LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 718, 18 January 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mails which left . Brisbane ,by the R.M.S. Moana on December' 22! arrived at' Vancouver at 5 p.m. on January; 14--cine day late. In all probability,' the members:'of : ex-Captain corps who made a demonstration til:' the - Auckland, \Brill Hall on the occasion of 'the dismissal of - thoir commanding officer.--' about a, fortnight ago .ivili' bo called to account for. their action in handing Vin their accoutrements and!■ann&Uucing their -intention, of:-taking'. no further part in; .parades. iUp till the present no official report of the: incident has reached.headquarters, and no ;action; will be taken Until'such, -has ■. been received. ■■ ! /No muezzin exists inWellington ;to . call the Faithful to prayer, , but . air the' ■ same passers-by on tho ' wharf on, Sunday could not help noticing the spreading .of prayer, carpets' on- the steamer 1 Ulit just as the sun. was going down,beyond Karon. Of the seventy odd.; Mohammedans on board the; .vessel a considerable number are said to Worshippers, according to. the dogma of tho. Suinite secti and not a few of thetri hope some: day to see Mecca to, perform the "ta\vaf," or proccssion round the Kaaba, and then to come back.' to. thb : SGa—"tho ~ great black water"—and the "ktimpani'B" boats, wearing the Coveted green, turban; .which ,is the synlb'ol that the pilgrimage ; to Mecca has boon achieved. ' At their - devotions ,these! Mohammedans turn their ffioos te- • wards Mecca, which, judging by the postures of tho men ori.,tho .tria,- seems to; lie somewhere back of Brooklyn. •. The Prime Minister states that he cannot give .any further information as' to 'the'trouble'lii the Land and' Inconie Tax at present, as the .'matter is stiu sub juiice. : ". ■'! ■ A resident of .Tiorndon,' his wife, and ' daughter, were all-' seized with symptoms' of poisoning the other day, from which they.. ; ,recovered after an; unpleasant, ex-: perience. They attributed their illness to sOmo! meat,- they had' eaten, which they suspected might have been! "doctored" in tho shop to preserve it in the hot weather. Certain• chemical preparations cj.n be;. used.for this ' purpose,::, and some of them , arc comparatively harmless. . Other cases': of. apparent 'poisoning which : may have been caused by meat nave been ro'poited.'! An expert .who was consulted by. a''Dominion , representative stated illness' as!' the': result '.of - eating-.'.; meat • Which had. suffered .from the hot "weather was not uncommon,' even wheii ,the, : meat had.not been "doctored." ' At a meeting of Cabinet _ yesterday railway expenditure "was authorised to the amount of .£28,950, and expenditure on roads to the amount of .£1456. , . : ; Alternative plans aro being' prepared for and increasing the!., office; accommodation, for>the 'various departments of the Wellington Iforbour'Board, and will be submitted to. the! board when : completed. !! 'One ~ 'scheme - provides fot feinsferriilg the Bond to the; present. "P store/ 'and utilising the; present Bond-, for office-'purpoSes' altogethcr. The alternative. :is to transform "P";store . into ! an. office; building. . Provision is being made for a larger: ; board;' room,: and 1 particularly for better! accommodation for the accountant's staff,'.;which.Ms -at present very " ,innch cramped for roomj and' is working under great f An . endeavour .'•'iml. bo made' to ' find room to provide baths for '.the men employed on the ,' Wharves, the l intention'.being-to /install• a number of '• hot 1 showers. •' The board s engineer - (Mr.' Marchbanks) thinks ,it will; not bepossible to put this . work; in ■ hand until the 1 rebuilding.! of' "J" .store is;well advanced. ' . , 1 ' -"In' my . opinion, ■!the -history, of • the Khyvett case offers a very strong argu- ; ment for. the .provision, for, properly con-. stituted' courts-martial; to .aoal.; with ■ ofj fences ' under, the . militaty regulations, remarked .a responsible' officer- .of the New' Zealand Defenco Forcee.to a.repreiSentativo ''o"f Dominion yesterday.'. "Under, the Present . : system, of-: military ' law. 'iiv New' Zealand :thore. is_only, provision -for .courts: of,inquiry., These courts hovo no'power of "jurisdiction.; They,.are only - constituted' to .'collect evidence': and. report: to the Governor, via; headquarters and. the Minister'- for Defence. The_general impression with -regard - tothe Court of Inquiry which exiimined er-Captain Knyvett ill .Auckland seems to ,be -that, it, was hot cbiiducted:asi;it .ought:.to. have, been.; ...There'is.'this to;be said, '-hoy/overt in 'allowing 'thai offioer it • did, tliQ; fullest' opportunity ,was afforded lum.of justifying, his aotions.;.. In- a pro-. .porly--constitutcd.;'.ponrt-maTtiaV^^ ; , ..there would bo proseoution and- defence/ and tho individual on trial would have the advice and assistanceof..r.a; -prisoner s friend,'-as-they: term' defending counsel in. courts-martial .in .the..British Army.; The; whole lease' 'Would be thoroughly ; heard, and. there would be far-less risk of, subss-. .quent'dissatisfaction/with, the -result , ; : It .is" stdted' that people at the southern end of the City are interesting the'mselves in the : ; matter! of ,the lifitihg-Up ;4f • tte; Constable. Street tram - line With" the Kilbirhie> traekf and it is on the '-hat a petition urging that- the - work, antiultt be placed in hand - will be. presented w \ the' ■ City Council at no very distant date.. ' The. estimated' cost <'ofthe extension is about ,£20,000. .' v-": The 'succuient ohop ' obtnided 'itseUi'at the' city's'■ Harris '.Street, lighting yesterday, if hen ft demonstration or.cook-; ing by.:means: of electricity was giver- to. show' consumersof electno-current Just what 1 the /olectrio! stoyd.electrio: toasters.. irons,-etc.,-can- do. Several pounds of mutton were offered Up fit- the ot electricity;and' opinion .was !that the cooking was excellent..,, lhe- lady, ■whooperated the .big- electric stove roasted a'- leg. of: mutton, in an. hour a quarter, and the joint, after being duly exhibited; was -handed over to'the electric linesmen for disposed of the joiut with'relish i ,and ( prO- ; nounced . it: ■to : be. well: i and, faithfully. Testimony was. also forthcoming .as • to. the : exceUent; qualitv; of; tho cakes and icones.'cooked the .for 6tove, and the chops grilled on thehandy little 'electric we're 1 also at work, and: thei *Hot-Poinr irons and electric .kettles did some ezcellent service. demonstration was a most successful one, and should , have the effect,of. popularising electricity in 'the kitchon. ..--,y, According to a: private letter received from a New Zcalandor, formerly employed in the Addington workshops and Sow resident-in Amenca,. there ..is not, a single - steam, locomotive- running into. New York The electric locomotive has .siipersedal tho steamer entirely. ■Or course, tho.. writer -: adds, there r are plenty of steam locomotives Tunning to Jersey City, across the Hudson Haver, but not one into..- New; York City pro- • per." • -The, .New'! tork.v.Central ; and H. 8.8. run electrio engines for 20.miles or so from the city. ' ■ . It is ; understood . that'.on hIS- arrival in Wellington next month Lord Kitchener will be accorded a civic reception by the Mayor during the ! afternoon, and '• will be entertained at. a Government banquet at night. . i Tramway revenue continues to improve with eaoh 'fine; week-end/ .the.„cMhre-, ceipts for Saturday last being £5,U, an, increase of £11, yhen compared With the receipts for tho corresponding Saturday last year. On Sunday'tho cash receipts totalled .£277, which is; more than the receipts, for .the corresponding bunday last year.- ' "The average intelligence hero is not ns high ; by any means,", writes, a New !Zealandor flow, resident; in America, com- : paring ' the. Now Zealander.. aid ■ tile. American--citiien.': "I have..no : hesitation," the ''writer adds, in • saying- toat the average N6w'ZeMand6r has Sottong: to fear from the average American. Iho ! average: intelligence in Anieriea is not high by any moans: as So many low-class .Italians and other peoples frOm Southern ; 'Europo pour in/all-the'time.': ,-. .- i. I do not' think tho' school system here is 'as effective as .in New' Zealand although the high schools ai'o nil free • and the scholars' stay, at : them until they, are about. 20 years of ago. : As ; far as .I can see, however, any first year high 'Bchool i New: Zealand ' boy - knows as/ Much As a fourth year follow here.' , . Shampooing,-. -, Clipping Maniouring, Face. Massage,. Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural 'Hajr-pads. Mrs. Rolleston (over Carroll S), 11 Willis Street, /Phono 1599. —Advt,

Tho 'annual statutory meeting' of, the Wellington Harbour Board to .receive and adopt the audited accounts of , the board for the year ended September 30, 1009, wiis held. at noon yesterday, and. Was attended by the chairman (Mr. T. Ji. Wilford, M.l'.), Messrs. C. W.. Jones, B. l?letchor, 'F„ G. " Bolton, M. : Cohen, C. B. Daniell, J. G. Harlaiess, and .J. W. M'Ewan. Tho annual, reports and' accounts (as summarised elsewhere) were received : and -adopted. Discussion Was postponed until the, monthly meeting of the board on January 27, the chairman stating that he would . ask- members to -: discuss on the same occasion .the .procedure to bo adopted during the coming year: ' ' ..,

It is rumoured, here. (says.', our Caiter-' ton correspondent) that there is possi-, bility of tno train time-table being again revised,' and; that the alterations proposed will be almost to . the, old time-table.:;. .Tho, support .'that has been given the early train;.from the .Creek to, ?onnect with the Palmerston Korth train at Masterton has been hardly sufficient to pay for axle-grease. ; .-1 -, . ..' ■ : Tho Grocers' Union'decided last evening to insist on observing the Anniversary Day holiday on _ the, anniversary date, in accordance: with, the terms of their award.;. A man was arrested in Wellington yesterday ■ oii a charge''of forgery. " The Hastings police were v also inquiring ■ for him. , . - ■ . !■• - 'Detective Casseile evening .tlrrestod a' woifian, who will be charged at th 6 Magistrate's Cptirt. with having obtained several , articles of wearing apparel. by means of falso pretences. . ; On her trip to England from Australia in November last, the P. and/O; mail liner Mantiia,' which; arrived at; Adelaide from London on January -8,- accomplished the remarkable f&t of communicating by wireless, telegraphy with; the; English station at North' Foreland .from'-;Malta, a distanco :of - oyer,; 2000 miles. On New Year's Day the liner was' in "communication with H.M.S. 'PowerfiU in with the New South Wales colliery, stnko. During tha run. from Frranantle a'game of chess' was conducted between : tho passengers aboard x and those, on the N.D l steamer Friedrich dor Grosse, which has an installation of the Marconi systom. The gamid was won by the Mantua's representatives after six hours' play, in 21 moves. . ; -. Mr. 1 Wilford, MJi, speaking yestorday .as ' chairman,. of ■ thfl Harbour, 'Board, stated that the anrnlal accounts, as presented by. the officers of tho board, had beon found correct, by the Auditor-Goii-eral and, audited withont any tag ■at all. :"In these days," added Mr. Wilford, that is worthy of: notice.".

: . Most of the; large, drapers and grocers .iu, 'Wellington have deiaded to:. close, on Sattfrday. next for Anniversary. Day. An advertisement ~ over tho names 'of these and othdr firms appears in another column. . V.^.i. i The Mount Cook Polioe Court business yesterday was conducted by Mr. Horace Baker, J.P. A first offender for drunkenness was fined 10s., -or 48 . hours,; and George Moore, also chained with ■ kennoss, was convicted and discharged; Two ■ other convictions for drunkenness were, recorded, • 'Edwardi-Carlson ;: being fined 103. or 48 hfturs, and . Michael 'Keating 205,.0r four days. William Francis Dowmali, convictod on a: charge of behaving in a -.disorderly'; manner - wliile drunk, was filled 405., in default fourteendays' imprisonment. . • A woman was arrested I by the folica last evening, and will come before the magistrate ,-' to-day on a charge of vagrancy., On December. 18 last, 6ne was orocred.:,to,V?oine'' i iup:.'' : fdr-vßWitehc6'.- , wli6ii-' called upon; on ■'condition' that; she 're: mained. in tlio- Salvation- Army Home for ai monthsi :. She escaped from the in--stitutipn on Sunday.■'.■'■•■X-Ji' i'-": , ! j'The value: of tho exports from Wellington* for:, the:. fortnight 'ended .'January l 15, was as underßuttet, JE32.153; cheese, il7,Ml;'.:froain .beef,ViE39s9;: frozen mut-.; ton, £4548; (frozen ' lamb,:. flax,-' £15,694; tow, JSmj hides, £097; skins, wS72G3 j talloif, X 6241; w001,.' .£166,880. . The; tramping of two, pairs' of - heavy' .boots was ala .that'broke the stillness of. Lambton Quay,at three o'clock on Sunday morning..;:,,j Prcsentlv tho;-marchers stopped, ■ and tho constable drew his vser-' i geanfs attention to a-light lb Holliday's book shop. . "It wis not there as I tame along; bit." he said, as they moved quietly towards the . door.. One electric bulb; lit; up: the ; interior,: but, .there£ was no other', suspicious sign: The sergeant . tried : the door, which only, rattled in the lock,_ but ;thS" light'vWeifik. olltfiiistaritly.V"This,'jis : . worth our. while; you wait here, and knock down the first mtur who appears,". ;he said :td' theconstable, and."dashed off. down - the;street.: .Reihforcemfcht'i ,-were. assembled 'quickly, ' alHl an 'entrahco Oflocted to the shop from the Terrace,-through/ a ? skylightsA< thorough .search ;,of the. premises ■ revealed nothing, and, when the, managerVmade,:an,;inspection yesterday: morning, he l could find' not:, the slightest -trace of burglars. . The 6urpnsed police officers are, now i discoursing On .tho .vagaries of electric lights.■ 111 talking ; over the Budget: on his re-turn-to 'England' from the colonies, Sir Albert Spicer remarked (states thd "British Weokly") that'it was difficult;to as- : certain - accuriitely ' tne feeling in '- Aub-' tralia with regard to - Mr. Lloyd-George's Finance Billr "The Australian: press, which is very. ; influential ■ and very good, acts' together 0 : in;? regard to : the . cablegrams. Of course, tho prico of cablegrams is higli' at present, and the information' sullied-On British ptiblip affairs' is fartoo' scanty;:;lmportant specchcs areioften ; cut. down- to two; ot three ;;s4n-' tences containing 6mart.. points..- During the visit. of • the r commerciAl-' delegates there : were eiCeptions, but, taken. 'as a whole, the iablo service behveen our country! and Australia, is Very-inadequate/. 1 do.'not' think I am ; uxifaii':iiL .saying.that the'vgeneril bias is in a Conserratlve di-, reotion. One could not help noticing tho 'contradiction : between' the advocacyof- ; the .principles' of .'the -Budget .in. Australian matters: and-the disposition to criticise the saine' principles when it Was proposed to. adopt.-:.themari'E^tad.";;-' Satisfactory figures aro shoirti for the running :of the ' special tram-cars oh Stindiy lasti ■ Tho morning-specials rUn on: the;city lines• carried 653 adillts and.4B; children, and. the late cars :'frflfn-.Coh i stable Street and Nbwtowh'; ; .oiurried..:.B7. . anu 98 ■ passengers respectively.' ■ : .'.

After a successful. tour of South: Africa; the' Besses o' th', Barn Band has embarked for its long-projected season' in Australasia. The band, left South Africa ,by ■ the White; Stir: liner; Sueyic .two . or, three daj;s ago/ and is oxpeoted to-arrive in Adelaide oh; the' : 26th of:.thiS' inonthi Immediately^' on its arrival in-Adelaide it is to proceed: by .express train to Melbourne, where it. will. embark for'.: Now. Zealand; So that it may' make its first apt peiirance: in, Cliristchiir.dh on .February 8; It may.-be mentioned ..that: it'was. at ,th<j special request'of the Besses that.Christchurch was "choien as. the scene of their" first Conoert, ■ in/ [Australasia^.} ; On their, last tour of. this portion of:the world/' the; bandsmen ; -inaugurated. •,a; triumphant, 'progress at the' same; city, and naturally prefer to; pay the place the honour •:; of commencing, there once again..;;; '. , :In November, the Wellington Harbour Board,. ■ after lan inquiry v as "tb the advisability or; otherwise of '< the establishment of an appeal' board, to deal with matters, affecting the ' employees, decided,.'-'6ii : -the 'mtotion .of Mr. K. Fletcheri 'That; an appeal committee bo. formed,; coliSisting'; of' the wharves and accounts committee. -Hie appeal committee'' shall investigate, had deal with all complaints laid before it by or on behalf of any of the employees. ' Any member of the /.board's -. permanent - staff may be suspended, but fl6 such member shallv be dismissed until his case . has. been considered by the appeal commit-: tee. . All' communications -from the committee, either..;to.;.theboard-or, tho employees are .to be made in writing through the secretary." The secretary (to. H. E.. Nioholls). reports that up. to' .the: end of the financial year, September 30, 1909, been no occasion to call the; committee'together. ; Three ladE, two aged 11, and the . third a year older, were brought beforo. Mr. W. G. lliddell, S.M., at a sitting, of the Juvenile Court yesterday ulorniflg on two charges of . theft at Lyall ' Bay. They were; Charged 'M'vith ( having ,a purse (value 3s/ Cd.). and sd. iii 'Hibneyi tlie properly ,of Ivy Wagitiiff, and (2) a pursej 10s. .in: money, and ; two 'lucky,, bcanS, 1 ' the .property, 6f touisA HaUs.; The eldest boy and one of the others wore ordered td : receive slx strokes of the birelij aiid tllo third.boy,four strokes. Kadi of the parents was asked to contribute ohi!--third of tho value of tha stolen pro' porty. -

Mrs. Charles Castendvk, boardinghousokceper,. of 'Wellington?- was yesterday' ad-: judged bankrupti'on her own petition. A meeting of creditors in : the; eitate .will- be held on' January .26. • .;-.:i' V;i: Tho Thorudon reclamation which is being carried.out by Mr: C.' F." Pulley, is making: satisfactory' pi-ogress,; about CSO. feet of the-'Waterloo Quay sewer;.'having', been completed to date, leaving another 650 foot to be ; done. Thero aro about 40 men engaged on the works and, taking tie; work. all round, , everything'is. progft'sssing ' well. '.Only about .10 ' men-, aro '.employed 'on .'tho Miramar contract: at tho present time, but this: number.; will beconsiderably increased, before. veryj long. The' prelim-i inary work has beeii' ntostly completed" and 'about.4oo feet of tomporart ■;piling has been done. The concrete work ,is now. being pushed on and_ preparations are being made for .the earthworks. A start .was .made .yesterday', m&'rning putting in-the first section ofconcrete fof - tho wall. . . '

■ -A- resident ■ of a North ■ Island ; ■ bfiidi; township, who .gains; his. living by - the' sale of ferns .to passengers on the trains, as. they - pass. thro ngli, the, township where • he-lives, has.-just returnedfrom a trip' (says .'an; exchange),. and;it is 6aid ; that the ;trip was paid-for' out . of tin proceeds of liis sales of bush', ferns. : • '