CHIT-CHAT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 10105, 11 September 1894, Page 2

CHIT-CHAT.

UP TO DATB. After a very stormy night the weather lias cleared up, and the day is bright. Thermometer "under the verandah" at 2 p.m. to-day, Go degrees ; in the sun in front of office, 10!) degrees. The cantata of Esther will be performed in the Alexandra Hall this oven ing for benefit of Wcsleyau Church Choir Fund. The election campaign is proceeding vigorously in Melbourne. Twonty of the legal profession aro already announced. A steamer lias left Melbourne for Madras and Calcutta with a quantity of Colonial produce. Steamer Eddystono gone ashpre at Cossack, principal port in north' district of Western Australia. Vessel is full of water. News of the death of the Comte de Paris was received in Franco quietly. Eight farmers in Poganork (Russia) have been murdered and robbed. Sultan of Morocco is seriously ill. Egyptian papers are violently attacking the English residents in Cairo. A skirmish occurred at Pingyang on Friday, between Chinese and Japanese troops. King of Corea has sent the dowager Empress of China a number of presents. German newspapers approve of the Emperor's admonition of the Prussian nobility. Horn's exploring party to central Australia has returned to Adelaide. They have discovered a whistling spider. Rabbit poisoning in the Mastorton districts reported as being satisfactory. Stalls are being fitted up in steamer Port Melbourne for the horses which are to bo sent to India. Several sapphires of good size and colour havo been found on the West Coast of Middle Island. A hard snow ball thrown at a butcher boy in Dunedin cut his cheek open. Trout fishing opens in both Wellington and Hawke's Bay district on September 15. Government of Western Australia aro having a stone building erectod at Coolgardie. A Chinese cruiser has been wrecked, but no lives lost. Chinese searching French mail at Shanghai with hope of securing Japanese officers returning home. Reported that Japanese have hemmed in a number of Chinese in North Coroa, and they are without food. Japanese man-of-war, Haiwai, sank after an engagement with the Chinquer. The Chinese cruiser was badly injured, and is now in dock. A man has been arrested in America for setting fife to the forest, by which deaths havo occurred. A railway collision has occurred at Apilly. in France, by which twelve persons were killed. Arthur Hickford, who lately started business in New Plymouth, has been committed for trial for attempted suicide at Feilding. It is reported that the piles for the new Courthouse have been condemned, although the wood is sound. POLICE COURT. Monday, September 10. — Before R. Parris, Esq., J.P., C. K. Stock, Esq., J.P., and C. Rennell, Esq., J.P. Alleged Lakci;>y. — This case, which was adjourned from the morning, was resumed at 2 p.m. William Henry Goodison pleaded not guilty to a charge of the laiceny of certain goods, valued at £2, the property of Mr Heenan, of Waipuku. Sergt. Duffin prosecuted, and Mr Weston defended. Sergt. Duffin called George Charles Heenan, schoolmaster at Waipuku, who said that he was informed that certain clothes were missing off his clothes line. Two nap kins (produced) ho recognised as his property. Could not swear that the tablecloth was his. Witness reported loss of articles to Constable Ryan. All the goods that were missed were valued at about £2. By Mr Woston : Could not swear that the napkins in Court were the ones taken from the clothes line. Accused's wife did washing for them. Each washing he believed was sent back in one lot. They had no complaint to make about the washing. By Sergt. Duffin : He did not give away any napkins like these, or authorise anyone to take them. — Maude Heenan, wife of last witness, stated that she recollected that on Friday, August 17, she washed articles of clothing and hung them out to dry. On Tuasday, August 21, she missed some articles. Sho remembered going to accused's house on September f> at the request of Constable Ryan. Sho identified on that clay the two napkins (produced) as her husband's property. Sho identified the tablecloth also as her husband's property. The articles were among those put mil; on August 17, and were somo that were missed. Auother napkin wap also missed, and several other articles (enumerated). Accused asked her not to identify the things and he would return the whole of them to her. Accused said this to her while the conbtablti was searching the house. Accused said that she would not loso anything by it. — By Mr Weston : Some of the articles missed were not marked. She felt sure that the napkins and tablecloth were hers. When she was away in Wellington on a vi&ifc Mrs Goodison washed for her husband, and was always found to do her work honestly and satisfactorily. — Constable Ryan stated that he searched Goodison's house on September 5, and found two napkins and cloth (produced) in Goodison's bedroom. They were in a box. Mrs Goodison said that she got the napkins from Mr Heenan with some washing, when Mrs Heenan was in Wellington, and as they were badly stained she did not return them. Some time afterwards Mrs Goodison said that she also did up a shirt for Mr Heenan. He then sent for Mrs Heenan, who identified the napkins and tablecloth. Accubed said ho knew nothing about the napkins and tablecloth. He afterwards arrested accused on theprese-it chiirgo.-By Mr Weston: He had a warrant to bearch Goodison's house for other articles, which ho did not find. He asked G oodson to go for Mrs Heenan, and he returned saying Mrs Heenan would not come. Ho then sent a noto by a man wlO could not speak English, and Mrs Heenan then came to Goodison'a house. This was the evidenco for the prosecution. — MrWeshon, for thedei'ence, called William llonryGoodison, who said he was a Kottlor aL Waipuku, where he had resided 7or 8 months. Ho remembered Constable Ryan and a foreigner coming to his house. Ho asked what was up, and Conslablo Ryan said that ho had a search warrant. Witness told him there were the rooms, and ho could search. The Constable Hcnrchcd the house. At the request of tho Con.stable lie went over to ask Mrs Heenan to come over, but sherefused, saying that sho did not want to go. His wife had dono sonic washing for the Ilconnns, but ho objected to her doing any more, as ho told her ho was able to work and support her. He did not know tho articles m Court wore in his hovse till the Constablo found them. — Margaret Goodison, wife of accused, said that she remembered Constable Ryan searching the house for a box of jewellery. Sho said that he was welcome to have all the jewellery sho had in the houso. She remembered Constable Ryan finding tho napkins and cloth (produced). When she got the two napkins from Mr IToenan to wash Ihoy were very dirty, and she put them out to bleach. Sho did a shirt up for Mr Ileenan by drying it bei'oro the fire, and also sent in other articles, but tho napkins were mislaid and not sent back. Tho tablecloth (produced) was her own. Jt was an unbleuchod tableclot h when sho bought it. Mrs Ileenan tohl her about the los.s of the articles from their premises. She bought tho talilcclnth atC. Smith's, Wellington, and had had if. '2 jiw-.. — Oon.stuMo lty.ui, recalled, snid that Mis Hceuan had the si\ tiihlu naplrins complete when she returned fioiu I Wellington. They were washed find put out, and threo were missing. Since Mrs Iloonau returned

from Wellington no washing had beell sent to Goodison's. There was nothing known against Goodison to his knowledge. — Accused, recalled, said that he lived five months in Wellington before he came to Taranaki. He was a laborer and before he came to the North Island he worked on a station in the South Island. He had done a great deal of foot riming in Lib time. — Mr .Weston pointed out that it would have been quite easy for tho Goodisons'to take out tho initial "H" from the napkins by which they had been identified. He also pointed out that even admitting the articles were stolen there was no evidence to show which of tho two persdns in Goodison's .house had stolen them.— The Bench held ttistf; tHere was presumptive evidence, not very presumptive, on account of the articles being found in Goodison's house, but this was met by the defence that ,the articles identified were part of a washing lot that had not been returned to Heenan's. On the whole thore was a deficiency of proof, and they, therefore, decided to dismiss the charge. The napkins were handed over to Mrs Heenan and the tablecloth to Mrs Goodison. The Court rose. BOROUGH COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held ou Monday night. Present ; His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. B. Roy), chairman, Messrs Brash, Dockrill, Walton, T. Furlong, junr., Corklll, Dingle, T. Avery, and Teed. Returned Members. — The three members, Messrs Brash (East Ward), Furlong (Central), and Teed (West), who were returned unopposed on Wednesday, made the usual declaration and took their seats. Outward Correspondence. — Several lettors, written by the Town Clerk with authority, were read. — Mr Furlong wanted to know when the resolution that statutory notices bo advertised in both local papers alternately for three months was passed. He was under the impression that it was considered that there would be very little, if any, saving by the alternate system. — The Town Clerk said the recommendation was embodied in the Works Committee's report in May last. Reports. — The Waterworks Engineer reported that the works were in good order. The Inspector of Nuisances, &c, reported the sanitary condition of the town as good. Remittance. — The Treasury notified remittance of £10 14s to credit of the Council. Rating Act. — A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary's office asking that certified copy of a resolution adopting "Tho Rating Act, 1876," be forwarded. | Half-Holiday.— The Chief Clerk of Labor Department wired asking if the Council had passed a special order iv I term of clause 5G of The Factoi-ies Act, giving factories power to take half holiday on Thursday instead of Saturday. — The had Clerk replied in tho affirmative. Account. — The Chairman of the Elliot Road Board forwarded cheque for £!) 10s, being balance of account. He also wrote for a further supply of, say 40 yards, of black gravel. Other Correspondence. — Several other letters, which were dealt with by the Committees, were read. Works Committee. — This Committee, which met on August 17, reported "That Mr Freethy be written to that the foreman will point out to him the place where the earth from his entrance is to be deposited; that Mr Oxen ham be paid his claim; that the storm water in Devonstreet be taken across Egmont-street to the culvert therein; that Messrs Burgess, Fraser & Co., be allowed to erect their kero^eno sUre on the Reclaimed Land ; that the gravel from the gravel pit got by Mr W. Bayly and others be charged for at od per yard." The same Committee met on August 31, and reported, " That Mr G. Browne be informed that the plans for his building and verandah will be recommended to the Council, and that if he goes on with it it will be at his own risk until approved of by the Council." Tho same Committee met on September 7th, and reported " Tho Committee viewed Young-street ou September 7th, the place for a lamp in St Aubyn-street, the levels required on tho Carrington Road, Mr Corkill's sections and road in Gilbertstreet, the stables in Lemon street, tho opening in Hobson-street and swamp, &c, in Hendrie-street, and the Liardet-street cutting and improi-emeits ; the Com-, mittee instructed the Borough Surveyor to give the requisite levels in the Carrington Road to the .architect, Mr Smith; that Mr Wade's addition to his shop in Liardet-street and Devon-street be recommended; that the Committee do not see their way to recommend any further lamps during the present financial year, but will endeavor to do so next; that Mr Corkill's application bo attended to in due course as soon as tho staff are in a position to do so." — Mr DuCKitiLL, chairman of the Works Committee, explained that the proper boundary of a section in Young-street came out into the street, but in a conversation ho had with the present occupant he learned that 'the occupant was willing to allow matters to stand as they arc till the Borough was ready to alter the street. The boundary peg was 12 feat in tho road, but still he was of opinion that no matter how long thoy had been accustomed to use the land as a street they should adhere to the original boundaries of tho streets and give the burgesses their proper rights. The matter was, however, not properly before the Council that night. He then explained matters relating to lamps in St. Aubyn-street, and Carrington Road levels. The committee had done nothing in fixing levels that would interfere with their successors in the Council. Ho made other explanations with regard to the report, and then moved its adoption. — Mr Tixd was glad that their finances were being so carefully nursed, but ho contended that thore were somo works of absolute necessity, for instance a lamp near the bluff opposite tho railway station. Tho other night in the dark he and some other pedestrians might have been kicked by a horse in that locality on account of the lack of light. If the committee could not recommend such works now he hoped they would do so soon. — Mr Doekrill said that the committees desired to keep within tho estimates, and not increase the overdraft. He thought lh.it before no.\t winter the committee might be in a position to erect this and other lamps — Mr Cork ill stated that he had received a communication from America with referenco to a patont streot lamp burning oil, and he had replied asking that two be forwai-ded to him. When those came to hand he intended to let the Works Committee test them, as he believed they were much superior for their kind than anything we had in the colony. Tho report was them adopted. Cemetery Committee. — This Committee which mot on August 30 reported. The following tenders were opened : — P. Eva, £9 10s ; J. Quickfall, £8 (accopted') ; W. Edgorombo and another, £15. — Tho report i\as adopted. Mr Couiull, as Chairman of tho Committee, said that at last meeting a clause of the Cemetery Committee's report w.is held over. This clause recommended that all gravestones to bo erected in tho futuro should face tho paths in the ground so tho inscriptions could bo read -from the paths. Ho had seen no reason to depart from tho views ho held on the subject, and to open discussion he would move the adoption of that clause. Ho did not think it would be any hardship to anyone as it was not intended to make the clivu«o retrospective. — Mi* D(i('i;i:ri.ii w.inted to know if they had power under the Act to make people place gravestones in a certain position. — Mr Cokkili. said that they had ample power under Tho Cemeteries Act. — l'lis Worship said that his opinion was, apart irom tho Act, that it would tie unwise to interfere. They hid tho power i > lesmel improper inscriptions, and this was a matter that would hardly occur here. —Mr (,'nnMi.l, said he had no feeling on the matter, but ho would like to sou uniformity. — Mr Tr.r.u thought they should have uniformity in tho reserve just the same as they had uniformity in fctreot buildiug. — Mr IJitA^u did not sve

an> hardship if the proposed mle was only to apply to 1 all fresh ground being taken U p, — Mr Doc'klihfJ, thooght they would be interfering with tae liberty of the subject if they put such a rule in force. — Mr Fubloxg said that he was in accordwith the proposal to have uniformity hi the cemetery arrangements. — Mr Walton could see no objection to the proposal. The clause was then adopted, Mr Dockrill voted against it. Fire Prevention Comntittce.—Thh committee, which mot on September 10reported, ■' That- thp plans of the new fire brigade building were laid before the cdmiriittee. and they were TSCWninondcd for approval sd long as they do flat exceed the amount voted." — Mr Fcri.ong moved the ddopticta, and pointed o'dt that the arrangements,- so far, had! b'eert satisfactory to the committee. — Capt. Bellringer, Jr> answer to the Chairman, said that the fire brigade' Tpere desirous that the Ootmci! should take control of the ci ectio'n, and as far as he could learn from Mr Brooking, who drew the plans, that the £350 voted b^ the Council would ba adequate to erect the station. — The report was then adopted. — Mr Walton moved; " That tenders for the erection of the building be called for immediately, and that tho Works Committee be authorised io confer with the Fire Prevention Committee in receiving and dealing with the same."-Seconded by Mr DocicniLL, and carried. — Mr Aveky wanted to know if Mr Brooking would see the erection of the building through without making jiny charge. — Captain BnLJ/itiNiant said"that Mr Brooking had intimated he would do so. — His Worship said they must give Mr Brooking some power, and he moved, " That Mr Brooking be the Council's architect for the erection of the Fire Brigade Station." — Seconded by Mr Avkey, and carried. Sanitary xirrangemenls. — The Health Committee reported that certain improvements should be provided in the sanitary arrangements of tho Alexandfc-a Hall. — Mr Corkill explained that the Committee had acted on the report of the Sanitary Inspector, who had been instructed to inspect the Hall on account of a complaint. — The report was adopted. ] Frontage. — His WoitsniP said that at last meeting Mr E. Humphries' claim of £15 7s 6d, for loss of frontage in Brougham-street, was deferred, and as he was not prepared at present to complete certain negotiations with Mr Humphries, he would ask that the matter stand over till a .-pecial meeting on September 19. — This course was adopted. Committees. — All the old committees wero re-appointed. Ut>c of Council Room. — His Worship moved, that all resolutions giving the use of the Council room free be rescinded. — Messrs Dockuill and Walton thought that the School Committee, who had the room free so long, should have the privilege continued.— Messrs Brash and Corkiix held there should be no exceptions made. — Mr Furlong did not see the force of making distinctions. — Mr Teed coincided. — The motion was then carried. IlairhcvC Licenses.— His Worship siid that two applications for hawkers' licenses (A. Crawford's and Ali Midgit's) had been held ovor from last meeting for consideration. — Mr Cohkill moved, that the licenses be not granted. He moved in this direction to protect the taxpayiug tradespeople. Only the other day a woman, who had no license, was hawking eucalyptus paste and soap. Free, their Inspector, went on the '• warpath " to find her, but ho did not know if he had succeeded in locating her. — Mr Dockrill queried the legality of the by-law in so far as giving the Council discretion to refuse. — After further discussion both licenses were refused. The Council rose.