LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 767, 16 March 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

vt w!*-n?«^'!i dTis6 ''ft® mails which left Wellington on. February 4-by the s.s. Mara'ma ' connected!, with.: ■ the Naples mails, per It.M.S. Ophir, and arrived in London on;the morning of March 14.'

The Mariposa, which left San Francisco on March 10 for Papeete, is bringing 173 bags. of. mail matter for the Dominion. The mails are due here on' April 6. ,

A hush fell on the 'Magistrate's Court yesterday morning when Mr. W. R. flaselden, S.M., announoed with decision that he was not going, to strain his ears to hear legal argument. A bad habit oi conversing during the calling, over of the civil list has grown up amongst. counsel in the court, and his. Worship has apparently decided to have reasonable quietness maintained. "I will not have these discussions and consultations," concluded Mr. Haselden. "Counsel must go outside the court for consultations." ;

At a meeting of the Karori Rifle Club held last evening, it was decided to entertain Eifloman G. Halliday,: who. won the championship belt at Trentham last week, at a dinner, to be held on Monday next. >A- committee 'was appointed to .make the necessary' arrangements, and it was decided to invite all representative. marksmen in Wellington who took part in the recent Trentham meeting to be present. It is also hoped that the Minister for Defence (Sir Joseph Ward) and the members of the Trentham Bifle Meeting Executive will be present.

The Government Printing Office has in hand the iverk of printing the report of the expedition of November, 1907, to the sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand: Dr. Chilton, Professor of Biology; is editing the work, which i 6 being published by the Canterbury Philosophical Institute. The report will < comprise • accounts of the flora, fauna, geology, and othfer features of the islands. Most'of them were prepared by persons resident in the Dominion, but some are due to the cooperation of . specialists at Home and in Europe. In addition to numerous halftone illustrations, the work, which will bo in two volumes, will contain many line drawings in the text and several coloured lithographic plates.

It is understood that the charges against the workers who, it is alleged, struck work on the' s-s. Wanaka lateiy' have now been formulated. The assist-ant-secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union will, it is stated, be oharged with having incited, aided, and abetted a strike, whilst 49 workers will be charged with having participated in the alleged strike. •'

Asked by a Dominion reporter yesterdav whether he could give an}' information as to the amalgamation of the Police Provident Fund with the Public Service Superannuation Fund, under the legislation of last session, the Hon. Dr. Findlay said that the Police Provident Fund would by operation of law be merged in the Public Service Superannuation Fund on April 1, .and thereafter those members of .the police forco who had been contributors to the Police Fund would be subject to the provisions of the Superannuation Act Under the Act of last session they were entitled to elect a member of the Superannuation Board, and tho election would take place about May 31. It could not very well take place earlier, because certain preliminary steps had to be takon, such as the preparation of the roll of persons entitled to vote. ' Then notice of the date of election had to be given, and the candidates had to be nominated, all of which would take up a certain amount of time. So ho thought it unlikely that the election could be held before the end of May.

Joseph Powelka, who escaped from the Gaol on Saturday, and was rearrested at Awahuri on Monday, was brought down from Palmcrston yesterday afternoon and lodged in Wellington Gaol.

The financial side of the exhibition of Now Zealand manufactures, which is being promoted by tho Wellington Provincial Industrial Association, was discussed at a meeting of tho Financial Committee yesterday evening. The secretary (Mr. H. F. Allen) was instructed to send out circulnrs inviting gentlemen likely to be interested to act as guarantors to the extent of .CIO, .£15,, or J!2O. The association docs not expect that tho guarantees will require to be called up, but it was doomed advisable to tako this precaution. It is anticipated that a profit will be made, and if so some local institution will benefit. The association does not propose to reap any gain from the exhibition, which it is undertaking purely in the interests of New Zealand ni&attfflctwew,

Authorisations were made by Cabinet yesterday as follow:—Eoads, .£27,000; railways, .£60,000; rolling stock for railways, ,£31,000; railway stores, .£3000; and reconstruction and extension of Mount Eden railway station, i 2200

Cabinet yesterday appointed Professor Scott (of Christchurch) and Mr. A. L. ■Beattio. (Chief' Mechanical Engineer in the Bailway Department) to act as a commission to report upon the 6ystem of brakes in use on the Auckland' tramways.

"It is absolutely heart-breaking for a magistrate to sit here and be pressed in this way," remarked Mr. Haselden, 5.W.., yesterday, after counsel for a judgment creditor had persistently endeavoured to get the Court to make an order on % a judgment summons for a debt of £5. Mr. Haselden pointed out that if he thought tho debtor had the means to pay, or that he had'been neglectful, he would make an order. Counsel urged in justification of his persistence that he did not wish to see the debtor sent to prison, but et the same time he had to do justice to his client, the judgment creditor.

'TVill you. give me a shilling for a bed to-night?" was the .unwonted request made to the Benevolent Trustees by an applicant for relief yesterday. The man had applied for admission to the Ohiro Home, which the trustees had refused in the conviction that he was a "sturdy beggar," fully capable of shifting for himself. Tho request for a shilling for a bed took the members of • the board by surprise. "We don't usually do that," replied the chairman. The man was waved outside while the trustees deliberated. "Don't do it, sirs," advised the secretary. "I don't like to see a man without a bed," urged a soft-hearted philanthropist. "He'll get a bed all right," declared the secretary. To give the man a shilling for that cause was plainly objectionable to other members. "As. a bbard .we can't do that," said the Rev. W. A. Evans. The man was called in and informed that his request could not bo granted.

It is understood that prosecutions are pending against certain .jpersons for taking liquor into the No-License district of Newtown, and against a wholesale dealer for failing to notify the clerk of the court of the liquor ordered for tho purpose of being taken into a No-License area.

The values of the principal exports, from. Wellington for the fortnight ended yesterday are as underßutter, jE25,i76; cheese, ,£22,309; beef, .£15,369; mutton, ,£32,767; lamb, flax, ; - tow, .£1346; hides, .£1337; skins, .610,116; tallow, .£19,081; wool,. £192,913, r

1 A police visitation to one of the city hotels on Sunday night will result in proceedings in the Magistrate's Court on Monday next. It is stated that tho licensee will be charged with Sunday, trading, and that also about a dozen per-; sons will be charged with having been found unlawfully on licensed premises. The Minister in charge of the .Tourist Department, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, has been in communication with the Union Steam Ship Company with reference to the possibility of running an excursion to the Marlborough, Sounds during Easter, in consequence of which, the company has deoided that, provided sufficient excursionists are booked by Saturday, March 19, the's.s. Takapuna will leave Wellington,. on Thursday, March. 24, ' for a cruise in the Marlborough Sounds, 'arriving back on Tuesday, March 29. The' return fare will be X 5. The scenery in tho Sounds is well worth seeing, and it is hoped that the publio of Wellington \will 1 take advantage of this excursion, which, if successful, will no.doubt be. the forerunner of others at subsequent holiday periods;

A lad named, Erie Croft had . his cheek seared with, molten solder when proceeding round the corner from Willis Street to Wordsworth Street the other day. His cry of : pain attracted the notice of a gentleman passing by. It appears that men were repairing the electric light wires overhead, in which work they were using solder. When the accident occurred one of the men descended the ladder, and the gentleman who had - stopped to ascertain the injury sustained by the boy protested against 'methods, which exposed pedestrians to serious hurt. The ma.n ,is said to have replied that t>.a boy, ought to have looked out where he was. going. Workmen. should either provide a receptaole for catching the dropping solder, or a notice should be placed prominently on a level with :the eye, warning passers-by that work is proceeding overhead.

' A falling derrick caused some little commotion on the hulk Oceola last night. The hulk was coaling the Mokoia at Queen's Wharf when the derrick, through some unaccountable cause, gave way.. A knot, of workers were in the vicinity, but the only injury sustained was a blackeye by' one of the number. It is rather remarkable that some of them were not 'seriously injured...

"It seems to me that a magistrate has to stand in the position of stalling-off the dogs," said Mr. Haselden, S.M., jocularly, when counsel for a creditor was pressing for .a particular.'point in regard to a judgment summons. Counsel took tha remarks from the Bench seriously, and objected to the .inference that he was ■worrying the debtor. Speaking seriously, his Worship said he was really at his wits' end to know how to deal with some judgment summonses. It did. not matter what the Court endeavoured to do, the endeavour was frequently misrepresented or misunderstood.

, Speaking to a press representative on Monday, Mr. A. W. Hogg, M.P., made some interesting remarks anent the various tram services- as noticed by him during his travels. He places those of Duneain and Wellington in front, ; travelling on them being fairly swift, 'while the-I public convenience and comfort, are studied. "The cars," he said, "are and clean, and passengers have a choice df.open air or enclosed seats, but ■ Wellington alone provides the double-decker. Dunedin hill trams worked by cables have brought the suburbs into close contact with the city, raising land values and rents enormously. The cost of travelling uphill is three times as much as going down. The cars are short and bobbin-shaped, the passengers in the centre sitting back to back.. Christchurch cars are large, wide, and commodious, but rather noisy, the air-brakes beneath producing the vibratory effects of a steam ■ launch.' Auckland cars are of toothcomb design, short seats with a central- passage for. the strap-hangers. ■On difficult grades they resemble stage coaches with refractory horses under bad controL The brakes and drivers are often at variance, and when they are overcrowded!. which often happens, all hands, conductors included, seem to_ suffer from "nerves." : The VVanganui_trams are a small but useful service. The cars are :■ clean : and comfortable, and, judging from their politeness, the drivers and conductors must either be frenchmen or of French extraction. With regard to the inspection of tickets, this is carried out in Wellington occasionally, but in Dunedin with much regularity."

Biding headlong in Princes Street, Duaodm, on Saturday morning, a cyclist collided with an elderly gentleman at Street crossing, says Hie Otago Daily Times." The . unfortunate pedestrian was knocked literally, head ml 0r &" ls by tho slloo!r of 'ho impact. The bicyole recoiled and fell over with a crash, the late rider having meanwhile described a parabolic curve in the air and thrown a number of involuntary handsprings along the street. Both men stood • brushing themselves, and bystanders saw the victim stride up to the one who had ridden him down. Would it be a blow? But there was not even a word. The gentleman' who had been so unceremoniously treated only looked at the cyclist, but the glance spoke volumes. The other, seeing that no one was present to take his name, rode on at greatly reduced speed.

A sample of a new military contrivance, known as the limbered wagon, which has been introduced to tako the placo of forage carts, small ami ammunition carts and a varioty of other vehicles, has. been received by the. Defence Department from England, says the Melbourne ■ "Age." ' This wagon will be used as a pattern. The limbered wagon is specially adapted for travelling over rough country. It weighs about llJcwt., and is intended to carry a, maximum load of one ton. It will be used with two horses in connection with slow moving units and with four horses for quick-movin" units. ■ ... . ° Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdresslng, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. jfrs. Rolleston ■ (over Carroll's), 14 Wiilis Stroeti 'Phone 1600,—AdiV

Dniiag the gale on Monday morning the commander of H.M.S. Powerful sent a message to the Harbourmaster '(Gaptain Johnson) asking, him if In his opinion the gale had reached its height, and how long it was likely to last • Captain Johnson, who has a sound knowledge of local conditions, promptly signalled that the gale was then at its height, and could be expected to take off during the afternoon, when the wind would most likely veer round to the southward/This prediction proved quite correct.

! _ Judging from the expression of opinion at; the last meeting of the Invercar* 'ejil Council (says the "Southland limes ), the idea of a municipally-run picture entertainment has. been abandoned. It - is, however, proposed to have a iaT P^ c^re show in the theatre on unbooked dates, the venture to be 'underv fi bow company connected uith the corporation on profit-sharing Already overtures on these lines nave been made by the Amusements Proprietary (Ltd.), and Wesfs Pictures Proprietory; (Sydney), while the Mayor mentioned that > a man who had purchased a monng.picture machine (and whose name he was not at liberty to divulge) nad spoken to him on the matter. tsw question was referred hack to the Finance Committee, which will at next meeting either recommend that one cf these offers be accepted,, or- submit a recommendation that applications, bo publicly invited from show firms for offers and terms, in the form of a tender.

has dropped i 10a. per ton. This means that ft is nov £& per ton at southern ports. ■

The Government have acquired a sits ?° r .* ?evr office at BlMrme. B ot the postal Easiness in thai snburb. Speaking te a Domihiok reporter on tlas I y® sterda r. Mr- J- P. Luke, ¥P, S « j 1 sometime ago the City-Council Ti a s<s r tloll , Elbirnie to the irostal Department for the purposes of a post office sito free of cost .As the sectioir was under water ■ reclamation wori3 would naTO had to bo carried oat He considers that the property which has been acquired is admirably situated for a post office for the locality.

Sis small engravings «hichl w3l ba of considerable interest ■ to residents : and visitors who remember Wellington in thfl old days, have jrtst been hung in th» Dominion Museum. TJie subjects arov Oddfellows Hall,. Athenaeum; Post Office; Wharf and Queens Warehouse, Snpremo Uiurt, and Provincial Government Buildmgs. Some, of the engravings are from eariy photographs by Kichanls, whilst the others are by G. H. Swan.

A large .congregation of medical students at the wremony of opening the new ward ofthe Dunedin Hospital on Friday destrong undergcaduato tendencies (says the Otago Daily Times"), ami contnvou to keep the assembled spectators amused and interested. The ceremony toot place in the main hall, and one ingenious youth,. from / the balcony inside, rigged up_ with strings a tiny paper skeleton, which was made to perform a weird dance in mid-air.' Another found a firs hose, with' nozzle attached, and he heaved trover as if it wero ah. anchor, rarrem</ a, little panic among the people immediately below. Others, finding the monotonous, .collectcd an unpleasantlooking ibunch of bones, tied them to a string, and lowered thsm. The horrified amazement of the persons "who suddenly lound this grizzly exhibit dangling, above' their, heads distracted for a. time the at tenhon -of those who should have ,• been listening to austere official speeches.

On his recent visit to the mining townships of the West Coast, Mr. D. M'taren MLF. for Wellington East, was especially impressed by the growth of the social institutions, such as libraries, public lecture rooms, clubs and literary societies. Libraries have ;beeil established in all tha mining townships, but still he considers that those in." the cities, who,, 110 are much better favoured in the mattef of libraries, might give some of'their attenpon towards helping the small institutions in the mining . districts. • Mir. M'Laren remarked that he would bring the matter up at the projected public libraries ;conference .at Duhedin, if it weW held. At Eunanga the Miners' Union had a public lecture hall, valued at more than ,£IOOO, which would be entirely free'of debt, in a few months, at the same township "a substantial library building liad been erected;. but at Brunner, 'Blackball, and other localities there was room for considerable improvement in regard to social institutions.

It is not -every man who has the distinction of. reading a notice of his cwrn death ini the newspaper, says the Timaru 'Tost" Such was the distinction of a man, who was. fined 56. or 2i hours' imprisonment for drunkenness in the Magistrate's Court last 'Saturday. Some two months .ago, this man, 'who. hid been harvesting, -disappeared suddenly from Banks Peninsula, and 1 , his disappearance was . enshrouded in. : mystery. . Inquiries were made, but ■ the solution of the mys> tery could not be found and the tumi, having been seen, wandering near the brink of some dangerous cliffs, it was concluded that the sea had churned Ilia body.' His loss was mourned and <th« death recorded in a Christchuioh paper, but in Timaru the man reappeared. Ho was- arrested for drunkenness, and said to a police officer that his death notioe was • the first he had heard of having been lost.

On account of the Easter holidays nexi week, the monthly meeting of the Hai* bour Board will be held on Wednesday instead - of Thursday. '