LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Post Office again calls attention to the fact that the Corporation rubbish bins in Wellington arc occasionally mistaken for posting boxes. Letters placed in rubbish bins will, if discovered, be posted. Posting boxes are painted a bright red; rubbish bins aro not, and in addition the bins bear the prominent legend "Rubbish." "New Zealand or Ao-tca-Roa" (the long bright world), by James Cowan, is by ,far the most pretentious and best publication on the Dominion—its wealth and* resources, scenery, travel routes, spas, and-sport—that the Tourist Department has over published. Within its bright covers are 220.pages of gracefully-written letterpress, illuminated with hundreds of dainty and beauti- ' ful photorettes, perfectly reproduced oil' a line surface paper. There, aro pictures of cities and suburbs, of sylvan groves and snow-ridged mountain passes; of placid lakes set in a .corrugation of hills, and of tho boiling places of tho pumiced north. The' fauna and flora aro marked for attention, and tho lovers of the rod and the rifle will find much to interest thorn, riovor contemplated in any previous guide-books. Mr. Cowan doserves great credit for his litorary work and "tho general arrangement of tho contents,-which are beyond criticism. Tho freo circulation of.this book on New Zealand throughout the world will bs ono of the best advertisements the Dominion could have. ' The annual conference of the members of tho ( Harbours' Association will bo inaugurated by a luncheon in the Town Hall Concert Room on Wodncsday next, Octobor 23. In addition to tho usual technical business to be discussed, it is intended to review certain, legislation now engaging the attention of Parliament.

At a special mooting' of the Wellington District Rifle Association held on Wednesday night, it was decided, on tho motion 'of Major 0. D. Macintosh, "That the privileges of the Association may be extended to tho Permanent Force Rifle Club on application annually." It was agreed that the operation of the motion should include the' current sesaon, and that, tho Pcrmarients bo classified as juniors. The effect of the foregoing motion will bo that the Permanent Force men will, on payment of tho usual subscription," bo admitted "to the i Teams' Shield Matches, and will be also eligible to compote for trophies. They will' not, however, be permitted to compete for tho "Belt," nor will, they havo any status or franchiso in tho Association. Complaints are frequent regarding tho slipshod attention that is paid to tho numbering of houses and placcs of business in tho city of Wellington. This is to bo rectified in tho near future, tho City Council having como to torms with an export (Mr. Quinn), who has been ongaged in similar work in several other towns in New Zealand. It does not necessarily moan that' existing numbers of houses will be,changed, but it will bo his duty to soo that every houso has a number and that provision is mado for houses that may in tho future cover unoccupied sections, .though it will give him somo work to find much unoccupied land in Wellington city. Many * places of business havo ncglectcd to exhibit a number at all, which is unbusinesslike, to say tho least, as it rondors tho address less definito than if numbered. Thoro aro many instances, too, whero houses, oven rows of houses, aro situated bohind others; theso will be sorted out; and somo indication of their existence will bo given on tho street-front. Mr. Quinn is being allowed to sell neat brass figures at 9d. each, but thoir purchase is in no way compulsory. ■ Mr. H. F. Rodewald has purchased, at tlio upsot price of £100, section 97 of tho Mangaweka township, having-an area of three roods, twenty-four perches. Mr. C. W. Palmer, Secretary of tho Wellington Branch of tho Navy League, has issued the following circular to members: — "Mombers are reminded of the patriotic entertainment to bo hold at the Town Hall on Monday evening noxt, in celebration of the Anniversary of Trafalgar. The officers and men of Ji.M.S. Challenger aro co-opora-ting with the Leaguo, and a very enthusiastic demonstration is anticipated. During the evening tho prizes won by school members will ho presented. No charge is to ho mado for admission to tho general public, but a spccial part of the hall is boing reserved for members and thoir friends, and to help cover incidental cxponses a chargo of Is. is being mado to non-members for reserved scats."

Tho Kilbirnio and South Wellington schools' newly-formed brandies of tho Navy League visited Challenger yesterday afternoon. Tho scholars wero taken 1 over to the warship in the ship's boats, and wero shown over tho vessel by tho potty officers.

The City Council' has accepted the tender of the Palmer Engineering Company, of Wellington, for the supply, delivery, and erection of an electrically-driven, multi-stage turbine Mather and Piatt pump, with which to pump water from the city mains to tho new service reservoir for Kelburne. Tho pump, which will bo similar to' tho one already erected in Epuni Street in connection with the Brooklyn water supply, will cost £955 ercctcd. The pumping-station will bo erected near the old distributing basin at tho head of Polhill Gully. The following are the prize-winners in the annual calisthenic competitions; held in connection with the Wellington Physical Training School: —Ladies' championship, Miss L. Callow, Miss 'E. Galloway; ladies' second division, Miss E. Inness, Miss E. Murphy; ladies' third-class, Miss Alice Henry and Miss M. Hood (equal); girls' championship, Miss H. Srayth, Miss E. Burr; girls' second division, Miss A. Johnstone, Miss Alma Henry; girls' third class, MissiE. Pascoo, Miss N. Dans; youths' championship, E. Konaldson, H. C. Thornton; boys' championship, D. Martin, H. Guise; boys' second division, W. Hamilton, — Watson; boys' third division, J. Hamilton, J. Berry; men's championship, W. Weston, C. "Welili; m"-''-second division, F. Morgan, D. Dav:*, mc;. . third division, A. H. Johnstone. Only the boxing competitions remain to bo decided. Only the boxing competitions remain to bo decided. The now Government observatory, building on Battery Hill (Botanical Gardens) has been completed, and tho instruments are to he installed as soon as tho blocks, on which they are to bo placed, have had timo to set. solidly. Tho time servico is ' being carried on regularly, and tho time-ball is dropped as in former years, tho ! instruments at the present time being in. a temporary wooden observatory next to the permanent structure.

Now that tho question of numbering tho buildings in Wellington is being given some attention, perhaps the City Council will not object to being reminded of the inadequate manner in which the names of - streets are indicated or not, as tho case may bo. Many of tho names on plates still in existence have been despoiled by time's corrosive hand, a good number have been thrown, away with the buildings to which they wore attached,' when tho latter were demolished to make way for more up-to-date structures,. and others again bavo never existed, and strangers, to Wellington wander about as in a maze, asking a policeman their road. The naming of streets by derated plates, twenty or mqro feet above the head, is out-of-date. Tho latest method is to insert at street junctions a special -paving-stono, which has tho name of tho two or moro street's 1 which converge at that point inlaid tho full thickness of tho paving-stono in tho colour that contrasts tho boldest with that of the' pavement. In this manner tho name of streets is practically engrained in the earth, and ono does not need to wander out in the traffic of the street and risk a collision with an electric car, and then to crick the' nock in gazing up to discover a storm-beaten plate, which at some remoto period has borne tho name of a street.' The sixteenth annual meeting of the Central Pharmaceutical Association' was held at 'Godber'3 : Room, ' last : evening, and was well attended. Sir. L. M'Kenzie, president, occupied the chair. The report of last year disclosed a highly satisfactory condition of affairs. Satisfaction was expressed by. various members at tho progress and good that, had been brought about to the profession through the efforts of tho Association. Tho following officers wore elected for tho ensuing year President, Mr. Len M'Konzto (re-elected); vice-presidents, Mr. A. Hobson . (fc-elcctod) and Mr. L. Cohen; committee, Messrs: ' Wallace, Perrott, Palliser, and M'Millan; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. G. H. P. Fitzgerald'; hon. auditor, Mr. H. Brittain. i An Austrian named\Valedina Culhuajavicli, a butcher; thirty-thrco years of age, residing at 14' Muqiliy Street, mot ( with an accident at 5 o'clock yesterday evening whilst ridinga motor bicycle along Victoria Street. When passing, tho bottom of Taranaki Street the bicycle turned a somersault, the man landing 011 his head in tho street. He was removed to the hospital, where it. was found that his skull and jaw had' been severely injured. Culhuajavicli was progressing fairly satisfactorily last night; A wharf labourer was arrested on board tho steamer Zealandia yesterday affajrnoon on a charge of theft of a roll of cloth. Jit is alleged that tho njan,, who was working in the vessel's hold, was endeavouring to smugglo tho cloth- out of tho, > vessel under cover of a coat when, the chiof officer" noticed the end of the roll of cloth projecting, and had tho man handed ovor to the polico. Regarding tho further statement of a menibor of tho' Hawko's Bay Education Board relative to Nativo schools, tho Hon. George Fowlds, Minister for Education, says: "I have said all that I intend to say on tho subject at present. My first statcmont oxpresses tho facts sufficiently. The Education Department had nothing to do with, tho pnrchaso. of tho biscuits referred to. I find that in certain localities last year tho Maoris wero in a state of destitution through tho failure of their crops, and that the Native Department gave assistance whero required. In tho cases referred to, tho teachers simply actcd as the agents of tho Native Dopartmont in distributing tho reliof."

During the four weeks onded September 14, 39,184 first and 103,347 second-class passengers travelled over tho "Wollington-Napier-Now Plymouth section of the Government railways, a total that exceeds the number for the same period last year by 12,503. ■ It is interesting to ■ note that while 202,531 passongors wore carried on this section, that number was exceeded on tho Bluff-Hurunui section by 28,691. Parcels carried over tho Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth section numbered 19,404; goods, 34,947; and products, 58,498 tons (tho latter over 9000 tons in excess of last year's figures). Tho revenue for the period totalled £52,592 10s. 3d, as against £46,063 17s. lid. last year. Tho total rovonue for the whole of tho North Island railways for tho saino poriod totalled £85,011 12s. 10d., bringing tho total to date., up .to £628,723 9s. Id;; tho expenditure for the period was £64,571 7s. 9d.-, arid to date £368,871 7s. 4d. In the South Island tho four woeks' revenue totalled £99,165 3s. 7d., bringing the total to date up to £661,184 Bs. Id., and tho figures of oxpondituro are £83,845 3s. lOd. and £485,479 Bs. Id. respectively. Tho rovemio in both islands is considerably in excess of that realised during the samo period last year. Mrs. Ethel R. Do Costa, LL.B. (nco Mi is Ethel It. Benjamin of'Dunedin), after practising for Bomo years in that city, has commenced practico as a barrister and solicitor in No. 0 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and I'catherston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has tho distinction of being tho only lady practising at tho Bar in the Dominion. Intending clients can depend on prompt and caroW. 'ittention at Mrs. De Costa's hands.

r , Tho Lower Hutt Bowling and Tennis Club' - is to open its green for the season to-morrow j - afternoon. ' '' ' . i " Tho tonder of' the Palmer' Engineering Company (£955) has been accepted for the supply of a centrifugal pump for tho Kelburne water supply. i At 10.30 this morning a deputation from t the Mayor and Councillors of Wellington, b with tho Mayor of Dunedin, will wait or. the t Attorney-General in reference the Fire , Brigades Act Amendment Bill. "Aii hour later 0 the same deputation will wait on the ActingMinister for Public Works, regarding the Tramways Dili. . The magisterial inquiry into . the 'outbreak! 1 of fire on the New Zealand Shipping Com- ; pany's steamer Turakina will begin-at eleven 1 o'clock this morning before Dr. M'Arthur, , sitting with' Mr.W. G.- Foster and Captain--1 Willis'as assessors., • Mr. Hogg has given notice to ask the Act* ' ing-Minister for Defence :"(1) Whether His attention has been called to a public statements said to have been made at Christchurch ro- " cently by Colonel It. IT. Da vies, one of the . paid officers of tho defence forces of tho 5 Dominion, to tho effect that tho Volunteers ! of the Dominion were "weeds".;, and whether tile .Minister proposes to take any action in { 15 the matter, in view of tho unfounded nature • of Colonel Davies's allegation? (2) Whether ' 5 the Minister's attention has been drawn to the alleged public advocacy by Colonel R. H. » Davics of a question of State policy—namely, l 'compulsory' universal military training for the 3 peoplo of ■ New Zealand,' and-whether the r Minister intends to take any disciplinary action in tho matter, seeing that members of L the defence forces are.forbidden by,the regu--1 latious under tho Defence Act to tako any 3 public part in political agitation?" 1 Tho total number of visitors to tho Christchurch Exhibition, according "to a "return presented to.' Parliament yesterday, was j 3 1,967,032, including 9238 who attended th« 3 Seddon Memorial Concert.. .., l . Tho Trades and Labour - Council, •at its s meeting on October 10, made certain ' 0 strictures on the Defence Department regard- : 7 ing the Labour Day parade at Trentham. OWe are asked to' stato that the Volunteers i > wore not ordered out by the Department. 1 Tho parade was hold under the auspices of >' the Rifle Battalion, and oach man was paid 7 the usual rate awarded for daylight parade** 3 The Pubiic Works Department has ao- j ceptod the, tender of Mr.'S. M. Galbraith, of P for the; erection of a Postmaster's residence at Havelock at £.546; that ol s Messrs. M'Nabb and Johnson, of Collingwood, • for the erection of a polico station at Colling- • ' wood to cost £738 10s.;'and that of Mr. D, Henderson, of Ngaruawahia, for the erection ; of a Court-house at Kawhia to.cost £663,12 a, ! 10d.' 1 - This week's " Gazette " : Btates that His i Excellency i tho Governor has been pleased to , ) accept the services of the Boys' Institute Da- ) fcnco Rifle Cadet' Volunteers,' with head, i quarters at Wellington. >" | 1 The Government has. already purchased 1 ' 12,000 acres of tho Waimarama estate, neat , ' Hastings,, and will probably purchase the j romaining 15,000 acres by .the , end of the j • year,. Tho Land Board is-at present sitl ting at Hastings, and the purchase is being I made as expeditiously as possible. The price i ■ has not yet transpired. •' Tho tenders for tho work of repairing tho damago done to tho Turakina by the recent- . ■ I fire .having proved unsatisfactory, tho por« • tion that appertains to tho iron work (deck , j plates, etc.) lias been entrusted to Messrs* ' j Cablo and Co.', and the wood-work is'being repaired by Mr. S. Woods, ' i At a special meeting of the Harboiir Board j yesterday, the Chairman, reported that, in ' , consequence of-tho meeting of the Harbours' Association in Wellington on' Wednesday and j Thursday next r it had been 1 determined to postpono tho, next ordinary' mepting until Monday, October 28. In consequence of ( the postponement, it was necessary to pass an j ! imprest for wages, amounting to £900. This i was done. . ] ■ ■ 'j