LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

, The application for a new trial in the I Styche attempted l murder case will ! probably be heard -in the Court of ApI peal on Monday. j The . Arbitration Court will sit nt i Christchurch, on the ,22nd April and at i Dunedin on->thc ,- ; {3th May. v A sitting of -the Court,-will afterwards- he held ■ in . ■WclJingtoji. i. .; i ■*' >, • - Mrs -Wallis• writes* from ' Hisliopscoiirt acknowledging'the receipt of : 115 sent by' “ Pakcha” through the. editor of the “iNew Zealand' Times ”, for - the Queen •Victoria School,for Maori girls.: *■' i Rating on iunimproved-values bids fMr" to become* generally adopted at no : distant-date.; A poll, is shortly to he ■> hpld at Pcilding, and Mr P. J; O’Roga'i . hfis : accepted an invitation to address a p'ublic meeting there-on the question. ,]•. ! The Premier has made a final refusal , to‘resell* to. the original owner,. Mr Purvis'. 11 ussell; any portion of*tho Hatunia Estate. In reference to they last uropdsal made—viz,, that Mi; Bussell should ' be -allowed to keep 5000- acres of the . hilly portion of tile estate most fuitahle for sheep, Mr Sodden has. replied that ;* the time has gone by when the Gov--1 ernment could- entertain the proposal, j The land has been-subdivided, and; it is understood, will bo thrown’open for selection at an early, date. The proposal of tho Government to open a. Stote coal mine is said to find general favour among, tho coal miners on the "West Coast, but among other classes of the community the Step is generally received either with ' indifference • or' hostility. Tho opinion obtains. among the .miners that under, private management a good, deal of unnecessary waste occurs, and it is expected that when the,'evidence tendered before tho Coal Mines*: Commission is made known some light wil! bo thrown on this question. In connection with the poll held in Guslow, Borough on Wednesday last under the Rating on Unimproved Values Act, it ,is , understood that tho small number of votes polled against the. new system was due to- tho fact’ that the ratepayers who were, opposed to it were under the imnres-sion that the Act required -a third of the ratepayers on tho roll to vote,, failing, -which the poll would ho invalid. This, however, is not tho case, as the Local Government Voting Reform Act of 1898 leaves the decision in the hands of those who actually vote. In the present instance more votes would have been recorded against the proposal had the real state of the law been generally known. • When the Court of Appeal met yesterday, Mi Harper, on behalf of Christchurch counsel, apologised for their ab. senco on the previous afternoon. Ho explained that if the steamer had arrived at the usual time, thev- would ■Jlave been, able to .ho. present at 2 n.m. The Chief Justice said that-it had always been customary tc ; take foreign Oases first, and'at this sitting the Christchurch cases were, practically • the only foreign esses. Lately three sittings of the Court of Appeal had been fixed, so as to enable the work to he mere rapid, ly pushed on., and the Court would expect foreign counsel to attend—if: there was- a short list, such as Uie presenton the first day of the sitting. Of course, the feet that the steamer was delayed prevented counsel from being present on. Thursday. , .

A church parade will be hold at tho camp at Newtown at 11 o'clock to-mor-row morning. .Mr E. M. Smith, is to take with him to the Old Country about ton tons of samples of coal, lime and ironfcand. The Hereford cattle brought from Sydney in tho Mokoia by Mr James Stuckey have been seiit to Somes Island for their period of quarantine. Among the patents for which specilicnlions have boon lodged at the latent Office is an improved mechanism for utilising the “ bumping” of cyclists for assisting in the propulsion of cycles. Tho Premier has intimated that the Seventh Contingent will leave for South Airica. next Wodncsdso'. Tho men will be handed over to citner Colonel .Robin or Colonel Davies on arriving at. their destination.

Tho polo tournament under the auspices of tho Polo Association will commence at Miramar on Monday. Two matches will bo played on each day of tho week, concluding with a gymkhana on Saturday. “Now that we have tho extended franchise, there is no reason why Wellington should not bo one of the most progressive cities in the colony.”—Mr William /Mian, at the Progressive Mum, cipal Association. Mr S. Fletcher, the wanner of the first X)»ise of £4500 in Tatteraail’s consultation on tho XowuiarUet Handicap, is head clerk in Mr *K. R. Bowler’s legal office, Gore, and was formerly in Mr Barton’s office. Hawera. At a gathering at Scarl’* Hotel last night, Mr E. J. Scarl was presented by the male servants of the establishment with a handsome ivory-handled, silvermounted umbrella, on tho occasion of hia birthday. Tho presentation was made by tho head waiter, and tho health of Mr and Mrs Scarl was enthusiastically toasted.

With regard to the scarcity of boy labour, a representative of the “Now Zealand Times,” who made inquiries on the subject, was informed yesterday by the chief aocoulanb of the Bank of Now Zealand that tho difficulty complained of in other banking institutions was also felt in this tank iu regard to filling junior posts. Tho number of hoys offering is small, although the salary given for the first year is as high as £SO. “A Government Servant” writes to give a timely reminder to the 'Union Steam Ship Company on the subject of a. night boat from Nelson on Easter Monday. A steamer was run in this way last year, and a largo number of people were ouauied to spend a holiday in Nelson, and get back in good time for work on Tuesday morning. No doubt, if fair notive is given of the company’s intentions, ai still larger number would this year avail themselves of the opportunity. The new gymnasium for the Wellington Physical Training School is being thoroughly equipped and fitted with electric light.. Additional classes will bo held this year, and tho senior men’s class (in which thorn will bo two terms) will commence) concurrently with the other classes. There will be two classes for ladies, who will have tho privilege of attending in tho morning or evening without additional fee, provided they do not attend more than twice a week. Special provision is being made for advanced'work and: private practice. The first term will commence probably about tho Ist of April. Tho members of the Dairy Commissioner's grading staff, from the different grading ports of the colony, -are meeting to-day and Monday in Wellington for their periodic comparison of notes. The principal object of this meeting of tho Commissioner and his staff (the graders include the dairy instructors) is to ensure uniformity in tho work of grading throughout the colony. The system is at present so well regulated that there is practically no variation hi the ‘'pointing”'of the different graders, hut as the continued success of the system depends upon its reliability,, the persistent checking of individual, worl; is rendered necessary. :

‘ Tho, New Zoalandl Candle Company has purchased the promises at.Kaiwarra recently in.the occupation-of Air Durrbll,' and Will carry.oil there a tallow-refinery, manure works; etol, .which later on will probably prove a: valuable adjunct to the company’s , works. . -The purchase in- j dudes a.'plot of ground fifteen acres in extent—.which should really have been secured for city abattoirs— and a quantity of up-to-date machinery. . Tho ; company, intends to dp everything possible, to minimise.' tho' offensive : odours iiise- ; parable from works, of the kind, and in • fact lias already largely succeeded in subduing what at'one time threatened to become a serious public nuisance. Tho ninth game in. the match beween Air Mason (chess champion of New-Zea-land) and Air Barnes ( an ex-champion), played at the. Chess Club’s rooms last night, ended in a draw. Mr Alason, who had tho move, opened with a Queen's gambit declined. About tho fiftieth move Air Barnes apparently hold a winning position with a rook and three pawns to a rook, two of his pawns being on his rook’s and knight’s seventh squares respectively. Air Mason,, however, very ingeniously turned what appeared: to bo a certain defeat into -a draw by perpetual check. The games stand—Air Ala-son, four wins; Air Barnes, three wins; two draws. The tenth game will bo played at the Work, ing Alon’.s Club on Tuesday evening. A deputation ushered into the Premier’s presence yesterday to urge that tho present site of tho Hutt bridge should bel retained found themselves in a difficulty as to a spokesman, and invited Air W. T. L. Travers to. undertake the duty. To their surprise, Air Travers naively informed the deputation that ho was opposed to their view of the question, and in point of fact, had merely come in to hear “what was to bo. said on tho other side.” If tho bridge were retained at its present site, assuming that tho River Board works were carried out as now proposed, there would, he thought, bo grave danger, though he. admitted that the change of site would: cause considerable inconvenience. Another spokesman was accordingly selected. Air Travers suggested that he should leave, hub tho Premier invited him to “remain and bo converted.”

'Messrs Harcourt ■ and Co., at their auction rooms yesterday afternoon, submitted at auction several .valuable, properties. The first was .the Tate residence of Air C. J. Pharazyn, in Grant road, known as “Tlpuna,” tho, -land being a little oyer three-quarters, of .'an acre iu extent, ,\vlthi a- largo •;and -sub-stantially-built dwelling of sixteen rooms and outhouses. This- property, after some spirited bidding, was withrawu at tho reserve. The next property offered was a dwelling of seven rooms in Tiu;.kovi road, on land with a frontage of 51ft by a depth of 100 ft. This was purchased by Air E. W. Gibbs at £BSO. The third was a six-roomed dwelling and largo irregular piece of land in Parliament street, Lower Hutt. situated close to the railway station, which was passed in at the reserve, and is now. in the auctioneers’ hands for private .... sale. Messrs Harcourt land Co. state,that “ Tipuna ” was j disposed of after the sale. Owing to tho serious illness of Air J. B. Harcourt, Air A. L. Wilson, cquducted the sale on behalf of the final

I Since tho opening of the Government 1 Poultry Depot in Dunedin, about 150 I head, principally ducklings, have passed I through for export. The bulk of the birds are for oouth Africa, and large consignments arc expected to be ready j for the departure of the Rangatira. A meeting of Cornishmcn. was held at | the Trocndero Last evening. Mr J. P. Luke presided. On tho motion of Mr J. Tregcar, seconded, by Mr John Crewe-;, it was resolved that a Cornish Society he formed. Mr J. G. Stevens wars appointed secretary, and Messrs Luke, Tregear and Stevens were appointed ? committee to draft constitutional rulers for tho society. Tho score, tnry war, authorised to communicate with Ccrnishrnen throughout the colony, and, with tho assistance of the press, make the address which it was proposed to present to the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall representative of tho whole colcny. Those present were enrolled as members of the society, with power to add to their number.

Referring to tho question of possible and impossible sites for the Victoria College building, we arc reminded that a block of land considered to bo vary well suited for the purpose was offered to the College Council some six months ago through tho agency of Messrs Turn, bull and Watkins. This site comprises eight acres or land, situated on the hill-side towards .Vogeltown, in close proximity to the Town Belt and within ton minutes’ walk of the tram-line. The two owners of the property were willing to sell at a fair price to the College Council, but as nothing came of the offer, it is now proposed to cut up and soil tho property in small lots. If tho College Council so desires, it might yet secure this site by purchasing the’property in one lot.

At a meeting of the Now Zealand Workers’ Union held last night the following resolution was passed : —“That a document contafhlng the closing address of the City Engineer before the Conciliation Board in the drivers’ dispute on the 7th March, having been brought un- [ dor the notice of this union—such document having been taken down by a highly-paid shorthand writer raid printed and published to the number of 10,000 copies at the expense of the ratepayers, to endeavour to prejudice the issue as between the Council and the workers—this union fa oY opinion that a gross waste of public money has taken place, and that such tactics are injudicious, unjudicial and unworthy and likely to bring upon those who have employed them the censure of the fairminded section of the community.” In reply to a deputation consisting of Messrs F. Goodbehere .(Mayor of Feeding) and W. Bailey (Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce), who urged that a train should bo nut on from Feilding each morning to join the Wellington and Manawatu Company’s train at Palmerston North, and that another train should bo run to Feilding from Palmerston each night, joining with the last train from Wellington, the Minister for Railways yesterday promised to consult his departmental officers on the subject. To comply with the request would, he pointed out. probably require a largo annual expenditure, and he was not quite sure whether in this instance —although he was personally anxious to assist settleTs in the matter of railway facilities in every way—such an expenditure would be justified by results. Two juvenile housebreakers, aged about' ten years of age, appeared at the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, before Dr McArthur, S.M., charged with, having broken into St. Thomas’s Church, Newtown, on the 19th inst., and damaged the property of the Rev Otho Fitzgerald to the extent of £l. They were remanded till tliis morning, when Inspector Pender is ; to report as to what is best to do with the offenders. Two other small boys were charged with the theft of articles belonging to H. J. Pnrbrick, valued afc j 7s 6d. The case against on© was dismissed, and the other was convicted and discharged. The Magistrate gave the father of the boy who was convicted to understand that if the offender came up again he would he sent to an industrial -school. Three first-offenders for drunkenness were each fined 7s. The mortality from tubercular diseases last year at the four chief towns of the colony, was 13 per cent, of the total deaths, and) from cancer 6.89 per cent. Of deaths from developmental diseases (totalling 193) 87 were from premature birth and S-l from old age. Diseases of the respiratory system .''accounted for 182 deaths in .1900, as against 215 in 1899. Measles, scarlet fever and bubonic plague each caused a single death. Of the accidental deaths (totalling 90) seven wore caused by fractures, nine by falls, eighteen by being rum over by vehicles, six by burns or scalds, nineteen by drowning, eight by suffocation, four by poisoning and four by misadventure with ether or chloroform. Of me thirteen suicides recorded, three were by shooting, two by cutting of the throat, two by poison, three by hanging, two by-drowning, and one “ by placing himself ou the railway line.” There is considerable significance in the following paragraph from the annual report of the Secretary of the Harbour Board; —Mr J. H. Williams having parted with his interest in the tugs Duco and Duchess, and in the wharves at Hautrey and Lowry Bays to a newly, formed company, called the Wellington Steam Ferry Company, Limited, the Board was approached with the view to th© revision, of the conditions under which the services of the tugs are available for attending on the pilots. By mutual agreement it was decided to continue the tariff and agreement that had been in force since Juno, 1894, until the 30th June, 1901. It will, therefore, bo advisable for the Board early in tho present, year to consider what alterations are necessary in the present agreement, so that if the Ferry Company is unwilling to continue the work ou moderate) teirms, other arrangements may be made. : 1 In pares of Hawke’s Bay blackberry bushes" grow to profusion, particularly in some‘localities’hoar Napier. In-thp summer time'it is; of course, a favourite pastime fob parties from the town to visit tho' countiy oh holidays to pick the fruit. For children, particularly, this is always a popular form of recreation. Sometimes .the bushes growing on private land axe Visited, but as they only grow'oh places where there is a low state of cultivation —river bed flats, usually—littleham is done to the properties. ' However, private property is sacred institution in some parts of the district, and the spectacle of seeing a few holiday makers enjoying themselves whore sheep, might he browsing is not a pleasant spectacle to all freeholders. At any rate, this would appear to bo so from an advertisement published in the “Hawke’s Bay Herald,” .by a person named Broughton, who briefly announces j to “blackberry pickers” that “All bushes j between my property and that of Mr iT. H. Lowry have Been poisoned.” The ''authorities should' make some inquiries ' into tiffs' matter, and also into the share taken in such outrageous conduct by the ' “Mr T. H. Lowry-” Tho fact that he would, bo convicted of murder shSuld his , handiwork have fatal result, has appar- ■ ently not entered’ into tho calculation of the advertiser. To lay poison foi human beings on wild fruit-bearing ■ bushes is infinitely more dangerous that j to secrete spring guna in their vicinity