LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 670, 22 November 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Maheno, with an English and Australian mail on board, arrived at Auckland at 10 a.m. yesterday. The Wellington portion will arrive at 4.25 p.m. to-day. , ' From'a reliable source we' learn that, the fishing at Tokaanu this 6eoson is unusually' good., Big fish are plentiful, and are said to bo of an improving quality. Tho following, are a few of the best catches made there during the present month:—On November..' 2, Messrs. Butler and Asher, eleven tlsh, averaging 101b. each, the heaviest being lOjlb.j November 11—Messrs. Jones and Butler, twelve fish, averaging lOJlb.; November -, 13—Messrs. Jones and Butler, Eeyen fish/averaging 9jlb.; Noyoriiber IG—Mossrs.".' Musher and Berry, ton fish, averaging DJlb.; November. 17—Messrs. Jones and.Butler, eight fish, averaging,74lb. , ; , "Pahiatua is up in arms against the proposed new railway timn-tablo (writes a correspondent). If it actually (comes off,' Pahiatua will become a kind of-newNorth Volo on tho map, but impossible of access. The threo trains which used to pass.there;from Masterton will be a thing of 'auld lang syne,' I mean,the afternoon trains passing at G p.m.', 9 tho already defunct 'wud cat.' A'man coming -from Woodvillo to do business at Pahiatna by the' midday express cannot get homo under the new rule; until next day.- It will bo impossible to do business in Masterton (say from Ekotahund or Pahiatua), and to return in ono day. How the stock buyers will manage is, of, course, a, theme for wonderment. Eveii the marvellous, growth of grass:in the Forty-Mile Bush has ceased to be the topic ofconversation now' that the light—the glorious light-from the newest time-table has shone upon Pahiatua. Peary or Cook, where aro you?".' ■• ■■ '• ■ .-:•.■.-■ l , -,' ■ . • i -.•■

On , Saturday, the annual examinations, for. Junior Civil Service, senior free places, and pupil teachers' first year were commenced : at the >various centres throughout .New Zealand. There ; are some 2500 altogether. The , .examinations'will extend over a period of nmo days. ~.;_. ,-■ :

A delightfully unconscious tribute was paid to the quality of the vox humana stop on the Town Hall organ at. tho recital on Saturday evening. Mr. Maughan Bornett was playing a.' Volished" (folk 6ong), by Wolstenholme, consisting of a 'simple air subjected- to different, .treatment,, eachv displaying .a distinct combination of stops. The final, phase was the vox humana, with tremolo! ■ As soon as tho air began, a little girl, l six , years of age, present with her parents, said: "Now he's singing, ; isn't he mum ?" ; "No, dear, : that*s' tho organ playing," replied- the/mother, ,:"Well," said tho little one, ''there must be, someone inside, because I can hear him singing!" "Hnshl: don't talk, its'the organ!" reiterated the.mother. "Well.it must be someone outside 1" said the child quite-unconvinced.' ..

.Yesterday Sergeant Rutledge and Constable MTvelyey raided premises in Courtenay Place, for alleged' 'sly j, grog-selling., A , quantity of liquor was seized.,'-. ..;,;•■■ , ' ... -x~ , . '*Thb raising of.' .the' passenger rates : on the Main Trunk railway ought to.help the port," remarked Mr.' Newton; King, on Friday, at.the. :Nev/ Plymouth Harbour Board 'meeting.".: Mr- . added that freight: charges :were goir-g. to be increased,; so that' the steamers would.bo.more able to compete. . Mr. Connett Baid there was need for revision o£ this tariff, Joricoal was being carried , from Wanganui'tb New .Plymouth .for about. 10d.-- a ton,-, whilst froiii the port,to' tho Now Plymouth railway .stritionjya • distance .of > two and' a' half miles; the cost was 2s. 6d'.-a ton. Several other mem--bers'remarked that, with: the Main". Trunk charges .brought.to the - proposed- level, there were; better days in store for the harbour's finance. .-V , :■. .-■ '~: ~-;.: < .:■::;■.: :;- '■ .■■■■,;■.,[ i :• ,Oii:Wednesday next, at 10 ,'a.mi,'- the annual. : conference, of: delegates. from ■ the '■ various ' provincial branches :of the New Zc/.land" Iristitute ,of l ;Arohiteots < will, bo opened' in the: rooms' of they Wellington branch, in- the National Mutual; Life,: Insurance ./Buildings. The. visitors are to be tho, guests of-the Wellington branch' ala'ismoke concert in Godber's Hall, Cuba Stteet, on the evening of' that day.' ■' Messrs. J. ;Charlesworth,E.M, Blake, R. Bacon, J; H. ■-• M'Kay; and : F. 8..' Greenish, (hon. seoretary); have been, appointed, an, entertainment bbmmittee. ;. :',:,. : ..'■;.■"..■.'.;.'; -.-; ■ .-;■'■>".. V-'.'.K'.'i/.'. : No fewer than. 29 persons were, arrested by tho-pity; and-,Mount Cook police .on Saturday; Somo will beVcharged .with: insobriety,, others jwity: vagrancy, being;illegally.Ton : .premises, .obscene-, .iuuc :i ;.•";; ;'• .' On rSiinday';ftfter'no , 6h'Hhs!''puT)i;q 'gathered in largo numbers in the .Botanical' Gardens to .hear" the band of/H-.M.5.-; Challenger' plav in aid of' tho Benevolent Fund of the' Wellin-gton-branch: of the-Royal New Zealand'Associa- 1 tiori: of His Majesty's veterans.-The collection amounted -to .£lO Is. 4d. '.The' vice-president, Mr. T. Urwin, thanked the audience for' their kindness; in aftonding in such large numbers, and'giving so freely-to help veterans' in sickness and; distress. :, ■ ■-, -\. ■■ - : ■:;■• ; ..',,,-

.The criminal sessions of the ; Supremo' Court ■will conclude to-day, with, the retrials: of Alfred: Charles., Warren (oharged with abduction) . and ! -Thomas' O'Neill (oharged with' burglary of the ; "Missing Link : shop).. Civil \ business will bo commenced' to-day, : and divorce cases will'bo'taken next week..; ■ : ■ - • :: .':;-'>i:.. •The : telephone ■ bureau ."at. Hopper -Street, .Wellington, 7 , has-been closed. "';' •;■;..-'. /..'', .• '/■ The nautical inquiry • into the: circumstances 'surrounding the loss of tho Duco, which was coinmenced before Dr. M'Arthur,. -S.M., ' Captain; Gray, and Mr; M'Lean ; on Friday last, will ■ be', resumed this-.; afternoon. ;.■"', : -;,..- : .; • V The' ; nurses -at the Otiki Hospital are now housed in the' new" cottage which has , just been erected. The: new .shelter for patients-at cho/sariateiuin is. to ! . be ready'for occupation about■■ the.end of the. month'. 7 ;:■'..■'■■■- .'■::<■. .. ;'' .Values of exports-.from i Wellington for the fortnight ended November 15, are as follow;— Butter, '■ JC21.501;. cheese^: ,£12,901; frozen beef, .£2042; frozen mutton, .£396;; legs and' pieces of 'mutton,-.nil; frozen lamb, £236; wheat, nil; oats,: dC4B'; ; potatoes, 'nil; ';, Has, .£11,924;'.■■ poul- : try, rabbits, nil; tow;: i637;:kauri.gum; nil; grain and pulse," nil; hops,' nil;., hides, . JC2IGGj: skins, .£5280 j- tallow,- v£B2o; timber, nil; wool;' .£27,670; gold,"nil. .-■/■.:.'■■' .-;■;':: ; .•'.'■' ; T:' ''. When Mr. Sidney Kidman was in.London,! early' this year, ho yielded to the appeals 'of>a number: of .'bus and paid their- passages' '.'to ' Australia, oil! the understanding .that they vwould, rcimburso - ; him ."by ; : instalments. He agreed' to provide them- with work "if-they could not! find employment sunder- some, other person; but: there was no'- agreement of. anydescription. .The men ; were.free: to accept employment; anywhere, and Mr .'.Kidman-trusted to. their ;honesty-in' rqgard to. the monetary advance. In • bonysersation on Thursday last, the subject:of -the■ importation of 'busmen. cropped up, and Mr: Kidman I was asked- whether tho undertaking - had', proved -satisfactory. ■■■■■ "I am more than, satisfied," ho'replied, ": "They have turned .but "a" .splendid lot ..of 'men; and the. married conples who were put on :ny stations nro giving tho. greatest Ippssiblo' satisfaction: tb the managers;.. Th-sy Me.far .better.' off here , , and ,1 am-so pleased ■ with them that : when I go to. London again I'll ■ bring out a lot more. One of;the women,said;to 1 mo'.'the other day, 'We wouldn't go back' to London for anything, because -we are. far better off here.' '.I brought out aboutao men .and women, arid nearly all my moneyvhas : been paid back, without any bother whatever. < They; are the best workers you' would, find anywhere. Some are on my stations.:, in Queensland, ..others, in ; the;, far .'north, and others, nearer.-Adelaide,: and in every.instance I can;truly say I nayo been, well and •faithfully served by both nien - and women. ."..'-It; was a costly; thing in. tho first instance, but, ;ns I said just now, I am. more than satisfied, and I s mean to havo. more of them, and'they are'just-tho sort of .'people Australia is'badly in heed of." .'•"■•.' :'The New South Wales Government Statistician, Mr. J. B. Trivott, has. issued the usual nuartcrly estimate of tho'population of thnt State as at September 30 last. The estimated number of ■ 'persons in the State-on' that date was "1,635,438. of whom 877,285 ;wero males, and 758,151: females.. At the end of- tho preceding quarter tho population'was 1,022,740, so.'that the gain during tho three months' Was. 12.G9G, of which' 7330. was duo to natural increase, and 53G0 to tho oxcessof nrrivals over, departures. The relative increase during tho. quarter was equivalent to an annualincreaso of over 3 .per cent, per nnuum.; The gain during .the three months was higher than in ' September quarter for many years past. The natural incrcaso was the highest on record, but tho , pxeess of arrivals was slightly lower than in the corresponding quarter: of 1907." Tho' increase to tho population'during the.-nine'months since the: Winning of this year on the wholo hns been satisfaetory, being bolo.wthat of 1907, and con: sidorably higher than in any of:tho years 1905," 190(3, and, 1908, as will, be seen below:—Total increase to population during first nife months! 1905. 26,107; 190f>, 28,583; 1907, 35.93G; 1908, 23,336; 1909, 30,427. As regards the' movement of population between New.South Wales and other countries, ..there was n small not gain of 165 porsons from tho other.'Australian States, and a gain of 5201 from conntries outsido Altshalia. Of countries beyond the Commonwealth;"'the largest gain. -was'2775 from New ■Zealand;'; followed by 2290: from. •: the'.'.United Kingdom.';. ; : ' .'-..■ '■■' .-■.■,; ,":.. -': : ; '. "''-.■■"' ': ;:

:> Referring to'ittio effect,on the-Echools which , : would follow from the proposed alteration of , the Wairarapa railway tinio-table, one of the, '. speakers at tho Masterton Chamber of: Co- ;, mercelast week Btated • that at'the present -'•:.-■ time a number of scholars were; attending .: the local schools and receiving a free second- ' • aiy education, Many of. these came from be- . tween Ekotahuna and Masterton, and would . bo unable to attend under the new conditions. ■ The same applied to the pupils in the Pahiatua district, who would be similarly debarred ' ' from; receiving the necessary education. , " . This ■~ wohld also moan that tho attendance , would . suil'or very'■ materially. ■ . . . .' : : '. '..:'•' ■ v The examiners \of the Inspection of Mai. cluncry Department hold . examinations at Auckland, Christclmrch, Dunedin, Gisbbfno,' Hamilton, Invercargill, Maungaturoto, Napier, .Nelson,-, New Plymouth, : Pahnorston North, Vrimaru, ,Wanganui, and Wellington, recently.' Candidates 'sat for the. following classes of certificates:—Firstclass , .' marine ~ .onginecr r second-class;marine engineer,, third-class marim .":•':• engineer, river engineer, marino engineTdrivci -.•.' and engineers: of auxiliary powered vcsseli (both, for sea-going .and river trado), extra ■' first-class engineer, C'tst-class stationary-engine , driver, second-class stationary-engine-driver. '..'■' locomotive' ' and " traction-engine-driver,■:•'■' and . ' winding-engine-driver (for mining certificates). .. Of tho two hundred arid fifty candidates, who v. , sat for examination, ono hundred and sixty.. " . eight .were successful. ..-.' ?.."'■/.';' One morning recontly, by'.', the '.post; f rom Melbourne/a letter, accompanied -by ■; a. parcel, ' was v received. at' the "Advertiser" office . ... in Adelaide. Tho parcel contained a pair-of- ; handcuffs.j'ahd ,in;the.letter the writer, Br-. : ■•: nest ,RyaU, requested that those, symbols of:- - - the law should bo returned to the Police Dβ- ': '■ partment, to whom they rightfully; belonged* • Ryan was,known under tho aliases'of Jeffreys ' and Moran, and .had been: serving, a': two , ; .month's , sentence in Adelaide gaol. It was , decided to remove him to gaol at Gladstone, and on'.March 11 last, he was placed on board the train for that place in charge of a warder. When about half the journey 'had been ee- '-■■:. complishedj Ryan slipped away from the officer, and jumped, from tho \ train at a point between' Hoylcton and -.■Kybur^s...', The .train,: . ■ was then, at full epeod, and it is'surprising ..'. that he was-not hurt. Ho picked himself up : •and disappeared. ■. .< „ ■Vγ' ■•■'> '■ : \--..':. '.. r {- ' ■■ Trial by,'ordeal, which was-formerly pro*:, ; ; tised in England, is still in .voguoiu some bl ■'~-,' the South Sea Islands. ."It \i6,' ,: says I Bishop;;; ; ; Wilson, , of .Melanesia, "resorted to when a crimi ■. cannot be proved against the man suspebted. There are many forms, of it. In :evWry cast the man's favourite ghost is first, invoked to give power to the instrumont employed in , the ordeal. Thus, it may bo on the red-hot. ■ 'stones, which he: is to lilt three' times above' ',; his head. If, then his hands are not bura4 : ;i he is accounted innocent. Oiychips and litter :: are thrown upon: 1 a,'hot stonor if these.burn, ..v ho is guilty. .Or,: he oats unslaked lime;,oi , thrusts burning .stick into his mouthf if, ; his lips are burnt ho is gdilty. Or, dry, in- : :; flammable coconut leaves ore. piled as uigb as a honso, and a tree laid on,.them..,' They,'".'.' are ; lighted,'arid he,walks' on:the treethrough' > the ' flames. ■: If, his .legs are: scorched,, ho; ji ; .■■:. guilty. Or, swims ,across , a pool; full.: 61.:,;; sharks and crocodiles.' If'.these'; divide out' on^': either side; and ..lie, passes , through the; midst' , ,;■ 'of: them, , he. is 'innocent, i Few of' us would .' ',' caro to -passrthrough,,such ,ordeals .as these;' ' .None could toll.mlnif any : ever. succeeded>.in!, .',•; (heaping, Whenever' IVasked the qucstioni 1 was. merely answered that if he did not pass ','•,' .through safely; ho was guiltyl. ; I was told little.',-.'.'. of- cannibalism, probably; pecause,., -like bU ■ . ! cannibals,:when they:have giVen-up'the,praoi :! ticp, they are'much ashamad of it..: But there '■•': had been.,at' least'two' i grosn : cases of' it'; at. . Haununu, the homo of the siiake superstition, '!. this .year/ and, the- bodies purveyed-, for: ; 6010 '. . ialongthe coast": ..'■■'';,'.■ : ", '■■;,- '-■,"":'■ ■■: : -'. ■'■■■' ■;. In- tho Syinonds Street cbmetery, : Auckland, /. are buried a' number of officers.and,men:wio: •: .foilin the: Maori AVar, and on ..the tombstones .'■ ;'■ 'may bovread 20 .80 names 'which.• figure '■'■'■ prominently, in ,, the ■ annals. , of'. the; .war. , '":lvi'% '■■; ;theisame cometdry.'lie a' number;, of:'naval ~.-.' officers and menj lncludjnp two middies, who . ■ loat;thoir lives, at Eanginri, nnd Commandei ".[ . Burnett ,and. the , men of the; Orpheus, ; who. ~, were.drowned in the;Manukau.. The memory ■'' ofsomo of these "officers is commemorated, in mural tablets,in St. Paul's'Churchi which wai.v the military-church;of .Aucklandi , but lest the v ? ruthless hand of time.should eventually, defaw ; ; the tombstones,'it is proposed to placo a brass' muray tablet :■ in i the: church,- . containing thfc : . names :of.the;men- - andqfficers:and' thdir regi-; I , "■ monts or ships."', Those particulars (Bays" the ;'. 1 'Herald") are. being forwarded to Archdeacon ■'■'■ Walsh, :ioft jGambridgOj'v-'who'''designed the , :i ,momorial-.)h:the' Now Plymouth : . Church, and , :.h'os''i'offered: to,:desigji'one;for St.- Paul's. .To. ''■''■' raise.funds for'the;purpose.Va military.display' slis to-, be ;.held;-in..o6nnectiou with: St; -Paul « . ■ feto' next 1 month. ;;:A I: ."tattoo,''':-in which .'all , -' '' arms will bo represented,. and which will oon- , sist: of .a .torchliKht ; procession,- with -massed ' bands, will bo followed on the first .'night by.'-', manual exorcises, physical drill,- Maxim gun ■■■'■ drill, and sword eiercises. : On the third night of the fete the Field Engineers! who,took first V prize, at the :recent. tournament at Palmcrston."- : .North,;.will:erect -a-fiold observatory.-. This will bo followed by, an alarm by the- College Rides, and Gin. gun drill by No. I"Xlompany, Garrison .Artillery.;';. ':= ■■ .'-. ]'-.■". '' : , : . .','." . The popular belief that individuals with big feet almost ' invariably find their way into 'the ''■:■ police f orcb received a partial sot-back dufinjr the • : hearing, of-a.'case at the Central Court,.Syd- . -,■' noy,,last: week.;,: Three cabmen. wore • charged' ■ ■ ' with playing-cards "to tho annoyance of pas-' - sengers.in.St. midnight. In r 'the cburseof ::cross<xamination,;'-Mr. R.':D.,-' ■' asked , , , the- policeman; who . was con- - ; ' ducting the prosecution , if there ■■ had'been any.•''■'" real obstruction of the footpath.- "Supposing the men occupied half, of : the' footway,;' and,. .'■ allowing for; tlie reputed size 6f the, police-' ■' man's, feet, ■ could you'- have,ipt' past';without :, .'•'.-'■ any inoohvenierioef" ;, Then -the officer waxed '■."■.'.., inaignanti. and,-,!colouring i like, , ,tho' ; ,red,'; red ■'." roßs, he-blurted.!out,-"My, not- as bigV'-.y" ,as the feet of miist.of the' eabmen-inSy'dnev.--. .'(. Whilo the laughter was snbsidingi, the solici- *J tor told-his colleague'a story alleged also to , have a: bearing on .the'subject matter of the >l interluderi "Do. yon: believe: in .fate?" a son i of the Emerald Isle was asked. . "Shure, me ' i bhoy," was the reply, "what wud we sthand on wldout 'em?"