LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bio postal authorities adviso • that the Wimmera, which left Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland, has on board an English ana Australian, mail for Wellington, which'-is. due fere by tlie, Auckland express' on Monday, afternoon. .

Mr. W. F. Massey and other members of the Opposition will be present at a social and dance, to ,be held by the Women's Branch of the Political Reform League, iu the Sydney Street Hall, next Thursday. Members >of the branch are requested to meet at their rooms, Boulcott Chambers, on Tuesday, at 8 p.m. ■

' The Government baa decidcdl tihat the provisions of ;the Advances to" Settlers Act shall apply to Maori lands which have been transferred in trust for leasing to, and are held under leases from, a Maon Land Board, and wliich leases have been granted for terms of not less than twonty-oiie years with right of renewal for another twenty-one years. -

So far nothing has been done by the Government in. connection withtho proposed issue of nn Ordor-in-Council empowering the Gas Company to conricct its now works at Miramaj with the city. "Before the Ordor-in-Council is issued," says. ' tho Hon. J. Carroll (Acting-Prime,-Minister),: "reasonable notice- will bo given, to tho City Council."

As a result. of representations made yesterday by a deputation from, Brooklyn, tlie Mayor promised to bring the condition of Ohiro Road wider tJie notice of the council; The. deputation pointed out that cartage/to Brooklyn has recently been refused, as certain oarriers would not. allow their carts and horses to work tho road.

A conference is to bp held between dolegates from.,the various municipal bodies at an early date to consider the amounts to be paid by eaeli as its. sliaro towards the Infectious Diseases Hospital.; Mr. J. G. Hao'kuess, Mayo-r of Onslow, has been appointed to' represent the Onslow .Borough Council. ,

KovornJ lutvo rbwhel tlio Town I G'lork (Mr. J. R. Palrmrr) fi» t<i wlicti tho (ji'dinflloriuni will li« in workfiifj ordw. Art stated hist week, the iictual work is now prnettehlly completed, but tho ftirnnoo will Imvo to \x> allowed to dry for several weeks. Samples of ur/ifl to bo kept for vi/t at tho crematorium arc to Iks Called for at nn early dato. ; 1 .

Monoy-ordcirn and poota! oorrcnDondonco are forbidden to boifient to the Anglo-Australian Importing Company, of lir.iy'n Building, Pitt Street, SyJriev. The 'order forbidding Htinilnr communication with Sir ftol>ert f'ear, Pitt iSliwt. S,ydrio,v, mid the Modern Medical Publishing Co., find A, K. Smith, of 16 Park Street, Sydney, ban been revoked.

The wot weather on Wednesday prevented tlm inmate# of tbo Otaki Sanatorium from participating in tlifl Arbor Day work, and ibo planting wr,s deferred until yesterday, when between 100 and 200 , trees were, planted ill the grounds. The Hospital Hoard who represented by tlie secretory (Mr. Geo. Willis).

When the Cfity Engineer undertook tbo work of providing tlie additional reservoir at Karori it was held in some quarters that tbo available watered coiild not supply Uio 108,000.000 gallons of water which tlio two reservoirs would hold. At tbo present time tlio two reservoirs are filled to over/lowing, in spite of tbo fact that Karon is, being drawn on to a larger extent than previously for city supplies.

Tho annual conference of tbo New Zealand Farmers' Union opens in tbo National Mutiial Buildings. at 10 a.mi'on Tuef/Jay: next. Mr. J; G. Wilson (the Dominion president) will occupy tho chair, and it is espcctod that , nearly thirty delegates will bo present. Tho agenda paper contains no feww than ono hundred remits, but, aa many of the.se a.ro practically tbc same in substance, it is not expected that,tho conference will extend over more than three days.

A largely-signed petition from residents of Island Say asking that the post office at the, Bay should be located at the tram terminus, near the waiting shed/ was forwarded to the Aoting-Postmaster-General yesterday by Mr. J. P, Luke, M;P. The petitioners urge that, tbo terminus site is the most convenient. It is understood, tliat there is some difference of opinion amongst residents as to which - is the best site, one section holding that the post office should be near the top of the Parade. : ' ■

It may not bo generally known that inmates of industrial schools in the Dominion receive a small wage for work done during the time they are in the schools. This wage is placed to,tho credit of the inmaite in tee Savings Bank, and is not paid over until evidence is forthcoming that the person who has earned it has shown, after his discharge, that he lias become a reputable member of the community. Iu eases where reform is not permanent, the wages ■' earned axe paid into the public account. '

The conference between the Gas Committee of tlio City Council and Mr: Win. Ferguson, representative of the Wellington Gas Company, in reference to the matter; of the connecting'mam .from the city to tiio company's new works'! at,. Miramar was resumed yesterday'moniiing, but a- further•• adjournment "was made to 11 a.m. on, Monday without anything dofinite' being arnyed'at.: It is anticipated that, the difficulty in the way of finality' will be disposed of .at Monday's meeting provided tiat certain matters can bo arranged in the. meantime, v.

A Feilding appeal case, in which Kho question involved was as to tflio construction of a clause in a ! was heard before their Honours Justioos Williams, Denniston, and Edwards 011 July • 7.' It' was ah appeal from .tlhe decision, of: Mr. Justioe Chapman, the case being WilHam James Short v. Owen Sandilands Tyerman. Mr. : M. Myers and Mr. J. Graham (Feilding) l appeared for • the _ appellant, 'and Mr. F. F. Haggitt (Feilding) for the respondent.' .Hi©' Chief Justioe yesterday stated that it was desired that the ease should' be 'redargued', beforo a larger Court. ■ ........

i; A convinoingii.iiißtanQOiiof>jOxtr.i.yagance of Ereoept and parsimony of practice was >ci ted y '.Jlr. G.; W.. Leadloy at tbo Farmers' Union.: meeting Wednosdav. Ho said ho remembered that at one of tho oonferenoes a remit was received from one of the branches urging tlie Government to 1 ten ; millions ■ sterling to buy Up all the flour-mills and, freezing works in tho country, and to put•'a : . line of steamers'to carry.'the.'New Zealand produce. Home'. At a later stage a proposal was made that the levy be increased from 3s. Cd. to 5b., and the delegates who fought hardest against tho increase wore flic"representatives of the branch which demanded that the Government should borrow .ten millions. , ['Three and six doesn't make much, of a splaili in these days')"' Mr. Leaiileyi added reflectively. It' has been suspected by officials for some time past that the Customs Department has not been, receiving what it should do in beer duty. The Department has, therefore, been oxoroising more than usual' vigilance:. Recently an officer visited a certain- cellar; and disoovered'that a barrel of beer did not contain a defaced duty stamp. The explanation given was that tho stamp had been placed over the "bung," and had been driven into the barrel. • The officer did not insist upon the beer being drawn off there and then, but next ilay ! he called, and found, that the stamp was in the barrel;' right "enough. ,V The explanation was not.regarded as .entirely satisfactory, however; and the person' lipon whose premises the .beer was • found -will probably bo called upon to satisfy a magistrato'.on the. point,

Tho Wellington Sunday School- Union Held a highly-enjoyable convcrsazione in/the Congregational .Schoolroom, pourtenay Place, last evening; the room being severely taxed to accommodate those who attended.; .Sir. 11. B. Davis, president of the union, '■ presided, • and made a few'brief remarks, suitable to the occasion. During tho'evening, Mr. H. N. : Holmes gave :an address oil "Dealing with Boys at a Critical Age," and'Jlr. J. Caughley, M.A., spoke .on "The Sunday School and tho Home." 1 Songs wdre contri- 1 biited by Misses Brjttain, Clark, and Shakes, and by Messrs. Hi;, It., Thompson, ,H. ,Par-, getter, and R. T,i Caldow. was offered up'by tho jßev. -M. Aspland for: the success of' tho Sunday School movement. Half-an-hour's social intercourse injdo : a pleasant break in the proceedings.. The convorsaziono concludod with a voto of thanks to all who assisted, moved by Mr. It. A. Wright, M P.

The'lato.Mr. John Brunton, scenic artist, wis '."a .''student pf 'ancient, Scottish history.' When in AVellington a few months ago ho stayed with Mr. A. M.' Gow, of Barrett's Hotel, und in the course of conversation said hot was'.'convinced that Mr. Gow was a. descendant of a notorious-family-of pirates of that; name, whoso raids terrorised the remotor part 3of coastal Scotland. It was curious, be 'said, but he, happened atvthat time to have a picture of tho 'greatest pirate of all the Gows, who suffered the severest penalty for his misdeeds in 1793, and' promised to dig' out the portrait from ono of his boxes. The next day he produced a very fine water colour of tho declc of a ship, with'a prominent figuro in the foreground (whoso lineaments'bore a striking likeness to Mr. A. M. .Gow), posing in pirate stylo with ono foot resting on a barrel: of, gunpowder. It was one of'the artist's little jokes, of course. The water colour, which is treasured by its owner, is a capital, speci-. men of the dead artist's brushwork. ..., .;

Between 500 arid 600 State school children availed themselves, yesterday afternoon of tho kind offer of Captain Collins, of ILM.S. Encounter, to visit the "'warship as shd lies at the King's Wharf. .Guides were supplied to conduct, parties of tho. children round_ a givon routo, and arrows were placed at ,differemt points to direct the children in the way they: should- go, the result being a pleasant and instructive visit. If tho''inspection of, the guns and armaments gonerally was pleassjit, the termination of the .visit was, even more so.- "Jack .Tar" is (not: too keen on jam, which forms a part of. his rations, so lie saves up this section of .hiß Majesty's supplies against a rainy day—or for such ail occasion as'yesterday. Nearly every child rnceivcd a tin of jam,'which would doubtless prove a welcome addition to the family board last evening. Tho children who. pa.ia'tho.-Encounter a visit yesterday wore from the -Terrace, Thorndon, To Aro, Brooklyn,' Kilbirnie, Wadestown, and Clyde Quay Schools, Another contingent from the other schools is' to visit the ironclad at 2 p.m. on Monday,

According to a private letter received from Hastings a party of Maoris lim left for Sydney Under engagement to shear for a farmer in tbo Monaro district, New South Wales. A now freezing works is to be started near Mr. I', (J, Williams's station at Tologo Bav. The works will cost about £200,000, arid are crpected to be started in about two months, Tho bricks for the building are to be made on the bite.:

With regard to the <Kfliculty as to the sito for tho new fire brigade itaiion at Ma»terton 8 it is understood that the further official report which has been obfca'mcd fully bears out the previous reports in favour of the taw costly allotment. This i»port will no doubt be referred to tho MaiSterton Fire Board for further consideration.'

At tho Centfal Club yesterday, obi tho departure of Mr. Alfred G. Sweet, of Ctie Guardian Assurance Company, a gathering, including the Acting-Prime Minister, ■ assembled to bid him good-bye. Mr. Whyte, th« local manager, referred to Mr. Sweet in eulogistic terms, and other speakers bore tostirnony to tbo geniality and busineas quaKtitß of Mr. Sweet. Tlie guest left by tho Manuka yesterday for Sydney en routo to England

Sorao few years back, aa > result of representations made to tbo lata Mr. Scddon by Mr. Edwin Arnold, visiting justice to th» Wellington prisons, it was decided to make a small allowance of tobacco weekly to each prisoner, and a quarter of an hour per diera is now allowed for "smoko-oh." One result is said to bo that the number of punishmonta for insubordination have visibly decreased. Tbe contemplation of» being deprived for some time of hie tobacco keep* many a prisoner in subjection.

Kinematography in natural 'colours Is tb« latest development in the animated picture business. Hitherto those pictures which have been artificially-coloured have never been quite so, effective as the ordinary monotone or black and white picture on acoounfc of a certain garishnow or over-elaboration, in the colouring. Those who have bad tha> opportunity of eeeing specimens of naturallycotourcd photographs by tbe latest proce«« will readily recognise the vast improvement it will effect in tho taking of kinematograph views,: as half the character of the travel pictures lioa in tho faithful colouring. On Arbor Day' about 400 boles were doff and tho'same number of trees, sbrobs ?na plants wore given a fair start in lite at Maratiui. The site selected for planting wa* the big and from the enthusiasm'' displayed by the local school committee and school children, it is fair, to assume that it will not bo long before results are in evidence. A good many of tba girls present occupied themselves in laying out flowor-beds of ornate design. Councillor W. H. Morrah (chairman of the School Committee) was tbo chief encourager at the planting bee.

One of the results of "NorLtcense" in th® Masterton electorate bsfl beep a mild sort of • boom ( in billiard saloons (writes out travelling correspondent). - New rooms with stnreral. tables in each are being opened in both Masterton and Eketahuna, with the prospect of «' very good business. '"The"most scientific: : game on earth," has been so well patronised in one of the Eketahuna' hotels that the proprietor is adding an extra table. On tho' other hand, another Eketsbuna hotelkeeper has turned his 1 former-billiard-room into a sample room for. commercial travellers' use. -

During the past week (writos our Auckland correspondent); a train of eight cars has been > running' between Auckland and_ Oneliungi' fitted; >vifch an improved /brake" coupling, the invention of Mr. G. A. Peaj-Bon,' locomotive engineer, 'of . ■Wellington.' Ibe brake entirely dispenses with the train cocks at the ends ;of vehicles, and avoids tho risk of the brakes being tampered with. Tho action'of coupiing the brhke hoso openß tho air passive in the train pipe and at the samo time locks the.hose heads/so that they cannot, bo tampered .with. The trials liavogivca every eatislaction., .■)■■ ~

It was banana day at the^Fruit. Exchanga yesterday, some 4000 cases and 1000. buncb&p having arrived from.Fiji by the Navua. They realised' from ss. 6c3. to Ds. per case, tho latter pri<» being realised for tiptop lines. "It's a funny thing, but true,said a lead- .; mg fruit merchant,'"that it's no trying tp ■ sell anything ■ but; : bananas on .'banana . da\V " The remark'Wiis mide as ho stood by'-' .an auctioneer,who was endeavouring to_lift ' ! the.: price of some choice\ Tasmauian ;"Ppr» main" apples up' to a payable point.. This ■' rosy-cheeked "fruit, each apple wrapped in. '• tissue paper,, and well packed in close wderj brings' 7s. and 7b,. 6d. per cafe in Hobart,.-. but though lie; "beat the drum" his very hardest/.he; only got 85.,9 d. per,case. .Tms is not a payablo figure, as, there is Is. G<u . freight - and' la. 6d; duty on each case. ~

At a meeting of the council of the Wellington .Chamber, of Commerce, held yester- . day afternoon, a draft oopy of the constitution of - the proposed. Ncxy. Zealand Fedora- . tion ! of - Chambers o]E Commerce was submitted by Mr. J. G. Harkneas, to whom the work was deputed; by, the' local chamber, after the" discussion of the scheme at the lasfr conference. • ,It' .was decided ,to ; submit tho constitution to "Mr.! Win. Ferguson (whft was associated with the, foundation of w<J Harbour; Boards Association), rjKltoMr. M. Myers, for a legal opinion. Mr .J. G-.Hark-ness was suggested as the Wellington Chamber's delegate to the Imperial Chambers or Commerce Conference, to be held in Sydney in September, but that gentleman, is not yet in a position to say'.whether he will bo . able to spare? thes time. The matter of set-■ ling up'a committee to entertain those dolegates from the ■ conference who will • visit New, Zealand' was' discussed,! and a deputation was appointed to wait on the Hon. T. Mackenzie, ' Minister for - tho/tourist ;.brftnch j of the''Agricultural Department, in connec- :■ • tion with affording ' transit facilities and -. other privileges for the expected visitors.'

A cablegram from Loudon states tllat tho long-pending' action brought by, Mr. Arthur v Oollins, goncral manager and mMiagiJig di- ' rector of : Drury Lane' Theatre, ' London, against Mr. J. C. 'Williamson fur alkjged infringement- of proprietary .rights .in' rogaira i to tho pantoanjjiie "Mother Goose,"' has boon amicably settled. "Motlher Goose" was first, produced by Mr;'J. C. \yilliainsoJi at ; His Majesty's ■ Theatre, :• Melbourne, atCJiristiras,. 1906, arid sd successful did the production provo that' it coined money during, tho of 1907, a.ud was included in tho repertoiro''of the "Hurnpty'Diimpty" Pantomimo ; Con>pan,v. which toured New Zealand list yoar. Mr. 'Collins.-claimed-, tliat the pro- 1 duetion was piccwoilly a. plagiarism of ,tßio • : Drury Lane pantomime of 'the same, name, : and Mr. .Williamson just as stoutly denied ■ that it was anything of. the kind. .Owing • to the enormous; succcss of the pantomime, . tho,proof of a proprietary .right would. have mca»:it a good deal. Mr. " Williamson left Sydney for- England- about seven weeks • ago. : His ' personal intervention. has , apparently brought about tlho. settlement. ' ■ , \ ■ A story illustrating tho hardships of pioneering days is recalled by an exchange, apropos of the death, at.tho ago of eighty years, of Mr., Baptisto Charier, of Okarito; Forks, Sbuth Westlarid: At the time of the last rush •to Lake Mapourika arid Okarito i Forks, about 30 'years ago, the dcecascd, well known then as "French Charley," had / the misfortune to have one of his legs broken . in his claim. As there , was no medical officer hearer than lloss, it was decided by the miners on the field that Charley shouldbo carried to lloss on a stretcher for treatment., A'sufficient number of volunteers were soon ready for the road, the number totalling several , score. The journey occupied nearly a week, along what was then only a bridle - 'track-from'Ross to Okarito; Tho, patient stood tho journey very well, ana under proper treatment was'coon his old self again, and returned to tho southern district, wher<v ho resided up to his admission.into the.Totara Hospital some time ago. Says a contemporary:—"A Bill to secure / the destruction of rates has been introduced by Sir Charles M'Laren, M.P., and give 3 public authorities power to cope with tho evil." ; There aro many burdened ratepayers in New Zealand who ; will . wish Sit .Charles - overy success in his public-spirited endeavour.