INTERPROVINCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3016, 24 May 1884, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Pbbbb Association Telbobam3.] Auckland, Hay 23. A fire broke out at six o'clock tbis evening at T. and H. Cooke's furniture factory Elliott street, m the niattrass-stufilng department, on the, basement. The fire was not suppressed till £1000 damage had been done The buildings were insured m the Now Zealand for £1000, and the stock and machinery for £500 m the Boyal. The water found its way into the basement of tho firm's Queen street wnrehouße, where £200 damage was done. The R >yal holds a policy of £2000 on the stock of the warehouse, and the New Zealand £1250 on the building. The origin of the fire is unknown. The Btoreman m charge was m the act of closing up the premises when the iire broke out. A petition is to be read at all Roman Catholic churches on Sunday, m order to procure signatures to it for presentation to the Assembly, praying for an amendment of. the Education Act. The prayer of tho petition is that a capitation graut be given to every Eoman Catholic school, based on general average attendance at Sunday school and on results of examination made under Government inspection ; that whilst tho average annual cost to the Government for each child attending the State schools is estimated m the G-orernnient returns as £i, and the result of closing of existing Homan Catholic schools (m the event that lies m the discretionary power of your petitioners*) would involve Government m an extra annual expenditure of some £5600, exclusive of cost of extra school buildings m many already overcrowded districts. The proposed remedial measure would entail a, considerably less expenditure to the State, and go far to relay the grievous and reasonable discontent of Her Majesty's subjects m this provincial district of Auckland. Italsosets forththat J. 8,000 Catholics m the Auckland diocese are conscientiously opposed to the present system, and who have m consequence established and maintained 1 8 schools, involving an expenditure m sites and buildings of a"bout £28,000, exclusive of any Government grant or cO6t of maintaining such schools, and 1400 children are now being educated m these schools without any aid from the Government. The Auckland Licensed A'ictuallers 1 Association has been m communication with the Southern Association with a view to an agreement as to a common platform, and a petition will be presented to Parliament setting forth the objections of the trade to the present Licensing Act, and asking amongst other things that the electoral rolls of the colony, and not ratepayers' rolls, be used m licensing olections. Capt. Cable of Waikouaiti, an old identity, aged 88, is dead. Recently his mind showed signs of weakening. Last Friday he told his attendants he was going to bo flogged by some persons, and he would go into water so that they could not get at him. So laboring under this hallucina tion he went and laid down m a creeek immersing tlie whole of his body except his head which ho rested on a stone. A short time elapsed before he wns discovered. When taken out of the water he was quite numbed, and he gradually sank through the shock to the system. DuNBDUf, May 23. A birth occurred under somewhat peculiar circumstances this morning. The e Tent took place at live o'clock m Princes street, opposite tho Post-office, the mother being on her road to the Hospital at the time. The child is said to be doing well. The mother i 3 a servant girl of about twenty years of age, and came to town from Palnieraton last evening. Dr Martin was passing at the time, and rendered assistance, and the woman was afterwards removed to tho Hospital. Invkrcaugii,l, May 23. A peculiar case was heard at tho Resident Magistrate's Court to-day. A storekeeper m town sued a settler for the value of a cheque drawn by him and paid to plaintiff m tho ordinary course of business for goods supplied to a third party. Defendant had had au account at tho Bank, but when tho cheque was presented there were no funds, hence the action. Defendant would not swear that tho cheque wna not his, but told the following story. About tho date it was drawn lie arrived at an up-country township with £13 m cash, and put up for the night at a store not a licensed house. Had some liquor, and was of opinion, from its effects, that lie had been drugged. Had slept twenty-four hours after it, and on coming to his senses ho found he had threo shillings left. Had never been m the place before ; did not know tho storekeeper, and did not^gamble. Ho thought ho had spent about ten shillings m liquor for himself and others. Was not aware that he bad signed the cheque produced, and got no value for it. Together with the cash ho missed, ho must have 6pent £20 that night, if it had not been taken by unfair means. Defendant's counsel contended that the cheque was not negotiable, as it had a memo endorsed on the back that it was to be paid only into "F. Bank " to tho account of tho party m whose favor it was drawn i.e. the "up country storekeeper." It was therefore not a legal tender for goods m a store, as plaintiff held. The Magistrate hold that the memo was not explicit enough to warrant such an assumption, and gave judgment for amount, pointing out that the (lefendcnt had his romedy against tho original holder of the cheque if 'he had not received vnlue for it. Plaintiff produced two more cheques of defendants which had been dishonored. Tho storekeeper who received tl c cheque bus boon beforo tho Court on previous occasions for sly grog selling.