New Zealand.

Southland Times, Issue 19004, 25 March 1903, Page 3

New Zealand.

Per United Press Association

AUCKLAND, March 24,

Thip afternoon Mrs Elizabeth Stokes was iccidentally poisoned by carbolic acid: BeiDg hirsty. the took a drink from a beer bottle in which a neighbour kept the acid for dis* infecting purposes. The beer label being 4ill on the bottle, the woman thought it waa beer. Bhe soon became unconscious and oventually expired. At an inqneßt on the body of Robert Lesli9 Williams, aged 12 months, the medical evidence was that death resulted from zing poisoning, accidentally administered in *ood. A twin brother of deceased was violently ill at the same time from the same oauae.

WELLINGTON, March. 24.

The Un ? orfß.S. Go's Mapounka has-been placed at the disposal of the Government free of charge for the Parliamentary trip to the Islands. The Appeal Court was occupied til's afternoon with the appeal in the Fort Chalmers' licensing poll. The question involved i 8 whether^r Graham, 6.M., was the properperson to hold an inquiry as to the validity pi the local option poll on the ground that Mis not the Magistrate of Port Chalmers. The question as to his status is being tested because Mr Graham holds that he had jurisdiction, while Mr Justice Williams held otherwise. The argument" was not con oluded wben the Court rose for the day. It in understood that the Union 5.6. Co. ban sold the steamers TeAnaa, .Upolu, Janet Nicol, Tarawera, Waibora, abd another to a Japanese firm, and that they will shortly leave N.Z, V The old lioenfing committee was re elected unopposed for Oroua. AhChee, a fruiterer, was charged with having been, found in possession of qpiura, oodtraty to the Opiurii Pfphibitiori 7 Act. For the defence it was stated that defendant was legally in possession, of the opium before the Act came into force. DrMcV Arthur reserved judgment. NAP.ER, Mabch23. Niohblas WUbod, aged 53, single, labourer. Hasting*, obmmitted suicide at the hospital by outtlng his'throat. Deceased had been under twi tmont in the institution for four months for a growth in the chest, and ; the fact that his case was hopeless drove him to suioide. : ASHBURTON, UmmM, ...:-. At the"mqwst on the body of Janetjß&t: tray, killed on Monday in a trap; aeeijflenfc: on the traffic bridge, the jury strongly condetuned tho praotice of leaving timber

Btackid on the bridge ; and recommended that all repairs to the bridge should be done between 7 p.m. and 7 30 a.m, the bridge to be closed, meanwhile. CBRISTCHU^CH, March 24. John Cusack, licensee of the Royal ho' el, was fined £10 and his license endorsed for permitting drunkenness in the hotel, Mr Beetham, S.M, remarking that publio opiniou would not stand such breaches of the licensing regulations, and stating that every 'evil under the sun was due to the liquor business. A deputation of clergymen and members of cricket clubs waited on the Christchurch •j cling Club and askeii them to discontinue the holding of sports meetings on Good Friday, on tho ground that it was a eaered day and should be observed aa snob. The Oliib decided to hold the meetiDg.au arrangement* had already been made, but in deference to the views of those taking objection, changed the name of the Good Fiiday handicap to the Easter haudicap. Athol Thomson, aged 8, tell off the wharf at Lytteltou ou Monday and was drowned. The body was recovered. About 400 men from the warships gave a. display in Lancaster Park before 10,000 persons. Subsequently, the men were enI lertained at tea. TIM aRU, March 24. Mr A. Talbot has been appointed second assistant in the Timaru Boys' High School. OAMARU, Makch24. Messrs D. Borne, F Turnie, J. L. Allan, J. M. Brown and H. Dannison hive been returned unopposed 88 the licensing committee for Oainaru. The temperance party did not nominate any candidates. DUNEDIN, Makoh24. John Greig, who fell into the graving dock on 23th February, died to-day, having never recovered consciousness.