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Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 827, 11 December 1900, Page 2

Reports of the Mercer Regatta and a meeting of the Pukekura Road Boird will be found on our fourth page. Messrs McNicol and Co. will hold their annual eheep fair ac Ohaupo on Wednesday, January 80th, 1901. Entries are solicited. The nominations for the Northern Maori electorate close on December. 19th at Kororareka aud the polling day has been fixed for January 9th. It is stated that a wealthy Sydney society lady has let her house in Msic-quarie-strcet for a fortnight during January, at a rental of £2OO per week. A woman in Melbourne who received S 9O aB n legacy, placed it under the kitchen floorcloth and went out. When she came back the house wa3 burned down. It is stated that the Maoris who own the land upon wuich Greymouth is built live in idleness and plenty at Arahnra, drawing about i'sooo a year from the land. On Saturday last the Pah Farm, Te Aroha, was offered for sale by Mr J. W, West, auctioneer, but failed to find a purchaser, the property being passed in to Mr Dovell at a bid of £550. The balance-sheet of; the Gear Company shows an available balance on the profit and loss account of £10,500. from which the directors recommend the payment of a dividend of ten per cent. Advantage has been taken of the presence of the Hon. J. G. Ward in Auckland to get that gentleman to address the electors. The matter has been arranged by the Liberal Association, ar.d Mr Ward will speak at Abbott's Open House next Thursday eraiing, when the Msyor (Mr D. Goldie) will preside. The sale of privileges in connection with the Te Aroha J.C. Hack Meeting, took place on Saturday last, Messrs McNicol and Co., auctioneers. The gates were brought for £l2 by Jno. Rowe ; grandstand and saddling paddock. £3 10*, P. Buine ; cards, £3 15s, \V. White ; publican's booth, £3, J. Gallagher; refreshment booth aud fruit stall, £1 11a, W. Pevreal. Mr O. F. Pilling, of the Waihou Hotel, Waihou, has disposed of the property to Mr .SlasHengor, of Paerou, who takes over ponsessiou at an early date. Mr Pilling, during his residence at Waihou, has taken an active part in all movements for the advancement of the district, and his departure will cause a gap which it will be very hard to fill. It is the intention of his friends to en'ertain him this cveuiog, ami we are sure there will be a large attendance, as " Frank " and Ids genial wife hive made many hwJs iu u)s district.

Horse-owners are reminded that nomiuations aud entries for the Alexandra Races close on Saturday next. Professor Jefchro Brown, Tasmania, has keen appointed to the chair of Constitutional Law and History at University College, London. A picnic party on the Longwood Range, near Invcrcargill, yctterduy discovered a skeleton. It is supposed to be the remains of an old man, named Sims, who was missed in November last year. The Glisborne natives are petitioning for a visit from the Duke and Duchess of York on the ground of loyalty in byfone days and because their district was the first place visited by Captain Cook. The Mokoia dredge, which was stranded at Westport in the big flood, has now been completely caulked and raised four feet, and is now resting on skids. It is expected it will be afloat in about ten days. The entries for the Hamilton Athletic Club's Boxina Day Sports on Sydney Square close with the Secietary (Mr C. J. VV. Barton), at Hamilton, tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. A number of runners and cyclists are on the Square every evening training, and no doubt the haudicappers have them " in their eye." A meeting of those interested in managing the United Sunday-school picnic to be heht at Cambridge on New Yoar's Day, was held in Victoria Hall last evening. Thero was a good attendance, Mr i'\ Brooks being voted to fe) chair, After a discussion lasting neprjy two hour 3 it was finally decided to supply tea, cups and saucers, etc. for visitors, but they must bring their own eatables. Several cases of false packing of wool came to light when buyers were passing wool after a sale at Timaru last week. A nice bright fine fleece or two had been neatly placed at the mouth of some of the bales, and so shewn to the buyers to value, but on examination of the bulk the hales were found to contain inferior wool, such as coarse and dingy crossbred fleeces, the result of which was that the wool was rejected and rightly too. Mary Henderson, who was convicted at Wellington of the manslaughter of Winnie Luke, on whom she performed an illegal operation, but was recommended to mercy by the jury, was sentenced on Saturday by the Chief Justice to seven years' imprisonment. The Court refused her counsel leave to ask the Court of Appeal for a new trial, on the ground tiiat the verdict was against the weight of the evidence, but Mr Wilford has sent notice to the Solicitor-Gene-ral applying for an order for leave to appeal, and has made a similar application to the Governor-in-Cauncil. The charge of abortion was deferred until the May sitting of the Court. > At a meeting of the executive of the Liberal Federation, held at Te Awamutu on Saturday, the President (Mr J. B. Teasdale) suggested that in recognition of his successful efforts in ths inauguration of the penny postage, the Postmaster-General (Hon. J. G. Ward) should be presented with an illuminated address, upon which the new issue of postage stamp should form a crest. The idea was taken up with the utmost enthusiasm, and ou the motion of Mr Teasdale, seconded by Mr H. J. Greenslade, it was unanimously resolved to make the presentation to the hon. gentleman upon the occasion of his contemplated visit to the district towards the end of January next. Subscription lists are to be at once forwarded to the various branches of the federation. At the Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth, Taihi Hoeraa, a Msioii chief, claimed £SO damages for breach of contract, or inethe alternative made a similar claim for breach of confidence, from G. H. White, photographer, for publishing the photo of a dead child in the Christmas Number of the Auckland Weekly News. Evidence was given to the effect .that the native rules are stringent, that all in connection with their dead is sacred or tapu, and that defendant was expressly iustructed not to part with any copy. For the. defence, Air Wickham, of the Auckland Weekly Naws, was called. He stated that he was present when the photo was taken and piid half the cost. The Magistrate gave judgment for defendant on the grounds that the plaintiff knew that Mr Wickham would publish the photo and made no objection. Mr W. J. P. Gaudin, who until recently was on the staff of the Poverty Bay Herald, was tendered a farewell socia', presided over by the Mayor, last Thursday evening, prior to his departure for Auckland. Mr Gaudin was the recipient of three presentations. In the course of his remarks, when returning thanks, he said that upon his arrival in Gisborue he had been struck by the small amount of attention given to that rich district from Auckland, which was losing touch with it, and in his capacity as special correspondent he had endeavoured to give it more prominence. The simple facts us to the steady advance made were sufficient to do that, the tables of exports, etc., speaking for themselves. He was firmly of opinion that in from 10 to 20 years Gisborne (tapping, as it did, such i fertile district), would have obtained the position of sixth city of importance in the colony.—Herald. The United States transport Abarenda arrived in Auckland from Apia at 5 a.m. yesterday, anchoring in the mau-of-war ground. During the pas-, sage the packing round the tail shaft became loose, and as the water was leaking in it was necessary to repack the shaft. This difficult work was promptly carried out under the direction of the chief engineer, Mr G, L. Russell, the vessel being put down by the nose so that her stern was out of water, and the packing was then replaced, most cf the work being done from the inside. Another stoppage was made the followiug day for an examination and tightening of the packing. The Abarenda will remain in Auckland for several weeks, duiiug which time she will be thoroughly overhauled in dock. The vessel will load 4000 tous of Westport coal for the Tutuila naval station before returning to Samoa. Mr Dillingham, American Consul, visited Commander Tillcy, and he wau also visited by Mr J, H, Witheford, M.H.R., Chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, by whom he was entertained at luncheon at the Star Hotel. On Saturday night, at the sale of work in connection with the Golden Jubilee of the Sisters of Mercy, which has been going on for the last few days at St. Mary's Convent, Ponsonby, Auckland, voting took place to ascertain who was the most popular priest iu the diocese, the prize to be a beautiful suit of vestments. The plebiscite resulted in a win for the Rev. Father Croke, of Kihikihi, who got G!l votes. Many ladies and gentlemen present took an active pirt in canvassing for their respective clerical favourites, and this caused great amusement. Mesdarnes Leonardo and Edward Lonergan were particularly active amongst othe:s for the Rev, Father Grolte, who was absent in his parish in Waikato, Mr ,1. J. O'Brien supervised the voting. The vestments consist of a Gothic chasuble, two rraniples, a stole, veil, and burse for the chalice, * The articles are extremely, beautiful and artistic. They are embroidered iu watered silk, having a bunch of grapes in basso relievo on the cross, on the back of the chasuble, also roses and leaves in gold iu basso relievo, on that and the others. It is one of the most beautiful and valuable suits of 1 vestments ever seen here.

Tenders are invited for certain privileges in connection with the Whatawhata race meeting on New Year's Day. It is also intimated that nominations for all events, which close on Saturday, may be left with Mr S. Tucker, tobacconist, Hamilton. They are preparing in America for great watch-night meetings to indier in the new century and bid farewell to 1900- There will be meetings in '27,000 cities and towns of America, aud at each there will be read messages to the New World from the chief personages of Europe and Asia. President Loubet, of France, has promised a message to Ameiica to be read on Watch Night, aud even the boy King of Spain has pledged himself to send greettni>s to the nation whose cannon so recently sent his navy to the sea-hottou. Mr Kinger is preparing u message, and Lord Roberts will be asked for one. It is practically certain that the Queen will grant the request, which she has already promised to consider. A mess'ige from the EmpressQueen is one chiefly desired by the Ameriouu people, fnr no one in the wo;hi is better qualified to pronounce upon the century past and to prophesy for the new. The Taieri Advocate is responsible for the following, which we can ooufirm, so far as the fact that notes wire found is concerned, having seen one of the notes referred to—" Courts Hotel, Rattraystreet, Dunedin, recently changed hands, and the new tenant immediately proceeded to make building alterations. In making the changes the position of the bar counter was changed. In the old counter the till used to fit into a 'recess in the wall. When the old till Was removed and the dado lining nulled down the recess was found to contain a big heap of what appeared to be waste paper, but which upon investigation proved to be bank notes which had keen chewed up into fragments by rats. Without exaggeration, it is safe to say that this pile represented hundreds of pounds. For years and years the rats had had the run of the till, and had been abstracting the notes for lining their nests. Only one note was recovered in a whole condition, and that waß a £1 note issued by the Commercial Bank. The note bears ths date of 1865. It is about thirty years since this bank closed its doors."