LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1340, 18 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taking time by the forelock, several members of Parliament have already selected the seats which they will occupy when Parliament meets on February 15. The member for Buller (Mr. Colvin) lias reserved tho seat, near the ayes lobby, formerly occupied by Mr. Frank Lawry. Mr. A. jr. Myers (Auckland East) retains his old place. Mr. C. Parata, the new member lor Southern Maori, will take the seat formerly occupied by Mr. A. \V Hogg. Mr. T. K. Sidey has left his old seat for that vacated by Mr. K. B. Eoss, ex-member for Pahiatua. Mr. J. C. Thomson (Wallace) has moved from the back benches into Sir William Steward's seat. Tho members of the Opposition have been busy. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher has marked off a place in the front benches, right under Mr. Speaker's eye, and ho will have for a companion Mr. H. M. Campbell, Hawko's Bay. Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) has moved into the seat where Mr. C. A. C. Hardy's familiar figure was to be seen in recent years. Mr. A. L. Herdman is content with his old place, and will have for a companion Mr. W. 11. D. Bell. Mr. It. Scott and Mr. Newman (Manawatu) will be found in the same bench, the latter taking Mr. Fisher's former scat' Wellington Fast's member, Dr. A. K. Newman, has taken a placo in tho rear benches of tho Opposition. Plans for the proposed new observatory at Kelburne have been prepared by tho Public Works Department. The building will consist of two rooms, each 12ft. square. The roof to one room will be flat, and that to the other, which will contain the telescope, will be domed. The dome will be made to revolve by tho aid of pulleys, and it will have an opening shutter, enabling the heavens to bo scanned from within on clear nights. The roof-dome will cover tho instrument, which will be mqunted on a cast-iron pillar, set on a concrete pier. The dome will be loft, above the ground, and tho height of the adjoining room 9ft. Tho public will bo permitted to study the planets on suitable nights, a small chargo being made. The undertaking is in the hands of the astronomical section of tho Philosophical Society. The official report of the evidence taken at the last meeting of the Cilv Council, at which the case of Inspector Fuller was discussed between the' council and the Tramwaymen's Union, has been transcribed, and copies supplied to councillors. Some weeks ago Tub Dominion published an interview with Mr. J. Glover, Into workmen's inspector at the Point Elizabeth State colliery, in tho course of which he stated, among other things, that the pumping gear at the Point Elizabeth mines was quite inadequate, and thatlarge quantities of coal wore, in consequence, being wasted. An official reply to these statements was sought on tho day when they woro published, but the Minister for Mines (the Hon. E. M'Konzie) declined to say anything on tho subject until a Departmental report had been obtained. Tho matter was again brought under his notice yesterday, when Mr. M'Kenzio stated that a report had been obtained from tho manager of tho Stato mines, but that ho did not intend to make it public in ejftenso. Tho report of tho manager was to tho effect that the pumps installed at Point Elizabeth were quite capable of coping with all tho water in the mine, and a good deal more. Tho passengers by the Moana, from Sydney, yesterday included twclvo foreigners—six Germans, three Swiss, and three Danes. They all passed the requisite education test. A home for boys is to be established shortly at Island Bay, in the house which was to have been made a Prison Gate Home, but for the strong protest mado by tho residents. Tho Hon. 11. M|Keiizie leaves Wellington to-day for Waihenga, near Martinborough', where he is to open a new roadbridge over tho Euamahunga River. The "Euamahunga is the principal river in the Wairarapa, and the bridge, an important structure, has been built by tho Featherston County Council, under tho usual arrangement with the Government as to subsidy. Tho engineer who designed the bridge is Mr. G. Laing-Mcasou, of AVellington. Persistent reports have been circulated recently in the Waikato district and in Auckland, that the Health Department intends to close down tho consumptive sanatorium at Cambridge. In answer to inquiries made at the Health Department Office's yesterday, it was stated that there is at present no intention of closing down the Cambridge sanatorium. Colour, has been given to the rumours mentioned by tho fact that the sanatorium staff has lately been reduced, and that it at present contains few patie-.its. Tho reduction, we fire informed, is due simply to the fact that a number of hospital boards throughout • the Dominion have erected sanatoria, and that in addition consumptive annexes have been established at a number of general hospitals. The appearance of these wards and institutions has lessened the demand for admittance to the Cambridge sanatorium. The staff has been rcdnccd (o correspond with the reduction in the number of patients. There is another factor which has a bearing on the reduction in the number of patients. At all hospitals and similar institutions tho number of patients tends to decline during and immediately before and after tho Christmas holidays. According to doctors, this phenomenon is to bo traced to the fact that the holiday spirit is strong even in the sick and suffering section of humanity. Patients h:\vo been often known to postpone, operations, or the time of their entering an hospital, until after the holidays. At all events a diminution in tho number of patients and inmates is a constant feature in the life of hospitals and institutions of a similar kind during the holiday period. Whatever may be the effect upon patients of this loyalty to the holiday snirit, it operates a.s a distinct boon to doctors and nurses for, a.s a result, they obtain some respite from toil at a lime when they naturally value it most highly. The "Dominion Tear Book" for 1912, just published by Messrs. Whitcombo and Tombs, contains a mass of useful information which no live business man can afford to be without. It includes some of t.ho principal legislative Acts having am application to trade and commerce, gives the personnel of nearly all the Government Departments, and to tiiose who have business with the Customs Department the. Year Book v:ill be found to be a handy guide. Railway and postal information If clearly set nut, nnd th«rn is a ttnt.ss of information for ''the man OH thfi l an d "

A report was published in Tm: Dominion ve.-lerdav Hint ;i live of >onio sort had broken out in Hie Nu. 2 Slate Mine . at Point Klizaboth. Late yesterday afternoon, a telegram on the subject was received by the Department of Minos from (he man:i kit of llie Point l',l iza both colliery (Mr. .las. Bishop). The telegram, which was in answer to one sent by the Department earlier in Ihe (lay, staled that there hail been no actual fire in Ihc mine mentioned, but that, "liciiting" had occurred in a portion of the pillar workings. The portion all'cctcd was being built up lo exclude the air. The manager, concluding his message, declined himself cnnlident that there would be no further trouble. ".Heating," It may lie explained, is the technical term applied to a spontaneous generation of heal, which occurs usually in heaps of small or waste coal. Though, not in itself a serious matter in a mine five from pas. "heatinq" if neglected may be followed by a serious outbreak of actual tire. The mines at. Point Elizabeth are worked by means of a series of drives and galleries, ninny of which can easily be shut oft' from, the rest of the workings. Apparently the remedy adopted in the present case has been to brick up the gallery or galleries in which tho "heating" occurred. It is understood (say* the Sydney "Daily Telegraph") that' tho nominee for the pesition of Dean of Sydney is a clergyman of the Evangelical school, an At.A., of Cambridge Vniversity, and formerly a tutor under the Church Missionary Association. He is described as a bold, vigorous preacher, and a gentleman just at the age—he is said to be 3D—at which he can be of most service to a church in a thrivin.i city. An inquest was to have been held yesterday afternoon concerning tho death* of Mrs. Greaves, a resident of Lifl'ey Street, Island Hay, who died suddenly on Tuesday shortly after entering a house in Bidwill Street, but, as Dr. Pigeon, who had been attending her, has given n certificate that death was due to heart failure, the inquiry was dispensed with, At the last quarterly meeting of the Wellington Typographical Union, held in October Inst year, the following notice oi motion was tabled, and will come up for consideration at tho annual meeting on Saturday, January 27:—"That this union cancel its registration under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and that a ballot be taken in accordance with the rules to decide tho question." The Pharmacy Board qf New Zealand will hold a conference in Wellington on March 1!), when negotiations will be considered as to the grounds on which reciprocity with Australia can be established—thn t is, whether on an examination or a general basis. Burglars paid a visit to St. Matthew's Vicarage, Auckland, on Sunday evening, whilst the Rev. W. K Gillara and his family were at church; Tho family, on returning from tho evening service, found that a window- had been broken, and that thieves had visited the house. Fortunately the door of the room which was entered was fastened on the outside, and though the intruders ransacked the room without finding anything of value to reward them for their trouble, and smashed the lock of the door, they were unable to gain an entrance to the other part of the house. The window of the room entered, besides having a fastener on it, was secured with nails, and it was found that after the window was broken the nails had been removed and the sash raised. Apparently the thieves worked with gloved hands as there was no trace of finger-prints. Though they had tried hard to force the door open", they were evidently disturbed by tho family returning at. an earlier hour than usual from church. A boat accident occurred near Fortailington (Victoria) last week. Mr. MacDonald, of Port Melbourne, went out with Mr. Richards- and a young fellow named Trigg, and when on the bay the hurricane light went out. Trigg struck a match and an explosion occurred. Tho boat was then half a mile from tho shore. Richards, who was severely burned, swam to the shore, and after Tunning a quarter of a mile, met several men, who went out in a boat to the now burning motor launch, and rescued Trigg and MncDonald, who were in a state,of. collapc.e. The moment after they were" rescued the motor boat sank. All tho men were severely burned about the arms and faces. A large carpet snake attempted to swallow a child at Myall, a township (10 miles from Wnlchn 'N.S.W.), last week, but was killed before "its purpose had been accomplished. The little girl was sleeping in the same bed as her elder sister, Miss Watts, and during the night was awakened by tho snake, which was 7ft. Din. long, creeping in between the clotncs. She cried, and disturbed her sister, who secured a billet of wood and dispatched the snake as it was in the act of devouring tho child. There was a ' wound on tho youngster's face, but after Miss Watts lnj scarified and sucked it tho child improved quickly. She is now running about as usual. Whilst driving near Avondale on Sunday, the Rev. W. Roily and Messrs. . M'Roberts and Green, lav preachers, had a mishap. The horse stumbled and foil, 'and Messrs. Ready and M'Roberts were thrown to the ground, and Mr. Ready received an ugly cut oh his head, which fortunately was not serious. Mr. Green retained his seat, and was able to stop the horse, which bolted immediately it regained its foot. According to the city abattoir statistics for the month of December, 40 cows 399 bullocks, 152 bulls, 3321 sheep, 2009 lambs, 62 calves, and 6 pigs were slaughtered. Out of this number were condemned 5 cows, 0 bullocks, 4 bulls, 18 sheep, 6 lamlis, aid 1 pig. The fees on stock slaughtered amounted to «C 126 13s. 7d., a decrease of £22 18s. lOd. on the previous month. Tho fees on stock slaughtered at the Meat Export Works and sold within the area amounted to .£133 13s. 9d., an increase of .£lO lis. 6d. Tho total receipts for the month were .£394 5d., a decrease of .£33 155., compared .with November. There was an increase in tho slaughtering for the month of 608 hmbs and 6 pips, and a decrease of 31 cows, 130 bullocks, 599 sheep, and 65 calves. The stock slaughtered was of extra prime quality, with the exception of 18 cows and 15 bulls, slaughtered for boning purposes. Yesterday Detectives Hammond and Kemp arrested a man on a charge of stealing a gold watch and chain on January 13. the property of Joshua Herd. The article was rained at «C 7. A former resident of Wellington, who followed the occupation of tailoring, has bsen.arrested in Molbourna on a charge of wife desertion. A police escort to bring him to Wellington will probably leave to-morrow, The contract for the supply to the City Corporation of 500 "A.C. meters for tho electric lighting department has been let to H. S. King, £jU lis. Bd. The unsuccessful tenderers were A. and T. Burt, ,£5lB 155.; the British General Electric Co., 527 Is. Bd.j P. R. Baillie, JC349 ss. 5d.; Lawrence and Hansen, ,£OIB 155.; Turnbull and Jones, ,£662 10s.