LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 650, 29 October 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho wool rate for; regular , liners lias been filed at Jd' for greasy nitd Jd. for wished. This will apply to steamers'dispatched to connect with the January sales in London, Frctgnt on subsequent departures will not exceed 7-10 d. ana. 9-10 a. respectively.: Compared with - tho rate recently advised as obtaining from Australia' to London; the New Zealaiid producers are-benefiting to the extent of Jd,' per lb. on freight. . | Yesterday : our morning contemporary. republished a; paragraph explanatory of the length of time whioii has elapsed . without n report' being received 1 from the Audit Department 011 the audit, of the, City Council bal-ance-sheet, whioh paragraph appeared in The Dominion of Wednesday. . At the fact of tho paragraph appeared tho following addition: "The (Audit) Department desires us to state that it has not yet received the 'Wellington oity' accounts for audit." Tho Town Clol-lV (Mr. J. R. Palmer) informed a representative of The, Dominion yesterday that an officer of. the Audit .Department (Mr. Ward) has.been work, ing 9n' th 6 city accounts: for; several months past, Knd, tho accounts are expected to bo completed within a few days. . Referring to. tjie P., and 0. Steam Navigation Company, which has arranged to extend its connection to this. Dominion, we understand from the local agents, Messrs. Johnston and Co., Ltd., that the ' steamors, Malwa and Itorca, which aro time-tabled to, leayo Auckland oi! l'ebnwry.lO and April 13 respectively, aro fitted Kltli wireless. lelegrauhy. ■

Tlio deposits in the Post Office Savingß Bank for tho qiiarter ended September 30 labt totalled ,£2,340,640, and the withdrawals ',£2,364,187—an excess of the latter of ,£23,547. ■In the September quarter of last year' the excess •'of withdrawals was • only. .£12,533. - Writing of these figures, the "Trade Review" says: "The decline in the scale of-accumulation is not so much tho result of diminution of 'deposits as of heavier withdrawals. Moro profitable employment has, apparently, been found for deposits which.partake more of tho character of investments than savings."

" Toil are tho' representatives of Labour; I am a blind man." So : ran a sentence in a letter which was received bv' the Labour Conference yesterday. "Wo blind, like all nbnworkers, > continued the writer, " live oh tho produce of your labour'. Sonic of these idlers you feed sumptuously and set up in high places, yourselves taking worso faro and humbler stations. 1 You are indeed, most generous to these. Bnt there are others to- whom you oro less kind. Some idlers, such as the blind and crippltdj you ■ kick into, the gutter,' then, half relenting you throw your coppers after them." finally, tho writer asked the delegates to " consider this matter and say whether there is no place for us other than tho gutter or . thb rubbish heap of parochial pauperIsm." The letter was referred to a committee.., ' "Tho Government party is not the most progressive party," said Mr. T. Long, of Auckland, at the Labour ' Conference yesterday. "Members of the Opposition and of tho Employers' Federation came along and helped us in all endeavour to induco the Minister for Labour to put the six-days' week on the Statute Book. The Minister for Labour will lose all claim to be regarded as a friend of Labour if ho does not take up that Bill.. of Mr. Fisher's." ■ ' .- Mr. J B. Hobart wrote yesterday to the Labour Conference asking for an opportunity of addressing the -conference on the subject of co-operative banking—a system, which ho said had been responsible for tho chornioiiß industrial development of Germany, and had provided, at the same time, employment and comfort"" for millions of Workers. It was resolved to hear Mr. Hobart after the agenda paper had been disposed of, should time permit. ■ /'- , t ■ Three hundred Wellington College boys paid a visit to the Challenger yesterday afternoon. The college branch of the Navy League iSiSaid to. bo ono of tho largest school- branched in the world. : 1 ; .- - .

- Some time ago a totara tree, cut by stone implements,' was discovered on the Kapuarangi Block,, in the (Jisborne district. Information about 'it ijas received from Mr.'A. G. Allom, district engineer, Christchurch, and Mr. H." G. Ell, M.P., in interesting tho Hon, James Carroll and Hon. A. T. Ngata in securing it for the nominion Museum, in which. it has now ; foil'nd a resting place. . A , few. feet of tho end of the tree,, showing the work ot the old adzes; .was .sawn oif for . transport to Wellington; : Tho. Natives had a trying time getting the log out of the bush, as it lfiy a long way inland, and the country was very brokon, and of: high altitude. . The -treo. is known to. one-section, of the Natives , as - the tree of Te ,Kai-Whakaruaki. Another section say that the felled :tree was tho work of the Ngaitai, some seven , generations ago. The tree was felled with the intention of makinc it into a canoe, but the canoe was not finished, be-' caUse the builder was killed at Kaimitai, in seeking to avenge the deiith of:. Kahuknfa Mihitata. The war party was under Kiihultantao, • and .other- chiefs. Report says that they .were slain to a mail. Mr. Ng&ta is Of opinion that' the- canoe ',was,,, started several generations | ago, The block now in the miiseuln is in good preservation'considering its frtat Age. It is the only .'specimdn' of thfe kind in any museum. of the monthly meeting of tho ' Wellington- Land', Board held yesterday, , the members , went. throughthe applications #h;eh havt been received for, the. 200- sections: which .have been surveyed for: small farms' tetween Raurimu and , Kakahi on the- Main Trunk, line; Preference is ; being given to re* trenched - civil servants (of-, whom only half a dor.cn or so have.'applied), oftt-of-work railway servants, - and then- the ordinary - out-of-work individual, Over 500 applications wete received, and a good deal of tiriio was taknn in sorting, them ; out, 'Tho, ballot is •to .take place at 11,aa.mr,. r , t6-day. ..' ■The"Christmas* dumber of tho ''Now' Zealand Weekly Graphic," ft copy of which wo havolto acknowledge,, is one-of the best that',has 60' far coine under 'our:,notice. Botween its' goldeh covers iS a wealth of fictorial i splendour, setting oUt -the .wonderful'scpni6.res6yr.ces,of this country.;'■ ;Thepublifcation' t ,|s 6,f----the;beauties-of our nfltionril scenic' assets. The subjects *n admirably selected, 'and the printing. is', excellent.- 1 : Accompanying - the number.is a -pan'or'amia vievi- at' 'close quarters'; of MouSt Cook, a pictorial . scroll map of the thermal, district, and -an' artistio-reproduction of 'Mr:[C. F. Goldib'S* painting "of the Maori' chiof ' Aporahama: (aged 104).-, .'r, '

In the partially-heard Banco case, Dr; Wil-, liam' Young vehsus' the New; Zealand JnsuraiiCo: Company, Mr. Justice Cooper has over-rulcd tho preliminary objection- made by Mr. Bliir (on behalf of the defendant.;,company) that, the Court had'no'jurisdiction to hear the suftnions, and tho case will bo proceeded with to-morrow. Mr.' T. -Young and , llr.- Neavo ' appear l for tho plaintiff. : ; . At the Y.M.C.AI last evening an,interesting address..was delivered to, the members of.the Old ..Boys' Club by Mr. l'ercival R. Wbiiidy, 8.A., LL.B.j' on.!"Wisdom,and Learning." In the conrso of hiß romarks, Mr.; Waddy. point'ed but how 'wisdom was inseparable, from .learning, and the burden of his' advico was for young men to take every ' opportunity possible to acquire the ground-work of wisdom ,by missing no opportunity, to learn, not only.from books, but from tho people and incidonts. : It is not "all work and no play" for the delegates to-, tlio Trades' Councils Conference. Tonight the Wellington Tradfes and Labour Couii--cil will ; entertain' the' visiting bretln-en at f a smoke concert in'tho Druids' Hall. The Working Men's Club paid them a similar' 1 ccl -pliment on Wednesday evening. ■' The- blowhole at ' Waimnngu .'(says'.' the "Rotorua-Times") is ejectjng onormous quantities .Of steam-^more-than the caretaker (Mr. Ingle) has ovor.,seen before..'lt is quite as-im-pressive hs" Kai'apiti blbwhoie at Virir tors to Waimaiigu art niueh struck with it, and are loth-lo leivo the weird Sight;

The annual- meeting Yof tho Central' Phar: maeeutioal Association was held ,at Godbet's Rooms last; evening, the president .(Mr;.. A'.' Hobson) in tho chair.; There was a large attendance; of. mourners.,-1 The annual report and balance-sheet ;ivere read and adopted.. It was shown that tlierß was 1 i otcdit balance of .£93 19s. 3d. -oil the yeat's .The: following wero. olected executive {ifUoors for ■ the ensuing year i—President,' Air. A. Hobson (reelected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs.,; CV ; Palliser and W. B.'P. Perrottr committee, Messrs. U. Castle, W. ,S. Wallace, :G. .K Elsoii, and A. Meo j secretary, .Mr. L. M'Kenzio (re-elected); auditor, Mr! 11. ,M V Hoops. , A gang of corporation; workmen U at pre-. 6ent employed laying mains alon;; tho Queen's Drive, .so as' to carry tho water supply to Maranui.: -. ;-j :• The main drain' of tho Kilbirnio drainage systelfl has been completed from tho Hataitai boundary to Duncan Terrace, and has also been laid along. Moxhani AVeiluo'.' The .laying of branch drains is being: pushed on at present. V, •,,■ -r - ' - Arrangements hhvo.been made by the Tramways 'Department, .whereby , tho. new. trip concession tickets recently authorised by tho City Council ,will" be available .to the public on Monday liext. The charges for tho various •*tickets ; will bo as- under:—Between Ijainbton Station and-Island-Hay, 2s. Od.j Courtenay Placo., and Island Hay, 2s. Bd.; Oourtonay Place and Luxford Street; Is. 6d.; Botanical Gardens and.- Kelbtirno Tramway, Is. Od.; Thorndon Quay., and Kolburno Tramway, IS. Gd.; Kclburno Tramway and Aro Street, Is. 6d.; Manners Street, and Brooklyn, Is. Gd.i'LainbtOn' Station, and Miramar City boundary, 2s. iCd,; Courtenay Place and . Kilbirnio South, Is. 6d. ; ■ Lainbton. Station and Austin Street, Is. 6d. • The first of tho small water-supply, tanks, authorised by the City Council some time ago, is now" being constructed at ' tho top ot tho Botanical Gardens, near the Observatory. The tank will. hold 2700 gallons. : ;A- second supply tank' is to.be erected in the vicinity of tho top of Nairn Street or Bidwill Street., ■: The whole of'the oxcayatiqn work In connection- with tho Kelburnfi reservoir,, which is being enlarged for tho pwrpfcse of supplying Northland with \ water, lias been', completed, and a start has been made on the roofing. Considerable progress -lids been made with the reticulation ot Northland, but this, work has been at a standstill for somo. timo past, as tile .supply of pipes which the City Council had in stock has run out, A new supply is expected to arrive from England ill December Tho finishing touches aro at-, present l being' put on tho culvert work undertaken/at Kilbirnie reoently by tho , City Council.' Tho culvert, which is 580 ft. long, runs lington Road; and .was. constructed in order to divert the stream -which flows through the liilbirnic Itecreatioli Giound. The water has now been turned in to the new invert. "Tho worker willjefuse to spend a farthing in order to get a shilling, whereas our Opponents will spend elevenpence three farthings to .ttt the • shilling."—Mr. Warren, of Dunedfti, -.it tho Labour Cotiferonsa.

An influential Blenheim syndicate which holds a prospecting : license over an area at Havelock Suburban is, according to the Polorus Guardian," reported to have made a , valuable find of ncheelite. in the ICaituna. A: ,- portion of a sample was tested, at tho .(tavern* ment. laboratory at : Wellington; and realised. 49 percent, of scheelitfe. Tho market value of .;,- the/mineral is -JBMO. per ton* and thoro r-ro hundfids of tons of oro in sight. A parcel of the ore is boing sent to Franco for analysis. Depth of water at somo of',tho principal berths for, the big steamers is giving some trouble at Auckland. Tho matter cropped up , at the last meeting of the Auckland Harbour - v Board in a letter from Messrs, L. D. Nathan : and Co., who wrote that as the Tainui and lonio were coming. to Auckland shortly they would suggest that dredging bo continued on. tho western side of the railway wharf "so that a ' satisfactory margin of dopth for steamers , of the lonic's type should be sectared*" Captain Dnder (harbonrmastfer) said it was liow a mat' tor, of chopping and removing the rock to got the necessary water of about: 83ft. low water - springs at that-berth. The chairman, speaking on the matter of berthage, said that the harbourmaster had informed him that tho Fi and * 1 0. boats would overlap the wharf at tho proposed berth at the Queen Street wharf, and tho only other berth would be at the new,rait . way wharf. ; Mr. HamOr, however, had tola him since that it was proposed dredge on, tlio eastern side of the new soction or tho Queen Street wharf for' those boats. / 1 Mr. Justico Cooper will ptesido.,at a Chambers sitting of tho Supreme Co'tifyitlris'morn- .- ing at 10.30.: • , ''WV Sontonco .will be'passed on " John William Chadwick to-morrow morning,by his Honour Mri Justico Cooper. The prisoner pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's CoUrt to a chargo of forging and uttering. . Of tho state of the import trade, tho "Trade - Roviow" of yesterday. says l—"111 all branches of trade there ; is stilt considerable quietness, |, and transactions are goilerally'of'a hand-to-mouth character. The prospects of tho produce. export season , are;-. however, - extremely good, and with increasing ease in the, money market there is good ground to anticipate n , distinct improvement inthe near future, i'rade, though slow, is BQU'ud,'. atid; engagements are . : well met." - , .. • Spehking of the Superannuation Fund,"which now stands ht the Minister of Railways, ■ ■ v in .his ■ annual report says:— r "A feeling „ appears to exist,-among .a section of the contributors to tha. fund that widows- of ; - rallwhymen who have, retired, oil superannuation/should; at the death of. their husbands, .. receivo the same allowance as widowj whose.... ■■■ husbands die'before reaching tho,rctirihg. age. ! It has been-pointed out. on sovorol occasions that tho contributions at present made to tho fund :al'e the minimum, while tlio benefits are the maximum. It is obvious, therefore, that no additional charges can bo put on_ the fund without■ acorresponding .increase being, mado in tho.rate of Contribution. Tho , financial sta- -.y-, bility Of the f\ind is.of paramomit, importance, tv every contributor, and eatli . such person should-Carefully.-.'consider.'-the-, effect''the adop; Hon Of the suggestion Would .hayo on tho. fund ' before Seriously pitting it forward. 'It should be definitely, understood that no, ~cli&tgo can bo\placed. on ; the fund withoiit ti correspond- ' ing increase in the payments of cach contributor thereto. . , •'At yesterday's meeting -Of the Wellington, Education: Board, a letter from the Wellingtonbranth of the New Zealand Educational Institute,' asking t&c: the use'of, tt. room - in,.the - board's building,- was ,reiid.' --It"waspointed out that the board bad previously given., .lip >* the old board room .to the institute, but ex--.-tended accommodation had since been' required. by . the board's'clerical staff. - .Th 4; board's - secretary'(Mr. G.-L'.', Stowart) 'explained, th&t, every facility, was.inviiriftblyextended: to the institute for accommodation for. its meetings; , what was v _desired was . that the board; 6ho.uld ' grant a foom for the eblo use' of-tho-'lristitute,'' : The matter was left, in the|- hands ; of thechairman and. secretary. . / ,-.. ;v,": ■The Stato School at.Mangatiti will in future be designated the Puketoi School, tofharraonise with the postal designation of , tho district. ~Mr. A. H. Vile, a member of the Welling. . ttih. Edntatiott Board, is l of, opinion that the loyalty-of . the . country'hiis-be6n sufficiently demonstrated by the Dreadnought ■ offer, and. .that the : matter - of ' tho'-Bohools- presenting' a. qulck-Hring' New Zealand battlty : ship, as Buggesled to the board by the Par- •. ftaville , (Auckland) ■,Sohofil Committee, is on# ■ fpf,:the;- parentso.themselves,..iiot,: the tion BotoujiStoclltcido.' ;V>Th(i DirgaVllle: Com. .letter 6n,:tho silbject Was Wad at yesterday' 6 meeting of - the Sducation-Board, which (lecldod, orv-.Mr ■ Vilc's motion, to for- ■ ward :copies ',to; tho.- scnobl.'jco'mmittees .in ittj, district.' i....- ;;-.' ,-:-., i>,j,Mr..;W. F. Barraud recently -presented fouiv. iteen of. his water-coloiir paintingß;to.the Thorni; .don Bowling-Club.An art-union was inau- ' : guratcd,; with the' result, that'the 1 club's funds : , -have, benefited to tho, extent,of ■ This moheyjis to-be ,fepent,in improving the pro. perty. m r possession of tho-club, ' The follow. • iilg are tlio successful ticket-holders;—No.'34B; ' Georgo Johnson r. 208,'flV. . Wiggins, jun.i 164, : J' 1\ Bourkcj 286, H. S. 321'«-ana , 324, C. H. Mitford j 150, R; W. Kafi6!-538,.1'. C. M'Kcrrow; 129 i. F. Webb; 3.15, A. Clarkoj 403, 2?,. Ji Collins; .118, T.. L. Churchward; 269. T. S. Ronaldson; 210, R.'D. Hanlou<- Tho mem-' bers thhriked tllr. Barraud for liis' gohcrosity, ' " Equal bertefits for every person o'n tho face of the;globe," Was tho principle enunciated,'by--' a'delegate at tho ; Labour Conference whendiscussing the' Hon. Mt.»' Quinness's national liisuranco scheme. Another, delegate endorsed - this' pronouncement and even went further) His view was that tho worker earning'a sniail wage fehould-havo more gonerous compensation, ' - when disabled, than his fellow, whose ordinary' earnings,aro larger', •. •; It ¥ not! 'generally known that the Wellington, Education Board is only ijne of the local. ; authorities directly interested in' tho'prpgreM , and ; condition: of the - Teachers' .Training College at .Thorndon, : As a matter of 1 fact, otfory ••• .edncation btiard, within, the: limits of. the f - Middle University, Distribt,' 1 whioh - includes ' Wellington, Taranaki,. Marlborough,-; Nelson;.' Westland,: and Hawke's Bay, has a v6ioo'-itf the.control.of-tho institution: There is, how- t ever, a growing- feeling' in . the mind - of"at least one niember of. the Wellington-Educa- "< tion Board that tho boards as a whole- do not - Support tht> Oollego, in, tho same'-prtportieh, - and ■ that when any - money is, wanted for the •', institution,.:, (he. - Wellington \ Board,-V;bflitog "■ handiest, so to speak, is called upon, A, little light, ivfts throwii-on , the situation-- at- the' ''■■ monthly meeting:' of tho Wellington 'Board yesterday, When Mr. A, H. Vile, referring: to . an item, in tho Finance and Workfe Commit- ■ tee's -report—a -small grant to the college—, said that the other., boards interested . ought - to ; do their share in connection': with calls of-this nature. .The chairman .remarked that, :of the ■ students 1 attending : thp collego.' ,b.y , ,far tho greatest hUmber were from .the Wellington Board's district.-The matter thisn dropped. ■

lir giving, judgment in a case in the Auckland 'Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr. C: C. Kettle, S.M., said that it was to be regretted that,- in cases which depended whftlly on 4 question-df; fact, tho Court had not tho poWer.' either on its pwiv motion 'or at the request ot one of the ; pavties, to'havo tho facts heard 1 by .a-jury of tour men, . brV the'- Magistrate and two assessors.At present the question of fact bad- to be determined by ono mail (tha Magistrate).. continued Mr. Kettle ' ;*it is a responsibility that I lmvc taken ford' good many years, and ono that I'. suppofeo I shall continue to; take unless the law V altered; • p At tho meeting of the council of tho Wellington Chambor °f a letter was received from' the Tnnaru.Chamber referring to the variations of tta weights ,of . sacks of grain civon bv the Railway -Department. These weights, it> a£ pears, aro not a re to.uVgrbwer; and not lnfrequentlj- differ from:, the' weights ' they aro credited.with. by. thebuyer. wfW n-ritten to on the subject, tho 1 Department replied that they lVcre not concerned: in what ' weights tho dealer, or buyer, returned—their - were taken :,out for railway charges.' . lhe Timaru ,Chamber was not satisfied with this reply, ) and i wishes'the co-operation of the local;chamberm bringing,about.-viuore satisfactory shate of things. £ . Ee'urns for September-sho'wteJtitho'arrivalj r" ,vcr ,° 2682 hiyT'thte doparturei 2317. .The figures for September,-''l9OS, wer<' arrivals 3992, departures 1821: ■ Tho appointment of tho'. tieueral.' Matiafcr' of tho. Department of Tourist aiid Health fiesorts as an additional'trustee, of. tho Toiigarirol National Parli for a ."term of fivo years ia gasetted. f ■ ... Tho following resolMtioni moved by the 1T«l J. Barr, was adopted at tho meeting of 1 tin ' Trades,and. Labour 1 -Councils' Conference yW torday"This conference recftgnife' the' tihi« ' :ftnd thought sivch -by-tho H6m,A-. K; Quimiesj to tho,- drafting-: and' brijijjing - forward' of measure -no directly,-beneficial to the -iVbrkori as (lie biek and-Accident Insuranco Bill, and extends to, him tho thanks and 'appreciation bl~' the members ■ of this conferohcsi'M ■ .i The heaviest , rainfall-in tho Dominioh durini? September was registered at Mamaku, Sl SCin", and .tho lightest at fiatifurly, ,31in. . ■■ Dotectivo, Connolly-arrested a young man yefiterday on a charge of-stealing jCIO lfs , tli« property, ,of George Toogood. u Accused : will' appear-at the Magistrate's Court this niorninj. .