LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Customs duty collected at Wellington last Saturday amounted to £1160 ss. Bd. The collection for the same day 'ast year was £1117. The weekly total was £10,905 145., as against £14,002 9s. Id. for tho corresponding period last year. The beer duty for last year was £163 35., tho amount oollccted for the corresponding week of last year being £200 lis. Id. ' . •

The postal authorities advise that in futuro tinselled postcards without coyirs will be destroyed. This notico, it is stated, is final.

A man named Patrick Dooley mot with an accident on the wharf on Saturday afternoon under somowhat peculiar circumstances. Dooley was standing in a cart receiving charcoal which was being discharged from xhe steamer Turakina, when 1 tho hook of the hydraulic crane caught in the wheel of tho cart. Tho order was given to hoist, aid before it could bo countermanded the cnit had been overturned. Dooloy was . pinuod underneath tho cart, the side of which caught him in the small of the back. He was attended to by Dr. Henry, and removed to tho Hospital. The exact nature of the injuries could not be ascertained last night.

,Tho committee of the Wellington Scenery Preservation Society will meet thjs evening, when it is probablo that action'will be taken to onsuro tho preservation of tho bush at Day's Bay.

During the week ended Saturday at midday, ttio following cases of infectious diseases were reported to tho Health Department :•■ — Scarlet, fever, 8; diphtheria, 4; blood-poisoning, 11. Hutt County—Scarlet fever, 3; diphtheria, 1.

Mr. J. Wyn Irwin, the Australasian representative of Gregg shorthand, has just recoived from tho author of this system speed oortificatos for tho following Now Zealand writers:—2oo words a minute—Mr. Charlwood Hammond; 140 words a minute—Miss Jean Hulme; 100 words a minuto—Misses Elsio North and May Stephens, and Messrs, W. Shorrard and R. Stanton; 90 words a minuto—Misses' E. Croxton and E. Brown; 60 words a minute—Misses E. H. A. Wright, Maude Preston, Lawton Leohner, Louisa Porter, Ida Bass, and Mr.',, Thomas Hunt.

It is understood that Mr. Andrew Fisher, the now leader of, tho Labour party in the Commonwealth Parliament, will not bo permitted to exercise the same power as that enjoyed by Mr. Watson, and that, in fact, he will be little moro than chairman of the party. Tho caucas, it is stated, agreed that tho new leader will take his instructions from the party m meeting assombled, ani that, in the ovent ,of tho possibility, at some futuro date, of a formation of a'*Labour Government, the caucus will solect. the Primo Minister, and allot the other portfolios.

In a leading article on the financial crisis tho "Sydney Morning Herald" says:—"That whatever happons in Now York or in London could have the effect of reproducing the happenings of 1893 is quite impossible. There" is no similarity betwoen tho years of 1893 and 1907. Then inflation and extravagance wore tho ordor of tho day. Now there is an abundanoe, of accumulated capital, it is true, but thoro is no-inflation. Whems thon tho Australian banks wero responsible for large amounts to British depositors, attracted by tho high rate" of intorest being earned here under conditions of boom, now tho Australian banks have some fifteen millions of gold invested in short-dated securities in London. Those who control tho London money market indeed have more lo fear from a sudden withdrawal of this gold than Australia has to fear from anything that might bo done at that end."

About midnight on Friday an excited individual rushed along Manners Street until he found a policoman, and heatedly explained that thoro was an awful row going on in tho house where ho lived. He said if the policeman did not hurry, ho was afraid that murder would bo dono. Tho policoman hurried along, and was guided to a house'in. ■■ York Street (off Lower Taranaki Stroet), whuro, undoubtedly, thoro had been trouble.' Tho windows wore smashed in tho front of \iho houso, and tho neighbours wero standing round' awaiting events. Tho bold policeman knocked at tho door, and two ( women appeared. " Aro you tho ownor of the house?" said the constable "Yes, I ami" said tho woman. "Have you any complaint to mako?" questioned the man in bluo. " No, I havon't." "Well, what's the good of messing about," said tho policoman, and away ho strode. One would havo thought that, undor the circumstances, tho offieor would havo inquired a little closer into tho affair. Anything might havo occurnd within tho house, but tho woman's word that she had no complaint to make was quite sufficient roason for tho whole mnttor to be summarily dismissed by tho constable

Mrs. Ethel R., De Costa, LL.BI (noo Miss Ethel R. Benjamin, of Dunedin), nftor practising for some years in thai city, has commoncod praotico as a barristor and solicitor in No G Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and I'oathcrston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa bos tho distinction of being the only lady practising at tho Bar in tho Dominion. Intending clients can depend on prompt and careful attention at Mrs. De Costa's hands.

If you aro contemplating removing, tho first thing yon should do is obtain n quotation from J. Kcir, 12 Feathorston Street. Ho has had many yoars' experience in this class of work, and is in a position to paok, store, and romovo any description of furniture. Ho also clears goods through Customs, and despatches packages and parcels to any address in tho world. Telephone, No _ 11Mj C66fi

The Tramways Band gave an excellent performance at Island Bay yesterday afternoon. Bandmaster Herd conductcel, and a large and appreciative audionco gathered round to hear tho music. In the opinion of tho Rev. J. J. North, tho now amendment of the Gaming and Lotteries Bill prohibiting the publication of totalisator dividends will do more to stem tho volume of betting than any other clause in tho Premier's Bill.

The Union Company's excursion on Thursday next should be well patronised, irrespective of the races at Blenheim, which will prove, of course, the, chief attraction. A day in Picton always has a seductive sound, and no doubt a number will pay this popular seaport a day's visit on the occasion. Tho s.s. Arahura will leave Wellington at 7 a.m., and will land passengers back again between 9.30 and 10 o'clock in the evening. A special train will take passengers to and from the races at Blenheim.

In " The Song of the Cities " Kipling sings of tho "broom-clad hills of Wellington." In a raßh moment somebody mentioned it to a citizen, who takes a warm interest in municipal matters. "Kipling didn't know what he was talking about—it's gorse—and the Council ought to be ashamed to allow it to spread like it is doing at tho back on tho hill there." They iwere in Tinakori Road, and, after a debate on the correctness of Kipling, they resolved to go up tho hill a little way to see whether it was broom or gorse. Kipling was quite right.

In a critical estimate of tho respective chances' of Australia and England in the forthcoming test matches, Major Trevor, manager of tho English cricket team, refers to the extended and extending age of l ho first-olass cricketer. "Healthy living aid more scrupulous training," he writes, "have rosultod in the first-class player being in his prime as a batsman or as a bowler— evon as both—aftor fifteen or more of. county cricket. Abol was not at his best as a batsman until he was 41 years old; Shrewsbury headed the English. batting avorages when he was more than 41; Jackson, Hirst, Hayward, and others at I*4 had not accomplished tho greatest cricket feats of their careers. Hallam this season has proved himself the best bowler in England, and, according to authority whi-.h should be reliable, ho is 39 years old. Tho mention of these few names by no mea is exhausts the list."

Some excitement was caused in "wool" circles in Sydney the other day, when.it was knowii that the record price for wool had been obtained. Four bales of A combing fleece, E.W.H., from Cooyal, Mudgee, sold by the Pastoral Finance Association, broug it 17 Jd. in the grease. This is the highest ; prico obtained for greasy wool since the boom in '99. One leading Continental buyer stated th'at ho had not seen such a.fine staple foi ton years. Connoisseurs who had examinedthe fleece knew it would soil well, and spirited bidding resulted. The prico rose from 14d. to 15d., then to 16d., 16W., 17d., till it was ultimately knocked down to \ Stoltonhoff for 17Jd. per lb.' Tho woolbuyers always whistle at any exceptional prico obtained, hut on this occasion mere whistling could not suffice, and buyers, brokers, and Prbss applauded the record.

Mr. T. E. Donne, general manager..of the Tourist Department, combines in himself, all tho powers and functions of mayor and corporation . of Rotorua.,, was thrust upon'him a"few"months ago by Act of Parliament.- -Mr.- Donne returned from u Visit to Rotorua on Saturday night. He told a Dominion reporter that municipal betterment schemes are being rapidly pushed on. Additional power for electrical lighting is being installed at a cost, of £8000. A new drainagf system is in operation, and a splendid supply of pure water, from tho 'springs eight miles away in the hills, has been brought into the township. The contract for the large concrete bath-house will probably bo finished by December 31. Tho Government has under consideration a request from the - townspeople for assistance in connection with the month's carnival, which is to bo held noxt Fobruary. Mr.' Donne says that there are largo numbers of tourists in Rotorua at present, chiefly from Australia and England. The winter, was a particularly good one 1 in regard'to tourist traffic, and prospects for the coining season are bright.

Bridge is a fascinating game, particularly whenHhero is a little at stake, but few will dream it possible that "such things can bo" as is related authentically of a little game played recently in Wellington, in which the hands were'held by ladies well knowp in society. A young married lady wi,s recently invited to *a " friend's" to lunch, at the conclusion of which tho charming h6stess asked her if she played bridge. She admitted that she was rather fond of.it, so the cards wore. prpduced, and a game was played. Tho visitor lost, and whon about to leavo the hostess asked: "What about the £5?" "What £5?" asked 1 the guost in astonishment. "Tho £5 you lost at bridge." " Oh," said the visitor in astonishment, " I did not understand we were playing for money." Finally, she admitted that she did not have £5, but would send it along. Whon she met.her husband, she told him of the incident, and ho, seeing tho game that was being played, forwnrdod a oheque for £5 ss. to the husband of the gambling hostess, oxplaining that tho extra ss. was .the admittance fee to the gambling club. He 10coived a roply to tho effect that there was no gambling club, to which communication ho replied that his wife had taken lunch, tho cost of whioh would bo covered by tho fivo shillings.

The quarterly estimates show that during the three months ended September 30 last the population of New South Wales (says the "Herald") maintained the oxeoptionally higA rate of inoroaso, which has been in operatnn since tho beginning of the year. The population on tho date montioncd was 1,567,434, of whom 840,864 were males, and 726,570 females. Tho total incroaso during tho quarter was 12,181, of which 6385 was duo to oxcess of births ovor deaths, and 5796 to oxcess of arrivals over departures. The increase during tho quarter was at tho rate of 3.1 per cont. por annum. Already in tho nine months sinco the beginning of this yoar the increase to tho population has boon 36,450, which is larger than tho incroaso in t>o wbolo of the years 1905 or 190G, and much larger than tho increases in any of the years 1892 to 1904. As usual, tho largest gain has been from tho other States and Ne.nr Zoaland. Prom tho othor States there was a net gain of 3580, and from New &*!*«{ 801, leaving only "1415 as the (tain fvw, abroad. Tho oxcess of arrivals from Yietwu was 1378; from Quoonsland, 27G; from S>fltt& Australia, 1555; from Western ,\\\,<Wsvi\ s 252; and from Tasmania, 119, The &Mft from tho United Kingdom was 10 TO, iiwluling 687 assisted immigrants. To Canada iliow was n loss of 417, and from South Africa * gain of 391.

Photographic post cards of the " Compsissleiv Homo" workors, military tournament at i\ll« inorston, Dominion celebrations, Turak'ina (iiv. etc, etc., on sale at ZAK'S PHOTO IJNIW. 21 Willis Street (price 4d. each), COU

About three weeks ago a motor launch' belonging to Mr. Prank P. Dakin. got into difficulties in • the r.»*hour owing to a breakdown of her The mishap was noticed on board H.M.S. Challenger, and'.a steam launch was despatched to save the boat from being smashed against the wall • of the boat harbour. Mr. Dakin thought tho action was very kindly and expeditiously rendered, and in gratitudo sent a cheque for £1 le. for the warship's sports fund—if it had one. Mr. Dakin has received the following reply:-" Dear Sir,—l havo to thank you for your letter of the 11th inst., enclosing a cheque for £1 Is. While fully appreciating the kindness which prompts your action in this matter, I regret that tho custom of the Service provents our acceptance of this donation, which I therefore return with many thanks. In sending to th« assistance of your boat when she was in dietre-: wo were merely performing what is the>duty of every one of His Majesty's ships. —I am, sir, yours faithfully, C. Tibbits, Commander."

Mother Mary Joseph Aubert's projected ' reservoir at the Home of Compassion, Island Bay, was advanced another stage on Saturday, when two hundred men or more trom the staff of the tramway's permanent way and a large number of Mr. Dovey's gymnasium pupils went out to do their share:of the work. These ranged themselves in a long line along the curved track leading from the gravel heap at the bottom of the hill to the site of the reservoir, and passed 'bags of gravel from one to the other as men 'pass buckets of (water at a firo. On the hillside above, a liijo of women received the emptiol bags, throwing them down in bundles "till thoy reached the gravel heap again. 'Yl'o those who had conveyed the gravel in mora primitive fashion—a shovel-ful and a half at a timo carried all the way by one person—■ tho organised method of work looked distractingly easy, and a visit to the place where the bags were emptied as they came up showed that it was very effective; ' The gravol came up as quickly as if it had been dredged, and the pile grew ; very rapidly. Half way through the proceedings afternoon tea was served by a committee of ladies in two of the large-rooms, of the Home.

Tho merry motor car was at work on Saturday afternoon. A car owned by 1 Mr. Walter Johnston,and driven by a chauffeur,while proceeding to the Hutt, collided with tho two "off" horses of Mrs. Ritson's four-horsa dray, which was" convcyinig a picnic party to tho Lower Hutt.. It is said that tho drag had pulled in aB. near, to tho hill as, was possible, leaving a cloar passage,, for tho automobile, but when opposite tho drag the car ran over a heap of road 'scrapings, which gave-the front wheels a' twist, .and before the course could be straightened tho front of the ear, had plouglv-'' into tho "off" shatter, and bowling ic over, ,ran into the hindquarters of tho leader and thora stuck, until tho car was pulled .plcah.'Tbs sub-scapular muscle of tho shatter was sovered, and the leader nearly bled to death through a vein being soverod, before the flow was staunched by Mr. J. M'Kie, veteVinary surgeon. After telephoning into town, for another, pair of horses, the picnic-party proceeded on its way'rejoioing. The motorcar is said to have been seriously damaged.

The other day, while a new passenger locomotive, manufactured for the Now South, Wales railways by the Clyde Engineering Company, Ltd., was on the main suburban line, out of Sydney, running to the depot to be formally handed' over,i^hajianexperience which recalls the exploits of .007 in one of Rndyard Kipling's famous short stories. The engine (says tho"Horald") was pulsating its way along tho metals and was. suddenly hauled up by block signals at Homebush. An engine- attached to a passenger train had broken* down at the , station, and another engine, was needed. ,to take, the cars on to Parramatta. Telephonic messages were flashed from headquarters, and in a few minutes tho new engine had replaced the disabled one, and was. showing its ability as an-Australian product by running a long train to Parramatta. It-kept on duty 1 until it had mado the return journey to Sydney, where a relief engine took its place, and the Clyde without a quiver of prido in its steel heart, went, to the running sheds to be finally, accepted as worthy. One would look far for suoh an incident again, and it goes to show how tho r novelist's vagrant fancy often proves.prophetic,