LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, 31 July 1901, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mv Alfred Kidd has been elected Mayor of Auckland, vice Dr Campbell.

Letters from "Reformer" and "Old Player,, will appear in our next issue.

The Discovery and the German Antarctic Expedition leave.Cowea and Kiel simultaneously. Each vessel steams seven knots. The Discovery stays a week at the Cape.

The iron strike in the United States is settled. It is largely a trust victory. The companies pay Union wages, but freely employ non-Unionists.

Another outbreak of bubonic plague has taken place at Honolulu. One death was officially recorded on July 6, though the Board of Health declares that no fresh cases have occurred •nice that date.

A Wellington wire says that Trother's remarkable range-finding instrument was tested at Island Bay under unfavourable atmospheric conditions, with satisfactory results.

A burglar got into the Alexandra Maternity Home (Wellington) on Monday night, but decamped on one of the inmates raising an alarm. He had broken in by a window, but got no plunder.

Francis Haywood pleaded guilty at the Christchurch Police Court yesterday morning to stealing from William Mandell's house at Addington articles of jewellery and cash to the value of £44 14s 6d. The offence was committed on February 22nd, and the man, arrested at Wanganui, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. . . . .

The Magisterial inquiry into the wreck of the Lizzie Bell opened at New Plymouth yesterday morning before Mr Stanford, S".M., and Captain Todd, Nautical Assessor It was adjourned till to-day,- i-u the application of the Marine Department, to allow Captain Adamson, a second . ssessor, to arrive from Auckland.

The Sydney "Telegraph," commenting on the Fijian situation, opines that in the new federal agitation Fiji and the, New Zealand Government are in readiness to keep the question warm, and it is quite probable that the Commonwealth will soon have to consider the question of incorporating Fiji as one of pressing importance. The The Oba

A curious case in connection with gambling has just been decided the verdict >f a, New York jury, and pending appeal the decision ranks as a legal rule on the matter. The case in which the point arose was a prosecution for uttering counterfeit coin. Accused'was owe of a poker l>;rty, and he opened a jack-jot with 10 dollars in silver. The winner of the jackpot found that the dollars were not gen : nine coin. The jury found for accused, stating it as their conviction that there was nothing wrong in opening a, jack-pot with counterfeit coin. The case occurred •n Indianapolis, and as poker is almost a national pastime in the State of Indiana, the decision is regarded as giving a new rule in the- game. '"

A London cable says that two men— George Thompson, alias Stepjien, claiming 'to.bo. a Bendigo miner, ynd Charles Mc[Celly—were charged at Bow Street Police Court with defrauding a widow, Annie Ronwick, of Bourke Street, Melbourne. Mrs Renwick is now voyaging to Melbourne, and promised the police that she vrill return.,. She alleges that the prisoners took her and her daughter to Paris and •7rom.is.ed marriage, and then, under various pretexts, obtained £800. No marriage resulted. Accused were remanded. In connection with this, a Melbourne cable says that the men Thompson and McKelly ire believed to be identical with two wellknown spielers. The former has frequently been convicted, and the latter absconded from bail. The lady's identity is not established.

The Rev. T. B. Maclean officiated at a wedding at St. John's Church yesterday afternoon, when Mr C. E. Hyde was unitad in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Maud M. Dudley, third daughter of Mr Henry Dudley, of Wanganui. . The bride was given away by. her brother, and looked very pretty in a handsome grey costume, trimmed with white silk chiffon. She wore the customary veil and orange blossoms, and carried a choice bouquet. The bridesmaids were Miss Rose Dudley, sister of the bride, and Miss Mabel Dudley, niece of the bride. Mr Frank Dudley acted as best man. The 'gifts of the bridegroom to the bride and bridesmaids were gold .brooches. After the cermony the guests were entertained at the residence of the bride's parents, Market Square.

As an outcome of the Maori Land Administration Act and the Maori Councils Act, passed last session, giving the Maori? a limited measure of self-government, eight meetings have already been called. On Saturday morning at 11 o'clock the first meeting of the Kurahaupo Council, presided over by Mr P. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maori Land Administration and Councils Department, was held at Pura-wanui. Mr Hone Heke, M.H.R., -!3 having very considerable responsibilities in connection with the authorship of the Bill and its passage through Parliament, was present, and explained its provisions and anticipated results, which latter, he pointed out, -depended in a very considerable meaKure upon the Maoris themselves. The first meeting of the Wanganui Council was held at the Runanga House, Putiki, at 2 o'clock yesterday, Mr Sheridan piesiding.- There were present—Messrs Hone Heke, M.H.R., A. Ngata (barrister), Henarae Parata (Sanitary Inspector under the Act), and W. E. Goffe (Land Purchase Officer). The proceedings were prnicpally a rejxstition of the Parawanui meeting. In both cases the members of the Councils proved themselves men of more than ordinary ability, and qnite able to hold their own in any matter of debate or criticism. Messrs Sheridan and others will open the Coun- J cil of the Taranaki District at Pareroa, Patea, to-morrow.

The annual bajl in connection with the Wairoa Mounted Rifles was held at Waverley on Friday night last, and, as usual, proved thoroughly enjoyable. There was an attendance of between 90 and 100 couples. The hall was tastefully decorated, the music was supplied by Messrs Hinkley, Young and Leichwark, and the catering was under the management of Messrs Dalton ; and Hair. During an interval in the dancing Dr Gillon, .at the invitation of Ciiptahi Howie, presented trophies won by several members of the troop. These included a gold watch, subscribed for by members of the corps for Lieut. Riddell; iAiis was given him on his leaving the troap after having been a member for 25 years, five of which hfi has srjent as a commissioned officer. -The other presentations were to Sergt. -Wat-kins, a Jong-r.crvice nvodal; Sergt. Watkins has- been 16 years in the troop, and Jhas only missed one drill. Lieut. iDavis, the McGuire belt; this belt- was presented a« a shooting nrize toy annual competition ■between the Patea, Hawera. and Wairoa Mounted Rifle Corps; Lieut. Davis has won it twice in succession, and it now becomes his own property. Sergt. Parkes, marble clock, presented by Messrs Hallenstein Bros, for .shooting in the first class. Trooper Miller, silver cup, presented by the old officers of the troop for best shooting in recruit class. Dr Gillon mentioned that the Wairoa Mounted Rifles hold the record for war medala and long-service medals, over 50 medals having been obtained by the members of this troop. Twenty-five men out o<' a tota^ dt M saw service in South Africa. 'V^'

Mr. James Bell, jun., is at present jn town m;iking arrangements for the Ada Delroy season at the Opera House, which commences on Monday evening next.

A large, number of Wanganui people will regret to learn of the death of Mrs. 11. J. Fenn, which took place at Manchester (England) on June 11th.

Wo have been requested to remind the members of the ladies' class in connection wi .'h the T.Y.M.I. gymnasium, of the meeting to be held at 7.50 this evening.. ■•. .

The following will represent T.Y.M.I. Hockey Club against the Wanganui B team on Thursday afternoon : —-J. Elliott, W. Forder, C. Gurr, W. H. Baillie, E. DrruniTs, G. Carver, J. Mcran, F. Bourne, E. Williams, G. Ellison, and C. Goldsbury.

Ab Wellington on Monday night a banquet was tendered to Sir Joseph AVard, Minister of Railways and PostmasterGeneral, by the Liberal and Labour party oi Wellington. Dining the evening Sir Joseph Ward was presented wijh a handsomely illuminated congratulatory address from prominent Wellington trades unionists.

We are asked to acknoAvledge on behalf of the Mayor the following additional contributions to the Queen Victoria Memorial Ward fund: —Surplus Koroniti School concert £1 2s. 3d., Mr. D. Ledward £1 Is. Per Mrs. Williamson—Mrs. Churton £1 10s., Messrs. A. Higgie and W. J. York £1 Is. each, "Conscience Money" ss.

The Board of Health of Emporia, Kansas, has forbidden the publication of reports of suicides in the local newspapers. The Board is acting oft the theory that such publication spreads the contagion of suicide by psychic suggestion. Similar action will probably be taken by other towns in the United States. Recent statistics show that suicides are annually becoming more numerous in that country.

Those interested in the formation of an astronomical society met all the Technical School last evening. A list of those pledged to support the project as members and donors, to the number of sixty, was received. A provisional committee was formed, and it was decided to hold th« next meeting on Tuesday, the £jh prox., when it is hoped that all .interested will attend, as the election of officers' and other business is proposed for that date.

"" Arrangements for the Old Boys' ball are well in hand, and the function promises to sustain tihe reputation which the dances of tho Association ha,ve gained. We are asked to state that it would be of great assistance to the committee if all old boys who have not yet obtained their tickets would do so as soon as possible, so $iat an estimate of the number of guests to be provided for can be made.

A special meeting of tho Borough Council to rename certain old streets and to name new s/reets was held last evening. Of the new streets, it was decided to give the name of Hatrick street to that running through the block lately known as Smiley's paddock, and to give the name of Gilmour street to flhat running alongside the proposed railway deviation. The old streets were re-named as follows: — Asylum road to be called Purnell street, and Cemetery 'road to be called Guyton street.

A court of justice in France has valued a pretty woman's nose at £280, the sum it has ordered to be paid for damage done to that organ in a cab accident. There are some things that reach the height of absurdity when brought to the touchstone of the law, and the attempt to'set a legal value on the human frame, and on each particular meiiiber of it, is one of them. Who con say whether £280 or £28,000 is a just charge for a nose? Not all the wealth in the Transvaal mines can bring back the lost beauty, and it seems like an insult to say that a woman's beauty is well paid for at £280. Just as absurd does it seem to give a man £50 for the loss of an eye, as a Queen's Bench jury— as it was then—did a year or two aao.

The old Atlantic liner, Alaska,'whichfor some time past has been serving as a marine dwelling at Ba,rrow-in-Furness for * large number of workmen who were unable to obtain, sufficient house accommodation in the ■ town, is shortly to enter' upon a new career.- It has been sold, and is in .future to be used as- a floating, exhibition of British manufactures away in the outposts of the Empire. The idea, is not new, for Germany some time ago sent such ;i, ship dound the world, and sold £40,000 worth of goods, and now as a result it is proposed to dtyelop the scheme, and a syndicate has b«ea>formed under the patronage of the German Government, for equipping ships with staffs of salesmen and saleswomen, able to speak several languages, who will carry their samples, into towns in the interior from ports at which the ships call.

The Rev. H. R. Dewsbury treated the members of she Wanganui Musical and Literary Society-to a rare literary and "jrntorica! treat last evening when he delivered n lecture on "The Life and Works ti Charles Dickens." We do not think 't is too much to say that no more elouienfc tribute to Hhe memory of the great -iovelist has been voiced from a colonial platform. For the time being, Dickrns was a living personality, a familiar acquaintance, and he and a favoured few of his wonderful creations toyed with the emotions of a delighted audience. Pressure on our space prevents a more lengthy reference to tho lecture, but we cannot lonclude without expressing the hope that the reverend lecturer will be induced to repeat it for. the benefit of a 'larger audi?nce. On the motion of Mr. F. M. Spurdlo ?. very hearty vote of thanks was 'ccorded to Mr. Dawsbury for his enVertaining, instructive, and eloquent lecture. Prior to the lecture songs were contributed by Miss Hooper and Mr. Andrews ,and \ duet by Misses Keall and Armstrong.

The Agent-General has published in several of the papers of Great Britain the following warning to fradulent meat-deal-ers:—"Convictions having been recently obtained against four meat traders, for selling River Plate and Australian lamb as 'New Zealand' and 'Canterbury,' notice is hereby- given, that legal .proceedings will be instituted against any person or persons selling, or offering for sale, as 'New Zealand' or 'Canterbury,' any frozen meat other than that imported from the colony of New Zealand." The Meat Trades' Journal, ,in directing attention to the advertisement, isays: —■ "Numerous complaints have been made to the AgentGeneral by traders throughout this country, who are legitimately endeavouring to push the sale of New Zealand meat, that the practice adopted by competitors of substituting other and cheapen* meat for New Zealand has been injuriously affecting their business. He has therefore resolved to take proceedings in the interest of all traders who are honestly selling New Zealand meat, and also for the protection of the consumers, from whom money is being obtained by false( pretences, as well as for the benefit of the producers ""of the colony which he represents."

Mr E. C. Kingswell, in a letter to the Inland Standard, of British Columbia, answering Canadian criticisms of the New Zealand Railways, curries the war into the enemy's country, and declares that it would be much better for Canada if she had railways like New Zealand. He denies that any railway in New Zealand charges ten cents a mile, and that merchants who live friends of the Government can get their produce cheaper than j others. His plea for the slowness of the trains is a novel one, that New Zealand has such beautiful scenery that people would object to be whirled through the country without getting a. glimpse of the surrounding plains and hills. He luys special stress on the development of the country by railways that don't directly do more than pay for coal, and having parried the Canadian blows, givesl his opponents a facer on their weak spot. Glaring examples, he says, of special rates to merchant friends of the Minister occur in British Columbia, "and only last week I heard a large mill-owner saying he got the cheapest and quickest cartload of machinery through that has ever reached 8.C., because he was a friend of ono of the head; men. As soon as a New Zealand railway pays, the freight upon produce is ab" once.lowered. What do our railways do.? Why, pub it up, of course, iind, wit;h the profits?, don't pay dividends, but buy v*> more country and get more charters f.qj,' railways, and so hoodwink the people in regard to the 10 per cent. tiffaJr. Whajb ' sort ok' a country would ]i.Q- I>e it' we could get freights lowered to compete with the Nqrth-west with shipments of cattle and sheep to England? Try to get a freight change to a. shipping port for Qattlo. Guess you are blocked. You see tliie GM'.R. runs that business, so we have yjm there, stranger." Mr-Kings-well is evidently a fighter.