LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9645, 21 January 1903, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(Per Jfresu Association.) WiSLLI2JUION, last night. At auction to-day land having a frontage of Ulft to Willis street and 119lt to (Juew's lone, sold by the executors of the late Robert Laery, was purchased by .Air JJuthie for £19,000, or £170 per foot. It is understood the purchaser is acting on behalf of the City Council. The price is a record one for tiuit part of the city. A seven-roomed dwelling house, occupied by Jolin Jacobs, farmer, Puhuutanui, has been destroyed by tire. The insurances were : House &'£5Q, furniture ' £100, both m the Commercial Union. For the past two or three years a movement towards a greater Wellington, by amalgamation, of the borough of Melrosc with the city, has been m progress. .Negotiations have been very slow, but now it seems that the idea, of the promoters of the scheme is on the eve of being carried into effect. It was announced at a meeting of the Melrose Borough Council to-night that an agreement had been arrived at as to the basis of amalgamation of the two districts. The Melrose Council has obtained consent of the city (1) to take each ward of the former borough for extension of tramways into such wards, instead of taxing the whole of the borough, as was at first proposed ; (2) concession to levy city rates for water and drainage as against tax for actual cost; (3) concession to expend £30,000 for street improvement m borough. Arrangements will be made next week to take a poll of ratepayers on- the proposals. The party of Boer farmers who are travelling m Australia inspecting the system of agriculture leave Sydney for New Zealand on February 7, accompanied by Captain Fitzpatrick. Mr Seddon luis wired tliufc the Government will give every facility for the visitors to make themselves acquainted with farming m New Zealand. CHRISTCHUBCH. last night Tlie Canterbury Trades and Labor Counoil has written to the Premier, calling his attention to the proposal that alien labor be employed m bouth African lnines, and which was now being impressed on Mr Chamberlain. The Council suggests that a protest be entered by the New Zealand Government against such a course being adopted. A meeting held m the. Canterbury Hall this evening passed a motion cordially approving of amalgamation of the City with the borouglis of St. Albans, Linwood, and Sydenhaui. There w;is agood attendance at the meeting, and considerable enthusiasm was shown. For the second day's play m the New Zealand Bowling Association's tournament; the weather was again fine and the greens played very keen. The fourth round of the rinks tournament was finished, Victoria (Brakenridge), Duuedin (McLaren), Dunedin( Sinclair), and Green Island (Buchanan), being left m the semi-final. The first, second, and part of the third round of the. champion doubles were played. The form shown by most of the players was better than on the first day. Tomorrow the- champion singles will be played. At a meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Swimming Association to-night, it was decided to offer the various centres gold and silver medals for school boy championships. Hamilton (Christchurch) is to be iisked to represent the Association at the Australian swimming championships, to be held m Brisbane. TIMARU, last niglrt,. 'Hie hospital contract for bread, just let at 6£d per 41bs, is double the price under the contract recently expired. The price now fixed is to be Id under the current retail price from time to time. In consequence of the fever wards at the hospital being dismantled and undergoing alteration, the Hospital Board have sought to hix'e cottages to serve as 'a scarlet fever hospital, but have had great • ■difficulty, (owners declining to let the houses for such a purpose. One small cottage was obtained for two patiients from hotels or boarding-houses. None aa-c accepted ■ from private homes. The. Mayor suggested that the Timaru gaol, which it not much used, be utilised as a fever hospital, but the idea was not entertained. The chairman of the Board disclaimed responsibility for the treatment of epidemics, which must m every case over-lax ordinary accommodation or stuff arrangement of hospitals, and said they were acting generously towards the Bor- . ough Council m doing what they were. The Board acknowledged the difficulties, but agreed to continue to do the best they can. They pointed out that the resident surgeon's objection to tents for scarlet fever patients was not borne out by a countermanding order to put patients into tents at Dunedin. Dr Galutes said that the Indian pattern of tent, with double walls and roof, would do, but these are expensive. At the inquest on the body of If. L. Edie found dead m bed at the Ship Hotel, deceased was identified as a wool-classcr, a. widower, with no family known, about 60 years. Jlc diud of' failure of the heart. A peculiarity about the case is that the man was not known to be m the hotel. He had been m town for a fortnight, but was not. stopping there. The $&■#■ -police could not find out where he had • been stopping. The porter swears that he looked into the room where the body was found on Saturday night, and the room was empty, while Dr Reid, who held a post mortem to-day, says the man must have been dead three or four days. Colonel Bayley, who has been m command of the South Canterbury Volunteer sub-disjbfljct. for nearly 18 years, and now ,-. retires dpi&fccount of the abolition of the bade farewell to the Timaru

Infantry Company ut a parade this evening, "m a. short speech lie expressed deep regret at .severing so long a connection. He (.hanked them for the good sipirt they had shown as volunteers. Coloiiul Moore replawd Colonel Bayley, who was much affecting at parting. DUNEDIN, last night. Richard Daniels, an old man, was found di'uil m liis hut on Pine Hill, whi-w. lie. lived alone. lie steadfastly declined to go into the hospital. 1 Mr Carew. S.M., to-day declined to cancel an old age pension m the ca<e m which the Deputy Registrar put m a : number of convictions for drunkenness, as no conviction had been recorded since last renewal. In a case m which a mistake had been made as to the property of the applicant, the Magistrate reduced the pension by £2 per year, and ordered a refund of the amount over paid. An inquest was held by Mr C. C. Graham, coroner, touching the death of Mrs Eliza Ellen Mayhead, aged 55 years, and her son, William Mayhead, who were •■ found drowned m a bath on Monday evening. Very little news was elicited. The unfortunate woman was under the care ' of Dr Fulton. She had shown a slight suicidal tendency, and she was watched, but the woman who had been engaged •left, and the nurse engaged, going to the house on Saturday, found husband and 1 wife out. She told the. doctor, who advised her to wait till Monday. Deceased urged her husband to go to work on Monday, assuring him she was well. Dr Fulton said he was satisfied that when the ■ act was committed Mrs Mayhead was not m her right mind. The Rev. Harding, who saw the deceased very shortly before she died, said that she seemed much brighter, and he thought showed a great improvement over Saturday. The jury, without retiring, brought m a verdict that William Mayhead was murdered by his mother, who was m an unsound state of mind, and that Eliza Ellen Mayhead committed suicide while m an unsound state of mind. The coroner said that m these cases it seemed harsh to make use of the word "murder." but the sting was taken away from it by the fact, that the woman was not accountable for her actions.

It liiis been decided to take a poll of ratepayers m Napier on a proposal to borrow £42,000 for municipal works. It is stated that the open-air treatment of consumption is being tested m the Nelson district on a. large scale with most gratifying results. Mr Colviu, M.H.R., has received the Premier's assurances tliat he will push on the works at the SeddonviJle Colliery and the Reef ton -Westport railway. Mr Seddon anticipates that the State mine should be putting out coal within nine mouths.