AUCKLAND NEWS

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1373, 7 February 1905, Page 3

AUCKLAND NEWS

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, yesterday'. The boatswain, Walter Gordon, of the brigantine Garin, fell from aloft, striking his head on the ratlines and wharf, breaking his neck. Death was instantaneous. Deceased belonged to. Hobart. An inquest will be held to-morrow.

At the annual meeting of the Auckland Gas Company the year’s profits were shown to be L 31,925, leaving, after the usual divideijidi a balance of L 5254. A large crowd attended the criminal sessions of the Supremo Court, and more than ordinary interest was taken in the proceedings, including several charges of homicide. Judge Edwardß, in charging the Grand Jury, said the evidence against MurtoD, charged with the murder of a woman at Mercer, was purely circumstantial. The jury might find a bill for manslaughter or murder, and leave it to the common jury to decide. There is much interest in the case of Dr Collins, charged with manslaughter, arising out of the Royal Commission on the Auckland Hospital. In the Supreme Court Judge Edwards, referring to the case of Dr Collins, said it was a question whether ha exercised reasonable care and skill. If it was clear be did the jury should . find no bill. He had examined the medical evidence very closely. Tho utmost anyone said was that Dr Collidb' aotion might have accelerated death. No one would say positively that what was done must have caused or accelerated death. Then they must throw out the bill because it was wrong for a man to bo put upon his trial for an offence not supported by any reasonable evidence. If the jury were satisfied that Dr Collins’ acts did accelerate death they would find a true bill. Walter James Donnelly, charged with forging a cheque at Whangarei", was sentenced to nine months: James Clarke,for theft and false pretences, to three years’ imprisonment.

Peach-stones are readily sold in New York. Perfumes, flavoring extracts, and prussic acid aro distilled from. them. A scientist states that the height and weight of school children increase with the size of tho houses in whioh they live. If the country would take the present Opposition at their own valuation, a change of Government would soon follow. —Reefton Times.

The mas-ied navies of the world include 560 battleships, 471 cruisers, 1255 gunboats, and 1600 torpedo craft. A' large assortment oi portly;, genitlemen flavored with a Scotch accent, and distinguished -by a jovial . appearance anjd a sp.orting rlgi-out, arc at present invading the city in pursuit of laurels and other marks ot' victory in the ancient and Royal game of howls (says the 'Christchurch Truth 1 ). ■ The bowling carni.val is now; the most prominent- feature of the landscape, and it is the •biggest bowling carnival that has .eventuated in this city since the ifirst biassed enthusiast imported his set of spheres amjd gave the game a start. It hasn’t stopped since- .This country has bred howlers faster than it has bred- rabbits, and they keep on increasing. Every, other man over forty is a bowler, and if a second 'Spanish Armada appeared off the coast to-morro-w he would certainly finish his game before taking to the hills. Anyhow, howling is a fine companionable exercise, which is making plenty of old men feel ten years yonger and quantities of crabbed men twenty degrees more genial. Wherefore let it flourish and prosper and multiply- Here's success to the bowling !.