LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Customs revenue collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £2444 13s. 4d.

Tho Miramar Corporation announce . new provisional time-tables for tho Miramar North and Seatoun tramway lines. Full particulars will bo found in our advertising columns. . ■ .

The Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) will administer the rite of confirmation at the PotonG Church to-morrow morning, and at St. Paul's, Wellington, to-morrow evening.

Tho report that the scheme for floating.the minorally-ricb Parapara property and the ironsand of the Taranald foreshore had collapsed is, according, to tho Public Trustee (acting for the estate of the late Sir James Cadman), entirely without foundation. The negotiations have merely been delayed owing to the stringency of the money market occasioned by tho financial upheaval in America.

Of theories to account for tho outbreak of tho fire at Parliamentary Buildings there aro no end. One gentleman, who has had much to do with the elucidation of tho crime of arson, says that tho causes of fire could not be contained in a volume. Ho remembered on one occasion iu tho old days he was playing billiards in tho old Star Hotel on Lambton Quay one hot summer's day, whon suddenly tho cloth of the table bogan to frifczlo and smoke under thoir eyes. A briof investigation proved that the sun's rays had fooussed through tho glass skylight ovcrhoad, and had centred in tho burnt spot on tho cloth.

Mrs. Ethel R. Do Costa, LL.B, (neo Misa EtUol R. Benjamin, of Dunodin), after practising for eomo years in that olty, lias commenced practico na a barrister and solicitor in No 6 Nathan's Buildings, corner Groy and Fcnttciston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has tho distinction of being tho only lady practising at the Bar in tho Dominion. Intending clionts enn dopond on prompt and careful of teatioa.at Mis, Da .Costa's hands.

Tho heavy rainfall on Wednesday night and early on Thursday morning has given welcome relief to the suburbanites, whose tanks had become drought-stricken during the past six weeks' spell of dry weather.

The new post-offico at Taihape, to bo formally opened by tho'Premier on Tuesday afternoon, is a handsome building, not unlike the now postal building at the Lower Hutt, but is slightly larger than that structure.

The Hinomoa, which leaves Wellington on Tuesday on her tour of tho Northern lighthouses, is taking four naturalists for tho Kermadco Islands. It is the intention of this party to remain on the islands until the next visit of the Government steamer, one year hence. Two of the party are from Timaru, and two from Christchurch.

" Tho practico of drivers of vehicles keeping in front of tram-cars is too; frequent in the city," remarked Inspector Doyle during the hearing of a case at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, in which the driver of a cart was prosecuted for driving on the tram lino in front of a car. A heavy penalty was not pressed for, but dofendant was nevertheless penalised for tho breach as ft warning to drivers in general.

It is estimated that, with the new Parliamentary Buildings, General Post Office, and Public Trust Office in course of erection at the same time, tho Government will be volved' in building in Wellington next year to tho extent of £200,000. If it is decidad to put in hand tho proposed new railway station and tho addition to the new Drill Hall at Buckle Street that sum will easily amount to a quarter of a million sterling.

Mr. Coleridge has completed plans' for the new brick Roman Catholic schools to be erected at tho Lower Hutt. The buildings will be two stories high, of handsome design, finished with pressed bricks, .and relioved with cement facings, and will be another decided improvement for the Lower Hutt. The internal, arrangements will be finished in first-Class style and up to date in all requirements. Tenders will be called in a few days.

Mr. Herbert Gaby has disposed of his property at Newtown, known as the Star Foundry, to Messrs. Charles, William, and James M'Keegan, of this city. All three gontlemen are vory well known in engineering circles. Mr. Charles M'Keegan has been manager for Messrs. W. Cable and Co. for some years; Mr. William M'Keegan was foreman at the same foundy for some' j'ears; and Mr. James M'Keegan has been foreman at the Phtenix Foundry for a long time.

The Union Company's new turbine clipper, Maori, established another record in the run from'' Lyttelton yesterday. The Maori's fastest wharf to wharf how is oight hours twenty-five minutes, and from heads to heads oight hours fifteen minutes. Tho average speed as far as Capo Campbell was twenty knots, and on tho whole journey she averaged 19.62 knots. The previous fastest time on the northward run 1 from .wharf to wharf was nine hours three minutes.

The Cabinet has authorised the naming of thd new time-ball observatory on the Defence Reserve at Kolburno as the Hector Observatory, after the late distinguished scientist. A fair response is being made to the suggestion that the memory; of Sir Jantes Hector should be further honoured by the institution of a " Hector" medal, to be pre- 7 seiited to the, .most distinguished research scholar in sqienco of the University each year, or in geology at the Honours examination. Subscriptions towards the memorial are being received by Dr. Mason, Chief Health Officer; Wellington. It is possible that the New Zealand Institute may also decide to inaugurate a medal, or to contribute towards tho cost 'of that already proposed. v •

In connection with a suggestion that appeared in yesterday's Dominion to the effect that in any soheme in connection with the extension of the Wellington telephone exchange provision should be made for sleeping accommodation on the premises for some of tho staff, in viOw of emergehCy work, a representative of this paper learned yesterday that such a provision had been considered by the authorities in planning the proposed new telophone exchange, that so for is a rather indefinite proposition. What had been practically decided was that whon the timo arrived for plans to be executed a dormitory would bo included. The erection of a new exchange in Wellington, instead of frequent extensions, has commendable points. The how exchango would be a two-story building.

The awe-inspiring calm which prevails at the Supremo Court was rudely disturbed.by the antics of a " monkey " yesterday morning. It was not a real monkey, such as we associate with the barrcl-orgnn, but a heavy iron contrivance—having not the remotest suggestion of anything connected with the Simian tribe, used in a pile-driving machine on a building in course of erection on a site near the Supreme Conrt Building. The "animal" made such a clattor.th.it the learned Judge, brilliant advocates, and intelligent jury within the Court were quito unable to concentrate their attention upoll the evidence appertaining to An important Exhibition case. " I have put up with this noise for two ,or three days; I think it is time we put a stop to it; it irritates me whon trying to listen to counsel,". protested His Honour Mr. Justice Button. The Registrar was therefore deputed to serve an '' injunction " upon the " monkey," and the noise Ceased. The men were subsequently granted half an hour's grace, wherewith to straighten up the machinery.

Tho Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr. D. Robertson) has returned' from a tour of the northern ' part of the North Island—and Auckland. Auckland is emphasised because Robertson was so struck with the violent progress which had been made since he was last there somo thirty months ago, that he really believes Wellington has there a dangerous rival. He could pretty well judge that the oity was advancing through the development of ■ the postal business, but ho confesses amazement at tho tangible evidence presented of the Queen City's prosperity, which will be welcome news —if it can bo called nows—to the unparochial mind. The Waikato, too, was booming, and ho was given to understand that that interesting process was being aided to a large extent by Wellington and southern capital. During his absence from Wellington he ventured as far north as Whangarei, which is sharing in the general prosperity by tho development of the dairying industry in the district. Whangarei is to have a now post-ofEco shortly as a prize for tho general advancement it has recently mado. During his progress southward Mr. Robertson visited Rotorua, and took in the postal possibilities of the main trunk route.

Ladies visiting Wellington during tho Christmas holidays would do well to pay C. Adams and Co.'s millincrv establishment a vieit beforo going further. The millinery rooms upstairs Will be found extensive, and afford tho best solcction at reasonable ' prices in . the City. 'Coutumcs and blouses will he sold at a reduction during December. Only address, 35 Cuba Street. C6H

Photographic post cards of "Hospital Saturday" collection, and other interesting events, on .sale at Zak'6 Photo Depot, 24 Williß Street (piiqj Id. each).

Tho Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department does not anticipate that the. Public Works Department will be in a position to call for tenders for tho erection of the new General Post Oflice for at least a couple 6f months,

The arrangement under which the State Fire Insurance Department has been working, Lloyds, With a combination of - English underwriters terminates at the end of this year. The Department has been sdvised, through the High Commissioner, that tho English underwriters are prepared to • extend their proportion of the cover.

The population of the "largest wooden building in the world" is as nervous as a cat just now. The presence of an arniod force in the precincts, and the minute inspec 1 - tion of reels of hose-piping, would seem to. indicate that a conflagration was lurking somewhere in the neighbourhood. A Pressman, who was prowling about the various' offices looking for the fugitive "par" yesterday, poked his head into a room, sniffed ostentatiously, and almost precipitated a panic. Ho then left hurriedly.

Tho glory of the Government'penny postcard departed with tile advent of the wellsustained " boom ", for picture post-cards, from grave to gay, from lively to severe. Determined not to be beaten by any such fad as a picture-card, the Postal Department is , to issue a plain unvarnished half-penny postcard as from Monday next. Oh one side are the .two words "Inland gost" (Signifying that the ha'porth is limited by the Do* minion's coast-line), and a printed halfpenny i stamp, which, by the way, boars a very good likeness of His Majesty. The reverse side is absolutely . bare, so that, the .maximum amount! Of writing may be done by those who have that to write which those who run may read. . ' ,' "

At tho City Council mating last evening reference was made to the matter 6f supply-' ing Brooklyn with wator. Tho topio was introduced while' the water supply by-laws were under discussion. The Major suggested that the By-Laws Committee should meet aud consider the whole question, nd submit a recommendation. A Councillor asked if the Brooklyn residents wore being supplied with water at present. The Mavor replied in the affirmative; they had bean supplied for about six weeks. Each person who was connected had undertaken to nay for the water, but the Council had no powei to ohargo.them under the " extraordinary ,; supply rates. The question to be ; de cided was Whether the Brooklyn resident) were > receiving an "extraordinary 1 ' supply. The Engineer had submitted a recommendation, but.he had not differentiated between Brooklyn and other, '.'.extraordinary" cases. Tho.question'was referred to the sub-com-mittee. ' • /

Chief-Detective M'Grath . expresses the opinion that tho Habitual Criminals A6t embraces the most beautiful law ever 1 devised for the checking of crime. In this bourso of a ohat with a representative of.thiß paper, he said that tho number of known criminals in : Wellington was well up to the average, but they were, keeping very quiet of late. With that ingenuous air of peculiar oamaraderie that exists between the members of the detective force and known criminals (who are kept under general surveillance), 6ne'6f the latter vrecently remarked: "I've 'ad ennf, I ain't .turned into a saint; God knows,' but I buoks at the .' Kathleen. Sfayounteen.f sentence." The expression is remarkably apt when the well-known lines of the popular-, song'-' 1 It, • may be for years, and it may be for ever "— are remembered.:'-.,'.... . -- -a ..

Mr. A. Hamilton, Director of the Colonial Museum—which institution, by the by, will require a change'of name now that -the Dominion has come to pass—has returned from a collecting tour in the neighbourhood of Ohakune and Waiouru. He has scoured abOitt 400 specimens of \ various kinds of insects, including some considerable rarities, among them, a largo motl; of whioh very few specimens have been previously obtained. The district to the west of Mount Ruapehu is densely covered with bush, and probably one of the best places in New Zealand for collecting at the present time. The bush flowers are now out in great' variety, and six or eight species of orchids are ill bloom. One speoies, ptefostylis Banksii, which is a large ground orchid somewhat resembling the cypripedium, is usually green like its leaves, Svifch a few streaks of white, but specimens' Were found by Mr. Hamilton with the flower entirely white,., making a very rare variety, and ono Worthy of cultivation. Even Oil the ■ bleak, windswept plain! round Waiouru abundant insect life' Was found, and a : good collection was obtained from that district.

The Labour Department is issuing the following ciroular to hotclkefcpCrs:—"l have to call your attontion to Section 3 of the ShbpiS and Offices Act Amendment Act, 1907, ) wherein it is provided that all assistants in hotels shall have a half-holiday from two 6'clook in the afternoon of some workingday in each week, and to request you to See that all your employees get the half-holiday forthwith. The local Inspeotor of Factories has been directed to, report any breach of the Act, but I trust that there will be no necessity for any such action to be taken."

"i think Mr. Keir Hardie is one of thoss ignorant persons who do not know the fittent of, their ignorance. It would be far better to ignore him altogether." This opinion was ■ expressed by the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Crawford) at a'meeting- of the Miramar Council on Thursday night subsequent to the reading of a communication from the Patangate County Council, which forwarded a copy of'a resolution expressing the, hope that Air. Keir Bardie would not reoeivo any official recognition from any local body in the Dominion 'in view of his utterances whilst in India; It was* resolved that the letter lio on the table. ■'