LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1583, 29 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tt is probable that-the wireless plant now in the General Post Office will be dismantled now that the new station is erected on the Tinakori Hills, and ieerected later on at the Chatham Islands, where a site has already been reserved for that purpose. Tho possession of a wireless plant capable of comniuncatioii with Wellington would be a great boon to the islanders and valuable to shipping, pnrlicularly in view of the development of tli9 fishing industry at the Chatliams.

The brovi-n bear at Xewtown Zoo lias been transferred from the temporary cage in which it has been confined for several months, and .is now installed in the new iron cane which the council has recently prepared for it.

On behalf of Sir Arthur Guinness, Mr. IjlMjj gave notice in tho House of Representatives lust evening to ask the Minister for Railways whether he will revise the railway rates /or the carriage of coal, so as to make charges uniform and I'liablo coalniino owners in New Zealand to compete with the coalmine owners of New South Wales.

Mr. T. M. \Vilford (member for Hu(t) asked a. question of the Mjiiister for Kailways in the House of lienressiitatives last night relnting to the facilities, or the lack of them, for entraining passengers n'l, Treurliam nil race days." He asked whether what had occurred at Trenthnm un the two' race days would lend the Minister to believe thai there was urgent necessity for reorganising the traffic on race days, mid whether lip would provide' extra facilities for entraining at Trentham. The Minister (the Hon. W. H. Hemes) said that if Mr. Wilford would put his rjiii'slion on the order paper ho would get :i report from the Dcparlmoiil on the subject.

As a result of observations made by Detective-Sergeant Cassells nt Trontliniii yesterday,, proceedings nre being taken Dgiiinst two men on charges of bettins on a racecourse, Tile be.ttingr is alleged to lia\e taken place in tlie Leger reserve.

An ex-resident of Auckland, describing his wanderings in the. United Kingdom, writes that the weather in the Homeland lias been unprecedented for continuous wet. In sonio parts of Ireland which he> visited tlio condition of things was deplorabie. Tho potato blight has proved vriry destructive, almost reminding old residents of the visitation of 181 G. Foot and mouth disease is very prevalent in somo parts of Ireland, resulting in tho abandonment of tho oaltlo fairu and the prohibition of the export of cattlo to England. The social and political outI'wk is also ominous in the extreme, and tlio ultimate possibilities of the Home Rule movement are diflicult to gauge, many persons anticipating serious internal .strife before very long. "I am leaving- for (he Continent," writes the. traveller, "fliid I nni not sorry to get away, for it seems to me trouble is inevitable."

An extraordinary scene was witnessed in Calcutta recently, when a small trolley, studded with rows of iron spikes, on which a Hindu was lying at full length, was being pulled through the street. A largo crowd was following. Inquiries elicited the information that the man was doing penance, and was on his way to the tomu|e of the goddess Knli at IC'alighat, The Hindu had been several days on the jpurnoy, aiul was in a terrible, condition.' Tlio spikes, which numbered about 150, were quite sharp, and the man wore only a loin cloth. He must liavo been suffering acute pain, from the fact that his body was bruised and lacerated all over as a result of lying on the sharp nails. Neither the police nor any passerby mado any attempt' to stop the selfimposed torture.

Mr. T. H. Davey asked the Minister for Marine in the House ,of Representatives last evening whether the Government intended to bring down a Harbours Amendment Bill this session. The Hon. F. M. 13. Fisher replied that the Bill was down. It is understood that the measure will daitl only with, methods .of election which as they now stand gave rise to a considerable amount of complaint when the boards now in office were elected in 1911. Under the existing law, Harbour Board elections coincide with those of borough councils; which aro biennial, but county councils aro elected onco in three years, and special polls have to be preparod for Harbour Board elections so far as the country districts are concerned.

The Globe Tavern, n't Dumfries, a famous haunt .of the poet Burns, is in the market (says an English paper). Jinny "a riclvt guid willy wacht" was quaffed by the poet and his friends in this old hoslelry, which contains many relics nf the poet, including a window, on a pane of which, by means of a diamond, lie wrote tiro verses. There is also a punch howl, a jug, a.cup, a Prince Charlie wineglass, Burns's favourite chair, Mrs. Burns's work-box, nnd other nrticlcs. An American visitor to Dumfries recently endeavoured to find out if it was likely that the pano of glass would be cut from the window and sold separately, as ho was prepared to put down .as many dollars as were necessary. He was immensely disappointed when informed that such an action would bo looked upon as sacrilege. ' . , ■ ■

It is the popular belief throughout the South Sea Islands that coconuts will not thrive at any great distance from the sea -'coast. According to Jtr. A. C. Dormer, who arrived in Sydney from Java last week, this is quite an erroneous idea. Mr. Dormer, who formerly resided in Auckland, ljas for the past three years been managing the Tiikockoen. coconut plantation in Central Java, about 50. miles from the coast. The coconuts grow as well there, he says,' as they do .on the coast. "In fact," Mr. Dormer declared, "my experience is that they ■' will • grow anywliero as long as the olevntion is not too great, and the.climate is suitable. They ought to do well in the tropical zone of AustraliaA-Northwn the Northern Territory, and the northbrr. part of Western. Australia. From all I near of the Northern Territory, they would thrive th<ere." Mr. Dormer stated that thd Javanese labourers were paid "d. for a day's work of about 11 hours, and 'had to keep themselves. Hβ calculated that it took about four Javanese to do the work one white man would accomplish.