NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 402, 29 April 1902, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association)

AUCKLAND, last night. Obituary : Mrs Ward, better known as Miss Hettie Howard, a native oi Dunedin.

John McCoy, a labourer, aged 65, died at the hospital from what is supposed to be phosphorus poisoning. He had been arrested for drunkenness and sent to gaol, thence to the hospital, .on his stating he had taken match heads.-

NAPIER, last night. A sharp siiock of earthquake was felt at 9.10 this morning. Information lias been received that the Weber (near Dannevirke) post office was broken open on Saturday night. Only postal notes were extracted, and these were found in the school-room. PALMERSTON N., last night. A case of some interest was disposed of at the S.M. Court this morning, when Mrs Wilmott, licensee of the Provincial Hotel, was charged with permitting drunkenness on the premises. It appeared that the hotel had been purchased by contributions from sep. arate estates of accused and her husband.- Subsequently the behaviour of the latter jeopardised the license, and Mrs Wilmott obtained an order under the Married Womans’ Protection Act, and the license was transferred to her, after signing a document recognising her husband’s interest n the property, and on the distinct understanding witli the Licensing Committeee that .Wilmott was not to be allowed on the premises. On Friday night last Wilmott and his son entered the hotel under the influence of liquor and raised a disturbance, the assistance of the police having to he obtained. Mr Greenfield,. S.M., stated it was clear from evidence that liquor had not been obtained at the Provincial Hotel, and as by a recent decision it was not an offence for a man to remain at an hotel after going there intoxicated, the information would he dismissed. He directed, in view of the understanding with the Licensing Committee regarding Wilmott, tiiat the matter be brought bebefore the Committee at next meeting-.

HAWERA, last night. At the annual meeting of the A. and P. Association, the report stated that the proiit of the last show was £l5O. /Hie finances were in a good condition despite the fact tiiat £440 was expended last year on improvements. It was decided tiiat in future there be two judges .to each of the live stock classes, An earthquake shock occurred at 4.25 yesterday. Mr Douglas, Government Veterinarian, lias received a cable notifying his appointment to the Imperial service in England in connectian with the inspection of remounts, and he will therefore resign from the New Zealand service, and leave the colony shortly, FEILDING, last night. An earthquake shock was felt here at 4.15 yesterday afternoon. MASTERTON, last night. At the Presbyterian Church yesterday the congregation were invited to sign a petition for the abolition of the totalisator. The Farmers’ Union passed a resolution on Saturday protesting against the action of the Government relative to the Manawatu Railway Company, WELLINGTON, last night. It is understood that the Government made a tentative offer to the Manawatu Railway Company on a basis equivalent to thirty shillings per share for the line itself, and allowing the Co. to retain and realise some of its assets.

Fireman C. Davis fell overboard from the steamer Queen of the South at Foxton on Saturday night and was drowned. He leaves a widow and six children, A smart shock of earthquake was felt at 4.20 yesterday afternoon, the direction being from the south-east" i'llijah Wilton, one of the Wellington pioneers, is dead. The Supreme Court criminal sessions opened this morning. The Ghief Justice, Tn addressing the Grand Jury, remarked that the number of cases (13 persons with eleven or twelve charges) was about the same as last year, but the figures were not an absolute test ,of the criminality of the district, cases now coming direct to the Court when the accused persons plead guilty. There was one case of murder and another of attempted murder or a very serious assault, and another of arson, which appeared more like, wilful mischief than anything else. As to the case against Katherine Alexander and Thomas Murcott, of Mastertpn, charged with murdering the former’s new-born infant, His Honor directed the jury that it must have evidence that the body found was that of the girl’s child before they could return a true bill unless it was shown that the case was one of wilful killing. The charge would in any case be reduced to manslaughter, PJ-IRISTCHURCH, last night. The total credit balance of the Tenth Contingent send-off fund is £ll2 4s Id, which is to be held in trust for purposes connected with any of the eontjngents. The retiring Mayor o,f the City, Mr A. Id, G. Rhodes, js to be entertained by jhp City Councillors at dinner on Friday night. Mr C. M. Gray, one of the Justices at the Police Court this morning, referred to the difficulty found in certain school attendance cases in which the child was uncontrollable and the parents not to blame for irregular attendance. There is no way, however, pi punishing a child, and it was not fair to fine the parents. He expressed the opinion that the Education Board should he written to, and it should be stated that the time had come to establisji a truant school in Christchurch for such uncontrollable children, in accordance with the School Attendance Apt. Thp remaining Justices expressed the same opinion, and it was decided that the Chairman, Mr W. I-I. Hargreaves, write representing the matter to the Board. Lawson Ridley, an old age pensioner 6G years of age, was found dead this morning hanging by a rope round his neck from a rafter in .the hut where he lived at Fendalton,

TLMARU. last night. Laborers are so scarce in this dis. v trict just now that on being sent for from Ashburton, Christchurch, Wellington, and anywhere, they cannot be obtained. Threshing operations have been interfered with by reason of 'llte scarcity of labpr.

OAMAKU, last night. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, David Dickie, licensee of the Weston Hotel, pleaded guilty to allowing liquor to be consumed on his premises by one not a traveller or lodger on Sunday, 13th inst. The liquor was sold to a bona fide traveller, and by •him handed to another man. Defendant was fined £2, and £1 14s costs, and the license was endorsed.