wife and family in England. A subscription was got op amongst the passengers in aid of the family, and a substantial sum was collected. Mr W, P. Wheeler, tho respected manager of the Union Steam Shipping Company in thij city, is, we understand, about to assume the management of the Union Insurance Company in Wellington. Ho has been for many years, both here and in Dunedin, an active and prominent officer of tho Union Shipping Company, and when transferred from the bead office to take the Wellington management bis departure caused universal regret amongst his numerous friends, bis brother

officers, as well as the residents of St Clair, where be then resided. Zealous ia the in l

■eats of his Company, civil and obliging to a public, his absence will cause a void In

s Union Company’s Office which cannot sily be filled. But as the change is ndvan;eous to himself wo, in common with his my friends, oiler ” him our congratulations

ad best wishes.

Tho railway revenue for tho mouth ending 25th April last was £89,640 16s lid. of which the North Island yielded £27,254 19s 4d and tho South Island £62,385 I7s 7d. The expenditure for the same period was £50,942 17a 6cl, of which the North Island absorbed £16,369 8s 2d and the South Island £34,573 Os 4d. Toe revenue for the samo month last year was £102,393 12s 5d and the expenditure £53,086 18s Bd. The percentage of expenditure on revenue cn the. various sections, as compared with the same period last year is as follows :—North Island—Kawakawa, 71‘02 —94 84, Wan. garei,S4'l2 - 99 09 ; Auckland, 61‘05—61*50; Napier-Taranaki, 61*77 —59*33; Wellington, 53*38—55 38. South Island —HorunaiBluff, 55*42—48*27; Greymoath, 67‘52 41 05 ; Westport, 40‘54—60*85 ; Nelson, 59*65—95*54; Picton, 69*23—61*45; grand total, 56*83—51*85. On the Wellington line the number of passengers carded was 25,720. against 26,477. Mr W. U. Whitehead attracted a great crowd on evening of Ilth June In St John’s Sohoolroomon the occasion of bis farewell song lecture entertainment in Wellington. The greatest enthusiasm was excited by his “song and speech.” His subject was, “An evening with Henry Russell, tho celebrated composer and singer.’’ He gave a brief sketch of the life and work of the distinguished composer, and designated him as being once the “king of entertainments,” whose songs were formerly sung in the balls of the rich and the great, and whistled by the boys ia the street. Mr Whitehead’s fund of anecdote was greatly appreciated. He sang "Cheer, Boys, Cheer,” "There’s a Good Time Coming,” “Woodman Spare the Tree,” “Tho Old Arm Chair,” “The Gambler’s Wife,” In many of the songs the large audience joined heartily in the choruses. The entire entertainment was thoroughly enjoyed. Constable Baskiville, of Fabautanui, brought information into town on June 11th of the death by drowning of Mr William Jones, scor., a well known settler of Fahautanui. It appears that about nooa on Wednesday the deceased, who Jived with his son-in-law, Mr Alfred Iggulden, went to cut down some goreo overhanging the edge of a creek running through the property. As deceased had not returned home by dusk, his son-in-law became anxious, and taking a lantern went in search of him. After some time Mr Iggulden found Mr Jones at the bottom of the creek dead, having, it is supposed, fallen from a ladder he was using to get nt the gorso growing on the top or the bank. Tho body was removed to the house by some neighbours The deceased was 72 years of age, aud leaves a large family of sons and daughters, most of whom are living in the district. As a coincidence it may be mentioned that the wife of tho deceased was drowned in the same creek about four years ago;

The returns of the Maori census for the South Island are now completed, and give the following population at the different centres named:—Otago and Southland, 130 mates, 115 females, and 210 half-castes ; total, 455. Canterbury females, and 173 half-castes; total, 778. West Coast -64 males, 47 females, and 7 balf-castes; total, 118. Nelson and Marlborough—2l4 males, 203 females, and 92 half-castes; total, 609. Grand total, 720 malesj 658 females, and 482. half-castes, or 1,860 souls in all. This shows a decrease of 185 on the last returns. Tde returns for the North Island are not yet all sent in, the Taranaki and Tauranga Districts not being completed. The counties north of Auckland give 4617 males, 3792 females, 225 half-castes ; the West Coast counties, 852 males, 675 females, 104 half-castes, Hutt and Wairarapa, 531 males, 405 females, 62 half-castes ; Cook and Waiapn, 1768 males, 1504 females, 269 half-castes. Upon being retired from the command of the Wellington district Lieutenant-Colonel Batts was gazetted to a fall colonelcy on the Honorary Unattached List of the New Zealand Volunteers, bat he has addressed the following letter to the Hon. the Minister for DefenceWellington, 22nd May, 1891. Sir, —With reference to a recent Gazette notice making me a Colonel on the Honorary Unattached List, I beg to inform you that I have no desire for such promotion, and according to No. 236 of tho Volunteer Regulations, 18S8,1 do not think I should be placed upou that list against my wishes. I also maintain that paragraphs 231 to 233 of the regulations refer to Volunteers only, and not to officers on the militia list. I have therefore the honour to request that so far as my name is concerned the Gszotte notice may be cancelled.—l have the honour, &0., J. G. Burrs, LieutenantColonel.”

A rather peculiar action waa commenced on June lllh before Hie Honor the Chief Juatice, in which Fredk. Jeffery, eettlcr, sought to have a deed of gift to hia wife declared void. It appeared from the statement of claim that tbs plaintiff waa taken seriously ill In 1835. This illness, which lasted for soma considerable time, affected him mentally. During the period of his illness, at the request of the defendant, he executed the transfer of a large number of shares and stocks hold hy him. At the end at 1890 he learned for the first time that he had transferred to the defendant all his real estate, aod also bis leasehold estate in Murphy street. As the result of enquiries ho found that a deed of gift purporting to be executed by him had been duly registered, and also that a transfer of his real estate to the defendant had been registered under the Land Transfer Aot. He alleged that he had no recollection of having executed such deed or transfer, and ho had given no- instructions for the preparation of the deed or transfer, which, he alleged, appeared to have been prepared by same private person notin practice os a solicitor. The defendant sold a quantity of property for large sums of money, and had refused to account to the plaintiff tor the money received. The plaintiff further alleged that during his illness bis wife bad treated him with kindness, but since, bis mental recovery and hie enquiry into the state of bis affairs, she had treated him with great harshness, and as a pauper dependent upon hie wife for support. The plaintiff was physically incapable of earning a living for himself. He claimed that the deed of gift should be declared void, so far as the remaining unsold laud was affected, and that the defendant should be ordered to acaanat far the money received by her from the plaintiff, or on bis account. For the defence

It was contended that the deed was executed with the plaintiff's full knowledge and consent ; that be was never incapable of transacting business, and that there was no intention on her part to make away with any of the property which hitherto had been dealt with for the beet interests of all concerned. Mr Haselden represented the plaintiff and Messrs Bell and Kirk the defendant.

The carpenter of the R.M.S. Tongariro, an elderly man named Le Gras, met with a serious accident on Sunday. Shortly after the vessel had arrived alongside the wharf, Le Cras, who was assisting in making the vessel fast, fell from the railing of the second class cabin to the wharf, a distance of about 30ft. The injured man was at ouco con voyed on board the steamer, and the ship’s surgeon (Dr Craig) and Dr Henry, who was on board at the time, attended to him. As be appeared to bo seriously injured ho was taken to the Hospita'. On being examined it was found that several of his libs were broken, and also that h'e had sustained serious internal injuries. Last night he was in a very precarious state.