LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 507, 14 May 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Jas. E. Allen has been appointed district agent for tho Public Trustee at Nelson. : Authority is given, by Gazette notice for tho laying off of 60ft. wide streets on Gear Island, at I'otoiie. A .comprehensive notice in this week's Gazette proclaims an.. alteration in the boundaries of' the Otago mining district. The Minister for Justice (tho Hon. Dr. I'indlay) is to bo entertained at a complimentary dinner by the members of the Auckland Bar, on Tuesday next. Nino tenders were received by tho Publio Works Department for construction of the new Post Office at Auckland. The tenders have been sent forward to Cabinet. Monday, May. 24 . (Empire Day), and Thursday, June 3 (Prince of Wales's birthday), are to be observed as public holidays in the Government offices throughout . the Dominion: , ' ' , ~ Tho decease of- the Palmerston, North Oporatic "and Dramatio Society as a registered body ia notified in the latest Gazctto. A similar notification is made concerning the Now Plymouth Fire Brigade, i Wellington : is healthy. The returns published in the latest Gazette show that the proportion of deaths per 1000 of popular I tion in. this city was 0.71; in Christchurch, 0.77; in Dunedin, 0.77: and in"Auckland, •0.81. ' . ■■■'.■ . A notice in this week's Gazette; states that the Teturns showing tho gross amount of the premiums received ,by or duo to firo insurance companies, during the year ended December 31, 1908, are to be submitted to tho Mre Boards concerned, ;on or before May 31. i ■ : ■ , ' His Excellency the Governor will officially open the new building for tho Jubilee Institute of the Blind' at Auckland on Friday next. Lord Plunket ispresidont of tho institute.. Addresses, aro. to be' delivered' on tho occasion by Lord Plunket, and the Minister for J UstlCO (the Hon. Dr. Findlay).' ; Boyond the retirements that have already taken placo from, tho' Native Land Court Bench,' it is expeotcd that, tho Native Department will not be affected by the retrenchment now being; made in the Civil Servioe. it is also considered unlikely that the staff of the Police Department will be reduced.' ' . ;■ Mrl;J. Schaeffer, a visitor, from California, was present at last night's meeting of tho New Zealand Rugby, Union. As stated yesterday Mr._ Schaeffer is visiting New Zealand on holiday, and is picking up points on tlia Rugby game with a view to bringing them into use on liis return home. The visitor was formally welcomed by delegates. Money orders: and correspondence are forbidden. (by Gazette proclamation) to be sent to the Marston'Remedy Company, 69 and 60 Chancery Lane, London; R. C. Culver, Sydney; Weuford Company, Sydney; Wpnford International Colleotion Agency, Sydney; H. Sinclair and,Company,.Sydney;; and to the- "Kookaburra" Newspaper . Company, Sydney. ." '" , The Bishop Selwyn centenary. celebrations will be continued at Auckland on Thursday next. -Very largejmeetings are anticipated; His Excellency, the-Governor (Lord Plunket), the, Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Neligan), Mr. Justice Cooper, and the Minister for Justice (the Hon. Dr. Findlay), are'to deliver addresses, the;occasion being deemed; a national one. . ■ Tlio • Public Health Committee' -of the City Council is'losing no'time in proceeding to carry out: its' milk supply : scheme, which has been adopted, by the '.'council;' A draft Bill has been before; the committee, but tho has been deforced for further consideration: ; Tho committee. will not bo in a position to report to the council for some . weeks yet. ; : ~ . Mr. N. Galbraith, who has held;the position of treasurer of the New Zealand Rugby Union for the past.'six years, retired from tho position last night amidst a general expression'; of regret aud good wishes from delegates. Delegates from all parts of New Zealand paid tnbuto to the great services rendered to the game by Mr. Galbraith, and Mr. George_Dixon,;chairman of the Manage-, ment Committee, expressed the special thanks of the committee. By the Tainui, duo from: London on Saturday afternoon, 263 third-class passengers Will arrive in, tho Dominion. Out of this :number, .86 are ''assisted" passengers, 'of whom the majority were nominated by relatives in New Zealand,, and have, work to come, to. They include eight farmers, five farm, labourers; one dairyfarmer. twelve domestic servants, and : twelve wives, who . have come out to join thoir families. They brine capital of fro.n £25 to £80 each. Curtailment of - travelling expenses. will probably be no- .insignificant factor in the economy,winch is to bo introduced into the Civil Servioe. ' Certain officers in the' Service are always in a state of rapid transit," and' it is freely hinted that tho generous travelling, allowances hitherto in force have aided I to keep some of these away from their desks.. It is expected that in future allowances for those ]aunts will not bo passed until authorities are satisfied that they wore mado with reason. Tho excessive travelling of some officers is likely to bo moderated under the new economical regime. ~.'f he „ stre .® t , Lighting Committee "of ': the City Uomil has found that a portion of its functions clash with those of the Tramway Uommittee. Iho former wishes to put street lights in some of the- suburbs, tncluding Brooklyn, Island Bay, and Roimueatii, but the revenue from the .houtso connections (which belongs to the province of t lie Troi"way Committee) is needed to put the matter, on a financial basis. It was therefore decided, at yesterday's meeting of the' btreet Lighting Committeo, to got tile, i-n----gineer to go into tho matter and prepare a root, t 1 . . iho following addition, to the regulations m- 40 tho son ior oxaminations of tho Civil Service, as far as Post and Telegraph officers are concerned, appears'in'this'week's Gazette;— No person who has held offico in the Department or m any, other branch of tho Civil Service of New Zealand before the- passing of Tho Post and . Telegraph Classification and ltegulation Act, 18907 and no officer omployed in tho Department who ls-skillod in olectncity or telegraphy; or in literature, science, or art, to a degree to satisfy tho Minister of his fitness to bo exempted From the senior .examination proscribed by olause. 15 thereof, shall be required to puss any further examination (other than those required by olauses 50 and 51 or that required by clause 52 thereof) for promotion to any class-higher than tho bixtli Class. .The passing with 75 per cent, of marks of an. examination to bo called the Senior Technical Examination, being ail examination in magnetism and olectncity shall bo deemed to satisfy tho Minister of fitness:'to,be exempted from further examination under this regulation." Thoro are two dements in' tea—thoino nud tannin; theine has the stimulating elfects for which wo alone drink t'ea. Tannin produces dyspepsia, and is, therefore, -injurious to tho system. The percentage of theine in teas varies, and the variation is according to the quality.' Theine is tho attract from the leaf, and pure tea must consist wholly-of leaf nud littlo or nothing of fibro aud dust. Crescent' Blend Tea is all leaf; it is exquisite in flavour, rich, aud of full strength. Crescent Tea captivates tho point. All grooorj, at 2s. per lb.

With a view of ascertaining the occupation I of a witness in a caso before the Supremo Court yesterday counsel' put the question: | "What are youp" Unexpectedly tho reply came: "A half caste." Tho Highland Rifles will-fire a match at Polhill Gully on Saturday, at' 2 p.m., against a team from H.M.S, Challenger. Tho following will represent the Highlanders: Lieutenant Morton, Colour-Sergeant M'Donald, Sergeants Gardiner, M'Millau, Marsdon, Privates Jives, Thompson, and Corbott. Tho Government intend to proposo a number of important amendments in tho bankruptcy law next session. The whole of the material on which tho intended alterations ' aro.based is now in the hands of ,tho Crown Law Draftsman, and later the 'AttorneyGeneral (the Hon. Dr. Findlay) will submit to Cabinet for its consideration bb - many of the suggested amendments as ho deems expedient, with the view... of iniproving tho present Bankruptcy Act. • Parliament/at present stands prorogued till June 10. The ordinary date of meeting dur-. 1 ing recent years has been in the last week in Juno.' If the Prime Minister decides to call Parliament together at an earlier dato to enable him to go Homo to attend the Imperial Defence Conference at the end of July, this would require to be done by a proclamation calling Parliament.together about the middle i of June. . .. :• . ; "j The following members 'of 'the City Council have been elected chairmen of "the respective committeesßaths and City Reserves, Councillor J. P. Luke; Fire Brigades, By-laws, and Street Lighting, Councillor T. Ballinger; Abattoirs, Milk Supply, and Public Health, Councillor G. W. Shirtcliffo; Libraries, .Councillor D. M'Laren. The members named have seats on the Finance Committee by reason of their election as chair-.j men of, committees. : | Whilst under cross-examination at the Supreme Court' yesterday a constable stoutly repudiated the suggestion that he had expressed the-opinion that acoused would get off. "Did you not say," asked counsel. "'I will bet you a new hat that jou do'?" Replied the man in blue at once: "I will bet you that I didn't." When the laughter had subsided, oounsel directed attention to the faot- that tho expression "I will bet you" seemed to bo a favourite one with tho constable;. All attempts to shako the constable's denial were, futile. ' : At 10.35 o'clock last night, a fire occurred at . Brighton Terrace, Brooklyn, in a fourroomed dwelling, owned by Geo. E. Odlin, and oocupied by Walter E. Mercer. , The Brooklyn volunteer fire., brigade . were speedily on tho spot, and succeeded in extinguishing the blaze: The kitchen and bedroom were badly damaged. The motor-engine, from tho Central Station,' : went .' out ■ to' Brooklyn, and on arrival found .that' the local brigade: had the'fire under, control. The building was . insured in the United office' for £200, " and the furniture in tho Phoenix for £76. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. • .'■' ■ -i . .... The Wolsh Society of Wellington / hold their annual. meoting last evening, in God-] ber's rooms. Cuba' Street.; The president, Mr., Rees Watkins, occupied the chair. ■ The report and balance-sheet submitted to the mooting showed that thejsociety had had a fairly successful year, that a large; amount' of business had boon transacted, and that the, society, was in a good financial position. The following officers were elected for the ensuing, year: President, Mr. Rees Watkins { vice-president, Mr. R. W. Evans'; secretary, Mr., R. W. Barber: directors, Messrs. J. R., Thomas, E. Lloyd, J. M. Roberts, A. H. Thomas, and L. Gwylym; auditors, Mossrs. J. L. Jones, and Griffiths Williams; trustees, Messrs. H. JOllO3, and R. M. Griffiths. Votes of thanks were accorded to the officers of tho'past year. ' ' At tho Mount Cook Police Court yesterday, before Mr. T. S. Lambert, J.P.,. Robert Costello pleaded guilty to being drunk in Tory Street., He was; fined 55., or 24 hours' imprisonment., Harry Crawford pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkennoss and disorderly oonduct in Cuba Street/'- Sergeant' Rutlodge deposed, that accused had . taken his-coat off and was challenging, pasaers-by' to 'fight, a largo crowd being, attracted by his disorderly bohaviour. Ho was fined 40s.', in default: seven days' imprisonment. John, Richard M'Vickor pleaded guilty, to.,being . (Irunk in Willis Street, and was fined 10s., in default ; 48 :houfs' 'imprisonment! A first-offender: pleaded guilty to being drunk and going to 1 sleep in To Aro railway station. Tie was 1 mulcted in tho sum of 55., with the usual alternative. A Wanganui correspondent writes : A delightful exhibition of. pictures is being held just -now in Wanganui by a clover young New Zealand artist, Mr. Herbert Babbage, who has been studying, at Homo for'tho past eight years. He exhibits over'2oo ijictures and ; clever- and. original/in treatment, and excellent in technique. : Of his picture : "Apple Barges on the Seine," which won him that blue ribbon of tho artist world; n place in .the Royal Academy, ono cannot speak too highly. Its breadth of treatment gives a wonderful, effect of distance and perspective, and the cool greys are a charming harmony. Mr. Babbage, is to/bo congratulated on his success. Many artists, after half , a life of 'striving, fail to get a picture into the Academy. ' It isian honour that falls to very few. His.pictures give one a series of vivid impressions- of charming Continental scenes, ricli in colour. There j.s a series of rough figure studies, done in 25 minutes, which are very crisp and clever. Indeed, the whole exhibition forms an artistio treat. ;.