NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 427, 28 May 1902, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) WANGANUI, last night. John Harroway and Harry Watkins were rowing to a yacht at Lucas Creek • in a punt, which filled and sank_ Watkins- reached the shore after a fifteen minutes swim, hut Harroway was drowned. At- the 'inquest a verdict of accidental drowning was returned. A Waihi miner named Janies Bright was killed at Mananu mine, Whangamata, by a wall-slope failing on him. 1-Ie was a married man, 4(1 years of age. NAPIER, last- night-. The Board of Health held a special meeting last evening to consider three reports from Dr. Finch, District Health Officer, on" tiie sanitation of the borough . The Board some time ago decided that all bell-irapped drains must he removed within four months, but the Health Officer reported that at the present rate of progress it would take ten years to give effect to the resolution. The Board is now considering the advisableuess of appointing ’. Department of . Labour to carry out the work. PALMERSTON N. r last night. A shipment- of 400 horses, .purchased by Imperial remount officers for South Africa, will be made to Wellington today. Tiie horses are described by competent judges as the best- lot yet collected in New Zealand, and the Imperial officers are well satisfied with them. It is stated another shipment of 700 will he collected as soon as possible by the remount officers. WELLINGTON, last night. Michael Brown, belonging to the transport Anglo-Canadian, fell into the harbor last night. When pulled out of the harbor he was in a critical condition, and was removed to the hospital, where he died. Mr McArthur, S.M., dismissed the case against the horse attendants of the Anglo-Canadian on the ground that they had not. signed the ship’s articles in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Act. Cabinet has decided that there are to be no special remissions of the sentences of prisoners on account of tiie Coronation.

. The Court of Inquiry 'into the deatli of Seaman Plunkett, who was knocked overboard from the steamer Kumara, scathingly criticised the system pursued on the vessel. It censured the captain and first and second officers, and ordered them to divide the cost of tiie inquiry. CHRISTCHURCH, last night.

Alfred William Parish was this morning convicted under the Dairies Act of selling milk adulterated with 25 per cent, of water. He was fined 40s and costs. This is tiie first case of the kind here. William Hopkins, Tor contracting debts prior to his bankruptcy without reasonable expectations of being able to pay, and failing to keep proper books, was admitted to six months’ probation by Mr Beelham, S.M. On a charge of shooting with atent, David McKeown was committed for trial. Whilst excavating on a terrace of sand in the Avonside district, some men unearthed a human skull, which was much decomposed, and appeared to have been a long time in the ground. There were no bones or portions of the bodv near the skull., and there is nothing to indicate how it came there. DUNEDIN, last night. At the Supreme Court, Frank Halligan was acquitted on a charge of .assault. The trial of the charges of paint-stealing from the Union Company has commenced, and will, occupy more than a day. U i' WANGANUI, last night.

An important point was raised in the Supreme Court this morning by Mr Mackay, who defended a prisoner charged with incest with his illegitimate daughter. Counsel held that the English law of marriage followed the Lcvitical law, and the latter had no application to the case in question, although holding incest a capital oflence, held that incest could not be committed with bastard relations. Mr Fitzherbert, for the Crown, held that criminality did not depend upon the parents going through the marriage ceremony, and' the spirit of the Act intended 1 present relationships such as existed between the parties in the present case. The Chief Justice reserved the point for the Court of Appeal, there being no decision of the point in the colony.! HAWERA, last night.

A public meeting re the Coronation last night decided to approach the Borough Council for a vote of £2OO. It is proposed to dedicate a borough reserve as King Edward Park, and expend the money in beautifying it. Tho question of whether, in addition to something distinctly commemorative, such as a fountain, statue, or band rotunda, lie erected by public subscription, was held over t On Coronation Day theje will lie a volunteer parade, united service, unfurling of the flag, children’s luncheon, torchlight and masquerade procession, and bonfire. ... FEILDINGf, last night A public meeting last night decided to celebrate Coronation Day with a procession of societies and volunteers, unfurling of the Royal Standard, firing of a salute, and a united religious ser. vice. ... DUNEDIN, last night. The Moana’s mails via Vancouver, which left London on April 20, reached Brisbane on Friday afternoon, the 23rd, and Sydney on Sunday morning. Those per Sonoma, via ’Frisco, which left London also on April 20, did not reach Svdney till the morning of the 26th.