LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 2 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Government yesterday authorised tho sending of XIOCO for the Whitehaven mining disaster fund.

Tho royal salute of 21 guns will bo fired from the saluting baftery at Pipitea Point at 8 o'clock on Friday morning, by a detachment of the Royal New Zealand Artillery.

The undermentioned hours will be observed at the Telegraph Office to-morrow (King's Birthday) :—9 a.m. to i p.m.; evening, 7 p.m. to midnight. The Telephone Exchange will be open continuously, and there will be the midnight cable service as usual. The Postal Department will be closed in all its branches. ( . Slails for steamers sailing on thai, day will close at 8 p.m. Thursday, Juno 2, excepting t'bo Australian, ana English mail, per Maitai, which will close as follows on Friday :—United Kingdom, 3.30 p.m., late fee 4.30 p.m.; Australia, 4.30 p.m., late fee 4.45 p.m. Tliore will not be any deliveries bv letter-carriers, b-it a delivery will bu made from Hit. Drillshcd between 8.30 and 9.30 p.m. on Thursday night; also the public counter at the Chief Post Office will be kept open from 5.30 to 9.?,0 p.m. for delivery of correspondence which is addressed to the Chief Post Office. Mails by early trains only will close as usual on Friday, June 3. Mails by the Main Trunk train will close at 8 a.m. on. Friday, but tliero will be no clearance of city receivers on that day.

_ Every large lmer leaving tho Dominion during the present time is taking .large quantities of frozen meat. The New Zealand Shipping Company's Tongariro, which sailed lor London yesterday, took over 85,000 frozen carcasses and a largo quantity of frozen sundries. Some 80,000 carcasses wore taken by the Tyser liner Star of Scotland, which sailed on Monday, while the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's Eangatira, which sailed last week, had over 120,000 carcasses aboard. A further large shipment will lcavo by the Delphic, sailing to-night.

An interesting reference to a peculiarity in ancient Maori carving was made it last night's meeting of the Philosophical Society. 3lr. H. James said that no doubt all present had observed that there were only three fingers ou either hand of some Maori figures. It had been explained to him that those figures in which only three fingers were shown were those of deities, and that the usual number of fingers were always given in figures of ordinary people. But lie did not think that this was the correct explanation. Ono of his own children, he had noticed, always showed only three fingers on either hand in its drawings of people. He had therefore como to the conclusion that tho Natives who carved the figures with throe fingers on cither hand did so because they did not know any better. It was only iii moro modern times ihat the correct number of fingors had been shown on Maori figures.

According to Mr. G. ITogben, InspoctorCicneral of Schools, who has returned from [liiwlro's Bay, the conditions governing the liullei- Scholarship (in memory of Sir Walter Duller) at To Auto Col'lego have been agreed upon, and will bo publiekcd at an oarly dato,

In future candidates £or tho Police Force will be roquirod to make application to loral inspectors of police, who will then provide them with tho necessary printed forms of application for enrolment. Such forms when filled in arc to be returned to the inspector, who, in the event of considering the candidates suitable, will make, recommendation to the Commissioner of Police iu Wellington.

A candid personal confession was made in Dunodin by the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways ,(says the "Otago Daily Times"). Fields looked green at a distance, he averred, and mauy thought enviously of the life of a member of Parliament, and particularly that of a Minister of tho Crown, Hut things were not always what they seemed. Every office had its trials and troubles. The economic and social problems awaiting solution were increasing in importance every day, not only here but all over the world, and he sometimes thought younger and fresher brains should be brought to the task. Experience, of course, he said, was a valuable asset, and it was that consideration which sometimes made it appear a duty for bim to remain longer. He would say perfectly honestly that ho had no desire to die in harness. With five more years of public life he would havo given to the public about 25 years of strenuous toil, and he thought after that a man was entitled to a year or two of quiet before ho left this earth. That was what he was looking forward to

The two six thousand-gallon water vats, which are being fixed up at Levin for the purpose of watering the thirsty Main Trunk locomotives, are expected to be completed .about the end of the month, and next month Levin should be included in the stopping places of the Wel-lington-Auckland expresses. It is stated that then the only two recognised stopping places by Main Trunk espressos between Wellington ami Palmerston North will be Paekakariki and Levin. Tho new railway water vats at Bata.the erection of which was infpeded by a hurricane, are also on the point of completion.

Estimates for the year will come beforo the City Council at its meeting tonight. It is understood that a considerable reduction as compared with last year will be shown in tho amount to be set apart for expenditure on reserves. Last year this expenditure was abnormally large, owing to works specially put in hand for the relief of the unemployed.

Applications for the position of custodian of the Thorndon Bath were considered by the Reserves Committee of the City Council yesterday. The applications were narrowed down to three, and the council will be asked to make a final selection at its meeting to-night.

Silver jnbilee day at St.' Patrick's College, yesterday was observed very quietly. The boys were given a whole holiday; the only function which took place was a private dinner for the clergy. As already stated, the celebrations proper will take place later in tho year.

The last structure projecting to the old building line for a "considerable section of the eastern side of Willis Street is the 0110 under lease to Messrs. Jones and Ashdown, standing between the Hotel Windsor and Messrs. John Duthie and Co.'s warehouse. A contract has now boon let by the City Council (the property is a city freehold) to Messrs. Meyer and JlHngworth for the setting back" of the building ten feet to the new street line. With that accomplished Willis Street will have been widened by ten feet from tho King's Chambers (at the corner of Willis and Harbour Streets) us far south as (and including) Morruh's building, leaving only one block of brick shops between that point and the intersection of Mercer Street. When tho Willis Street widening scheme has readied Mercer Street it is calculated that a good deal more of tho traffic of the main thoroughfare will be diverted into Victoria Street than is the case at present.

Arrangements are being made to hold early next year a Missionary Conference at the Rev. T. H. Spencer's Waimarino Camp, on the Main Trunk railway. Its object, (states a correspondent of the "Church Chronicle") 13 to bring together ministers and laity of different churches who are interested in missionary work, to prayerfully consider some of the great problems that will bo brought before the World's Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in June of this year. With regard to this latter conference, men of every school of thought, am! of nearly every branch of the Christian Church, are throwing theinselvs into it with extraordinary enthusiasm, aud tht thoroughness with which every branch of missionary effort is being carefully investigated with a view to more eflective .work in the future is an indication of the value that is likely to result from this great gathering. The hope is, that by devoting a few days in the bracing atmosphere of Waimarino to the consideration of some of these subjects, somethiug may bo dono to stimulate a more intense missionary spirit in the churches of our own land.

Regarding the outbreak of plague at Auckland, the Hon D. Buddo (Minister for Public Health) was advised yesterday that the first patient had been discharged cured, but that the second patient was still seriously ill.

The Tourist Department has decided to retain the services of the masseur and masseuse at Hanmer Springs till the end of June this season.

The advent of improved city lighting ks rendered unnecessary the old order that lights in front of hotels should bo kopt burning from sunset to sunrise. A pronouncement was made at tho annual meeting of tho Licensing Bench yesterday that all lights 'at licensed houses might be extinguished, at 10 p.m.

Tho thrrd session of the eighteenth Anglican Synod of the Wellington Dioneso will begin in St. Paul's Schoolroom on Tuesday, July 5, at 3 p.m., when the president's opening address ivill be delivered. Thero will be evensong, with, sermon by the Kev. G. P. Davys, .ALA., in St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, at 8 o'clock, at which there will be a collection for defraying the expenses of tho Synod. On the day there will bo a celebration of the Holy Communion in St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, at 8.30 a.m.

"He has taken her clothes and sold them, your Worship," was the reason given by Sub-liispector Norwood yesterday to account fc-r the non-appearance of a female witness whom a certain prisoner desired to have called on his bohalf.

The tender of Mr. P. C. ' Watt has been accepted by 'the Union Clothing Company for tho work of Betting .back the corner of that firm's premises at the junction of Manners Street and Cuba Street (in accordance with an agreement between the owners and lessees of Ihe properly on the one hand,' and the City Council on the other). A triangular area representing 0.9 porches mil be gained for the widening of the footpath at the point mentioned. Tho work, which is now in progress, will cost approximately about XIOOO.

An error of ,tho Berlin correspondent of "The Times" caused the amount of the funds of the German Navy League to be cabled round the world as having reached the enormous total of ,£1,671,190. What he should have said, and did say next day (though no correction was cabled to New Zealand), was that the funds of the league had increased from ,£U,592 in 1908 to .£16,792 in 1909. Even this exceeds the revenue of the British Navy League throughout tho world.

The subject of the Navy League essay for tho present year will be, "What Naval Disaster Would Mean to the British Empire, nd to Now 1 Zealand in Particular." The competition is open to all school branches of the league, and essays must bo sent in to the local headquarters by October 1.

An interesting stage was reached yesterday in tho Supremo Court case, Hannah v. Nodine, a claim for the specific performances of an agreement to lease promises ou Lambton Quay. The Chiel Justice stated that he did not believe certain evidence given by the defendant, who alleged that words "had been added to the agreement after it had been signed in the office of Messrs. Chapman, Skorretr, Wvlie, and Tripp. His Honour intimated that lie would jjive the defendant until Saturday to think ovei- the statements lie had niacin, and if lie did not then withdraw them, his Honour would instruct the police to take proceedings against him.

Shampoolng. Clipping, Hairdrcssins. Manicuring, Face Message, Treatment o( Falling Hair, and Dandruff. Combing made up. Natural Hair-pads. Airs. Kolleston (over Carroll's), U Wiilu Street. 'Pliono 1593.—Advt,

No official announcement has yet been made as to tho Ilome officer who is to be the new commandant of the New Zealand forces.

The civil sittings of the Supreme Court will be continued to-day, before the Chief Justice, the following cases having been set down for hearing :—Henry Hastings Cramp v. Charles Edwin Waters, a claim for .C2OO for goods sold, etc.; Emily Prosscr v. the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation, Ltd., a claim for J/170 on an insurance policy.

Though not periiaps generally known, It is rare indeed that the members of a theatrical combination indulge in social recreation. That apparently is not the case with Williamson's Grand Opera Company. After the performance on J uesday evening the members of the chorus, and some of the orchestra, adjourned to the Druids' Hall in 'i'aranaki Street, and held a social, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Interspersed between the dances were songs, elocutionary items, and speeches, which were the means of demonstrating the high quality of the talent that exists amongst tho members, of the Grand Opera chorus. Songs were contributed by Messrs. G. H. Hardy, Graham, Bartlett, and K. Ferguson, and Miss August exhibited remarkable talent as an elocutionist. The music for the dances was contributed by the ladies in turn, all of whom appeared to have a good acquaintance with the keyboard. Among those present were Signor Hazon, Mr. Henry Bracy (stage director), Mr. Rieharu btewart (manager), Mr. Reg. Carey (stage manager), and Mr. Arthur Crane.

There was a large attendance at the ordinary meeting of , the Wellington Philosophical Society last night. Hiss 0. Ji. Kirk read a paper entitled, "The Elementary Psychology of Chifd Life." In the course of her paper Miss Kirk quoted many personal observations of child life, which proved very interesting. Dunne the discussion on tho subject, Mr. Gray, Principal of the Teachers' iraining College, incidentally remarked that it might not be generally ■ known that there were some children of three years who had a vocabulary of no fewer than 700 words. Mr. H. D." Skinner then road an interesting paper entitled: "The Customs and Traditions of the Poutini Ngatahu." The president afterwards remarked that they would be pleased to get Mr. Skinner's complete paper on the subject for the Transactions of the Institute. Mr. C. E. Adams also gave a paper entitled "Halley's Comet," which was illustrated by diagrams, and was followed with considerable interest.

After the lights have been turned out and the doors locked and tho audience have gone homo a vagrant ray of light in the Princess Theatre caused a spectral shadow which has given rise to the most exaggerated fancies among the credulous and tho superstitious. They declare that the-theatre, is haunted. The "ghost" first made its appearance about five years ago, having been discovered by a fireman on duty in the theatre. Dozens of actors and actresses have sit through the small hours on the stage in front of the curtain gazing across tho empty blackness at the point where the ghost appears. Most of them have watched in vain, but many have seen it. The last who saw it were an actor and his wife. They and the fireman all saw it at the same time. The lady promptly fainted, and investigation had to be postponed until she recovered. By that time the "ghost" had vanished.—"Sydney Morning Herald." ■ Detective Abbott arrested a man yesterday on a charge of wife desertion at Christchurch. The man will be brought before the S.M. Court this morning,'when a remand to Christchurch will probably lie asked for.