LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 2, 27 September 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The reception of The Dominion by tho public of Wellington yesterday was very gratifying, more especially as its final preparation for presentation to tho public was hurried in order to ponnit of tho publication of the paper on Dominion Day, and evidences of this haste woro not lacking. Wo owe an apology to those of our readers who expected to receive the paper at an early hour of the morning.. Circumstances necessitated a later issue than was intended.. Imt ; he initial difficulties havo now been overcome, and subscribers can look for early and regular delivery of their papers. Two nnfortunato misprints occurred in the admirable article contributed by the Chief Justico, Sir .Robert Stoat. In commenting on the contrast between the benefactions in tliis Oniony and in America for higher education purposes, Sir Robert wrote that 'in America these averaged 13,000,000 dollars a year. The fail re 1 was omitted, and tho amount thus reduced by 10,U00,0C0 dollars. He was also made to stato that our population was oiie-oighteenth, instead of ono-eightieth, of that of America.

At least one. person in made bold to embody tho gay colouring of Dominion Day in his own person. This was a.littlo man of ruddy cheek, qroying hair, and a lack-lustre eye, who paraded up and down the principal stroots of the city during the afternoon disguised, as many peoplo imagined, as n rainbow. Ho wore gaily-striped pantaloons, an old green cocked hat bedecked with as many feathers as would furnish a bird; and. clown bo-low, stockings and patent leather shoes, over which remarkable attire, ho wore a bright greoii sill: shawl. Svich clothes would havo undoubtedly created a deep impression ainoiiE tho native population at the founding of- the colony, Imt at the inauguration of tho Dominion the outfit was laughably eccentric.

Mr. J. N. Brown, .manager of the North Duncdin Branch of the National Bank, who is away on leave, and went to Vancouver by the Manuka, scorns to havo (says our Duncdin correspondent) become famous. Thero was a hubbub on board the steamer when tho officers went round collecting from passengers tho lfis. Bd. per head demanded for the privilege of landing: in America. The account to hand from an American source is that, although scvoral attempts were made to'collect the tax from Mr. Brown, ho defied tho officers of the vessel, and emphatically declared that as a British subject he did not intend to he treated as'a common Chinaman. Ho is the only alien passenger who succeeded in landing without paying tho tax. Professor David Starr Jordan, who was returning from a lecturing tour in Australia, became enraged over the demand, and declared that he would take the matter to President' Roosevelt. A two-storied wooden private hotel, which will contain thirty-five roornsi is being erected at Miramar North, opposite the main ontrance to " Wonderland." It is not intrauled to lay out Mirnmnr Athletic Park for some months. Already, over £2.000 has been expended on improving the property, which contains S3 acres. The work of constructing a grand-stand to accommodate 2500 persons is now in hand. . Tho spring is in the air, and tho howlers are already anticipating the green sward, the spotless "jack." aiid tho biassed bomb. The Wellington Bowling Club is to open its green on Saturday, tho sth prox., the Newtown and Victoria Clubs on the 9th (Labour Davi, and the Thermion Club on October 12.

The police requiro an owner for a sum of money found in Molesworth Street on the'2lst inst.

A Press Association message from Christchurch states that the Y.M.C.A. building fund has now reached a total of £10,437, £258 boing collected to-day.

Canadian oats nro being imported into Now Zealand in increasing quantities. The subsidised steamer Bucentaur, on hor last trip from Vancouver, brought 20065 sacks, and it is understood that succeeding vessels of the aume servico will bring a great deal more. Tho price of lo-cally-grown oats has reached a point liiakinig it possible for imported oats to find a market here.

The amount, which it was stipulated should be raised in New Zealand, for developing the Parapara iron doposits, is, wo are informed, fully subscribed, and the London underwriters of the projected company expect to have the balance of the capital, subscribed by the end of next month.

The Fire Brigade received a call at 9.3 last night to a two-story building, No. 210 Tinnkori Road, owned by Mrs. Loadlicstcr, of Northland, and occupied .by Messrs. Brown Bros., bakers and confectioners. The brigade arrived on the scene promptly and, getting to work, quickly confined the fire to the upper rioor of the the building. The first floor, consisting of four rooms, together with the contents, and the roof, wore severely damaged, and the rooms on . the ground floor and their contents wore damaged by water. The stock and fittings wove insro udraf

fittings were insured for £100 in the South British Company, and there was a policy for £100 on the furniture.

Several land slips on tlio Government Itaiiway Linn, in the vicinity of Mangatainoka and Mangamahoe, wort', rnsprmsiblo for the late arrival of the Napier train last evening. An intermediate train arrived at 8.10, but tho express did not put in an appearance until 10.34 p.m. Passengers hud to he transferred to another train at the slips.' It is hoped to have the obstructions cleared av.'ay t<>day . A wire from Masterton state.-} that the slip at Alangatainoka w:;.~ caused by tho sliding away of a huge bluff early yesterday morning. Gai>;:s of men were liard at work clearing away the mullock, but our correspondent was doubtful whether the slip could be' cleared for through traffic before noon to-day.

or not tho Wellington Yvatersidc Workers are to bo provided w;th baths, into which they can plunge gratefully after a day's lumping of coal and greasy hides, is a question that has yet to be decided, it should have come up at a meeting of the Harbour Board on Wcdnosday, Mr. Fletcher having given notice to move in that direction. But the Board were threshing out other matters in committee for nearly two hours and, when they resumed in open meeting, Mr. Fletcher was not anxious to wrestle with tho nine notices of motion that stood against his name. Accordingly he suggested that tho batch should be deferred for a special meeting. This was agreed to, Tuesday next being tho date fixed for the. meeting. In tho meantime, therefore, tho labourers' ablutions must bo performed in the old-fashioned way.

Some of the carters employed on tho'wharf feel aggrieved beeauso thi.y are not allowed to load up their vehicles at_ their own sweet will, regardloss of the horses' capacity' or the Harbour Board's by-laws. One of thorn was prosecuted recently, and tho whole question was' discussed at the meeting of the Doard on Wednesday on the initiative of Mr. R. Flct cher. When men were loading up scrap-iron W coal, it was praeticall. impossible for them to gauge the. amount exactly, lie urged. Tin Secretary (Mr. Ferguson) stated that he should not think- of prosecuting a driver where tho brooch was inadvertent. In the case referred to the man had overloaded to tho extent of s}cwt., and then, sftor being \rarned, had deliberately offended, again. Mr. Boanchamp pointed out that the matter had boon before tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and it was essential that the by-Jaws should bo observed. Where a man deliberately overloaded, he ought to hs prosecuted. Mr. Fletcher expressed bin >elf as quite satisfied after hearing the Secretary's statement.

Tho Government has decided to advance liaif the cost of three acres oi land which aro under offer to the Education Board as- a site for a now school at the Hutt. The total cost of tho land, which is situated on the eastern side of tho Hutt Hirer, is £2250. About £500 has now been collected towards tho fund for the construction of a gymnasium at Victoria College. This includes £250 given by an anonymous donor. About £900 is needed for the work.

_ Tho Nora Niven's trawling explorations on the West. Coast (says the Yi'ostport "Times") extended from the Hoaphy river as far down as ten miles south of Hokitika. Tho bottom proved tho best the steamer had trawi.\! over. Fish wero ' got evorywiove, but the quantities were not largo, and study requires to bo made of the seasons of tho various species. Tho varieties obtained include schnapper. t«rikihi, groper, king-fish, brill, English- sole, lemon solo, red cod, congereel, and skate. ,

Inconvenient' consequences very often arise as a result of holding deckled opinions without first ascertaining the facts of the case. An experience of this kind occurred to a 'Whan* jjarei yachtsman on Sunday last, according to the Auckland " Star.' When ssili;ig on the shallow side of tho Ned Kelly buoy, ho had an impression that tho boat had grounded lie rolled up his trousers and stepped .ivorboard, with calm assurance, to pus!" the yacht off, ar.d disappeared in twe fathoms of water. Av'hcn ho reappeared, with a lost look on his face. the yacht had inconveniently got out of roach, in rough water, and he .-(truck out landwards, gaining a two. Ho rcmainod in his uncomfortable position for a long time before being picked up.

At the last meeting of tho Onehunga Borough Council, says the Auckland ''Star," a report was received from jthe foreman of works in connection with the spreading of scoria by the ; borough workmen, and in tlio course jof his report tho foreman considered 'that if any of the councillors could 'not see through the explanation then ," a place should ho round for them in tho museum," the "Star" man naively adds. This called forth loud disapproval from the Mayor, Mr. Glanfiold, and others, as also did a subsequent portion of the report. Eventually it was decided that tho report he. roforrcd back to the foreman, with instructions that a report ho drawn up in tho proper form and couched in different language.

Lnst week (says the Taihape "News") the Postal Department heralded with a flourish of trumpots that through postal communication along the Main Trunk lino had been established. This statement was both premature and misleading. The TaihnpE postmaster, on inquiry, informed our representative that ho had received no advice to forward letters to north of Iloropito by the rail and coach route, and consequently nil letters for Makatoto, Itaurimu, etc., are still being sent round by way of Auckland, involving a needless delay in transmission of quite two days.

The Victoria College Council has decided to advertise in Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand inviting applications for tho position of Professor of Law, rendered vacant by the resignation of Professor Maclaurin. Mr. H. Gqudy, D.C.L., Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford University, and tho Horn W. P. Reeves, High Commissioner for the Dominion in London, will be asked to sift the English applications, and make recommendations to tno Council. Regret has been expressed in some quarters that Professor Salmond, formerly Professor of Law at Victoria College, is prevented, as an officer of the Civil Servico. from resuming tho direction of the law studies of tno College as a lecturer.

Tho "Manawatu Parmer," dealing with the question of increased taxation of the farming community, says tliat the Land and Income Assessment Bill presses unfairly on tho landowners. '' The Land Bill is too restrictive, and the tariff just adopted by Parliament increases the burdens of all those living on tho land. As the representative of farming interests on the West Coast of this island," 'says the " Farmer," wo protest against any increase of tho direct and indirect burdens put upon farmers. The danger ot falling markets creates quite sufficient suspense without having tho everaccumulating penalties of the Government imposed."

The recent controversy over the rise in tho price of kerosene is reminiscent of a time, years ago (writes our Wairarapa correspondent), when in the face of a threatened famine of the inflammable liquid, caused by the non-arrival of the Concordia, lull laden, two Masterton sheop-doalcrs conceived t'io idea of cornering the kerosene market in this district. . Some time previously the same two individuals .attempted, with disastrous results to themselves, to corner the Wavrarapa ram market on tho occasion of a ram fair; but it is difficult to understand why there tv.V men should have been stricken with notions on kerosene There is apparently no connection between rams and kerosene, except that botii i-iay be.deemed to be highly inflammable. It is recorded, however, thai the dealers entered upon their second venture with much enthusiasm, ami haught up about live hundred cases of the liquid, the remaining portion.' riT which represented single tins, conveyed from Chinese shops, at much physical effort by tlie operators. There was an opinion amongst many business (r.ople in Wellington that the Cokcordfa had gone down, and as kerosene continued to show a steady rise, the two dealers revelled in tho thougnis •jf a sudden accession to wealth. A few days later, however, the overdue ship sailed into Wellington harbour, and the dealers" 'pack of cards fell to the ground, and it was a dismal pair which disposed of the fivo hundred cases at a 25 per cent, loss to a big Ifasterton firm.

A departmental report, prepared '.his year for the first tune, on the incorporation under the Unclassified Societies' Registration Act, states thai 'during the year fifty incorporations were oiTocted, making the total number of registrations 411, less seven cancelled, leaving 404 as tho number of societies on register. They are ;:n oddly miscellaneous collection. Sporting clubs, for which the Act was! in the first place more particularly provided, make up by far the largest department with 176 registrations, and among the other organisations are forty brass bands, thirty-one musical and operatic societies, sixty-eight social, literary, and philanthropic ulubs, six bodies formed for improving tho breed of horses, dogs, cattle, poultiy, and other-animals, five fire bri:'pAcs, five Orange lodges, and si:: Spritualistic and theosophical associations. Tho Regstrar of Friendly Societies (Mr. Robert E. Hayes) states in his report that there is every indication that tho number of unc!as r r.ified societies will further increase beyond the largo number already on the register, and, as some of i these organisations have considerable funds and property, the question of imposing in the interest of the public some stricter supervision over their business will very shortly require consideration. .

Tho donkey is a sorely abused animal. Its very name'- is a term of -corn and opprobrium. While it is true that the business, end of it is

mostly hostile to the bystander, it is also undeniable that every man's hanti is against it, so that tho retaliation seoms by way of retributive justice Tho "Manawp.tu Evening Standard" has the Inst word against the animal in the following incident: —"The fact that tho horse lias a decided antipathy to donkeys was illustrated in a rather remarkable way this morning in Broad Street. A carrier was driving along opposite N&nncstad's flour mill, when ho met a small cart which was being drawn by a donkey. The horse toolc fright at tne unusual spectacle, !»avo a plunge, and dropped dead in the middle of the street."

A peculiar hallucination on the part of an individual is reported- by the "Lyttelton Times." Three weeks ago, a man, aged about thirty-five years, paid a visit to.the police station, and stated" that he understood that he was "wanted" there. • As he was not wanted, and appeared to he slightly intoxicated, ho was sent away, but ho loitered about all day, and paid several subsequent visits to tho station. It became evident that ho was not quite sano, and a medical examination resulted in his commital on Saturday'to the Sunnysido Mental Hospital.

Let those who scoff at the notion of the lion lying down with the lamb, outside of him, of course, read this item from the "Ashlmrton Guardian 1 ': —" A hills resident informs us that while riding near a gorse fencd the other, day, a rabbit sprang up and made into a patch of dense outgrowing bushes cropped short by sheep. Ho searched the place, and found a beaten track, and on tracing it to its destination found a fur-lined nest on tho surface of tho ground, in which the rabbit and a stoat were nestled affectionately together. The quantity of the fur of both that was about indicated that the placo had long been their home."

In view of Wellington shortly being possessed of municipal abattoirs, the following extract v "from tho annual report of the Christchurch branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in connection with that city's abattoirs, may ho worthy of attention. We take the extract from tho Christchurch "Press":—

" The system of eontrnct slaughtering, combined with the slaughtering men having control of the feeding of the stock by contract, is proved to be unsatisfactory in many instances, and should bo abolished if the public is to have the benefit of good, wholesome meat."

In reply to a correspondent complaining of the omission of any mention of Newfoundland in his " Song of tho English," Mr. Rudyard Kipling recently made the following remarks: " I will put in a four-line verse among 'The Song of the Cities' 11 you, on your part, will drop, and influence other people to drop, allusions to the ' loyalty ' of the ' colonies.'' In the first place, I dislike the word ' colonies,' and if you lock through my verses you will find I vory seldom use it. It is out of date and misleading, besides being provincial. In the second place, there is no need to talk of ' loyalty' among white men. . . .

Like yourself, I am a colonial, in that I was born in Bombay, hut it has never occurred to me to say tint I. am ' loyal,' because. like you. 1 am a white'man, and—one can't stop out of one's skin."

Beside the usual inebriates, the following offenders were dealt with yesterday morning oy Dr. McArthur, S.M. An elderly woman named Catherine Thatcher pleaded guilty to a charge of having been found at night without lawful excuse on the premises of W. H. Newenham, in Hopper Street. Station Sergeant Phair stated that accused had nineteen previous convictions for drunkenness and four for vagrancy. Prp r i soncr pleaded volubly for another chance and promised to go to Sydney where sho would become a better woman. Tho pleading was of no avail. She was sent to gaol for one month. A plea of not guilty was entered by John Miller, charged with drunkenness in Hawkestone Street. Accused, who contended that he had been off the drink for a week past, assured His Worship that ho was giving up tho drink altogether. Dr. McArthur was not to be moved and inflicted'a sontenco of threo months' imprisonment. Michael Delancy was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for assaulting Constable Quinn while tho latter was in tho execution of his duty. A wizened little man named' Henry Jeffries, who was said to have been sleeping out at Oriental Bay for over n week, and whose appearance bore out the suggestion, was ciiargcd. with being an idle and _ disorderly person and having insufficient lawful means of support. _ A sentence, of three months' imprisonment was imposed.

According to the Tarankai " Daily News" the term "Child Slavery" aa applied-to tho condition of tho youngsters of that district is a malicious libel. Tlio paper goes on to say, as regards_ the chiklr.cn: "Their help in milking a few cows each means ample food and clothing all the year round. But for this their parents would in many cases he unable to give their children all that was ucedful to enable them to grow into usoful citizens. Par better for these children to learn early in life the many benefits to be derived from work, than to be acquiring the elements of a vagrant existence by wandering or playing in tho streets of a town and becoming a nuisance to their neighbours. The children of our small dairy farmers have much to bo thankful for, and are demonstrating the benefits to bo derived from a life of useful activity."

Tho case of Lbasbey v. the Publio Trustee, which was set down for hearing yesterday, will be taken to-day. It is an appeal by the defendant from the decision of Magistrate James at Greytown.

The Teachers' Superannuation Board will hold its next meeting in Wellington on October 16.

At a meeting of creditors at Christchurch, the bankrupt, under examination, stated that ho Had kept a cash account, such account being tho roll taken on tho cash register. The Official Assignee (says "Truth") pointed ■mt that many people kept a ledger, but did not keep a book showing the monoy received and paid out day by da.y. r Such a book was really the foundation for ascertaining a business man's> financial position. Ho expressed the opinion that a short Act should be passed and printed in letters an inch, long, briefly setting forth the class of books small tradesmen should keep. If such' an Act we're- passed and widely circulated, it would savo Official Assiguees much trouble.

Writing editorially on Wellington land values, the ," Hav.r-i.Star " says: "Tho.city land values must fall soma day, because rents are now far in excess of what people's incomes can fairly' afford, and eventually there riiust bo a balancing. The ' some day' will come when tho city corporations and- the Harbour Boards have exhausted their borrowing powers, and the Government can no longer spend huge amounts on publio buildings and a halt has to bo called to the. expenditure which' for some years past has been on- so' lavish a scale. Taxation on unimproved values, graduated land tax, and other efforts of the kind have little effect to counteract the influence of inflation arising from the expenditure of borrowed millions. When the loan money gets a bit scarce, and the interest bill comes in every half-ye3r and has to bo made up from hardlyearned income, there will be a different story to tell about these city land values."

Wellington is pretty well up-to-date in its street hawking, but evidently Napier can go one bettor. Tho "Telegraph " chronicles tho fact that 4 " fish delivery by' motor car is now an accomplished fact, residents on the hills this morning being roused to a sense of their inward wants by the familiar toot."

At Tarrytori, New York, the polios tried a novel method of stopping .furious driving by . motorists. They stretched a thick rope across the road when a car came into view, with the result that a ten-thousand-dollar automobile was overturned and ruined, and its occupants, "two of whom were women; were seriously injured. The owner of the car has brought an action to recover the value of hij wrecked car from the police authorities.