LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9485, 24 July 1902, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, last night. At a meeting of the committee appointed in connection with, the proposed presentation to the late Bishop Cowie, which will now be made to Mrs Cowie, it was announced that the total receipts amounted to £1100. STRATFORD, last night. The poll as to rating on unimproved values Mas carried by 137 to 64. DANNEVIRKE, last night. The Hawke's Bay v. DanneVirke representative football match to-day was won by the former by 13 points to 7. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. A man named John Burnett, 67 years of age, an old age pensioner, was found dead in a chair this morning. The cutter Ada, was picked up dismasted near Akaroa by the steamer Cygnet to-day. The owner, Mr Dempsey, who was the only person aboard, said that the cutter was dismasted last Sat- i urthiy. Ths Hospital Board has decided to communicate with the Government urging the necessity for the establishment of a home for chronic and incurable diseases. . DUNEDIN, last night. The score of Brodie and Gardiner in the draughts -matches is even, with two wins each and seven drawn. The City Council has resolved to- support the request of the Dock Trust that Government should assist in meeting the loan for the new graving dock. Mr A. Barron, one of the Representation Commissioners, was waited on by the Mayors of St. Kilda and Caversham re the electoral boundaries. A St. Kilda deputation had previously suggested that the Kensington portion of Caversham might be included in the City electorate to allow part of St. Kilda to be put into Port Chalmers by the recent alteration to remain as part of Csiversham. The Mayor of Caversham opposed the suggestion, and Mr Barron said that in the face of the strong opposition from Caversham, he could not see how anything could be done. Joseph Ward and Henry King were today committed for trial on charges of stealing' articles from hotels. The Coronation Celebration. Committee to-day resolved to urge the Premier to declare Monday, August 11, as the holiday for the Coronation. At a meeting of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce it was resolved to strongly deprecate the proposal on. the part of the Government to embark on the business of fire insurance, on. the grounds : (1) That it luis been abundantly proved by past ventures that have failed that the colony does not furnish a field of sufficient breadth to enable such business to be carried on in it alone without the risk of serious loss; (2) that the ostensible grounds for it introducing fire insurance as a department of State has been that the existing rates of premiums are excessive, and the companies arei making undue profits, but no evidence in support of the statement lias been forthcoming, whilst on the other hand numerous companies have found the New Zealand field so unprofitable that they have either withdrawn or gone into liquidation ; (3) that it is undesirable that the Government should enter into competition with existing trade concerns.