LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Maheno, which sailed from Sydney at noon on July 2t for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, also nn English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion is due to arrive here by Main Trunk on Monday next. The medical superintendent of the iJimedin : Hospital recently that a billiard-tablo be provided for the use of the Hospital porters. At the mect- - I ,ng °i the H °spital Committee on Monday the proposal was thrown, out. Two residents of OtaJri (Messrs. Anderson and Livesey) had rather a lively experience last Monday, when returning trom a fishing excrusion off the local beach. Mr. Anderson was steering while nis companion was rowing, and they were in the act of crossing the bar when tho boat turned turtle, the sea being rough. JJr. Anderson was sent headlong towards the beach and struck on the shore, which he reached aided by several Maoris who were on the beach, in an exhausted condition. Mr. Livesey was not so fortunate, and with the overturning of the boat his coat pocket became entangled in a rowlock, while the boat completely covered him. After a struggle he wrenched himself free, tearing his pocket in, his efforts. By this time he was much exhausted, and tha weight of his heavy clothing impeded his progress. Three Natives-4rGregor, Kehua, and Donis—seeing his sad plight, quickly rowed _ to the rescue, and their ■boat landed him in a state of complete exhaustion. Ho soon recovered, and is now none the worse for his experience. During the past 12 months no feweir than 125 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted by the postal authorities • .

The wettest place in the North Island, tor the month of .June was Bonnie Glen,. Upper Hutt, where a fall of 11.26 inch** , was recorded. This was easily exceeded at several recording stations in the South Island, where,,the palm was taken by Otira, with a rainiall of 21.3 a mete Other unusually heavy records in th« South Island'were as follow.—Bealey Flat, 18.61 inches; Hermitage (Mt. Cookh 15.79 inches; Manaroa, Pelorus Sound, U. 29 inches; Pakawau, 17.83 inches; Reefton, 14.32 inches; Greymouth, 15.28 inches; Parapara, 35.69 inches. A notice in this weok's Gazette provides that electric-welded fencing made of metal wire not exceeding three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter shall be admitted into New Zealand free of charge if manufactured in British Dominions, but shall be liable to a duty of 10 per'cent, ad valorem if not so manufactured. A ohange is being made in the matter of paying telephone dues. A new regulation in this week's Gazette prov:>Vs that 'the first payment in Tespect of fhe hire of any telephone instrument shall be payable on the date on which the connection with the Telephone Exchange is completed, and shall be in respect of the period elapsing between that date and the first day of the following January. April July, or October, as the case may be. All subsequent payments snail be payable quarterly, in advance, on the first day of January, April, July, and October of each and evory year."

A certain Maori gentleman in, tho Waikato, whose wits occasionally wander, is wont to imagine himself to be all sorts of men. One day when the train came in he imagined he was a policeman, and stalking majestically about keeping order, he noticed a passenger alight from the train with a 6light stagger. He approached him, smelt his breath, and arrested him. The victim calmly submitted, and the policeman proceeded to lead his captive to the police station. On the way he met a real policeman in uniform. Ho halted his prisoner, saluted, and informed the officer that'he had arrested the man. "On what charge?" said the officer. "Oh, I dunno," replied the Native "charge the feller ten. bob and lot him go." Some Port Chalmers youths recently picked up a stranded ribbon fish about 18ft. long, on Murdering Beach. Not knowing its great value for museum purposes,' they cut it into hnudy lengths for carrying away. There are said to be so few specimens of ribboa fish in existence that the one the boys picked up would have been worth anything up to ,£'loo for each foot of its length'.

A few weeks ago a protest was made by captain Barclay, secretary of the local branch of the Overseas Club, at having to pay duty on a flag and Eome club badges imported from England by' the club. Captain Barclay has since had an interview with tho new Minister for Customs (the Hon. P. M. B. Fisher) who has signified his intention of making n rebate on the articles mentioned. Maoris on the West Coast of this island (says tho Eltham "Argus") make systematic searches for ambergris. After a storm they 'ride along the beach on hoTseback armed with, a stick, which has a nail attached to the end, by means of which they spear anything, bearing a resemblance to ambergris, and examine it without the necessity of dismounting. , The building of the new Royal Flying School, near Uptvon, Salisbury Plain, is approaching completion, and should be out of the contractors' hands by the end of tho present month. By then the War Office will probably have decided on the pattern of the flying machine to be adopted for the Army and Navy generally. Preliminary tests with tho new United States Army rapid-firing, aeroplane gun were carried out recently at Washington. Tho gun was worked from a biplano three hundred feet in the air, and made a favourablo impression. Brigadier-General Allen, Chief of the United States Signal Corps, expressed the opinion that the gun would increase tho offensive value of the aeroplane a hundredfold. The gun is capable of firing 500 shots a minute. A remarkable iucideut occurred'tn an Eltham boardinghouse recently, according to the Eltham "Argus," which vouches for tho story. When the lady of the house was removing a boiled pudding from a saucopim the "bomb-shell" exploded, and a portion of it struck tho face of a friend standing in close proximity, somewhat hurting her eye. The only explanation of this remarkable oxplosion is that tho pudding was confined in a rather too small cloth,- not enough room being left for expansion. In connection with tramway supplies, tho City Council ha* accepted'tho tender of Mr, P. R. Bailey for wire cables, and that of Wttlloco oud Co, lor iron-

Botween June 25 and July 10 last, 8357 trees were planted on various areas by the city reserves staff. The plantations were: Koseneath Terrace, 310 silver birch and 388 pittosporum crassifolium; reserve north pf Grass Street, 320 silver birch and 182 pittoeporum crassifolimn; Grass Street Reserve, 212 silver birch and 51 pittosporum crassifolium; Conrticsccnl Home Kcsorve, GG3 silver birch and 750 willows; reserve behind Shannon Street, 1111 silver birch; Mount Victoria Reserve, 2438 silver birch and 501 pittosporum crassifohum; Kelburne Park Reserve, 687 silver birch and Gls pittosporum crassifoliuu,. Until Biich time as tho city engineer and superintendent of reserves bring down a report (authorised already by the council) on the future policy of dealing with the Town Belt, and wirh a view to .keeping tho expenses pf the reserves witliin the amount allocated in the estimates for the year, it has been decided to discontinue the work of gorse-grubbing on the Town Belt. The Reserves Committee is now preparing its report. A tramway waiting-shed is to bo erected at the Wadestown terminus, and the cost of same (estimated at £i 0) charged to tho Wadestown tramway loan account. The request of the Onslow Borough Council for a waiting-shed at the Thorndon tramway terminus is to bo considered by the City Council when the estimates for next year are being framed. Many sections along the principal streets of Grcytoiui are afloat with water at (ihc present time, and some of the houses are to surrounded that their occupants must bo reduced to the alternatives of wading or remaining at home. Speaking at the opening of the Buchanan Home yesterday, tho Hon. F. -SI. B. Fisher raised a laugh by stathg tfliat, ao Minister for Marino, he desired to congratulate tho people of Greytovrn unon the magnificent "inland harbours" wiiicb they had all round; their district. It had beeu represented to him, ho declared, that one of "the Acts most urgently required at tho present time was one which would enable farmers to eell their farms by tho gallon instead of by fflie acre. This matter, he promised, amidst roars of laughter, would receive tho early attenbiou of the Government.

Captain G. G. Smith, Eojal Naval Registrar, has received a long service silver medal from the Admiralty, which wa? to have been presented to Ja.mes Galbraith, a stokor in the Koyal Naval Eesem. The intended recipient left Ijyttelton on the lost dredpe Manchester, which was bound for Sydney. It iis. understood that tho medal carries with it a bonus of JCSO. The commission appointed recently to inquire into matters of administration in connection with the Public Servioe of New Zealand commenced sitting in Auckland yesterday morning. Tlio sitting, which is strictly private, will continuo till the end of the week. Evidence will probably be taken up to Saturday forenoon, and on Sunday evening members will leavei by Main Trunk express for' Wellington. The 'adjourned sitting at that centre will then be resumed.—Press Association.

I A deputation of master butchers .waited on the City Council last night in connection with various matters appertaining to the municipal abattoirs. It appeared from what was said that tho butchers ■were not satisfied with the consideration given them by the council or the Abattoirs Committee. The fact that requests made at different times had not met with any good result wag put down to the fact that there was no practical butcher a menibei of the council. They therefore desired that one of their number should lie placed on the Abattoirs Committeo as an advisory member, or in the that one pi their number ehould be allowed to remain while their requests were being discussed. Complaint was ma'de as to certain charges, as to the accommodation for slock and the facilities for loading at the abattoirs, The Mayor in reply to the deputation said that the whole of the matters would be fully considered, but the council could not go against its officers , in any way where they were doing; their duty. Councillor Shirtcliffe, chairman of the Abattoirs Committee, expressed the opinion that the deputation would have adopted a better course had it first waited on the committee, which was always anxious to attend to any complaints that were made. The Municipal Conference is'to be recommended by the Wellington City Council to ask for power to enable local bodies to resell land dedicated to widen streets under Section 117 of the Publio Works Aot, and which land is not necessary foi such a purpose, subject to a condition that buildings must be set back 33 feei from tho centre line of such street. A city cab-driver, who was recently convicted and fined by the magistrate for overcharging a) passenger, was subsequently requested to explain himself to th« By-Laws Committee of the City Council As the man bore a very good character, the committee was of opinion that a warning would meet the case, and cautioner him that a repetition of the offence' woulc lese him his license. Tho action- of tin committee was endorsed by. the couuci' last evening. • ■ ' Speaking at Greytown yesterday, Mr. J. M. Coradine, Mayor of Masterton, ran a jocular tilt at party politics, and stated gravely, amidst somewhat sceptical laughter, that he never took sides in politics. The Hon. P. M. B. I'ishcr had something to say on the subject when it came to his turn to 6peak. There was.once a great •writer and philosopher named Francis Bacon, he remarked, who laid it Sown , that if any man wished to accomplish a given thing he must first take a side. "And I am bound to say," the Minister continued, "that I place a trifle more weight upon tho words of Francis Bacon than I do upon thoso of Mr. Corndine." (Laughter.) The Mayor of Masterton will find that- if ho wants to accomplish great things he will have to take a 6ide. It is by self-sacrifice of a group of men cooperating to get something that you get that something, and in no other way can it be got." Great Parliamentarians were agreed that the party system, though defective, was the best available, but if Mr. Coradirio could suggest any better method it would be adopted, gladly, and monuments to the Mayor of Masterton would be erected all over the British Empire. . A conference of the New Zealand Political Reform League will bo held ui Wellington on Saturday and Monday, August 3 and 5. It is expected that about ICT delegates will bo present. The conference will sit in tho Sydney Street Schoolroom all day on Saturday, and up till 6 p.m. on Monday. On that day the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massoy) and other Miaistors will be entertained at the Town Hall. The object of tho conference is to draw up a constitution for the consolidating of the party throughout Now Zealand. A definite system of organisation will also bo considered, and a central executive will be elected.

Yesterday afternoon • Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., held an inquest into the circumstances concerning the death of Mary. Eleii Hulme, who died at tbo hospital at nn early hour yesterday morning. Evidence went tx> show that deceased, who resided in No. 13 Holland Street, took a fit on Wednesday morning, and wns taken to her sister's residence, No. 153 Tory Street. At half-past e'ght on Wednesday ni»ht she took another: Dr. Shmul was called in, and ordered her immediate removal to the hospital. The finding was that death was due, to natural causes. In connection with the request of the Kilbirnie Association to the City Council, that an extension of time he obtained from. Parliament for the completion of the Kilbirnie Reserve, the- council decided last evening that it is now too lato to get a local Bill through Parliament, and that they will have to get Hie Government to undertake it. A passing glance at car No. 90 would not easily convince one that it is a new mv of a new type. The car, which has just been completed, is of tho "Davey" typo, and will bo on the tracks for the first tirao to-night. In nppuaranco it is not unlike tho ordinary combination ear, excepting that it has several alterations, which no doubt will bo appreciated by tho public. The closcd-in portion of the now car will seat comfortably about 28 persons, while the open portion will se'nt twelve'. The raised ventilators on the roof of tho ordinary combination enr are not in existence tin tho new car, the roof being practically clear excepting for tho trolly polo and half a dozen small ventilators, similar to thoso on railway carriages. A very noticeable feature of the new car is the amount of space between the seats of tho outside portion of the car. The height from the floor to tho weather screens is 4} inches higher than that of the other cars. ; Warner's Rust-proof Corsets are comfortable—guaranteed so—th«y 'shape fasnionably. The bones cannot rust or can the fabric tear. Try a pair. You will declare it is corset perfection, Welling, .ton Dra.persjr-Ad.vti