NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 760, 27 November 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Mayor.—We are glad to be able to record that his Worship has recovered from his recent severe illness, and is again able to attend to his official duties. Town Hall for Wellington.—At a meeting of the City Council last week it was resolved that a Town Hall and Corporation offices be erected. Master Bakers’ Meeting.—The adjourned meeting of master bakers interested in holding the annual picnic, will be held at the Golden Fleece Hotel, to-morrow evening, at half past seven.

Marriage Act.—lt is notified in the Gazette that a corrected list of officiating ministers, within the meaning of the Marriage Act, 1854, must be sent to the RegistrarGeneral during December.

Commercial Intelligence.—According to the latest telegrams from Europe, the prices of three of our colonial products continue to improve. Wool is very firm with a vigorous competition ; wheat has advanced, and New Zealand hemp is once more coming into demand. Very Sudden Death.— Mr J. Gaul photographer, Colombo street, died very suddenly this morning about ten o’clock. He had been talking to some friends between nine and ten in the shop of Mr Fleming, tobacconist, and then proceeded upstairs to his gallery. About ten minutes to ten a young man in one of the upstairs apartments observed Mr Gaul to become suddenly indisposed, and sit down on a chair, and in a few moments he was dead. There are various conjectures as to the cause of death, but the whole particulars will doubtless be made known at the inquest which will be held to-morrow. Bachelder’s Panxascopb,—The afternoon exhibition was largely attended by juveniles on Saturday, who were loud in their demonstrations of pleasure as the various pictures were displayed. In the evening there was also a good attendance, and the exhibition passed off very satisfactorily. The pantascope will be exhibited this evening, and as this is the last week no doubt it will be well patronised during the remainder of its stay, As will be seen by advertisement in another column, the management intend giving several gifts during the last week of their stay here. The Eastern Question.—Elsewhere we publish European news to November 16th. Turkey has agreed to a conference on the affairs of the empire, in compliance with the urgent demands of the great powers. Russia’s demands on Turkey have been made public. They are that the provinces shall be ruled by Christian Governors, that the officials shall be selected from the natives of the districts, and that a permanent consular commission shall be appointed to supervise the Government of the provinces. It is also demanded that the Circassian troops be expelled. The Skating Rink.—There was a large attendance of spectators at the Skating Rink on Saturday evening, including a number of ladies. Mr Taylor and Lillie gave some very pretty exhibitions of their skill on the roller skates. The former was especially good, some of the feats executed by [him being such as might fairly be deemed impossible. He was -deservedly loudly applauded. Several new beginners afforded considerable amusement to the lookers on by the regularity of their falls, but the majority were those who have attended every evening since the opening of the rink, and now skate remarkably well. Death of Mr Hursthouse.—The New Zealand Times says;—“ We regret to record the death of Mr C. F, Hursthouse, who had been for some time in the Mount View Lunatic Asylum, He died on Wednesday evening at 6 o’clock. Of late bis disease took the form of violent convulsions; and during the two days before his death he was in a state of almost total unconsciousness. Mr Hursthouse was a prolific writer, and as an immigration agent was very successful. Of his works, the best and most generally known is that entitled “ New Zealand, the Britain of the South.” He was of a kindly disposition, and his death will be regretted by many." Rates for Wool on Railways.—The following additional rates for the carriage of wool on the Canterbury railways have been made:—Rates for double-dumped wool— For distances of 100 miles and upwards, one penny and one-fifth, per double-dumped bale, per bale. The above rates are in force on the following railways :—Line of railway from Lyttelton to Christchurch ; lines of railway from Christchurch to the Waitaki; branch line of railway from Racecourse to Southbridge ; branch line of railway from Rolleston to Sheffield and White Cliffs; branch line of railway from Main Line to Waimatc; branch line of railway from Washdyke to Opawa, Property Sale —Messrs H, Matson and Co held a sale of various properties at their rooms, Cashel street, ou Saturday, There was a good attendance and biddings for some of the lots were exceedingly spirited. The following were submitted : Bight building plots near Addington railway station fetched £33 each; 200 acres at Ashburton, about two miles from railway station, sold at £3 an acre to Mr Peter Campbell. Allandale estate, Waikari, the property of Mr A. K. D. Tosswill, consisting of 1147 acres, purchased by Mr H. F. Gray, at £4 15s an acre ; 220 acres of the Avonhead estate, at Upper Riccarton, were withdrawn at £3O an acre. A section of land in Madras street, near the railway station, with four cottages thereon, was passed in at £950. L.O.L. —A new lodge of the L 0.L., No 24, Walker’s No Surrender, Purple Heroes, was opened on Friday evening. It is intended to have a formal opening of the lodge in the Orange Hall at an early date. W.M. Bro Whatley occupied the chair, the Deputy Master’s chair being filled by Bro Duncan. The lodge was opened in due form. The officers elect of the new lodge were then duly installed by G. Sec Bro Tribe as follows W.M., Bro Whetley ; D.M., Bro Duncan ; secretary, Bro J. Whetley; tresurer, Bro vrllroy, and six names were proposed for initiation at next meeting. Three visiting brethren handed in their certificates, and became members of the new lodge. The lodge having been duly closed, the brethren adjourned to refreshment, when the usual loyal and fraternal toasts were proposed and done honour to. The health of the R.W.G.M. Bro Anderson was also proposed, and heartily received. The brethren separated at an early hour, after spending a very pleasant evening,

Fire Bell.—We notice that the fire hell at the market place has been removed to the new station, Chester street. The Inquiry at the Industrial School, Dunedin.—The following is the rephrt of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the case of the girl Mary Dohig:—Dunedin, November 23rd, 1876. “ Sir—We have the honor to inform yon that, in compliance with your request, we yesterday held an inquiry at the Industrial school as to the alleged ill-treatment of the girl Mary Dohig, an inmate of the same, committed for larceny. There is no discrepancy in the evidence which is of the slightest importance, if we except the different account given by the girl to her father (according to his statement) that the handcuffs had produced the sore upon her leg, from that given by her to us which last we have no doubt is the truth, as it is borne out by the other evidence—viz, that the sore on her leg was caused by a cut from the glass as she was escaping through the broken window of the bathroom, We find then, the essential facts to be few, and as follows :—That the girl is ten years of age, and of a very exceptionable temper and character. That she was received into the school on the 25th October last, That without cause she absconded on the 28th of the same month, and was returned to the school by her father the following day, when he asked the master not to punish on that occasion, but to do so if she ran away again. That without cause she again absconded on the 31st of the same month at seven o’clock in the morning, and was found next day by the school attendant, Russell, at her father’s house, and brought back to the school. That for her insubordinate conduet she was, on her return, chastised with six strokes of a light willow rod or stick, and sent to bed. (That on the following morning the master took her into the bath-room, intending to confine her there if he could not persuade her to promise not to run away again. That she would not so promise. That after reasoning with her for some time without effect, he put a pair of ordinary small handcuffs npon her legs to prevent her escaping, whilst he went for tools to mend a hole in the partition through which she might otherwise get out when locked up. That in his absence the girl broke the window, and, manacled as she was, escaped.- That in getting through the broken window she cut her left ankle with the glass. That the cut became a sore, nearly an inch long and half an inch wide. That very soon after she was missed, and search made until she was found hiding in some tussocks about 300 yards from the road. That from this, the Ist, to the 19th instant (when she last absconded), she was fastened every night by her ankle in the manner following:—A short length of chain—about lOin long—had at each end locked to it one of the two pair of ordinary handcuffs. One of the other two cuffs was fastened to her right ankle, the ether to her neighbor’s bedstead, which was moved alongside for the purpose. The whole weight of the chain was thus supported by the two beds, none of it depending or causing any weight npon the girl whilst in bed, during which time only the fastening was applied. That no other ill-treatment has been complained of. That the treatment of the girl has been otherwise gentle and kind, and that her physical appearance confirms the same. That there is no day nor night cell for refractory patients in the building. We are of opinion that by chastising the girl with the rod the master was not guilty of any indiscretion or harshness. Also, that if guilty of harshness in fastening the girl at night in the manner above described, it is only in thoughtlessly continuing for nineteen days an improvised fastening, which might be justifiable on an emergency, but we cannot acquit him of great indiscretion in continuing to use means and instruments, however cautiously and humanely applied, calculated to excite public sensation, and cause this otherwise unnecessary inquiry. Also, that the slight injury the girl has sustained is due directly and primarily to her own violence and insubordination, and only secondarily to the in part unwise treatment of her in the continued use of the handcuffs. Before we conclude we would respectfully draw your attention to the evidence of Mr Hislop and Dr Burns, more especially that of the former to uniform kind and humane treatment of the inmates cf the school by Mr Titchener ; and also to the desirability of providing a day and a night cell for the proper restraint, when necessary, of refractory inmates of the school,” ii in m ii ii ---- '■