CITY BREVITIES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2999, 10 December 1896, Page 2

CITY BREVITIES.

On page four of to-day’s issue will be found a report of tbe meeting of the Education Board yesterday, some sporting items, an article having reference to our Volunteers and their training, also some “Bystander” notes. On page ono a letter to th© editor and two country correspondents’ letters are published. English mails via Brindisi and Vancouver came to hand by the Talane last night. It is announced in another column that the Kinefoscope is here. Further particulars shortly. Consignees are requested to take delivery this morning of cargo by the ship Auckland from Glasgow. Through an error in tho otblograun, the Christchurch papers on Tuesday announced the death of Lord Elgin, Governor-General of India. There were 46 saloon and 51 steerage passengers from Australia by the Taluno last night. Of these, 2 1 saloon and 31 steerage were for Wellington. Stops aro being taken to hell a floral feto in Christchurch, similar to that which was recently held with marked success in aid of tho Auckland Bsnovoleut Society. Richard Lovegrove, dairyman, Tborndon quay, filed a petition in bankruptcy yesterday afternoon. A meeting of his creditors wJI ba held on Wednesday, ICth inst. The Board of Education proposes to amend tho existing regulations next month so as to ; put the Masterton. and Peton© State schools on the same level as town schools. Subsdriotions in aid of the Unemployed Relief Fund have been received by Mr John Koss as followsE. W. Mills and Co., ,£5; Mr E. W. Mills, .£1 Is; C. Smith, ,£2 2s. It is understood that a Magisterial enquiry is to bo held into tho circumstances connected with the touching of tho Takapuna on a reef off Alligator Point about a week ago. The theoretical portion of the plumbing examinations in connection with the Technical Cchool began last night, and the practical portion will be taken at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Another maintenance application a prohibition order case were set for bearing yesterday, but tho complainants in both repented of their step at the eleventh hour, and stayed away. Mr Buobanan referred to the' large now State school at Mangapakoha, at the meeting of the Board of Education yesterday, as a capital piece of work, reflecting great credit on the Board and the builders. Sergeant O'Malley left Wellington, by the Wainui last night for Picton, having been temporarily placed in charge of the Blenheim district by Inspector Pender, who is at present risitiug that locality officially. Mr Wilford made application yesterday for tbe petitioner in tbe divorce case of Osmerav. Osmors—which waste have been h«-ard to-day—for adjournment until Tuesday. Mr Justice Edwards granted the adjournmont. The employees ef tho Gear Company's works held their annual picnic at tbe Upper flutt yesterday. The weather was glorious for such an occasion, and tho large number of holiday-makers thoroughly enjoyed themselves. A man named C. Sheriff mot with an accident while working at the new Thorndon Baths yesterday through falling on an upturned adze, cutting tho fleshy part of the forearm to the bone. Ho was attended to by Mr W. C. Fitz Gerald. It was decided at a meeting of the Education Board yesterday morning to close the State schools in the district on Thursday of next week, instead of Friday (the usual day), on account of the pupil teachers' examinations being held on Friday. An individual who got intoxicated on strictly cash principles, and bailed himself out after arrest, was taxed with his offence yesterday, when ho half doubtingly said ho believed he was in tho state described. The Crown netted tho usual sa,

A woman yesterday refused in Court to rejoin her husband and make a new home if a prohibition order were taken out against him. She said such orders were of not the slightest use. When a former ono was on issue he obtained as much liquor as over he liked. A satisfactory statement was made by the Chairman at the Education Board meeting yesterday morning to the effect that ho thought it would bo possible to clear off JJSOU of their liabilities, and to put pupil teachers on tho footing which it was intended they should occupy. Those who desire to bo present at tho farewell benefit to be tendered, to Mr Alfred Hill in the entertainment hall of tho Exhibition on the IBth instant should book seats at once. Already 400 seats have been ticked off, and there appears to be but little doubt that all the seats will be reserved. Fifteen stud Lincoln sheep—seven ewes and eight rams—tho property of Mr Tanner and Mr McDonald, Hawke’s Bay, wore released from quarantine on Monday. They were brought out from England about two months since by tho Uuahino. The animals were forwarded by rail to their destination in capital order and condition. An interested person in a Court case yesterday told the Bench that he was always lucky in tho matter of getting work, and. from questions he put to a witness on his side, it was inferred that people ran after him to give him jobs to do, A lawyer present had previously described him as “ labouring man, who generally wasn’t labouring.” Fowls breaking loose from a coop do not usually cause much of a sensation, but when some of these venturesome birds forth and took flight along Willis street yesterday afternoon the excitement was intense. The mad efforts made by one or two venerablelooking individuals in an • < to catch them were watched with breathless admiration.

Th® examination of tho Mount Cook Girls’ and Mount Cook Boys’ Schools was coneluded last week, and at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday tbe chairman, referring to the latter school, said it had attained a state of efficiency never arrived at before. The Girls’ School, however, had not shown Bach satisfactory results. The Board expressed itself as much pleased at tho result of the examination of the Bpys’ School. Spohr’a “ Last Judgment “ is to bo given in St. Mark’s Church to-nighfc by the choir, under tho direction of Mr L. F. Watkins, the organist. The solos in this. beautiful work will be undertaken by Miss Hamerton, Mrs Webb, and Messrs P«Jge» Blow, Gooder and Hueston, who at tbe practice last night acquitted themselves well. An offertory will bo taken for tho organ fund, as it is intended to procure and place in position as soon as possible the extra pipes fop which the organ was prepared when being rebuilt.

Objection was made by a defendant at Court yesterday to his ‘daughter giving evidence against him in a family ease. He said she was a mere schoolgirl. Tho girl said she was nearly thirteen, and then proceeded to palpt a picture of domestic misery, describing hovv h o f fgtjjer had hit her mother over the eye with a cqnfjlsstiok, threatened to shoot her, wished her dead aqd underground, throw knives, plates and other qrtiqles at her, smashed windows, and almost choked the little boy. Yet tho viotim never complained to the Court about cruelty for years ! At half-past 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, a horse belonging to Mr Ellis, wood and coal merchant, of Thoradoa quay, strayed on to the Government Bail way line at the Esplanade, /tad was ran down by a train. The animal ha.d three pf its legs broken, and sustained other injuries which necessitated its destruction. It appears that tho horse had been placed in the Me-uawatu paddock to graze, and wandered on to the rails.' "*fts owner saw it in the paddock ahprtiy before tho train passed. An attraction for next Saturday evening will be tho moonlight excursion by the Coripna in aid of the Exhibition Eegatta fuiid. Tljo excursionists should have plenty of gdod miisio, as Jppp’a private band, who have given their s.eryipps gratuitously, will accompany the steamer, qnd in addition a programme of yocal items is being prepared by the Star Boating and Wellington Bowing Clubs. A little kindness on the part of the head of the weather department and success is assured.

Tho Stipendiary Magistrate yesterday enquired into an application made by Mrs Mason for an order ot separation from her husband, Samuel Mason, on the ground of cruelty and non-compliance with a maiatenanoo order'mq.de against him some time ago. The complainant."was roprosontod by Mr Young, >who called Defendant said he had been but complainant said ho was J2sin arrears. Tho order was erantod* tho wife to have custody of tho three children, defendant to continue complying with the old order for maintenance- Defendant not seem to agree with tl?o verdict, and said if bo could u-*t see bia children he wouldn’t pay anything ; preferring to ffo to gaol fifat. Mr Greenfield said that would be his destination if he disobeyed the order of the Court*

A question was asked at the Education Board's meeting yesterday by Mr James Robertson as to whether manual instruction classes were being taken up throughout the district, Mr J. K. Blair replied that only four had been estab’isbed, as the Act pro* scribed that the work should not encroach on the school hours. 'Mr Robertson said his rcaapu for asking was because, in the city, pupils %t fcljo primary schools were allowed to attend classes in mau4 instruction bol lat the Technical School daring primary school hours, and they had to get two or ujope hours off to do so, and ho washed to ascertain whether the afternoon on which they were off would bo counted as an attendance on which capitation would bo paid to the school committees. Mr Blair said the whole matter was so far only In an experimental stage, and asked Mr Robertson to let it drop in th* meantime, adding that whatever success had been obtained was due to the individual exertions of tea-cbor. A gase was heard in the Supreme Court yesterday morning before His Honor Mr Justice Edwards in which the Hew Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union appealed against a decision given by Mr 5* *3- Wardejl in the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court. The facts were that the Union sued J. S. Biron, of Kororu, for payment of allotments made by the plaintiff company on calls on shares. The defendant denied that he bad received notioa of allotment of shares in terms ot the call and also that it there was any contract that contract required to be stamped. The contract was not stamped, and the Stipendiary Magistrate held that no notice of allotment had boon given, or that the notice given was not satisfactory or sufficient, and that it required to be stamped, and nonsuited the plaintiffs with costs. Mr Brown appeared lor the plaintiff company and Mr Campbell, assisted by Mr Jardine. for the defendant. Mr Brown argned that if direct notice was not given, the notice given of calls wis sufficient when the defendant did not withdraw his application and repudiate the plotted. His Honor reserved menti

A husband’s tribute to hia wife at the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court yesterday ; “ We have been married 23 years ; she kind of a house-koopor at all ; whoa I vo fancied a glass of boor I couldn’t got It. fene has seen my tongue Hanging out Or want of ,oae. Yet i love her still.”

There was a large attendance at the annual meeting ot the Yorkshire Society at tbs Trocadero last night, Mr Charles "Wilson (vice-president) in the chair. The report and balance-sheet, which showed the Society to be in a flourishing condition, were read and adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Rev J. C. Andrew (re-elected); vice-presidents,Messrs C. Wilson and Hustwick; secretary and treasurer, Mr F. Bedford ; committee, Messrs Hellewell, Bewail,- Flooktoa (soar.), Flooktoa (juar.)» Charlesworlh, Furness and Motley. It was decided to hold the annual dinner on Wednesday, January 13. A question arose at the Education Board’s meeting yesterday with regard to a boy named Stanley Brown, who, while residing in Wellington, had been a successful candidate for one of the suburban scholarships, namely at "Vogcltowu. As it was contrary to the regulations that a scholar residing in a town should hold a scholarship gained at a country school, the examinations being, the chairman remarked, much moro simple in the country schools, the Board decided to award the scholarship to May Atkinson (Petone), who came second on the list with 391 marks. Brown, having only obtained 454 marks, is not entitled to a scholarship on the town list. Unless farther subscriptions are received shortly the unemployed relief works at Kelbarno Park will have to be closed before Christmas. Indeed so small is tho amount in hand that tho Relief Committee had to reduce the number of men employed to 2These men have 21 women and 66 children dependent upon them. In giving subscriptions the public are not only providing funds for the completion of a much needed recreation ground, which should be an ornament to the city, but aro furnishing the means of livelihood for a large number of men have wives and families to support. The objects a thoroughly deserving one, and the chanc-ably-disposed public of the city, who are never appealed to in vain, should readily respond. 1 A visit to the music-saloon of Mr E. J. King, in Manners street, just now is of special interest to musicians and music* lovoi s. A largo stock of the very latest songs, descriptive, and comic, has been opened up, as well as importations tending to keep his other well • known specialties up to date. On tho is seen a pile of Mr King’s own composition the Glasgow d’Alberts, which, during the past sea ion caught on at tho Government House dances, and for which there will, without doubt, be a big demand next season. The .Nicholson Cabinet is also soiling well. As a piano tuner Mr King is in the best of repute, and in tho general conduct of his business, with every branch of which hois familiar, he has proved himself to bo up todate,- energetic and enterprising.

An adjourned meeting of creditors in the estate of Louis Bother, merchant, was held yesterday, the Official Assignee, Mr .Tamos Ashcroft, presiding. Tho bankrupt was further examined, and stated that two years ago Mr Tain© had a lion over hia furniture to secure iJIOO, which was advanced to the bankrupt contemporaneously. The bill of sale, ho understood, was not registered. His landlord claimed bis furniture for rout, and at a private meeting of his creditors it was agreed to recognise the landlord’s claim for .£35 or JJ4O. The furniture was sold for .£BO and the landlord’s claim paid; the bankrupt received the balance. Excepting moneys that were in Messrs Hislop and Brandon’s bands, bankrupt knew of no other assets likely to bo obtained. A resolution was carried to the .effect that the Official Assignee should arrange a settlement with Mr Hislop on the basis of an offor made. by tho latter gentleman some time previously. It was also decided that tho bankrupt should be recommended for hia discharge.