The Northern News. — 1898-01-29 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DEATH OF MR. LAIRD.  Mr. John Laird, of the Birkenhead shipping firm of Laird Bros., died at 11-15 on Tuesday morning. Mr. Laird, whose 'illness was very brief, was a son of the late John Laird, member of Parliament for Birkwihead, and was 64 years of age. He was one of the founders of the Engineering Trades Employers' Federation, and he attended all the recent meetings of the Committee with regard to the engineers' dispute. Mr. John Laird, whose death at Birkenhead is just announced, was the victim some time ago of a singular mistake. It was announoed that a knighthood had been conferred on Mr. John Laird. and most people jumped to the conclusion that it was the head of the Birkenhead firm that had received the honour. It turned out, however, that there was another Mr. John Laird, at Glasgow, and that it was he who had received the Itonour of knighthood. The mistake was an unpleasant one for the Birkenhead owner of the name, for he was the recipient of many congratulations on an honour which had never been conferred upon ,im. Many people were surprised that Lord Salisbury did not at the first opportunity rectify an awkward blunder.  On Tuesday, Coroner Brighouse held an inquiry at Platt Bridge, relative to the death of Harry Slierrock, 38, bricklayer. While returning from Golborne on Saturday the deceased fell off his bicycle, his head coming In contact with the ground.. He was wee onnacious when picked up, and died the same asy. Death was due to concussion of the brain. A verdict of "accidental death" was returned. A Local Government Board inquiry was held at Burnley on Tuesday into an application by the Coy poration for sanction to a loan of £25,000 for extension of the electrio lighting station. The installstin was first introduced four years ago, and already nearly £30,000 had been spent on electrio works. The present application was rendered necessary by the oontinued large Frowth in the demand for the electric light in the different parts of the town. At a special meeting of the Morecambe District Council on Friday afternoon. Mr. H. B. Nichols. CE., of Birmingham, the successful competitor for the premium offered for the best system adapted for /lowering the district, attended to more fully explain the details of his scheme. This was fully discussed, and instructions given for the necessary preliminaries to be at once proceeded'with. The new septic system was also considered, with a view , to its ultimate adoption in the event of the Local ' Government Beard's decision being favourable. The provieion of a deetruotor was practically agreed on. Mr. J. M'Connell, a well-known merchant and town commissioner of Armagh, committed suicide on Friday. Mr. G. King, of Castle Farm. Becclea, discovered that someone had been cutting off the tails of a number of horses pastured on the land in his occupation. He communicated with the police, who arrested a tramp having the appearance of a fisherman, who, it was ascertained, had given a quantity of horsehair to a boy to sell for 9d. Further inquiries disclosed that a second individual, named Bird, was concerned in the outrage, and that other farmers' horses had been treated in like manner. Three boys who were offering horsehair for sale to a publican were detained. They stated that Bird had given it to them to dispose of for him. This Bird admitted. Both the tramp and Bird have been remanded for a week in custody. It is stated that the friends of Sir John Mowbray in the House of Commons will take a ruling of ihe chair upon the claim of Mr. Beach to be acknowledged "Father of the House." The Rev. John Hall, the well-known American Presbyterian minister, who recently resigned the pastorate of the Fifth Avenue Church, New York. which he had held since 1867, has decided, at the urgent request of his congregation, to withdraw hi, resignation. A report comes from Navan, Ireland, that a man who was attending some wedding festivities at Brownstown, was placed on a table, had paraffin poured over him, and was then set alight. He is in a precarious condition. Mr. James Stables, Lane Ends, Horeforth, has contributed 500 guineas to the building fund of the Leeds Hospital for Women and Children. About a year ago Mr. Stables gave £5,000 to the Leeds Infirmary towards the cost of the new Nurses' Home.