LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' Court hours. aro'> to, bo altered during tho holidays. Commencing' to-morfow, and continuing' '•', u'util. January, 3, ■<' tho .Magistrate's Court will sit at 9 a.m. daily. On Christmas Day a. sitting oi tho Court' will be : hold, at, 8.45 a.m.' ■■ .. ~: " '-'y. '< '■'.' : - ; ''.'. : -' '.■•-■■■■■■ "I , : The City Council, offices will be-dosed for the. holidays from noon on.Friday to Tuesday, i January 4. ■-.' ,". -~'' .',:,, : .' r ,. The- position, in, regard to , the dispute in the slaughtering trade, as reported' yesterday, is .still. unchanged. It is expected that there will be no fresli developments until after tho holidays.:. - ■■-. . ■ ''" ;,'' ■.' , :•" '> ■ '' : ". la view,of recent criticisms of teachers by Mr. H.'Lee, chairman of the Education Board, it is interestiug to note that Mr. A. H. Vile has given notice of his intention to move the following motion at the next meeting of- tho board:—"That in view of a statement publicly made by the chairman of this 'board, _to the ett'ect tliat thero are in. the service of the board teachers who 'do not/'.enow their trade,' tho"iusp'cotors;bo 'given an; opportunity '. of explaining why, if they'are "awaro that the statement, made is;true in substance and in fact; they have not so' advised the board." / ' ltemarkably high, prices wore ' realised at tho fruit market yesterday' morning,' as the result, of depleted stocks in.',certain lines. In ono instance,' a single' case , .of., prime. No.' 1 \ tomatoes brought - 225.,' which -' averages. the 'wholesale.'.'-price ;.at about ■".•Iβ. per' lb. .This ■would , i.indicato; ,ttat/'rton)atbes.;.arg': to." be a luxury ' this Christmas. '.This. record- was- in, l the opinion of 6ome expert buyers beaten'in respect'to'a caso(12lb;) of locally-grown strawwhich are ..very, scarce .just: now. ...The ,bidding commenced at 2s. per, lbi> and,the. lots were hnally knocked down .'at 3s,'9d. pdr.lb'i |"I bought better strawberries';at 2d.;a pound in "Birmingham 'last year,": was the laconic comment of; a : bystander, ."yet'they: call this place tho - working man's paradise!" The high prices ; ruling for strawberries is occasioned, by tho cessation of Auckland-, supplies. -Special 'provision-is needed for the carriage .of this dolicate fruit, which, when' forwarded • ripe by rail, pulps, through the vibration of the train. ■The stato of tho fruit when opened up -at the market, makes, the price, and Auckland growers have learned that it pays better to sell; locally than export to , Wellington under tho existing conditions. A large shipment of stone and citrous,fruit (3750 cases) arrived from Sydney by the Manuka yesterday, and was ; disposed .of at; satisfactory prices-' during the" afternoon.; Advices from Sydney state that tho orchards are '.suffering from an;exceptionally hot, "dry summer. In a letter to Messrs. George Thomas and Co., one grower states that the summer, fruit has been ruined by the.drought, and; another says that destruc-' tion of fences and trees through bush ' fires has already, cost him '■ .£7o..'' .'■..- ':". '■ I The decision of the City Council: to open tho To Aro Baths between the. hours of midday and 2 p.m. will bo put into practice, from today, and jWill continue throughout the summer. Tho baths, will now .bo open from early moming ;until evening, .and the council; should bo recouped the extra expense entailed by. the number of business:people who will epend the luncheon hour at.the baths. : -. ; . , '„■ ■..-.. . ■ In a review of'the accounts of the Wellingtin' Tramway Department, the "Electrical Times," London, commenting- on the' fact that tho trafio revouue por car mile was 14.12 d. on the city lines, says that this is a figure which should , make tho mouths 'oi some tramway: managers on : the: London side ■; water.: The. operating,: expenses, however, continues "tho ipaper, wero correspondingly.high at 9.63 d.. per ;car mile.' : "■-.\. -'./'.'i-'y; i" >.'■'; ': , ; , : ; '".-."'. ■■"■' : - .There was a, free, discussion on the Wellington; Municipal "Zoo" at a meeting of the Zoological bociety' hold-in the'Newtown Free Public: Library. on' Tuesday evening. It- was reported by the treasurer that there was a sum of JCIEf in hand,; of: which £i\ was subscribed by the officials ;of the post office, and nearly the same amount: by the'tramway men.'This aniount ; is short of what., is required for the purchase of some deer,; since .deceased; and it was decided to ask the City Council to allow subscription .boxes ,to be {placed in Ne\ytoVvn Park, as the committee considers that many a visit to'the "zoo" and its pleasant surroundings would bo only too deliglited to contribute small 'amounts. . Tho annual meeting of.tho society will be. held iri either I'ebruary or March next. w-'.". ■ ■;. ..

■ Onpago 9 of this issue, under ■ the , :heading" Mail Notices; will' be- found a complete summary' of the city and: district postal arrangements for thp Christmas' and: New Year holidays. '."; ■■. ■■•■'■'■•/■!■ .'.',.' ■'■■.'.■■ ;:'.: . •'.. -. ■■■..•.- - : The first trial of the luggage-carrying, system in connection witlv the heavy traffic trains was made yesterday by the Tramway -DepartBiont, the intention being to test the system (luring the holidays. The lug e age cars wero fairly well toden, and will probably bo welcomed by travellers when the scheme has been' running for/a few days. ..>_,, ;...'....- ' y An. inquiry "was 'mado: by ■ Major Hobday WHilo on board the Challenger as to whether too regulations for the -. admission of artificers fr° m New Zealand were still in force (says the IToss.).. The captain pf ; ,tho. ship informed him that the Navy woulil.be quite willing to take artificers-up to the regulation allowance. i\ew, Zealand's allowance was 119, but tho difficulty was that all the positions .ware ulled, and that Now Zealanders-could- only be received, provided British artificers were discharged. V .' . ■ . .■■-.■••; ... It is said that "mason bees" are-becoming so plentiful at Purau as to constitute a seriona .nuisance to.tho residents : (says the "Press") .lho. habits of these insects are, to put it mildly, open to grave objection. Then liviiiii rooms . taoy , . construct, with much ingenuity out of mud, and when they choose the interior of a-houso as tho.sito of their tiny dwelling places, the householders are inclined to object No corner, receptacle, pieco o f furniture,: or article of -.clothing- which affords shelter or concealment, _is safe, from 'their attentions. Another.-habit,- which is also-remarked on is credited to,tl,o : female insect about to its eggs, an: essential Horn in the programme is tho forcible ennturo of. a spider. Tho unfortunate wob-spiunor is stung; with paralysis, and then located in tlo -vicimty of the nest. Tho -eggs arc 'then laid and hatched, and tho young ones find meals of paralysed spider ready to hand.. ....'^. Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdicssing, , ' Manicuring, Faoo Majsuee,..-Treatment of PalliriV Hair and DandrufF, Combings made mi Natural" .Hair-pads. Mrs.: ; &U es ton (over CarroU' ? ), 14 Street, 'Phone 1599.AuVt* i , .:.■■..- . ' ■)■.■■ ■ -■ ■■: ";; '■■■■■'" ' '

rules and ■'■ regulations under the Divorce arid Matrimonial ;Causes Act, 1008, ate gazetted this week..-■ ... ■ , ..-.-'..■ -The altered boundaries of the Borough ofHastings nro eijccilicd ic this week's Gazette. .. '.A;/.notice- in- this -wtiok'n.Gazette exempt* - ; Austin Street, Wellington, from the provisions of Section 117 of the Public Works Act, 1908. :■ A portion of Dorwent Street, Island Bay,' is ' similarly exempted. from tho junction with Taiuar Street,-7i cliains S.W. ■ ■■■'■■ . ;■■■>'.; ' Income tax lovies arc, according to a notic* ! in tho Gazette, to be paid oh January 31.••;■■■■■' ■ ' A number of foreigners arrived by the MαBuka from Sydney yesterday. '. They included. MHO-Swiss,, two Germans, a Norwegian, and a Swede. Several of them intend .turning their /'•.' attention to farming pursuits. . '.■•.'", A<man named Dunn Ml into the.harbour• last night between the AVool Wharf and the Kail way Wharf, ■' Hβ was rescued by, the Ear-,' bour Board's nightwatchinan. : ■-..,";■ -'.'.''■'■ :.-.;.: ' A vory successful Christmas re-union was held by tho iion-coinuiissioncd oflicors of tho Wellington Garrison ut tho club room, Garrison' Hall, lost evening.. There was a good attend- '. ance, and speeches, songs, and other'■ items; hoh>ed to make the evening a most enjoyable: one. Colour-Sergeant T.'Davis presided, and , during the course of tho evening proposed the toast of "The Territorial Army.' , The new defence scheme, he said, was a good thing for the country, as it compelled every young man.' to do his share, instead of looking on, as far too, many of themdid now. ■ ■ '. ;- ■■•'• ■•./■■■;. ;.'•■ Two new volumes 'by New Zealand anthor» ; . have reached us from the publishers; In "Steam in the■ South Pacific;" Hr. Will Law-. Bon, of this city, has collected a great moss of information relntivo to Uio eteam shipping,' of Australasia from tho eaTlicet daySi to the. present time. Ris book, which is published by Gordon and Gotch, Ltd., is pleasantly writton i and generously illustrated Trith photographs , ' and reproductions of old uuwings, and it will: dbubtlesa, as it deserves, be as much appreciated.'; In , landsmen generally,,and thoso interested in , : New: Zealand history in particular, as by the men that follow the sea. "Land of tho Morn-;, ; inK," whioh roaches us ■ from the publishersi - llossrs. Whitcombo and Tomb 3 ,: is a collection \ of old'and new verses by Miss Jessie Mackay,, of ChrLstchurch. Miss Mackay's fine )vork hea,-:' long.been a source of delight to the students of Australasian lyrical poetry, but it is a good . many! years; since she issued any substantial', collection of her poems. The new volume trill ibs/wolcomed by her admirers, and will do th 6 better office, of introducing her to a wider-, circle of new lovers of what is good .in the; literature of Australasia. : .- .. ; ~!';'

Melbourne, according to the experience .of ■the' Key." H. S. Woollcombe, the travelling, secretary' of the Church of England MenY J Society," docs not differ materially from other ■ > cities in one respect—the prouencsa of some few of its people to figure 'os'writers of anony-v mous letters. At a midday address, to .men', at. the Melbourne Town Hall, he 'prefaced', hit,., remarks with some observations on the subject, ; "I find," ho said, "a complaint in Melbourne which I find in other cities of Australia, end' I am afraid it is not altogether uncommon in England, and-that is that awful of ' anonymous letters. ' When you , want , to criticise a. Man—and, God knows and I. know,i there is. plenty in me to criticise—bi , manly'enough , , to, put your, name and address ' at the ond of the letter. (Applause.) If yori ' hnro not 'got the courago'to do that your ' opinion is not worth much to start with, .';;..,, I don't think there is anything: bo hateful. as ■ anonymous; letter-writing. I cannot: un-. dc-rstand'any, man -with gentlomanlv feelings"; writing an anonymous' letter, and I nopo; that I if there is any anonymous, writer in this hall . to-day, he will cease to write anonymous letters,;■!■ as it is very bad form. Write as many letters!, as you like, but let:. mo .have an opportunity'-.. |to hit back." (Hear, hoar.) .'■: The same even- '. ing llr. :Woollcombe addressed about 2000 men., . In a characteristically virile manner, ho-spoke' ■ of social reform, 1 and so' forcefnl were ■ hie.' ■ remarks, and so apt' and picturesque , woro', the stories 'he: told,-that' lie was' repeatedly .' .interrupted with ' cheers.-. 'At': the ' conclusionof the proceedinirs the "demonstration was snch '•' that: he .was obliged to confess that it. was: inearly overwhelming," "If I had' not a .very wiso mother," ho said, "you-might niako ine . conceited." ..' '- ■ '■.'■. • :■ • "...-,■ •,.;";■'.'■ "'' : -

. The 'outdoorfostivitics at' Christmastide are'.'"' .almost! entirely' dependent oh the weather.: for,. their success; Bearing this in mind} the Gov--ernmoht Meteorologist (the Rev.' p. C. Bates), ■: whose.. prognostications of. late hayo been very ' states that ho is dubious ;. as: to>. whether the, present fine weather irill last over . :next • Monday. ;''.iThere are; indications' of loir atmospheric' pressures,'both ..north, and Bputb,-.' : but; these , are "too , yague. as yet".to. work' .on.' with ;anyv definiioncas. ■■'.- Hα'. vriU'.VljOi to* ,' speak. .cortitudo .to-morrbw.;!:',,,' ':.-. ■'. The Grinriell; sprinklers,: for! nr«-prevention■,.' purposes, whioh have, recently-been- installed,, in, Messrs., Kirkoaldie and,; Stains'e. premiees.t , .neoeesitetcd the .laying of something like four, miles of piping,'to which is fixed 1300,Bprink- : lere. Tho pipes are charged with .water.ifrom a. gravity tank of 15,000 gallons,capacity,' whioh,:;, ■is situated-on the roof. :The Bprinkler .hpade fuse; at 155deg. of temperature, and cause., a, : stream of water to'.sprinkle tho 'vicinity; , : and,*-' in addition'set tho alann .bell in. motion.'■;':..'