LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 28, 28 October 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Scarlet fever (Will have to be included in the same category as the dreaded influenza. No'fewer than eleven cases wore reported to the -Health Department as having; developed in .Wellington; city during. the week pndqd Saturday. .j Four-, cases of diphtheria in Wellington end one in/the Hutt County were also reported last week. , .

A Maori was arrested at .Maiiakau by' Detective Brobergi on Saturday afternoon on a charge of indecent assault oh a girl 16 years of ago on October 24. Accused'' will.'. bo brought before the' Court at.Otaki this morning. ' ''.'. '.; ' ■'; I , ■[ ■ ] ■/'''.'' '. .

In the course of. a. very able and interesting sermon in St. Paul's Church last night , , the Rev. T. H. Spro'tt, M;A. ! , referred to the assertion of : a certain class of social reformers that' the 'Christian Church was .the tool of privilego-and wealth. Mr. Sprott stated those/people, in proof pfytheir contention, pointed to the absenco from the Apostles', Creed'.!of 'all,' roferenco to the ethical teaching of Christ. "There was no mention, they ..said,' of His sympathy with the poor and; friendless and the, severity of His teaohing regarding wealth. "■ Mr. Sprott said that /thb application of the historical method td the Creed provided a complete answer to such assertions. The early Church did not. construct Creeds merely.' for the sake of constructing them; but only when some vital truth was attached. Now, the ethical teaching of Christ was not a matter of dispute among Christians in the second century, aud it therefore]. had no place in the Apostles' Creed! ; In any case, the Church ! which.grew' in the , cataoombs' and among the poor, and was oppressed by the wealthy and governing classes, who challenged its right t<? qirist, was not likely.to go but of its'way;, to "'bolster up property and privilege. The Gospels, and not the Creed, contained the authoritative expression of'the teaching,of Christ. Mr. Sprott remaiked, with a touch of irony, that if the Church of the present, day were tho blind tool . of- property ■ and capital, it certainly got very little of those things for itself'. : . "' ■ ■ ■ . '.- ' : ■~••■

Tho Fireßrigade wap called but to a gorso fird at'Berhampore yesterday; morning. An enjoyable programme of music was rendered by tho Garrison Band at tho Basin Roservo yesterday afternoon. There was a good attendance, and the variouß itoms were much appreciated. : •

The circumstances surrounding the death of a nowly-borii infant were enquired into by the Coroner, Mr. J. Ashcroft, and a jury an Saturday The mother of tho child was employed as a domestic servant at a private hotel, and there was no doctor or nurse present tit tho time of birth. Doctors Herbort and Fyflre gave ovidenco, and expressed the opinion that tho child' would havo lived had a medical man or nurse been in attendance. Tho jury roturned a verdict to the offect that tho child had breathed, but died during the procoss of birth. \ Tho annual eight-day canvasses in aid of the Roman Catholic Cathedral fund arc now in progress in tho various parishes of the archdioceso, arid will not bo'finished until' Christinas. In tho /Newtown parish over £70 was raised .in cash and £30 more was promised. New • Plymouth has contributed £50 in cash and promised a , considerable further amount, and Thorndon has provided over £200. Wα hear from tho Rev. T. O'Shca, Vicar-Goneral,. that tho Cathedral fund is making highly satisfactory progress, and as all tho monoy collected is promptly well invested, the prospects arc very bright. Over a thousand pounds a year is coming in in intorost and rents alone. When tho annual mooting of tho fund was held last month, the . amount in hand stood at £12,500, and at that time the annual collections had beon made in only two out of the thirty-two parishes of the archdiocese It is not intended to ; incur any debt in tho building of tho Cathedral, but only to proceed with the' work accordingly as funds come to hand for its construction, so that it is possible that the building may bo opened to worship somo timo boforo it is comploted. If tho Roman Catholic people should object to this,, they will havo the remedy in their own hands.

Dr. Gibb is not a boliovcr in Spiritualism. Last night, in tho courso of his sermon, which was entitled "Tho Infallible Fool," ho stated' that ho was suro spirits had something better to do than rap tables. . " Personally," ho said, "I would rather hope, for death' both in body and soul than have any dealings with absurdities of this kind."

Professor Maclaurin, M.A.,- LL.B., is to deliver a lecture on "The, Moon" at, the Municipal Concert Chamber this eveliing under the auspices of the Wellington '3ity Council. Tho lecture will be illustrated 'fith lantern viows. This will probably bo the last occasion on which tho Professor will lecture in Wellington, prior to his departure for America. - , . The meeting of the Horbour Board, postponed from Thursday last, will take place this afternoon. Thero is a possibility that the Nursing, Sisters of ' tho Little Company of' Mary, a Roman Catholic order, which has its headquarters at Rome, may open an establishment in' this city. The Sisterhood consists of efficient trained nurses, who carry on hospitals, vnontal and otherwise. They: have a vory fine hospital at Lewisham, Sydney,, and a mental hospital at Ryde, near the same city. The Lady Superior at Lewisham, with another ; sister, was in Wellington last week on a hoalth visit, and it is understood that tho possible opening of an establishment in this city was mooted during their stay.: They left by the Maheno on Thursday. At the present tinip this Sisterhood is not represented in. New Zealand. ✓The accommodation : provided by tho'i Boys ,; Institute building in Arthur Street is much too cramped for tho increasing membership. Tho gymnasium is too small'ifor its classes,'and the cadets have to drill in tho streets. ■,- In view of the recital to be givon in aid of the Institute to-morrow evening, this week's parade will be held toiiight. ■"' '-■:,-■ ..i Our Hastings , correspondent states that a sharp shock of earthquake took-placo at 12.30 o'clock on Sunday morning. ■ .'' " . '~ . A deputation from tho . Bible-in-Sphpqls Association-is to wait upon the Premier- today." ■■■'•■'.'"'■ ' : •' ■/■' : '"';'■ ~:'■ On Saturday afternoon a parliamentary . party paid a visit to Somes Island, • leaving, the wharf in the Janie Seddon shortly after two o'plock.' The party consisted of the Hon. ■R.'M'Nab (Minister for Lands), Sir W.Steward, Messrs. Lawry, J. Allen, Okey, Jennings, Poland, arid Remington, M.H.R' s> the Hons. Marshall and M'Cardlo, M\.L.C.'s, Mr. Ritchie (Secretary for, Agriculture), Mr. Clifton (Chief Inspector of Stock,'representatives of tho Press, and a numbor of ladies. On arrival a tthe island the party inspected tho newjy-lmportod stock; including two;fine shorthorn bulls (one belonging,to Mr W. C. Buchanan, and the other to Mr. A. M'Master)i a Jersey bull, (belonging , .to.Mr. Griffiths of Taranaki)) a ntunbqr of sheep (Romnoys, Hampshires, and Border Leicesters), and numerous dogs of various breeds. ' Light 'refreshments wore then' . partakoir of,' after which Mr. , J. , Allen' proposed a'hearty vote of'thanks to'Mr.'M'Nab for arranging 3uch a pleasant outing. MrY M'Nab responded in suitable terms, and the party then boarded the steamerj arriving in toyvnabput 5 p.m. ,

On: Saturday night, at 10.45 an accident happened to a man 'named John 'Halcrjw, who attempted to board a tramcnr in motion at the corner of Vivian Street and Can> bridge Terrace., He fell,, ancl his hand went under , a'wheel, with tho.result that he lost two fingers from his left'hand.' Dr.'Elliott 'attended the niaii, who, -.was', eventually removed to the hospital by; the police. On arrival, at, the\._hqspitaj, it.iwas iound'; necessary to'amputate;..the hand,at the wrist. ~. .'