LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10228, 10 December 1904, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last- night, A workman named Patrick McGee, engaged m excavating work, was accidentally killed to-day. A quantity of earth unexpectedly fell', knocking deceased over, and m falling lie struck the whetl of a dray and broke his neck. A man named John Wilson, aged about 70 years, left for Wade m his cutter about eleven days ago, and has not since been heard of. As tine journey under 'ordinary circumstances occupies only' a few liours, the absence of .tidings bis caused considerable uneasiness to relatives. j The sudden death of a fisherman named Edward Sweeney, a married man, occurred near the Railway wharf at 5 last evening. Deceased, accompanied by a mate, had been out. fishing all day, aiid m * rounding the wharf on returning home suddenly exclaimed, "There is something wrong with me." The words had scarcely left deceased's mouth when he fell 'backwards m his boat, and died almost immediately. A report brought by passengers, from the Islands by the Hauroto is to the effect that the Governor of Fiji, as High Commissioner for the Pacific, has gone to Tonga for the purpose of assuming control of the financial admiiiistration of tliat group. It is staled that, this step lias been decided upon m consequence of friction between the natives and the British authorities at Tonga. The High GonimiS' skmer wul receive and disbuirse all moneys and will, it is stated, pay a fixed salary to the native king and other officials. WELLINGTON , last nighu A movement was afoot throughout the railway service to make a presentation to Sir Joseph Ward, but it has been declined by tue Minister. The resignation of Dr Leviuge, superintendent ot the Sunnyside Asylum, as from February next, was accepted tonight by the Cabinet. The Government lias decided that notices of the forfeiture of sections are not to be given to Crown tenants without being his* submitted to the Minister for Lan Us. Tin© Government will not proceed with the erection of the manure sterilising jiiuiis which it was proposed to establish at Bluff and Auckland. As an. alternative it was resolved to appoint experts, at Calcutta and other places to examine all bone manures exported to New Zealand, and none will be admitted unless certified to. The Government decided to dufonni the Pacific Cable Board that the employment of Chinese on board the repairing steamer Iris while the vessel is m New Zealand waters is inadvisable. .During the discussion at lo.dtiy's meeting of the Bank of New Zealand, Mr Kebbell asked what amount the Bank was likely to ilose throgh the reduction m the rates of excliange. The Chairman said he did not wish to question the wisdom of answering the question, but apart from that he really could not answer it. Mr Kebbell said tliat he could understand it was hardly ■possible to form an estimate yet. It would depend a great dead! on tlie year's transactions. There were many elements that had to be considered, and it would be almost (impossible to give an. idea, at present. .Mr Kebbell thought it might be about £25,000 m the. 12 months. It must make a very large difference to the profits of the Bank. Mr H. Beauchamp said that Mr Kebbell must recognise tliat it would be impossible for the Executive of the Bank to foretell what tlie Bank was likely to lose owing to the reduction of rates. There was, of course, tliis aspect of the case, the Bank hoped to. get an increase of business. There might be nothing like the loss some people contemplated. It all' depended on tllfO question, whether, by ilie reduction m tlbe rates of exchange, the banks were going to get a substantial increase of business tliat liad been, done by institutions outside the banks. v GHRISTCHURCH, last night. The Council of the New Zealand Amateur Atldetic Association at the annual i meeting to-night adopted the suggestion of the Canterbury centre that the Council should be responsible for the visit of Duffey, Shrubb, and Morton to Canterbury, and decided to hold the New Zealand championships m Christchua'ch on March 17th, and 18th. It was resolved that the Council and the three centres, Auckland, Wellington, and Otago, sliould pool the receipts and expenses of the tour, dividing the profit or loss equally. At the conclusion of the Pioneer Club's spring meeting this evening the events resulted as follows : Canterbury championships', 100 yds, P, H. Hartland 1, time 10 l-6sec ; 220 yds, H. S. Williams 1, time 24 2-saec; one mile, W. C Flewellen 1, time 4.54. H. A. Murray won the half-mile handicap from scratch m 2.4.