LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4981, 3 June 1903, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Australasian mails which left Melbourne on April 29th, via Naples, by the Oruba, arrived in London- on the 31st ultimo, two days early. Pharaoh’s serpents, now sold everywhere in town at id each, consist, writes “Wairima,” of sulpho cyanide of mercury, As this substance, as well as its fumes, are dangerous I doubt whether they can be legally sold.

The half-yearly dental examinations for the district of Wellington and surrounding provinces will bo held in Wellington on the 18th instant, under tho supervision of Dr Collins and Mr Hoby (secretary of the society). There will be candidates from the whole of the provincial district, Marlborough arid Nelson. t

There will be no muster of tho Wellington Navals this evening ,in consequence of the holiday to-day, but ■on Wednesday next tho corps will make an excursion to the harbour forts, where an important parade will take place. On this occasion the gratuities for attendance, earned as far back as last February, are likely to bo to hand from the Defence Department. j '

At the meeting of the Hospital Trustees held yesterday, it was reported that the number of patients in the institution . was 175—males 106, females 69. Tho receipts for the month amounted to £1516 2s Gd, and the expenditure to £1163. • A letter was received from the Inspector-General, agreeing to allow Mr Anderson, the engineer at the Pari run Asylum, to advise the Trustees in connection with the necessary improvements to the hot-water service, at the hospital, and the advisablenesa of instituting a system of heating the wards by steam. In a conversational discussion which followed, a member remarked that the next innovation would have,to,,he the installation of electric light.

An elderly woman—an: Italian—appeared before thq Benevolent Trustees yesterday with a request that she should he admitted to the Ohiro Home. By the assistance of an interpreter it was elicited that the applicant was sixtyfour years of age, and had been in the colony for about seventeen 1 years. She had no friends or relations, and her worldly possessions amounted to one shilling. Her husband died twelve years ago, and latterly she had eked out a living at Mauriceville, where she earned a few- shillings per week as a charwoman in the employ of the local school committee. woman-was admitted to the Home pending some arrangement being made with the Masterton authorities. >■

Sir R. C. Bulkier presided at a meeting of the Karori Bowling Club on Monday night. The chief business was to decide about a site for the green. Veiy careful estimates "Were gone into, and it was resolved to enter into negotiations with Mr F. Lower for the purchase of half an acre of bis land. A works committee was formed ’consisting of Messrs H. Cook, L. Hill, E. Lloyd, F. Lower and W. J. "Williams. To go into tie financial aspects of the club, the following gentlemen were appointed a oom- ' mihtoe: —Messrs W. H. Tisdall (Mayor), R. C. Builkloy, W. F. Nowcombe, 0. Cathie and Partridge Mr E. Bennett was appointed secretary and treasurer pro tern. It is regretted that the club was unable to secure enough land to provide tennis courts for the district. Mr C. H. Gorriok, the well-known Australian sportsman, now on a visit to New Zealand, Stated to a “Marlborough Express” interviewer that while for many years the Wairarapa had been the recognised home of deershooting in the colony, he thinks that the policy of the Wellington Acclimat'’«"‘!<>' Society is Hkelv to practically spoil this reputation. That society has brought about the closing of a large extent of wild bush country in the Wairarapa, owned by the Government, which carries a very large number of red deer, and over which licenses have frequently been used every season. As Mr Gorrick puts it, “this fine stretch of doer country is dosed to all except the professional head-hunters, who shoot with impunity in and out of season.”

The work at tho Kaiteratahi tunnel, on tho Gisborne-Karaka, railway, is being pushed on rapidly. There are twenty-four men engaged, and they arc working night and day at noth cuds.

Messrs Veitcii and Allan propose to erect a threc-storicd brick building on the site of their present drapery establishment at tho corner of Cuba and Ingest ro streets, and the plans have been prepared by- Mr B. 11. Macgregor.

At the monthly meeting of tho committee of tho Wellington Rest, held yesterday afternoon, Mr Francis Shaw was elected lion, secretary, vice Mr. W. E.'Bcthune, who has had to resign tho position on account of pressure ol business.

“Fairplay” of April 23rd states that the Italian Government contemplates the establishment of a line of steamers from Genoa to Australia and New Zealand. This would relieve Italian merchants from tho necessity of sending consignments via Marseilles.

Tho Waimangu geyser is just now very active. A few days ago, while some tourists were at tho spot, there was a fine display, some of the shots going over the thousand feet limit. On tho following Jay tho largest eruption occurred which has been scon from the geyser this year. Yesterday morning the case of Francis Loudon, commission agent, Wellington- v. Albina Harris, Island Bay, for specific performance andi possession of a section of land about one rood in area, was resumed before Mr Justice Edwards. On t-Hfe case being called, plaintiff’s counsel elected to bo nonsuited, and an order was made accordingly, costs on tho middle scale being allowed as on a claim for £3OO. The weekly mooting of the Benevolent Trustees was held yesterday afternoon. The Hov J. K. Elliott presided. Tho other members present were— Messrs B. iAlothes, J. Bold, H, Cook, B. B. Williams and Bev W. A. Evans. Tho secretary (Mr Purvis) reported that there were 75 inmates in the Horae —22 females and 53 males. A number of cases of outdoor relief were dealt with, and several orders for rations wore renewed.

Yesterday tho Chief Justice in Chambers hoard two applications in tho divorce case of Emma Louisa Dover v. 3?hilip Edmund Dover, hotelkeeper, Waitara. The first was a petition for security for wife’s costs, and tho second "for alimony pendento lite. His .Honor'directed that respondent should find security for £3O costs, and should pay £2 2s per week alimony from the • date of tho petition. Mr Weston appeared for the petitioner and Mr Chapman for tho respondent. Yesterday the Chief Justice, sitting in Chambers, disposed of a number of motions. Probate was granted of the estates of Philip A. Yallanoo and Elizabeth Killeen, deceased. In tho case of tho Wellington Hospital Trustees v. Kalburne Tramway Company there was a summons for the appointment of an assessor/' Mr J. P. Maxwell was appointed.' In tho matter of an applica--t-iott"'by ' Edmund Platt under the Land iTransfer Act there was a summons by .plaintiff to show cause why the District Land Registrar not rogisenr tho transfer. An order was made that the District Land Registrar issue a certificate as shown on the. plan unless ah action was commenced in fourteen days to restrain him; tho Registrar’s costs to bo paid out of the assurance fund.

The Council of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors met yesterday. The Hon. G. F. Richardson (chairman) presided, and Messrs Fulton, Ward, Mason, O’Douahoo and Hursthouse were also present.'" Apologies for absence were received 1 rforii Messrs Wyldo and Bridge. In regai-d to tho letter from the Sur-veyor-General of Orange River Colony, stating that New Zealand certificates would bo recognised there, it was decided to write conveying" the thanks of the Council and its pleasure at learning that he is endeavouring to bring aborat unification in survey matters in South Africa. Mi- L. Simpson, Maketu, wrote complaining of a fault in tho working of the Native Lands Court in reference to tho payment for survey_work on native lands. It i was decided that the letter ‘sh'dtil'cT be' ref erred to'the department, ’hfith 1 i'Tricommendation that tho matter i should bo inquired into, and that relief should be given if the circfnnstances justified it. It was resolved that in future the meetings should be held in the evening, at 7.30 o’clock. - A woman twenty-eight years of age, wife of a runaway husband and the mother of five children, the youngest three months old,, appeared before the Benevolent.' Trustees . yesterday, and pleaded for some assistance till the whereabouts of her husband bad been ascertained. She informed the Trustees that her landlord had served her with notice to quit, and that in seven days she would be without a home. Questioned an to her domestic relations, she said,she had not quarrelled with her husband. One evening hp came home and informed her that he had obtained an engagement with a theatrical company as a scene-shifter, and after giving her 5s ho left for the South the same night. The applicant was informed that she would be granted four shilings per week for rent, and rations, until the police communicated with her husband. Another young woman with two children—a boy three .years old and a girl two—told an equally pitiable tale. Her husband, she informed tho Trustees, had absconded with another woman, and left her to live as best she could with her family. It was agreed that relief should be granted.

By a recent shipping catastrophe, Mr H. A. McGregor, Inspector of Machinery, has lost a brother-in-law, Mr T. Stark, who was well known to quite a number of young engineers from New Zealand who served with him while he was superintending engineer for Messrs Steel, Young and Co., shipowners, of Loadenhall street, London. Mr Stark had for some years past been the representative in Italy of Messrs Richardson and Co., engineers, of Hartlepool, and had only just fitted the machinery of the new, but ill-fated, steamship Bambara, on which, he was acting as guarantee engineer at the time. The Bambara sailed from Marseilles for Dakar on the 29th of March, having ’ a crew of thirty hands and six passengers on board. Included in the general cargo was some forty tons of low-grade gunpowder used for bartering with the African natives. The day after the departure of the Bambara the captain of the Ville de Tunis, upon his arrival at Marseilles, reported that, at about half-past twelve at night, when off Cape Oreus. he saw, about twelve miles away, a very bright light, followed by a loud report; Several other incoming vessels also made similar reports, and, as this was the precise spot where the Bambara should have been in view of the number of hours she had been steaming, fears were at once entertained for her safety. Since her departure from Marseilles, the steamer, which was making her first voyage, has not been sighted, and her non-arrival at Dakar confirms the first and worst suspicious that, the powder oit hoard exploded, and that all the passengers and crew perished. , •

At the Magistrate’s Court, Carterton, yesterday, writes our correspondent, before Mr W. P. James, S.M., W. H. Wilton, a dealer, was fined £3 and costs, for exposing for sale in the saleyards sheep infested with lice. Tho monthly meeting of tho St. John Ambulance Nursing Guild was held last evening. There was a large number of certificated members present. As the guild-room was not large enough to provide seating accommodation, the Bev James Paterson (vicepresident St. John Ambulance Association) placed tbo schoolroom at the disposal of tho guild. Mrs S. A. Rhodes presided, and among, those present, by invitation were Miss Holmes (president Ladies’ Christian Association), Miss Mules (daughter of the Bishop of Nelson) and the Bev Mother M. J. Aubert. Airs Bhodcs mentioned that the Wellington Christian Ladies’ Association had undertaken to contribute £lO per annum towards the St. Jphn Ambulance Nurse Fund. Ur Edith then gave an instructive lecture on “Poisons.” On a table in front of Ur Platts-iMills was a collection of every known poison, and these she divided under the heads of irritants, corrosive irritants and narcotics, explaining their action, and pointing out the signs and symptoms produced by each.- On the motion of Miss Holmes a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the doctor for her lecture, and to Airs Rhodes for presiding at the meeting. The family residence in Macdonald crescent, recently occupied by the late Miss Quin, will be sold by nubile auction by Messrs Macdonald, Wilson and Co, on Thursday, tho 11th inst., without reserve. Messrs Abraham and Williams -will sell stock at Palmerston North, to-jnor-row, and! at Levin on Friday. Messrs Lowes and lorn,s will hold a sale at Eketahuna on Friday, 12th, of freehold sections in that town, with buildings thereon. On Monday next the Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. will hold a sale of pedigree horses from the Elderslio estate, Oamaru.

Messrs Haroourt and Co. Will sell at their rooms on Friday, at 2.30 p.m., the Foresters’ Hall, in Tory street, and four six-roomed dwellings in Abel Smith street. i

The 'Wellington Steam Ferry Company’s arrangements for to-day’s traffic appear in this issue.

Messrs Bing, Harris and Co. have for sale as a going concern a tailoring business in a flourishing Inland town. Builders desiring to tender for the rebuilding of the New Zealander Hotel are requested to communicate with Mr P. de J. Clere, architect.

Tenders for a trick building in Liuba street Extension close with Mr John S. Swan to-day. The paynight of No. 3 CoJoparative Building Society of Wellington will be to-morrow, to-day being a holiday. Tenders are invited by the General Officer Commanding in Cape Colony and by the Director of Supplies at Pretoria for the supply of bread, forage and groceries for the troops in South Africa for a period of six months from October Ist. Tenders close on the 30th Juno.

A large general storekeeper’s business is advertised on the front page as for sale "oy Macdonald, Wilson and Go,; also a small grocery business.

Messrs Macdonald, Wilson and Co. announce tho sale for the 11th inst., under instructions from the executor of the estate of the late Ellen Jackson, deceased, of a valuable block of business premises having a frontage of 43ft to Manners street, with three buildings erected thereon, known as occupied by Mr W. Ramsay, saddler; small lock-up shop occupied by Mr Biggar; two-story workshop about 43 x 17 by Messrs Putter and Jansen, plumbers,. and! Mr Digby, cabinetmaker. Pull details appear in our auction columns. A sale of ladies* Wolff bicycles, of newest designs, and now on view, is to be held to-morrow at 2'o’clock. The Government railway arrangements for to-day ’ are published in another column.