LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10300, 7 March 1905, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

tPer Press Association. J AUCKLAND, last night. The Premier arrived at Dargavuw tonighl. Me received deputations at lieicnsvilh* and otner places, anil liua a hearty welcome ut several places adong the line. George Wright, photographer, formerly of Ohrustchurcii, was drowned wiule buttling at Mangawuare to-day. A 16-year-old girl named Mary Auu M] residing m Jj'reeinau's Bay, s>wali the heads of . a box and a half oi matches. An emetic was immediately applied, aaid the girl is now making good progress towards recovery. WANGANUI, last night. At the inquest to-day ou Norniau McLeod, who hanged himself on Sunday, a verdict ot suicide whiile. temporarily in«ane was returned. •~~~*^-~ WELLINGTON, last night. In connection with the decision of the Medical Confcremc,e to form a medical naval reserve, the registrar of the University has received a. letter from Admiral Fanshawe, urging the desirablnes of forming such a reserve. The purpose ' of tiie reserve is to provide men to serve as naval surgeons afloat m the event of hostilities arising. The admiral points out tliat tim an emergency involving the safety of the Australian States and New Zealand there would be such a strain on the jjpgular naval medical service that some such reserve is urgently required. At the Methodist Conference, with one exception, the probationers were passed m their respective years. The Revs. Cook, Eaton, aud Reader were ordained ministers. Messrs* Blair, Cox, Muslin, Rands, McArthur, Richards, and Williams were accepted as candidates for pro: bation. Mr Williams is to be appointed to a circuit. The Rev. L. Hudson, of Queensland^ returns' to New Zealand m exchange for the Rev. S. F. Pr.or, luvercargitl. The Rev. A. S. Seasner was appointed assistant to the Rev. W. Gittos m Maori miysions. Owing to the voluntary resignation of the Rev. S. Barnett, Pahiatua, the Rev. J. S. Smalley was made permanent supernumerary and the Rev. W. Baumber supernumerary. The Revs. J. H. Simnionds and J. Dukes, who are visiting England, were appointed co-representatives to the British conference. The Rev. C. H. Laws, 8.A., received permission to visit England m 1906. The Revs. F. W. and L. M. lsitt continue as ministers without pastoral charge. The representatives to the conference agreed to take tlie Auckland Synod's recommendation re the amalgamation of the Pitt Street and Grafton Road circuits. Discussion on the alteration of circuit boundaries im North Canterbury was adjourned. Additional probationers are to be appointed at New Plymouth, Ashburtou,. Dunedin (Cargill road), Levin, and Otaki circuits. In con. nectioa with extension m Dunedin, the Rev. C. H. Laws announced a generous gift of £500. Hearty thanks was accorded to the donor. BLENHEIM, last night. George May, 45 years of age, was drowned m the Wairau river to-day. He was sailing up the river m a boat with another man, when a gust of wind caused the boat to capsize. May, who was wearing an overcoat, struck out for the shore and sauk. His companion clung to the boat, and saved himself. May was recently a tfheepfarmer m Canterburr. Ihe inquest on Abraham Hart, who was kiOled m a blasting accident m a road quarry at Para on tlie 24th February, when his brothers were also seriously injured, was resumed at Picton to-day. Captain Falconer gave expert evidence to the effect that not sufficient caution was observed on returning to the quarry when the charge of gunpowder misfired. The brothers only allowed au interval of half an hour. Tlie service regulation was two to four hours. A cheap fuse was used such as he himself would not use for explosives, and he attributed tlie misfire lo a fault m the fuse. A verdict was returned that death was due to an explosion, mo blame being at-tachable-to anyone. WESTPORT, last night. A working agreement between the management and the Miners,- 5 Union at the Seddonville State mime expired on Saturday. The miners, it is understood, de. clined to renew it, necessitating the closing down of the mine to-day. Mr Bishop, manager of the State mane, is expected from Greymouth m the morniug, and it is lioped an amicable settlement of the '. difficulty will be effected. DUNEDIN, last night. At a meeting of the Licensing Commit. ' tee feeling reference was made- by elected members to the late ex-chairman, Mr E. H. Carew, S.M., and a welcome was extended M Mjv Wlijdowyon, tlie new chairmani. The police report was satis, factory, except as regards three hotels. Concerning two of these, it was said there were indications of after-hours trade, aud as regards the third indifferent characters had been allowed to frequent the house. John Henderson, aged 58, a carpenter, who has been m the employ of the Railway Department for over seven years, was killed m the goods yard to-day. He had been set to work to adjust and rebed the buffer stop. Evidently while coming out of the excavated hole the heavy post from some unexplained cause fell on liim on the guyed side, phining him to earth and killing him. He had been working alone. The body was found about noon, life being extinct. At a meeting of the Standard Insurance Company the report was adopted. Messrs D. Haynes and Joel, the retiring directors, were re-elected. In acknowledging a vote of thanks to the directors and staff, the Hon. T. Fergus, referring to the opposition State fire insurance, isaid "the aim of a certain section of legislators appeared to be wherever they found an individual doing any good for himself and consequently for tlte colony, it was about time tluit tliat individual Avas knocked on the head. An extraordinary meeting was held to alter the memorandum of association to enable the company to carry on the business of accident insurance. The Otago Provincial Council of tlie Farmers' Union has forwarded a letter to the Minister for Lands enclosing resolutions passed with reference to bone sterilising plants, urging tliat m view of the frightful danger to flocks and herds tlie Government, even at the eleventh hour, should retrace its steps and refuse to sanction the .importation of bones -until provision for their sterilisation m New Zealand is made. It is suggested that the cost of sterilisation might be considerably- lessened by the erection of one central "plant at Wellington. In conclusion, it ia stated that general surprise was expressed at the meeting -tluit the Government has not paid more attention to the reiterated opinioais of farmers' on a question of such vital importance to them and the country at large. INVERCARGILL, last night. Mr Justice Williams and jury liave been engaged four days hearing the divorce case, William James Kidd v. Ann Kidd and E. E. Wallas, all of Gore, husband's petition for divorce om the grouuds of adultery and for £500 damages. A counter petition was filed by respondent applying for divorce on the grounds of adultery (admitted) and cruelty. Tonight the jury, after two hours' retirement, found for petitioner, and assessed damages at £100. The Laud Commission sat at Gore to- - *ay, when four witnesses declared m faTor of freehold, one of the latter on the grounds that the land he knew m the district doubled m value iai 18 years. A Government valuer "Said tliat. allowimg loans to three-fifths tlie value of improve, ments would be dangerous, as some leaseholders had peculiar ideas of what constituted improvements. Another witness complained tliat he could not divide a Crown leasehold among his children as he thought right. Yet another said that payment of rent to Government for life meant that they were giving money to Government to send Home to the moneylender. A mercliant witness stud that the cause of the abnormal growth of weeds m tlie district was that people purchased rubbish front seed-cleaning machines at a shilling per bag.

A violent storm passed) over Brusl.grove (N.S.W.) last week. Tlie lightning was very vivid, and was responsible for the death of a man about 55 years ol age, who was travelling along the road near Lower Soufhgate. The olothes.of the unfortunate man, who was carrying a swag, were torn, to shrede. Two large holes were made ia the ceir^tre of tne hard metal road where the lightning struck. The man was respectably dressed. His identity is unknown. According to tlie Engineer the new rifle which is about to be adopted by the Uniled States army is liighly efficient. Twenty-three aimed) shots have been fired m one minutes with this rifle, used as a single-loader, andl 26 shots m the same time, using magazine fire. With au ordinary service charge, the powder pressure m the rifle chamber is about 49,0001 b per square inch, and the maximum effective fighting range 4781 yds. The penetrating powers of tlie. rifle were illustrated* m a test held 1 some time ago. With full service charge, the rifle, fired ut a distance of 50ft, dfrove its steel missile 54.5in into white pine butts, and penetrated a steel plate nearly half an inch thick. The calibre is .30in, and the weight of the rifle 81b.