LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9640, 15 January 1903, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

■ — ■ * (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. The annual meeting of shareholders of the New Zealand Insurance Company was held to-day. In moving Hie adoption of the report and balance sheet (sumjnaiy of wJiich lias already been telegraphed), the Cliairmon said that the results justified the directors recommending an increased dividend, the highest on record for the past 10 years. The shareholders would readily perceive l.he splendid progress of the 'company, and they had. every hope that this would be continued during 1903. The report and balance sheet were adopted. Messrs A. H. Nathan and St. George were re-elected directors. Tin: auditors were re-appointed, and a vote of thanks to the directors, officers, and agents was carried. NAPIER* last nigty. At a public meeting to-night it was decided to take a poll of the ratepayers on the 28th inst. to decide the proposals to borrow the sum of £42,000 for municipal works. . WELLINGTON, last night. The Waihi Gold Mining Company's return for 15 days' crushing to the end of December amounted to £27,962, obtained from 10,823 tons of ore. The total worth <of bullion, for the year 1902 amounted to £518,918. The total amount won to dale :is £2,493.320. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. A special meeting of the Board of Governors of tlie Canterbury College was held to consider the Government scheme lor admitting free pupils to high schools. Letters were read' from the principals of all the boys' and girls' high schools, urging objections against the proposals, and members generally were of opinion that the scheme was incomplete, and that ton little, time had been given for consideration. The matter was referred to combined committees for a report. The Canterbury A, and P. Association has arranged for an additional ram fair to be held on February sth, for the convenience of North. Island breeders. ASHBURTON, last night. A poll was taken to-day on the proposal to adopt rating on unimproved values m the borough. It resulted m the proposal being lost. The figures were : Against the proposal, 109 ; for the proposal, 102. TIMARU, last night. The S.M. to-day gave, judgment m tfie dispute between J. Meeluuu, local grain merchant, and S. C. Brown, flour miller, of Auckland. Some months ago Median sold lo Brown through an ageut by sample and description 1500 bushels of wheat f.o.b. at Timaru. The description was: "Good fowl wheat — you might call it second-class milling; it is dry and hard, butt suffered from first rains, but 'is brown ; accept first half shipped." He paid for and milled it. It did not make satisfactory flour, and he countermanded the second half, but was too late, as the wheat was on arrival. He refused to- accept it, and the wheat was sold as fowl wlieat at 3s (subsequently it M r as resold at 3s 8d). Median brought a suit for the recovery of the difference of 5d per bushel and expenses. For the defendant witnesses testified that the wheat did not 'answer the description of dry and hard, as some was soft, and some had sprouted. His Worship considered that the first term of the description, fowl wheat, should have put the buyer on his guard, arid that Jie did not reject it ' because the wheat was not up to sample of description, but because it did not suit his puqiose, which vendor had not guaranteed it would. Buyiug on suck terms the defendant took chance of it, it suiting Ufjn to purchase it, and he must stand to it. Judgment would be for plaintiff, with costs. DUNEDIN, last night. A man, whose name is unknown, committed suicide at the Sussex Hotel this afternoon by .shooting himself m the forehead willi a pea rifle. No one heard the report, and the man was quite dead when found. Deceased, who was about 27 years of age, was above middle height. It is stated that he had come from Clintou. His name is not known, and there wiis no clue to his identity among his effects-. The Cavcresham Borough Council tort night strongly protested against the use f of the Immigration Barracks (which are m the borough) as an. infectious diseases hospital.