LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 619, 23 September 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

*> At a meeting hold at Mosterton, which lasted tha whole day yesterday, the directors of tho Wellington Farmers' Co-operative Meat Company passed a resolution in favour nf Woingnwa for the works which, it; is proposed to build. This site is about four miles from Masterton. Tha decision will bo submitted to the shareholders for their, approval, i It is expected that a lengthy list of additions to the Commission of tho Peaco for tho Dominion will bo notified, in to-night's Gazette. A couple of weeks ago there was an outcry because an inward Australian and English mail had missed tho. Main Trunk Express at Auckland, though the steamer had arrived in . tho stream from Sydney half-an-hour beforo the train was limetabled to leave. Yeslerday, the Mocralci arrived in the stream an hour before the express loft for Auckland,,but, awing to normal delays, tho last of tho Auckland bags did not leave the steamer's side at the, Queen's Whiirf until' S3' minutes after the'express.left. Nevertheless,, the Department deemed it worthwhile to catch' it,' so an engine and mail-van were . requisitioned, and went flying over., the "steels" in pursuit of the express. It was caucht at Palmerston .North, where tho mails .were transferred in quicktimel This smart bit of work should l)o appreciated by tho commercial men of Auckland, as it will give them an' opportunity to deal with their mail • to-day, and post answers in time to catch'tho outward mailto Australia and England leaving hero to-morrow evening. .The possession ofthe motor -lorry was a factor, in tho rapid transport of tho Auckland bags from the wharf to the railway station—half a--'mile;'away.' .'■'.. ■ . Touching, on politics ;nt; the T.M.C.A. banquet last evening, tho Rev. J. J. North remarked:—"The. Government say: 'We support -the.leasehold, but, if.the issue of an election depends upon it, we will give you'the freehold.'" •:■■.■' '.■ Periodically'.in Christchurch tho police enforce a regulation that all cyclists must carry bells.' A largo haul of cyclists who'had no bells attached to their.machines was mado by tho, polico on Monday. Many riders who did havo bells had, by way ..of a joke, fastened them underneath tho seats of their bicycles, with a view to being "bailed up" by tho police. The cyclo dealers did brisk business in the salo of bells on Monday, states tho 'Tress."

Several members of the Harbours! Conference yesterday paid high tributes 'to tho work of Mr. W. Ferguson in connection with harbour matters. Ono described him as the father of the association, and tho president (Mr. T. M. : Wilford, • M.P.) admitted that Mr. Ferguson 'had. taught him all he knew, about harbour, af-. fairs. . Mombers' evinced' a"strong and, general wish tohavo'Mr.; Ferguson-on the executive, but he-was the first to' point out that being no longer a: delegate he'could not act. Somo time was spent in discussing the exact position under the rules, and finally tho president ruled that Mr. Ferguson was not eligible. Mr. Ferguson thanked the delegates.for their oxpresr sions of confidence,'and said-that ho would always' bo_ ready, to give the executivo any as-, sistance in.his power. ; ; , ' '~;■ Wo hove received a copy of the Augxist number of tho "Scindiau," the bright little magazine of tho Napier Boys' High School. Some of its contributors writ© very well,- and there is a vein, of humour of an attractive land running through,most of tlio articles, which makes very pleasant reading... School news and illustrations are among tho other features, and there are several contributions. relating directly or. indirectly to tho question of Dominion defence. Pak-a-poo is prohibited, but yet,-it is alleged, pak-a-poo is played, "and tho Chinee who reaps a pak-a-poo harvest must run: the risk- of-hav-ing to.pay the penalty.-' Last night two alleged purveyors of interests in this game of chance .were arrested by Sergeant Rutledgo and Detcctivo Abbott. The alleged offenders will appear before the magistrate this morning. •

On'the evening of Wednesday, September, 15, about 8' o'clock, an atmospheric . phenomenon very rarely seen.so far north'as.Tauranga, was ! visible here (says the "Bay of Plenty Times"), namely, a. display of the Aurora Anstralis. The night being dork, with a.dense bank of oloud lying low along the southern horizon/ tho light played on the upper haze.very hiiich like that from a distant searchlight;. increasing and decreasing : in intensity and "occasionally, shooting out, streamers' in "various/directions, extendingapproximately for distances up \ to iH degrees from tho. centre, then for •a . brief period.' •' Tho' centre' of "greatest disturbance wAs in the direction of tho. south magnetic pole—about- over' Puwhenua trig station, as viewed from Taiiraiiga—and the display lasted/'about ■ half - ah ' hour.'' Our informant states that though: this: phenomenon is frequently 'visible/two "or. three degrees further south.this is only the second occasion, in ! a good many years on which ho has. seen it from Tauranga. , • -' .-'

The Spanish bull-fight is even moro-horrible than contemptible, but the French: imitation of Spain's national "sport/' is:even more contemptible than, horrible;, seemingly.'-.-.'A brief sketch of a'bull-fight at .Marseilles last month comes, from. Miss Phyllis Miller,, of Melbourne,. -a. voting Australian who makes no pretence of "uerves.".'|\Vriting from Marseilles on a- Sunday sho says were persuaded to go to a bull-fight. Everyone, said wo might never got tho chance again,, bo six of ;iisweut. It was an awful sight. The bull was dazed and streaming with, blood from tho darts in his neck, and when',-the toreador. stepped into the I ring and stabbed : him in the neck tho crowd rose and' cheered. ■ Why, an Australian bushmnu would not waste rime on.such a' miserablo; basin'ess. Next they brought in a fresh bull and two picadors on. blindfolded horses. This bull'.was/ratker'more livcly"than tho previous one, and ho promptly gored tho two ■' dejectedlooking horses, who had absolutely no hope to get away.. But at this, point I got'away, and never stopped running till I .was out on th: tram line. In the fnture, I will view bullfights at tho picture -shows." —■'.'■ -■ ..Arrangbniehts are being made for the run-, ning of a special train sorvice on Sunday .morn-, ihgfor'thoconvehieiwo of volunteers attendius tho Dominion Day parade.- ./: Tho District Hospital Board has received a chequo for .£2OO from the Government, being the first instalment on account oF the subsidy to the infectious diseases hospital.- The chequo has been handed over to the Hospital Trustees./ /.;,'; '..' ';'■.■':;. ' ..- ■/,.:■.:...:.■' ' The new cross-over which: is to facilitate - tho running of the,trams on the Kilbirnio section in rush hours .was completed:yesterday. Tho exact use to which tlio-cross-over will bo put has not been definitely decided on yet. / Sunday/ next is .Dominion Day, and -.the occasion will, be observed by tho holding of church .parades :by the volunteers, and tho cadets in tho various'centres:of the' country. As previously stated, tho parades will be held in the morning,; during the; hours of - divine service;. ■-;,-'' ' ■ : - Tho new Happy Valley Road has now. been completed I .'for,, tbo; full/length, "and the'workmon are at preseiit engaged in widening certain portions of tho road. Tho: northern embankment of the,bridge is now being finished off; and another three weeks will probably see the road ready for traffic..

, In order to expedite the.detivery. of Wellington .letters in Christchurcli and' viceversa, the Post and Telegraph Department has made arrangements for' closer sorting in the mailrooms of both centres, by interchanging several of the sorters of both cities. In this manner the local knowledge of the officers will be taken advantage of to make a more detailed sorting of the mails between tho. two cities. This will put sorting of the mails on a level with the system.as between. Auckland and Wellington, and Christchurch and Dunedin, in which-cases, the close sorting is done in the mail vans of the express trains. ■...:■' V ..',.■

A "pay-as-you-enter" car has/been . recommended to',tho consideration of tho Christchurch Tramway Board by Mr. William Ececo, who took notes of numerous,tramway systems during a recent trip to', Europe.-' After a discussion which took place oh tins subject at the meeting of: the board on Monday; Mr. Roece said (according to tho "Press" report) they were magnifying: th 6 difficulties of tho "pnycar. It had booh adopted by tho United States and Canada, ;and, they had no more frequent' stoppages in Christchurch. Ho saw no difficulty in people boarding and alighting from such a car. The main feature had been overlooked,'and that was tho freedom from accidents. .Cars'with indiscriminate'entrances were going l out of. service. Tho "nay-as-you-ontor" car. It had'been adopted by fares, freedom from accident, and gave greater ease in loading and unloading. Ho had'only, suggested that this car was an improvement on the present type, and was worth while looking into. They might improvo their, own make of cars. At present the - middle seats wore open to the-streets, and that was provided in the new cars. Their cars no doubt were good, but they could be. improved.. Ho would not suggest deferring the present tenders, but he" ! thought ; - they \could have their care, halt' cabin and half open • seats, but-fixed at the sides, with a passage right, through the middle. That -would enable the conductor to control tho people. ■ The conductor had just ns much difficulty, in looking after tho passongers in tho present cars ns ho would with the now type. In tha latter case tho.freedom from accidents was a great • advantage. . Mr.' Recce's report was referred to tho : board's officers, and it was resolved to inquire ■, from the patentee of the "pay-as-you-onter" car for quotations as. to royalty for manufacturing tho car;in Now Zealand. . 1 . ,

■ The executive of the Netf Zealand Trades Councils has not yet decided on a'date for the opening of the annual' conference of representatives of-the various councils. The custom is to hold the: conference during the . first week ■' Parliament is in session.' Until a defiuito date ■; is fixed for the opening of the House no deelsion as to the conference can be arrived at. A man named Henry Bailey* .alios Sutton, who whs sentenced at Carterton yesterday toconcurrent terms of imprisonment of enc month and 6ix months for theft, was. brought down to Wellington last night, and will bo charged ■, at the Magistrate's Court thit morning with, theft, alleged to bars been committed at Auck*.t laud. ' • ' . ' i ■ ■ ', The customary dinner under 41ie auspices of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce held prior to the session, when M.P.'s meet the members in conference, is not to bo. hold this, year. The president of tho chamber' (Mr. Bart Kent) explains that , tho, function has. been allowed to lapse,'owing to tho. nbseiico from town of Mr. W. P. Massey, Leader of tho Opposition, and tho difficulty; of securing tho attendance of all the.'local. M.l\'s, :.■'■".,•!■''"" Mr. W. E.'.Woods,'who was a cncmlst, and a keen follower" of cricket and kindred athletics in Wellington,.- when ho discovered' his "Great -Peppermint Cure," is revisiting Wellington. Mr. Woods states that the ,( cure" has reached. London, and is thero receiving the samo spontaneous welcome it was accorded,ill New- Zea-, ■ land. Australia,, and 'South Africa. .... . Members of tho United Building Society of ; Wellington assembled at tho Chamber of Commerce last night for tho twenty-second appro-', priation of £1000. The appropriation, which', was in the First Fund, was by sale; 1 Mr. T., A. Wells was tho at a premium of 3t per cent. Mr. H. P.. Rawson presided.!"■■•'.

"No" able-bodied man need bo idle in New Zealand. ,' The Government gives every appHcant work, and pays him at the rata of eight shilling a day."—Extract ; from ' t Llivv' , s Weekly," showing .how immigrants may bo induced to como out here to meet witn disappointment at their journey's end.

■ Mr. J. G. Hordnian, manager of ■ Dalgety, and Ca.'s wool, and produce department at Wellington,, has been appointed ' manager.'of tha firm's branch at Napier, vico Mr.-J; K. Goiidy, who is retiring owing to ill-health. Mr. Herd-' man will be succeeded in Wellingtonvby Mr.: W. S. Bennett, of; the. Townsvillo (Queensland) : ; branch, ■',''■' '-_.;..' \--\;'' ' --" ,-.- _-,_ .J-.i .'.'■;.. ■'~..,■', Members of tho Wellington Bowling Club / hold a very onioynblosocial gathering last evening at the clubhouse. A card'tournament was played, and was won by n team composed of Scotchmen. The proceedings concluded, with a programme of musical and other items, contrU luted by members. •■'.'

Some idea of the manner in which the dole-. ; gates to the Congress of Chambers of Com-. lrieroo of the Empire are being treated in Aus- .- tralia can be gathered from the ofGciel programme of their doings, At present the dole- ' gates are.visiting Newcastle and the northern '.. coastal resorts of New South Wales! -On Sen- . tombor 24 they leave Sydney for Melbourne; and ■■' plungo into a vortex; of'social entertainment.-. . The. programme reads 25/ —Reception (at Melbourne) by the Lord Mayor : . and Council of Chamber;' September 27—After- '. .noon civic reception by Lord.Mayor; evening, theatro party (guests of Chamber of Commerce);,.■ September" 23—Afternoon, . garden party -by., president Associated Chambers. of Commcrca, - Hon. Wmi Knox,"M.P.'i evening, dinner': by/ Chamber of Commerce; September 29—Afternoon . guests of Federal Government; September 30Visits.to factories, and visits to 'Ballarat and , Bendigo; October I—Excursion arranged by.'. Automobile £lub;, for. (next few /days visits to'station properties arid'country places of interest;; October fWSardon party and| reception. r at Victoria Park, .Adelaide;' evening; concert by University students; Ootober 9—Visit -to .•'. Moonta and Wallaroo copper mines; October ; 11—Visit to factories; :October 12-Visit to Tinovords, sheep stations, and l freezing works; October' 13—Picnic and. luncheon .at; National" Park.: With their timo cut • out in this interesting manner it-is assumed that'those dole< gates who are to visit New Zealand will no" do so until towards itho end of next month.