LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 708, 6 January 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A runiour/Kained ourrencyfin Auckland ■this. week.that the.s'econd,express between Auckland ; ;an'd'.Wellington was to" be'dis-' continued;.withih:thenext ; 'few.(lays...Witli a view to ascertaining'-whetier" there "was nW ifwndation^for.; thisS statement, o asked : the Hon, •'JV A. Millar, ,Minister.ifor ! 'Kailways,:;w]io : is at'present.in Aueldand; , if:this : were• bo. : In reply, stated ' that'the support, which; had: been given 'to •• the train..;was •upt'sufficient. to justify , ; its it. would':tlierefbre-not ruu,,after.;'January; 87-Saturday next;.:•■:'V' Inquiry at of the:LaDour Department 1 shows'.;:that .labour.:conditions :are v very -at v , present.' -Few, men 'were, reported;to.be.idle'in the, various .skilled;.trade's. •'. With, regard '■ to plas-terers,--it -was^stated'that'a: of■vacancies :existed: ! .ln::connection with unskilled labour ,it was reported that there were'fewer applications-fo.r;,w6rk than,at the'corresponding period of last year. There was still'a demand:for workers:for the :country,.,_while there .was. a good call', for .'.workers , in:. to wn, principally'in.-the w6ol:stores.: "No strong, s able-bodied man■ .should..be. idle/".durihg.;tne' next mbntli : or: two," was'; the [official;. cbmmDut'.' oni the ::s;;v." ;, '.•.'■' ;:->'../&:?'■.*

yA.nmp .is being,published;by the'Masterton Chamber-of Commerce with regard to the : Eimutaka :■ railway v: deviation. •:•'". A report presented .'to -Parliament , ' by;7the engineer, in; 1899: isi;publislied:.,with;it;, : '■;■ . :■ A;very unpleasant; and! : experience, befell,-a lady, travelling;on a south-' bound. traiiiiirom'Napierlthe'-othef-day, says the■ ''Manaivatu.'Baily. Tiniesi"; When ■near.;-Takaiiau«she:-litVa;;sman?la.nip?and usedjit'.to warm some milk ; for : her'baby: : ■The.'lamp,- -which-was 'filled,.■with.imethy:late"d;. spirits,-was'not ; heM; secu'rely'jand thojispirits. overflowedjviandi /immediately i ioaused;! aij: explosion:-XTheK ladyfe'iyVhat.. caught, alight,- but "a gentleman; ojiv "the opposite sejttt: promptly. ; subducd . the Vflre by, /placing -a,: coat over.. the; blazing ;headrgear.; Spirits;-which: fellron-:the "mother's dress , damaged. it 'considerably; • and' the .la'dy/was also.burnt about, the forehead. .Her; hair also;suffered; 'xXi'tv.:!-:-* u,::v•;'■;, : -

i'. ; A. ; mau: named John Boss,':wlo was staying ;-at-.the;Otagb : Buffet,:LambtpnQuay '■';■, 'has .been,missing;for';.aMut:.a,week.;-.-He ;left/,hisvswag;:on\the[:.premise& 'Anxiety is; felt, as;' to iwhati' .may,- 1 , have/ befallen ■him^': ; t , pi' : r ,! -';':-''-.' : ;'i/V::v^'"-' l "r;' i-■"••■.-'■

\ The'following'notice;of:motion will-be considered: at -a, meeting ■.pf-; ( the' : .Miramar. Council,;, to"; be .held ••in ;ltareh :— ' r'fThat■.a -fare 'of;idv:per mile : be charged oh all. carS);for>ordinafy. traffic;;.that-pou-. 1 pons-. befisßUDd : entitling, purchasers-t0"24 .through'! rides -for,: 2s. ;i,these 'fares' /to -;.be' ; .subject ; to.;-alterations:jlunng.,holiday, or '.extra'ofdiiiary; traffic I .";!^Vv^H••',:':•'.';'■#■■'. ''■

;. ..Passing-. through ;Gisbbrho'en -'routejto •his.' hom^-cit.Kakariki,^ .Ngata;;told v a\pressnian; that/tte; sessidnialtliough shovt;i had; .been ,a - very.-irapor-; taut iand'witli;;;;. the , , placing of the' Native Land Act upon.th'e Statute, Bookv-hevlobkedVwith.confidence: ;to'the futureifof'the; solution-of-, the'diffi-.' cult "Nativo'land-problem.; J The..sessibri. had: been'one; of.sunshine and . "storm.%; Ho had;' rifever.:-;seehi nlembers'-, 1 tempers';- so; ;bHttle..; : >The : ;st^^^ 'item-Jiad-b^en-tho"means:of;.greatly; cpnsolidating';the: Ministerial; ipartyi- , .-. As'to; next• session,-.it. ; .was/ not,',,he■;said;"-the earlier:, ; thatt/.usual;;v-;'; : ';i > ;^ ! i;^;V;^';;^;d:;;s^::?;V ; -:i;2

Returns' of 'ofi; ailsindustr'ial. unions are inoiy.vdue,to'.beVimade/to.^the .registrar ; : under;section..-,17 -of ; thb,Concilia-, ,tionrarid : ; : :Arbitratipri. ! Act,' -■; ■.>'• }•''' {^

'■ On;: Sunday). at ■ hponi ■■ hundreds: of '• camp-: ers .at',thp--,West;.C6ast. experienced; an'excitirig ,s'onsatiohs (says the'iDargaville. correspondent of .the:; -'New.:: Zealand;.;;Heh past i;the;sea; :: had;'been perturbed,! and at ] the time;stated.a fairly : large:'. tidal '*, wave:',. swept - the.: '. coast ,V and 'rushed furiously: iutb" tlie. gorges.!'.- iQwing to'itheiheayy-weather,ihe'beach was practically ;deserted. at. the , .time, 1 , but ablo \,consternation , !,•'; was:,; manifested >.by.' parents till all heaas were cbunted.' , OJd :canipers;';aybr the, largest , theyvhave'. seen;S-;ji- '!-\:3 f 3:;.; ; '.

; ; During; ,the' past;--.'yea't : v-;Bi6,s6e';'.letters have':: reached' VthovMelbourriov-dead-letter' office■' owing.: to.'ad dresses -being - insufficient ■ '.to.v'.eiiablo-.-'delivery ■'■ . : .to ; be; eifeoted.J;'-No fewer;. than , ; 2J-.372 -,letter3:j bbre .no i 'addresses:. ;whatever;.- Manyj ; 'of' ,the ..lptters. contained ..money.V Or, viJnabl^''.the'.total, value': b'eihgi.set;- d^wn;; i at.:>jei3il3e;'-'v ■ dpi not! apparently';'deter 'people .fromi; .bathing : ;in "Australia,'; iio"} matter, howdnumerbus.:'.': The '''Sydney.'Horning: Herald' , :"; ; stdtes'y:',.tiiet.!-large/ of. voraciousi sharks: are:along:.:the cbast, r es-. pecially. close, io the ..sandy-; beaches which ore so popular with■ surfcsivimmersi.-'The' ■tish .appear ;;.to';rauge .from-;siiall; school sharks ;abput iiti long to-large tigers'vand : grey-nurses ..of'three: and'four .times the , length, -'j All. are ■■. dangerous,--' and ■•'•: when , there.; -isl but'. a little! roll "on , ' :theyi;,cbme in i.to, within; 20 ;;feet : 'of, ! the.;"shpre...'.They ;are after;:'salmon; .lyliich;;are. i extremely plentiful:;.this , 'year. '■ TheS.great'isalmon shoals begin tb; arrivo ; about the. beaches near/Sydney ,in October,- andVhave.'genef-! ally.;thinnedvout in'numbers;-byiDecem-bor,,;but'. this Christmas;, they;; have-been .oxtrabrdinanly.'.'.-; plcntiful.y.!;-. Lately.' 4' : at Manly.Ta;.'shark was. brnois;;.some ; .of 'the bathprs, .and'..therc j ...wasv plunge for th'p shore..:.VNpbpdy-was i-bitton,, but fiad '■> the :,'.;fisliyßencountered*:•■;something! .clioiceiin ;tlio of; a!-humun'-' boiiiß probably. .thuroVwould' have been-another beach. tragedy.' i , :.;::,!;,,.- ;.. ':-,.>■ ■.■:'.y,,\"-'~-: : "'-:~;S.

■-.' ' A careless' smokeriwas the.causa;of-an exoiting'blaze' at'l the ' Rangitikei traces on"; Monday, -says-'the • "Slanawatu Even-. ing.-.Stan«lard.'';.. In-some manner.a; spark' from: apipe or amatch set-alight .to the hood of;a-raptor-oar,.'and,' with ! the' strong wind blowing! as well as thei.motion- \oi the 'car* the ; fabri?-:w'as-in:.a': .blaze :;ia'staritly. ;An ■. energetio ■•occupant; of ".the car- promptly .'■'/■pulled; the hood and',its fixings put of,- position. on'.the; car, and it fiercely-blnzed -itself :oiit of'existence on the roadside, only, the brass fittings-being loft of a/once' capacious: hood.;'■;;'<•' '•'■ .:,'.:" ■ : .

';'■: The. folio wing . paragraph appeared; "in a' foconb .issue of the "Tiinaru Herald":—; ■"It wiU.'be remembered that'.ithe.'Land Bill introduced i.v.last. • session'' /.contained clauses, authorising the :Xands. ■ Department to extend onp year-the leases, of: hill runs which'fall in .this. year. ' ; The Land Bill.was drpppedj.the'.'fact!.that.- it contained those: provisions,- was 'forgotten,; arid nothing was .done by ,the Legislature in ,■ regard to extending ■ the , leases.' Wo ■ havo it on good; authority, however, that the Lands Department is;making arrangements by. agreement that will .secure.'; the same ; .purpbs(!.":.;r.ln , reply: to; an! inquiry by a Dominion reporter,; llr. Kensington. Ifnder-Secrctary: for- Lnuds,. pointed:.-out yesterday that power-;to extend the leases of pastoral: runs'from one to three years is already giTcn.to .Land'.Boards, under the, existing legislation.. He believed that tho .Canterbury'. Land Board. had'de'eided to'carry out what the Land Laws\Ameridmont Bill intended in- this direction.: The board could,- ho added, only' niako. a recommendation, which had to bo submitted,to the Minister for his.approval; ::■ .-.-

Shampooing, Clipping,' Hairdrcssing, Manicuring, Faco liassagc, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Kollestor, (over Carroll's). • U 'Willis Street, 'Flume ISSa.-Advt,

; A diversion' was. created , at the : cycle sports meeting in .Lancaster Park ...lUst week during , - the pillow-fighting .competition, says a southern'paper." One of the contestants, who apparently lost his tem-, per, aroused, the animosity of the other; competitors and of "a saction of the 'spectators, and one, of' the former, unable to, restrain his feelings, rushed iorward and pulled the -pillow-fighter who had,'- incurred his. wrath, from , the'spar.;.:lmin'ediately: another ; onlooker, interfered': on. behalf of '■ the. inau '■ who ■ was.. attacked,' and' then a general: melee■ ensued.;".' For, a few ' moments pandemonium ireigned, but peace was restored.'by .the enforced separation- of : the-antagonists. .'Mr.Franklyh Barrett, ;'6f. Pathe, Freres,, happened to boltakiiig a' : .moving v picture of the,pillow-fighting in He stuck to his post and industriously turned the handle.;until: the -squabbling crowd' surged almost up to him, and.theu,,seizing his machine, ;he:. hastily, retreated and carried if to ( sdfety,': ■■■•.'■ '• '.'.-.■ ■.'■.■ ■■'■''■>'.•:

' '-'According-to.'the-Hon.'T^:. Minister for Agriculture, - the : potentialities of the work:done.fiy : Parliament.:durV: ing- the late session were very.rgreat.from', the: point ..-of _: view sof v'lahd:", settlement. Speaking to a reporter,' he said: : —"There, has-been'a; steady, and unostentatious removal of difficulties 'in , the-way of, opening, up :Native, land*for, settlement,': and; the.j.result;:of -:the.'snewilegislation must, be .'.to,- give'- ; a; great lnipulse.. to the : utilisation' of.vthe:Nativevareas; ; Then ; ;we i have".■;. passed.; the'. Act-under. . which: groups of ifarmersinay be. financed by, the State in :acouirihg'properties 'for:, subdivision. : ,'Already , ;'.l-:.have,-• received letters,., which I have, handed' to the':Minister" for: Lands (the'-Right; .'.'Honil , ;Sir ; Joseph.Ward), asking that facilities inay. be; given, of; land, :un-' der .the ; new" law.'.j. My great.desire;., and.. the.\desire: of ; ;the asV, : ;a under such' conditions-as.best suitjtheir; ipockets;', and. their; ideals'.;^-1-know.-,: that Sir 'Joseph Ward; is':most; kcenlyl-inter- , . estea.iin.' seeing: that; every,:possible -facil-. ..ity ( 'i3ygivcn : ;'to';theVmeh';and/'women:;w ,want' to'■.,work, ; the: soil,:''and; so" add ! to'the;mass of ouriexports^and-io'the'gen'- , 'eral■ pr6sperity: ; of'.the' commnnity." &^_■:

:':Those.'who have-studied-the,firiger-print 'system , of. identification:,of;:criminals;were, amazed , to ''■learn , a few/,weeks ago thatthe! ■. Justice;of '. Victoria^'had ,: direpted a, : jury, not, to ;attach too: much ; ,:importance ■ to ; . uncorrpbqrated: finger-print. eyidehceV. By.-the latest ; :mail;.word: now. comes .to .the" :eftect; > ttat^theVrame < 'jp'omt^'lias' : '' , beeii > ".en'-. , gaging Home. Itappearsithata-burglar;appealed against conviction oU'a;:.charge::in;;connec':tiori;,with...which•.'.theiqnly\;evidence' 6f guilt', were .finger-print , marks .on-:a-;caii- , die.;; "In:, delivering, , the , , : of 1 the': /three. jndges.'Vthe-Lord i" Chief: ;Jiistice::-,off :-EnKla'n'd : ;,.remarkedi-that' the evidence.asjto'the fingerprints .was given •by-j,X-.inan'''of-;'-great'.-'experiencej,,.i«'lio:had-expressed ..his : : cp'nvicti6n' : ; that itjwasv im-pqssible;;fpr^the7:prihts-;on::;the'''cahdle;;ito: ■have'bMn' ; made'!JDy':anyone : but , thevpri; sbncrJi-His Ldrdship..thqußht:it'.conceiy-', ablo-;that'. t\rovpersons'; might .-be .found, -with'the-same fridges ! until:;such a : cbincidence 1 was, established, ■he' wash- strongly 'inclined to -fegdrd Vithe , isystem: is-. reliable. '{s ln.':.the(''case.Vunder: review; and : lookiDg ■ at : ;the 'finger-prints before the Court;; he had-not theslightest doubt jury; came :>to>a:';proper;; decision' on: the tevide'nce.j'^'" , ;,; :''■':;■

.' Interviewed at Dunedin]' the; ferred ; . toihis ; ; regatd '-ito".plat; ing.-'people' oh:-. small, fruit ■farms , at' Wae : renga,":about::loo.- miles "from'.'Auckland'.; Hβ Said,that the.lahd;.was very;poqrvinV ;deed.,-,its : ;praifie' ; ; ,value; ;.'being;nqt.v.more' ■ than r7s.:,'6d.'ii. per: acre/- but .experiments, had suggested; that. it would grqwi; fruit, and he believed that'.a'flourishih'gisettle-, ment might'vbe: established-,if .the,;Gov-; ernmen'ti planted:. ,the',-,-fruit >;.trees* and handedi:thS .farms ■'over; to'" settlers ;in , a; condition in which an early- return;, might , b6^. , «pected/:r:VQuiteV-tinumberii:'of-,,-thc, farms' have;been p)anted;7and; I'"am.Jnqw; awaiting , 'the.result," '"The officers ! br">the:\Agri6ul.tural ;;l)epart-; ment are;satisfied'thatifruit. can be grown; : on:this poor laid; and that- a mariet :can iibe; founJifor;the fruit; ;svhich' : wfluld thus yieldVa , ' , good < liyingt-f romismaU j lipidihgs.'; 1 soon;:as; conclusive :ejidence'''hasJbeen; secured ■';:'of ! th'e'; possibility,,of 'I;;wiU rask'the .Government,',to .'assist:.in cultivating ■■and'plahting ; ;a , uumber. I qf.-the f:orchardsj ; in''or.der.:that : ;small,settlers;may.; take , - themVum'vdhventy-fiyeVacre^'.ofrthis'. poqr\land-will■'support:.a"fauiily7 : .half.of ltiplanted in; fruit rtreesvand; the, balance-■for-!a'horse, and-cows;,vThereiis' ah; ani:' Tptel'rainfallvat; Waerenga; and' if; : we;.can: ascertain':a'suitableAmethod' 0f:.,-dealing 'witlv the soilSlarge:areas .of;land' kt,pre-' sent regarded"as t useless-will; bo;;brought intp.-prpfitab^;Cultiyatipn.";.;r;jj:i ; A!i:i:;v^

'■i'i : , There''.wss!:.'a'. ''■ rather ; ; narrow.": escape, 'of a serious wPenrose 'rifle" range,;^hileLthe l :Auckland;;Eifle, ti6n's;annuai:i6hanipionship >was; ' in'Aprpgress? #A; ehootist!: had.. just:,'risbn; frpin-; the'Snound afterr ; flring; his; seven .shots,. 'lange/-■•:imd : v: I was. sapping ,d6w'p!to| join ;the group of inien, who ..were'. j/atehing ;f foni' be-; hind : : him, /'Men, his rifle. fiudaenly. •: went; off,' and:a .bullet , ;;plungedViritp/.the;earth: ,perilpuely."near tdlthe orowd of ■'. riflemen and- spectators-/ranged. >'along, theV'baok.,' When::taking-'part-,.iff? it; is?,d; 'fairlyi;freq.uent,hap"penine:for the marks-, man to ■ put in 'an- eighth' f prgetful- of: the;:number.:of';'shdts:he;!'has : flred,'.and-it-is:- the dufjr'of.'the man ecor- . ing 'behind-'him. to tell his seven shots :haye": : been •',recorded.>: It/is'always an.'WMlers-tood , - rule",of .the:range|?:;however, that a.rifleman shall throw put'shell or;::cartridge;v;':before:: ,; from ? fhe. 'mound. v In - this'-: case :■■ the.; shbohst ■.had ; put" in-ah'"eighth cartridgei:and' forgotten :to .take'it-out; ■ the - grin] going i ; off;in:hi6: hand■"as ; ihe-;walke<lv..back,ian'ongst;. thoorowd. 1 , ;A meeting ■ of' the: executive■'cpm-: mittee.."was r -.at:;once;' held, after leugthy ; 'cdnsiderati6n, it":was .decided.to, withholdvthe.usual; ■>l'Whil6 Vastronomical^research-may at tract :''■ the 'f. sanie If, attention ; ": in>;. the Huuthlirn: Hemisphere,; as.: 1 in.; ; the,r-oWer. world t there ai'ei probably ; " few i colonials who could r not locate.the; So'uthern',Cross. and its'twihv"pdintersi"; : ;The-lowest , ; of the'seV ppinters,.-. Mr: ;.Clement' Wra'gge; eiwhile's lecturing;'at;. St.; James's , llall, '-"Auckland,. night,; v is ■the'-Viiearesti; astral ';;b'ody.-£"to-' ; ;the\: earth.. '■".Yet;"'sdid\the lecturer,,;in"'pi;oppunding a -calculation to , illustrate ..the';! enormity of :Bpace, "if ;-we fcould?possibly} be':;cdnnected by,railway/ : and, the. fixed at'ldi per lOO.miles, ithe cost of !che,jourwould, be impre,\han,ffie Jiatidnal-debt: oiKew'j'Zealand:;.; Tlie time, occupiedr 6nV:''th'e..':J9.urhey';:would , !:: be :41,Opo,0P0i"years." ■;' There.: were,', none the (audience ;,who' sitnifiei: a; , deiire";to venture. on;the!ttip.;-ivore'such. possible.;. ■ ' One ,;'notibfes,;inqiqent: : ; in i the: irecerit Christnias ;. holiday^'.■ijarups: ;dP:the:.V : Boyj Seputs'in..the'Auckla.'uil/district.'was the sucoeraf ul'.': raid i niadp ) ,by :;,the ■ Takapuiia troop-.on. the' Northcote battalion's: canip. near,-Sulphur- Beach;-.•■'' Havfng provipusly : sehtjfpur scouts- to irecbnnditrV-tho; Norths cote; ; :camp,- twp ; ; patrols'of-tho-Takapuria: troop'left. the'if;;camp'atfCampbell'e'.Bay 'at; 2.30 : .a.m.,:"ahd .marched ..on- tp;;the : jNortlioote line's.'a.distance:pf;abput;seveh ' miles'..VAVheri the surrounding.- movement was icbmpleted^nithiriVthe'enemy's 'lines-; , a>; general the- tents was made-at: 'sixteen fminutes!■to,- fiv-eV';and;.a : ,,v«ry': complete captureresulted,i'asV'-w'ithput,ex-ceptiohjV.the" Northcotevscouts prised;in'their-blarietsi./^Vith:many ex-; .changes .df..'scout';.signs,'. merry:laughter," and heartyl wishes■. for. : a ;/'Happy ;New. Year,", the.',two-companies then ,spent';a very pleasant-hour over a billy of- tea at ..the' invitation of' the- Northcote scouts., '. : An feitraordihary' accident occurred on: :tho; l A\ , aihi-Taiiranga;;:'r6ad : on 'Thursday: ■'affenbxn':last;V.-;'A : '-y , oune.Jman' , -nani , ed'., , E. , . of .-Te.-Ijuke;': who had. beehipaying a. visit ,torfrionds,at;'Waibi;">vas.:re-' turning.home;on his bicycle.::, When about; α-inilo on the Waihi side;of; : AthenreeV;*; lady approached driving a/trap, and practioally drove over: the approaching cyclist,, who was knocked over' a steep-gracled.; em'-; banknient into.the river below, a distance; of .somp;3pft.::.:Thp lady,'whose'riame.'is. unknown, pulled up in)nlcdiately...Western' picked:.'himself;;and his bike'Aip';' and;'pii'. reaching the rpa'd\level' again, '..infornicd. the lady, who- .was>prpfuso;in apologies" 'and;regrets 'at'.'jthe''accident,';'.that;' with . the exception .'bfi a. rough .shaking,'he :was apparently, unhurt;;' The bike,- however. ; sustained 'dainage",as.a; result, of the 'col- ■ lisioii'with tho, trap.,' ( Both.'parties ■';then continued their> respective; routes.' ;; .Oh' .reaohins:Murray'S;farm,:just past'.'Atlien-' vee, young ; :.Western,':;when relating : . the , particulars 'of 'tho; accident; ..sliddeiily . be-' came iimye)!,. and.' '.lapsed' into, a"state' of' eomi-consciousness. ,'■ Mr. Murray, linstened to Atlienieej'-.'and' , Dr;. Robertson, dfWaihi, was 'summoned.:, by;•■ telephone. -'After treatment,' Western recdyerwl somewhat;' : but,, according: to .latest information,: was>, BtolrOCMfi.ned;.to:bed.:Av^-'>- r •■:. ~-;'.:': :.