LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 634, 11 October 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Union Stesm Ship Company's steamer Mokoia,.from Sydney, passed Capo llaria Van Uiemen nt 7 a.m. yesterday, and could not possibly land her English and Australian mail in time to connect at Auckland last night with tho Main Trunk express, which arrives in Wellington thii afternoon. Tho mails .will therefore be a day lato this week. A 'Frisco boat, the s.s. Inverney, arrived in Auckland yesterday, but had no mails on board. In order thntonr readers may not be penalised by reason of the boycott of The Dominion by the Government as regards Government nd-ve-rtiGing, we publish, at our own cost, on 2, notices regarding the New Zealand ailways time-table, "The Wadestown Tramways Lean," and the Telephone Exchange. The protest being made against the establishment of a Salvation Army Prison Gate Home at Island Bay lias caused the lpcnl authorities to communicate with the headquarters 'at Melbourne. Questioned on tho subject of locating such homes in the city at all, Brigadier Bray stated that all their Prison Gato Homes wero situated within tho boundaries of ■ cities. Tho argument that they should be established in tho country did not hold good,.as snmo of the people they dealt with were only in the place for a'day or two; and they were moro likely to get work in a city than in a sparsely settled country district. The people of Island Bay made n good deal of capital out of the idea of criminals being herded together in the homo near by. He would point out that only one in .three ocoupanta of the homes : were from prisons, and if. discharged prisoners were not at the homo under control they were somewhere else where they were riot iinder any control whatever. The Army took them in, tried to put them- on the right track, held for , them the little money, they might have on leaving gaol, and when they got work fitted them up with , clothes people .wero Rood enough to glvo thorn. Brigadier Bray said he had on the walls of his office a group photo-, graph of-athletes, who wero inmates of the Jleibourno Prison Gate Uome, and who took part in a display at the Mclbourho Exhibition. Of the lads in tho photograph—all were young men and youths who , had served sentences—only two 'out of about thirty turned out to bo irrecohcilablcs. Soma of them to-day held responsible positions, and attributed their reclamation to;the Army. ; ■. '";, ' ! The hitherto unpublished. diary of Edward Jorningham; , Wakeneld,. from whicli'cxtonsive extracts have recently been given, in TnE Dominion, contains 6everal minor references of suffioiont interest' to , be. reprinted. In 1354 Wakofield ' notra, after a visit to Swainson, "This is'tho first'.house in New Zealand in which I havo seen a good, cneraving of Cook, placed in a place of-noiiour. , Visible recognition of that kind. is seldom paid to Cook. even now. Judge Martin had a theory that the Wellington climate: aged : peoplo . more quickly than that of the south. , The Chinese question then whs merely a question , whether Chinese should, or'should not, be introduced. Apparently there were none to speak of m tho colony. We ar« told "■ (185 i): in favour of Chinese.: Ho has. teen them do well in New South Wales in various capacities." In 1856 there is an entry: "I saw, for a fev? minutes only, a Mr. J. I. Thomeoii, formerly a resident' at Singapore, who has como out to, settle.-Bowles says he is worth a- year. : Ho ;is well acquainted with tho question of Chinese labour—having, had several hundred' under his own■ -superintehdenco.- I gave him'letters to Toncrcd, Rhodes, -Torlcsse.and Mrs. J. C. Wilson"'(Canterburj names).- A few;days later it is.noted:. I read the' Sydney.papers at Swinboarnee this evening.' "I perceivo that the Chinese, whoso lnnd. ing nt Melbourno has been impeded by. a ( law requiring the. payment of £10 per. head, doctor's money'—in faot, a.duty on Chinese immigrants—aro evading tbe.deoree of repulsion by going to- Adelaide as the landing post, about ten large ships being instantly expected there. Thence' tliey : wijl .migrate.overland into Tictoria, > and they will do so from Sydney also. A' statement of -receipts 'prepared by the' hon. ■secretary, of the'Unemployild Kehef Committeo .(Mr. George Willie);shows, that, in aU, X 2289 Us. M. was subscribed.lo thbfund.. The City Council granted X2OO ofl account of.the Wadestown Koad, and JSIOO on,account of Anderson Pork,' whilst? tho ,; , Hospital - Trustees gave a grant of £"J> on account -of • tho filling-m pf their section .la.tho Kelbnmo Parade. Business firms, lodges, and societies donated \X7IB 9s. sd.j tho'employees of offices gave JE2IO 13s 1 . 9d.- entertainments yielded J6133 \WW., private subscriptiohe -indTOtrial unions, £G2 12b.-, ■'■ anonymous - contributions JCSO 10s., and the churches'^MG 1 3s.' 0d..^ii v •'.-; -u •■;. i Sergeant Eutlcdge and Constable M'Kelvie yesterday constituted ' themselves, "a raiding party for the purpose , of. ascertaining whether tho:.'buKiness of grog-selling was thriving in. certain: premises in, Tory Street. A. quantity of i liquor, was <ii6covered and was selzra, arid.Court proceedings Me to follow.' , ''.'-■■;-'.)

i'Tlio depletion "ot the kauri forests,'-prompts the following remarks in the ; Timber Commission's report:—"Although kauri has long been recognised 'as. our -i most valuable • timber, . and it-is'in constant request all, over New Zeav land.it has been shown beyond, all doubt that the supply of kauri .to 'many parts of t tho Dominion is far from;equal to the demnnu, though an extensivei export trade to Aus ; trolia has been carried on for years past, ahe evidence; with reference to the building and furniture trades proves that • there is great difficulty in obtaining supplies' in certain lines. 1 This is specially noticeable, in eouthern centree, where, the. , best grades.' of kauri are demanded and cannot be' obtained. , mand, for rimu heart also exceeds the supply , . ■. ■It-is understood that the Tramways 'Depart-' ment's experiment, of running through '-cars from the.city.to Island'Bay,,and from Vcitch and Allan's corner to Karori, at 5 p.m., Iβ not meeting with the success that, was anticipated, and, unless the traffic improves considerably! the scheme maynot ba continued. >. ' A vcrv : successful demonstration of ; tho Mini; max hand fire-extinguisher'. was, . given at ■Northland: oii Saturday .afternoon before an attendanco of several .hundred people; A largo stack" of packing cases was tarred and ; filled with shavinKS arid'set alight. The : resulting fire was extinguished, .when in full blaze,, in something under twenty seconds. • Tho.demonstration proved the ciheipney of the Minimax .extinguisher.;'. i ■■'..'-.'.'.' ■■ ,'.',■■ "■,■ .-, ■■:•••' -•.■.■ ■'' : .TTourteen persr.ns, including two women, will bo charged with insobriety'at tho. Magistrate's Court this • morning.' Twelvo. were arrested on Saturday .night,'.'and-, two yesterday. ... ,

George- Lake Austin,' architect, ; of Eeuben Avenue, Brooklyn; died ;at his residonco at eleven o'clock' oh. Saturday, night. ■Hβ .was taken suddenly ill on Thursday-night. Dr; Couzens, who attended him threo. times, the last being on Saturday mornitig. was unable to give -a .certificate as to the cause. of death, and an inquest will ■ therefore" bo held at A o'clock 'this afternoonl -Deceasod was 49 years ■of age. -, '.■,■'■ ■.' '..■ .v V -.- •'■. Wellington Homing Pigeon Society flew its first race of tho'season last week from Waitotara, when 110 birds, representing nineteon lofts, competed for , the trophy, , presented , by The DoMiNlbN.' The birds were liberated by tho 'railway stationmaster at. 12 o'clock, the winning bird , ' homing at 13 minutes' past 3. The following is tho result of tho trace;— Mr.. A. Croskcry's b.c. hen, N6. i, velocitj- 9«'yards■ per minute; I;' Mr. E. Griffiths' blue hen) No. 53, 940 yards, 2 i Mr. R. M'lntyres b. c. cock; No. 383, 939 yards, 3; Mr. J.. J. Elliott's No. 14, 937 yards, 4; Mr. J. H: Clark's No. 2, 934 yards, 5; Mr. W. Aider's No. 50, 931. yards, 6. .■ : ■■■■ During the week ended on Saturday, >the Customs revenue collected' at Wellington amounted to £20,074 Gs. 10d;,. and the beer duty to X 228 Is. i'or the correspoudinc week Inst year tho revenue was '£18,370; 6s. Bd., and the beer duty.JE2l6 12s. . ' . ; : Altogether. 38 men'.were' employed '. at. ; treeplanting by the .Unemployed Relief Committee, the gangs of ten per week drawing ~£l2l. 17s. Gd. in wages. . About 15,000 trees were planted, and,.according to the report of the Unemployed Committee, quite 85 per cent, of them are alive, and bnds arid leaves are showing .out well.: A.bout eight aorc-s on of tho eastern. , and southern' tides of Kclburno Parkwere planted',' and'about five-acres of "land; immediately, at the back of Victoria College werts cleared of gorse. .. / " .'■ •' ;

Tho foundation works for the-new'winß of Viotoria , College are completed, and.the brick partition walls havo been built up to tho ex-; tent of about 15ft. i The work on tho main walls is temporarily suspended, pending. tho: arrival , of material for tho stono facings, for which, however, tho walls are now quito ready. . . ; .;',•■,.:■•.■■. ■■ ;,',-..;' , :■■, ■.;'■.■-.

At the recont WaikatoArchidiaconal Confer T enco, the Kev, A. J. Beck brought forward a .scheme for oelebratinK.the centenary,.of the founding of the New .Zealand Church and Colony by the ' Bev. jSaniuel Marsden, which would occur yi Christmas Day, 1911. Mr. Beck thought that the beet way in which the Church people of New..Zealand. , could shotv their thankfulness for tho: blessings resulting from Mr. Mareden's great work would be to raise n general fund, bj which the various struggling Church institutions might be placed oa a sound finflnoiar footing. "If every. Churchman of. New, Zealand-contributed a penny a week," he said; ".£30,000 •'. would- bo' raised ins. year," and ho therefore sußgestcd that immediate steps bp token to -raise tho , sum of JC100.000.. Whilo tho meeting wero generally in Fympathy. with; Mr.-Beck; they appeared- to, think:that (i.e.the, centenary would.not occur ,fof over five, years, aayjiresent' eotion' would

A start was made with 'the Work of. pilttlnj in the foundations for tho.further>iio\v bridgi on. the Happy Valley Road on Saturday. Tfil bridge, .which ,ir replacing an-older struoture, will be about 40ft. overall and Hft. wide, During the week , on which- the new road.lias been open, n fairly large number of people have taken -advantage.of it for a drivo from- towi , through Brooklyn and Happy Valley, and baclf via Island Bay. ■:■ ■ . ■; ; ■. The. Tramway Department of the City. Coun-<' cu. , . hopes, to linvo the recently-authorised twelve-trip" tickets on sale almost immediately.. They will be on sale both on tb« cars and at tho shops which retail" the oldct concession tickets. . , • ,■■'■. ~ : • ,-,- The recrention room constructed al the New. town carsheds for the use , of tramway enw Eloyeee is now practically completed, and il eing used by the Tramway Band for its'brio, tioes. "• ' .•■■.■■ •■■■,•■' ; , .The Tjmbcr Commission' recommended. that, in view of the conflicting oviaenco as to tin respective strength and. durability of New , Zealand timbers as compared.. with Australian, Canadian, and American Woods;.a seriee oj tests, should ,bo conducted In order thafrejF. able information and records may bo arrived at. . Referring to the'increase in' his'staff of cicrsty by a. number of men from England,' can Bishop of Auckland, in. Mβ addrert tb-W synod on Friday, stiid :-"It. is good thatWo are feeing more effectively the benefits of'thV to and fro movement.' It is good foriis tft-get-tho sernces,; : cven for a .term: of Kirs, of men rom Homo! it ia go6d for thc'Honie Church to get ; the services in like manner™ our young men, ordained , out' hero. I always urgo our young men whom.l ordain tb niak« every. effort .to. get .a few years of. Homers, penence nftor their, first ouraoy. hero. In many of the Homo dioceses tho .name of a man oa Impenal orforcigh service'/or a term , of year* it still borne, oil the list of' the clergy of thai diocese as be;ng on euch service.- Wβ shall do tne same with the.names of men from , this diocese under corresponding circumstances. .- ■ ono.who was_ intimately, associated withtho : inception of this mbvement, • some twenty l yearn ago,- it is .very interesting-.to. note it!;'growth throughout our Communion and with special reference.to the. Empire, and, , in addition, to observe how. the idea has found an entrance and been welcomed ' in : service -under -tin Crown. ; , y; -:. . - : -- ''■.-.■.- ' j ■ •■ ' ; ■.The .'waste , timber-in ,sawmiUine opera.. Upns is rimarked upon in tho report of the Timber Commission/ whioh.coceidorsit Ss dosirnblo that needless waste should be pro. vonted, and it suggests ; that ' forest , range™ should: be empowered to : inspect- sawmillini areas with tho object of irieurihg tbat all mill, ing timber is ctit out by the licensee, and not left standing, to be sulisequenty destroyed by fire.'.: It is felt that the time hasj now'arrived when stridor regulations ehoiild be framed ond enforced with-regard to the felling and millinj of timber on, Crowd, land. :..i .. .\, , : : \

A ' eomewbat serious .accident, occurred neal Lower Hutt oft Saturday evening.'''lt; appear! a man: nurnW William Jenuty wns- ridinf. on a bicycle froni. Tnita toLower.Hutt/ahJ apparently collided with &vehicle, with tlrt result that lie sustained h compound fractiiW of olio of his logs below tho. knee, . bqsidel several minor injuries.! Df.\ Hector, who at> tended the caso, ordered the patient's, rouiova) to the hoppital." ■; ■ '; : ' .■Members present\at the last meeting of tl;». Clyde : Quay 'School Committee were; Messrs. D. Robertson (in- tho , chair), .T. Forsyth, W. MT)ohald, AY. ,J.< Gandin, G. AVihbn, D. r M'l.ean, J. biissel,.and It. Johnson. The re. port , furnished (by, tho insneitor 'shb\rcd : tli« school to.be.in. a very.'satisfactory condition, reflecting :hlrt credit! on' th« headmaster; 'Mr. W. T. Grundy and ataff. -Thb Boys' SwimminJ. Club at present hold the Duthie; Ciip,'aW have won it four years, in, succcssipnr TW secretary: of the Education Board wrote slatj ing that the pl&yground in Clyde Qimy, wonK be asphalted dnrias the next Chrishnas holidays. It' was deoided not to do any thine in the- meantime. with ; regard to a nroposal to, form a School Committees Aespoiation. In future the committee intend .to. meet, oh the third Friday'of eachVmontn. ■ ''■■' ■ •'':'. ■• ■'■:■.

There is a good deal:of disEatisfactipnjit lh« present time among , local- jnenibers of the ecc. ond division of the railway service .(states, thi "Otago Daily.Tini«s") over a; dec.'sion' of the Department in'regard to the; working of Sun. day trains.as affectinj? ', guards,. eignalmett, shunters, porters, etc. 1 The position up till now-, has been that where members, of the second ■division were called.upon to.work on Sundays they rere'pnfArithSffiite of timeihnd/ajhalf for all time worked' between 12: o'clock midnight,on Saturday.aud J2 o'cleek-midnignt on Sunday, provided that .where; a; member was brought out specially for Sunday duty his time was computed ae follows;—,Ovor,,half, a;aay to count as' one days a half day and under as ahalf-day; where the,timeiviorkcd-on Sunday exceeds eight hours, \ payment .shall ;bo made for the actual time worked at rhle and a half. Under the altered ■'position of affairs actual time only is to' be paid for—tbatHa,i';Uwo, throe, or four hours—at the rate of ■time , and'a half..as-theVcase may be.'. Further, the:,men are to be , put off bclwien.fraine-as.betwecnf a.m. and 11 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.whieh.would mean' that from.9 a.m. to 6 p.m. only six hours' work would.be paid for, not withstanding that; the for was;so broken int*. as to. bo useless for, any other purposes.'. Hepro sentations on the. subject t are td. be-'made U the.' Minister through tho. .medium .of the oxecutiveottho A.S.E,?. , ' ... . " ' ■.■',:- ■ :