LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1607, 26 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A firm of merchants was being discussed during the anti-trust case in the Supreme Court yesterday. Tho company was one' that had not fallen into line with a number of other companies in the sugar business, and the Attorney-General (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) referred to the firm as "a reputable firm." Sir John Findlay, ICC!, described the company as "a big firm with houses in nil the large centres." "The biggest sugar buyers in New Zealand," commented Mr. Ostler. \ "A very eminent firm indeed," added Mr. Hosking, K.C., who was on the other side. ! "Apparently," said Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., "it takes three counsel to put them on their legs."

The amended time-table, under -which the morning and evening trains to <ind from the Wairarapa are to begin and end tlioir journey at Te Aro Station,, instead of Lambton Station, came into force yesterday. It is to be maintained so long as the traffic returns warrant it. The letter from the Minister for Railways to the Harbour Board, in regard ,to the acquisition of a adjoining Te Aro Station, which is required as a site for a goods-shed will come before the board tomorrow for consideration.

Tile Hon. Jas. Allen has instructed his Departmental officers to prepare plans and specifications for additions to the Otekaike Home for Defective Boys. If possible, the plans will be submitted to' tho Minister, with a view to their being approved before he leaves for England on December 13, so that the ,work of making tho additions may be put in hand with as little delay as possible. Mr. Allen hopes to return to Now Zealand early in June, 1913. He will spend about two and a half months nt Home.

To-day the Commissioner of Military Pensions (Mr. G. C. Fnclie) will dispatch to all parts of the Dominion the posters, application forms, and other papers, which will .enable Maori War veterans to obtain the military pensions which liavo been agitated for on their behalf for many years past. Within a few days examining officers from end to end of 1 the Dominion will he in a position fo issuo papers and to receive applications. 'The examining 'officers are area officers ami area sergeant-majors employed under the Defence Act. Tho commissioner is forwarding the necessary papers direct to some seventy veterans, who have made application to him by letter.

George Pudney, dentist, Wellington, has, on his own petition, been adjudged a bankrupt. The first meeting of creditors will be held at tho office of tho Official Assignee oil December 5.

The Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister for Railwavs, will spend most of the timo from now until Christmas in Wellington, but may shortly pay a visit to Napier. Towards the end of Deceniber he will go to Auckland, • and . will spend the early part of January in his own district. While in the north the Minister will pay a visit of inspection to the lines, under construction in the North Auckland peninsula-

From to-day the business of Lambton Quay (head) office of the Post Office Savings Bank, Money Order, and Postal Note Office, will be transacted at the new General Post Office in Featherston .Street, The Parcels Post branch will not be removed from Maginnity Street for at least a week,, as there is still a good deal of. fitting work to be done in the basement of the new General Post Office.

Superintendent Tait, of the City Fire Brigade, lias received a cheque for i! 5 ss. from Messrs. Gollin and Company, towards the brigade's recreation fuud, in recognition of the men's services at the recent fire in their premises in Jervois Quay.

It is noteworthy that the Hon. W. H. Herries (Native Minister) did not attend the tangi held at Waalii in honour of the late Chief Mahuta, the Maori "King." The reason is understood to be the retention by the Waikato tribe of the title of "King." Had the title been dropped, as was advocated by Sir Jas. Carroll, the Native Minister would no doubt have attended the ceremony, but other counsellors prevailed. While the Waikatos uphold the shadowy "kingship," even though it is only in name, the Native Minister cannot well afford them the countenance that his presence at the tangi would have implied.

At a meeting of the Wellington. Branch Committee of the Now Zealand Civil Service Association last evening, a committee of the whole was set up to consider the provisions of the recently-passed Public Service Act, with a view to / laying matters before branch members.

Speaking of his experiences ■ in v the slums of Sydney before a meeting of the Ladies' Home Mission Union at Sydney recently, Rev, B. N, Baker related how,, in his endeavour to creato interest in mission work amongst the people living in the slum area, lie had experimented with a kinematograph. He achieved an astonishing result at his first attempt. "The worst of a film," said the reverend gentleman, "is that you never know : what's coming. I took great care to inquire into the contents of this first film, which I was told was a Bible story about Moses. Being reassured on the point, 'Hoses' was screened. It had hardly been going a minute when, to mv horror, there was Moses flirting, and doing it uncommonly Well. Whero the idea was got 'from I don't know. They did not get it oiit of the Scriptures, and I do not know whether there is any other authority for this strange action of Moses. To make matters worse," concluded Mr. Baker, "the people laughed uproariously."

Something like a record 1 quantity of dairy produce went over the Patea bar on Thursday (reports the Patea "Press"). The Wairau, a steamer belonging to Messrs. Levin and Co., which has been engaged by the South Taranaki Shipping Co. to take a few cargoes to Wellington, left in the morning with 100 cases ol cheese, and the M'ana at the same time with 2500 boxes of butter. Both 'vessels came in on the tide of the evening-before, and were loaded during the', night. The Kapuni, which also arrived on Wednesday evening, l went out on Thursday- evening with 1185 cases of cheese. The cheese taken by the Wairau and Itapnni is for shipment per the Tainui, and the liana's butter for the Tongariro. Estimating the value of cheese at .£3 15s. per case, and that of butter at £2 18s. per box, the three cargoes which went over the bar on Thursday represent the huge sum ' of ,£15,144.. .

The following is taken from a speech made recently by Lord Rosebery "Acquaintance with all the problems connected, with laud was perhaps the most desirable of all forms of knowledge that could be acquired by a member of Parliament. There had been a most disastrous harvest in many parts of England and Sootland, but he had seen only two authoritative remedies proposed. One was to investigate what further taxes could be put on the land, and the other was. to clap all the taxes on the land. (Laughter.) This is a remedy that could not recommend itself to all, and would, he thought, be singularly futile in its operation. (Hear, hear.) They would remember the parable of the Good Samaritan. A certain man went from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. A good Samaritan came by and revived him and refreshed' him, but he did not do -it by clapping a. blister on him. (Laughter.) That seemed to be the modern philosophy, of the best means of reviving 'a decaying in-, dustry in this country." •