HAWKE'S BAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 67

HAWKE'S BAY.

William Pepper, vvl.o drank caustic soda :i month ago in mistake for herb beer, died at Hastings on tiw night of the 27th ult.

A\ Jii^IiXGTON.

Peter Jackson was fined £5, in default a month's imprisonment, for having liquor in his possession during the currency of a prohibition order at Masterton

During the month of January 4277 persons arrived in the colony and 1759 departed. The figures for January, 1904, were 3556 and 1588 respectively.

The New Zealand Master Bakers' Association is reported to be in rather a helpless position just at present. When he resigned the secretaryship of the association at the recent conference in Dunedin, Mr M. H. M'Carthy retained the books and some moneys in hand. In reply to a demand for both Mr M'Carthy expressed his willingness to hand over the books, but declares that the association owes him more than he has in hand, and he will retain the money. The Court at Wfnganui was occupied all Thursday hearing a case in which William Parker sought a dissolution of marriage with h wife, and claimed from Ernes* Barnes, the co-respondent, £5000 damages. The parties reside in Wanganui. The respondent was a high caste Maori, and married in 1890. She and her husband came to Wanganui in 1901, and lived together till 1903, when an intimacy sprancr up between Mrs Parker and the corespondent. Barnes's wife died in 1903, and the partners invited his children to live with them, Barnes being told to visit them as often a3 he wished. Adultery was admitted by respondent and co-respondent. The jury returned a verdict for £1750, and costs, against the co-respondent. The Potone Naval Artillery has come fhst in the garri c on artillery competitive big gun practice ihis year. Its record is now as follows : —First 'in 1901-2, first in 1902-3, second in 1903-4, and first in 1904-5. The conditions under which the ihoo'ing has been carried out this year are very K.uch stiffer than in previous years, rvwlling in only two batteries obtaining' first class qualifications — the Petone Navals and Port Chalmers Navals.

The City Council recently piomised a deputation from the churches to consider the question of stopping the electric trams during Sunday evening church services, it being argued by the religious bodies thai the noise of the cars interfered considerably with the services. The- Socialist party has now come in, and protests against the attempted interference with the freedom of the public desiring to travel on Sunday by a small section of ihc community, and it urges a better service of trams <: n Sunday to allow workers to go out of town on the Sabbath. The council's decision on the matter will be awaited with interest.

The Land Board en Thursday had before it the question of whether api>' n c£>iits under the Land for Settlements Act sl-ould be examined on oath. The opinion given by the Under-secretary of Lancfe was that it diel not appear necessary to compel applicants to give evidence on oath unless tie board had reason to doubt the bona fides of the> applicant. The Petone School Committee waited upon the Education Board on Thursday to protest against a certain teacher being appointed to a position at th-3 District High School above the master who had been there for years, and, they alleged, had higher qualifications than the one appointed. The> D< ard decided to adhere to .its selection. Subsequently the committee tendered its resignation as a protest against the hoard lviving ignored the unanimous wish of fhe^«orj>mittee and people in the district. A meeting of members of the chil service was heU on Thursday to consider the' advisability of approaching the Government for a comprehensive scheme of superannuation embracing the whole service. The meeting passed a resolution in favour of superannuation, and decided that a conference of representatives, from each board throughout the colony meet in Wellington early in April.

The "Government is still trying to establish a cargo communication between Vancouver and New Zealand if it" can be arranged without paying too much, in the hope that when such a service is opened it vAi maintain itself, and for that reason the proposal, for which there is £1000 on the Estimates, has been limited to one year. Sir Joseph Ward says it would be a good thing for the colony to get connection \Wth "Vancouver as well as San Francisco.

A letter in the Post complains of the treatment 'meted out to the men of the Permanent Forces. It is asserted in the fir&fc place that the pay of recruits for the first six months is 4-s od per day. He has to pay £15 for his uniform and bring his own food, which usually comes to Is 2d or Is 9d a day, and if he repents his engagement is obliged to pay £3 for l>is discharge. Next, only a certain proportion are allowed to marry, the restriction presumably being justified by the fact that a man's pay is not sufficient to enable him to keep a wife, and he is not permitted to supplement his income by 'taking work outside the corps.

The Karori Borough Council, with a view to securing better communication with Wellington, has accepted a scheme for the introduction of the Lombard-Guerin system of electric "biises. The scheme, which includes ii girting the borough with electricity and widening the main roads, is estimated to cost £24.000. The interest on this amount will lie £1200 per annum, against which it is estimated a profit of £908 from cars n.Tid £1525 from electric lighting.

With reference to the refusal of the Commonwealth authorities to allow two Maori shearers to land, one of tre men hi question waited on the Evening Post and stated that he had not bpen tested by tho Australian authorities He demonstrated to the Post staff his ability to write.

Five boj s, who»e aaes range from 14 to 16 years, who stole £90 from the residenceof the parents of one of their number, appeared at the Police Court on Saturday. It appears that they stole the money, took train into the* "Wairarapa. bought a tent, guns, and fcod, and camped near the River Waiopua. Between £60 and £70 was found in their po-ses&ion. Their escapade cost them each 12 strokes with the biroh.

News has been received that the WaihL Creamery, near "Waione, Avas burned down

on Saturday, the result of bush fuc-. 2s o other losses arc reported. In the Divorce Court on the l«t a decree nisi was granted in the Pint brought by Mary Garrard for a dissolution of her marriage with Frederick Garrard. a painter, on the grounds of his habitual drunkenness, cruelty, and failure to support her.