TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2002, 11 February 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Press Association. AUCKLAND, Saturday. In the Supreme Court, in a case against Arthur Wells, aged 151 years, found guilty of criminal assault on a girl under 14 at Maungakieki, Mr Justice Donniston said accused was convicted on the clearest evidence of a most shocking offence. However, prisoner must be treated as a boy, and not sent to prison. He committed Wells to gaol for a fortnight, and ordered that he receive twelve strokes with the birch, and that subsequently he be committed to an industrial school till 21 years of age.

WAIROA, Saturday. Mr T. E. Donne and party left I.ake House, Waikaremoana, this morning for Gisborne, via Hangaroa. HASTINGS, Saturday. The ballot for twenty-two sections i.i Mangatahi. settlement' took place this morning. The total area offered for selection was 12,272 acres. The sections range from 194 to 879 acres. The following obtained sections: R. Russell, G. Willman, Elen Porter, F. Marchant, Margaret Elliott, Jno. Brient, T. Jowsey, Fred. Jackson, S. Ebbitt, A. MacMillan, Margaret Leitch, W. Meade, Elizabeth McGaffin (all of Hastings), P. Cotter (Waipawa), Charles Grant (Hamua), Mary Hay (Seddon), Sophia Cudley (Seddon), D. M. Picard (Pelorous), F. Houghton (Woodville), George Boyce, junr. (Seddon), B. R. Desent (Gisborne), and Guy Whitstone (Christchurch).

WELLINGTON, Saturday. The local centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has decided to give a free hand to its delegates to the conference to be held during the championship meeting of Christchurch. The meeting however, was strongly of the opinion that the time was not opportune for seceding from the Australasian Amateur Athletic Union. It also expressed the opinion that owing to frequent unsatisfactory regarding the fairness of walking in walking contests photographs should be taken at periods of the race as the only effective means of coming to a satisfactory decision. The- Centre will also recommend that each Centre appoint a judge of walking events held by clubs under its jurisdiction. , _ . At the School Inspectors’ Conference this morning it was decided that in the preparation of a Teachers’ Registration Bill the following provisions should be embodied; (a) Sufficient opportunities should be given to all persons at present practising; such persons should be required to show they have been acting as teachers for a reasonable period, and also within six months to make application for registration; (b) the Inspector-General of Schools should bo appointed registrar, and should formulate necessary regulations to be approved by Go-vernor-in-Council; (c) that all persons entering the profession subsequent to the passing of the Act should bo required to submit themselves for examination in literary attainments and school methods, as «provided in the regulations; (cl) that every, school should be in charge pf a registered teacher. . BLENHEIM, Saturday. The barley market is rising. A line of 500 sacks of quality below the prime was bought this morning for 4s "id. There is not much doing yet, ponding a meeting of farmers this afternoon. New chaff is selling freely at £3 Gs. HOKITIKA, Saturday. Tho three-masted schooner Eunice, at present in Dunedin, is being purchased for the Hokitika-East Coast trade by tho Westland Shipping Company. . The Hokitika Harbor Board announce the, sale of about 2500 acres of endowment reserves, heavily timbered, and about half of which is adjacent to the Ross railway. It is proposed with the proceeds to pay off the Government loan to the Board and apply the balance of the money raised to harbor improvements, to cope with the anticipated timber trade from tho port. New mills are opening up in the vicinity and south of Hokitika. Tenders for the purchase of the land close next month, and it is anticipated there will be considerable competition for the land, which is the largest freehold area that has been offered in this portion of the colony. Tho Minister for Mines is expected here in a fortnight’s time to confer with the Ross people in regard to a Government subsidy for deep level working. CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. David Winskill, farmer, of Cheviot) 40 years old, was accidentally killed this morning. While ' going through a fence his gun got entangled and went oft, the charge kil--I,nEortho band contest eleven bands have arrived to-day, tfll North Island with the exception of Nelson. Eleven South Island bands are expected by the last express, and tho Taranaki Band arrives to-morrow. Ut at bands entered the following nine will not take part: Foikling, Hokitika, Granity, Buller, Elite, Dannevirke, Eyttelton Marine, Oamaru Citizens, snd Auckland First Regimental.

MANAWATU A. AND P. SOCIETY. PALMERSTON N., last night. Tho balance slieot for tho financial year of tho Manawatu A. and P. Association ending January 31st, shows that after providing £257 for depreciation of buildings and plant there is a credit balance of £2ll. ■ Tho assets are valued at £19,425. Tho liabilities are £580.0. A now scheme to provent leakago in gate privileges was adopted. EGG-LAYING. f BLENHEIM, last night. Tho following arb tho results of the 39th week of tho egg-laying competition, 1984; grand total, 82,451 ; highest for week, Sowman silver Wynndottes 32, Sorvajoon 29, Volkmanu 29, Wiffon 28, Girling 28, all white Leghorns, Freoth silver W.vandottos 28, Steer wliito Leghorns 2S. Tho leading pens to date avo: Brooks 1100, A. and P. Association 1009, Vera Lossington 1029, Mrs Ilodsou 1016, A. Thomson 1014, all wliito Leghorns. A LIFE CAST AWAY. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. . An inquest was held at Kaiapoi vosterday concerning tho death of T. Mellor, who died from injuries sustained ns tho result of being pinned between two trucks in tho railway yard on Tuesday last. Evidence was given that the accident was caused by a shunting-engine bumping into trucks. The jury returned a verdict that tho deceased met Ins doatli through injuries by a shunting accident in the yard at Kaiapoi, and added tho following - ridor, “ That such accident was caused by an error of judgment on the part of the shunter, and tho jury calls attention to the gross neglect of tho department in allowing a system of shunting tooxist in contravention of their own regulations.” SWIMMING. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. The Australasian Amateur .Swimming Carnival was concluded yesterday at tho Lancaster Park baths, when' the weather was again fine. The following are tho chief results : - , ■ 220vds Australasian championship. —H. 'Baker (N.S.W.) 1, J- A. D. Hill (N.S.W.) 2, A.. R. Harrowor (Queensland) 3. Timo, 2mm. 38 440yds Australasian championship. —W. Springfield (Queensland) 1, JR. Lev (N.S.W.) 2, A. McMillan (New Zealand) 3. Time, 5.56 l-o. In the water polo match Australia v. New Zealand, the former won by three goals to nil.

INSURANCE COMPANY. AUCKLAND, last night. Tlie balance of the New Zealand Insurance Company for the year ended November 30, 1906, is published. From this- it appears that the nett income from premiums, interest and rent is £594,370 underwriting profit, deducting the San Francisco conflagration, the losses being £89,038, the losses amounted to £285,694, which is all charged to profit and loss account. In order to liquidate these losses transfers are made to tho credit of profit and loss account from the reserve fund of £120,485, and from other special reserves of £45,000, leaving a credit balance of £17,758 to carry forward. It is proposed to pay a dividend, of two shillings per share, absorbing £12,500 out of tho amount carried forward.

A FUNERAL SCENE. NEW PLYMOUTH, Saturday. A strange sceno occurred at the burial of Tohu at Parihaka on Friday. A dispute arose as to whether tho body should -be placed in a coffin provided by some of the deceased chief’s followers. His relatives objected. Eventually it was agreed that the coffin should be lowered into the" grave first and the body placed on top of it. The coffin was accordingly lowered and then smashed into matchwood- A kapoc mattress was then lowered and the body placed thereon, after which numerous mats were placed on the body and the grave filled in.

FATAL EXPLOSION. DUNEDIN,' last night. During blasting operations at Millburn a shot exploded prematurely, two men being killed and. three injured. There are no details. FATALITIES. AUCKLAND, last niglit. At the Talisman mine at Karauga-hake-on Saturday a fall of earth pinned down a man named Patrick McGarry, badly smashing his leg, and almost tearing his foot off. The injuries were temporarily attended to at Paeroa, and McGarry was sent on to the Thames Hospital, hut died on the way down. Deceased was a single man, about 30 years of age. A married man named David Ritzman died suddenly in Nelson street yesterday morning during a fit of coughing. Death was due to the breaking of a blood vessel internally. Deceased was a native of Switzerland. THE EXHIBITION. (By Telegraph Special Service.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. There was a large attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday, of which bandsmen from all parts of the colony and in all varieties of uniforms formed a portion. The city is at jiresent full of bandsmen, who have assembled to take part in the great contest, which will continue daily from Monday morning till Saturday night. Ten bands from the North arrived on Saturday morning. Seven from the South arrived by Saturday night’s express, and about ten more from the North Island were passengers by to-day’s boat from Wellington. Of thirty-seven bands that entered the following, will not take part in the contest; —Feildmg, Hokitika, Granity, Buller, Elite, Dannorvirke, Lyttelton Marine, Oamaru Citizens’, and Auckland First Regimental Mounted. The following officers will act as judges of the military portion of the quick-step competitions: Lieut-Cols. Hawkins and Jowsey, Captains' Foster and Meddings, Sergeant-Major Farthing and Sergeant-Major Hoare. Mr. J. D. Hunter, of Dunedin,, official timekeeper of the Nprth Island Brass Bands’ Association, will act in that capacity at the competition The main portion of the attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday consisted mostly of country visitors and residents from other parts of the colony, attracted by the cheap steamer and railway fares. Visitors by steamers are still/ arriving in large numbers. Of three boats which arrived from tho . North yesterday the Mararoa brought 660 excursionists, the Pateena 154, and tho Manuka 283. The principle features of tho day were the organ recital by Dr. Biarlshaw, the orchestral concert', and the combined performance by Fijians and Maoris. Over fourteen hundred persons witnessed the performance by the natives. Representatives of Hawke’s Bay natives and of those who came before them made speeches, in which they expressed regret for the impending departure of the Fijians. Dr. Buck transited their remarks into English, and the reply of Ratu Ifcrmi ou behalf of the ‘Fijians was translated by Mr. W. A. Scott. Ifcrmi welcomed the new natives to the Exhibition, and cups of kava, the Fijian national drink, were then offered to the leading Maoris, by whom their contents, or partial contents, were swallowed with laudable o-rimaces. The Maoris then danced, a number of HnkaS, war dances, and pois- in first-class fashion, and the Fijians gave exhibitions of tlicir fan and club dances, the latter of which concludes with a ferocious combat with clubs, as the result of which first' one side and then the other, and fina 11 v both, lie prostrate on tho field.' Much humorous by-play was imported, some of the Maoris entering immediately into the spirit of the joko, and adding a little touch of their own. Finally the members of both races squatted in company on tho ground, and the Fijians sang some of .their native songs. The whole contest was most picturesque and enjoyable. Lieutenant Bentley lias drawn up the programme of a military tattoo winch he suggests might be bold in die snorts ground on Friday evening nex. It is proposed that all -visiting bands shall take part, and the co-operation of Maoris and Fijians w : U be sought,' and also that of tiie cadets in camp, and a number of volunteers.' James Pain and Sons, of London, will supply fireworks to assist m making the effect as interpossible. Works in the British section of the Art Gallery are still being disposed of at satisfactory prices. Tho most important transaction recently has been the disposal of W. B. Leader’s £6OO oil painting ‘‘Southward from Surrey's Pleasant Hills,” to Mrs. S. A. Rhodes, of ' Wellington. Tho executive of tho Canterbury Band of Hope Union have arranged to hold the annual Eastor Monday demonstration in the Exhibition grounds. The demonstration, which usually takes the form of a picnic, combined with sports for tho childI roil, will be held in tho portion of

the Exhibition grounds west of tho sports grounds. As the Annual Conference of Toinporunco Societies is held in Christchurch at Eastor, it is expected that tho demonstration, particularly on account of tho Exhibition, will bo tlio largest) over witnessed.