GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IX, 30 August 1902, Page 553

GENERAL NEWS.

Cyril Finn and James Eagar have been each sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labour for the Waihi gold slimes robbery.

For the four-weekly period ended July 19 railway revenue of the colony was £137.744, as against £133,615 <for the corresponding period of last year.

The management of the Cost ley Home is adversely criticised in the annual report of Mrs. Grace O'Neill, assistant inspector of hospitals and charitable institutions.

Major Steward's Elective Executive Referendum Bill was thrown out by the House of Representatives last week.

Much sympathy was expressed in Wellington with Mr Napier, owing to the somewhat serious illness of Mrs Napier, who has been laid aside at the Hotel Cecil since Sunday week.

H.M.s. Ringarooma last week returned to Wellington after another unsuccessful search for the missing steamer Quiraing, for whose safety all hope has now been abandoned.

The Public Works Department has accepted the tender of Mr. T. Dillon, at £26,541, for the erection of a road and railway bridge over the Hokitika River, near Hokitika. The highest tender was £ 36,310.

It-U probable that the Government steamer Tutanekai. which left Wellington on Wednesday evening for Greymouth, will make another search in the West Coast Sounds for the missing steam collier Quiraing.

The Tourist Department's annual report recommends the establishment of a model Maori pa or kainga in the Whakarewarewa Reserwe as an additional attraction to the Rotorua district.

There will be no wax’ between Japan and Russia as long as it is not forced on the former. But once provoked into a war, Japan knows that it will be a war in which the last drop of her blood will be shed before she yields.—“Japan Weekly Times."

The deer in the vicinity of Atiamuri (between Botorua and Taupo) are stated to be increasing fast, and may be seen in herds of from ten to twelve. The poison laid down for rabbits, however, appear to be destroying some of the deer, as one. was found recently poisoned within a mile of Atiamuri.

The trial bore for hot water in the Rotorua Sanatorium grounds was completed a few days ago, and it was found that an unlimited supply could toe obtained at a depth of 26 feet, with a temperature of 180 degrees. Though the water on the surface is of an acidic nature at the lower level it was found to be strongly alkaline.

At a meeting of the City and Suburban Schools Committees' Conference, a motion was passed that this conference urge the Government, as soon as possible, to make education free from the primary school to the University. It was also resolved to urge the city and suburban members to support legislation dealing with a superannuation scheme fox’ school teachers.

A correspondent writes to the Rotorua “Chronicle” to say that during the coming season excellent trout fishing will be found in the Waikato River at Atiamuri and the surrounding streams. The fish are very plentiful and very large. He says he has seen thousands going up the Talinraatara River to spawn, and estimates their weight from 51b to 151 b.

A . unique specimen, of magnificent opal is reportetl to have been found at White Cliffs, New South Wales, in the form of a tusk, or horn, of an extinct water reptile of the ichthyosaurus order, said by geologists to have once existed there in prehistoric times. The curio just unearthed measures 3in in length, and tapers off to a point with a natural carve like the tip of a bullock’s horu.

A memorial service in memory of the late Mrs. Cowie, widow of the late Primate, was held on Sunday morning at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Parnell, when an impressive sermon was preached by the Vicar, the Rev. Canon MaciMurray, on the words of Exodus 1., 6 ami 7. The preacher referred to the good work done by Mrs. Cowie, whichf he said, would live aftex- her and bear fruit in the prosperity and well being of God's Church ami people. The church was draped in violet. The hymns “On the Resurrection Morning,” and "Now the labourer’s Task is Done,” were sung, and the organist, Professor Thomas, played Beethoven’s “Funeral March.”

Referring to the notice of a question by Mr. Atkinson as to whether the Acting-Premier “will intimate to the Secretary of State to the Colonies and to the Premier of New Zealand that the people of the colony are in hearty accord with the chivalrous treatment which is being accorded to the Boer leaders in the United Kingdom, and deeply regret that a contrary opinion should have been expressed by their Premier in London ” The “Post” says that if the Boer generals had come to New Zealand the people would have been as ready as their kinsmen at Home to show them honour and respect, and Mr. Seddon did not express the feeling of the people of New Zealand when he urged a contrary course.

Mr. J. Hayes, inspecting engineer of the Mines Department, has returned after a month’s superintendence of preparations for opening the State coal mines on the West Coast. On the Seddonville property operations are in the direction of opining up and developing practically new mines. It is estimated a year's work will be required to strike the main seam. The Minister for Mines points out that mistakes have been made in several collieries by proprietors demanding an output long before the properties have reached the necessary stage, and this has led to unsystematic scamping, which would not be repeated in the State mines. The Point Elizabeth colliery requires opening in three or four sections. Both railway and mining operations are being pushed on.

Sydney Gardiner and Arthur Johnson. alias Arthur Bolton, were before the Paeroa Police Court, charged that they were found having in their possession by day certain instruments of housebreaking, viz., four half plugs of gelignite, two gelignite detonators, two pieces of fuse, 16 keys, and one chisel, with intent to commit a crime; also with breaking and entering the Paeroa railway station and damaging it 4o the value of £5 and one iron safe, the property of the New Zealand Government; also with breaking and entering’ the Paeroa railway station with ■ intent to steal therefrom the sum of £5O, the property of the New Zealand Government. Inspector Cullen prosecuted. Messrs Forrest and Goldsworthy, Justices, were on the Bench. The accused were committed foxtrial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court.

A deputation waited on the Minister fox’ Education, and submitted the resolutions passed at the Education Boards’ Conference. The Minister said in several instances the recommendations of the conference were either - under consideration ox- in process of being carried out. The application for axx increase of capitation would be considered, but the Department thought there should be no urgent necessity for additional funds, seeing the allowance was more liberal than under the old system. The question of placing high schools under the control of the Education Boards involved a change that should not be lightly undertaken. The Minister said it was not intended to centralise the inspectors. He hoped the provision made fox- relieving teachers would be found adequate. He indicated that training schools would be established in suitable centres. The question of making secondary education free was occupying attention, anxl he trusted a satisfactory solution would be arrived at.

Measles are exceedingly prevalent in Wellington at the present time, and the epidemic has possibly been aggravated to spine extent by the letting loose of the Britannic’s troopers, many of whom have developed the infection since they landed, although apparently well when they passed the examination. The records of the Health Department show, however, that the infection has been prevalent all the year since the Ist of January. There have been 83 cases reported, 51 of which have occurred in the district and 33 in the city during the present month. The sick include several members of the staff of the Union Steamship Company, possibly due to contact with troopers frequenting the office. Scarlet fever is also fairly prevalent. There have been 291 eases reported since January, including 63 in the district and 21 in Wellington this month.

Diphtheria is decreasing. Ten cases have been reported this month as having occurred in Wellington, and 83 in the district since the beginning of the year.

A special meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board was held last week to consider the case of the Maori leper at Rangiriri. A letter received from Dr. Makgill suggested that provision should be made for the reception of the Maori in the hospital grounds. Dr. Makgill. who was present. pointed out that the disease was not infectious, but purely contagious, and that with ordinary precautions there need be no feax- of the spread of the disease. There was no official leper station, there not being a sufficient number of leprosy cases to warrant the Government in establishing such a place. They therefore looked to the hospital board in districts where a case occurred to attend to it. Although he could not compel them to do so, they could force the local Board of Health to make provision for a health board, in this ease the Raglan County Council. The Waikato Board strongly objected to this proposal, and passed a resolution absolutely refusing to accept any responsibility, and expressing the opinion that the case was one for the General Government to make provision for.

Last Wednesday two men named Alfred Ray, father- and son, residents at Whitford, Turanga Creek, were found dead on board their yacht, lying off the Wharf, under circumstances that clearly point to suffocation by charcoal fumes. It appears that the two Rays left Turanga Creek on the Wednesday before for Auckland in a yacht of some three tons, with a cargo of charcoal, and they probably arrived here early on Thursday morning, as they ~ had a fail- wind up. Oxx Friday a man named Joseph Charles Wade, a resident of the same district, who is a friend of the Rays, saw the yacht anchored between the. two wharves, and the cargo of charcoal on the wharf. He went back to Turanga Creek on Saturday, and Mrs Ray, senior, sent to ask him if he had seen the two men, a® they had not come back. Mr Wade came back to town, arriving at daylight, and went down to see if the yacht was there. He found her just as she had been on Friday, and on going on board anti raising the hatch, he found the two men lying dead on the floor of the hold. The hatch was closed down, but the boards did not fit closely, and the men evidently thought the ventilation was sufficient. The Rays were well known and highly respected residents of the Turanga Creek district. The elder Ray was about fifty years of age and the younger about twenty-five. The younger man had only been married some five months.

A Hindu hotelkeeper namexl Mukand Lal and a Hindu “Terrible Turk” named Gunga Brahm were mixed up in a somewhat unusual case, which canxe on at the City Court in Melbourne last week, and which occupied n lot of valuable time to unravel. Brahm. n well-known, though not very formidable-looking wrestler, was charged, together with Bling Singh, a

compatriot, with threatening LaM» life, there apparently being bad blood between Lal and Brahm some petty trifle which rankled in the Eastern mind. It seemxs that on Saturday night the two accused went into the Leitrim Hotel, Little Ixmsdale-streeL which is kept by Lal, and there they encountered the proprietor, together with a friend named Lukha Singh. The warlike Gunga Brahm at onee went for Luka Singh, and tore a fistful of hair out of nis head, and also dealt him a heavy blow. Then he turned upon Lal, and said (of course, in Hindustani), "I will kill you too.” Lal thereupon refused to sell drink to the pair, and the police were called in, and the aggressive wrestler "moved on.” The following Monday they “stuck up” Lal at a little shop, and here again Brahm threatened to take Lal’s life at the first convenient opportunity. Henee the proceedings. Lal, when put in the witness box, bulked fully as large as Gunga Brahm, but, as he graphically put it in his figurative tongue, “he was a hollow house to a solid pyramid” as compared with the wrestler. For the defence Brahm swore that when he asked for brandy he was given something inferior, which angered him. As to attacking Lukha Singh, he had done it in self-defence. Baglx Singh declared on oath that he never had, never did. and never would wish to kill anybody, and he was therefore discharged with a caution. Mi- Panton gave Brahm a lecture, and bound him ovex- to keep the peace for six months, undex- surety of £ 50. He left the court with a “Salaam sahib!”

LAND FOR RETURNED TROOPERS

Complaint was made by Mr Witheford last week that while the South African Governments held out inducements to our troopers to take up land in those colonies, the Government of New Zealand offerexl no such inducements.

The Minister for Lands (the Hon. T. Dunean) said he was sorry Mr Withetford did not tell them something about the quality of the land offered in South Africa. The'bulk of the returned trooper he had met told him that as fam rs they would not live there, and that New- Zealand was a much better place to live in. He did not think they had anything to gain by running off to South Africa, and he believed that those who had stayed would return in a few years. As to settling- them on the land, there was no way of giving anybody land outside the law. A Land Bill would be brought down next week, and he hoped he would have Mi- Witheford’s assistance in making provision for such cases as he had referred to. He would like to see the young men stop here. Mr Monk: Give them roads up North and you will get them to stop.” The Minister: "Give me the money ami I will give them the roads.” THE MOORE CASE. Frank T. Moore, who last week pleaded guilty to sending threatening letters to Six- J. Ward, was brought before the Supreme Court to-day. Evidence was called by counsel for the prisoner as to the latter’s good character, and to show that his lettex- had only been written with a view to directing immediate attention to a report on meat export which he hail submitted to the Government. Six’ J. Ward gave evidence that there had been no desire to keep Moore’s report back. As a matter of fact it was a very intelligent renort, and had been sent on to the Government Printer.

His Honor said it would be necessary fox- him to know something more about Moore. He wanted to have him medically examined, and also would like to have ronxe information about tlfe faith-healing propaganda prisoner had recently been carrying on.

The case was ndjournexl fox- a week, Moore in the meantime to be examined by doctors, and the probation officer to prepare a report for His Honor