TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2051, 11 April 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, yesterday. The Taranaki Petroleum Company lias purchased a pumping plant to clean out the Birthday well. It hopes to have the bores clear within a month. Five thousand contributors’ shares have been placed under offer to an outside syndicate for a fortnight. At No. 4 bore record, boring lias been accomplished, 51 feet having been sunk in one day. The bore is progressing well.

PAHIATUA, yesterday.

At a large gathering last night the Hon. Mr. McCardle was presented with an address from the settlers in recognition of his work on local bodies and particularly on the Land Board. Mrs. McCardle received a silver tea service from the ladies.

CHRISTCHURCH, yesterday

The man Smithcrs, who on Friday night attempted to murder Nellie Jackson, and his victim are still in hospital, making good progress to recovery. Smithers is in custody.

DUNEDIN, yesterday.

Frank Willis was charged with ob- i slructing the stationmaster at Dunedin on March 25th, the trouble arising over a dispute regarding a reserved carriage. Defendant caught the sta,tionmaster by the arm and hindered the performance of his duty. Defendant was fined 20s and 42s costs. At the invitation of the Southland Farmers’ Union, Mr Tom Mackenzie, M.H.R., speaks on the Land Bill at Wyndham on the 23rd, and at Otautau and Invercargill on the iollowmg nights. Asked his opinion on the matter of Dunedin’s alleged slums, Mr It. Breen, secretary of the Trades .and Laoor Council, said he agreed with Mr. Arnold, M.H.lt., that the difficulty that had to bo faced was in finding suitable places for the people. “There is no doubt about it/’ he admitted, that these squalid places in Walker and Stafford streets, and in many other parts of the town, want condemning. The question, however, is ■what is to be done with the people livin'' in them? We realise that the houses should be pulled down, and until they are able to deal properly with the question .of our slums the municipality would require to find other houses for the people to ocThe session of the Theological Hall of the Presbyterian Church opened with a roll of twenty-four students, snot including several students tor the Baptist and Primitive Methodist Churches. There are probably thirty students in the University; who are looking forward lo the ministry o ■the. Presbyterian Church and entering her Divinity Hall. At the Dunedin technical classes up to the present time 320 pupds J , * IVC enrolled for the ensuing winter s lessons. Of this number 142 nary paying students and 181 a.e free place scholars. Mr. Lawrence, the present ’ will probably, seek re-election. Other ■candidates are Councillors Gorge and Mr Donald Reid states he has no intention of contesting the Bruce scat at the general election.

AUCKLAND, yesterday. At the inquest on Curnow, the Wlmngarci bank manager, the evito the effect that had been worried about bis wo k 110 was on his way to the head office of S£-2fc trouble'. The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst in a state of unsound "‘in the Arbitration CoiirltlioFaim of Louisa Williams against t ic N ■' them Steamship Company for compensation for the death of her himWeebytery ... '“"j oJ from Miss Roberta Mitchell, of f lady to a homo mission circuit. It was resolved that the Presbytery ■express gratification at Miss Mitchell s % P Z, bit regretted they could not comply with her request. A private message has been r oeivetl, stating that the Melanesian mission steamer Southern Cross arrived at Norfolk Island gt 2 o’clock '■ *

yesterday afternoon. The steamer left Auckland oil Friday last, nnd experienced exceptionally heavy weather off the Three Kings. Her deck cargo of coal for coiisunipion on tlio voyage had to ho jettisoned. Bertha Victor, alias Levi, who appeared at the Police Court charged with drunkenness, according to tlio statement of the police sergeant, had boon masquerading in male attire. She was found drunk. Several persons, thinking she was insensible, endeavored to restore animation by artificial respiration. They failed, and called a doctor, who said the porson was drunk. He then liiado tlio startling discovery that the supposed man was a woman. She had previously masqueraded as a man in Sydney. Defendant, who appeared in Court in somewhat mixed attire, said, having failed to get work, she assumed male attire for that purpose, being able and willing to do man’s work. She was remanded to enable the Jewish llahbi to ho consulted.

Captain Jenkins, of tlio steamship Uueontaur. states that tlio weather was exceptionally had when ho called at Vancouver at the end of February. Owing to tlio snowing up of the trains no European mails had been received for a fortnight, and up till the Buccntaur sailed on March 7th trains were getting through with considerable irrogiitiirity. The Bticentaur shipped 700 tons of cargo at Vancouver for Now Zealand ports, all being picked up in the last few days. Some 2000 tons booked wore snowed up on tlio railways in the interior, and the Bueontaur had to depart without this freight. The Rondo, leaving Vancouver on April 28th. will have a large cargo for Now Zealand.

THE LAND POLICY.

AUCKLAND, last night. " Mr. It. McNab, Minister of Lands, arrived at Oneliuiign this morning, and after receiving a number of local deputations, left to' commenco his tour of districts south of Auckland. He reached To Awamutu this afternoon.

ALLEGED SHOOTING

DUNEDIN, last night. On March 31st a serious assault is alleged to have occurred at Romahapa. Isaac Hurring, a flr.xniill owner, is alleged to have assaulted Fredk. Field, laborer, kicking him, attempting to choke him, and dragging him along the railway line some distance, and afterwards, it is alleged, Hurring fired several shots at Field from a gun. He was arrested, brought before Justices at Balclutha. on Monday, and remanded to the Hth inst. on a charge of shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

AN ABSCONDER’S ARREST.

AUCKLAND, last night. Advice has been received by Inspector Cullen that Robert Gibb, late hotelkeeper at Hedvesvillc, Thames, was arrested at Honolulu on the arrival of the s.s. Sierra from Auckland, on a charge of 'obtaining £l2 from Alexander Johnston, licensee of tin Empire Hotel, Auckland, by means of false pretences. He was hrouglit before , the Honolulu Court, and remanded, pending the production of ail extradition warrant. A detective will be sent from Auckland by next boat in charge of the necessary documents.

FOUND DEAD.

INVERCARGILL, last night. William Morrison, an old age pensioner, aged 74, was found dead in h's house to-day. Ho had been attended for asthma by a doctor, who gave a certificate of death.

SUBSIDY FOR WEST COAST. HOKITIKA," last' night. At a meeting of the AVestland Milling League to-night it was definitely stated that a syndicate is prepared to go on with the Itoss flat development as soon as a satisfactory reply is received from the Government in regard to the subsidy, which is now anxiously awaited for by the whole district: If negotiations are satisfactorily arranged it will give a great impetus to mining in Ross dstrict.

' A WOMAN’S FREAK. AUCKLAND, last night. The woman Victor, who was before the Court to-day on a charge of masquerading in male attire, was convicted aiid ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.

FIRE BRIGADES ACT. FEILDING, last night. A poll was taken to-day under the Fire Brigades Act for the Feeding Borough. Not much interest was taken, but the adoption of the Act was carried by 58 to 10.

LABOR LAWSAt the Magistrate’s Court to-day All Wall was fined £1 and costs for employing a Chinese assistant after nine o’clock on Saturday night.

A SAD ENDING.

AUCKLAND, last night. An inquest was held today into Hie circumstances attending the tiagic death of Henry Curnow, late Manager of the Wlmngarci branch of the Bank of New Zealand, who allot himself with a revolver yesterday morning. Dr. Jones deposed that the cause of death was injury to the brain, the result of a bullet wound. Frederick John Oxley, traveller, sa id he heard the report, but took no notice of it until a young lady rushed up the road, and told him a man had shot himself. Witness quickly arrived on the scene, but the deceased was then dead. Ada Laura Curnow, wife of the deceased, deposed that for the last three weeks her husband bad appeared very despondent. She had thought he was worried about his work. He was on Ills way to the head office in Wellington. He had one occasion threatened to take his life.

In reply to the Coroner,- witness said that her husband's life was uninsured. During the. whole of the voyage from Wlmngarci lie paced up and down the deck. q p. DeCastro, brotlier-in-law ot the deceased, stated that Mr. Bucketon, the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, went up to the house yesterday, and stated that if Curnow had left Whangarei to go to Wellington on bank business, he could not have been in Ins right m ;,ul, as lie must have known that it meant instant dismissal. It was a most unusual thing to do. There had never been any domestic trouble (added Mr. DeCastro), and deceased and his wife had always lived together happily. Deceased had not seen Mr. Bucketon yesterday. The jury returned a verdict that the cause of death was injury to the brain, the result of a revolver bullet wound, self-inflicted whilst of unsound mind.

A J.P. INVERCARGILL, last night. C. E. Johnstone, a J.P. and Borough Councillor, was fined £5 at Riverton to-day for having used insulting language to Dr. Trotter. . r McCarthy, S.M., said lie would have to report the matter to the Justice Department,

A RUNNING MATCH. NAPIER, last, night. L. Cl. McLachlan, the well-known runnel', has received a cablegram fioni the representative of the Irish professional, Day, offering to make a match for gate or side wager. McLachlun cabled a reply that he was willing to make a mutch, and had forwarded conditions by letter.

A FIRE. DUNEDIN, last night. A five-roomed house occupied by R. J. Gadner, at lloslyn, was totally destroyed by lire this evening.. There was an insurance of £250 on the furniture and effects in the National office. The house was the property of Capt. Neville, of the U.S.S. Co. The insurance (if any) is unknown.

A WELLINGTON REQUEST. AVELLINGTON, last night. An influential deputation waited on the Minister of Justice, asking for additional court accommodation, and for tlio appointment of an additional Magistrate in Wellington. Mr. McGowan promised to bring the matter beforo Cabinet.

FOUNDERING OF PADDLE STEAMER. AUCKLAND, last night. An inquiry into the foundering of the woodon paddlo steamer To Aroha (50 tons), off Whangarei Heads on April Ist, opened this afternoon. The evidence showed that tlio vessel was bound from Auckland to "Waikato river-, via North Cape, and that she was leaking badly off Point Rodney. Cnpt. Mincliani, who had charge for the trip, said the seams under the covering board on the deck lia opened so wide that one’s hand could have been thrust in. He considered that the vessel was unseawortliy on account of certain repairs which had been ordered to bo effected not having been carried out. He went to sea on the assumption that the work ordered and charged for had been done. Had ho suspected that the repairs wore not dono he would not have gone to sea. Geo. Tee, engineer, said the vessel made smooth water after leaving Auckland. There was no pump attached to the engine, and a haiulpv.mp on the deck had broken down. Buckets wore used to bale the steamer out. Alex. Alison, manager of the Devonport S.S. Company, said the steamer, which had been on the slip for several years, was recently sold to E. Hallett, of Mercer, for £l5O, as she was with all hor faults. A surveyor was to say what repairs were necessary, and the company were to do it at Hallett’s expense. The vessel was soa worthy, but. she required nursing.” Henry Wotliorilt, Government surveyor, gave particulars of repairs ordered by him. He was satisfied that the vessel was seaworthy and lit to undertake a voyage by “nursing, but not to put to sea in long The'inquiry was adjourned until tomorrow.