LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 66, 11 December 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The warm breath of summer has its disadvantages. Sharks are said to be plentiful in the harbour, and bathers in the open aro cautioned against the risk they run. The examinations for three Te Makarina (Donald M'Lean) Native scholarships, tenable at Te Aute Collego, concluded in the various centres yesterday. The Inspector of Native Schools will probably be able to announce the results at the end of the month. His Honour Mr. Justice Button will near several undefended divorce cases to-day, also the case Andrews v. William Wilson and the Lowry Bay Estate Company—a claim for £442 16s. lOd. and a lien upon land for work done. Reserved judgment will be delivered this morning by His Honour Mr. Justice Button in respect of a summons to the District Land Registrar to substantiate his grounds of refusal to register a transfer under the Land Transfer Act, 1885, from C. 6. Knight and others to Fanny Beard and othors. The Southern Bowling Club (Dunedin) met on Monday night to consider a motion that alcoholic liquor be not allowed on the green.' The chairman declared the voting a tie, and was proceeding to give his casting vote for the motion when someone demanded a division, and it was then, discovered that thq mption was lost by nineteen to eighteen. The following periodicals-have been added jto the reforence department at the Central Library:—" The Biblical World " (monthly), "Dublin Reviow" (quarterly), "Mind'' (quarterly), " International Journal of! Ethics" (quarterly), "Technical Literature" (monthly), "The Hibbert Journal' 1 (quarterly), and the " Church Quarterly Review." , It is understood that the matter (to which attention was directed by Tub Dominion) of. boys being engaged as messengers by tho Telegraph - Department- in -contravention of the. School Attendance Act, • will be tho subject of discussion at'the' meeting of the Wellington Education Board to-morrow. Tho Truant Officer lias received a report of one! case of the kind in the neighbourhood of : Wellington.

During the past month 63 married men and 333 single men obtained work through the Labour Department. Of this number 203 , were, sent to private employers, and 193 were put on to Government works. Slackness of trade" was the oauSe of the want of employment in 395 cases. Of those assisted 147 camo from the North Island, 146 from the South Island, 49 from the Commonwealth, and 47 from Great Britain. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce has established a custom of offering prizes to each of the local State schools for proficiency in arithmetic, writing, and composition— three most important commercial subjects. The Chamber is now in consultation with teachers as to tho choosing of the prizes, the successful children being allowed to indicate what would suit them best. The Chamber spends a sum of £25 annually in this way. The prizes will bo presented at the Chamber of Commerce before the end of the month. Messrs. J. Bay ley and Son, Ltd., manufacturers of chrome and glace sheep skins, fancy leathers, box-calf and skivers, who some five years ago shifted tho whole of their plant from Burnside, Dunedin, to Sydney, Now South Wales, have during the last four months reinstalled the greater part of their machinery at Burnside, and the first lines of their manufactures are now being placed on the market. Tho new Jariff is alleged to be the cause of the shift back to tho Dominion. At its meeting this evening the Onslow Borough Council will consider objections 10 the taking of land under the Public Works Act for future water-works—objectors to bo heard in support of their contentions; and (subject to decision as to foregoing), (a) a formal resolution that the lands bo taken and water-works in due course erected; (b) a formal resolution setting out tho amount and term of proposed loan and special rate to be levied; (c) authentication and certification of special roll of ratepayers affocted. A correspondent (" E. B.") mqiires tho source of tho following par egyric, and tho name of ■ its subject:—"He possessed by temper every grace. Ho had a humanity that melted at every distress; a charity which not only thought no evil, but suspected none; and he exercised his profession with a skill and integrity which nothing could equal bat the disinterested motive that animated his labours, or the amiable modesty which accompanied all his virtues. Ho employed' his industry, not to gratify his own desiresno man indulged himself less; not to accumulate useless wealth—no man more disdained so unworthy a pursuit; it was for the decent advancement of his family, for tho generous assistance of his friends, for tho ready relief of the indigent. How often did ho exert his distinguished abilities, yet rcfuso the reward of them in tho defonco of the widow, the fatherless, and of him that had'none '.o help him. ■ In a word, few over passed a moro useful, not one a moro blameless life; and his whole tinio was employed either :n doing good, or in meditating it." Ladies visiting Wellington during tho Christmas holidays would do well .to pay C. Adams ! and Co.'s millinery establishment a visit before going further. The millinery rooms upstairs will bo found extensive, and afford tho best soleetion at reasonable prices in the city. Costumes and blouses will bo sold at a reduction during December. Only address, 35 Cuba Street. CG4-1 , Photographic post cards of " Hospital Saturday" collection, and other interesting events, on sale at Zak's Photo Depot, 24 Willis Street : (pi'ica id. each). i

The Customs revenue collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £2078 7s. An interesting article entitled "Glad tj be Back," in which is described the impressions of a typical New Zcalander on a visit to the Old Country, and tho hazy ideas of the average Englishman regarding New Zealand, will be found on page 4 of this issuo. Tho man Frederick Cooper arrested >a Auckland, charged with a series of jow ( ellery thefts in Wellington, is expected to arrive to-morrow evening. Ho will bo brought before tho Court on Friday, and probably remanded until Wednesday next. Mr. J. Dinncen (of the Wellington Education Board) has boon employed during the last fow days securing a census of Lower Hutt, with a view to forming the now school district necessitated by the erection of a school upon tho site acquired from Mr. Hornett in King's Road. Tho action between Edmund Marriott and Hannah M'Gregor—which had been set down for hearing during tho current Civil Sittings of the Supremo Court — has been discontinued. The main quostion in this case was whether unduo influeuco had been exorcised in connection with tho execution of a will. A runaway horso and. cart belonging to tho Dominion Fruit Supply Company was pluckily stopped in Lambton Quay yesterday by a young man named J. V. O'Donnell. When the runaway was careering past Mee'i chemist shop, O'Donnell got into the cart and brought tho maddened horse to a standstill opposite Mackay's bookseller's shop without any damage being done. ' About thirty-six people ascended Mount Holdsworth on Sunday, one party leaving Carterton at one o'clock on Sunday morning! and returning the same evening after reaching tho summit. The visitors report that the track is in very good order, and that the mountain house recently erected by the Masterton Alpine Club is situated in ail excellent position, and very comfortable. ' Tho case between G'onstablo John 11. Turner (appellant) v. Robert William Paterson (respondent)—an appeal on . law, from a decision given by Mr. Riddell, S.M.—has been tentatively set down for hearing on Thursday. It will be romembored that tho Magistrate held that tho illegal arrest of respondent by appellant constituted an assault. Sir. Hcrdman is acting for the appellant, and Mr. Skerrett, K.C., for the respondent. ' At tho Supremo Court yesterday, whilst applications for fixtures were being considered, it was stated that thoro was a remote chance of a settlement in the case in which Allan M'Guire applies for the dissolution of the interim injunction (obtained at tho instance of Mrs. W. H. Field), restraining him and his contractor from cutting intotho bank at the rear of the new Commercial Hotel on Lambton Quay. The Rev. J. C. Andrew's almost undo-

J ciphorable handwriting is said to have been 1 responsible for the naming of his sheep-sta-l tion, in Tenui, "Ic'a," writes our Waii'arapa ' correspondent.. Tho reverend gentleman's f' initials were J. C. A., and, shortly, after he . purchased his farm, 1 some goods were for--1 warded to I. C. A., Tenui, by a Wellington j merchant firm, which had made a guess at tho initials of Mr. Andrew's business order, j and was only a letter out. The chance name P was adopted by Mr. Andrew,, and thereafter the station was known as lea. f There is living in a dilapidated cottage in . the Hutt .district a feeble old ; man, too weak . to take proper care of himself. The Health i Department has notified the Hutt County Council that tho house is insanitary and : : must be destroyed,' but'tho problem'is what to'do with the old mau. He has hitherto absolutely refused to leave, and the Council has been sadly puzzled to know how to act | in the case, as there appears to be no power to compel him to go into an institution. At yesterday's meeting of the Council it was stated that there was room for him in the . Old Men's Homo, and it was decided to endeavour to induce him to go there. The Mines Department is arranging to give effect to the fresh recommendations made last session by the Gold Fiolds Uon> mittee in connection with the new mining regulations issued by the Department last year. The amended regulations were submitted to Parliament by the committee just before tho end of the session. They provide for an increase of the Government's contribution towards prospecting, allowing, in some, oases, £2 instead of £1, and they 'include also a reduction in mining rates. Tho Department hopos to be able to issue the amended regulations before the end of the year. Tho Rov. John' Clifford, the well-known Nonconformist leader, in a letter to " The Times" on undenominational training colleges, says that after observing the Mew Zealand education system on tho spot in 1897, he was forced to the conclusion that in the quality of the teaching and its fitness for making good and useful citizens, tho iNew Zealand system deserved to rank higher than the English. Although the Now Zealand system was perfectly neutral towards all churches and theologies, yet, so far as Dr. Clifford could judge, the morals of tho people wore, as a whole, in'advanco of those of the English. Miss Bertha Hickson has a few black and white crayon portraits in M'Gregor Wright's studio on Lambton Quay that aro attracting somo attention. Tho portraits includo inosa of the Hon. T. Kennedy Macdonald, M.L.C., Mr. T. E. ijonne (of the Tourist Department), Mr. tl. A. St. G. Hickson (Commissioner of Stamps), a juvcnilo daughter i.f His Excellency tho Governor and Lady Plunkot, Mrs. K. Duncan, and a very beautiful girl. All have' a photographic origin. This, is a pity, for there is much in Miss Hickson's work to commend, and the artistic 'joy of creating from life Bhould bo her immediate aim and ambition., . . Liberty of speech is a great boon to a people, and wo in New Zealand do not sea eve to eye with tho Russian autocracy on this I question. It means, among other things, public halls, wherein both the wise and foolish may speak their minds without meteorological interference. The borough of Onslow is sufficiently public-spirited to desire a hall for its specch-making and junkotings, and tho question of sites, and tbo cost of one foi\ Kaiwarra and Khandallah, will bo considered at tbo meeting of tho Council this ovening. Another oviclouce of a forward movoment in the Onslow' Borough is tno matter of acquiring a rccrcation ground, which also forms an item on the order paper tor this evening's mooting. Mrs. Ethel K. Do Costa, LL.B. (nee Miss Ethel E. Benjamin, of Dunedin), after practising for somo years in that city, has commenced practice as a barrister and 'solicitor in No 6 Nathan's Buildings, corner Groy and Fcatleiston Streets, Wellington, Mrs. De Costa has tho distinction of boing the only lady prao. tising at tho Bar in tho Dominion. Intending clients ran depend on prompt and careful at tention at Mrs. Do Costa's hands. You will find a display of such dainty holi. day frocks, morning dresses, pretty bloußCs, charming millinery, etc., at Mrs. Mathewson's Melbourne House, Lambton Quay. The prices will enablo every lady "in Wellington to look really smart and well drosscd. Remember the address: Lambton Quay, opp. Bank N.Z. 6117

•It was decided at the meeting of the Karori Council last night that the City Electrical Engineer should be asked to fur- , nish a report on the cost of extending the tram lino to the Council Chambers, and also to the' Pound. '. An outbreak of fire, caused through a pot of melted resin boiling over, was responsible for tho Firo Brigade turning out yesterday morning to the warehouse of Messrs. Jackson and Co., painters and paper-hangers, Jorvois Quay. The outbreak . was extinguished by tho employees of the firm before the brigado arrived. At tho meeting of the Karori Borough Council last night, tho Mayor (Mr. rearco) moved as follows That, owing to tho heavy loss on tho running of the 'busos, it is the opinion of the Council that tho time has arrived when tho 'bus service should bo reduced." Opinion on the subject was divided, and, on tho motion being put, it was lost, the voting being as follows: —For: The Moyor, Councillors Lissington, Clark, arid Putman. Against: Councillors Weclde, Smith, Cathie, Spiers, and Hammond, "It is generally supposed that the nogro has his homo all through America," said Mr. F. L. Stephens while lecturing at the Church of Christ last, evening, "but it is in the , Southern parts of the United States,' tho great cotton-growing country, that tho black man'- lives. Japaneso and Chinese are only along the Pacific coast. There aro many . people in the United States who have never seen a Japanese or Chinaman. The Yankee," he continued, "is on the Atlantic coast. You'call a Southerner a Yankee in America, and you havo got a fight over your head at onccl" : A lad, about thirteen, years of age behaved in a very peculiar manner on Lambton Quay yesterday afternoon.' First'of all, he played a martial air on a tin can. This evidently had , tho effect of increasing his ardour considerably. His next item " was a display of drill, 1 in tbo course of which bo delivered the various orders of command in a maiinor which prould have done credit to' a full-blown officer. . After he had marched up and down for. two or threo minutes; his eye lighted on a full-size picture of a man on a poster. Ho went' over, shaped up, and delivered a-few blows "at his imaginary adversary. At this Btage, a'gentleman in blue mado a sign to the lad, who now acted quite rationally, jSe showed a clean pair of heels.