NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 25, 27 October 1898, Page 18

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

Press Association in session at Nelson during week. A women's branch of the New Zealand Natives' Association has been formed in Auckland. A proposal is on foot to establish a mill for the manufacture of paper at Riverhead, Auckland. Sir James Hector states that there are indications that the coming summer in New Zealand will be a very dry season. We beg to acknowledge receipt of a pared of stamps from Miss Flo. Drum, of Greymouth, for Father Kreymborg's Mission. A serious fire occurred at J. Wilson and Co.'s cement works, Wentwortb, Auckland, on Sunday last. The fire was discovered early in the morning in the engine house. The works were covered by insurance to the extent of £600. On a voyage of 149 days from New York to Auckland, th« barque Nellie Brett was held up by a Spanish cruiser, bat as the barque was flying the British flag the Spaniard allowed her to proceed ummolested. Inspector Pender, of Wellington, was the subject of Borne eulogistic remarks from Sir Robert Stout the other day. Sir Robert said that the Inspector was ' fair, upright, and most, devoted to his duty.' Tim from our Wellington correspondent. The Auckland Industrial Exhibition to be opened, early in Deomb<-r bids fair to a pronounced success] Attention has been given to bicyclists for whom a track has been specially laid down. The musical arrangements of the Exhibition are in a forward state and will undoubtedly be a moat attractive feature of the exhibition Our Wellington correspondent states that Mr. Foley, for & number of years on duty in the Wellington Police Court, has been promoted to the position of Clerk of the Court at Gore. Before leaving Wellington he was the recipient of several mementoes of the esteem in which he had been held in that o}ty. A police raid was made in Dunedin on Friday last on persons suspected of carrying on business in contravention of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. Several arrests were made of alleged ' tote ' promoters and their assistants. The charges have .not yet been heard. A large number of returned Klondyke miners are passengers by the Miowera. Dr. Hosking. a well-known Masterton medico, who paid a visit to the field, says that, with the exception of the very rich deposits of three streams flowing into the Yukon, there is no gold in the district. Moral : New Zealand miners, stay at home ! The Clerk of Writs has definitely fixe! the date of the Tuapeka pull for November 2. Mr. Henry Synjet, prop ietor of the Alexandra Ilcr-rfd, will contest the svat in tue Liberal and Mining interests, and Mr. Robert Gilkison, of Clyde, proprietor of the Dwnstaih limes, is definitely out as an independent Liberal. The Liberal naiiy ac Lawrence, nowevej, have selected Mr. J. Sim. The Federal Rifle Meeting is being continued at Sydney. Although the New Zealand representatives are winning a few minor prizes, so far, no event of importance has fallen to their lot. Probably the excessive heat lately prevailing in Sydney has much to do with their non-success. In the Federal match, won by Queensland, our representatives were not numerically strong enough, to compete. Lotris Chbmis, who it will be remembered was found guilty in the Kaiwarra murder case, committed suicide at Wellington on Sal urday. The headless body was found by some children in the scrub near Mount Victoria signal station. It is not known how the unfortunate man committed the deed, but it is surmised by the Wellington press that he placed a dynaaiite cartridge in hia mouth and exploded it by means of a lighted fuse. The head was shattered into fragments. A SORT of equine ' Jack the Ripper ' has been operating in Christchurch. His particular branch of villiauy consibts in shooting and stabbing the most valuable horses he can gain access to. It appears that every season, for the past three years, these depredations have been committed, and altogether no less than 21 horses have fallen victims. The perpetrator must be largely endowed with the cunning of his species, for a standing reward of £500 for his capture has, so far, failed to locate the miscreant. Mr. William Fouhy, of Roxburgh, sends us the following clipping from the Cork Weekly Herald of August 20th last. It may be found of interest to any friends of the deceased who may still be in Christchurch :— On Friday, the Ist day of July, 1898, a Mr. William Fouhy died at Moree, New South Wales. He was a large selector at Munger, and was aged between 35 and 38 yeaia; height, sft 9in or sft lOin, of dark coniplexion, powerful bull* weight 12st to I3st ; rather good looking and very shrewd and intelligent. He had been residing in the colony for the past eight years, and a few years ago lived at Christchurch, in New Zealand. Deceased was unmarried, and had no relations in the colony. He always stated he had friends or relations at or near Charleville, Co. Cork, Ireland. He died possessed of property worth at least £3000. Further information and particulars as to property may bb had on application to Mr. Patrick Ryan, solicitor^ Charleville, Co. Cork.

AS> We learn from our Christen nrch correspondent that a letter has J*Jl rQC «} y t d the Very Rev. Father Le Menant desChesnais from father Richards, one of the two young priests whose services have been secured by Bishop Grimes for the diocese of Chrißtchurch. Father Richards has been spending a few days with relatives in syaney, and is expected in Christchurch by the next steamer, father Richards makes no mention of the Belgian priest, Father Derby, who it is understood, will accompany Biehop Grimes on his return to Christchurch. We hear that the Anglican Synod at Auckland set up a committee to communicate with the representatives of other dioceses in .New Zealand, and of other religions bodies, with the view of ascertaining whether it be possible to agree upon what amendments of the Education Act should be asked for so as to secure to the children of the public schools adequate opportunities of acquiring Bible knowledge. The Primate remarked that, if no other good resolution arose from the action taken, it would be the means of bringing the synod into contact with other Christian bodies. The Dunedin Anglican Synod, sitting this week, has adopted the same attitude as that of Wellington on the question of religion in the school.