LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. The b;s/ Victoria', with an : English ! Australian mail on,board, reached;AucklaniJ yesterday at 10 a.ni'., in ample time to connect .with- tho Main Trunk "express.for Wellington. Tho mails will .therefore arrive .in. town at 4.25 p,m. to-day. ..■..!, :,. . ';.. jliis probable that the civil sittings of the Supreme Oourb will bo, commenced to-mbr-;row., ■ •;-." :.;■' ; . V ' : '.. '.■'■' ; - ■ • ..''.'■. ■■"'■ ':.■

Smallpox of a very virulent type has been raging in Calcutta for some time past. An Auoklamler,' who recently -visited that city, writing ■ to^. a': friond in Auckland, gives a vivid description of the'distressing Bconos he witnessed. .• '• ','-'■'''''' :■' : . ,■'■■■ ' ■

' It hap been .arranged,: that the , concert' to be >tendered to Mr.. Alfred Hill will be •held; on. Monday, Juno 28, at'the Town Hall. Assistance, is being olfereq from all quarters. and.it is anticipated that the concert will be one of the musical events of the season.

'The Criminal sittings'of the Supreme Court will-.bo resumed at 11 o'clock this morning. Onlytwo charges remain to be heard—Robt. Seeds, assault with intent to do bodily harm; ; and Qhas. Buohanan, attempted oriminal assault. '; ■■•'■•■ - '~> \ .■;■ . '■■ . . ■!, .■:■.,'

. "A good shipment" Tras the,,verdict' nounced on the Tainui's immigrants by Mr. A. A. S. Danby, Immigration Officer, who welcomed, them on their arrival on' , Saturday evening. There were 262 third-class' passengers, including 85 "assisted," of whom" no fower than 68 were, nominated by friends in. New Zealand, who have guaranteed thorn employment. Ono assisted passenger,: a Miss Johnston, died; on. the voyage from'. , heart failure. Farmers'and domestic , servants make-the bulk of the assisted new arrivals, and!their, lowest individual capital is £25. :

"In connection with a paragraph appearing in your paper of Saturday's issue, regarding 'an unlucky accident' preventing Dr. Gibb's lecture.on 'Rome and Florence, " writes' a correspondent, "being the young man! with Jtho, unfortunate presence of mind,' I would liko to say, in justice to myself, that I was not responsible for tho generator being upset. ..When I put my coat over it,, two other, gentlemen tried to, pull it: off, and so overturned it. :If they had.not;interfered with ,the coat, ,the flames would have been smothered, without any diffioulty, and the lecture' could have gone on'as if nothing had occurred. I would.also like to add that if -this sort of .thing often happens with these generators, jt is about timo that they, wore abalishod for any entertainments," ■■ \ ■;■■-.-

Mr. James Alien, M.P., was approached bv an : Otago Daily Times" reporter and asked if he had any reply to offer to tho statements made l)y the Prime Minister at Christchurch on Thursday relative to' tho'financial position of the Dominion/ 'Mr. Allen said thore was practically,nothing:for him to reply to, so far as he-could see, beyond the statement that prominent members of tihe Opposition "had been at the business of misrepresentation, with tho object of creating the impression that tho Dominion was not so well-off as m reality it was."- "My answer to that is this," said Mr. Allen: "That those who.are doing harm to the financial stability of the country are those who are leading tho country into wasteful ' expenditure. The Prime Minister admitted that, beeause'he has decided that ho can reduce tho cqs.i of the various Government Departments by a quarter of a million without impairing their efficiency. Ho .has riot answered one single cnticisni of mine—and until ho does I have nothing to'reply, to.!' ,'■':' '..;:.

Will the bottle licenses be renewed P This question seems to be involved in a.delight ful legislative tanglo (says tho "Otago Daily Times"). On the one side, thoro is the'del ciston of Mr. Justice Williams in a case'as far back as 1896, that under the Act of 1895 only new bottlo . licenses—that is, bottle icenses granted in respect of promises which liad not before been licensed—are prohibited On the other hand, there is the oxtraordinarily cryptio utterance of Parliament in the consolidated Licensing Act passed last session,, lyradmg up with this proviso: "Pronded that nothing herein shallbo construed to recognise the lawful existence of such bottle] hconses." The question seems to be tied up in a knot, which can only be solved by reference to the courts, nnd is another illustration of the necessity for extromo caro in making lows on such a delicate question as,liquor. As there nro two applications for bottle licenses in 'tho Dunedm South licensing district, and this committeo is the first to meet in tho oitv, the quostion will fall to bo dealt with by it The public will no doubt await with interest tho result of that committee's deliberations on the question. '•!'■:

There are two elements. in tea—liieine and tannin; theinp has tho stimulating effects for which wo alono, drink tea. Tnnitin produces dyspepsia, awl is, thbroforo, injurious to tho system. The percentage of tlieino in teas varies, and tho variation is according: to the nualitjr, Thoino is tho attract from the leaf and pure tea must consist wholly of leqf and ■little or nothing of fibre and dust. Crescent Blend Tea is all leaf; it is osquisito in flavour' rich,' and of full strength. Crescent Tea cap""**s tho palat, All jjrooars, at 2s. per lb,

A young woman, Mabel tee, was yesterday arrested hero;on three separate charges —thoft of 10s., theft of' a purse containing £2 155., and obtaining board and lodging by false pretences. .These oharges will bo investigated at the Magistrate's Court this morning. -.

, The Hon. Dr. Findlay, Minister for Justice, states (in connection with a report latvly published) that ever, sinco 1904 tho police vote has increased by about £11,000 per annum, For tho current year, howevor, the. increase will be only £2000, although many additional constables will be provided for.

"Stop him I" qried some visitors on board H.M.S. Challenger jostorday afternoon. A bull-dog was chasing tho pot goat (belonging -ito the Challonger) up and down tho wharf. Tho frightened goat did its utmost to escapo from its tormentor, bnt was not r'to quick enough, and received a bfto from dog before it managed to leap on to tho vessel. . , .'■.■'-..

Tho Kaiori Rifle Club, which has entered for the "Daily Mail" Empire Day Cup contest, will fire off at Polhill Gully Range on Saturday next, May 22, in squads. The first squad will commenco firing at 7 a.m., and tho second at 1 p,m. As the light fails very early, in tho afternoon at, Polhill Gully, it is. desirable that tho bulk of Hie ehooting be completed between the hours of 7 a.ui. and 12 noon, ■■■'•'■■.'■ '' '

,'■ The managers .'of the Ohiro* Benevolent Home desire to convoy their acknowledgment and thanks to . the * following donors of gifts to Ihe'Home Post, and Telegraph Literary Club, for 250 volumes of books for thb Home library; Misses Smythe, Mrs. Eden, Mrs. Quick,.and Mrs. Taylor, for millfnory; '; Miss :• Chotwyn and • St. Mark's Ministering Children's League, for a concert and. social. ■■■'■ . ■■■■•■-, ,'/.'■■■

! The Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister for Cus-. Toms, in reply to questions put*, as'the" outcome of the Chambers of Commerce Confer? ence,* said it is impossible, ns tho'law stands, to have cigars weighed wheii taUon out o! bondjpo that th■β , dμty wonld.be paid on the dry commodity instead'of the green. Ho was willing to bring in a Bill to amend the Act in the direction suggested. The Minister! could riot agree to issue fuller statistical information; ; However, the monthly statoinent of duties was now prepared, but not published, If |t was of any service.'to morchants arrangements could bo made for its appearance in the, Gazette. Tl}e Minister held that legislation regarding'*. export entries, as proposed, was unnecessary. .*.:''

, Speaking.at the Quakers' meeting .in the, Friends' .Hostel, Murphy Street, last right, Dr. Hodgkiri 'said that some of his friends had commented upon the lack of the fcar, of Gpd in New Zealand. Business and pleasure seemed to go forward almost as if God were not. 1 This, was: probably less marked here than «i Homo, but if New Zealand altogether lost the fear of Gtod> then farewell to. her: groatnoss. : Nearly every noble or heroic deoil had for its foundation that fear of' God -which was the beginning of wisdom. Dr. Hodgkin also spoke at'the Adult School.in the Druids' Hall yesterday morning, and at the subsequent meoting for worship in the. samo place. There were encouraging attendances at the mentiuga, ■ : ... ;, ■ .

A writer in the "Hawko's Bay- Herald" protests vigorously against the license given to lawyers whon cross-examining, witnesses in, the "I. have seen a poor servant gir|,i who :happened.'to in the house when some rumpus occurred, and was called as. a witness,", he, says, ■ "standing trembling and crying in the box. while a brutal lawyer, poured forth streams of. contempt, sneer's, insults,. and jeers upon her because her' evidence was injurious to his client. And "all the time ,the Magistrate— a' most kindly, courteous old gentleman in private life—sat by utterly indifferent to the poor girl's, sufferiEg.' A word from him,could have stopped it all, but a ■ life: spent in a Police Court makes a man as unfeeling as is machirio, and the refinement of the private, person\ is crushed by. the :pitiless ;tyranny of tho law. - ; It is quite time that tho 'victims, of the system should protost, and it is.-through, the. Press alpnq th*t we can mako our voice hoard., If every person who has ; experienced the cruolty of crqssoxamination, as ; it is generally conducted, wore, to writq his experiences, wo might obtain some mitigation of, this abuse." :'):'

At, Friday's moeting '• of'■'.tho Makara County : Council, , Councillor F. , T. Mooro spoke, in indignant terms of, the ways of some motor-car/ 'drivers. . ,As !an ' instance, he stated, a man* was proceeding along a road m Hhe dusk the other evening,, leading a prize greyhound liy one hand; and a child by tho other. A motor-car. came up from behind, and in , its' rush,* carried.away and killed the dog (worth £20), ! and vanished into the gloom ahead before any idea aB to lflentificatwß cowd be: formed. Tho man argued that it was prjly a matter of chance, that the car did not pass ; him on the other hand, in which case the child must have suffered , the.fate of the greyhound. Other Stories of reckless motorists * were related, and, after 'ai brief discussion, ' Councillor Moore moved: the qounty clerk bo instructed to writtj.-.to.;the Wellington City Council; and neighbouring'local bodies,-in-viting their co-operation in approaching tho (rovornment to ostablish a force of motor police, in ordor to protect the public against excessively, fast travelling on the, public highway; tho cost : of suoh system to be met by a'direct tax on all motor-cars and motor-cycles." The motion was carried unanimously. , ; , ; / • .: • '~.;. ■ Tho.soorotary of the New Zealand Institute of Marine Engineers (Mr. A. R.Hialop),who\was in Dunedin last week making inquiries concerning the operations of the now Canterbury Engino-.drivers' Award, strongly favours a closer ' : relationship * between 'his organisation and the . Amalgamated Society ,of> Engineers.' : Ho urges that the interests of tho two bodies are in a great many re--spects identical,'* and that tjio branches of the institute and the society in New Zealand; despite the fact that the .Australian branches aro somewhat at cross purposes, -might'with mutual advantage come nearer together. But, speaking' with members of "the eooioty in Duneduij '■■ ■ ho' emphasised tho fact ' that the, societyj fore there is any-possibility of closer' union: ,, must sover.its connection with the Trades and./ Labour Council.' The institute,'', .'he pointed out, had kopfapart from tho organisation he referred to, witli ihe result that it had, prospered and lncrcaeod in memberehip.to ft far groator ioxtoiit'.tlian would havo boon possible had it affiliated with the council, and the society, were it separate, niust discover a similar happy result. There was, on the part of the institute, tho very warmest feelings of friendship , towards'the society; 'and ho thought the time might cojne when they would see the union ho suggested , an e?tnblished fact. Members oftlie society nith wliotn he spoke cordially agreed with all ho said, states the "Otago'Da"ily Times."

Tho fact that tho Canterbury Enginedrivers' Union has siicpeDded in. obtaining a preference award, which has now been in operation some two months, has roused thv Now Zealand Institute of Marine Engineers to actipn, and Mr, A. ,R. Hislop, of Wollington, the secretary of the institute, was : in Dunedin last weok in connection with the' mattor, Speaking to an- "Otago. Daily rimesi".representative, Afr. Hislop explained that tbo preference clause in tlio award made it necessary that, engineers should bo memburs of. tho Engino-drivprs , Union, and, as engine-drivers . wero usually men ■ who ),rcl soryed three montliß' coaUtrimming and six Btoking, -and woro really enyineors' , assistants, that meant that engineers wero forcod to come .to their subordinates" and identify themselves with the labor's orgaiiisation before/they could receive employment A thoroughly qualified ing from somei other part of tl )0 world had do; nmo months, of labouring work and receive the Government enginednvor's cortißcato before )io could join , tho qmbn and becomo compotcrit to receive employment. Mr. Hislop knew pf an inoidont that'happened quite'recently, whoro a niiallfied engineer had been 'refused a job- because ho was not a member of tjio union i The position was intolerable, bnt the jnsti.tnte was determined to take strong iictjon nntl it was hoped: that this would bo a means of bringing to tbu Gnvqrnmont a realisation of the fact that a lino must ho drawn between'skilled and unskilled labour. , Tho marine engineers wore not so greatly affected by llijs now aivard as wero the "shops" engineers,' and ft was therefore hoped that the Amalgamated Society of En: giucers*. would, in. jts wisdom, ajso mftko •.,643a Btand coaeorning this matte , . .".""'