NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8347, 6 February 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Out of tho profits made by the magazine issued by the Primitive Methodist Church, over £IOOO has been voted to Ithe home mission fund of tho church to aid work in tho backblocks. A reminder of tho sanguinary intoiv Itribal encounters of the North Island Maoris is to bo seen among the sand dunes of Titahi Bay. Heavy winds have .blown away the sand covering half a dozen skeletons. Tho bones are apparently very old and tho local Maoris have not interested themselves in tho matter, though the gruesome collection is doubtless all that is left of tbo victims of an old-time fight. The remains are on native land leased to a pakeha farmer. Maoris have a partiality for burial near the sea coast, and it was a common custom to carry their dead tong distances fq comply With this wish. For tho fifth year in succession tho Raglan County Council has collected ■all its rates (land occupied by natives not being placed on the rate book). For the year 1912-3 the, total of all rates was £6377 9s Sd, for which rate demands were posted on August Ist, 1912, and the last lot of rates was paid on February 4th, 1913. It is indeed hard, says a correspondent, on the European ratepayers, who pay up so promptly, to see natives practically exempt from rating owing to the present cumbersome and defective law governing the enforcement of tho payment of rates duo by natives. The steamer Matatua, which arrived at Auckland from London on Monday eight, had a valuable consignment of cattle and sheep on board for the Dominion. Included in the shipment are two pedigree Jersey bulls and throe pedigree Jersey heifers for Mr J. 11. Corrigan, of Hawera. Tho animals (says the “Herald”) were selected by Sir Corrigan in England. Other animals in the shipment were a Clydesdale stallion and mare far Timaru; six heifers and a hull for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited; 12 prize sheep and two prize rams for Wellington. Despite the fact that the Matatua had an exceptionally rough voyage the animals all arrived in first-class condition. Mr G. R. Joyce, of Timarn, formerly oi Invercargill, has just received an interesting letter from his eldest son, who is at present at Naraguta, Northern Nigeria. Mr Lionel Joyce, says the Timaru “Post,” is a young man of much courage and enterprise. He was atone time on tho Gold' Coast as a surveyor for the British Government, and then wont to Siberia, where he spent iwelve months among the miners looking for copper. He is now engaged at Northern Nigeria surveying the tin mines, which cover an of twelve square miles. Mr Joyce’s life has its exciting phases. Ho writes; “The pagans are fairly quiet just now, but now md again they take a notion for a feed of white man. Their last victim was a man I knew well on the Gold Coast; they tortured him to death, but were well punished, losing about 500 men , and women oyer the deal.” Mr Joyce also mentions that they were to have a race meeting at Naraguta -on Christmas Day, and that the population is about twenty whites and “goodneH knows hew many niggers."-

“Now Mr , you aro a brainy fellow,” observed Mr T. M. Wilford to a witness in a court of nautical inquiry yesterday. “I’m not so sure about that,” was tho prompt reply; “you ai ' ( ' tlio first one who has told mo so. The Wellington wool sale to-morrow is to commence at 10 a.m. Instead of 0 a.m., as had lx;en arranged, The brokers have made tho change at tho 'request of the buyers in order to allow time for valuation. At tho Supremo Court in Timaru yesterday, states a P’ress Association telegram, tho retrial was proceeded with of a charge of criminal assault on a boy, in which on Tuesday a jury disagreed. Evidence was adduced seeking to establish an alibi. Tho case was not finished whan tho court adjourned. In connection with tho fire at tho New Zealand Express Company’s premises, Herbert street, on Tuesday night, tho building is insured for £2500 with tho N.Z. Insurance Company, and tho Victoria office holds tlio risk on tho contents. Messrs Macky, Logan, Caldwell, and Co.’s stock on the top floor (totally destroyed), was insured for £IOOO. Tho Hugard Magician Company’s losses in tho firo at tho New Zealand Express Co.’s store on Tuesday night are not as heavy as anticipated. A portion of tho paraphernalia had been sent on in advance and stored on tho ground floor. Tho firo, however, did not roach it, and tho only damage done was through tho water playing on eomo of the Chinese scenery. The main portion of Hugard’s effects arrives to-mor-row from Dunedin. A meeting of tho entertainment section of tho Easter Carnival was held last evening, Mr J. Dykes presiding. It was decided to hold a popular concert in tho Town Hall on Saturday, March 28th, when tho art union will bo drawn. Tho arrangement of tho draft programme was loft to a sub-oom-mitte© consisting oT Messrs J. Dykes, E. A. Keenan, and J. Hislop, who will report at an early date to the general committee of tho section. Just before 9 o’clock last night tho fixe brigade was called to suppress a fire at 60, Owen street, a six-roomed, one-story honso, occupied by Mrs Annie Gallagher. Tho dining-room and contents wore destroyed, and tho kitchen and contents were damaged considerably. It is thought that tho outbreak was attributable to tho ignition of some linen, which was being aired before an open fireplace. The amount of the insnranoes was not ascortamablo last evening. Some time ago a committee consisting of tho Hons. W. F. Massey and R. H. Rhodes, and Mr G. W. Russell, M.P., was constituted to make a recommendation in regard to tho position of medical superintendent of tho .Auckland Public Hospital. Last evening the Hon. B- H. Rhodes informed a “Times” reporter that the committee had received upwards of thirty applications for the position, and this number had been reduced to four, for further consideration. Tho final selection would probably hi made at an early date. A witness in a nautical inquiry at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday caused eomo merriment by has naive replies. Ho had just been reminded, by one of the assessors,, of his duties and responsibilities in case of tho death, disappearance, or incapacity _of tho master of tho ship. “Supposihg the captain jumped overboard, you would then have to take charge of tho vessel,” observed the Bench. “How would yon be able to define tho position of tho ship?” "Ohl I’d know where he wenc overboard,” was tho nonchalant reply, unmindful of stars or sextant or the lights that twinkle along tho coasts. The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Wellington, which are usually held on tho nearest Saturday to St. Patrick’s Day, wore set down for Saturday, March 15th, A special meeting of the joint committee was convened for Tuesday evening to consider an alteration in the date. It was pointed out that the lifo-saving and aquatic gala in connection with the citizen’s carnival, which is to bo held on March 15th, would act as a counter attraction, and might militate against the success of both functions. Tho St. Patrick’s Day celebration committee unanimously decided that as a considerable portion of the community interested in tho day’s celebrations is desirous of wholeheartedly supporting the object of tho carnival, it would alter its date from Saturday, 15th, to Monday, March 17th.