YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2097, 24 January 1908, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Press Association

AUCKLAND

No. 3 Auckland, Garrison Artillery arc holding competitive firing at present. Last night)’ out of 39 rounds fired by six-poundcr quick-firers, 32 wero hits, and Liejitomuvt Colled go’s gun team put up' a Dominion record for the year, scoring 10 hits out of 20, in 1 minute 30 seconds, with six-inch guns. This morning Captain ’Hazargotll hits out ol'T2 shots, in 0 minutes 55 seconds. There is hazy weather, but fair. Tluf-targets wore according to conditions,, and tho company is practically, suro of a grade first-class pass. The last of the series of six-inch will be fired to-mor-row. Other Garrison Artillery .companies and Field Artillery lire next month.

WAIROA

Last night, at North Clyde, Mr. Bibby, of Liehtwark and Bibby’s buck-jumping combination, met with an accident. In order to make a liorso buck lie pulled the reins, when to horse played up. and struck Bibby on the head and back' *• He wont on' for over ten minutes, apparently all l right, then ho dropped, and was taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition. Ho is still in a serious state.

NAPIER

The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, of London, cable: “Tho frozen meat market continues very weak. There is no improvement in prices.” WELLINGTON.

Referring to Now Zealand’s finances, the Premier, ill. ail interview, said the Dominion was in a remarkably satisfactory financial position. It fully justified the confidence the people generally had shown in a general way before that. Never in tho history "of the country—at least during his public life—had they been upon so solid a basis as to-day. From information he had received, there was no cause for fear that some people had expressed as to the tightnes of the money market. There was no scarcity of money in the Dominion, and, in addition, he had for some weeks received information from high official quarters in tho Old Country that there they did not expect, even in tho faco of tho American financial troubles, that money would continue, tight in London for any length of time. His advice was that, after March 31.st it was expected money would bo plentiful, and that rates would he very much lower than now. Tho Premier also quoted Cables that had passed between liimsclf and a largo business bouse in Australia. A cable from tho latter, received on tho 14th January, was as follows: “Are you open to receive largo sums for 4 per cent, debentures at par, payable and repayable at Sydney or Melbourne ; interest payable either place?” Sir Joseph replied: “Sorry cannot do business ; doing very much bettor.”

Mr. John P-atuki, of lluapuko Island, Foveaux Strait, lias offered tho Government a free supply of gran•ito of good quality for the now Parliamentary Buildings. Tho Government architect, is preparing sketch plans for members of Parliament to (jonsider, and when a decision is reached as to wliat is required, competitive designs will be invited. Three premiums will be offered. CHRLSTCHURUCH.

By the serious fire which occurred at the Christchurch Hospital yesterday the brick portion of the building at the west end was practically gutted. This contained the woman’s, children’s, and' men’s accident wards, and between forty ami fifty patients had to be removed with all possible speed when the outbreak was discovered, but no difficulty was experienced in getting all to a place of safety. A considerable portion of the furniture was also removed, so that the loss .will be confined, to the building itself. The outbreak was first noticed shortly before ten a.m., when one of the- •engineers saw smoke proceeding from a ventilator on the roof of the- brick building. The portion of the hospital situated at tho west end of the rambling lino of single storeyed wooden, wards was erected under the Hyman Marks trust, and was the only really modern portion of the Hospital buildings. It was a handsome structure in brick and .stone, with a big balcony looking north over the river, and contained two large wards, one on each floor, a smaller ward: for the children, and some rooms used for special oases. At the north end ivas a lift used for taking patients to the upper floor. The engineer climbed on to the roof under the impression that something was smouldering there, but when lie got to the ventilator he found it in flames, and tho alarmwas given at once. The fire would seem to have had .a fairly strong hold under the roof, for it spread rapidly both north and south, and when tho brigade arrived a few minutes later it had a strong hold over a considerable -area. In the meantime many willing helpers, under the direction of the matron and her staff, had commenced to remove the patients to a place- of -safety. 1 The women -and children wero taken down tho lift, and the nerves of some naturally suffered a little from the sight of the fire -and tho -smoke overhead. There were sixteen women and six or seven children, while from tho accident ward below 22 men had to be transferred. Tho women patients were at once provided with accommodation in the wards and rooms of the wooden portion of the Hospital, and -the men and boys wero temporarily placed in the long corridor, whence they were moved into the wards as space could be found. A good deal of the furniture from tho burning building was 'also moved to places of safety ,a large number of men taking part in the work.