DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 46, 19 February 1912, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, February IG. Included in the cargo of the Morea, which arrived this morning, were a (large number of English partridges, Mongolian pheasants, teal and pintail ducks, all. purebred. This probably is the largest shipment of its kind over brought to New Zealand. The birds were imported by the Tauranga Acclimatisation Society. The voyage mortality, was- somewhat heavy among the partridges, the death roll being about 40 out of.lpO. Wellington, February 16. John Smith;|, ship’s i fireman, ‘who war. lined on Tuesday/ for assaulting •iphii • Edo, butcher-, ! on . the Mararoa, is missing. He was last seen on the. Mararoa on Tuesday night, travelling steerage to Lyttelton, and was not seen to go ashore. The crew -of the vessel think he has either jumped or fallen overboard. 1 -Auckland, February 17. Henry Lees, aged 78,. a resident of Mount Albert, was fouird- dead in a gravel pit owned by /himself. It is supposed ho fell from a cliff 100 ft. high in a fit of dizziness. Wellington, February 17. Regarding the complaint of the Merchants'’ Assistants’ Union of the dilatory methods of the Arbitration Court in hearing the point in their case, it is officially stated that the application was only lodged with the Clerk of Awards on February sth and will be heard next month. 'IVo seamen, -Thomas Byran and William Syme, who deserted from the steamer Ngahere .in December last were prosecuted to-day as a warning to other seamen who anight bo inclined to .act similarly. It was stated that the men boarded the ship with liquor in their possession and refused to obey orders. They then* left the ship, causing much inconvenience, as defendants are men who signed articles in New Zealand for the New Zealand trade and they could not be imprisoned. The Court made an order for defendants to forfeit wages to the .amount of £4-each. . ,Wanganui, February 17. By the will of the late Henry Sargeant, the Wanganui Observatory benefits’ to the extent of £SOO, the museum ■£2so, and the Orchestral Society £250. All his properties in the borough are Mis Sargeant’s for life. The residue is bequeathed to the Public Trustee to pay the legacies and expenses, and the balance of the lesidue is to bo paid to the Wanganui Corporation to establish and 'maintain in the borough a fine art gallery and acquire pictures and other works of art. After Mrs Sargeant’s death, the balance of the estate reverts to the corporation for the same purpose. The estate is worth many thousands. Wellington, February 17. Shortly before 4 o’clock this morning Constable Lamb discovered a lire on the premises of Whiteomba and Tombs, printers, booksellers and stationers, Lambton Quay. The brigade promptly arrived and put out the flames after damage had been done to the extent of between £.IOO and £4OO. The fire originated in a box containing rags on the second floor 'and the flames made their way down to the ground floor by moans of a lift, destroying the shelving in the immediate vicinity and books and stationery thereon. The contents and the buildings arc insured for £36,370. New Plymouth, February 17. A six-roomed house at 801 l Block

was destroyed by fire last night. It was owned by Mr .0. T. lUmdle and occupied by Sir George King. The insurances were: £l5O on tlie house and £IOO on the contents in the Guardian Office. Palmerston, February 17. The case in which the Teachers’ Institute is appealing against the dismissal of Mr Stagpoole, formerly in

charge of the Linton School, Jjy the Wanganui Education Board, w,as resumed at Palmerston to-day. Mif Stagpnole was the first witness called. He stated that prior to being appointed headmaster at Linton be was headmaster at Stoney Creek.- When he took charge of the Linton School the discipline was very bad \ indeed. The children would never address him as “Sir,” they would get up and look out of the 'window at passing traps, continual swearing was hoard in the playgrounds even among the girls and they were not responsible to the teachers. They seocrjjed to have no ability to foll,o\v ia pine of arguing or reasoning and were generally unsatisfactory. He, aimed for the fullest possible development of the children’s moral, physical and mental welfare Witness determined to work early and late to iipproje matters and arranged to be on duty between 8 and 8.30 .a.m. in order to assist pupils desirous of improving their educational status. He also arranged to hold extra classes,pit the afternoons and evenings. He did not classify the children during 'tjie first few weeks, because he did not (understand their capabilities and pqj’tly because of their bad health which in his opinion was largely due .to the state of the buildings. He found children suffering from weak eyes, adenoids arid general weakness bf, health. On the morning of August 22nc1, ( shortly before nine o’clock, one child told him that there was ,a .man at the # } ) gate. Witness took him in. He did not know who he was, although he suspected he was a school official. The children brought in the yisit-or, who said he was organising inspector and had complete charge of. the.,,school. Witness made a number ofpallegations. Throughout the day the,,inspector bullied the children, dragged them about and shook them, ppt chalk in their m'ouths and sometimes Ibis finger. One boy, it was alleged, was pulled off his seat by his hair. The case is proceeding. j