LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 784, 6 April 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

v The .postal authorities advise that the Manuka','which'left'Sydney.' on. Saturday, "for Wellington", has .on board an Australian mail, which' is'; due here early this afternoon. ...

In ourreport of the proceedings at' the'mijuiry-'into "the sudden death, of Miss "Sims,' it was made to appear"'that Dr.' Elliott was summoned "to. attend deceased "about 10' o'clock, and did not arrive until.'about' 11.30.' As a matter of fact, Dr. Elliott.was summoned about 11 o'clock, by.' telephone, and,' recognising the urgency ■of the call', used the utmost dispatch, and was in attendance injess than a quarter of an'hour.' 'Speaking to a Dbinmpi? reporter, yesterday, ' tbo' 'Hon. D:" Buddo stated permits had' already been granted for the holding qf 3 number of .njeptings in April and May, under the new H?c<l Meeting's' Act. 1 ..The increase, in the'price of the rail: way guide from one .penny to three-: pence, is the subject- of a good deal of acjverso comment. In reply to an iri4 guiry on tlie'.subject,': a DqMri.-iON re-; porter was' informed by the railway authorities yesterday that' the increase was necessary to meet the cost pt producing -the, publipa'tiqu. Accp'rdjng ;to a correspondent,', a - handsome" profit should be made out of'ffie'gudie. at one penny, seeing that of the 300 pages in the "publication fully half; are occupied by advertisement's? He adds: "If there was any deficiency, ,'siirely'it ought to have "been, made! up by the /'adver? tisers?".

The Noiicense regime at Newtown was referred to by Mr.' : S.' Martin- at the farewell to the Rev. W. J. Williams last evening, "In spite of all people say,""said' Mr.. Martin; "I have' been assured by people in a, position to know ttat it is' a very difficult .thing 'to wet your throttle round about this'disr trict." " (Laughter.) .';.' .' The anniversary of Wesley Church, Taranaki Street, was further celebrated by "a' social'gathering in Wesley Hall last evening. The Itev. W. J. Serpell presided over a large attendance. The ltev. C. H. Laws, president, of the conference, gave an address on the religious- outlook. He contrasted the periodsof crisis in the past with the conditions of the present,' and Tfas able to take,an optimistic view of the future. Miss Clark sang a solo, which was encored. Mr. J.. B. Cooper :gave a recitation, and a'glee was well sung by the choir, Good progress is being made by the City Council with the widening of Willis Street. The setting back of Messrs. J. Duthio and Cp.'s premises is proceedr ing.'apacei a contract'has been let; for putting back the premises known as GopdaU's .and. Lyons' restaurant, and it is 'understood .that the matter of setting back Messrs. Jones and Ashdown's building will be further dealt with by the council at its-meeting tomorrow night. ; . It is understood, that particulars of the year's finances of the City Council will 'be laid before the council at' its meeting to-morrow night, It has been already stated' that a considerable reduction in the debit balance of £48,000 shown twelve months ago is likely to prove one result, of the year's admini T stration. . The challenge cup for signalling was won at tho Garrison Hall last night by the Ambulance Corps.,

Cruelty to cats was the subject of a strong complaint was' Maid before the S.P.C.A. yesterday by Inspec-, tor Seed. He stated that in some suburban districts, half-starved cats were roaming about in considerable numbers. People, on removing from a house, left their cats behind totally unprovided for, and they ran wild, and became more numerous. The numbers were swelled by people allowing too many kittens to livo, and as rubbish receptacles now had to bo covered, tho poor creatures could not get anything to eat. The Wellington Ministers' Association are tendering a public welcome to Dr. Henry, Mr. C. A. Potts and party, on AVednesday evening in tho Kent Terrace Church. The Roys. Dr. Gibb, J. J. North, and S. J. Serpell have been selected at speakers, and the Rev. J. K, Elliott will occupy the chair. Mr. J. J. Boyd writes .under yesterday's date:—"The animals and birds are getting ou beautifully at the Aramohq Zoo, and we have had thousands of visitors this, Easter. I am down in Wellington trying to get the other animals through from Australia. I had a very favourable reply from the Hon. Mr. Buddo this morning, and I. hopq to have all the animals that I have bought and arranged for in Aramohp very shortly." '" ' '"."', ''

The magisterial inquiry into the capsizing of the steamer Koi will be held at Nolson on Friday. The nautical assessors appointed by the Marine Department to sit at the inquiry aro Captain Samuel Clark, of Wellington, and Captain Henry Miicnab, of Nelson. Captain Clark was for many years engaged in the Blenheim and Nelson trade, and Captain Macnab, who has also considerable experience of the sea, is the owner of one or two small vesV sels trading . out of Nelson. ' : i The counsel who have been retained to appear at the magisterial inquiry into .the D'uchess-Cpbar collision in Wellington Harbour are: Mr. Herdman/ on behalf of Captain. Williams,'of the Cobar, and Mr. A. Gray, for Captain Jones, of the Duchess. According to the ' Dunedin "Star," Now Zealand's new loan is thq .amount authorised last session for public works, and no portion of it is to be applied to. the State .Guaranteed Advances. partmcnt. When the cable was brought under Sir Joseph' Ward's' notice, ho said: !'A 3f per cent, loan at £98 10s. is a highly:satisfactory'financial operation, .so; far : as' New' Zealand, is concerned." ■'■•".■"

Our Napjer correspondent states that a private meeting of those, opposed to the present Government is being called for the middle of next month; to hear the views of • a probable Parliamentary candidate arid to form a 'working committee.' "It is reported that the.candidate in question' is Mr.. H. M. Campbell, of Horuriui, ; Poukawa'i, '" " : " > With ■. regard to thq • new position of affairs in connection: with, volunteering, the' Ghristchurch "Press" .states that local companies have settled down in real earnest. Most of them*'are steadily recruiting, hot by any means as hard a matter as it. was.a year'ago." The infantry;companies' have' had their establishment fixed at.B4 of all ranks, and already''-some of them are calling a halt on recruits. 'In Christchurch at least, there will be very few calls on the' Government to fill the ranks, as in the majority of cases the difficulty will • lie, in the; selection of the requisite Dumber out of the many.that come forward. : The mounted squadrons are-,also, steadily reaching their establishment, .and here again the difficulty lies in the selection of the best out; of the many offering.- It is probable that classes, of instruction in . .all branches of military work will be commenced in all districts at an early date. Recruit drill has now commenced,' and the instructors will not be very long knocking the" raw material intp shape.".

„It .is. officially .stated that 'the' new feature of'the." proposed regulatiohs j*ra the Native "Land' Act 'of last -session will'bo the establishment" of va'rious""'circuits for the Native Land' Court judges. In'the past the judges have held sittings at various places until;the.husiness, befpro.'tho Court ;wa's disposed of. This .led"to:the h'aijgingrgp of; business '•in':many instances,-' and the/ waste, of tmie 'and .money "to .those" concerned. TJrider the new' regulation's" the Courts will sit -at various .'.places'; on various dates,; and for : a, definite period, and any business", that cannot be cpmplet'ed within the. time willhave. to; stand oyer until'tho nest sitting'of the. Court/ . :

■ In connection 'with, the Home for the Aged Needy, the '.first meeting of .the contributor's under "the . new Hospitals and .Charitable Institutions Act, for the purpose''of "electing "trustees,' Was he"; yesterday mbrnirig, v Mr.' W. Allan presiding.'. Mr. Allan gave some ihteresting'particulars.of.the'history.and work, •of."the home! 'It. was''opened'by the Governor on February 11; 1889,, andlthe admissions to date have .Buinbered 183. 'There are now in the home 19 women and-21- men,, and .vacancies for two women 7 'arid "one' man "are at present being'dealt'with. There'are 29 old age 'pensioners inHhe. home. The trustees charge them' a weekVfor. maintenance, and these old people are paid a 'small sum >for' pocket money-. AH the. former' trustees who ' offered their service's. '•' were re-elected,, and; .the new board is composed as. follows;:— dames Boxhall. and Chapman;■: Messrs. W.'Allan, J. G.'W. Aitkeri,'lV Mackenzie, W. J. Helyer, H. E. Dickerson, G. Petherick,. and A. Lindsay. \

■ : The financial position of the 'Federated; Malay States 'is', unique aiuL enviable. Mr. John I. Philips, a New Zealanderwho : has made a fortune there,' told •' a- Dominion ■■ reporter that the Government'' of "that country (which is a British .protectorate)....:• draws _ so. large a revenue from the.'export duty, on tin, that-it has.heen.able not only to "construct? .'magnificent.' railways, rbadsV and" public buildings, 'but also to lend surplus funds to. a large amount to other" Governments:. . r .An export duty' of 2i per cent, ad valorem is to be placed on rubberi. the other great Malayan: product!.

In the course of an interesting debate in the Prussian Diet, when the Jistfc mates for the Ministry of Justice were under, discussion,; Dr. Liebknecht,, a Socialist member oi "the Diet, . made a remarkable speech, in which he -traced an intimate connection between crimiiiT ality. and' the. price. .of bread. , Ihe speaker contended-that every, rise, of a pfennig in the price? of .grain is ;infallibly followed by : an increase of thousands to the ' list of committed, crimes. ' Dr.' Liebknecht; maintained that those who-were responsible _for raising the price of the people.s food wore also responsible for increasing the crime of the country. He quoted .with ■much effect the opinion of Professor Liszt, the most eminent of Germany, s criminologists, that.crime m its essenpe is a socio-pathological phenomenon, and can only, be removed by the, removal of defects in the social organism, of the nation? "How much cnmc,M exclaimed Dr. Liebknecht, !Ms-the* result of .the agrarian policy of. the Government, the policy which hinders the ascent .of tho masses of the people, and keeps them submerged and stupid?"

.'During his reply to the/welcome extended to him at the Bluff, Lord Phinket remarked that' there was one pfpr duct' which the people might congratulate themselves upon. They produced Prime Ministers....' (Laughter.) It was not for the Governor; who was absolutely free from political.feeling, to say. anything of a. political nature, but he might say that he had 'to pay .an acknowledgment to the Prime Minister for the constant courtesy and tion shown in every'possible .way for any omissions he might have made,-and he**could only wish every other Governor had as pleasant and easy and as com-mon-sense a Prime Minister to meet with.

"The extent of the typhoid foyer outbreak has been causing a little alarm locally," says an' Inyercargill ■: correspondent. '.''Fourteen cases in Southland have already .been reported .. to the authorities. Two cases have been attributed to tho.Kitchener camp at Abbotsford,'both being mounted men, and one (Quartermaster-Sergeant ■ Fahey) has already... succumbed. Fahey. was a member of the First Contingent to South Africa, where he was wounded. The other volunteer patient . reckons that ho contracted the fever through drinking from a half-dry creek during tho Saddle Hill manoeuvres. Four, cases have been reported frpm the Bluff and three, from Winton. ' Dr. Ogstoii conferred with the local health authorities this morning, and the _ causo of the country cases is attributed to tho peculiar of the summer. After four months of drought, heavy rain fell, followed by- hot weather, with the result that germs arose from the soil with tho ovaporatod moisture. The outbreak is not expected, to extend further."- ■•.-'

\ 'Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdressing, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings mads: up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Kolleston .(over .Carroll's), H • Willis /Street.. Thow 1589,-Adj* -

. The • Registrar-General's report:qn ' the population of.the four chief, cities,..,' as published:in.the last Gazette , is interesting. It shows that siuco' tho last, census: (three-.years: and,nine months) the total gain to Dunedin is 6564 per-, sons. During'-the same period Christ: church and suburbs ■ have gained''-"by. 10,627 persons,' Wellington and sub- : urbs 12,583, Auckland, .and,, ?üburb,s 15,828. . If the country'districts'.in iha.. North Island aro gaining in the same proportion,! and continue to- do : so until the census is taken next year, rfcl is -. evident that the South Island will lose'".'■ two more members-at the next general • election. '. ■'.''. '■■■..''.•'.; . A camelot' named Maurice .Benedict ; was arrested at Paris a few weeks'ago . oh a very curious charge of robbery. - Benedict some time , ago was' under.,' treatment at St., Louis Hospital. The i patient was suffering from 'a disease,o£ „ the nose, arid to cure.it the"doctors : had recourse "to a composition- cphtain- {; irig radium.. The doctors'did n'qt'"'tell'. the patient that'he carried'about pi ■- his nose £24 worth. 'ofßadium,'.,but ■- Benedict found it out for hiinself; One:. day the doctors discovered that bit'. of radium had disappeared'-' from 'thei: Eatient's"• nose. 'The latter,'protested'"' e knew nothing about' it. : Prom the time he left the : npsp'ital' the poMeekept ■ an eye upon him, and: ultimately Mi . Hamard found'the stolen radium : cafe- : fully hidden in the limng of Beriedict'a .. coat. He was consequently arrested for ' the : theft.: : .'-•,"'.' .-v:-;- : ;•;;•■ ;*..].. The "Municipal Handbook of _ New ;■' Zealand"' for".'l9os has .'been published. , It contains a* mass of information about,. every .municipality -in the" Dominion, ■' and a. simple, resume'ofthe latest', iict ~ bearing' on municipal "questions.,,..- ■' .->

An important point in shipping: law was'argued.before'the Court of Appeal - yesterday/ .The-, question."which'. tha<: Court was asked to', answer was' whe-. ther . steamers of .the Huddart-Parkef '■ Company, .which are' registered in Mel- ' bourne) come under the operation of. the' Shipping and' Seamen" Act, 1908, when < in' a New Zealand port,-or while at;sea' • travelling- between two New^Zealand: ports. It was'argued, on one side, that; the Collector of; Customs .had power to ; withhold a clearance. from a Huddart- . .'■ Parker steamer, whose Crew were not .. being paid wages for work done along fe New Zealand::coast, .according-.to ■, the scale fixed •:': by ; : f the New Zealand award." The . Court. 1 reserved judgment; on" the matter. Tc-day the case of Jameß Patoii Watt arid others.v." Walter Henry Wilson' and others' will. be heard; by ,tno: Court of Appeal. •:':,.