NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2653, 18 January 1905, Page 29

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

AUCKLAND. j At an interview between the Minister of Mines and the Thames Drainage Board the Minister offered to hand over the Thames-Hauraki pump now owned by the Government to the board, and let them unwater the mines with it if they would pay interest on £6000, which the Government paid when the pump fell into their hands. The board subsequently met and decided to recommend the new board to ; accept the offer.

The yacht Shamrock, with four of k crew — Messrs Ryan (three) and Williams, — which left Auokland on December 26, is missing. The yacht called at Kawau on the 27th, and left on the 28th for the Barrier. A few hours after leaving a hurricane squall from the north-east came on, suddenly shifting to the south-west, and raising a fearful sea. As the yacht has not since been heard of it is surmised that she foundered in the squall. Other local yachts had a severe time in the same squall.

In the course of a conversation Mr Lawry, M.H.R., informed Sir J. G. Ward that the time of arrival -of the steamers at Onehunga was somewhat close to the express time, and it sometimes happened that steamers missed the connection to Rotorua. Sir Joseph stated that before leaving Wellington he had given instruc1 tions to have a fresh time-table prepared, altering the time of departure of the ■express from Wellington to 8 o'clock instead of at 9.20, as at present. This would mean thai steamers would leave New Plymouth an hour and twenty minutes earlier. This alteration would also involve an alteration in the service in the Middle -Island, and tihis was being attended -to. The change would come into operation on the Ist of March next.

A sensational and daring theft was committed in Pilling's Stirling Hotel, Waihi, ap an early hour on Thursday morning. The perpetrator, or perpetrators, entered the room of Peter M'lnnerjr /manager) and extracted the key of the office and safe, and secured from the safe £4-00 in gold, notes, silver, and cheques, contained in a canvas bag. The affair is wrapped in mystery. The police are making investigations, but so far there is co clue to the identity of the "burglar. Cheques representing £229 were discovered in a pillar post box next day. The cheques vrere identified as those stolen.

Murton, charged with the murder o£ Mrs Dillon at Mercer, pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial. Bail was refused.

At Te Aroha on Monday two children belonging to Mr W. Roate- were playing on the river bank, when one of them — a little girl, aged nine years — fell in. Her brother, aged 11, got in and tried to pull her out, but the water was too deep and the ourrent strong. Several people arrived, but were unable to render assistance. Thomas M'lndoe heard the screams, and ran, throwing off his coat apd vest as he went, and plunged in. The children were sinking, the boy keeping hold of the girl. Mindoe grasped the boy as he dived in, and brought him up to the surface still holding to the girl, and all were safely landed on the beach. The plaoe where they fell in was deep water, and the current was taking them away, and but for M'lndoe's plucky rescue they would both have been drowned.

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, accompanied by the Bishops of Sale, Wilcannia, and Sandhurst, and Archdeacon Davey, arrived in Auckland from Sydney in the Zealandia on Sunday. They were the guests of Bishop Lenihan, and on Monday went up to Rotorua for a few days. Thereafter they go south by_ way of Taumarunui and the Wanganui River to Wanganui, and thence to Christchurch, where they intend to be present at the consecration of the new Roman Catholic Cathedral.

A Whangarei message reports the death of John Munro, aged 76, who was the first Customs officer at Whangarei Heads.