LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 612, 15 September 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. Alas, Bret Hartel A email occurrence at the wharf tho other day, when the Aparinia was in port, seems to show that tho Caucasian is not played ont after all. A small pack of jute had to be shifted along the deck, and tho scrang called up Ali mu Docn (or words to that effect) to shift it. . Ali camo and galed at the jute pack, , and shifted it six inches or so. Then (after a ! r«st) he summoned Niza mu Dcon (or something lite that), aad tho juto patfk was moved ion eome f«w inches more. Another rest, and tho pair called up Daoud Shah. The trio stirred the' pack forward a little distance more, and then gazed.'out over tho rail in the direction of Wadestown, and gossiped. M Singh dawned on the scene about this stage, and was adjUTed by the eacred salt and the green turban of the Prophet to lend a hand. Lai therefore took hold of one corner of the bat, and Diiond, Ali, and tho otlwr joined in. This seemed to brine the bag along fully a,yard, and the quartet were satisfied. They had another long gaze over tho. rail—this time, in the direcben of Newtown Park. At the end of half an hour that little- bag had been got to whero tho serang said it-ought to be got. But not before Tantia Topee, Ram Bahadur, Dcst-Mehammed, Nana,, and Boh Wang had also been summoned. Any member of the Waterside Workers' Union would have done the job in thirty seconds.

It is expected that the Police Commission will finish the taking of-evidence" , this.week, with tho exception of that .of Commissioner Dinnie. There will then be an, adjournment of about a weekj so that Mr. Dinnie may go through the previous evidence, and prepare his statement, as it will naturally partake of tho nature of a defence of his administration.." All parties concerned will then have an opportunity of cross-examining hfm. ' . t

Amusement, was , caused in tho Presbytery yesterday Ijy a suggestion which was mado for testing the extreme licenso given by an, anomalous regulation. ■ The Modorator (Dr. Gibb) hnd-pointed out that ,, airy; church could appoint' a home missionary -on- its own sponsibility without consulting the Presbytery at all. Hβ thought that tho . clause in tU« regulations which permitted this, was a most unwise one. The Kev. E. Inglis (Onslow). rose in astonishment. "Then it would be open 1 to me," ho asked, "to employ Dr. Tudor. Jones ?" "Of; course' we should dismiss

you if) you did," warned the Moderate? amidst laughter. , ' Dr.,pibb added that the Church Extension. Committee had had the regulations under very careful consideration, and if their recommendations were adopted by the Assembly some of the existing anomalies would be removed. ~"'. ,-, ...... '.'■■■.■ '■■ ', , ■'. '..

"What do yon mean by the words 'without prejudice , attached to your letter?" asked counsel of a (witness in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth. Mr. Justico.Edwards intervened, suggesting that this question would bo more'propcTly asked of the -witness, a country schoolmaster, when he wont up for his solicitor's examination. ■Hβ' added that it was liko the term Mesopotamia. No one, even a lawyer,'; could bo sure where it led to. ! An interesting exhibit of New &aland shells has been placed in a Special caso in the Dominion ' Museum. The collection is intended

to show the range of beautiful colouring that is sometimes found in larje shells, and especially in the pectin or comb-shell group. This is a;widely-distributed group, which includes tho well-known scollop, one valve of which was in oldda times tho badro of tho ppgrim, These small New Zealand scollops aro fairly oommbn, espcoially iih the sheltered waters of • Stewart Island. The operations.of the dredge in reducing, the ,Thorndon shoal havo resulted in throwing out on tho land whioh is being reclaimed mi l immense number., or marine: shells and the tubes formed by marine worms.- As this-material is brought up tho .tide, washes and sorts it 60 that the light shells are thrown up on the bisach. At least forty kinds of shells can be picked up at anytime on this naturallyformed beach. Many of. them,, contain the living- animals wheiv, they ' are cast ashore, ■ but their small inmates are-qiiickly pounced upon by the hungry, 'seagulls. . Tho'. collection of shells which has been gathered at this spot and plaoed in the museum well exemplifies the bright variety! of coloure which the 'dark, micaves, of ocean.;bear." - : v'...-.. . A. reference,, to. the- opening of. Tatterealls Club, and tho attendance .thereat, of two Ministers of :: the'. Crowui' -was'' referred to' by '-■ tho Bov. J. Mackenzie, in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,' Christchurph,.on Sunday, morning.:; In, the ,course_of■;his: serinon,, Jfr.., Mackenzie-: said:-r"The'. other day. we ..Tead ■ with astonishment and a ;senso of shaino , that the Acting-Prime' Minister and another , Minister of th« Crown had' so'far forgotten their own dignity, and responsibility," so far .outraged the public -conscience of this .people, as to take part in l the opening of'a bookmakers' club, even ..bestowed on it their, benediction. : Lob our people, "learn to profess honest occupations.,': I have.no hesitation in saying that the bookni&kers' trade is one of the vilest trafios that disgrace this fair land of-'oure.-It is : said that somotif. the men! in this bus!-, nees are better than their, trade;. I do not doubtit. They would need to-be. But as for the thing, it is absolutely indefensible." Mr. Mackonzio -cnliirged.: on-:the evil; aspects of gambling, and , ' expressed his opinion' that in the face of these-facts the aohon of the two Miuisters. involved was'."nothing less , than a national! scantlal.'V \ " •:;•::. ', .' ;' ; ' : •' 'The feat of N«ro fiddling while Eomßi burned ■was'emulated by ono of the boarders residing in a'house adjoining.ono destroyed in Chri'stohuroh on Sunday night, according: to the "Press." At one time the boardinghouse 6tbod in eome petil of being consumed, and the ocoupanis proceeded to remove their goods and ohattols. i: After , ,a.while the danger became less apparent, and the boarder in question soothed his;.eorapaniohs , .' alarm by playing.a lively air on the liiano. . ■'■■■', ■'■■■■'.'■ •'■■• '■-'..'■'.'

. A witness, at the Police Commission, having 6nid tlmt.h* know of no cases of "influence," though,he had. heard rumours, the .■commissioner (Mr. Bishop, S.MO,. remarked::"! know of hundreds of cases where influence bos:been used. So docs Mr...Dinnjc. \The question is whether it has been effeotivo." ,:,"

. In tho intermediate (or casual) ward of tho Obiro Homo there ore at present 16 inmates. In the Main ward; there;aro'under tlio.permanent : caro of the '■ Bouovolent.' Trustees, 80 male and 31 female, inmates, a total', of. .111. At the' weekly meotiDg : of tho Benevolent. Trustees yesterday afternoon; there wore present: Mr. John Smith (chairman). Miss Richmond, Messrs: H. Cook, D. RobMts6n, K. W. Shorthand the Eov. \V. A. Evans..Much of the time ifas tekon up'with, a discussion, in committee, relating to matters of internal economy." A number of applications for relief' were also considered, and, in" nearly all' cases,' granted. \ According'to Captain Quatrovaux, .of .the french ship Thiers; arrived at San Francisco on July -u,.from Nowcastl'e.a now island has sprung up iin t ft e l'acifio,- near :tho Galbier grpupi . Captain Quatr6yaux says that there is something uncanny, about'the islet, 7 for when his -ship approached it, -although no wind jWas blowing,- a mysterious ■. swell drew the vessol toward tho,shore, and it. was with tho utmost difficulty that-.she was saved'-,from going. on the, rocks.-.The island is in latitude 24.25 degrees south, long, 128.30 degrees vest. It soeins to be composed of volcanic rock,

Mr. C. Hall,. M.P.' for Waipawa, has informed tho.Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce that the Raknutatahi Block, near Nbrsowood, is. to be.'plated, on tho: market for settlement, as soon-as a survey,has been approved. Tho chamber (says our travelling correspondent) has decided to agitato for closer settlement of other'areas iof i land. near. the. town. . .- •■'•-

: The, Porirua Mental Hospital: is to bo enlarged by. tho addition of a now wing on the west side for >omon paticnta, which will bo erected by the. Public Works Department at nn estimated cost of , , aljout' JZBM, : The now structure will.be- of 'wood, with concrete foundations, and it will bo connected with the present hospital by a covered;way. It will be divided into four ■' sections,' separated. by fireproof walls, and the accommodation will' conEist of a dining-room, two day rooms,' fortythreo single, bedrooms, and two dormitories for six: an;l sixteen, patients. respectively. It will bo , used'mainly for tho more troublesome pationts.', Tho removal of the Jtonnt View lioiital Hospital to malto room tor the new viceregal . residence necessitates the additions at Porima. . Othor.'Mount View patients will be accommodated .at tho Nelson Mental Hospital, which whs. recently eniaTEcd, and tho' , former Hokitika Gaol, from.which all prisoners have now been removed, whilo the new .receiving homo at Auckland,.which is boing erected out of tho Wold lwquost, will accommodate first oases. Tho. land has .been purveyed, also, for tho now in<mtal hospital which is to be erected nt Kikikihi, in tho Waikato, and an np r to-dato building on .this site may soon be put in hand. Prohibition orders .aro responsible for a now phaso of bookmakiiig, and pcncillcrs are now prepared to \niilorwrito the fines'which aro likely to bo inflicted on those who obtain liquor dnrinK their prohibited period (writes tho Northern Wairoa correspondent of the "Auckland Herald"). Kccently. an interdicted individual waa 'charged, with liavinp procured liquor, and to : insure hie somewhat sparse funds, wagered with a poncillor , tliD sum of 10s. that lio would not he fiued .02. In tho coarse of timo, he appeared before the Boneh, haltingly confessed his misdemoanour,'pleaded hard times,-was fined 7s. Cd., and straigntaivay repaired to collect his .-wager, rejoicing in tho fact that he had benefited to ; the extent of half-a-crown by hia contravention of tho , etaiula. 'i ■ :.. ■..■'■■''.

Tho' Wanganul Education Board has suocnmbed to the excitement of tho at Eaugitikei, and its monthly meeting, which was to havo been hold to-<lay, has been postpoued for a week, on account of tho Itongitikei election being the centro of intoresb this week.- .•■■■.. ' \ ■•■■ • ■ , a Officers'of the Defenco Forces will v bo allowed to, purchase railway privilege ■ tickets for.lady fnends who wish to attend tho opening of thonilo-shoobng season at Trentham, on Ootober 2. .. . ■•..-. i I I-ord Eoberts suggests ii 'novel method of rocrmtmg for the Territorials. Ho advisee jonng lndios not to plav, tennis oad other sports with men not qualified , to ■ servo their country. An imaginary conversation foreseen by a, sympathetic: commentator runs; '■ "Our dance, 1 think" "I'm sorry, but 1 hear you haven't done your drills." ' _Mr. E. A. Wright, It.p.; attended at tho Policy Commission yesterday,- and put qnoZ tions to several of the witnesses. . Once, whoa he was'trying to probe certain allegation*-as to, the powers cxeroised respectively by the chief ,olerk (Sub-Inspector ■: Wright) and by Commissioner Dinnie, the latter asked what status Mr. Wright had before tho Commission. Mr. Bishop replied; that ho had already ruled as to, tho right of members of Parliament to examine ..witnesses. , Mr. Wright was'there aa , a trustee of the public, and ho had a perfect right to ask questions, as long as they were proper ones.- Mr. Dinnio: "Bnt it'soome he can impeach me." Mr. Bishop then informed Mr, Wright that[ if he wished to enter into' any personal question relating to Commissioner' Dinnie or any other police officer, ho most' inform him (Mr. Bfihop), so that ho might give the officer 24 hours' notice, iii terms of the order of reference.' Mr. Wright ashed if-.he could put questions to Commissioner Dinnie and Sub-Inspector Wright when they had given ovidenco. Mr. Bishop: :l "Yee,' certainly." ■■ • ■■■■■.■■,•. ■

Tho eawmillors are all very busy and. hart more orders than they, can contend with, says the OhakuM correspondent of the "Wangamii Chronicle." Several of the owners intend to almost double ,their hands shortly, and by next summer,the Umber traffic from Ohakuno will § he very heavy.'.; ■ . ■ ■■

The lot of the JPrtsbyterian homo missionary is often hard. ' At the meeting of the Pj*sb£ tory yesterday, "instances!/wore given of a' married. missionary with one child receiving the princely stipend of ■ iIOO. a year, without a manse, and of another missionary at Ponga-., roa, having a wife and live children, recoiwig .- without a manse. The, cases'.came up apropos of applications.for grants from"the': Church Extension Fund towards the. efciponds of these charges; It had boon suggested that', such applications'for assistance from. suburban and country charges were made with!too iflach. regularity, there'being apparently, no idea on the part of,the local people of "tapering off** their domands as' the ,development of the charge proceeded. 1 Dr. Gibb bad suggested that the Presbytery should recommend the As. , sembly to cut down the grants in. some -oj. : those cases with the object ol encouraging independence, but when the case of tho\jßllKl stipend was mentioned ho .admitted that,- he hardly know how, the .missionary made both, ends meet. It, was stated' that. this district was a poor one, and possibly could not do much-more.-The Pongaroa.case was.hold to belong to a- different category, it being stated that there: wore well-to-do and generous people in'the district. , .-It was suggested; that the . grant towards the Pongaroa stipend might bo |! reduced from JE3O to X 25, and the congregation , asked.to provide tho difference. After further consideration, however, it was decided to pestpone dealing with tho grants until next moot" ing, when, the Presbytery expects to have a complete schedule of requirements boforo it ■. j The plans of tallow -works, proposed to' to erected at Belmont : extension by Mr. 'A.: Carver came before the Hutt County Council for approval yesterday. After a discussion, in which the."norious trade" point was raised, tho plans were approved on tho motion of tho chairman, who Baid that tho works should'be aspleudid thing for the district, , :' ..' , :: -, . ..,"■■:'.'■■',

■■.- "It is unquestionably .owing! to the■ '.re '.' organisation of "the national- work, that the : whole movement has gono forward, , , and 1. am 'very. anxious that there should bo no rotro-' grade stop in that direction," said , Mr, J. J. ' •-.'-, .Virgo, ■ : acting-national. secretary of ',' the ;.. Y.M.C.A.'b of Australasia;' , in.' conversation with , a "Press"' reporter. "Therefore," ,' he'. added, 'Tain on tho. look-out for a prominent . officer to ; continue', this' work. My own' ideal. . for the situation is an administrative.officer--. % - at headquarters , ;-'with'two' travelling men-^ne l ';, to assist the finances-of local"centres,"and the "■ other "to attend to , purely' organising 'work. : ' The- social- feature's 'of -the. work.'hqW broad- ■'"•' onod out in recent years, > and • things' not "«vil " in thowselvesfliavo^btcnivtakon^outj.of''their "•:''' original setting and placed at the disposal of : members under perfect control and in amoral atmosphere, : and ; the. idea hoe .proved,' dis-.V tinctly advantageous in; getting, young fellows .. out of certain'.surroundings, that are.not)Bβ healthy.'Billiards? "Yes, billiards is one of tho fcatnres.' We have fbuM.it to bo a splen-. ■ 'did game,' and- that, it can'be played undermost wholesome . conditions. : The Y.M.C.A. '.',. has now ten millions, sterling in property, and ■the membership'isi getting' on towards a :mil- . 'lion.".'. Mr., Virgo -nddod'that thoy had estftb.- 1 lished an employment bureau in Sydney, whiohi : WBS proving most succcsstul.•'.'.■•';:- ;:•' :

, The postnl authorities advise, that thft Uli-, maroa,! which left; Sydney on' Saturday for Wellington,, lias on "board'-ah Australian ma; , ■ which'is'duo here-to-day; The American mail,, which left San.Francisco by tho-Mariposa for Papeete, , is duo hore on Ootober 8 byHho'Hauroto. '■ -•.'■; ~■■■•■■'; ' .'.':,< ;.-' ; ■ >;; ■ •'',■■■•.•-.:

About,a hundred-residents of ffilbirnio hiwe attached their signatures to a petition which has been presented' to the.. City Council ask- ■ ing that the.Waipapa Stream, which is staioji to.have been.polluted by drainage into tlo tri- '. butary storiu-water channels, and so become a > menace to the pnblic health, bo properly,' covered in. ,Tho petitioners siigeostod: that tho stream (a sluggish, weed-covered crook) bode-. • elared a public, drain,-so' that the Health Department bo able to order it to be covered in. . That portion of-the Kilbiriiio district which is- . known as Hataitai .is particularly.affected,' as -.■ no system pf drainage has, so far,, been ar- • ranged-for the dwellings within that area. ■■:.-. :'-.-■'

! An' old roadman told a' talo of sorrow and _ misfortune to , tho Hutt Borough Conncil yesterday morning, mnding up with, the statement that he had put his case in ! tho hands" of a solicitor'several months ago, since which' ho had heard nothing. "Could yisu not ro to ; another solicitor?" α-skod the chairman: "Samson was a strong man;" said tho old roadman, .'Tint he couldut pull up his trousers because ho had , none!" . It; was decided to give the man another twelve -months' work,' or until' euch.timo-as; ho is entitled to the old ago pension. ■•..'' ■■'>•' -, ■' ' '~ ; -' ! : -'\'

Some local bodies appear to havo a mistaken idea of'their, functions; and in,an honest attempt to do their duty ' get' into , hopelosa, tangles.- As'an instance, tho meeting.of Hho Hutt County Council of yesterday, may be; taken, when thrcc-foiirths of -the,-,' over-long time occupied by tho. meeting was token up in a long discussion as to tho position of-: two' roadmen in tho county's employ. ; Ono was e competent man who had "got up against" a' few of. the ratepayers and at least ouo.of the members, of Hid connoil;: At'ft previous meet ing the council,decided to shift this man to. another riding. A,deputation came to protest against this, action, armed with a petition, but tllo' council; decided to insist:,on the transfer. ~This incident must havo.occupied th» time of tho conncil for over an.hour in fit* and, starts,' At,on« stage tho point' ns ,to.; whether a councillor had' any right to dictate to i roadman, asto what ho should do oropped up. ■. Councillor Galloway contended that the propbr way was for. councillors to;, instruct the inspector, .and■ for ■ tho , inspeotor..to instruct tho roadman. Councillor; WaVoham leaned tj. the opinion that''a , , councillor should instruct (i IroAdmnn when ho. noticed anything wroog, ■. and in this ho was supported by the ohairman (Mr.'-jr.-'W. Whclch). Finally it was decided to adhere to the council's original intention; and transfor tbo roadman. In nnqthor instano-, fully .half an hour-'was spent in disoussinj, tho caso;of another roadman;" .whoso.-, age. pleaded strongly against his .request'te bo.kcpl ."on the road.' Ho looked too old to face the rough weather in unfrequented parts—his duty was to look after a long stretch of tho mountain 'road over the Rimulakas—but. necessity aided his representations, and h« is to bo given . another year's,work. .', ; : .. '

Tho Hntt county, is apparently'doomed;, to extinction by severance. Within recent. yenrs Mirainar, MnUnra, and Eastbourne have broken away from Iho motor body.. lii addition, immediate jurisdiction'' has been lost over the Upper Hurt and Johnsonvilta'/whero tovrn boards havo boon set: up. There'is. now somo' talk' of ■ another slice of tho. Hutt oonnly being lopped--off.' This in an aroaadjoiuing tho Horownenua county, which is also to suffer under tks proposal. . A counter-petition is boing circulated against tho eevoralice.. . '.' ; A special iuecting of the Wellington Harbour Board was field yesterday afternoon to coufirn tho proposed 'additional general by-laws as U tho board's powers in respect: to morchandisi! and shipping, etc., in limo.of fiio, and also ndditiosal Uy-lau's resbooting ...bcrthngo rates, dues, otc, on suburban wharves, ns alroattreportcd. The members of the board present wero Messrs. 11. Fletcher (in the chair), P. G. Bolton, J. W. M'Ewan, C. E.Danioll, and Dr. Newman; , . Aftor two and a half hours' deliboration In committee, tho board - confirmed .the additional sonorat by-laws, but adjourned consideration of those in respect to suburban till Thursday of next week.