LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4291, 26 February 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Government has decided that tho 24th May will in future be ohsorveu as a public holiday in New Zealand. Mr H. A. Parkinson, headmaster of tho Grey town school, has rcceivoa an intimation that he has passed r..e M.A. degree of the New Zealand University. In the guessing competition in connection with the United Budding trades picnic, the number of beans in _ tho bottle was 959. The winner (Miss warcup) guessed 9GO. Mr G. fe. Bennett guessed 954 and Mr 11. W. Davis 95U. Mr Andrews’s employees have' contributed £3 3s to tho Queen's statue fund. Mr R- G. Knight has agrccu to contribute one shilling per week tor a year, and will increase that amount to ona shilling and sixpence per wc.c.r d an artist in the colony is entrusted with tho commission for the statue. The result of tho polling for member* of the Appeal Board of the post and Telegraph Department was as follows ; —Postal—!. H. Stevens, 401; E. M. Scully 395. Telegraph—H. G. Grcarhatch,’ 255 : A. C. Norris, 230; W. McNickle, 151. There wore ten informal votes for the postal members ami one for the telegraph. Messrs Scully and i McNicklo aro the sitting members. ' A meeting of shareholders of the Equitable Building and Investment Company called for last evening, for tho purpose of confirming a resolution passed at the annual meeting to increase the remuneration of tho directors from £l5O to £2OO, lapsed for want of » quorum. The meeting stands adjourned till to-night. I The following additional subscriptions to' tho fund for Mrs Russell and family have been received at this office : ,A. E. Morgan, Is; A Friend, ss; : W.R., ss; A. H. Dowdcsweli, Is; W: ; Waters,. £1; E.W.. os; E., Is; E.G., 10s. The Carlton Musical and Dramatic Club, which has offered its_ services for a benefit for Mrs Russell, is working hard to mako the performance j next Monday a success. A varied proi gramme is being rehearsed. Tickets are now on sale at tho ‘‘Times’’ office.

Mr Justice Edwards has made a decree in the matter of the petition of Charles Henry Roberts for leave to sell section 3, Evans Bay district (part of the Jenkins estate), to Messrs Turnbull and Watkins, as trustees for a proposed company. Mr Dumi appeared for the petitioner. An action, Hunter v. Roberts, in which a decree was sought authorising the sale of section 2 (the residue of the Jenkins estate) to the same purchasers, was adjourned till after bis Honor’s return from Wanganui. Mr Dunn appeared for the plaintiff. Councillor Tolhurst has given notice to m&vo as under at next meeting of the City Council:—(l) That, in view of there being no native owners now entitled to the New Zealand Company's tenths iu the city of Wellington, this Council petition the General Assembly to have these reserves vested in the Council for recreation purposes, in lion of various reserves taken from the Town. Belt in the past; and (2) that, in view of the fact that the trust of the Wellington College site is no longer observed, the Council petition the General Assembly to re-vest this land in the Council for recreation purposes. At yesterday’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, Dr McArthur, 8.M., ordered Samuel Thomas Fletcher to pay 10s per week towards the maintenance of his illegitimate child, and to dxs charge £8 6s incidental expenses. Leoia C. Crahho was charged with the theft of a sewing machine from Edith Sanders. The case was adjourned till Saturday. Andrew Reid was mulcted in the sum of 10s for drunkenness, and two first-offen-ders wereconvictcidand discharged. Saw King, the “cousin” who sold beet m the premises of a Chinaman in Wilks street, pleaded guilty to the charge through his counsel, Mr Skcrrett. the case was a sequel to one heard last week, in which the defence was successfully set up that Sew Hing was the offender, and not the Chinaman then charged. His Worship ordered Sow Hing to pay a £lO fine and costs (£1 13s M-.i> within three days, or in default to go to prison for a fortnight.

The first mooting of creditors in the estate of Joseph Williams, tobacconist, of Masterton was held yesterday, before the Masterton Deputy-Assignee (Mr W. B. Cfaennells). Tne liabilities to mi, secured creditors were set down at £3!’/ 6s fid. and the estimated assets at £452. By a clerical error in the bankruptcy statement,.however, it was made to uppear that there would be a surplus, x.y mistake the bankrupt's liability to Blundell Bros, appeared in the list of crediiors as £5 instead of £BS. The correction of this error converted the apparent surplus of £54 14s 7d into a deficiency of £25. The amount of tho bankrupt's liability to unsecured creditors was see down at £397 5s od; estimated assets £452. The principal creditors are: Messrs Hayman and Go., £B7 15s lie • Sargood, Son and Ewcn, £27 15s C(. Harris and Sou, £l6 16s 7d; Levin an J Co., £ll2 14s 3d; Blundell Bros., £8 ■- The bankrupt attributed his financed difficulties to sickness and death in n.'j family, followed by pressure on the pare of his creditors. A year ago ho sold i.j’ freehold and distributed the purchase money among his creditors. The creoxt ■ ors present intimated their willingness to accept 10s in tho £. A resolution was passed to the effect that the flower's furniture be handed to his daughtoi. The Assignee’s action in calling tenders for the stock and offering the of the lease at auction was confirmed. Other matters relating to the e.-.t?. e were left in. the Assignee b hands.