LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3883, 28 October 1899, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho master of-tho' Ohiro Home-ack-nowledgeswith thanks the receipt of two parcels containing boofo," which were intended for the Transvaal contingent. Mr George Fisher, Miil.E., has nominated Mr John Kays as'.one of the ParjfamentaTy representatives on the Victoria .College Council, in place of the ißejj Dr Watters. ' The/nominations will close at noon on Monday.', / “ 'ThebTailoresses’i Uniraidias decided to support ;tho nomination of Messrs D. P. Fisher and Andrew-;Collins as members of the Conciliation Board. Tho union: has also decided "to-secede from tho .Trades Council. The delegates to the conference of tho Post and Telegraph Association met again yesterday. It was' agreed' that the executive should oe allocated to Wellington. Other business in connection with the association was dealt with, and tho conference adjourned till ten, o’clock to-day. ■ , 'Miss Fell, Dr Findlay (representing Ecv. W. Fell), and Messrs W. C. Fitzgerald, i Or McArdle_ arid- A. I. 'Little-john--liavo stated objections to tho Minister of Public Works against' the taking of the proposed r-high-levels tramway through ; their lands. : A full note of tho objections was taken,; and will be considered by the Minister,-, who' is- being advised:, by Dr Fitchett, Crown Law Officer, who was present Muring the interviews- , ; ,

A young man named George Carterwas charged by Frederick .Moorhouse, before Mr W.' R; Haselden, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning with fishing for trout without a license. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined £2, with £1 19s costs. 'R. W. Mouat-b and George Probyu pleaded guilty to a charge of,, assaulting R. B. McDonald, and .were ordered to., enter into their own recognisance, of £2O to keep the peace towards informant for six mouths, and also- to pay £6 2s.

The following arp amongst recent laws passed at Rarotonga, Cook Islands-: —“Whereas the manufacture of bush ■beer has been productive of much crime, any man who- shall beat his-wife while under' tlio influence of liquor may bo fined not exceeding GO dollars, and in default 60 days 1 hard labour. Any man caught manufacturing or drinking hush beer may be fined not more than 15 dollars. or Til days’hard labo ur. Any policeman who shall seize the clothing of any woman or man in payment of a, fine shall ho guilty of an'offence, and on conviction may bo fined not exceeding 6 dollars,” . .. -~.

Ono first offender was convicted and discharged, and another lined ss, or iu default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment by Mr W. R. Haselden,. S.M., at the 'Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Kenneth Matheson was remanded till the 30th hist on ,a charge of soliciting alms.. 'For -absenting hifnself from the fe.s. Hawke’s Bay without; lawful excuse, William Brairs was! ordered to pay 7s costs and forfeit three days’ pay. Jolm Doyle was- fined 20s and ordered to pay 11s costs and 5s witness’s expenses for using threatening language towards Constable .Glass, ,; Thomas- v . Brianay, .. was fined 'ss tntli - 7s costs ’ for driving a yehicle at other than a walking pace round the comer of Willis street and Lambton quay. For demanding a.greater faro than authorised by the Wellington. City Council by-laws, George Barrett, .the driver of .a licensed vehicle, was fined 20s, with 9s costs. In a report madc-to the Agent-General dii the 22hd of September, the Inspector of' New- Zealand produce in London (Mr - H. C. Cameron) stated that during the : preceding month trade in'the frozen meat ; market? had been particularly quiet, at prices for mutton on a par with ' those . ruling twelve months previously, for lamb at Id perTb lower, and for beef at >d 'perTb higher. The heavy- mutton stocks held 1 in'cold store some weeks .previously were gradually' being " reduced, and as shipments were not expected to bo very heavy again for ''some time there was some hope that.it wpuld be unnecessary to accept any price, but rather, especially seeing that stocks were somewhat concentrated .in holders’ hands, that an advance might he secured. Butter and cheese were, for the moment,’ quieter than they had been.' The high price ruling . for buttei* had restricted trade, and speculation in! cheese at the very high figured quoted recently was not keen. ..

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, tho two adjourned charges agaist William Munro of having made bets at totalisator odds in connection with the Otaki races, on tho 10th of October, were inquired into by Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M. , Mr Myers appeared for the prosecution and Dr Findlay for the defendant. ■ After hearing evidence Dr Findlay said he had advised his client to. defend until a satisfactory case had been made out; but he now wished- to withdraw the plpa .of “not guilty.” The defendant, he continued, was not one of those who made his living by hotting, but, was an old. and respectable resident. He, .had been laying “tote odds,” probably wrongly, among a few friends. Ho had some means and had been in business hero for 29 years. Mr Hasel■don said ho was doubtful whether it was a mitigation or an aggravation that such a man should coinmit the offence. Continuing, he said. that there, was no moral wrong in what the defendant had done, but the wisdom of society said that it led to wrong, and it must he stormed. The penalty inflicted should bo with a view to prevention and not so much for punishment. _ After further discussion a. fine of £ls was imposed, with £1 S.s costs, and the second charge was withdrawn.

In the- Court of Appeal yesterday judgment, was given in. the ease .nnrdoCoutincntal Gold Syndicate and another v. the Barqwood Quarts Mining -Company* an appeal against a decision given in-favour of respondents by Mr Justice Williams. The question in dispute between the parties was the construction of a written agreement by which the respondent company' gave the appellants the option of-purchasing certain mining properties in Otago. Tire appellant syndicate spent* £1230 in prospecting the properties, hut deeming them unpayable, determined the agreement. The respondents, plaintiffs in the Court below, then made a, claim unon the syndicate for £IOOO. a sum which should have been paid within a, certain time under tho original agreement, hut for the pavment of which .an extension had been granted. Tire syndicate, however, denied : liability. - contending that liability ceased with the determuiatioii of the agreement.'. .Judge -Williams meld that the syndicate.. .defendants below, were liable, and gave judgment^accordinglyThe judgment.df the. Supreme Court was upheld by -a majority of tho Judges ' yesterday, rand' the appealdismissed with costs ou the highest scalp. His . Honor the Chief Justice- was ' in favour of reversing, the former decision, but was over-ruled by''Justices Edwards. Conolly and Henniston ; o Leave tppappchbtd tlieißrivy; Cd unci I wau sgcca tcih-oc the usual-terms.

An address on mental science -Ivas delivered by the president at the meeting of tho Wellington Metaphysical Society last night. There was a good attendance of members, and the address was followed by a-discussion.

A. Armit, who was injured in the Taranaki-Otago football match, had a very had turn on Wednesday, aftprnoou, and. was unconscious for some time. The “Otago Daily Times” says ho, however, rallied towards evening. A . visit from the three Inspectors (Messrs Lee, Fleming and Bakowell) Was signalised .by a new departure at the Eiddiford street State School on Thursday, when the girls of the upper classes provided afternoon tea for the visitors and teachers. ,

The arbitration proceedings between the Christchurch Tramway Company and the various local bodies affected by the company’s undertakings will begin on Monday. ’ Sir James Prendcrgast, the arbitrator,'left Wellington for Christchurch yesterday.

The pienfe and presentation of prizes of the Wellington Eowing Club which is to take place this afternoon promises,to be an enjoyable outing. Mrs Saunders, wife of the president of the club, has kindly consented to present the prizes. Minific’s String Band will play on tho steamer and at the bay. t

.".At a. meeting held in the Trocadoro last evening of ; the representatives. of assistants from leading drapery establishments south of the quay,- it was unanimously decided to call, a meeting of all who desire to retain Wednesday as the half-holiday. - The date of the meeting will be duly announced. The anniversary services in connection with the Terrace Congregational Sunday School will be held to-morrow when the Rev Sidney J. Baker, of Trinity Church, Christchurch, will preach in the morning and evening. In the afternoon the Rev G. H. Mann will give an address to the young.. On Wednesday evening there will be a tea and a public meeting. There was a satisfactory attendance at the Missions to Seamen’s ambulance lecture given by Mr James Moore last evening, when a bandaging'competition was held, the various competitors entering into the business with great spirit. A bright little programme of music was provided by the Misses Drawbridge, assisted by Messrs H, Colley and Drawbridge.

A meeting of members of the No.' 5 Co-operative Building.' Society' was' Hold in tlio Foresters’ Hall, Tory street, last night,* Mr J. 'Graham, chairman, presiding,’ There was a good attendance/of members. Messrs p. MoWalker alid A. C. S. Murray wore appointed scrutineers. The number drawn at the ballot was hold by a member who holds two shares. He therefore becomes entitled to a loan of £2OO free of interest. The cost of the horse ambulance which it was stated the, other day tho honorary secretary of the St. 'John Ambidanco Association (Mr J. B. GouM) had been authorised to order from Loildon - will be £l3O. A. full description of the ambidanco baa .already been published, Christchurch ’ alono in this colony possesses anything-of a similar description, though it may be. added that in that city tho amhullmeo considerably more than pays for its upkeep.- It is entirely due to Mr Gould’s exertion that the purchase money has been obtained. The City Council, Harbour Board, Wellington Racing Club, Hospital Trustees and the Union Company . collectively contributed £46," and, the • St. John Ambulance Association (Wellington centre), £35, .the balance being mqde-up by various citizens

Iri. the Appeal Court yesterday judgment was given in the case in which Victor Harris,, financial .agent of Christchurch, had sued Mrs Priscilla Aldous, of Wellington, for £2OO, the amount due on a promissory note signed by Joseph Myers and endorsed by defendant; and the counter-claim made by 'Mrs' Aldohs against Harris for £2OO -which she’' had been induced to pay in --connection with the transaction. During the fix-st hearing it was alleged that Mrs Aldous had bee'n induced to endorsd the bill by fraudulent misrepresentation on the part of Myers with the knowledge of Harris, and the jury found in her favour. -The matter was by consent removed into the Court of Appeal, which gave judgment in favour of Mrs Aldous, both as regards ,the claim and ■counter-claim, with £2l costs on the argument and £l2 12s on the counterclaim. Mr Skerrett appeared for Mrs Aldous and Mr Gully for Victor Harris, At the thirty-first annual, meeting of the Wesleyan Literary and Debating Society, the Rev W. C. Oliver occupying the chan-, the - following, office-bearers were elected President,; Rev W. O. Oliver; vice-presidents, Messrs J. W. Black and E. LV Burgess; secretary, Mr W. E. Fuller ; ■ assistant secretary, Mr E. jj. Harvey; treasurer, Mf G. F. Smythe; .'librarian. Miss F. Watson; committee,: iMisses Craig and Tattle, Messrs J. W. i Carr, G. W. Darvall, and H. Hurrell; 'editor, of. journal, Mr J.' W- Black; subeditor _of journal, Mr J. W. Carr. Special thanks were given to the Chief Justice, . Professor McKenzie, Mr J. W. ‘Joynt, Mr T. W. Rowe, Rev J. T. Mott, Mr E. Trogear, Mrs Adelene Izett and many others, for various services in the society’s work arid in the compilation of the journal; also to Mr J. W. Black, the editor of the “ Atca,” the society’s first printed journal, and the editoi’s of the New Zealand. Times ” and the “Evening. Post” were thanked for press notices ■of the meetings.. Mention was also made of ? the; secretary’s -([Mr W. E.-Fuller’s) work for the society, and a con- ! sitting of several volumes of standard works was made him by the president on behalf of the members. The roll of membership showed ninety-five financial members, there having been a large 'increase during the year. The session ef 1900 will open, on April 19. ■ The annual meeting of the .members of the'lnsurance Institute of Is cw Zealand was. held at the Trocadcro last night, yfr R. M. Simpson (the president) was in the chair. The annual report-con-gratulated members -on• the- work .done '"during the first, session, and it -was stated that the roll of membership : now contained 117 names. The‘ statement of receipts showed a" credit balance of £66. It was resolved to reduce the subscription of members residing outside of Wellington. Thc'tollowing wore elected office-bearers ’ for the ensuing year:—Mr J. H. Richardson,, president; Mr F. Allen, vice-president: committee, Messrs O. ~W. Bonbow, C. A. Richardson, W. Gill. J. Mallard, R. M. Simpson,-A, E. Gibbs, Morris Fox, C. M. Moiitofiore ;. secretary and treasurer, Mr G. A. Noble Camoboll; auditor, Mr E. L. Burncs. The institute has been presented with several standard works on insurance, and the new .committee'-was authorised to spend a sum of money in the purchase of additional works, and,arrange for their safe housing. Thanks were accorded the several donors. It was .resolved to-re-classify the resident members with, regard to subscriptions,, ami a. recommendation was made that the committee should take into consideration the admission of associate members. It was decided that ‘ a sithi of £lO 10s be idlotted as prizes for essavs on insurance, subjects to be prepared during the recess. . An offer to publish these essays in, the “Now Zealand Journal of Insurance, .Mining and Finance” was accented with thanks. A vote of thanks fo"-the retiring officers concluded the meeldfigiriifi^oireat-.cu dlreievdaing rivos spent socially.