LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 797, 21 April 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mails which loft Auckland on March 10, per s.s. Navua, and connected at Suva with the Vancouver mail- per R.M.S. Marama, arrived in London on the night of April 18. . The first sod k the construction of the Wadestown tramway will be turned by tho Mayor (Dr. Newman), in the presence of city councillors and other visitors, at 3 o'clock next Wednesday afternoon. The ceremony will take place at a point above Goldie's Brae. Lord Roberts, V.C., writing to Mr. J. T. Marshall, of this city, says:-' Not only is shooting in New Zealand doing well, but in adopting the principle 01 universal military training,. she is setting a fine example to tho Mother Conntry, which I trust may soon be followed. Lord Kitchener's presence in the country and his advice and experience will be or the greatest use in helping the Government to work out a sound system of defence. I am glad to hear the Boy Scout movement is likely to nourish in the Dominion, as it affords an excellent preparation for the cadet 'framing which is doing so much good for your boys. Judgments of the Appeal Court having been dohvered this morning, the Full Court will sit for the purpose of hearing the case of the Wellington Harbour Ferries, Ltd., v the Wellington Harbour Board, an originating summons under the Declaratory Judgments Act. Mr. Justice Chapman will hear the case of Banks v. the Cheltenham Dairy Company, a motion for a new trial, and the the case of YonreUe v. the Wellington City Council a motion for judgment. The travellers-who arrived from Sydney yesterday by the Moeraki were subjected to a close examination by tho Port Health -. Officer. The vessel brought seven passengers who were on board the steamer Otway on which the small-pox outbreak occurred. The names and addresses of these people were taken, so that they .can be kept UDder observation until all posr sible danger is past. The only fruit brought from Sydney by the Moeraki was a shipment of grapes and pines. ' So far as the North Island is concerned, the labours of the Military Training Sites Committee—Colonel H. D. Tuson (Adjutant-General),' and Messrs. W. C. Kensington (Under-Secrotary for Crown Lands) and J. Strauchon (SurveyorGeneral)—in connection with tho selection of a suitable area for military training grounds (provided for under the new de T fenco scheme) have been completed and the commendations'drafted. It is understood that the committee inclkes to Waionru, on the Main Trunk line, as tho . most suitable site, and either that locality or another area k the vicinity of Wainiarmo will probably be decided upon, but preferably Waionru. The latter place.is the highest pokt on the Main Trunk line, being something over 2GOO feet above sea level, or more than twice as high as the Summit station on theßimutaka railway. The climate is bracing, very cold in winter, but very enjoyable in the summer months of the training season. The Sites Committee will proceed to the South Island on Saturday, for the purpose of inspecting available areas * suitable for training grounds for the southern troops.

. The annual conference of New Zealand underwriters is being held at present in Wellington. Delegates are present from all parts of the Dominion. '■',-•

Ten cases were heard by the Court of Appeal at its recent sittings, and. five of these have already been decided. Eesrved judgment will be delivered this morning in four of the remaining cases as follow: (1) Bowron Bros. v. :H. W. Biahop, S.lf., a motion brought by the Christchurch firm asking, the court to prohibit the magistrate from giving judgment in the recent income.'tax'case-, in which the firm appeared ' as defendant; (2) the .HuddarWarker ,and ; Company Proprietary, limited, v. the Collector of Customs at Wellington, a special case, for the purpose of determining whether vessels of the company, registered in, Melbourne, come under the New Zealand law, while trading on the New Zealand coast; (3) James Paton 'Watt and others v Walter Henry Wilson and others, a case brought by'tho trustees of the Wanganui Jockey Club to determine whether, the public possess a right to.usea track through the racecourse; (4) the Gi6borne Harbour Board v. Frank Brayton Barker and Percival Barker, connected with tho decision on an originating summons which was brought in the Supreme Court with a view tojretting an interpretation of two leases. The only case, .therefore, still, to be decided by the Court of Appeal is that of James Holt v. John Holt and others, a Napier will case. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Lancashir> Farjjers' Association at Preston recently, Mr. Whittaker, Wigan, said there was a great shortafa of horses suitable for" army purposes, simply because it did not pay the farmer under present conditions to breed that type of horso. Franco annually spent- ;£300,000 to enoounge horse-breeding, Germany and Austria ,£200,000, and England .£SOOO. Thy Gov-->rnment ought to start forthwith to buy suitable three-year-olds. Mr Kay, of Longridge, 6aid that last yc.ir the Government gave prizes at a oortain agric lita-al sho*- for army remounts. A friend's horso carried everything before it, but tho Government never attempted to purchase it, and had not even the courtesy to answer the owner's letter when he wrote offering the animal. The hone was bought by the German Government.

A. deputation of influential Natives from Taranaki waited, on the Hon. A. T. Ngata at Wellington (recently, in regard to the position ot some of the leases under ' the West Coast Native Settlement Reserves Act. A number of the. leases will fall in shortly, and it fs the desire of the Native owners: that the . leases should be put up to public competition. It has been arranged (states the "Taranaki News") that the wishes 'of the deputation will be submitted to the Government for consideration shortly, before' the meeting of Parliament,' so that if legislation is necessary,' it can be introduced next session.

A new set of instruments has been obtained for the Mission Baud, which in future will form on© of the attractions of the new Methodist Central Mission, established under the Rev. E. 0. Blamiros. The instruments, which were unpacked yesterday afternoon at the Mission Hall in Herbert Street, cost over ,£6OO. A Dominion reportor was shown, a fine specimen of a katipo spider caught by Mr. C. Carroll (secretory of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) at Eastbourne on Sunday last. Mr. Carroll states that though he only got one spider, another party got three on Sunday, which indicates that this dangerous little insect, is fairly numerous along the shore-line on the other side of the harbour. Mr. Carroll, who could not be cruel to anything, animal or insect, gave his captive a fly to feed on, but he declined the tender morsel, with a contempt not- usual with the spider family. .At the parado of the Wellington Navals (No. 1 Company, Wellington Division N.Z.G.A.V.), held last night, the resignation of Captain Sommemlle was announced, and a tribute paid to the efficiency gained and the good work done by the corps while under his command. Captain Sommerville explained that, owing to increasing claims upon his time due to his business and private engagements, he found it impossible to cope with the increasing work of his command. The officers and non-commissioned officers present expressed their regret at Captain Sommervillo's retirement. An impression has got abroad that appointments of volunteer officers to salaried positions under the territory scheme of defence are being made. He have Colonel Kobin's positive assurance that this is not so. Numerous applications have been received, but so far they have not been considered. The appointments will be made by a board which will mate efficiency the first consideration. Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdrcsslng, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling Barr and Dandruff, Combings madJ up. ' Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Rolloston (over Carroll's), 11 Willis (Jfioot, Tfc<m9 1699,—Adst

Some months ago a number of married couples, who had been selected by various Southland farmers from a list provided by the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, arrived at the Bluff and'proceedcd ti their new homes, whilst the other day oight lads, similarly brought out, came by the Warriraoo, ex Omrah, at Melbourne. Thcsa young men range from 17 to 21 years of age, and hove be.cn bespoken for some of the best farms in Soutalaud.' To show the stamp of these new immigrants it is worth while giving hero their descriptions as forwarded by the Central Body:—1. 20 years, carman and stableman, a steady, honest, hard-working and thoroughly reliable yojig maa. 2.17 years, general labourer, can groom and drive; always willing, bright, and intelligent. 3. 21 years. Porter, ex-telegraph messenger. Character and conduct quite satisfactory. i. 17 years. Porter at British Museum. Truthful, industrious, well behaved. 5. 17 years. Experience as carman and stableman. A total abstainer, respectable and industrious. 6. 19 years. Tailor's presser. Has worked on farm, can groom and drive. Honest and industrious* 7. 17 years. Labourer. Can groom, drive, and garden. Steady and thorough. 8. 19 years. | Carman. Character very good.

The Hon. G. Powlds, Minister for Education, is to receive, at his office at noon on Tuesday next, a deputation from the Wellington Education Board, relative to the question of the establishment of a high school at Petone.

At an interview with the Hon._E. M'Kenzie, Mr. C. M'Cutcheon, speaking on behalf of the Kangitaiki Drainage Board, 6tated that they wished to divert the conree of the Eangrtaiki and £ni&wera Rivers at points near the mouths, and to send them right into the Bay of Tlenty, thoreoy draining the whole of the 70,000 acres of swamp land in the immediate vicinity. The area in, question when drained would be capable of producing a quarter of a million a year. According to the expert advices, an expenditure of £25,000 in diverting the river would give the desired effect. The board have already put in 100 miles of drain without much: benefit, and the position now was that the Government had to help them or the mortgagees would walk in.