LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4263, 24 January 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The special edition of the ‘‘New Zealand Times,’’’ issued yesterday within a very short time after the receipt of the news of the death of Queen "Victoria, met with a rapid sale, and was on every hand acclaimed as a triumph cf journalistic enterprise. In addition to a leading article dealing with the event tuat has evoked an Empire's sorrow, there was published a full personal biography of the deceased Sovereign, extending ’Q over six columns, which was perused with avidity by thousands of readers. The hearty co-operation of the members Oi our literal'/, mechanical arid publishing staffs alone rendered ■ possible the successful issue of this large special edition, and to those the normal acknowledgments of the directors of the “Times” are placed on record. Besides the many copies sold in town, several thousands were despatched to the country districts, so that last night the public, wherever they could be reached by rail, were in possession of the latest and fullest news. Necessarily a good deal of the matter contained in our special edition of yesterday is repeated in the present issue; but there is added a large quantity of important and interesting information, making to-day’s “Times’’ a complete historical record of the greatest Queen who over lived.

To-day the Chief Post Office will be open to the public, from 9 to 10 a.m., after which it will bo closed in all its branches. All mails advertised for despatch by steamers sailin gduriug the day will close at 9 a.m. Only one delivery (8 a.m.) will be made by letter carriers.

The award in the sawmillers’ u’swute will be delivered by the Conciliation' Board this morning, at 10.30. At Mount Cook Police fetation yesterday morning two first offendeirs ware fined 5s each for drunkenness by Mr J. Kays, J.P. The telegraphic traffic at the racecourse telegraph office on Tuesday was unusually heavy, the number of messages sent and received being 1032.

Bernard. Riley, who was run over hy the 9.30 train from the Hutt ou Tuesday night, died at the Hospital last evening. Death resulted from the shock he received.

All Telegraph and Telephone OJliees (except midnight stations, which will bo open as usual! will to-day observe the following hours :—-9 a.m., till 10 a.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.

A private telegram from Auckland states that two male and 1 throe female Virginian cleor were landed yesterday from the Alameda. These beautiful animals are to be sent to Nelson, after being detained in quarantine for sixty days.

The Conciliation Board sat yesterday to hear further evidence in the drivers’ dispute. The witnesses examined were Councillor John Smith, ironfounder, and AV. F. O’Sullivan, manager for Cottrell and Co., forwarding agents. Vne examination of the last-named witness was just commencing when the news of the death of her Majesty reached the Board, which immediately adjourned. The boy Kempton, who made a rather sensational escape t from the Lambtci quay police cells on Monday afternoon, was intercepted at Kaitoke yesterday by the local constable and sent back to Wellington. He was last night seucj back to Christchurch, eu route to Burn- j ham Industrial School, in terms of the order made by Dr 1 McArthur, S.M., j when Kempton was before 'him on Mon-, day charged with having escaped from. the school- ] Notwithstanding the rain, seventy-! three competitors took part in the match for the £l5O prize of the Wellington Provincial Gun Club at Petono yesterday.; The pigeons were naturally sluggish, and I the guns deadly. The result was that j forty-four competitors shot seven birds.! On receipt of the news of the death of the Queen the match was postponed till to-morrow. The Gun, Club’s dinner will take place to-morrow night. ’ j The Sixth Contingent Send-off Com- ( mittee acknowledges receipt of the following additional subscriptions : —Bell, Gully, Bell and Myers and Wellington ' Woollen Company, £5 5s each; A. S. Paterson and Co., £3 3s; George and Kcrsley, W. AViggins, New Zealand Drug Company, Macky, Steen and Caldwell, and JHuddart, Parker and Co., £2 2s; Kaiapoi Woollen Company, S. G. Roach and Co., £1 Is each. Tne total to, date is £lsl.

Yesterday was a bad day for the me.i under canvas at Newtown Park. The troopers of the Sixth are now thoroughly equipped and fit for duty. They will commence their embarkation in the Cornwall to-morrow. Captain Smith, of the Raglan Rifles, is to accompany the contingent to South Africa. VeterinarySurgeon McEachern, of Auckland, will attend to the horses en voyage. Captain Cosgrove, of Canterbury, has been appointed quartermaster of the contingent.

The present engagement of ; the Cora • wall to convey the Sixth Contingent to South Africa is not the first time she has been used as a troopship. She carried the First Queensland Contingent to the Cape, and took from London one section of the Imperial Yeomanry to South Africa. The same officers have been with the vessel during the whole time, and the many complimentary references which have been made in Queensland to the ship and her officers augurs well for the comfort and good treatment of the Sixth while on their wav to the front.

Apparently through some misimderstauding. Ministers did not consult the Mayor .yesterday in reference to the proposal to constitute to-day a day of national mourning; neither was his Worship officially intimated that that course was to be pursued. Therefore, when consulted at a late hour last night as to whether he intended to call upon the citizens to close their business premises, his Worship said he could not see that ho would be justified in doing so. However, Mr Aitken hopes that the Ministerial injunction will he faithfully abided by by citizens. A general meeting of the Wellington Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society was held last night. A volume of correspondence was dealt with. The selection of a judge was proceeded with, the result being the selection of Mr J. Maude, of Oakleigh, Victoria, to judge both poultry and pigeons; Mr L. P. Christensen was unanimously elected canary judge; Mr E. J. HHI for ducks, geese and turkeys; and Miss Ivey for the cooking classes. A letter from the Auckland! Society with reference to the appointment of a delegate to attend a conference at New Plymouth nest month for the purpose of -forming a New Zealand or North Island association was discussed. It was eventually decided to send the .secretary, Mr L. J. Carmine, a-s a delegate with instructions to support the formation of a New Zealand association, failing this, to support the' formation of a North Island association to take in Marlborough, Nelso'n and Westland. The schedule was also considered. The committee appointed to carry out the woik of allotting prizes has given special consideration to all sections, having allotted special classes to all known breeds of poultry, pigeons end canaries-

On Monday afternoon a Rangitikei team defeated Hawke’s Bay at polo by four to one. A special sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held yesterday before Dr McArthur, S.M.,for the purpose of hearing objections to the valuations of new buildings in the city of Wellington made for the first quarter of the year. The , Corporation was represented’by Mr T. F. Mart in. City Solicitor, and Mr James Ames, City Valuer. Mr Ames produced a. letter which had been addressed to the Town Clerk by Mr T. W. Hall, applying for a change of name in respect to'two houses in Mulgrave street and also objecting to their valuation. No copy of the letter had been sent to the Court, but this informality was waived by the valuer. Mr Amos said he agreed to ’iio change of name, but was prepared io argue tho question of value. Tjte name against which the property was entered was by consent altered from'T. W. Hall to David Hall, but in the absence of the objector the valuation was sustained. This was the Only business before the Court.