LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A slight shock of earthquake was felt in the city at about 1.20 p.m. yesterday. Jupp's Band will give a performance at Newtown Park on Sunday afternoon. The main municipal roll in connection with tho elections of April 28 will be availablo to the public in a day or two. Captain Rupert England, late of the Nimrod, has been appointed to preside with Captain Luke as 'assessor in the Penguin appeal case. This alteration has been niado owing to Captain Forbes boing unablo to attend. Tho Minister for Roads and Bridges (Hon. A. W. Hogg) has authorised the prosecution of urgent works on the Ohura Road, Taranaki. When travelling in tho district recently, Mr. Hogg was informed that portions of tho road were virtually impassable during the winter. He hopes' to have tho worst placos metalled this season. Matters, relating to the administration of tho ostates of sovoral of the victims of the Penguin disaster wero dealt with iu Chambers yesterday. With regard to the estates of Alfred Geo.' Loosemore, Edward Tbos. Coumbe, and Francis Jas. Driscoll, whoso bodies havo not been recovered, special affidavits had to bo filed showing tho probability of death. The adjourned meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Sophia Louisa White was held yesterday before the Official Assignee (Mr. A. Simpson). The .Assignee disallowed tho proof of debt of Mr. .1. R. Fraser for £47 10s. ou tho ground that ho had the use of the furniture. Mr. A. J. Rand proposed and Mr. Church seconded that tho furniture be given back to the bankrupt upon condition that it is mortgaged to Messrs. Fioldor and Co. to secure tho amount duo to them. This was carried. At a special general meeting of thoKarori Rifle Club hold in Godbor's Rooms last night it was decided to hold tho annual dinner during the last week in April. Messrs. Marshall, Bulford, Burns, Halliil-y, and the president and secretary wero appointed a committee to carry out the arrangements. It was decided to challenge the Wellington Battalion to a shooting match, fifteen men a-sido, to be fired at Trentham on Saturday, April 3.

Dr. Mason received a telegram from the Mayor of Gisborno yesterday informing him that all his suggestions iu connection -with the sanitation of tho town would bo given effect to. Typhoid has created somo alarm at Gisborne, and thoro are still 29 cases under treatment. It is'proposed to close up old veils, make better provision for drainage, with a view to a permanent schomc, and to put tho town on a hotter sanitary footing. At tho annual mooting of tho Karori Gymnastic Club tho following officers were elected:—President, flow A. L. Hansell; vico-prosidents, Messrs. J. C. Fulton, L. Hill, 0. B. Mann, 0. Williams, and 13. Welling; captain, Mr. H. Cole; deputy captain, Mr. C. Monaghan; lion, secretary, Mr. J. B. Jordan; hon. treasurer, Mr. T. Bailey; committee, Messrs. 11. Caldwell, A. Edwards, T. 11. Gill, P. C. Jordan, and 1). Picot; instructor, Mr. W. B. Taylor. Tho club liad a very successful sea-son, and after paying for all its apparatus is able to start tho year with a credit balance.' Teas grown in different localities liavo different characteristics, and oven tho tea from any particular garden is not the samo in two successive seasons. Climatic changes, differences of soil, exercise inflno.nces, and it is in the art of (ho lea blender to bring togethor the different teas and by combination to produce a particular flavour. Crescent Blend Tea is a choice, combination of Coylon and Indian Teas, and tbo flavour uovor ratios. All Gloiekoepars, 2s. per lb.

Tho new number of "Tho Citizen," containing tho usual budget of topical matter, is now on sale, and may bo obtained at all booksellors. Complaints continue to bo received from sottlcrs and merchants of the miscarriage of goods on tho Main Trunk line, at somo spot between Palmerston North and To Kuiti. The Town Clerk complains that a number of cartridges havo boon sent lately to tho destructor with ordinary rubbish, ami in view of the' danger to iho destructor employees, ho asks that this practice bo discontinued. Tho crack road cyclist, Mr. Francis Birtlos, is to leavo New Plymouth this morning to attempt to break tho cycling record between that town and Wellington. Ho expects to finish his run at Tiie Dominion offico at i about 8 o'clock this evening. ' Decided improvement in building is disclosed by tho number of permits issued by tho City Council during the' past fortnight. Tho number issued was twenty-two, tho estimated value of tlie buildings being £10,G61, of which £6738 is to be spent in the city, and £3923 in Melrose. During the preceding period, fifteen permits wero issued, the estimated value of the buildings being £5438. Our suburban trains again.' A Wellington resident who had business at Khandallah last evening, and was dotained out thero so perilously near his train time—about 10.10 p.m. —that ho sprinted about a mil© at a faster rate than ho had done for years, had his exertions for nothing, as subsequent ovents proved ho might havo crawled all tho way on his nands and knees, and still caught tho train, which clanked into Khandallah at 10.45 p.m. In fact, he could havo walked to Wellington during the period of his long and droary wait. Tho contract for tho erection of Messrs. Dalgety and Co.'s now building at tho corner of Foathcrston and Waring Taylor Streets has been let to Messrs. Campbell and Burke, tho contract prico being £12,000. Tho plans prepared by the architects, Messrs. Crichton and M'Kay, show that tho new building will havo a front of pressed brick, with conwnt facings and bluestono base. The design is of tho ronaissanco stylo. There will bo four floors, of which tho firm will use tho lower threo and let tho upper one for offico purposes. An up-to-date electric lift, electric light, and all modern conveniences will be provided. The building should bo ready for occupation in twclvo months. "Industrial matters are very peaceful jnst now," said tho Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister for Labour, to a Dominion reporter yesterday. "In fact, I never knew tho Labour Torld moro calm than it is at present, and it will bo my object to keep it so. Tho Conciliation Councils are creating a good impression, and the now system of keeping employers up to tho mark by moans of the .Magistrates' Courts will havo a most salutary effect. Tho long delays hitherto experienced in gotting wrongs righted, have led to a largo amount of friction, but tho prompt methods of the Magistrates in dealing with the cases brought before thom are bound to almost prevent abuses of any magnitude in tlie futnro."

A lady voter in tho Hutt electorate, who voted at tho Belmont polling booth, has written complaining that she has received notico from tho Registrar of Electors stating that she did not vote, and asking if sho'still rosidos in tho district. Sho writes asking, in tho circumstances, what becamo of hor vote. Wo havo inquired from tho Returning Officer, who states that the deputy in tho polling booth may havo omitted to mark the roll when this voto was recorded. This, ho states, happens occasionally, and so it may occur that notices aro sent out by the Returning Officer to electors who havo voted. With the circular a form is enclosed which tho elector is asked to sign showing that ho or she is still resident in tho district. If this form is filled in and returned, the namo is allowed to remain on tho roll. Our correspondent may not regard this explanation as very satisfactory—it ■ certainly does not speak very highly for tho caro exorcised.

'' The;'Def6riCo/DepartmenV''is,ro*t'r'enching. Tho horse and forago allowanco of £50 annually paid to tho officers commanding t)i6 various military, districts, and also to tho as r sistant-adjutants-general, and tho honorary payment (£SO each) to tho assistant quartor-mastors-general arc to bo discontinued. Tho officers affected by this retrenchment are, in Wellington: Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop (0.C.U.). Captain T. W. M'Donald (A.A.G.), Captain C. Harcourt Tumor (A.Q.M.G.); in Auckland: Lieut.-Colonol Wolfo (0.C.D.), Captain It. Carpenter (A.A.G.), and Captain J. H. Whyto (A.Q.M.G.)j in Nelson: Lieut.-Col. Joyce (0.C.D.), and Captain It. W. Stiles (A.Q.M.G.); in Canterbury: LieutColonel J. E. Hawkins (0.C.D.), Captain H. R. Pottor (A.A.G.), and Captain M'. H. Meddings (A QM.G.); Otago: Lieut.-Colonel (0.C.D.), Captain D. A. Hickey fA'rAv flnd Ca Pta"i J- M'lndoo (A.Q.M.G.).

r,. T^ O c o J d ?° ys of Palmerston North High School assembled at Scott's Booms last evening to recall tho interesting past and do honour to their Alma Mater. Nearly forty sat down. Mr. B. Inder presided, and was supported by tlie Rector (Mr. Vernon, no' ,'>> and Mossrs - F - F °ote, 8.A., B.Sc, and J. Murray, M.A.. of the staff. In proposing tho toast, "The Rector and tho School,' tho chairman referred to the record which tho school held and tho satisfactory progress it was making—progress whioh was due in no small measure to tho work and personality of tho Rector. The school now had on adjunct in tho form of a boarding establishment, and thoro woro prospects of a swimming bath being added in tho noar fuu- Mr \, Vernon 's happy reply was enthusiastically received. Other toasts wero as follow :-"Tlic Staff," proposed by Mr. J. M. Spear, and responded to by Messrs. S°M a £ d Mur , ra y; "Es-Pupils," proposed {7 * lr - E ', M °usley, and responded to by Mr. Rutherford; "School Sports Association," proposed by Mr. L. Loary, and responded to by Mr. A. Fairo; "Past Lady Scholars," Proposed by Mr. E. Fmlayson, and responded to by Mr. Vernon. Vocal, instrumental, and elocutionary items were contributed by Messrs. E. Mouslojv E. Finlayson, L. Leary J. Spear, P. Jonkii, and Rutherford. Tho Palmerston North High School Old tioys Association is to bo congratulated on the tone of its first annual reunion, and members will look forward to future gatherings of the kind.

Several forays, which Mr. D. M'Laren, M.J.., strove indignantly to repel, were mado by Mr T Ballinger at the meeting of tho Technical School Board last evening across the "debatable land" which lies between Labour views and thoso of the employer. The chairman, Mr. J. P. Luko, n ,r'' was , kccn , ]y werciscd to restrain Mr. Ballinger from hostile spurts. A suggestion had been made that employers might help their assistants to attend tho board's classes during working.hours. Mr. Ballinger wished to show that there were difficulties in tho way, and from tho peace-lovers' point of view, ho made a bad beginning. "Men work slow nowadays," ho commenced. Mr. M Laron was on his foot in an instant. If Mr. Ballinger was to bo allowed to discuss tho situation from that point of view, ho would havo to answer him. "It is a result i Vi s ' orel,il1 S down that happens nowadays, Mr. Ballinger substituted. Mr. M'Laron grew even more irate, and the chairman suggested to Mr. Ballinger. whose attitude was that of ono who utters ■ tlio simplest of home-truths, and cannot understand tlioir being rcsontod,' that he should make his point in another manner. "It all lies in tho Arbitration Act," said Mr. Ballinger. "They fix up this and that award, you must not have this or the other, you must work certain hours and if a man asks for permission to work other hours he mustn't do it or ho is in trouble. An employer can't give away certain hours to tlio boys. Simply you're not allowed to pay your boys for thoir efforts. If you havo a Kood boy you're not allowed to pay him for his special work." Mr. M'Laren: "Has it over been stopped ?" Mr. Ballinger (warmlv): "Yes. It has been done over and over again. You don't know what you're talking 'about." The chairman ruled, at Mr. M'Lnroii's request, that this last remark should be withdrawn. Mr. Ballinger: "Mr. M'Laren does not know what ho is talking of in regard to tradesmen." Mr. M'Laron: "I have always been courteous to every member of tins board, and I expect to receive tho samo treatment from thorn." The good offices of the chairman prevented Mr. Ballinger from giving furthor offence, ,