LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 620, 24 September 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. Sneaking at tho Harbour Board meeting yes-, terday, Mr/.F.rGißolton.rcfe'rred.ito the discussion of ■ the • late Harbours'; Conference ,6n the constitution, of, harbour boards;. Ho do-< ■ dared , . that The Dominion, was, absolutely, iriv correct in,-one of its'cflmm'ents Jon the-matter/ inasmuch as this journal had said','that, £!&> conference condemned the. theory .that/ the Parliamentary franchise should'be; applied to harbour board elections. .Those, who- attended the; conference 'knew 'that such was' not' the case at all. , '' The theory ..referred to Has' not raised.by any motion whatever, and instead of the conference condemning: it, what was condemned' was the' nominative , -system, and in' place of that'election was! advocated., The municipal.franchise was agreed to instead of the • Parliamentary franchise, solely on ~the, score of i expense, as stated 'by several speakers. What was said at'the Inst 'meeting i.of. the' board-was repeated at the conference, and tho, issue ,was 'election.'-.as. against nomination, tho conference'deciding -in favour of: the former. The' ohairman (Mr. , ■ WiWord, M.P.), and: Mr. I!. Fletcher expressed concurrence' with Mr. Bolton's statement. [The , phrasing in our article may not have been -pedantically eioct, but the plain meaning, for the plain' man, of the: conference's , affirmation of the advisaploness' of the, local. bodies' franchise is' that the conference did consider the. Parliamentary, franchise inadvisable. Why; otherwise,' did it pass its.resolution?] ■■ . : -~"■'.' .'■'■/' •■■-.'' ' Two expressmen, lined , recently, for.. playiiig "two-up,". have been placed 'on probation by the City Council, ■ ami informed that if another breach of'the law is committed, they will lose their .licenses. 1 .. An applicant for u cub-driver's licenso has been 'advised that r - a license will bo issued to him, when the embargo placed" on him by the ; authorities has been removed.'." Another applicant for a cab-driver's license was , lost evening granted α-pcrmit, which will expire at tho end of the financial year (March next). . • ■ . ;: . '■. . . ','.-. According to. the Hon. ]). Buddo, tlie work of reorganising tho .Health Department is still proceeding. The, Minister informed a Christcliurch" ."livening News" reporter that ho has decided to institute'a. system -of-.specialising, whereby experts. in -.different. branches shall tako 'charge- of the. divisio* for which their training, has bust suited tliein. , Soino littlo delay lias occurred in Retting' ninUers into trim, but everything is going'on without friction' nf nny Kind, and it is hoped that finality' will,be arriTOtl at. before lowu ■•■■■

Mr. Hugh J. Ward, in tho courso of conversation at ChrislchurchyesUrday, stated that' ho wanted to give a stronj warning to professional actors who might be tempted to enlcr into engagements'to go to the East. -Ho know of niany people who had- te-on-'attracted to India by-irresponsible.persons,'and'who had to bo assisted out of the country. It was nedissary for tho pood nanio of tho theatrical Srofession that such a state of thiugs should o inado public, so as to' prevent, artists being sent to India on very poor prospacts, and.witli only their faro to that country. There was no law making; it compulsory on managers to doposit their return fares, and • they were sometimes left stranded. Mr. Ward intends placing the. matter bsforo the Theatrical Managers Association on his return to Sydney, so that .a public warning: can bo given to'any professionals who may think of going to the hast under these circumstances. ..:','.' A claim for JC3SO datnagos' for alleged 'misrepresentation regarding an exchange of. Newtown and Treutham properties was heard in tho bupremo.Courtyesterday, and a city solicitor gavo evidcnco. regarding exchange agreements, which he slid to often mot-with in his practice.- They are quito'a.now kind of prococding in land, transactions,".he said. Mr. Justice Chapman remarked that tho system did not obtain in any other part of-Now Zealand, ?<%? th ? l ta,ll l'.™ l y not seem it Iso, sir, • replied tho witness; "it is not the fhghtest oheck, and I have often heard it said that this exchange system is regarded a3 n handy method for. both parties getting over the stamp duty. In fact, the system lias developed into a fino art in Wellington.. ,, ■ The tender .of Messrs. Turnbull and' Jones for the supply of 500 motors for tho 'Electrical Department was accepted at last' night's meeting of the City Council. :.'.rv- . A 'deputation from the; Miramar Borough nf° U A (?K te u ? o ', l tho Tram ™ys Committee £ I'X Com<:l1 on-Monday' last, and reques ed that, the- amount por car-milo at preis. ,tp 3d.; hlso that tho concession from Kt^TY O^ 0 ± esli ° Street,. Kilbirnie & ?PJ%H^'' b / H>" Auckland City Council that ,tjiP 7 Wellington council's electrical en.' Kt , o^-flf UMt " Hic, , !ardso "' fa pffi ; mii ? ro P° scll of" their Electrical .Department, has. been granted. k T tn 0 i"^9 f .the;city.r £ «rvcs for winter sports is to bo discontinucd' after Saturday neib •'''A recomniendationof/the City Council'By- [? w » ' Committee; adopted .last' evening, --Was that i the by-laws should bo amended so that co ectors ofrefuse .suitable for pig-foodVight call at estabhshniens-opening: after 8 a.m. ? As anv calk V nff,. O r R not make am calls after 8 o clock in; Iho- morning, but untTg mny ' 1 ? olv rcmain on tho streets

,•,, Jhe , Finance, •Committe* of. tho Citv Council' reported last evening that they had visited tho Oriental.Bay, sea. wall,: in company with the city engineer, who; strongly recommended the council :tp confinp themselves this year'to ."'aking: a connection from tho Tβ-•Aμ Baths of the present: toe wall. The committee; re. commcmUd that the city engineer's,suggestion be .carried;out as 'far-as tho money available will permit, and,this 'was agreed to.; ■■.;. ,;■'/ . Tho Power Station and Tramways' Committee:,^ recommended to- the City) Council' at. "letting Inst' night .that' the application of the 'Department of Kduca'tion for three-yearly, tickets-on tho trams, for use in connection with official visits to ,tho liecciv.tig Honie iin linafcon Koad, be not granted,- as : the cn-i B' n «r,Js opposed. issue of ycarly-tickets; Xhat tho application of the Hospital Trustees' .for: .a .'pass".;on, tho /electric '/.trams' for'.their messenger :l>ts not granted. That a', , bonus '.of .£25 bo granted to Uγ. Irfah Jnjconnectiori, with tno ran grinder.''devised by : him, on condition that ho enters into an agreement, granting tho corporation, -thefrec use; of» the invention: .The- adoption of the report was' agrocd : to. -"., •'■. . ; Tho estimated value of-buildi'ni done inonA about -the : city for. the'; fortnight : tember, 21 was -'-£13,874,-:' bein g; £7625.:f0r/the city,: i£5559. for ■ Slelrose,■; and -. £UW ■ for--Wadds-town; .'ln.-nll ,32-applications,:were received;for permission: to erect, alter; or extend buildings,and : in'3l instances;permits were issuod. ■:."■! i :■ ■ Opposite the new: Union Bank:.in; ■ iainbtoiv Quay/the tram rails run.-so'.closoto, thofoqt i path that vrlie'tfa dray is; running along ati.tliat',' sido: of a. ear tho'condnctor colleoting. fares is' apt trio stejv'-ThcfCity CouniCilv'h'as'Tsen 'the danger, andordersihavo bc6n' given 1 to merge 15 inches ofUhe ; . footpath- into. nthtlroadfef/n'.'EravfU.-.i.ir.Tlart.! ■ .weit ~■;,- ■■: .-■;.'';.• ■■'■'•' The • narbout; Board',^^decided , yesterdayi' that ■ Dpmiuipn l)ay.', shouia not,be observed. 1 as ,a Harbour : gbard holidrtyl'..-:■':v,:;>" -A \ ;'■ '•:.•;'.';'; -..'.; i- ;'ThpfCilyt Engineer .has been granted.'permiKsion-. to;, place, tho proposed'.. high-. level water-.. upoli -'land ih : '-the. /Botanical Gardens.and/.Nairn Street reserve. -' '.:.-: ' ;V The Baptist tlnion of New. Zealand has been, granted' permission to hold an opcn-air> service. • on; Ncirtewn'.Paris ou:Sunday, :.October .17, ,-V '.'.An application. Wellington Amateur' Athletic Club for tho uso of 'tho Basin..Reserveon J November: 9, .for' a> sports .meeting, was .granted at last; night's- me'etinE' of-jtho • Bity■ ■ Council. ' '."'■ .-.•'■ ...... ■ -.;, ■■'.. .-

"'The casual manner in which, some- of .tho local streets' are '.said • to ;i be cleaned was/ the subject of remark, at last night's meeting .of the ■City Council.-.Tho attention of, tho"-City Engineer was drawn to .thp:,matter,'.and ho. was jasked to report "on the "question with a viow I to having somo , improvement carried out.'■-,'.■'• v"W,o .shall, he.-able 'to., do, business , at.-.the' Crematorium to-morr.ow if anyone can find usb for it, , ' said his Worship the Mayor last night: . The Stato , -Insurance Department,is anxious' to carry- , a -portion' of tho- City "Council's insurance risk. ■ Tho Town.. Clerk . reported last {bvening : . ; th'at : the-,-wholo ,, .'risK-.''■■ is' .taken- by:' one company,"' which' -distributes tho liability, 1 -"'among -tho,',,other 'com-; panics,- ■ Tho- application, of tho Department' was ■ teferred to. the Financo Committee.. •', '.■'•'' ..Thb.Tramways.Committee of the City Council reported last .night.—"A-: letter has, , been received from the Public Worlis', Department,' stating -that the' Governmbnt has. no .-intention of - dedicating any portion of Charlbtto Street to tho council.for street-widening purposes, and that,:if the council'desires to widen' the street, tho Government will renuiro compensation'for any li\id: taken for-,'-.tho. purpose.-'■Tho"-com-, mitteb therefore recommend that tho construction of the"'Charlbtto Street tramway loop', bo proceeded with-.on: the..• completion,' of ■: the: llaranui'line," '■ The -recommondatibn-; Tfas : agreedvto, the Mayor stating,that , ,tho'council had tho money in hand to go on with the work.: At theannuai meeting of-tho Christchurch' Society for the. Prevention of' Cruelly to Animals," two members-of Parliamont, ■ Messrs... Ell nnd.T. H. Davey, were'scathiiig.in. their condemnation of- the. cruelty to horscs : practised, in .Wellington. "No suoli cruelty as.-goes':on' in Wellington, so, far as horses aro concerned, would bo allowed for, one moment to take place in Christchurch," was.Mr. Davey's indictment of,tho Empire City. Mr.-Ell was:■ ctiually strong in his 'expression of opinion as to tho state of things-in Wellington, and declared .that, the 1 police|simply>'looked on, and; did;up- ' thing. -.-■ '-■; --■--'';', '_'■'..'"■::■■■.•:.,:: ; --•■-

From October 1,; ferry: steamers in .Wellington Harbo.ur--wilL.bo required, to pay ,25.-for oaoh .time -they mnkb'-uso. of any of tho suburban. whaiv.es, and -a similar chargo..will bo , made-iu,- respect of launches. --Tbero. will .boa partial. exemption in- cases■-. where a steamer or launch tises.-on tho same,trip, two suburban wharves;.which are not more than a: mile anda quarter apavt^—-- ; , •■'.: ' , ~- •: -- .•■'■;.:'. Mr. Maughan .Barnctt gave n recital on tho new organ: in St.-' Stephen's Church, Marton, on Wednesday evening, before, a crowded conRregation. Tho ; instrument was built by Messrs, 'Norman and:Brard,: tho builders of tho' Wellington Town i Hair .organ. : ' -: :-■ '.. "■' ■'"' ' .Tho chango ,of name. of ..West ,, Wn'nganui, in tho-County 'of:' Collingwdod,: to- West. Haven .is gaiettcd.' y. , ...;■■< ■■.-•' '~

Whilst -theso' on bonrd the Moeraki, which arrived from-Sydney.on Wednesday, wo'ro undergoing medical inspection , oho of tho passengers, Mr. Hnrk Cohen, editor of the Dunedin "Star," left his cabin, and , during his absence "a thief entered his. room and stole■ a , gold watqh : and chain, and gold sovereign case coil' taining money. Tho stolen articles had been leftin Jfr. Cohen's .vest in: tho 1 cabin. .:'Mr. , Cohen's total loss is estimated at.about,,J;7o. . The centre pole construction on! tho Oriental Day; tramway ..lino is to bo altered , to span«lre construction on the completion 'of • tho alterations now being carried out. to. the Thorndon Qunj route,by the framway Department. ■•.'.; ..;...'. :;. ' . ■ .r.. . ■

The Harbour Board yesterday completed tho formalities -'connected witlvtho resignation of Mr. D..- T. Stuart, as sinking fund' commissioiiev, and the appointment of Mr.. 0. S; Wntkins in his place. ".<''.'. '■■.'.■ The promised statement by 'tho Mayor in reference to the negotiations between. the Gas Company and the City Council in reference to tho question of the right of tho company to lnyits mains.from Constable Street to the now gasomoter at Jliramar was brief, and consisted of a short resume of tho negotiations. Dr. Newman informed the council, that so for nothing had come of Hip negotiations, which left tilings, as they were. It was open to tho council, if they wished, to approach tho Oas r.omniitteo of tlio , council again, and mako' am- iMtlier propositiou they misht think fit.