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Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 44, 21 February 1905, Page 4

The San Francisco mail steamer Sonoma, which was not due at Auckland until this tnorning, arrived in port somewhat unexpectedly last night, so much so that no provision had bepu mado by the Harbour Board for her berthing at the wharf, and in consequence the vessel had to remain in the stream until nearly eleven o'clock. The mail boat was granted pratique shortly before nine o'clock. The Star of Ireland was loading at the bertli set apart for the Sonoma, and no attempt was made to provide wharfage for the mail steamer until the Star of Ireland cast off at five minutes past ten. It was quite eleven o'clock before the Sonoma was made fast. Captain Herriman. of the Sonoma. was very indignant at the delay. He said lie did not know how it was. but if, the mail boat arrived early there was always something wrong, always something happening to cause delay. The Sonoma, brought mails of the following dates: — London, January 21; New York, Janu-! ary 28; San Francisco, February 3;1 Honolulu, February 9; Samoa, February 15. The Southern portion of the mails loft fty the Rarawa this afternoon. The Sonoma continued her voyage at eight o'clock this morning, and will be due at Sydney next Friday afternoon. j

A Press Association telegram states that the following are the chief Auckland estates lodged for pTobate during the month ended February 18: —John William Knight, £2431; Michael Hamlin, £1339; Walter M. Carrollo, £3100; John Holmes Hudson, -21LQ13.

A bakehouse in CasreJls-street, Paeroa, the property of Miss Snodgrass, was burned down last nighw it is understood to be uninsured.

Auckland wool sales to-day showed drop lid lb. on fine and 2Jd lb on coarse wools.

A false alarm of fire from the automatic street alarm-box in Ilackettstreet. Ponsonby, caused the City Fire Brigade to turn out at 9.15 o'clock last night. The Ponsonby station also turned out, and a considerable amount of excitement was created.

All tlic bands competing at the Band Contest got away by yesterday, the Wanganui band being the last in town. It was taken out to Onc-hunga in a car specially provided by the Tram Compan\-, and at the wharf Mr. King, the' judge of the contest, and Mr. Criehton. j the Wanganui bandmaster, both expressed the pleasure they had felt in their stay in Auckland. Mr. King said he had never been so carefully shepherded in all his life. The Waihi Federal Band' reached Waihi last night, and were given J a great reception by a large crowd that : assembled near Meyers and Kelly's j hotels. Cheers were given for Conductor Trusscll , Drum-Major Gardiner, and the members of the band. Several selections i were given in marching order before thei band dismissed, says our correspondent in a telegram. There were some special' prizes given, and not yet recorded. They were:—Higliam's trombone, Tangyer (Hauraki) : Rudall Carte's cornet, E. Kerr (Kaikorai); Thibonville-Lainy's trombone, P. Boyd (Kaikorai): Sut- ' ton's cornet. Hauraki Band; IJoosey's ! euphonium. D. Gray (Wanganui) ; A. ! Eddy and Co.'s trombone, Wellington Garrison; D. Nathan and Co.'a £5 05. trophy, Hauraki Band; Paling and Co.'s gold "medal, W. Sneddon (Wellington Garrison); H&wkes and Co.'s silsrer medal, H, Wjnj»rd (β^npnrt); Auckland Butter Cth's baton, J. Criehton (Waßgairai). ''_ .. ..._„.<._l

Mi; Jay. Cooke, the American banker, whose death, was announced yesterday, is famous for having virtually saved the United- States financially at the time of the Civil War.

A Mormon at Lepa (Samoa) had an unpleasant experience lately. At one time there was a flourishing Mormon colony in the district, but other relig : ions made headway, and Mornionism receded, with the final result that one Mormon elder and one convert were alone left. One evening while the fewp were at service, the church was entered by a party oi natives, who gave the convert a 'thorough beating, while the Mormon was haled to the beach and ducked into the tide, being left in shoal water. A superior elder from Aliepata, where the religion still flom;----islies. went to Lepa. and. it is alleged, excommunicated some of the assailants from the pulpit of the church to a single listener.

"Eauh hath not anything to show more fair.!" That famous quotation from Wordsworth's lovely sonnet on Westminster Bridge must have sprung to many a lip looking round the Domain Cricket Ground on Saturday last. The summer skies, the exquisite shadings of greens in the turf and trees, the vast crowd of Avcll-dressed humanity, and the brilliant uniforms of the bandsmen combined to form a picture which none who saw will easily forget- There is not in any part, of the world a more naturally beautiful recreation ground in which such a spectacle as the inarching competition can be witnessed by tens of thousands in complete comfort. A very large and entire panoramic picture of the ground was secured for the "Graphic," and will be published to-morrow. That it will be framed in thousands of homes is certain, for the picture, is one of exceeding beauty- and equals c-r indeed excels anything yet issued by the "Graphic." The other features hi the issue are all as usual of great interest and merit, including four lovely plates printed in the much-admired double-tinted art inks introduced to the colony by the "New Zealand Graphic."

The Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister for Lands, uarroyvly escaped a serious accident at Wellington yesterday. Hα jumped off a moving tram ear, and fell heavily alongside the track. The bogie struck one of his boots, and twisted him round as he lay on the grouud. His body was afterwards struck by the rear of the car. Mr Duncan was picked up by the onlookers, who were astonished to iind he was uninjured.

-The recommendations of the Representation Commissioners for the division of Wellington City into three electorates, in accordance with, the City Singfe Electorates AqL, are in the 05-ov-emment's hands, and the new boundaries will be gazetted at once. Wellington >Jorth lias a population of 11,926. Yv>llington Central 11,914. Wellington East 11,306.

Tiie non-completion of the stock track was discussed at a meeting of the Cook County Council yesterday. The Chairman said, there were not more than 10 miles to do to complete the track. It would mean a saving of 5/ a head on stock, which would be equal to a saving of over £ 100 on a mob which recently came from the Waikato, and £200 on a mob which recently went from Ngatapa. It was docitled to put four men on for a month, to complete the track, and to write to the Government informing them that the Council, in anticipation of the Government's frequent promise to give a grant, had at length proceeded with the work.

A fortunate circumstance in connect tion with, the fire at the Wanganui Girls' High School vas that no wind was blowing on Sunday morning, otherwise the whole of the school would have been destroyed. The fire had a firni v hold of the eastern end of th-c classroom before the brigade arrived, and was confined to that portion, which was gutted. The classrooms accommodated 200 pupils of the higher standards, and temporary arrangements have already been made for the classes being held in other building*. A large number of books, etc., have been destroyed. As usual with the board schools, there is no insurance. The origin of the fire is a mystery. No one was known to be in the building after Friday afternoon, when it was swept out by the caretaker.

A curious difficulty in dealing with four men charged ■with 'theft cropped up yesterday in the Police Court. The al-< leged offence was stealing a number of fishing lines and a quantity of provisions value £ 1 19/4, the property of Peter Meorelatq, from his fishing boat, the Gooee. This was an offence for which the men could be dealt with summarily, or, if they elected, sent for trial before a jury. Of the four accused, Thomas Hunt and William Reid decided to be dealt with summarily, while Thomas MeGarry and Sidney Hines asked to be tried by a jury. The magistrate remarked that this was an awkward fix. and the men were allowed to consult together in the prisoners' room. They eventually agreed to ba dealt with summarily, and evidence was then called to show that the Coee was ransacked while tiie owner was away, and some articles, similar to those missed, found on the accused's boat. It admitted by three of the accused that McGarry did not belong to their boat, and he was discharged before the case concluded. The magistrate finally decided that the ease against Hunt, Reid, and Hines was suspicions, but the evideuce of identity was too Weak to convict. They were accordingly discharged. . " °

On January 31 Apia was in a ferment of excitement, for a rumour was current that the gaol was broken open by the Samoans and all the prisoners released It transpired that the gaol was in fact broken open, and two speakers from Savau were set at liberty. It appears that the Samqau Chiefs were under the erroneous impression that these men were imprisoned and undergoing punishment for being concerned in .the Sampan Co-operating Company. Accordingly a body of highly indignant natives marched up to the gaol and released them. Next day, however, they repented for their rash act, and humbly begged for forgiveness. They were granted pardon on condition that they at once brought back the two men, -which"was immediately done. The formation of a company by the Samoans was not forbidden by the Government. What was forbidden was the participation of officials in the eoncern v and the levying of subscriptions in the shape of taxes." The chiefs declared that they were perfectly satisfied with the measures taken by the Acting-Gover-nor in settlement of. the afl'air. They also repeatedly expressed their regret lor the occurrence.

By the Sonoma Mr C. W. Leadbeater. IvRE-A.S., and his party arrived to commence a short lecturing tour in New Zealand under the auspices of the Theoaophical Society. Sir Leadbeater is accompanied by bis secretary, '" and by a youth wiip £ ms been placed vith him as a pupil. "~ *"'"'"'""' -'•"-•

r The Rpekyv Noo£ Club succeeded in winning the Edwin Stars frqtti the ?onsonbyXlub on Saturday last. On the last head Ponsonby required one point to tie or two to win, and. when the skips went down Ponsonby lay three bowls in. MeDougall, the Rocky Nook skip, trailing the jack. Bartlett; dr,ew the shot with Ins cext, TRe Nook slcip, ho%vever, again drew the shot, and succeeded in winning two points.

The first •■read-over" of the unnamed new opera, as yet, written by Mr John' Birch and"composed by Mr Alfred HilL took place in St. Paul's Schoolroom _ on Saturday eyeninj;. It always reqtiires some effort of imagination to "realise" a play—and particularly the libretto of an opera—from the plain delivery of ordinary reading, but the impression of thos.e*raost qualified to judge was that both composer and librettist had produced a work distinctly above the average. The lyrics in particular show remarkable promise, the "book" being lHit. easy and graceful, and the music brWt. and often dashing and. brilliant. The choruses will be. actively rehearsed forthwith, and it is expected that the opera will be. produced in June.