LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Customs revenuo collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £3039 18s. Twelve Chinamen arrived by tho Ulimaroa from Sydney yesterday, ' six being exempt from poll tax- as they had previously resided in-the Dominion. The following eases will be taken by Mr. Justice Cooper in Banco to-morrow morning Walter Blundell and others (as trustees of tho Brett benefit fund) v. "N.Z. Times," M'Guinness : v. Mills and Co., and Hodgkins v. Culver. Mr. Justice Chapman will hear the case of Roberts v. Wiggins. The men's employment branch in connection with tho Labour Department has shifted its location from the old office in Featherston' Street to the first floor of the South British Insurance Company's building, Lambtan Quay. The former office is among the buildings that will bo pulled down immediately to make room for the new Post Office. Sitting in Banco - this morning, Mr. Justice Chapman will consider an application for a new trial of tho action between Heber Brown and Heenan and Proude, Ltd., in which plaintiff was awarded £500 damages in respect of injuries Sustained by him during the erection of machinery at the new destructor for which defendants were the contractors. Application for a now trial will also be made by the defendant in the case, Williams and another v. Merico. In this action, plaintiffs claimed £679 as commission on the sale of To Aroha Estate, Gisborne, and wero awarded the full amount.

At tho annual general meeting of : tho Wellington Law Students' Association hold last evening tho following officers were elected for tho ensuing session:—Patron, His Honour Sir Robert Stout, C.J.;. president, Mr. C. B. Morison; vico-presidonts, Hon. T. W. Hislop,, Dr. M'Arthur, Messrs T. Young, H. P. von Haast, T. M. Wilford, E. P. Hadfiold,. T. S. Weston, and A. Gray; committee, Messrs. T. Neave, L. A. Elliott, A. Fair, W. G. R. Wilson, H. P. O'Leary, and E. S. Grundy; hon. treasurer, Mr. T, N. Holmdon (re-elected); hon. secretary, Mr. B. C. Smith; hon. auditor, Mr. R. St. J. Bcero (re-olected).

Mrs. Ethel K. do Costa, LL.B. (nco Miss Etliel R. Benjamin, of Duuedin), after practising for Bomo yoars in that city, has commenced practice as n barrister and solicitor in No. 6 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Featherstori Streots, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has the distinction of being the only lady Jiraotisinst at tho Bar in the Dominion. InwmUns nlioutq oan tlepcnti cm worapt and careful attention Mrs. So Costa s nanus,.

A man was arrested in the Botanical Gardons by Constable Brown yest-erday afternoon on a charge of indeconcy near the Sydney Street entranco to tho Bolton Stroet cemotery. Tho Hon. \V. Hall-Jones to the Foxtori deputation: "I liavo never yet been to Foxton." Mr. J. Stevens, M.P. "Sir!" The Minister: "It is one part of New Zealand that I have not yet visited." Mr. Stevens: "Not been to Fox ton I Well, I hope wo will liavo you there soonl" A matter of considerable importance to tho mercantile community is that of "Principal and Agent." On this subject tho Wellington Accountant Students' Society were last evening favoured with a lecture from Mr. T. Noave, M.A., LL.B. The lecturer dealt with the matter in a very lucid stylo, and at the close was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The lecture is to bo printed in tho transactions of the Society. Tho Wellington Gas Company havo leased a flat of Messrs. Bannatyne and Hunter's building in Victoria Street, for the purposes of a bulk store. Tho space formerly occupied fof bulk goods upstairs in tho Courtbnay Place building is now being divided into officc apartments, and a concrete chamber to be utilised as a repository for the Company's gas-main plans and other valuable records and documents. . The Chief Inspector of Fisheries, who is at present in Auckland, has advised the Marine Department that there are now 71 men engaged in picking oysters. Of these 35 are at the Bay of Islands, and 36 at tho Waihoke beds. The total output for tho first seven days of tho season, was 965 sacks, but this week's 'total it is expected will reach 1100 to 1200 sacks. There were a few ,complaints about the inability of the Government to meet the demands', in tho initial stages of tho experiment, but the Inspector in his report adds that tho majority of dealers in the North are now well satisfied. The Hon. John Rigg, who was recently elected to life membership of ; tho Wellington Boxing Association, has written to tho secretary stating: "I have been endeavouring to understand what I have done to deserve such an honour. It is true that I have experienced a great deal of pleasure in. witnessing the contests that have taken place, and that lam greatly pleased, ( with the control and management of the sport by tho Association, but this only seems to place mo under a great obligation to your committee. I can only hope that an opportunity may arise . when' I can fitly show how highly I prize the honour that your Association has conferred upon me."

Australian papers to hand yestorday report tho arrest at Melbourne last week of James Brown Atholwood, an actor.well-known in Nov/ Zealand, .on a charge of, bigamy. Accused was appearing in "John Glayde's Honour" at Hor Majesty's Theatre. A warrant for his arrest was issued at tho instance of Ethel Ruby Yelverton ; Atholwood, and alleges that the accused was married to informant at North Melbourne by the Rev. W. Crackett on Juno 28, 1897, and that on, May 26, 1902, ho went through tho coroniony ■of marriage with Lilias May end, tho informant being' then alive. Accused was'admitted to bail, and appeared before the City Court on the following day ■vyhon the case was ; adjourned until May 13. Mr. Atholwood was last, in Wellington with the : "Brewstor's Millions" Company;

The grass grows green between the rails • at. tho. Te Aro. Railway Station, proving the great utility of ,tlio branch city line.' The Chamber of Commerce have repeatedly urgod the Govoriim'ent to abandon this section of tho railway on tho score of tho little ,use made of it by the public,; the, absolute in-canvenicnc-e it ; creatos in the trains having to : , cross tho cntranco to the busiest of our wharves, and on economic grounds. It was thought at one timo that a gradually increasing traffic would 'justify the: existo-ioo of tho line, but; tho electric cars have destroyed all hope in that direction, ..is ; s proved by the embryonic lawns between tho metals right opposite tho centre of tho platform. The land now occupied by the station and railway tracks would be a magnificent asset; to the city, if it was only used as a broadway along the southern water-front that is to become so busy in the near future. As an alternative, it would cut up into splendid sites' for public buildings, which might well include a new Technical School. The telltale grass seems to say that for railway purposes the land is being wasted. .

Tho people of .the hill suburb of Crofton' will .probably bo obliged in tho near future | to change all their addresses. Tho Mayor of Onslow (Mr. J. G. Harkness), speaking'\at the Borough Council , meeting last , night, mentioned the (likelihood of a post, office being' established at Crofton. Unfortunately,, thero is another and a larger place of'the same nam© in the Rangitikei district, and it already has a post office. Mr. Harkness brought the matter up so that councillors and residents might think of a new name for tho suburb, as it goes witliout saying that the Postal 1 Department will not recognise two Croftons. He said he believed the suburb was named by the late Sir William Pox, who also gave the name to a farm which he owned in the Rangitikei, where, the other. Crofton had since sprung up. Some of the councillors agreed that quite apart from the advantages of having a post offico, a change of name would save a good deal of trouble now resulting from letters going astray. Of course, one or two thought the other Crofton ought to give up its name in tho public interest. At the farewell breakfast given to the Anglo-Welsh football team, prior to their departure from England for New Zealand, the chairman (Mr. Rowland Hill) said that it was felt that this was a time when throughout tho colonies they should give assistance in fighting against professionalism. The visit would have a powerful effect in the colonies in supporting those who had been faithful to amateurism. Ho was sure when tho team returned, whatever tho result of their encounters, they would havo left behind them among those whom thoy would meet a feeling in their minds that thoy wero a body of real British sportsmen. Mr. W. P. Reeves, High Commissioner for New Zealand, agreed with the Chairman that this trip was an effort'on tho part of tho amateurs to maintain the amateur status, and stamp out tho beginning of professionalism in tho colonies. They must not think that the public in tho colonies was becoming converted to professionalism. What might happen thoy could not tell, but at i present the amateur was supremo, and this trip would strengthen tho amateur status in New Zealand. This remark was received with cheors.

A speciality of ITair and Scalp Treatment i 3 niado by Mrs. Rollest.on. Ladies troubled with falling hair, dandruff, or any scalp complaint should call for adrico (gratis) at her rooms, first floor, 3 Willis Street, over Carroll's, or tolophouQ appointment 1500. Personal attention only, Certificated, . C 730

Tho following tenders have been- received by tho Public Works Department for tho orection of a Post Office at Newmarkot: —R. Kay (accopted), Auckland, £2132; E. Morris, Auckland, £2164; C. F. Hamon and Sons, Auckland, £2533; W. A. Clark, Auckland, £2579. Messrs. A. L. Wilson and Co. commenced yosterday their sale of the valuable collection of books, belonging to the estate of tho late Mr. C. W. Benbow. There was a record attendance of buyers from all parts of tho Dominion, and tho salo, which was a most successful one from every point of view, resulted in nearly three thousand volumes being passed under tho hammer. The salo will be continued to-day and to-morrow. At a meeting of tho Johnsonville Town Board held on Tuesday evening it was resolved to write to tho syndicate to which a lighting concession has been granted, stating that as no practical stops have been yet taken to instal tho system, and only three months of tho oontract time remains, the Board will cancel the concession made in order to allow people willing to perform tho work an opportunity of doing so. It is probablo that a volunteer fire brigade will shortly be established in the Borough of Onslow. lAt the meeting of the Borough Council last night, a letter was received from Mr. J. W. Carrick, who asked for municipal assistance in the establishment of such an institution. . He alluded to the present unprotected state of the Borough as regards fire risks, stating that he understood there were at Kaiwarra 600 ft. of hose belonging jointly to the Borough, Messrs. J. Newton and Sons and tho Now Zealand Candle Company. The writer had received numerous offers to join a volunteer fire brigade, and he suggested that tho Council 'should provide a site, erect a small station and procure certain plant, such as a reel, ladders, ropes, etc. There would be no'difficulty in formng a brigade of wiling young men who ' vould be ready to attend any firo in the Borough without expecting remuneration. Ho suggested that a site might be found on the land which is to- be acquired by the Council for a septic tank at Kaiwarra. If a brigade wore formed, the insurance companies might be asked for subscriptions, ..and no doubt tho residents would also subscribe. Councillors Lynneberg and Kiernan spoke approvingly, of the proposal, , the former raising the question of a fire board. On the motion of the Mayor (Mr." J. G. Harkness), it,was resolved to acknowledge receipt of jtho letter, and deal with the matter after ob* saining information on the subject. ;. '