AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 69, 25 March 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

GOLD RETURNS. (Special to Times.) Auckland, Saturday. The gold returns for the Auckland district for the past three weeks total £51,640. Of this amount the Waihi mine is responsible for £31,237, and the New Zealand Crown £4,502. SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

The frequency of public holidays (says the Wellington correspondent of the Star) has lately given rise to some complaint in business circles. On the occasion of the holiday held in honor of Ireland’s patron saint, tho headmaster of the Thomdon school closed the building and allowed the children to roam at their own sweet will. For this he has been hauled over the coals by the Education Board, for not having consulted the Chairman before taking the action. Mr Hogg, M.11.R., moved that one day’s pay be deducted from the salary of the headmaster and his assistants, but this was withdrawn on the understanding that the penalty would be imposed in any future ease of the kind. SALE OF POISONS.

At the Thames, before Messrs W. McCullough and McDonnell, Justices, W. Scott, of Pollen street, and A. S. Ensor, of Mary street, grocers, were charged with an infringement of the regulations under the Sale of Poisons Act, 1871, by having sold chlorodyne without a license. The Bench convicted the defendants, and inflicted a fine of 5s in each case. A KNOWING ANIMAL.

Tho elephant belonging to Wirth’s circus gave a railway employee a start at Ruakura Junction as the train was leaving for Cambridge the other day. The man had an apple in the pocket of his coat, and as he was standing close to the truck on which the elephant was loaded, the animal scented the delicacy just as the train began to move, and she decided to have that apple. Tho elephant whipped her trunk round tho man and set him running, and when he had gained as much impotus as the train sho suddenly lot go of his body and whipped the end of hor trunk into his pocket and extracted tho apple. CITY COUNCIL. The City Council has decided to oppose the erection of the police cells in tho vicinity of Princos-streot. ROYAL VISIT. A special mooting of the Council will ho held on Monday evening to discuss finances in connection with the Royal visit. FIRE IN UPPER QUEEN-STREET. An eight-roomed house in Upper Queenstreet, opposite Prince Albert College, has been destroyed by fire. It was tho property of Mr Shaldors, and was leased by Mr Morrison, of tho Criterion Hotel. The insurances were £3OO in the Standard Office and £2OO in tho New Zealand Offico. ALLEGED ASSAULT. Reports arc current of an assault in a hotel on Wednesday night which resulted in a young woman who was behind tho bar being severely injured, as the result of a dispute which arose, it is alleged, through a difference as to tho prico of some drinks. It is stated that the barmaid was struck on the head with a chair, and sustained a severe cut on the forehead and bruises on the hoad, besides having her shoulder contused. She is at present laid up as the result of her injuries. It is expected that action will be taken against her assailant, as the police arc making inquiries. The offender is a well-known figure in sporting circles.