NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 47

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS AUCKLAND.

A German named Victor Finge was charged as a stowaway from Samoa on the Moana, and was fined £5 or a month's imprisonment. He pleaded guilty, but said the doctor had told him that he must leave Samoa if he wished to recover his health. As he had no money he was compelled to go as a stowaway. On October 5, during the voyage of the Mamari from London to Auckland, Horace Hadden, aged 18 years, the messroom steward, died of typhoid fever. He was buried the same day. The cutter Ettie White, which sailed from Auckland for Samoa a month ago, was picked up in the Bay of Plenty by the steamer Waimana. The crew of two men reported that the captain died when 600 miles from New Zealand. They did not know where they were, and, at their request, the chief officer of the Waimana was placed on board to bring the vessel to Auckland.

Constable Whelan, of Paeroa, while sewing a summons on a man named Schofield, was attacked and rendered unconscious by a blow from a soldering iron. It is alleged a ferocious attempt to gouge the constable's eyes .out was also made, but fortunately timely assistance came to hand. The man was pulled off, and, with assistance, conveyed to the lock-up. Dr Wright was promptly on the scene, and the unfortunate constable was taken in a buggy to his residence.

At the Te Awamutu Court two young men, Scott and Ryburn, of Paterango, were charged by Constable M'Phee, before Captain Jackson, S.M., with having on the 13th inst. assaulted Dr Hosking by throwing flour. Mr Swarbrick appeared for the defendants, who pleaded guilty. Mr Gresham, on behalf of Dr Hosking, asked for leniency, as the defendants were young men who had been led away. His Worship strongly deprecated the culprits' action, which he characterised as " waylaying a man in the dark," and, after severely admonishing them, inflicted a fine of 10s each, and 10s each costs.

A miner, giving evidence before the Supreme Court, said he and some others were drinking in a hotel in a goldfields township one evening up to 1 a.m. They took a bottle of whisky up to their bedroom. He had a couple of drinks before he got up, and some more after breakfast. Mr Justice Conolly said it was an extraordinary thing that a healthy young maiv. apparently hard-working, should behave in such a manner. It was disgusting. Mr Theo. Cooper remarked with astonishment that the hotel could retain its license. His Honor said it wanted very careful looking after.

On Sunday in a line from Mayor Island through Motiti to the mainland several waterspouts formed at short intervals, and travelled rapidly landwards, sometimes two being visible at once. The biggest was 2000 ft high. They went inland, and broke over Papamoa

WELLINGTON.

The Postmaster-general has decided that as soon as the stock of post cards on hand is exhausted all future cards will be printed on paper 5£ x 3£in in lieu of 4| x 3Jin, as at present.

The Zealandia Rifles have decided to send a team to represent the corps at the military tournament to be held in Dunedin on Boxing Day and at Christchurch on New Year's Day. The team have gone into «ctive training, and are being especially prepared by Sergeant-major Saunderson, one of the new drill instructors.

The issue of the much-admired Id stamp in two colours has been stopped. The changes that were contemplated in the colours of low-value stamps cannot be made* until special inks arrive, which will not be till , the beginning of the year. Lieutenant Adams has completed 25 years' continuous service with the Wellington Fire Brigade, and thus becomes the first man entitled to the gold star of the New Zealand Fire Brigade Association. The New Zealand University examination papers are too bulky to send Home by the San Francisco mail, and as the Wakanui is a slow boat they will probably be kept back for the Gothic. Since the Mataura disaster the papers are . sent as mail matter and not as cargo. There was a gain of 298 persons to the colony on the immigration and emigration returns of last month. The arrivals numbered 1460, and the departures (including 213 for Algoa Bay) were 1162. In October, 1898, the arrivals were 1829 and the departures 955.

The Acting-Governor gave judgment today extraditing Bouvy, whose case has been before him during the past fortnight. Bouvy was ordered to be detained for 16 days in the Terrace Gaol to enable a writ of habeas corpus to be applied for. The Government intend employing a steam trawler to test the fishing grounds on the New Zealand coast. Parliament voted £500 last session for the purpose, and it is believed that the amount will be sufficient to defray the cost of operations for three months. Mr Ayson, inspector of fisheries, recently made an inspection of the trawlers in Hawke's Bay waters, and is satisfied that two or three of the vessels are capable of doing the work required. One of them will be chartered for the purpose. Mr Ayson will accompany the expedition, and will furnish the Marine department wjth full details of the progress of the work. The Post says : — " Some interest was roused on the wharf upon the landing of a lady who had arrived from China, via Sydney, by the Monowai. The petit Chinese, gowned in native costume of blue and white silks, hobbled upon the smallest of feet into a cab, and was driven to the office of the Collector of Customs, where she was ' cleared.* The new arrival is young, and the newly-wed wife of Clung Wah, merchant, of Wellington, who brings his wife from her native city, Canton, whence he recently went for his bride."

The Education department is making inquiries with the object of securing a site for an industrial home for boys, which, the

Government has decided to establish in the Wellington provincial district. The institution, towards which Parliament last session voted £1000, will probably be placed in one of the country districts, so as to enable the boys to be brought up to farming life. The reformatory for girls will most likely be placed a few miles from Christchurch.

Under a recent act the Harbour Board have been taking property near the Te Aro railway station compulsorily for the purpose of improvement. A number of smaller claims were settled by the Compensation Court, the owners in each case getting a Jittle more than the board originally offered. Judgment in the largest claim of all was delivered on Monday. A. Sample claimed £5900 and was offered £2200, the court award being £3380, with £73 costs.