LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

- The postal. authorities advise that the .Victoria, which left Sydney on 'Wednesday, February 10, for Auckland, has, on ;boai'd an; English and: Australian'^mailtor Wellington, which is due hero on. Monday afternoon next, ■ February 21, by the Main' Trunk, express. ..-, ;• ,',';■ ■

Searching examination of judgment creditors occupies, a good', deal of time in' tbe Magistrate's Court- oni civil days, andMr.'Haseldcn, .S.M;, remarked on.the fact; yesterday. In one judgment! summons case, the creditor's counsel, after putting many other ' questions. to' the,- debtor, l at last-asked : him: "And can you make any offor, to pay this money?"/ 'Then 1 tho. magistrate interrupted, the: proceedings. "I; think the ingenuity, of the Bar;might ..devise some means' of 'preventing - this .^aste,. of their, own' time," sadd -Mr. Ilaselden. ' "I am ■speaking.; of judgment' summonses .generally.,, Over•', and over again, ul; this -Court-and other. Courts, -tiiho is taken up 'with 'the; same; questions,' | that are quite irrelevant 'to. tn'o main-issuiv as to- whether the man-has the means to pay. However,'l; have made ■up my mind,to endure it in a martyr-like way.', .■ Thoro. were many thoughtful faces in; the solicitors' benches, v

, To-morrow, rifle, matches at Trenthaui will. furnish '. local marksmen, with a last opportunity of getting their. ''«yes-'in", for the-.various events of. theNew Zealand championship rifle; meeting, which opens on" March ,i', .next.. The, tar-' gets allotted- for -the .various', company, competitions, are' as -follow:—Collins Range, 500 and 600 yards: y- Highland Rifles, No.- lj Post.and Telegraph Rifles; 2 and' 3; Civil Service -Rifles; A arid: 5; Kelburno Rifles, 6 and7;;'Petoht'i Navals, 8 and 9j Zealaridia Rifles; 10, ; li- and 12; Wellington Guards, 13, 14, and 15; Petone Rifle Club; 16; Knrori Rifle Club, 18, 19; ahd>2o; College Rifles, 21, and,22; D. Batterv, '23, 24, and 25. Sommerville Ran»e, '600 and 90O.yards:-City Rifles, 1 arid; 2; Highland■ Rifles, -3. and; 4;, Wellington i Guards,' s;'Post' and Telegraph'Rifles, ! \6; Hutt Valley. Rifles, 7 and. 8; .Upper Hatt i'Rifle Club, 9 and 10; ;reseTve < targets, U-.dnd-.12.:-.'-.. 1 ';. ■:'•' •-:::■■.-.'• .',:,' ; -- ■'■ -ll',"-

On,his reccit'returnto Timarii, whim his boyhood and youth w.ere.spent, Fitzsimmons,:' ■ formerly champion '/.heavyweight boxer, was. given/a ; great, reception. , A., crowd mot him at -the. railway station, and escorted him to the; theatre, where,'before 'a ''large gathering! .the Mayor,' Mr.' J.' Craigie; M\P., welcomed; him 'as' an. old ' Timaru'' boy • who ' had gained a;great name'.. Mr..Craigi« said Mtzsimmons had played the, game; fair.ly. and squarely, and had set a good' .exiiapie of filial duty by succouring. his aged parents in Timaru. when . he was : in America.. Fitassimmons 'made a .brief reply, breaking down'aslie.tried to express his thanks for tho reception. - He ;was lustily: cheered.; :Th« -Boxing. Club'..entertained him at dinner;; l . \.. .':-.':'..

: In connection with the wreckage washed, ashore near. the Wangaehu River; as reported in .yesterday's .issue, the Marino Separtment has received confirmation: of the report from the. Collector ..of Customs at! Wauganui. The .police are.' investigating the,: matter, and:, by .'.request of tho Marine Department, the. Collector, of .Customs will telegraph, any. further particulars as. they" become' available., ,' '"• "I don't like these weighirig-machines-r . they.' are. rather, a disfigurement..., Our w.aiting-shcds. : are Tery- well, without .them. So spoke the Mayor.of Mirnhiar (Mr; '.C. J. Crawford) at. the Miraniar; Borough' Council : meeting : last evening, when an application-was read from.- the Automatio 'Weighing-machine ■ Company to have its weighing-machine . removed from the Seatoun Wharf to one'of- the tramway waiting' sheds on th« Seatouu line. -While' the machine was'.'stationed at the wharf' it had,.so it .'was stated, been rifled; onoo' and .twice. Hence, perhaps, the coiirpany'svdosire to -have'the machine removed to'a less'exposed, if not .'less laorative,'position.;. It was agreed to allow the borough. engineer to.'decide .upon tho merits of the application.".'■ ;'',::/-';..' '.\ '; ;,. '

/An erstwhile resident of Maslerton has written to. the secretary of.the, Wellington .-Farmers'. Meat .Company, applying for-the position'of manager, or, failing that, the position, of. foreman, butcher, says.a Wairnrapa paper.. With becoming modesty he. states that, in the.event of these two positions not being available, he would fake apposition as slaughterman, or even cook. As an afterthought he states that should.he.be deemed' unsuitable . for any. of these .positions he might favourably consider"; the question of acting as.'cook's .assistant. ::•';

"Lines of Communications" was the subject of a lecture dolivered by Lieutonant J'.. E;"' Duigan, Staff Engineer Instructor, before the members of the Wellington Garrison Officers' Club last evening. There was a very good attendance, andtho lecture, which had a'practical bearing on the field operations which are to be carried out in the vicinity of Johnsonvillo on the occasion of Lord Kitchener's inspection of the Wellington district troops, was listened to with close attention; .:' •;

The Town Hall, public libraries, and lighting, offices,, Harris Street, .will bo closed to-day.for the corporation-staff annual picnio; The ■ libraries will- reopen at 7 p.m. The .public baths will remain open..as 'usual.'..-.v.:

Wandering cattle are apparently a source of considerable annoyance to the' residents of lliramar, particularly those about Karak'a Bay. So much so that one of tho residents has, been moved to entreat the Borough Council to "deal with this matter once and-for all." The council considered tho'-position at its .meeting last evening, when it was decided to take stops to "remedy the nuisance, .

Already committed for trial on a serious oharge, Ralph Balcombe will appear' before .tie magistrate this morning on a oharge '■ of having stolen a "watch'and chain, worth. £3. 105., the property, of Frank. ITConville. .

The young man, Percival Braithwaite, who has been remanded until to-day for sentence on a charge of theft of money from the steamer Gertie, will be further oharged in the Magistrate's. Court with having stolen a bicycle, the property of John Coffey. ... . '..-' >

Deputy-Surveyor-General Smith, of South Australia, recently located the grave of Darke, the surveyor, who originally surveyed the Eyre Peninsula, the west coast, which is now .being thickly settled, says the "Daily Telegraph.'? v Tho Government has erected a monument to mark the. spot, with, the inscription:—. "Sacred to'the memory of John Charles Darke, . surveyor, who was; mortally wounded by natives.when exploring in this locality, October 23, 18«, and died the following day. Erected by the South Australian Government."

'• Blue papers -were being, endorsed, and stamped, in quick succession at the Magistrates. CouTt .yesterday 'morning, when there came a moment of relaxation' for] the officials. .Even the : magistrate and the score of. solicitors, forgot the '., solemnity of the proceedings, and joined-in the. general laugh': The crier had called out, as a civil case, "Kis Majesty ''the King versus John Bellinghani and H. yi Earp-Thomas." There was a'silence, and then Mr. Neave rose. "I appear, for the plaintiff,. your Worship," he said, "hut my client is not his Majesty'j',, he .-.is an electrical engineer." It became apparent then that the crier was in error, having read tho plaint note -as "H. M.'King" instead of "E. S. King*' (Hugh Sebastian). Before, the, court .resumed ,■ • its . sombre course, the .magistrate, Mr. Haselden,-re-marked:' "His Majesty has a more, summary; way. of. putting:;his suhjects. in prison than by proceeding on a judgment summons.". '. ...,■ .'"■,'-

' The Wellington Hospital ■ and Charitable Aid Board; as constituted under the Act of. last session,'will con6ist ! of sixteen members, allotted to': the different districts as follow:—Wellington City, Earori, and; Miramar 10 members, Lower Hutt and Eastbourne 1; Petone .1, :..Makara County, JohnsonvUle, and ; Onslow 1; Hutt County and "Upper Hutt'' Town District 1, Horowhonua County 'and Levin 2. The election will'take place on March 16, and the new board will assume its responsibilities on April 1. ':';r;.'\:'.

It is' expected that over fifty delegates will attend; the annual conference of the New Zealand • section .. of \ the British Medical ■ Association,- which'- opens at the' Masonic Hall, Boulcott; Street,- on ; Monday evening.:: The inaugural address'of the president (Dr. Purdy, of Lower Hutt) - will deal with matters affecting- the'relationship of the medical profession and the public, The questions'.set down for discussion by the conference are severely technical, -,but popular s interest will- be shown in, a series.of. social functions,: the first of which will be a reception by the president.'of 'the '. association,. and -Mrs. Purdy, on ,-Monday, night, after • the; delivery of. the presidential: address. -After the opening: meeting, the; conference will ,sit in. the Legislative Council Chamber.. ■ A London journalist tells"the > following story of the House: of Commons member, one /day,, 'when, the i Speaker, i Mr. Lowther, was away ill; met Mr.: Gully, secretary to tho. present: Speaker, : and a 6on of the bite Speaker, and asked him when; Mr., Lowther.would.:.be back. "In about: a day/' said Mr. Gully, whereupon . the member' remarked that he was •glad, as Mr. .Lowther." was the best .■Speaker-., they-.-had ever /had.. He'realised a' moment-later, that/this was hardly the right' thing :to ;have said to the son of , Mr. Lowthcr's predecessor,'' and to the first;friend-'he.met' he' exclaimed, "Oh, ' ' have 'said; such';a* stupid/thing.:;' v I just met" young Gully,V-and : I said'Lowther. ( was the best Speaker we'ever'had." Unfortunately the friend to whom'he made this remark happened tobe Mr.' Pe'el, ; ,6on of Lord Peel, who had been Speaker before Mr.: Gully.; "I.dare/say,", said Mr. ■Peel .dryly;.',"if,.you,/walkod:'down .St. James's .Street you -might meet one of, the Brands,"'an'rallusiori to.:.the.name of. the,

SpeakervLord'-Peel.succeeded.;,/,.;•.;,.;, '. : It is reported that "a/party returning overland' 1 from u Milfbr'd Sound had a very unpleasant, experience; just recently. They essayed to -ford-.the Kparing Stream when it swollen,;and,in;doing. 6oiseveral of. the /party.,had a ;v«ry narrow (escape.,of; being-'; carried ,away;-and drowned. ~ One, member .'of "theVparty.Y which ■/; included Mr; and Mrs: W.'-P;..'Coltman,. of Ballarat, Professor 8r0wn,.,. arid Professor, and Mrs. Adamson; of .-/Wellington, states that they were.quite ignorant.of the danger they ,;ran'in crossing- the stream' in •its. then state, nor did guides, nor anyone «lsie..warn-them..vThis source.of danger, he/ said,"might.easily be .removed, if■• the: Tourist Department, would /stretch a cable from:;bank, to bank .near the. Jervois'glacier. .-' Apart from:' this; the party; were, charmed with/the:scenery/' the- overlaid ,-;track affords.. .They .experienced a storm j at- the M'Kinnon Pass, and describe: it •as ,magnificeit,,i ■/,/':',/;:/.;-; , 'V ; , '.■■■::.*'■

- The monthly'-meeting'of: the Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday 'morning,- and -was, attended by Messrs, R;C Kirk (chairman); "F-: Cohen, and "J. J. : : Devine; ■' The firian-' cial report showed a credit-bank balance at. date, £142 i 6s.' 6d;j cash in. hand, £27 Wis.;. subsidy due from Government,-''.£1412 95.-'Bd: Accounts amounting to ,£IBB3 Is. 6d. were passed .for payment,.leaving, a oi ; dC981; 4s. Bd. .-Messrs. Devine and' Kirk - appointed. a-committee to assist;.''the; secretary., in■• .preparing. ...csti-". mates' to submit'to;the next.meeting for the guidance':of the new board/, V-

: One-of- the: Auckland delegates to the' 1 tramwayiemployees'conferenco'atChristchurch (Mr.. Kcsser) told' a. "Lyttelton Times" reporter, -the'other evening, that.'at'present thecars in,the Auckland.tramway systeni'.were not equipped :with power brakes of any' description, aiidV : a.-', good deal of prominence had' been'given to this fact lately, aid:there had been a general protest ■ against'the continuation of the use of hand-brakes only. While in Christchurch .he'hoped to niake/arrangenieute for .himself and his .fellow-deleaates 'to gather: some information' regarding the brake (equipment .on', the Christchurch cars.- On their return to Wellington they .would: meet' the Ministor-for; Railways, and have a- consultation with, him; Mr.: Rosser said-he' understood that the Minister 'himself approved of: the air-brakes, but- his : advisory, engineer ' had recommended the use of magnetic, brakes.-' If the engineer's advice' were followed, every car would have:to.be re-erected, oh.new trucks, and- this would involve aa ts--penditure--of': about .£20,000, The cars could be' installed with tmeiiiuatic brakes, however; at,a v cost of 'froin J8000.,t0 /..' - ; "'':f.:'";'.:'■ :'•'";"-:;.:,,.:"'■

"Siiicido or a''shilling" were, tie alternatives placed before a Dunedin business man recently by an Oxford graduate .down'on s his luck (says the "Otago Daily Times").: -"i The tho y'oung nian, who was somewhat shabbily dressed, but who had:a good manner, was that he was "on the rooks" entirely, unable to: get work—"his ■ education, seemed; to'- be against him"—and 'he would' gladly f accept a few. shillings, as he had had nothing to eat that day. The gentleman appealed to here remarked! "I am afraid you .have made'a'mistake,, young man. This is not a benevolent institution."; To this the young man replied: "Now, don't —please don't—try to ,be funny. If you refuse to help me with oven, a. shilling, which you won't miss, there is only one course open for me—that, is'■ suicide!" Despite this-, forbidding prospect, the business man remained, obdurate, and forcibly pointed out to tho young man that in this fine country, with his educa-' tion, he should make a good living. If ho could not, then he'.ought to be but of the world! . Nothing further' of the young, mendicant has, been hoard 60 far. The extra penny charged: on special cars on'the Miwunor North'tramway lino has increased' the revenue of the borough by'.,£275 12s. lOd. for.tho period April •1, 1909—February 2,. 1910. A! statement submitted to the council last evening, showing tramway gains and losses .in.-.itho running of the Miraniar North and Seatoun lines,, indicated, that during the 'period.October'l, 1909-Februar.v 2, 1910, the losses' on Miramar .North line amounted: to £11. 175. id., while the Seatoniv line returned a gain of £16 3s. Id., showing, a., total running gain of £i ss. 9d. Taking the figures.from April 1, 1909, till February 2, 1910, the total running loss, was .£5lB Bs.'2d. :. Shampooing, Clipping Hairdressing. Manicuring, Pace Massago, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. 'Natural Hair-pads. 'Mrs. Eolleston (over' Carroll's), U. Willis Street. 'Phone 1599, Advt*

. Once' again the 300 odd settlers in' tho:. Timatanga- postal.'.distrlct; ore. cxperienc- '•■'.■; ing the disadvantages l of being without ■■.';. postal: f aoilities,. tho - post ; office ,' having : : been closed since January 31, says" the' "Pelorus. Guardian."■: -The ■ reason . for. this is! that .the late postmistress was-in-;■; sufficiently paid. The salary attaching.:.:; to tho. position! is'. JB3s:per:annum, ana:this is considered inadequate in view of V the fact.that the postmistress-had every ,: day to.walk from her office to the main 'i! road with,, the . outgoing : mail,'...take, de- 'f livery of 'the incoming mail,, and walk •'■ back. No.one will take the. position un-.:. less, the salary is increased, and for the: sake of. the unfortunate: settlers,' thev "Guardian" hopes the Department i. trill;." make arrangements • for , reoponing the. I office without:delar;v' :!:;.: ..'. 1

= Fees .for. the analysis of .any .food ordrug by an analyst under the • Sale of Food and Drugs Act,l9oß '(including the. prescribed certificate of the result of tho analysis where such certificate is'given),', have been fixed by Order-in-Council .at--10s.: 6d; in. tho case.bf any ; food, andJS2 2s. in-the case of any drug.; ..The fee for a copy of the result of any analysis will be. 2s. 6d.—J. F. Andrews.

A conference was held last evening be- - '■■/ tween ' delegates' from the Wanganui: Waterside Workers' Union (Messrs. Love-. • grove and E; M'Kay),: and the local'/ union in regard to the' employment ol .Wellington men at stevedoring work on'vessels lying: at "Wanganui. I'his'is ob-■.■' jected.to by the . Wanganui'-TJnion, pn : ■':'. the ground'that their own iwharf workers are quite able- to'handle' cargo" on. tha ocean-going steamers visiting the-' port•:' without assistance from '■ Wellington -. or •'. any' other place.••■••As- an' important' por-• turn of tho. Wellington /Unioh'vwas un-:' able to bo, represented at .last■■'.night's"'.' conierenco, no resolution .was passed,'but "■'. after a discussion consideration of■'••' tlia-v matter -was adjourned till a' meeting-"of" 1 the union, ttiibe-held' next "Wednesday 1 evening. .■- Judging, by last -night's-' dis-' '. cussion, no difficulty will be' found in: arriving at it decision that will be satis- 1 ' factory to .both.'sides. • /.' ■"'•••'•.•'. •'" ,"■■ '■'■'-■ t - At. the m'e'eting of .the •'EttTboiii'.'Boafdiv to be, hold :bh'.Tuesday; next; .the .Hon. T. Kennedy, llacdonald/.will move:—"(1) That a Finance. Committee- be: set up> to report, within oho; month/, as -to' 'themonthly pay-sheets of . the board, -h and" what reductions, .in- the judgment, of.-the-/ board,. are neoessary', in brder< that greater.. economy raay.exist.in connection with ch«; bpard's administration; :■'. (2) /That -tho/ whole .of the :by-laws of the "Wellington ' Harbour- Board regulating./the./ conduct'' of business, be referred to a special- meeting, of the.hoard, withinseven' days;pf-' the first meeting of: the board,, with instructions . to.. carefully, examine such■ by-•' laws, and to report:.within/ one/ month'' what changes (if any);they'recommend. "\ '-. '■ Ah • adventure .of a /'sensational/arid strange, nature : was... met.'/with-.f by/ a ■ fishing.,; party; early "in ■" the"/ week, - says . -.the.. "Oamaru-.-,:Mail.""-' 1 . Mr./ W.v Todd's /launch,' manned by' Messrs -E. Todd ahd'R./'Smith,' was out at:the' fishing ' ground:. and a'< good-sized dogfish." had/just been hooked, when a large sharf came, alongside/the boat and" snatched -tho' fish away. : The following morning the same' party, were .again 'but in-: the place 'where ■ they/previously- lost/the-'dogfish, .'when.'they observed, a' large' shark : near -the' : boat..'••. It to be/ the same one that-' 'they-x-had •■ seen'•before'. 1 "Afterwatohing'the'm for a little while/it-came straight at the boat as if; to attack 'it, and' with its ; head'.knocked a hole in the.bot-.

torn.: It was. only by mating all.possible speed for. shore 1 .: and ; baling out all - the. time that Messrs.;!Todd- and :Smith - were

able to beach .thelaunch. and to -avertsa-' fatality: ;whioh''threatened'.tb- ( end'-'their" strange 7 adventure. ;:.- V-'.':'!'>;."i a; : :\"-' ; : : .The;United,States Bureau.qf'Fisheries

has set up; a committee 1 to. conserve, the. valuable-fur which"'isiV'being'ei-i■ termiiiated:,by..;th6 ;■ seal-killers. :.'f. This committee ;haa '. recommended : ' that/ not : mbre';than 95 per cent.- of the,three-year-, old-male seals should" be -killed' in any•': - year.-' .The /committee'/; has. also recom-. mended -that -there, 'should be T added< to ' the. Fur-Seal Service;,a:chief . naturalist;, who should ..have charge of all. matters,, ; pertaining to; the investigation,.study'and management'of the,fur-seal..herd.and all '. other, life' on! .certain ■ islands, -. '■ and.' who: should; give: advico to. the. agent in, charge' .iniregard:,tg;,.th6 number of.,the"seals.to': be;.killed each.,season.: .■..: Another recom-. mendation made by'the: committee, is that there, should be arranged'-a conference of scientific,/menvand,.diplomats oK Great: Britain, Canada, Japan, 'Russia,: and the; '•■United-States'to consider;the question/of ocean sealing and ah international game law. to protect-whales,;, the .'walrus,'"the seakitter,, and,other,;mammals-.'of ctho. sea, the .'agreement; arrived; at by. thoso'na-; tions''''to..be'!submitted' to. the;other..mari. time nations.',for...their concurrence.- , ~;

..'. The"; Government's intentions.!• with'.rev gard, to. the Lake' Wakatipu ferry' servics by the. 'Hon. .J.'. 'A; MillarY;Ministor! for' Marine; !in conversa- ■ : tioh :; wi th ■'■" an: ; "otago;;Daily :Times" ■■ re- ■ porter on,Tuesday^: The.Minister 6tated that, he'.' -was now,; w.aiting..:far'.'the','Elans', and specifications, of .a new paddle steahi'tf for, the: lake which -'were being:, prepared by : Mr. H;' : M'Crae,;' naval :archifeet,VDun,edin. ,'As 6opn:. as' these ;were_rreceived they would'be'eonsidered by Cabinet;'and,; if, approved of,'tenders;would be ,called : on .them' in: New: Zealand,; and ; if. the; prices received 'compared favourably with quotations'-already ;received, from ■ outside New; Zealand,': thenVthe..building, of the, steamer wduld. be carried,out within' the Dominion.' It: was.'jof'oourse,' a question' of price;:: i "My' owii .personal' .opinion,, said the';:Mihister, ;ji'is: that the class'-.©! steamer' required'ean be. built as cheaply, locallyVas outside oiyhevDominion. .The steamer to beplacea: on Lake Wakatipu will-be built: of; stoel,;.'and- the idea in having a? paddle .onii is that-it .-.will be I'verymuch steadier -than'' a screw steamer. I hope to'have it ready.for next season! :-:. v :v.y-; V- :■'.