LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 757, 4 March 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to the boycott of The Dominion by tho Ward Administration as regards Government advertising, we publish on page 2, at our own expense, in order that our readers may not bo penalised, notices by tho Railway Department calling for tenders for the cartage of railway stores and material, for formation works on the Wcstport-Inangahua railway, and for the supply and delivery of coal.

Tho postal authorities advise that tho Wimmera, which left Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland, has on board an English and Australian mail for Wellington which is due here by the Aucklanu express on Monday afternoon next, March 7.

It is understood that proceedings will bo taken against tho secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union, as well as against tho workers who ceased work during the unloading of the Wanaka last Saturday.

Thursday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day), is proclaimed a Public Service holiday by a notice in this week's Gazette. The Department of Justice has accepted the tender of Messrs. Ross and Glendining of Wellington, for the supply of night-duty coats to the police force at £2 9s. 6d. per coat. The contract extends for threo years as from March 1. Papers for the half-yearly examination of surveyors throughout Australasia will

bo set this half-year by tho New Zenland Board of Surveyors, which consists of Messrs. T. Humphries, J. Strauchon, E. C. Gold Smith, and H. Sladden. The examination will be held throughout Australasia on Tuesday next, the same papers being used in all the States. The New Zealand candidates will undergo their test at the Dominion Museum. There are no new Wellington candidates this year, and the members of the board will not assemble .in Wellington until the Tuesday following the examination. Tho examinations are set by the boards of all the Australian States and of New Zealand in turn, so that tho New Zealand Board has the responsibility once in three and a half years. . '

Katipo again. A camping party at Little llaupo Bay, six miles from Little Akaloa, Banks Peninsula, recently found a colony of strange and conspicuous spiders, says the Akaroa "Mail." Their suspicions were aroused in regard to the creatures' character, and some specimens were caughr. and sent to Dr. Chilton, of Canterbury. College, who. identified the opiders as members of the dreaded katipo species. ', .

t One or move fairly experienced "cracksmen" appears to have been at work in the city on Wednesday night. When Mr. Siegol opened his tailoring establishment in Manners Street on Thursday morning he found that a burglary had been committed. Investigations showed that the intruder had effected an entrance to the premises by means of a back window. He forced open a safe, which had been considered impregnable, and also a cashbox. Apparently he had been bent on removing only money, but he must have been disappointed, for the only articles of value in. the depositaries consisted of some jewellery, which was not disturbed. The police have tho matter in hand.

The Tire Brigade's new motor chassis has,now been completed and.is ready for action. The car was taken out tor a trial run. yesterday morning, under tho direction of Superintendent O'Brien, Councillor Ballinger, chairman of the Fire Brigades Committee, and Councillor Luke. The trial is stated to have-beeri-a most satisfactory one.

In a country school not a hundred miles from Dunedin an original and effective method of punishing a small boy for misbehaviour was introduced recently (says the "Otago Daily Times"). The teacher, who is a lady of more than ordinary culture, having occasion to reprimand a small boy for acting in such an ungentlemanly manner as to kick a girl playmate, and not wishing to resort to corporal punishment, yet feeling the necessity of "impressing" the gravity of the offence upon the culprit, kissed him. The face of the blushing and resentful boy was a study, and it is expected that "the kiss for a blow" demonstration will act as a deterrent.

A notice in this week's Gazette states that the limitation of interest-bearing deposits iu the Post Office Savings Bank shall apply in respect of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and the Raglan Club.

"Look! you may put this in," said Sir Kobert Stout to an "Otago Daily Times" reporter on Tuesday. "Say that while I was in Britain I was present at capping ceremonies at Edinburgh, Manchester, and Cambridge, and I saw nothing like the disorderly scenes we have at capping ceremonies in New Zealand."

The dull routine' of the average town board gathering was broken at the last meeting of the Upper Hutt Town Board, which was enlivened by the persistency of a female interjector, who expressed her opinions very fully, and the somewhat heated speech of some of the members of the hoard. One of the main sources of trouble was a motion by Commissioner Martin proposing to dispense with the services of the clerk, The chairman ruled that the motion could not he accepted without notico in writing, as provided by. the standing orders. The mover said ho had nover seen tho standing orders, and ho wanted to know why they were not supplied to the members. After a warm iutcrludo it was decided to get conies of tho standing orders. In the opinion of Commissioner Harrison members of tho board "had been fooled by personal feeling." "And," ho added, "Air. Martin's log has been pulled considerably on several occasions. Tho motion would have been passed if there had been any ground for it. The' trouble was that the business was all done in tho street. At last meeting the speaker was ohainnan on sufTernuco, and he wiv simply made n tool of. It was a pity that Air. Alnrtin could not have a little audience of his own in tho hall. Anyhow, board moorings should t not be made a place for the exorcise of potty spito. Ccrtnin members, continued Commissioner Harrison, cuuio with tho express intention of sticking pins in the clerk. How could they expect him to carry out his

duties under these circumstances? finally, tho only thing ho could sou wrong with the motion was that the clerk's namo should be struck out, and another namo he had in mind substituted. Commissioner Jlnrtin subsequently put his notice of motiou into writing and handed it in.

In connection with the proposed regiment of Irish Guards it is suggested (says a Homo paper) thnt tho uniform should be distinctive of their nationality. Ro"nrdiug this matter tho Loudon "Chronicle" publishes a suggestion from tho Hon. Win. Gibson, eldest son of

Lord Ashborno. Mr. Gibson insists that tho dress of the Irish Guards should bo tho kilt, tho ancient Irish dress. The colour of tho Irish kilt is saffron, np. pi'ouching in tint to cinnamon. The kilt in all its glory lasted in Ireland till the ond of the 16th century, when it was forbidden by Inn. Gradually, owing to tho various sumptuary laws imposed by England, tho Irish kilt became a sign of poverty and inferiority! and finally it disappeared altogether. Mr. Gibson thinks "that if kilts be given to tho Irish Guards as their uniform tho Irish gontry will also toko it up, and so a rovival would bo brought about of a costume, comfortable, economic, rational, picturesque, and-ono which would recall to Irishmen that theirs is one of the oldest civilisations in Europe"

The city engineer (Mr. W. 11. Morton) and tho chiot Government veterinarian (Mr. C. J. EcakeS) paid a visit to the municipal abattoir yesterday to make inquiry into an allegation that, heavy stock was being badly bruised in the pens through slipping on the smooth concrete floors. Tho matter will be referred to tho Abattoir Committee of tho City Council and will go on to the full council next week.

The Public Service holidays for Knstar will be Friday, Sntnrdny, and Monday Muroh, 2S, 20, and 2&

, If you cannot hear the best singers in the world, the next best thing is to hear them through the medium of tho gramophone, which, though a mechanical contrivance, reproduces with extraordinary fidelity tlie beauty of their vocalisation. This advice is given by all good teachers to students of singing, and it holds good in the case of all lovers of good music. So astonishing is the recording process at the present time that flawless records of all the world's great singers can bo obtained at a comparatively low price. A Dominion representative called at tho establishment of Charles Begg aud Company, Willis Street, yesterday, and was given a recital of a character to arouse enthusiasm. Among the artists whose records were produced wero: Caruso, Tetrazini, Melba, Clara Butt, Amy Caatles, and Peter Dawson—a galaxy of vocal talent that anyone may acquire at a small outlay.

Mr. J Barr, Mayor of Eastbourne, has just returned from a visit to Nelson. While in Nelson Mr. Barr inspected the waterworks, and received from tho Mayor, MY. J. Piper, and from Mr. W. J. Smith, Borough Engineer, information that will be useful in the proposed scheme for supplying the Eastbourne borough with water. Mr. Barr has also visited Napier, Hastings, and Palmerston North in quest of information in the above connection, and he is at present gathering all available information regarding local conditions and sources of supply, which he hopes to lay before the ratepayers at an early date.

A meeting of the Wellington branch of tho Navy League was held in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning, when arrangements were made for the ball which is to be held in the Town Hall on March 15 in honour of the admiral and, officers of the Australasian squadron, which is duo here on March H, and will remain in port until March 23. It was decided to ask Sir Josqph Ward and Lady Ward, Dr. and Mrs. Newman, and the secretary (Mr. Palmer)'and Mrs. Palmer to receive the visitors. A committee consisting of Colonel Hume, Captain Edwin, Dr. Izard, and Mr, J. B. Harcourt was set up to make arrangements for the reception. Other committees set up were: Floor Committee, Major J. Hume, Captain O'Sullivan, Colonel Campbell, and Messrs. R. Beere, S. Wheeler, and . Dykes; Table Decoration Committee, Mesdames Ewen, Dykes, CooWheeler, and J. Dykes; Table Decoration Committee, Mesdames M'Carthy, Palmer, Corrigan, Tasker, Firth, Shirtdiffe and the Misses Seddon and Edwin. The secretary submitted a scheme for the entertainment of the bluejackets at the Day's Bay Pavilion on the evening of March. 18. Tt is proposed to hold an entertainment in the pavilion, to be followed by a dance, provided that the naval authorities approve of the idea.

Referring to the walking contests at the N.Z.A.A.A. meeting at Auckland, the "Herald" says:—"The walks were the most unsatisfactory events of the day, and many keen sports consider they were the only blot on the gathering. Kerr, Cashman, Rogers, Bennett, and Morrison commenced in the three miles by' walking in faultless style, but Wilson never 'locked' from tho time he got on the track, and carried his head too far forward to pass the recent style! Kerr and Cashman's log action was straighter than Wilson's, who walked throughout, with bent knees. It ■ was not surprising that Kerr relaxed a little in the last mile. It is the irony of fate for Kerr, who has lost,championships through, keen judging, before he adopted a faultless, style, to be beaten by a loose style. Cashman retired in the three mile at six laps, but finished third in the mile. One of the Auckland .representatives, Bennett, has recently arrived from England, and is said to be the ex-North England champion., He is big in condition, but shows a nice style."

Mr. W. F. Whyte, manager of the Maori Company now performing al the New York Hippodrome, has been asked by Professor Crampton, who recently returned from a visit to New Zealand and the South Sea Islands, to co-operate with the authorities of the New York Museum of' Natural History iu an effort that is to be made to form a special department devoted to the South Seas. Mr. Whyte has visited most of the South Sea Is<lands,-, and;-he hasr been, asked to assist ra a scheme which Professor Crampton says' is designed to make this South Pacifio section superior to any of ■ the kind in the world.

The memory of the late Hone- Heke is to be perpetuated by a handsome tombstone, the unveiling of which is expected to be the occasion of a great Maori gathering at Kaikoho next month. Northern Maoris have been subscribing freely to the object. •

Particulars of,lands that will be available for settlement .in the . Wellington land district soon show that there will be 35,181 acres of rural lands on the optional, system in the South Waimarino block, i 567, acres on the renewable lease in the Patea'and Wanganui counties, and 9961 acres on the.optional system in the Rangitatau block, near Waverley.

An important meeting of the executive, of the Henry-Bilhorn Mission was held on Monday evening at the T.M.C.A., the Rev. Kennedy Elliott in the chair. The secretary reported that arrangements had been come to with the Town Hall authorities for the use of the large hall from April 10 to April 28. Messrs. Allan, Aitken, and Runigay were appointed' to act with Mr. Kersley on the Finance Committee. Mr. H. S. Hart (convener Home Prayer Meeting Circles) reported that he was aiming to establish five circles in each church. It was resolved to hold a weekly prayer meeting on Thursdays in the Y.M.C.A. All the church choirs are to be communicated with, asking their co-operation in forming a mission choir. Dr. Henry and 'Mr. Bilhorn are due to arrive in Wellington on Wednesday, April 6, from Sydney. I hope some of you will think of standing, said the Mayor of Miramar (Mr. C. J. Crawford) at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening when a formal notice was read in connection with the election under the new Hospital and Charitable' Institutions' Act. "My feeling is, about this new hospital business," Mr. Crawford added, "that they'll havo rather a job to get good men, and I hope the district Trill"see- to it and put somebody forward. It is the feeling throughout New Zealand, I think," that it Tvill be difficult to get.good men to stand for a new board."

The Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr. Justice Chapman will both be in Wellington to-day. There will be a sitting m Chambers at 10.30 o'clock, and tho civil business will be proceeded with.

A visit of inspection to the Highland Park estate is to be paid by the Outlving Districts Committee of tho City Council in order to definitely decide the matter of the roads on the estate.

. lhe practice of the Auditor-General in nihxing 'tags' to tho balance-sheets of local bodies is now so general," observed a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Hoard on Wednesday, "that a local body without ouo .will be looked upon as being something abnormal."

Two-charges of false pretences are set down for hearing in the Magistrate's Court to-day. It is alleged that, on December 29 Inst, representing himself as the Public Works foreman, at Mahanga Bay, accused rang up W. 'and G. Turnbull, and ordered a box of tobacco, value So 18s. 2d. Two days Inter, it is alleged, ho.obtained nnothcr box of % tobacco from Ai'S. Patorson and Co., by tho same method, giving tlio name of au officer in the JDofonco Department. The drainage operations on the great Piako swamp, now known as the Hauraki plains are proceeding satisfactorily and the first returns from the largo expenditure which has been undertaken there by tho Government will shortly bo forthcoming. Sir Joseph Ward informed a "Herald' representative last evening

that tho first portion of the laud, consisting of some 17,500 acres,'will bo subdivided , and available for selection in May next. The land, which is considered to bo as good as any in the. Dominion, will be divided into sections of from 100 to 200 acres in extent, and as it will bo thrown open under tho optional system, it may be expected to attract a' large number of. selectors from all parte of New Zralnnd. It is also intended to set apart a township and suburban area of about 201) acres. Tho total area that ij being drained is about 90,000 acres and further blocks will bo thrown open from time to (.imo as the drainage works procoed.

ohnmpooing. Clipping, Hairdressing, Manicuring, Fnco Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings mado up. Natural Hair-pads. Airs. Rolleston (over Carroll's), U Willis, Street. 'Phone 1599.—Advt.