LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mails : which loft .Wellington"on November iff per s.s.- Moeroki, and connected at Sydnoyyitli the Bnndisi mail psr B,M:s. Moldavia, arrived; in London on the night of; December 24. duo date;

The banks will,be closed on Saturday and Monday, January 1 and 3, for tho New.Year holidays. Tho. insurance offices will also bo closed on tho- same days;- ..-,■■'■,,...■ -~!;:. .:;..,

The session,- which, ended last 'night, kept' up .its .reputation for 1 being'■'oxceptionali to.tho very .finish.. 1 ' jhe'timohonbured "mock Parliament"' was 'omit* tod,, Mombers.were too.tired. -While the House was waiting for tho as-' sent to tho Appropriation Bill,' Mr. Witty rose and: said; -'Tmove that Dad Dillon take. the.chair, .seoin' as how ho be the Lloyd-George, of New Zealand'V but nothing came of. it.' A- few/;members sat quietly and patiently in their places, and a few othors congregated in the lobby and .sang : /'The Old Polks at Home/'. ' Auld .Lang Syne,", -.'• etc., until' the Speaker camo back, and; announced- that the. Bill had, been assented to. '•■-.

Representatives of the slaughtermen-of tho mot in conference' at • tho Trades Hall yestefday,fo discuss matters affecting tho industry, more particularly iß'refprenco to ( conditions''of 'employment and wages. Tho' gathering-was private, but .if. is understodd that certain sug- v gestionshavQ been drawn up. and will be submitted' to the .'employers immediately, the- member, for" the Western Maori district, came down for a day or two towards tho end of tho session; and went away before the close' of the proceedings. When tho trouble' about the vote:for "Financial Adviser in London?, arose,: Mr. Kaihau was one of the Government •:; fuppoitors "telegraphed for, and ho returned from' the' bosom of his family or'; his hapu yesterdayv afternoon, too lato. to'■ take part : in the final important, division. • : ~■■:.;' .v. I '. ■■•'■-:;}'-■.

A very handsomo collie dog followed] a smart-looking citizen up;Cuba'Street: in the sunlight of yesterday, morning. Keen .on- * doggy" points, a big Maori eyed tho collie; in passing- and' having ■ allowed it to trot fiveor six yards past: him in-tha track: of its master (who was 'engrossed in the contents: of a .letter), shouted; out loudly, "Hi! I buy that dog!": Bovernl heard.the Native, :bnfc-'.not thev;dog's owner, now a good bit ahead. Not to be beaten, the Maori followed up, singing out, "Hi I you-I give.;you. £o for that dog. This time the owner's hotiee was attracted. TWhat's thatF" .he ■ asked, seeing; ho was. addressed. The Maori dipped; into. his trousers pocket,- and, pulling out a roll of notes; said,: "I buy your, dog jT give you £5 for him!" "I wouldn't sell him for->£ 25," said the owner, Dis-, appointment travelled • over tho : Native's countenance, .and all:' within'■'.hearingwaited for him to raise ■ his offer.'. ■■: Ho, looked at the master and at the dog,' thonsaid; ''Orright, good.day!" -."■:■

When the legislative Council met at 1.30 yesterday afternoon,, only to adjourn again until 10 p;m.,.. the Hon; Wi Pero complained of members of tho Council being kept ' waiting by the House, iand missing thoir holidays. They appeared to have nothing to "do .but to receive any nonsense that came from the other place. He suggested that when the House failed to settle a question, it should,'come on"to the Council., The business would be,dono .more quickly and. much money..would','be' saved. Mr. Wi PereV remarks :becam'e more and more discursive;..'as ■ -ho proceeded, and: after .calling ..him -to order several times;A the;. Speaker: -announced, "I lvill resume.the chair at 10 o'clock." The Opaki Club riflemen who visited the i.Wanganui meeting returned yesterday aftornodn, says. our' Masterton 'correspondent.' Their \ performance;. at 'the meeting is regarded • locally yrith;the,ut-:' most; satisfaction; Rifleman; King is iiu splendid ' form' this, season,' and holds what is. probably a record; number :of rifle championships for one shot. His honours at present include North Island, champion; bolt, Hawke's' Bay ,'champiouship, : Wairavapa championship, and North'".Wairarapachampionship. .Rifle-- 1 man Mlhtosh, who came third jn the aggregatej has improved in his shooting in an' exceptional manner, this 'being his second season with: the : rifle. He is oijly a' young; shot, and looal riflemen who aro competent- to ; judge "predict that if he continues to improve as he'has been doing he will have to bo'reckoned with in the competition for the bolt at the' Trenthani meeting in March. ';■'.'.

Replying to Mr. ,R. A. Wright, '■] the: Prime Minister remarked in the House of Representatives yesterday that the question of' establisMng ; f a telephone ■■■■ exchange at the south end of tho town had been under consideration.];

The band of the Auckland Central Mission arrived in Wellington by Monday evening's express to pay a fraternal visit to their comrades of tho. Wellington Mission, Band. Tho visitors were accorded , a hearty welcome, • and aro being enter, rained in seasonable 'style."by. the local bandsmen. Last evening they were given a night out at "WondorlnnoV' a 'special' car transporting thorn to the popular pleasure grotmds at Miramar. Tho visiting band, is, to give a concert attho Horbert Street Mission Hall this- evening.'' Prior, to tho concert tho Auekland and Wellington bands ,(70. strong) will play through tho city from' Vcitoh and Allan s corner in Cuba Street. It should be mentioned thilt the ; visiting band* which is under tho direction- of Bandmaster' Uurnand, has. amongst' its members four gold-niedaliists,': which-fact should ensure the quality or this evening's 'performance, tho band,' which is quartered by tho mmnbers. of tho Wellington Mission Band,;:vdU return north on .Tuesday next. ; A combined sorvico arid band performance is; to' bo given -in His Majesty's Theatre .'on Sunday next.

Mr. Geo.. Allport, soeretarv of the Marine Department, has been ndvised by' tho Collector of Customs at Kaipara that last, December 24, a fire broke [Jut on tho auxiliary schooner Huia at To. liopuru. The trouble commenced amongst some sails! stowed ',under tho cabin, and. spread W; the deek arid beams in tho aft part of the hold, which wero a good deal charred. Beyond.this, the damage was not extensive. A pfeliminarj inquiry is to bo held, and the evidento will bo forwarded to the Marine Department for consideration. , Tllo Huia 1 was at' Wellington a few weeks ago with a timber cargo' from Kaipara. ■: She trades between Kaioara and' Lyttelton;

On Tuesday l next, the annual conference of delegates to the New Zealand Educational Institute "will open hi the Assembly Hall, at the Y.M.CA. A •social is to be held in the evening,- and at. the afternoon session next day Bhort capers will be read "by' Mr. ReTbort Baillie, Chief Librarian at. the Wellington Municipal /Public. Library ("Library Work with children: a .few American Notes"), Mr. E. G. Gibbs, M.A., headmaster of the Boys' School,. Nelson ("The; Teaching of Nature Study"), and Professor Hunter, of'' Victoria University College ("Attention.: and Interest").: Theso. papers mark a new ; departure in the annual meetings of : . the educational institute.. Visiting teachers and those'members of. the public who are interested in educational matters aro invited to be present. ;

A scheme of federation' has . beoa' drafted by a conference of tinsmiths, which.has just concluded a sitting ,in Wollington, the gathering bein(| attended by delegates.from Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland. The trade is to'; be organised throughout the countrv,.and 'branches will be established in all; tho smaller, towns.'■-. A'model award has been drawn up to serve as a working basis, for tho whole of ■•tho; , .trli4e.>'-. ■'>■•"'

Visiting delegates to<tho conference of tinsmiths were,' entertained at Sfcbtt's Rooms on Tuesday evening by the local tinsmiths. The'chair' was occupied by Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P.,'and a number of prominent. Labour representatives'; wcto also present. The following toasts were honoured:—"Our Country," Mr. Parkinj "Th© Tinsmiths and Sheet Metal Workers' Federation," Mr.-E. J. Carey, responded to by Mr. Dickorson; "Wellington Trades and Labour Council," Mr. Doron. responded toby Mr..W,C, Noot;. "Employers," Mr. Gee, .responded to by Mr. G. M'Kay; "Labour". Movement,". Mr.. 'Eoardon, • responded to 'by.' ■ M'Williams;. "Absent Ericrids";. (associated with the names of Messrs. M'Cullooh, Pamplonand Rceco), tho chairman. Musical, items were; contributed, by Mossrs. Gee, Williams, Thomsoni.Charleß, Derney, Horlen, and Kutner. ,;• .'•

5 Mr. E. Bucholz's yacht Wairere left for the Sounds at. 3 o'clock' yesterday after-; noon.' The yacht'sailed from tho Boat Harbour-witn.-ono reef in. her, mainsail.

■'■ Proposals for tho .encouragement of the study, of meteorological science in Mel-' bourne University- were considered at - a recent meeting •of the - council of tho ■university. . It.was recommended■. that tho. university'should institute a lectureship in meteorology, and thatj in.order that the teaching should produce the best practical results, the .lecturer ■' should bo in touch with tho Meteorological.Depart:., mont, and have.:a personal'knowledge-of' its work and access to its records. Tho Foderal Government'is to bo approached,, and,' subject to approval, tho council '. of the' university'lintends to. appoint bno 'of tho higher officers of; the llotedrologicril Department to, the- position.' l ;'-.-

Shortly after the steamer Taraweralad been berthed at Lyttelton, the. other evening,' after bringing excursionists .(back frqm Akaroa, a rather,startlingUccident ocourred, says ,v, southern,paper,-.: T!ie lifeboat 'on:the davits on the' pprt.qunri. ,ter! was hanging out 1 over the ship's side, and, ; consequently, over the wharf. ! gome hands• wero swinging) -tho i.boat inboard;' when sometliing ■■~ gave way.; ■■•: Exactly what happened was not. very..:cjear,',b'tit apparently tho falls of the forward .davit ..were,let .go, and that end of. the,boatdropped;.; When - that happened,' the 1 t'opo: was neld again, and the sudden stoppage, of the boat put a heavy/6train: on: the davits, The,strain'was.too muclifo'r tlio after davit," and it ibroke," j ust inside. the socket in which it. turns; and the; heavy . boat, .with tho broken davit, fell:with, h croih.td the. wharf. There .werti:many; people., close .'by- at the 1 'time, and' a.laijgo . crowd an the wharf. /Two or tbr.teladies': ' were almost under .the 1 boat whcri-,it' fell,, 'but were" able to jump 1 JisidoSijuiofcly.' enough,to avoid being struck. Naturally enough, Everybody, in ,the vicinity/-(fas' considerably alarmed, and -. one'.::' lady fainted. ..•;■' '~'.'''■ .:■,':■■■',<■'/'■■:■ : '.'' : !-''' I During, the: racing, at. Ellerslie (Auck». land) on Monday/ afternoon,;a couple of accidents, bcourred . which,; fortunrtfely.,' not. attended..with any. serious con*sequences.;. ■ In the Uobinson Handicap,' Fuss,'one of .the competitors/;fell m' the: 1 straight, hor rider (Chapman;)* luckily es-. caping.with only. a : bruised ;liip : /and, a' shaking.'Just after the horses entered; the straight.,:in•• the Nursery ' Handicaps,- a spectator;.came out.from.' the:.roils. ; .right .in i front'; of .the leaders); and,was .struck, heavily by Solus, one of the competitors. The man, whose name. was givenas' Johii. M'Dougall,; was, conveyed to the. casualty.rbom.iand after examination was. sent to the -hospital,,, His injuries, l thonghssverc,: are not serious.'-' A similar accident nearly occurred in : . the,race -following,v-buti tho', spectator,; fortunately,; got: back just,.lll.: tune,;'.'..'-''.'."' ' : '7 i '-' "-.\ : '-:'.;.'" ; .'"!!'Vi?

It has been an opon secret ampng astronomers for ; several'weeks (says- the 'London "Daily. Hows" !of November 13) that Messrs.; Cowell and Oroimnelin,of, (ireoiiwich Observatory, would bo declared win- ! hers of the international competition for the' most accurate prediction of ; tho'spath and moyedients of Halley's Coniot, and in this, week's ''Nature" the docisionbf .the Astrononusche - Geselischaft is announced according .* to; these expectations. .Got'-: many, occupies;such- a- proud, position. ip> the: mathematical ■ world.. that 'the success. of the Greenwich ; - mathematicians is' poculiariy gratifying;, ', ! .The,, task-'.set-..the' compbtijors was one of thb,ni6st-;difficuit. mathematical problems to solve, so many, different, and'constantly, changing, sources' .of .\disturbahcb; wbich would affect; the comet's passage in its orbit having to bo sopatatsfy; computed and allowed -for. It is understood '■' that ■ Messrs. Cowell -find; CrOmmelin- specially .invented , spme> -in-: genioug' methods which 'considerably shor-, toned '.-their abstruse, labours. \ - ■■' - ;

; ';■ Vidtofitt. gained in population by.;'62i2 persons.'during the.quarter -ended September . 80.-' ':- The. quttrtcrly.'.'statist'isal .Jab,'stract"showsthat tho population oh-thflt dato; was 1-,289,1't0 persons, .of Whom : 048,-. .718. were, males nnd 040,422 were -fehiales. :The natural increase during thie quartef' was. 4417, and the'excess of immigration over, emigration wasl79s. f Western Australia gained- from Victoria 21? .persons,' and South Australia 117;.; Vibtpfia gained. 772; persons ' from • Tasmania, 834,' from - the United Kingdom, 321 from New,;.Zbalaiid, and 217 from Queensland; ,Tho births increased by 138, ;and; the deaths, by 407, while, the marriages decreased by 2W\':. '■,->:', -.- >~v.i>;;";,in;':

; A commencement, has been 'made, in; the demolition of some of tho' most historic buildings;;of early' Sydney., Tho ') old Immigration'-BarracksJ; in •'.Chancery Square, whioh Were' erected, in Governor MacquarieV time, aro to give- place ;tb commodious now offices for the Department of the Registrar-General (for which Messrs. Loveridgo 'and Hudson 1 .have'tendered'.at'JEß3.977). •-'These old buildings [ have served; many .'in . their time. Their; removal will necessitate- looking elsewhere, for offices for arbitration : nhd industry,; for patents, : and'-far-Mhcnd-Quarters in connection with a'section ;6f the military. The proposed new building will havo four fronts. One will look* towards this statue; another •will -faoo:Collego - Street : and St, :~. Mary's 1 : Cathedral; another, on tho western uidc, iivill' havo its outlook towards tho Domain; while tho north side will have its clevation.to.Wards the proposed 100 ft. now rqadtrthe ertonsion of Kins Street to, the Domain.! On-the north. Side of .this street' oitehsion it is. proposed, to erect /n6w Law: Courts. v.This .will involve the : removalof' another -'old' landmark—tho .Royal Mint. . Tho .remodelling'- scheme ; includes: also tho yidoning of Maeqbario Street oh tho caslbrn- side; by . tho removal Of-tho prcsont'railings in front of. the-Mintitlio Sydney Hospital, the Parliament Buildings, and the new Mitchell ; Library.; MacquariO: Street will then bo about 20 ■feet: wider.' It is proposcd.td havo afinopromenade planted, With trees Oh the Domain side. ' ■'..;' ;;':;.'.:

.: Shampooing,' Clipping,;'-Hairdresslhg Maulcuring,- Face ( Massage,'- Treatment of Palling-; Hair : and; Dandruff, . Combings made ; up. Natural Hair,pads. « MrV Itojloston : (over Carroil'6).; 11 Willis ;S*re«t. 'Phono 1599.-Advt, - : : : .':. ~^h

During the present dramatic season, tlio playgoiilg public is to bo given tho opportunity ol seeing "Tllo Silver King" - 1; revived, with iff. Geo.: S. Titheradgo m '. Wilfred Denver. The forty American bays under Major l Peixptto, who visited Wellington soma three or four months ago,haYo just coinpleted a (our of - South'-and'. West Ans* cialia and ; Tasmania, and tiro sojourning in Melbourne during the Christmas holi- • days. The trip {says the "Ago") has _ been an unqualified success, unique in the annals of boy' life,'-And memorable, iff the history of spott. Financially tlvo task has not .been cosy, bijt by thoir hard work tho boys • havo not only paid all the oxpenses of their .-tour by" (giving en. teftainments, but they have given Ovei :£BOO to the ahariMes throughout Aus. tralia, and arc now devoting their at. tention,-; to. raising.' BnfiScient ; funds •: for their return fare homo. Thoir ongage-. . inents liavo been seriqnsly ailocted by Ihi ■'' coal striko, as, owing to the, irregularity- j of. boats _ and trains, theV 1 have often , been obliged to rearrange thoir pre. ?!v itramme. , -'-v/ '/ft"]

■■' When the Eev, S. J; : Hoban, in" an ad- ' dress at Ballarat recently, criticised tho condition,of the.MelboUTnofilums, and ' (sondetnnod tho "lmspcakablo immorality" that existed in,certain portions of tho city, the' Undersecretary (Mr; Callaway) directed tho attention of : . the Viotonan jPolico Department to the allegation, Mr. Callaway has received V from ; Sergeant IStaplcton, of the plainclothes polico, a report whioh claims; that.' Mr;' Hoban't view of this subject is-hot accurate; Scrgoiint, Staplcton contends that the condition of tho Melbourne 6lums.has improved greatly of recent years, and that many of the poorest localities in tho city have benefited, by the; erection of lino factories .and" business cstablis.nnients in place of. the meaner-buildings whioh once existed' the.ro. Ho denies that Melbourne's slums are tho worst in tho world, and claims, that the morality of the city, compares very favourably.'-with that of most other big centres or.popu. lation. : . '"!•; ■■■■ v, ;■. '. •,;

: "It was over bo many, Caristmasos og* (relates Mr.Harry Plimrner in the. Christ, lias number' of the. Sydney ."Sunday Times"), and I was touring tho .back- ' .blocks of Mew South; Wales with- a'sniall dramatic company. At. 'yValgctt:. w« struck a terrific hoat wave, and. Wolgott in a, .hoat vravo .is!''prottV considerably warm, I can toll. yon. We left there after the show on Christmas Evp per Cobb and Co.'s coach,; boiihd';■ for 'Narrabri, where we; were to open.on Boxing Night, i On Christmas morning: wo arrived in Cpnio-by-Chance: It flras . blindingly hot and; dry;, and the' population was the same, having bad a yory.wot Christmas ' Eye. They had indeed; hnishod 'up every drop of \Vhisky there, was. in- the. town. How did I know that f Well;:' the■'. landlord of tho only hotel in the placo/ hearing pur company was; leaving .AValgett by special epoch, had wired the night .before, .for a. .case; of whisky, 'and, sure enough, it; was' on board bur, poach .stowed ;away isriugly'in'. thb' boot. ■•'•■ A? the. MUlo:'town hi)vo in'eight through 'the! dust-wo discovered, dimly,; the iW)idlo!,male populatiiin! in the street; anxiously awaiting our coming. It Aroa; pa'thotio."-'"-";.' Dl'tectly we got within hailing distance wo. heard one yell from the Come-by-Cliahcers--' Havo you got itr" 'Bet yor life!' responded our driver, A big cheer went up from thoso parched throats. Come-by-Chanoa wns relieved. Tho drought was broken."