LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 465, 25 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Now, Zealand's offer" has ovidcntly touched a responsive chord in tho heart of cno _ practical young Now Zealander. A Cliristchurch schoolboy has written to tho Premier: "Dear Sir Joseph,—l nm sending a shilling for tho Dreadnought," • °

A meeting of shareholders of the Citv ami Suburban Co-operative Buildup Society"(lirst issue) was held last evening in tho offices of Gualter, Dykes and Co., when an appropriation was hold by ballot. Mr. R. Wylio drow the winning number, and is'entitled to a loan of £300 freo of interest.

A conference' of licensed victuallers, brewers, and wine and spirit merchants is in progress at tho Masonic Hall, Boulcott Street. Mr. P. Burke, of Cliristchurch, is presiding, and Mr. 11. J. Williams is acting as secretary of tho conference, which is closed to tho press.

Ono effect of the naval sensation is that tho local branch of tho Navy Leaguo has had a fair accession of membership. The lion, secretary (Mr. C. W. Palmer) informs us that thero is a proportion of the fair sox in tho now recruits, and a' further batch of juvenile- members has been forwarded by a local school.

Sufferers from accidents occasionally oxporioneo a rather bad timo in being assisted into tho hospital ambulance. This is due 1.0 tho fact that competent assistance is uot always on tho spot. The matter lias conio under tho notice of tho St. John AmbulanceAssociation, and members of its various brigades have now offered to sunorviso or help m theso cases. .

A well-attended meeting of graduates and undergraduates was held at ,St. Patrick's Collego last llev. Father Kcogli, S.M., 8.A., presiding. After discussion, it was decided to hold a religious conference and social reunion at San Antonio, Muritai, on Easter Sunday morning. The- ttev. Father Bartley, S.M., 8.A., Mr, E. J. Fitzgibbon, LL.D., and Mr. F. E. Kelly were- appointed as a committee to make arrangements.

At a meeting of the executive committeo of the Old English Game Club, hold in the oflico of Mr. Agmen Smith yesterday, it was decided that registration should bo applied for at onco in view of the approach of tho Wellington Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Association's Show. A delegate was appointed to wait on the association to arraugo that - special classes for game birds be included in tho catalogue, and that judges be appointed to deal with them.

First .aid classes, under the auspices of tho St. John Ambulance Association, aro likelv to begin shortly,aft-or Easter. Among tho business which will como up at tho next mooting of tho committeo is a report on tho stylo of improved ambulanco van which it is intended to purchase. It is not improbablethat the now vchielo will resemble in construction tho van recently acquired bv 'lie Christclnirch branch. Tho cost price, landed will bo over £220. '

The question of boring for water was again beforo tho Eastbourne- Borough Council it yesterday's meeting, when replies from men ready to undertake- the work woro received In reply to an inquiry as to whether the Harbour Board hud a suitable plant for driving or boring for artesian water t-ho secretary replied m tho negative. The clerkMr. J. 1) Avery) thought tho plant could bo borrowed, flip Mayor (Mr. F. CI. Bolton) expressed 'himselr as being in favour of dol-xr tho work by contract. After discussion it was decided to write to Mr. J. Stewart asking bun if lie could eoimneiico by the 'end ot May, and to submit his price.

Tho Government lias decided to invite tenders immediately for tlio construction 0 r n bridge over the Wniau liivor, between Cheviot and fceddon. Tho neeos-dlv for a bridge has been repeatedly ureed "by" Mr' A W. lhitherford, who lias often lost valuable cattle in attempts to ford the treacherous stream, the structure will be ncnrlv Inlr a mile long, and it is expected to cost"atoVf £20,000. It will be a combined road ,„',} railway bridge, with composite mrdcrs of steel and timber, on timber pile piers, ami with road and railway on the same floor' The bridge will consist of fifty-four -12ft spans' Many of the South Canterbury bridges are much longer than the new bridge will"bo '

Icis Rrown in different localities havo differ out characteristics, and c.vimi tho tea from 'my particular pardon is not Hid same in two sue eessivo seasons. Climatic chants, differences of soil, oxemso influences, ami it is in (he art in the lea blender to bnnp; toßethor tho different teas and by combination In produce a inrticular iluvonr. Crescent lilend Tea is a clio'ico cnnibination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and tho flavour never varios. All slorelioeners "s yer lb. '

Specie to tho value of £106,000 arrived in Wellington by the C'oriiithic on Monday last. Yesterday, Detective Cassells arrested a young man charged with the theft of a watch and chain and sundry small articles from a boardingbouso at Lower Hutt. At tho Mount Cook Police Court yesterday morning, before -Air. Peter Hutson, J.P., John Reid, charged with insobriety, was fined us., in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Harry Spenceh, similarly charged, was lined 10s., in default 18 hours' imprisonment. John Davey, charged with being drunk and disorderly, was limxl 55., in default 2-1 hours' imprisonment. Ono first offender was convicted and discharged. An address on tho Sydney Central Moth■odisfc Mission was given last night by its founder and superintendent, the Rev. W. G. Taylor, to a largo andienco in tho Taranaki Street Church. Mr. P. N. Slade, lion, secretary of tho mission, occupied the chair. Much interest was shown in Mr. Taylor's account of tho origin, expansion, and methods of tho institution. Owing to tho death of Judge Reovo and tho retirements of Judges Mair and Johnson, Micro will be thrco vacancies on the bench of tho Native Land Court at tho end of the present month, and an endeavour will bo made to seo if tho work can bo carried out by tho remaining seven Judges. A system of classification of cases is being devised, and a rulo will bo mado that if litigants aro not ready to go on with a case when it is set down for hearing, it will bo struck out. A deputation from tho W.C.T.TJ. Conference called upon the Prime Minister yesterday and urged the repeal of tho CD. Act. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said that the law was practically a dead letter in New Zealand at tho present time. It had not, so far as ho was aware, been brought into operation in any part of tho country. Ho fully recognised tho earnestness of the deputation, and would bo glad to seo that their reprewero placed beforo Cabinet for its consideration at an early date. Mr. W. P. Price addressed a meeting of unemployed at the Queen's Statue last night, there being about 150 present. Proceeding on rather Socialistic lines, tho speaker levelled a deal of criticism at capitalists generally, and blamed tho Government for tho large number of unemployed in the Dominion at present. Ho gave several instances of what ho thought could be dono to alleviate tho present distress, but with theso tho crowd assembled failed to agree, and there wero many hostile interjections.' Mr. Price stuck to his guns, however, and, at tho conclusion of his address, answered a number of questions. Two or three other sneakers also expressed their views, and received a fair hearing. Whito Island, which has kept vory quiot for somo time, giving no special displays either during tho A\ liakatano earthquakes in November last or during the Ngauruhoo outbreak, made a- considerable display to-day (telegraphed tho Auckland "Herald's" correspondent on Monday). Just beforo noon a small cloud of steam was visible over the island, and at 12.10 p.m. a column of smoko and steam shot up to a great height. Three more shots took placo beforo ono o'clock, the highest measuring ,5430 ft abovo sea level. Tho lirst column, judged by tho eye, was probably 0000 ft. in height, it being impossible to get tho instrument for measuring into position quickly enough. Mr. G. Ward states that' with tho exception of ono of 7550 ft. in October, 18S0, and another of 8080 ft. in October, 1906, tho shots aro tho highest ho remembers. No steam has been noticed sinco 1 p.m.

A prophetic incident has just hecn revealed in connection with tho lato Mr. A. E. Bono, one of tho victims of tho ill-fated 1 enguin. Shortly before entering on his unfortunato voyago, Mr. Bono was spending an evening with some friends, and was presented by a lady with ouo of Lett's diaries, in which, in response to a jocular 'remark, ho wroto tho address of his wifo in case ho should forgot it. Tho diary contained an insurance _ coupon for £100. Mr. Bono said that ho did not want to moot with an accident, and so had no desiro to sign tho coupon. Ho preferred to mako £100 by a better method. Tho lady, however, pressed him to sign tho coupon, and Mr. Bono, in a spirit of good humour, complied. His next journey was in tho Penguin, and tho sad result is generally known. Tho.coincidence is that the insuranco coupon has been presented and honoured by tho firm responsible for it.