NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 30

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

AUCKLAND. During February the Customs duties collected at Auckland came to £69.732 15s lid, ten increase of £1894 15s 4d on the previous February. Robert Gibb, a quondam hotelkeeper at Neavesville, who was brought back from Honolulu last year, and who in August was sentenced to nine monthfe.' imprisonment for false pretences, was brought before MiKettle, S.M., on the 4th, on a charge of being an absconding bankrupt. Mr Hackett (Gibb's counsel) contended that ac- j cused could not be charged for an offence ' committed prior to the one for which he had been extradited until he was allowed to return from the country in which he had been extradited. The prosecuting counsel said that Gibb was noi extradited, but returned voluntarily. The magistrate expressed the opinion that it was a case of trying to catch a prisoner again as he came out of gaol, the sentence having about a fortnight to run. Under the circumstances he convicted; and ordered the accused to come up when called upou. The annual report of the Auckland Scriptural Gift Association, which was submitted and adopted at the last meeting, referred in terms of the sincerest regret to the continued disallowance of simple Bible read- :- ing in the national schools, the fruits of which the committee regarded as being manifestly injurious to the truest welfare of the Dominion. With a painful regularity, it was stated, week in week out, cases of juvenile crime were appearing at the police courts, while such as remained hidden from public view must of necessity be proportionately numerous. In consequence of five cases of measles on the Government training ship Amokura, that vessel has been quarantined. The patients are landed at Motuihi, under the care of the District Health Officer. The proceeds of the Dominion Fair in aid of St. Patrick's Cathedral were over £1500, and the net return is expected to be about £1200. The West End Rowing Club crew, which won the Dewar Shield at the Rotorua carnival regatta, had a perilous adventure in Auckland harbour on the 6th. When returning to the shed after a spin, a heavy sea swamped the gig. The accident happened not far off Shelly Beach beacon. The coxswain (H. Elliott), who is an expert swimmer, struck out for the shore. The sea getting ■very rough and darkness setting in, Elliott became alarmed. Though the gig had drifted a long way off shore (the crew having stood by the boat for fear of losing it), one of the four (F. Baker) swam to the rescue. As he is a powerful swimmer, it -was due to his magnificent effort that the coxswain owed his life, for when [ Baker reached him Elliott was completely exhausted. G. Tyler, of "All Black" fame, I at considerable risk rowed out in a dingey and brought both men safely ashore. A dingey from a yacht rescued the" three members of the crew who had stuck by the gig, which, owing to the roughness of the sea, was abandoned. . At the Auckland Court on the 6th Walter Cowan, builder and contractor, was charged with several breaches of the Bankruptcy Act, including six charges of inoumng various liabilities without reasonable hope of being able to pay them, and one of failing to deliver books into the custody of the Official Assignee when requested to do so. Accused, who elected to be dealt with summarily, pleaded guilty to all the charges, and was sentenced to 6ix months imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently. One box of bullion, valued at £3990, for the National Bank of New Zealand, was shipped by the Zealandia for Sydney. Frank George Rhodes, bush contractor, broke his leg while jacking logs in the ! Peria Bush at Whangaroa on the 6th, and died shortly afterwards. He left a wife and ! six young children. TARANAKI. A New Zealand invention,^ which it is said will further popularise locally-manu-factured boots, :s: s being used in a Taranaki factory in the shape of a new cusnion I spring heel, internally fitted. After ex- ! tensive tests by medical men, the polico, ! and others, the invention hae been pronounced a great success. Special plant for the manufacture and fitting of the new ! heel is now being installed. POVBRTT BAT. ' Large crowds of Natives are travelling through Hastings en route for Waiputu Pa to attend a tangi being held on account of the death of Pene Te Ua, a chief of the Neatikahunguna tribe. The deceased I fought for the British in 1868, and has always been a most staunoh friend and loyal subject. He was a trusted friend or the late Sir Donald M'Lean. Natives from Gisborne, Taranaki, Waika*o, and Wairarapa are expected to attend the tangi. HAWKE'S BAY. The Telegraph gives currency to a report that Mr Bent, Premier of Viotona, ib engaged to be married to a widow of an old settler in this island. WELLINGTON. A lifebuoy was found on the beach at Helena Bay on February 28, with " s.s ; Whangape, Union Company, Dunedm , painted on it. It had not been long in the water. There is no sign of wreckage. The police have gone to searoh the coast. The buoy having been found on the day previous to the Whangape's arrival at Auckland from Newcastle disposed of any fears as to the steamer's safety. The Whangape was in Auckland on February 28. | The police raided a boarding-house at j Utiku. alleged to be a sly-grog shop, and discovered a quantity of whisky, beer, etc I Several orcnardists were charged at Palmereton, N., with breaches of the Garden Pe.«ts Act. Mr Innes, on behalf of the department, said that a nominal fine only was asked for, it being hoped that the cases | would act as a warping to orchardists who j failed to spTay their trees for codlin moth } and other pests. Defendants were each fines 5s and costs. The estate of the Rev. Archdeacon Williams, of Hawke's Bay, hai> been proved for stamp duty at £429,466. The Wellington Master Bootmakers' Association has decided to raise the prices of boot repairing. J On a creditor's petition, the Publio Ser- j vice Co-operative Stores were ordered to be wound up on the §th inst. The magistrate also appointed an official liquidator. Obakune reoorta that the police raided __

a, shop there on the 4th, and seized 4 quantity of whisky. Palmerston North bakers are satisfied, id far, with the result of cash trading, which has been in operation for the last two, weeks, and they are of opinion that it is only a matter of time before it will be adopted throughout the Dominion. Ond prominent baker states that the new system has made a difference of £40 cash takings in .his favour during the past week. A married woman, Mra J. Roper, wag found in an outbuilding at the back of her residence with a wound in her throat and a razor alongside of her. Hopes ara entertained that the woman will recover. WEST COAST. The coal output for February by tK* Westport Coal Company was 48,752 tona 7cwt; by the Seddonville State colliery, 4235 tons 2e\vt. CANTERBURY. Heckecher, a German, was fined £10 and costs on the 3rd for kicking one Willesden downstairs, causing him bodily > harm-. Heckscher had advertised" for canvassers fon the Widows' Fund Life Aesuranoe AssociiU tion. Out of 30 applicants He selected four, Willesden being one, and held a class ofi the four to explain the operation of a certain insurance table under which can* vassers have to work. Willesden did noti understand the details readily, and- asked questions. Heckecaer lost I'is temper, ancf committed the assault. He did not appear; in court, but was represented by counsel; who pleaded jruiltj for him. Half the^fine was ordered to ffo to Willesden. A fire police corps for Christchurch hal been formed. The Mayor said that the. meeting Vas called at the request of the Fir* Board. The big fire of the previous month had demonstrated absolutely the need of & body of fire police, the presence of which would have saved thousands of pounds' worth of property. Many premises wera broken into and looted in times of fire btf unauthorised persons, and it was most desirable that salvage work should be done bjl people who were recognised. I Hugh Mullins was sentenced to 14 day* concurrent on two charges of attempting to induce a fireman to desert from $he Arawa at Wellington on Thursday. This is the first case of the kind under the Shipping and Seamen Act.