LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 754, 1 March 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Manuka, which left Sydney on Saturday, February 26 for Wellington, has on board an Australian mail, which is due here tomorrow morning. A dead dog in the Petone beach formed a topic for discussion at last evening's meeting of the Borough ; Council. The bbrongh officers furnished a .progress report on tho matter, but councillors protested that the carcass was still exposed , oa the sands. A councillor said that he had reported the nuisance to the town clerk some days ago; the town clerk intimated that he had referred the matter, to the borough engineer; tho borough engineer 6aid that he had issued written instructions for the immediate removal of the dog; the sanitary inspector . remarked that he had found a notification about the dog on his file; and he communicated with the town clerk so that that official might order a prompt burial. At this stage a member of tho council remarked that there appeared to be some evidence of "red tape about the proceedings, but another councillor continued the debate. the Harbour Board responsible?" he asked. . The Mayor 'was doubtful, but surely, he said, if the carcass lay below mark it was under the jurisdiction of the harbour authority. "In that case," remarked' the sanitary inspector, "we would bo exceeding our duty in moving it." When it was urged from the council table that whether the dog belonged to the Harbour Board or whether the Borough Council had a legal claim to it, the nuisance should be abated without delay, the Mayor promised to look into the matter next morning, and undertook to furnish a report to the next meeting of the'eouncil. ' ■■.•.'..

; Tho Trentham rifle range telegraph office is to he openedi to-day, March 1. The hours of attendance are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on week days. Sundays, 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Just as the s.s. Kaikoura was leaving Wellington for Tiiuaru on February 21, the sight of a fireman taking on board a brand new bicycle aroused the suspicions of the police officials. When the vessel reached Tiniaru" the police. there found the machine was one.belonging to Messrs. Townsend and Paul, of Wellington. Word has now been received that the fireman, who is named M'Creedie, pleaded guilty to the theft of the bicycle, and was let oft with a fine on tho condition that the machine was returned to its rightful owner. The long-delayed civil sittings of the Supreme Court may bo commenced before the end of the week. The Chief Justice, Sir llobert Stout, wired yesterday, from Invercargill, to the Registrar of the Supreme Court stating that he hoped to arrivo in Wellington on Friday next, and that he will be prepared to conduct business on that day. Iftv Justice Chapman may return from Masterton before then, seeing that only two criminal cases, one divorco petition, one civil case, and other minor matters are to occupy his attention. . ■ The cash receipts on the tramways for Saturday totalled £iU 7s. lid., which is a decrease of .£57 as against the figures for tho corresponding day last year. On Sunday the cash taken was ,£268 17s. 3d., or £7 better than the takings on the same day last year. The morning "specials" on Sunday carried 317 adults and 15 children, and the 9.50 "special" from Constable Street' carried .98 passengers, whilst the 10 p.m. "special" from Newtown carried 42.. TTnder the new Defence Act, which comes into operation to-day, members of the various volunteer corps will now he styled "territorials." Provisional regulations have been prepared, but they will bo replaced by others within the next month or two. Members of tho existing corps have three months in which to decide whether they will remain in the force. Referring to the change in the title of the volunteers, a prominent officer informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that on present indications the "territorials" would show mi increase 'in numbers rather than a decrease—as it was recognised that under the new force members would havo greater privileges.

"There are acres of thistles shedding thoir downy seed all over the place," said a Lower Hutt councillor ut last night's meeting, referring to the nuisance caused by a landholder who allowed thistles to grow unchecked on his property. The councillor said he understood that tho ordinary thistle was not a. noxious weed undor the Act, but under the conditions he had mentioned the thistles were certainly noxious weeds. The übiquitous dock came in for a considerable amount of abuse. It was decided to sec if tho thistles could uot be dealt with ns nuisances. . ; Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdressing, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Rolloston (over Carroll's), U Willis Street. 'Fiwue jm-Advt.

A "feeler" has been put out by the Wellington llugby Union regarding grounds for the coming season. A letter from the union was read at last night's meeting of the Pctone Borough Council, in which an offer was made by tho Rugby Union of £! 10s. for the use of each of the three grounds on the Eecreation Eeserve for the sesaon. The council discussed what it held to be a breach of last year's agreement committed by tho union in playing the semi-final match (Potone v. Athletic) in town. Councillors contended that not until after tho match was over was it known to bo a semi-final. A resolutioa was agreed to that the union lx> asked whether it admitted any claim by the council in connection with that match, and whether it wos prepared to refer the matter to arbitration. The council resolutely determined not to negotiate regarding the disposal of the grounds for the coming season until a settlement of last year's dispute hud been reached.

The conference between the Special Committee of the City Council and the representatives of tho Salvation Army, in reference to tho establishing of a Prison Gate Home at Island Bay, is to be held on Wednesday. The conference is tho result of the recent meeting between tho council's Special Committee, the nisidcnts of Island Bay, and the Army authorities. The finishing touches will be put on tho new storage reservoir to-day, and the reservoir ivill be filled up for the first time this evening. The next storage reservoir to bo put in hand will be at Roseneath, where a site has been held for some time past. The first pegs for. the survey of the site were put in yesterday. . , ■ . In conversation with a' Dominion reporter yesterday an experienced alpine climber referred to the unenviable experiences which a party recently had on Mount Egmont. "There will continue to be instances of tho kind," he said, "until the authorities post up in the cottages, etc., on the mountain a few simple instructions in mountaineering. If parties stick to the recognised routes'the moun-. tain is not difficult to ascend, but iE they deviate therefrom, and aro unaccustomed to the.pastime) they may soon find thornselves in difficulties. There is another point which visitors 6hould keep well in mind, and that is to avoid as far e.s possible dislodging rock in climbing in precipitous places. More than onco members of a party have been seriously injured by dislodged pieces of rock." Although the last discount day for outstanding Lower Hutt Borough Council ratepayers was passed over yesterday, and something like ;C4OO came to hand for the day, there is still £1442 outstanding for general rates, .£5lB for interest, and JE2O9 for water' rates. The town cleric has about 70 summonses in hand, and/is taking proceedings against practically the whole of the defaulters. ..'•'. , . The Penguin Shipwreck Belief Committee met yesterday when several cases of distress, occasioned' in Great Britain by the loss of breadwinners who were enployed on the Penguin, were further investigated. The committee is looking into these cases with a-view to ascertaining what measure of relief will be necessary for the future. It is understood that no steps have yet been taken by the Government in regard to the representation of the Dominion of Now Zealand at the Festival of the Empire to be held in London in May and June. .

An illuminated address, bound in red morocco and embossed with the initial "K." was presented to Lord Kitchener prior to his departure from Wellington by representatives of the Ngatiapa, Whangaiiui, Kangitaane, aud Muanpoko tribes which loyally assisted the British in the Maori war. The Marine Department has decided that a' magisterial inquiry shall be held into the mishap to the auxiliary ketch Vesper which recently drifted on the rocks off Tiritiri Island. It will' be held at Auckland on a date yet to be fixed. Crime among juveniles seems to be on the increase , here. Following upon a number, of recent. cases, charges are set down, for hearing, to-day against some lads ,f or alleged theft of newspapers from parcels belonging to agents, and ngainst other lads.,for;ialleged..,theft from the pockets'of bathers at Te Arq baths. . Customs revenue. collected at 'Wellington during the month ' of ' February totalled • £61,736 18s. ■ 6d:; an amount which included. ,£1342 17s. Id. surtax. Beer duty amounted to £1182 11s. Bd. For the month of February, 1909, the revenue was i£67,955 9s. 3d., and beer duty £1129 15s. 6d. With the same "grit" .that carried him to within a few miles of the South Pole, Sir Ernest Shackleton made a determined attempt recently to deliver a lecture in German before the German Colonial Society in the great hall of the Hochschule fur Musifc, which was literally crowded to th<3 doors. The lecture had been translated .into German for the explorer, and for the last few days he had been practising its delivery; • The grim expression on the face of the explorer as he struggled with the throatrending gutturals and fearful arrays of consonants that waylaid him in hi:i task, could be dimly seen in the shaded light of a reading lamp. Before the lecture Sir Ernest had expressed , a doubt whether the audience would be able to understand his accent. It soon becamo evident that the apprehension was well founded. The man who had triumphed over untold physical ' perils failed' completely to conquer the phonetic terrors of the German language. When' he had been speaking for a quarter'of an.hour, : aided occasionally by a prompter sitting by his side, a low murmur was heard among. the audience. It grewv quickly into a great cry of "English," mingled with hand-clapping and much laughter. Sir Ernest's stern expression melted into a smile of relief. The bulldog set of his jaw relaxed. "Well," he said slowly, "it. will be a great deal easier for me and I dare say for you too." Speaking, therefore, with slow utterance and clear articulation, Sir Ernest finished his lecture in bis own language, and the German tongue, with its armament of uuwieldly polysyllables, had overwhelmed yet another would-be explorer of its mysteries. ■■' - '

Speaking to a Dominion reporter yestprday, the Hon. D. Buddo explained why he had decided to refuse to allow two leopardsj two pumas; two cheetahs, and two foxes to bo landed for the "Zoo" near Wangauui. He 6aid that it was quite evident that Section 42 of the Animals' Protection. Act was drawn up to prevent the introduction of any animal or bird that might prove a danger to our principal industry—the' agricultural and pastoral interests. The Aramoho "Zoo" authorities had been permitted, to: import larger animals, such as a lion and a tiger, oil the ground that they were entitled to , the same treatment as had been extended in connection with tho Wellington "Zoo." "But," continued Mr. Buddo, "I had no intention of allowing smaller, animals such 'as foxes to bo admitted, seeing that if any of them got free into inaccessible country they would h". a great scourge to our sheep. flocks. With regard to buffaloes and elephants, for instance, the public interest in such animals is sufficient to warrant permission being granted for them to be kept in places where the public may see them. I might also point out that the law absolutely prohibits- riot only,the introduction of any fox, venomous reptile, hawk, vulture, or any beast or bird of prey, but. also prohibits anyone from having them in their possession in this country."