Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1900.

Manawatu Herald, 10 July 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1900.

The Mercantile Record has compiled a list of fires in May and June, from which it appears the loss to insurance companies has teen £96,180. There were no less than 55 fires last month and 26 in May, the larger numbcj being in the North Island. Lasmonth eight "hotels were burned and four in May were destroyed or damaged.

Messrs R. Bruce (Opposition), and Remington (Government), are spoker of as intending candidates for tb( Patea seat+ ivhich will become vacant shortly through Mr G. HutchisonV departure to South ,Africa t ... ,

News has been received of the death in the South Island- of Mr Fancourt, a well known commercial traveller of this colony. SonVe years ago deceased represented Strachan and Co., oi Diinedin." ■-•-••

During the hearing of an assault case in the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday counsel was en deavouring. to ' elicit" from a witnes; that he was liable to lapses frorr sobriety. The witness replied : "I; you can prove that I've been inside a public-house for six years past I'll give you all r&ave in the world — and that's 2s6d.

Mr Stanseli, who has been organist of St. Mary's English Church at Levin, has been . presented with a purse ol sovereigns in recognition of his valuable and devoted services.

Major Liddell, of Feilding, has purchased Mr Bartholomew's property iiLevin north and intends residing there in future. „

A well-known publican . named Dowling, at Maclean, Sydney, inflicted fearful injuries on his wife and niece with a tomahawk. The latter is in n precarious state, and the wife's condition is serious. It is supposed Dowling suddenly went mad, owing to ill - h.ealth.

At thg.Ttmaru S.M. Court, a country labourer was fined 20s and costs foi disturbing school. He objected to hu 'children being given dictation lessons by a monitor, and told them to refuse to take them. They obeyed ther father and the master sent them home. Defendant went to the school and abused the master for sending the children away and for not giving all lessons himself. The committee had .had the matter before them, but defendant refused to apologise, and the Teachers' Institute took the matter up.

" The Aratapu lock-up, in the Auckland district, was burned down at four o'clock the other morning. A prisoner named William Alfred Stanway, arrested on a charge of house-breaking and gum stealing, was burnt to death. The cause of the fire is unknown. Stanway was a heavy smoker, and must have hidden matches. The fire started inside the lock-up.

The Government has received in telligence of what appears to be another suspicions case of plague at Auckland. A woman was sent to the hospital there supposedly suffering from acute pnenmonia, but she complained subsequently of a swelling under the arm. and the glands are enlarged. The suspicion is that it is a case of plague. The woman is seriously ill, and not likely to recover.

The Official Assignee in bankruptcy gives notice that certain chattels arc for sale in the estate of Joe Tos, and tenders will be l'eceived up to noon of Friday next.

On our first page will be seen the altered advertisement of the Te Aro House Drapery' Co., in which they direct attention to the show they have of all win tor novelties and the necklets being specially cheap.

The return of business done in the Magistrate's Court for the quarter ending 30th June shows that the number of cases heard by the Stipendiary Magistrate were 22, and by Justices 7. The aggregate amount sued for was£"3l3 2S 2d and £152 6s lid was recovered. The amount of civil feif paid was £29 19s, and in criminal feef /8 4s, and fines £25. There were 46 persons summarily convicted and none committed for trial. .

Before Alf. Eraser, Esq., J.P., yes terday, William Michie was fined ss. and costs 7s, for lining insulting and threatening language in the Main street on the 7th inst.

Mr J. R. McLennan has offered his Oroua Downs Estate of 8300 acres to Government at £6 an acre. The land is six miles from Foxton, the SandonCarnarvon tramway passes through the middle of it, and it abuts on the. Pal merston Foxton line, so that it is well situated tor closer settlement. The estate could probably be subdivided into from 30 to 40 farms. — Advocate.

Sir Frederick Hodgson, Governor of Ashanti, who has been besieged at KumaSsi, has conveyed information to Major Willcocks, commander of one of the relief columns, that he with si» s hundred native troops, left Kumassion June 23, marching via Namping, to the coast. Some constabulary officers were left .with the- garrison, .which, numbered one hundred native soldiers, provisioned till the 15th inst.

There was a singular case before the Magistrate's Court at Auckland on Friday. Fort, on behalf of self and other?, sued Direy for money lent under circumstances alleged to be as follows :— Direy said he wanted to go Home to establish a claim to £i,0b0,"---000 in Chancery, and iii return for advances granted deeds of assignment covenanting to pay £10 for every £i borrowed in the event of his claim to the money in Chancery being made good. Two witnesses stated that* they collected over £140 to pay the defendant's passage Home. He did not s;o Home, and had spent the money. The claim before the Court was for £40, representing original sums advanced by "some half-dozen lenders. The defence has not been heard, the case not being finished.

Dr Mason, who is playing so prominent a part in plague matters just now, came out ta New Zealand only a few years ago in what was supposed to be an advanced stage of consumption. Qtaki air made a new man of him. It is not generally known, tbgf, besides being a clever medico, he also qualified for the British bar.

A few days ago the Premier cabled ' to the Secretary of State for the Colonies offering to pay for better accommodation and attendance for the invalid members of the New Zealand contingents in South Africa. Mr Cham • hnrlain has replied that there has been -orne reason for complaint, owing to the emergency that arose, but that everything is now going on all right. He thanked the New Zealand Governnent for the, offer it had made to' pay the cost of attendance and accommodation that might be necessary, but the Imperial Government, under the circnnr'tancp''. was not prepared to accept the offer. :

The " Mercantile Record " has pron >unced strongly in favour of the ext -nsioh of the business of the Australian Mutual Provident Society to England. It summarises the arguments advanced in favour of the society opening in London, and concludes its remarks ■>n the project by saying that " the ipposition to the extension is puerile md short-sighted, .and policy-hoMers vill be acting very unwisely indeed in voting against the proposal."

The • Flax Commissioners now in nd have received various suggestions for improving flax-dressing. Tney remain in that vicinity for about a week. They state that they have seen very poorly-dressed flax shipped, and advocate the grading of flax for export by Government.

The London "-Dairy Chronicle " says : — The North German Lloyd line 6 determined to lower the Atlantic record, and it is more than likely that the new steamer which the Vulcan Shipbuilding Company is to complete by next year will do it. Twenty-five knots an hour is the speed contracted -for, and the run from land to land is to be accomplished in 'several honrs under five days. Xhe.new.vesselwiH.be 752 ft. in" length— the biggest ship ever launched. If vessels increase much more in length passengers will find, to their astonishment, when they have walked from their cabin to the dining ;alobn, that they have crossed the Atlantic on. foot.

Some highly appreciative references to the colony of New Zealand were . nade by the Right Hon. Mr Chamber am in his speech in the House ot Commons in introducing the Comnonwealth Bill. In the Morning Post >f May 15th Mr Chamberlain is reported as saying : — " I do not hesitate to say that Her Majesty's Government md the people of this country are inder special obligations to the Government and people of New Zealand. (Cheers.) Of all the colonies, all the oossessions of Her Majesty, including Zanada and all the colonies of \ustralia— l am excluding the colonies ; n South Africa — New Zealand, in proportion to her population, supported he largest contingent to aid her Majesty's forces, and made the greatest sacrifices. (Cheers.) I mentioned this matter in the House a few days ngo. I find I then under-estimated what they had done. I am told that according to population the New Zealand contingent in South Africa is equivalent to an army sent from this country of 107,000 men. Ido think that is a most* extraordinary proof of affection and regard for the Mother Country,"

Mr B. G. Gower has been appointed agent for the Official Assignee, and has a small number of garden implements :?nd tools for sale. i