LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 712, 11 January 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

' The.follo'wing.'are taken from a budget of; eamplainfa .regarding, the 'present railway. v. service:—'Wanganui x Resident" writes: hopefully on the ■ Minister , for/ /Railways'- statement - that, lie intends to study.- Australian railway, methods.; -. If this' , study ' should .. only- result in : oiir trains henceforth : running . according .to scheduled /time, then' Wanganui' residents will have cause, to. be profoundly, grateful Ito . Mr; Millar.. - Since , the : inauguration of, the amended .time-table; five weeks' . ago, continues our ' correspondent, the New /Plymouth-Wellington" mail/ train has' • never : arrived , to time in ;Wangahni,;.nor in : the vioimty , of AVangamii.,lt has flsiially 'been, from . twenty; to './forty minutes late; ono night, it .was one hun : dred '/and ■ ten minutes late.' : The/ inconvenience caused ' to'. business :. and : other .people/is considerable,- and ,the, time-table is' generally! regarded as a farco; Correspondents from:: Marten,. Feilding, /and Palmerston North also refer to the want of/punctuality shown by the WellingtonNew Plymouth; mail train.'"- One writer alleges, that the/ railway".service, inthe .Wellington. Province; was never' in such a deplorable.condition,'and, he suggests that the matter should; be urgently taken up "by' the .Wellington .Chamber of: Commerco. ,Another. writer,' who pleads for an earlier bdnneeting service between Wellington, and the".Manawatn,.:.and. who refers ,to the present disjointed service as "a. railway atrocity," states that the Minister seems to be-all'at sea .with his timo-table,; and .has; beenso far ■ fully. a month without finding his proper ■ bearings Complaint:', is also made/ regarding the New, Plymouth express which arrived in Wellington on Saturday night thirty-seven minutes/late. /The delay, in this case was caused by'the'lato running of the Wellington-Auckland up express, which ; left' Palmerston' North an hourlate. '. ' ■;..'. , /i; : ./-: ,■

In connection witb the projected/viceregal .fishing expedition,._two carriages aTe being fitted up as sleeping compartments at the Petono ; railways workshop for his Excelloncy/and staff. It is', intended that tho narriagos shall bo attached to tho Governor's now • travelling • car, together with.a.dining car.and probably a special engine.- - ■ ■ ,- The supplementary list of now : Justices of the Peaco, which will be issued at an early date, is cxpected to contain-a largo number of .names. .According to variousprominent ofiicials of tho New Zeakiid Watorside. Workers' "Union, imprisonment for striking is contrary to-law. With a view of-having the quostion sottled, they , have written to the Now South Wales Watersido- Workers' Dnion,; asking that a test case be brought. It is understood that a proportion of tho necessary: funds to have tho matter taken before the highest tribunal in the Empire, will bo guaranteed in Now Zealand, 1

New. and important' regulations' under the Reformatory Institutions. Act are to be published shortly.

Experiments in connection with ! the cement work at the new dock. have ; not yet been concluded. Inquiry made yesterday shows that the results will not be obtainable for . at. least a fortnight.

_A, meeting of the Railways Superannuation Board was. held in Wellington yesterday. It was decided to grant twenty-one lifo allowances totalling .<£1297--: annually. Allowances . were. also made to nine widows with sixteen children, the annual charge aggregating £370. . Other business included refunds of;, contributions; to ninety ex-officers and employees. /■- ■

_ It is anticipated; iiat the alterations, in _ the police forco consequent. on tho retirement of Mr.: Dinnie, Commissioner of Police; will be ' announced this week. Eeferring:'to the, recent .session, Mr. Vigor Brown, M.P. for Napier, thus described his impressions as. a new member of Parliament to a representative of the "Telegraph": —"What struck me very forcibly was the terrible amount of time lost' in doing nothing, and' in ' talking to Hansard." If Hansard were abolished, lam sure that the business .of the House would bo transacted in a far better way, more promptly, and in a. more: business-: like manner. One member said ,to me, *1 notice. that you are keeping very (jniet and not .talking.' I said, Tes, it is my .'first session,- and I think- there aro plenty of'old members who' have-been here from ten to thirty years who can do all the talking that •is necessary... I will do the listening till I become more acquainted with' the forms and customs of the House.' Then the member said to me, 'I make it' a. rule always talk, or three' times ,onV,.some. subject' during tho week, so that my. constituent's, will know, I'.am ■ in. -Parliament.'. 1 My •reply was that I hoped my. constituents would know I was-in-Parliament by my; actions. That, I felt, was the most satisfactory •; wayof. pleasing one's constituents."- -i -

A paper was read on ; November 25 (says the London "Times")) at the Boyal Society of Arts, by Mr. T. Thorno Baker, on "Telegraphing Pictures." He explained that ' the; main :: principle- of phototelegraphy involved the .use of. a trans-■ parent photograph',; or \Bkotch,: mounted on : a revolving' cylinder,: through 1 a . light was projected}; whereby certain electrical instruments were' actuated: according to whether the light was transmitted through the clear .or dense': portions .of'the'photograph.' These motions, were reproduced bv electric-current on another ' cylinder at tho receiving ; end, by '.which"; means . a light was-thiown, on: a. 'seiuitive . photograpnie film;, the light ;being' t 'varied in' intensity 'so that I 'the gradations of tho photograph were reproduced. He said that, in.November, 1907, Professor Xorn transmitted pictures from ■ Paris;to London in. i 2 minutes, an instal-' liition; having ' been ' completed. ;by v the "Daily Mirror" in theifliohdori. offices. ;It was largely owing to the.patience. and enterprise of. that journal that; phototelegraphy stood where it did at. present: • ■He" thought, that Professor ■ Korn 'would' ultimately succeed; .in-.transmitting .pictures from'; Lbndon to: New: York. . He himself was : trying- to solve the:'' matter by.- wireless telegraphy, and;; he showed .two' results of his experiments..

■ . Tramway traffic in Wellington continues to'show.:increases;. Last Saturdays cash takings on . tho cars amounted to ii.501, an increase of .£ll over Saturday, 'January 0, 1908.:. Sundays tailings were .£202, or JE2G more ' than - those of' tho corresponding day of last - year. The "Sunday 1 , specials were ' well .patronised, 648; adults (including - 233 to Lyall .Bay) travelling: at 6d. each, and 75 children';at 3d.': -The 9.50'p.m;-car ;from Constable. Street- carried .61 people' into town, and the .10 p.mi car-from Newtown had 132 passengers, all at 3d. each.

■ The ' three young : kiwi, . presented ,by Mr. r Chas.- Afills, :of ' Lombard:' Street;■ Palmerston, to. the borough have been snugly, installed: in .a. little i.enolosure' of; ■their own/on the shores of. tho .lake inthe Square.. ; They : aie'':fj'd..oni'meat. TJie^ l birds; were. 1 cap'ttoed quite young by.Mr. - Mills in. the Upper. Waitotarii' .and.have 'been; kept ; by. himself, assisted ;by Mr. 'Alders,'.for -'.six; months;';so," that there, should; bo every; prospect of'their' thriving.:• . ,• ' According■ to: i.the,*Hon.'-.-(Minister for'rMarine), it is useless to at;! -tempt 'to/,have: the .surveying! of ; Zealand coast .lines completed: pieced meal fashioial/; -.To ' seafph, for pihriaile' rocks ill ontljang "would'.bo ,an : .exceedingly undertaking;; 1 .'.At. one timo .it (was 1 thought 'the' .Tutanekai: could; be,,utilised,.:but; ; that ..'vessel was unsuitable. The Government; then.eridea-, voured '.unsuccessfully ; to get.' an .'iron vessel with -wooden sheathing "...from. the, Ad-, iniralty, as. this . was ■; the . best typo ;to 'standthe rough handling' to ' which'., a survey, 'ship;, is .liable.;--.,;;Tcproperly ' equip: a coast ; survey . with Suitable 'ye®# :and appliances would'.- "mean ,jm 6utlay ; of £40,G00. The Government- could' riot'.do' that," .but she ■ would Jagairi, before' his colleagues .the/, desirability.; of, asking .Parliament ;.to'sanction; another, ; arrangement' under . which 'the;;work could be idone by Admiralty,; officers, and equipment.' V-w

vA Magisterial into ■ the wreck, of the Waikarelat: Dusky Sound will be held at ■ Dunedin . to-morrow before ;.Mr. Widdowsoh, , S.M. ,'fhe, nautical assessors' appointed'to sit at the-inquiry are Captain Post; and Captain Suriqstrum.- r,;

' It is ! understood , that a; large , area ,of: the Waimarino' Plains' will be thrown open for seleotion in March.

.. At: a.; meeting of the? Hawke's .Bay 'A." and I'. Society, held, on Friday last, the following 'motion;■ was.', adopted :—"Tho -committee of i the,Hawke's,' Bay- Agricultural and Pastoral, Society, i largely. 're.presenting. ias they-; do' .the "agricultural and, '-pastoral: 'interests of '.this: province, desires; to dr"aW; the, attention/of. : the Gov-, ernment ;to. tho , inconvehienco; arid • unsuitability of ; the presentrailway • time-' .table; especially in" regard to-the express service,': and .respectfully-'request- them to .reconsider. the same, with the' object of .providing ,a- better' servicefor.'.this large and important', district.'""

"Daily Telegraph"'' states that the North, Island is. being'exploited for. the benefit of the South Island in the' matter of railway; management' and fares: . 'l'he. - distance : between"; Invercargill". and Bluff is .17 - Napier : and Hastings, it."is .;12' miles'. iirst-elass return faro .between liivercargill ; and Bluff; is 2s. 6d.,'..the similar fare between Napier. and . Hastings - is-3s. ■ 2d. ■ : This is not a- "railway. phantom," 'as the :South-, :Janfl; : '®aily;.;lii«Wß" 'subtests/ but an'.ugly fact which, emphasires; the: extraordinary difference .between therailway administration" accorded. : to ' the . South;j Island and that nhich has to be put up with in the Nortli Island. *"0h! former, occasions' we have complained that the ' Department will not accord to.. Ha\yke's, Bay ■ what: it grants .to southern' towns ip the.shape;of. suburban■[ rates. "When " these, are 'asked for-between Napier and Hastings,; the reply always rates.are applicable only to„distances s up : to . ten miles," and Hastings, is . twelve 'miles. from Napier.' - In .the illustration ,we have chosen it will be seen that there is no question' of ten miles or twelve miles,,. but. one of carrying passengers 84 miles'; in - Southland "for 2s. 6d., -while' in ;Haitke's r ßay: !the ;charge is ;3fi.'2d. for 21 miles. ' The first-class return faro from Dunedin to Stosgiel Junction and' back,' 20 miles, is. Is. lOd-i while from Napier to Whakaiu andback, only; 18 miles, the isimilar fare is 2s. sd. ; These arenot, 'railway ■ phantoms,' but-. oppressively, uncomfortable railway exploitations."

Two. grass 1 in ■ ; Thane Road, BcseEoath,. and' : tiie. otlier;in Sutherland Eoad, Maramri—wera the only events of importance'- which" engaged the; attention of, the City. Piie Brigade yesterday.. The first occurred, at 12.38 pjn., and■■ the second at 1.24 p.m., and both- were ; promptly. aad effectively, suppressed before ;nny damage was done. t :• During 1909, 2331 persons were naturalised in the Australian Commonwealth'. Of: these 1091 were Germans, 295 Swedes, 182 Danes, 167 Italians; 182-Eussians, 138 Norwegians, BlvFrench, 76 .North Americans,' 71' Greeks,' and one Chinese. .New South Wales claims 6W ot the new citizens, South Australia COO, Victoria 507, Queensland •West Australia ;.221, and Tasmania 81. The naturalisations in 1908 wore 1190. Part of the increase in 1909 is attributed to the right which naturalisation gives to old age pensions.. This is particularly noticeable in South Australia, where there :is ji large ■ German population.

Bowlers' Hats, Shoos, and Trousers at Bowlers'Prioes, nt Kirkoaldie and Stains. Ltd.—Advt. • ...

Three meetings will be held in No.. 2 Committee Room in the Town Hal! on Thursday afternoon, viz.,; the trustees of the Hospital Convalescent Homo at. 2.30, Wellington Ladies'; Christian Association. at p.m., and the Wellington Society for the Belief of the Aged Needy at 3 o'clock. '■ .... . . ; .

Trappers, recently . captured . 1100 rabbits in Titahi Bay, near Porirun, where the rodents are said at. present 'very plentiful indeed.; , ■■ ;

"British Tourist"-\vrites complaining of the inaccu.-rtcv'of'.the New Zealand Itailway Time-table, page 156, whfre, under."coach services/ 5 it is;stated,'that the service , from Pahiahu to -Poagaioa is_ thrico weekly,, whereis ,it is , daily, lhe change of service was made only on January 1, but our correspondent hi aintains that in the interests of the travelling public the correct cov.h' 'services should bo scheduled,,-otherwise what whs the use of printing tham-'at. all. The same correspondent further ' complains that although the second express was advertised-to roil on Sundays (page , 21a) it never left .Auckland ' oh:-:a Sunday, ■ In a still further/ complaint, the correspondent refers to numerous alleged inaccuracies,.in. the;;railway'timetable regarding distances;. and quotes as. example, pages.-35 and 3G, where'oh'the down run, Rata; is three miles' from SiU verhope, .while on- the up -run -the diis- -- between the- same two 'places is set down at two miles. . '

.Some peculiar facts were i elicited in Court' proceedings , at' Napier yesterday (writesi our correspondent).' A man named Jas.'M Govern was charged with obtain-' ing money ; from . different,' people by means of - a .false pretence.. : Inspector Dwyer remarked that-on October 4 . last accused wrote to ; the Colonial Secretary stating; that "he was promoting; an art union, : ten per cent.-of the' proceeds of which were to go to the-Napier Hospital; The first ' prize,- : the letter v:ent' on,- 'was valued at 65.,; tto seoind;at .j£l 4s.', and the third '£% - 25.,' and -the.-money was being collected in aid of A eick .'person who hid; undergone a; 6erious■ operatiori.•, .The man had no-:pictures,' Inspector Dwyerproceeded, and_ there' was no arrangement with the hospital and no.eick person'in. question.; M'Govern travelled about tlie conntry :selling these, tickets. of 'which ,1000 had . been, printed, and nearly ill'were sold. So the man had gained about - j&iS which ,ba!d ' ' dissipation. How he obtained the; permit' from the Colonial Secretary, he did not .know, ;but he had brought. the matter under the' ; notice of ■ the Department; M'Govern was charged only with' eight-: infonnations, but he - could have; been charged with hundreds.;He was ' sentenced to three , months', imprisoinment,; cumulative, on each of-; three.charges,: aid ■ on' the remainder T7as oonvicted and' discharged.:; ;; : Mr; Gr<3enshields's launch, which left, for. tte-Sotmds'. on ...Christmas Eve,.; re- 1 turned 'on ', Sunday -: The : following 'yachts-., . also ; returned irrSiren,White Heather, and' Ngaira. ". . . ;;',..

; "Onrv'lads; vote, .'solidly, in;; ; fayqur of Australian goods," /remarked Commander Simons,,.in. oharge: of' the youthful' 1 contingent :.:from the.; West,', whichhas,; been' visiting,; Sydney.' "Now, listen 'td this little; epiiode.;.; It ; ,will,:' blearly 'show.the' young ; chaps', sentiments. . . -.When; the party; reached: the -'BenaUa: railway, .station,; in Victoria, a vendor of ' assorted confectionery pursued his at. the carriage' 'window.', :':. 'Let us have some' ;chocolates,' t called ,out or.e of' the boys; and the: man ; with' thQ lollies handed the speaker a: stick; of chocolate*, wrapped in a-;. Swiss ' label.; . - The. youth , spotted • - the: printed . words showing: that; the 1 confectionery was made "in, .Europe;-. and; threw:' the - 'package. :back; on; the tray, saying,. 'Me for. Australia.'; , ,The -itinerant' mer-. chant,. appealed to me for having-been insulted. ;; -Ton; have -erred/r 1.-jreplied,'; 'in' trying to sell. the - boy a :foreigi manufacture.' 'This morning; we:,visited' a"big. Sydney sterei to. -purchase •!*•' number! ofcap'Sj and,'although the , boys had" to pay 'an extra;shilling for- the Australian! arV 'tiole;.'. they .came up smiliiig." ; - ; ! ■;

; <;la the .Amending. In«briate3"Act pasfiod bj; tte vNew''.South' Wales.';ParHamcnt' last ■; session',; some: important ' provisions are 'incorporated'dealingl:with;,these'/un■fortunate jettons:'-"'nThe Governor may ''establish: institutions- for oontroli»and' treatment: of,inebriates; who 'have/been ordered. to'; be. placed ;in an in-/ J stiwjion,,>and'.'of./inebriateswhohave ibectt; transferred-to', any/such-institution, ;: 'and'Such-institution^are: to-be'under'the:. )b'are;;ocohtroli'-:;.aha:rdirectioh':;"of- tho ; In-" speetor-Geneial-:of' the Insane.Power is ifuso"' vested ; in 1 .the : : Governor ■ to; establish !institutions;; forthe.:reception;'.control," 'treatment:. of ; inebriates 'frequently ■ convicted l - , of V: drunkenness,';."who:. ; have' J been .-. ordered ' to :.- be placed 't in '. , a State institution, or who have i.been transferred. ;to any: such /; institution. The Comptroller-General- of: Prisons/.will, 1 ; subject to. the .control'.of *the', Governor,' ; have'the' care arid direction "of?'siich.institution;; and .the custody 'of all ; persons ;placed-:'thorein.„ I Tho..amehdiiiK:.Act .constitutes a. Supervisory.; Board, consisting of , the, chief medical ofHcer 'of the' Government, the.. Inspector-General // of'the , Insane, 'and .tho' ; ;C6nu>trollor-Gerieral ; ' of •> Prisons, : who,; are,' empowered'''/ t0... recommend the. removal..of, inebriates fromvone State.-'institution : to/'akither State;insti.tntion.' . -The 1 board .-■ may ' also,-;.atthe 'request; of the. 'Minister;.'inquire " into: the administration -.of;, any,.lnstitution; i.'examine.; the . inebriates:'. therein . detained,i and report to' " the;/-Minister.;; as-, to any' matter arising from; such .inquiry, or. examination.;' As there are, iso far,' no private; or, licensed inebriate .institutions in; New. South "Wales,. regulations -have not . yet been- fully-decided..upon. , " The original Act was found to bo insufficient to meet the requirements in many respects, ,'henco the: amending • measuro now'in force. :v, ; : ;. A' remarkablo' sight : was' witnessed by the" passengers of- the AVU.S.N. Company'ssteamer. -Wyreeina! "on. tho ■ ■ passage'; from 'Brisbane to Sydney , recently. ,Captain Meaburn reported that -. when 'in - the vie-, inity of ,the; North. Solitary Islands the sky:,at the time being- cloudless;' and-the' >viud light from the; south-east, what' appeared to be huge volumes of smoke were observed about live.miles distant .to:;the' 'east-, of the-j'.v6^:, : :;.'- : Tlie-''sigit'.'.caused' severalof - ' ,: passengers to. remark, 'VTliereVa snip on; lire/' / Closer examination,. however,: showed, that--.'. it,' was -a water-spout. Although at first its kfr'poarance: was black,'- it - gradually.Vrose in a "perpendicular.' form, .'getting ' much lighter in density, and. tho sky overhead becomihg...gradually.:dai;ker. Tho phenomenon continued for: about.-'& quarter of an hour, when its' connection with the sea gradually.- diminished,;:'and it finally cut.qif;from .the ocean.. The cloud drifted, inshore, whero doubtless. it broke in a downpour. Captain Meaburn remarked: . I . have - witnessed ; many waterspouts in the China seas and Australia, .1 havenever seen: one start; in. such .a : peculiar*: >",'\ . . 5. ; William Harwood, an inmate of.; the Ballarat Benevolent '. Asylum, - claims -to he 107 years old. His. Olaimis not substantiated by /documents, although cir-cumstances-point, to. his. having lived, to' a great age./. While-'not , bedridden, 'he is exceedingly, feeble, both in voice and' 1 limbs, but- his faculty for, remembering, old-time .events; of. interest, is still fairly well preserved. He says ho was born in Dublin in 1802, and. came. to; Australia ■91 years ago. Amongst his varied experiences; when a young . man .was .that of surveying the. country; from the' mouth.of. the,Glenelg..,The survey-party.was ..commissioned: by-the New South Wales Gov-,, eminent-.of'.the ..day to lis the boundary of tho colony of New South Wales, of . which Victoria was 'tlien part.,. The ' New South Wales Government, he asserts, still jowes ; him over '.£2OO : for. his services in that.commission. "■ ' -■; -'. ■ ; It is officially 'stated in: Victoria. 1 that the: new tram which has just been turned out. of the Newport workshopsrfor use, on the St. Kilda line has been designed ''.with- a;view, to' electrification. I '/,:.; The cars arc 58ft. long over the .bodies,. and are provided', with .a .central' passage-way. to. ■ ..permit:. of s ' passengers,.: distributing thcmsolvcs through Uho cars,. thus. preventing ' overcrowding,' in ..ono. , compart-. ment;\vhen there may bo vacant scats in other compartments. In order that the seating room may not bo diminished, the oars have been, made about lft. wider. They have also been mado -higher; and generally more. spacious. .The increased width of the- cars has. necessitated . the use. of sliding doors,, as there would, not be. suificiont >. clearance for- other trains and .structures, if -'swinging'." doors .'-'were used. . '

' • Shampooing, ; Clipping Hairdressinj;, - Manicuring,' Face Slassago, Treatment of Palling Hair, and. Dandruff; ; Combings inado up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Rolleston (over ' Carroll's),. li Willis Street. "Phono 1599.—Advt, ■' v;.