LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1653, 21 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Last niglifc a fjreat brown pall which hung over the city indicated that bush firaiwro raging m the' districts whence tlio north wind blows. : The Royal Wellington Choral Society will rosurao its weekly practices at St, John's Schoolroom on. Friday,, February 7, commencing with active rehearsals of the concert edition of Georges Bizet's melodious opera, "Cariiien," which, it is expected, will bo produced early in. April next. This will bo tho last performanco personally prepared and conducted by Mr, Haughan Barnett before he takes his. departure for Auckland to take up Ms duties as municipal organist in that city. For its production, of "Carmen;" the society 'will require, in all, ten soloists, and it is the intention of tho committee to sparo no effort or expense in order that the services of the best available talent may be obtained for th 6 principals.' :>

■ Some«of tho Roxburgh orchards are not likely to yield this year the average quantity of peaches and apricots, 6ays the Dunedm correspondentof tho "Lvttelton Times." l A touch of frost when tlie fruit was (setting. - a slight visitation of "curl," and the hot wind last week were amongst tho injurious influences. In one orchard alone nearly as much fruit as would fill 1000 cases fell off as a result of the heat.

' "Germany gave me tho impression of being one huge workshop, and not an armI oury," declared Dr. Teichelinann, wlio has returned from a trip abroad, in the courso .of an interview at Hokitika- with qn ."Otago Daily. Times" correspondent. "Everybody seems to start work early. Why, at the International Gynaecological Congress which I attended, the proceedings commenced every session- day at 7 o'clock in the morning. What appealed to mo also was'tho marked progress which energy and applied science had accomplished in the cultivation of the country, livery distriqt appeared to be well looked after. Even tho forests gave one.the impression that intelligent care had been applied to thoir upkeep. The Germans have a well-planned system of afforestation. Every person who desires to fall d tree must obtain permission to do 60, and that is only granted on tlio understanding that two trees are planted ,in the stead of the tree that is felled. Right throughout Germany there is in operation an up-to-date Bystem of town-planning." "TRIUMPH" ESTABLISHES CHRIST-CHURCH-KAIICOURA RECORD. The<motor oycling record from Christ, churcfi to, ICaikoura and back, which was established on Thursday by Mr. G. B. Brown on a latest model "Triumph," and whioh constitutes one of the finest crosscountry performances over put up by a motor oyclipt in New Zealand, has a somewhat curious history. Some three months ago Mr. Brown challenced all and sitndry to a straight-out . hill-climbing contest, on Sumner Hill or PaokakariH Hill—the "Triumph", against any other machine. There wero' no acceptances, but one firm said in effects "Wo know the Triumph can lick our machine on tho hills proposed, but come out on a long run, ucross really , lxid country—Christchurch to Kaikoura and back, for instance—and we'll show you a point or two." Well, of courso, wo didn't refuse that proposition. But we thought it fair to give them all a chance, and challenged any motor cyclist in New Zealand, not riding a "Triumph," to meet G. B, Brown and his "Triuriiph" on that very courso. There wero ten thousand' excuses, but wo couldn't pet ono match. So, baulked in our good intentions, wo decided to establish a record ovor tho courso, and let tlio other fellows liavo a peck at it at their leisure. You all know what happened. Mr. Brown covered tho 2GO miles of rough country, half of it on an unknown road, in under 12 hours. Tlio rivers and river-beds wero difficult to negotiate, but the -"Triumph" stood tho racket in tho regular Triumph", way, and tlioro was'not n break-down, not even a puncturo, to mar tho.record. Not knowing tho road, Mr. Brown mado a few deviations and detours ho would not otherwise have had to make. So if anyono lowers the present record of 11 hours SGJ minutes, ho nil! bo prepared to go out again, and knock a littlo moro olf the time. New stock of Triumphs just arrived. Fixed engine, .£7O; freo cnirinc, ,£80: t'liroe speed. .£B7 10s. Adams, Ltd., Christciiuvoh. Branches at Palmerston North and Wattznmii; njrents, Sutherland and Rankinc, Wellington; Tourist Motor Co., Hastinsac

A ceremony which is to bo hold on March 12 to celebrate tho actual start of the building of the Federal capital will bo on as extensive a scalo as that which marked the turning of the first sod of tho trans-Australian railway. Arrangements aro now in full swing. A commencement column is to bo erected to ooinmqmorato tho initiation of tho operations. Tho oapital will also be named on the occasion.

A- public meeting, under the auspices of the Overseas Club, is to bo held in tho Sydney Street Schoolroom on Thursday evening, when an address will bo delivered .by the organiser, Mr. Evelyn Wrench. On Friday a conference of delegates from associated branches is to bo hold for tho purpose of mapping out a programme of work for the next year or two years. It is expected that some twenty-fivo delegates will attend. Among the proposals to bo discussed will bo that of co-operation with other patriotic bodies.

A peculiar position recently aroso at Lithgow (N.S.W.) in connection with tho maternity bonus. Births were, it is said, so numerous , that the local post •office ran out of forms. Tho births of lritio have, it appears, been much above tho average at Lithgow. A fresh supply of forms was received, and the same difficulty bus not been experienced since. Thero woro 880 •births during tho year, nearly 80 mothers rceiving tho bonus. '

Now Zealand Chambers of Commerce are being circularised by the AneloChinGso College at Amoy, stating thai the Chinese Government had invited tho college to. establish a department of agriculture and commerce, and that the collego was desirous that- British produco and manufactures should ,be well represented, in the showrooms and' museum. The circular asked that samples of local produce and manufacture should be . forwarded for exhibition.

A deputation from, the Auckland A. and P. Association, headed by Mr. Isaac G. Gray, waited on the Hon. W. H. Horries (Minister for Railways) at Auckland on Friday, in regard to the necessity of quicker conveyance of live 6tock by rail. Mr. Gray emphasised tho need for giving livo stock preference over all other classes of goods m tho matter of quick transport. Only recently, ho 6aid, lie had sent a truck-load of cattle from Tirau to Papa--toetoe. The animals were dispatched at 9 a.m., iuid did Hot reach their destination till 10,45 p.m.,' thus, making tho average, rate of transport only 8 miles an hour. As it result of the long confinement ono cow had fallen, and ho had not got her on to her legs yet. It appeared that the truck haa been shunted off at Frankton, as it hod to wait for the stock; train , which came down from Cambridge. There seemed to bp a good I stock 6ervico from the last-named centre, but cattle and sheep .coming from tho direction of Itotorue. had a tiresomo wait, entailing loss and suffering. The Minister said , that he sympathised with the speakers' difficulty, ixs he .had transported stock himself. Beasts were, however, Jiablo to fall and be' ; injured oven on the shortest journeys. Ho promised to ascertain from the local traffic manager tho reason for delay nt frankton of stock ooming from the Rotorua lino.

The six-months-old babv of Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson, of Bright (Victoria), ivas • asleep in a cradle in tho shade of a tree on January 13, when a boar broke out of n. sty 6omo' distance away, and mado straight for tho cradle. There was no ono about, and tho animal dragged the' child out by tho leg, which it horribly mutilated. Attracted by tho cries of tho child, Mr. M'Kinnon endeavoured to release the baby, and tlio .boar turned on him and fought savagely) TJIO boar was eventually beaten off. Tho child had to undergo an operation, which left it in a critical condition. '. By tlio death of Mrs. Jano Eoboy, Lithgow (N.S.W.) loses its oldest resident. Deceased had been in comparatively good health up till New Year's Day, when sho was token suddenly ill. Mrs. Kobey was born near Liverpool, England, and came to New South, Wales over GG years ago in tho ship Lafaybtto.-tbo voyage occupying ten months. „{sho joined her Jiusbana, who had settled as a timber-getter in tho Lithgow Valley. Later they becamo tho principal market-gai'dchcrs at Lithgow, and tho property somo 20 years ago was renowned for tlio manner in which it was kept, as well as for the ,prolifio crops it yielded. Deceased.left four 60ns and two daughters. There aro over 30 grandchildren iind 15 great-grandcliildron.

In a paper on the Capo Barren Islanders, rwul beforo tho Australian Science Congress, Mr. L. W. G. Buchner,' F.R.A.S;, said that there were now onlytho remains of extinct Tasmanian abort--gines on Capo Barrett Islands—lso persons in all. The result of closo inter-marriage is 6hown in tho degonerato children - attending tho Government school. He pointed out tlfat this contention was tho direct opposite to'that of Dr, Ramsay , Smith, who affirmed, that oousin marriaio in 'Ithe Fijis was productive of tho finest peoples. Tho islanders of Capo Barren were indolent, listless, and extremely improvident. ■ '

The Anglican Bishop of Christohurch (Dr. Julius), on behalf of Miss Solwyn, the grand-daughter of tho lato Bishop Selwyni has presented to tho General Synod a subscription'book for ordinations and licenses dated 1842 j' and a declaration of trust'maao for moneys subscribed for tho propagation of tho Gospel in the Seas dated 1855. y.; The consumption of water in Melbourno on Monday, January . 13, during the hot 6pell was G8,000,000 gallons. Tho ptorago capacity for supplying tho city and suburbs is now equal to 66,000,000 gallons per day. Tho Metropolitan Board of Works 'is constructing extensive .works with a view .of bringing an additional supply from the O'Snannassy River.' This, with tho increased storage accommodation that is being provided, will bring tho total capacity of tho storage reservoirs up to 117,000,000 gallons. '

The Maoris evidently do not view the Public Trustee as fulfilling all the qualifications of the one who is appointed. in loco parentis (srtys tho Christchuroh "Press ). At tho Land Court held at Kaiapoi on Thursday, ft Native agent found tho opportunity to wax eloquent with the Judge on the qualifications of local trustees as compared with the Pub; lio Trustee. He urged that tho Maori guardian in-the place of the parent had bowels of compassion towards those in its care. If the infant wanted an advance of money, tho Maori trustee would be moved to mako it, ond possibly it might bo for urgent medical attendance. Muoh' stress, also, was laid by tho Native advocate on tho tangi and tho funeral. Ho urged that tho Maori trustee would always find money to advance to the trust estate for that purpose, but tho Public Trustee had no idea of tho importance which Natives attached to an interment and the passing of a member of .the tribe. He had been known to have a heart as hard as tho nether millstone when asked for an advance to give a deceased ward a proper funeral, 'l'lio earnest looks on the facos of tho spectators showed tho gallery was moped by tho pathetio appeal. Tho remained impassive. Finallv, tho Public Trustee was siven oharjzo of the estate.