LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1692, 7 March 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that tho Maliono, which sailed, from Sydney for Auckland on March o, lias on board an Australian mail, also an English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion is due to aTrivo per Main. Trunk express on Monday next. ! Is a barmaid who served in a bar in Australia for three months prior to the passing of this country's Barmaids Act of 1910, eligible to serve in a bar in this Dominion under tho Act of last year? It is stated that a test case will bo taken shortly in the Courts to decido tho point.—Christchurch "Press." The City Council last night granted permission for picture entertainments to bo held on Good Friday evening, subject to the programme being to the approval of tlio Town Clerk. The secretary of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board desires to acknowledge from 'Mr. J. Castle, chairman of the Newtown School Committee, the sum of ill Is. fid. This sum was tho result of a penny collection taken up by the scholars of that school towards Hospital Saturday and Sunday collections. The penny collection was deferred owing to the fact that a fund was being raised for the annual picnic which took placo last Wednesday.

The City Council last night adopted tho following recommendation from the ByLaws Committee: "That this committee views with alarm the excessive speed at which motor cycles are ridden through the city streets, and recommend that the Police Department be asked to take some action with regard to the matter."

Cab fares formed the subject of a report laid before the City Council last night. It will bo interesting to residents of the city and visitors to know that, in place of the old scale of fares, a now scale has now been arranged. Thru districts have been substituted for the old system, and the boundaries will fit tho configuration of tho city, for example:—No. 1 wili take in the main part of tho .city between Kent Terrace and Clyde Quay on tho east, Tinakori lioad on tho west, and Ellico and Bucklo Streets on the south. No; 2 will be bounded on tho north by the southern boundary of No. 1, on the south by a line drawn from the original city boundary through Hall and Mcin Streets. No. 3, tho remainder of the city within the original city boundaries (oulsido theso districts). Tho minimum fares are Is., 25., and 3s. for the respective districts, with provision for an extra payment for additional passengers. The deer-staking erason in the counties of Featherstou and Wnirarapa will open on March 22 and close on May 17. No licensee is to take moro than four stags) and none of less than ten-point antlers. The license fee lias been fixed at £2. The stalking season in the Borowhcnua ami llutt counties, Taranm Forest Reserve, and at AVaiuui also opens and closes on the dates mentioned. The request of tlie Tramways Hand that the council advance the sum nl' J,'250 for the purpose of enabling the hand to purchase a new set of instruments, as recommended by the Tramways Jjomd of Management, win last uijjlit ueeudwl to by the City' Couiicil,

Gold is the most amazing magnet for attracting peoplo from one part of the globe to Iho other. A very largo proporlion of the population of Is'ew Zealand consists of the. sons and daughters or grandsons and granddaughters of men who were attracted first to Australia (Ballarat), and subsequently to tlio gold rushes of Westland ami Otago, in New Zealand. The fact crops up in numerous obituaries which appear in the press every day. Still there are a good many of tho pioneer miners still living, and in view of ills jitbileo of the Westland goldfields, to he held in Jlokitika on January 7, 8, and !), and in Ross and lvumara on January 10 and 11 next, tho secretary of tho celebrations is anxious to eecu're data that will enable him to compile a list of pioneers who were on tho fields during tho 'sixties, which it is intended to publish in connection with the jubilee. Anyone who can give particulars of those who wero in Westland during the ■'sixties are requested to communicate with tho secretary of the Jubilee Committee, Jlokiiiko.

Tho projected motor-car .excursion into tho country arranged by the council of the Chamber of Commerce for the entertainment of the members of tho Trade of Empire Itoyal Commission will not now take place. Tho very short stay that is being made in Wellington is the reason of the visitors not being able to avail themselves of the offer. The council wishes to t'hnnk all those who offered the nse of cars for tho occasion.

While Mr. J. H. Lockington, of- Katikali, was turning a bull out of his stockyard, 110 had a narrow escape from serious injury recently. Tho animal rushed at hjm, knocked him down, knelt on him, and would certainly have killed him had not his brother-in-law (Mr. Stephen Stone) had the presence of mind to throw a bucket at tho maddened beast, thus distracting his attention. Beyond a severe shaking Mr. Lockington was none tho worse for his adventure—Auckland "Herald." The City Council have decided that, as recommended by tho Tramways Board of Management, no penalty be imposed regarding the late delivery of 6teel tyres by Messrs. S. Brown, Ltd,, provided that the tj'res havo been shipped by the s.s. Pakeha on January 31, or the s.s. Essex on February 5.

"How many of your children are at home ivitli you?" oqunsel asked a female witness in the Ghristcliurch Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. She hesitated for a'minute or two, leading counsel'to remark: "Surely that is not a hard question to answer." Witness made a reply that caused some laughter in the Court: "Seeing that I have so .many, it does take me some time to answer. Eventually sho told the solicitor that of her thirteen children, six were still at home. Later on tho same witness ,was asked her age, and the magistrate suggested 'that that was hardly a proper question to put to a lady. The witness quickly retorted: "I am not afraid to tell you how old I am."

A largo tent, covering an extensive area of an allotment in Tuam Street, is the scene of the Chapman-Alexander Mission in Christchurch. Long before the time at which the meeting commenced on Tuesday night, many hundreds of people entered the tent. The seating accommodation was rapidly absorbed, and when the proceedings commenced it is estimated that some 2500 people had gathered to see the missioners and hear their message. Dr. Chapman, in his address, said lie questioned if there had ever been a time since preaching was started when there was greater intellectual power in the nulpits, and never were the agencies for lifting the downcast and helping tho poor so peat. But the need of the power of intellect and the increased agencies for rendering help were not so important as the necessity to stir the Cities and lift up the Dominion. Firing >'the soul and making their words messages to those who were living in the darkness of sin was to be aimed at. Dr. Chapman stated emphatically that he was not in favour of sensational evangelism, and ho said that tho revival which was wortli while was 0110 that would make it possible for men to say that tho Church and kindred associations were worth while. "If at the end of the mission the people say that they like their ministers and God's people belter, I will know that good has been done," added the. speaker. "It must be a revival that will make unsaved people realise their lost condition." In conclusion Dr. Chapman said that he entered on the mission with boundless hopes and strong faith.

A deputation from the Horowhenua County Council waited upon the Minister lor I üblic works yesterday in regard to ?i "VI;-, r of river Protective works in the Waikanae district. The proceedings were not open to the press. The denization was introduced by Mr. J. Robertson, lU.r. _ A fire broko out at 7.48 p.m. yesterday J . n 11 two-story wood and iron six-roomed ■ dwelling at 87 Pirio Street, owned and occupied by Mr. Jack Campion. A sit-ting-room and its contents were totally destroyed, and the other rooms in tlio house wero damaged by heat and smoke. 1 hei origin of tlio firo is unknown. Both building and contents wero insured. The side-wall of the house next door, owned and occupied by Mrs. Jane Turner, was scorched. This houso was insured for ■£.100, and its contents for .£SO, both risks being carried by tlio South British Ofnee. It was reported at the meeting of the District Lnbour Council last,evening that 3500 signatures had been appended to tlio petition asking for a polhon the halfholiday question. Tlio street campaign tor lurthcr signatures is to bo continued to-morrow. It was also reported that tlio onrolinent of electors and other preparations for the approaching municipal elections wero going on briskly. On Monday tlio Labour candidates for the different local bodies are to meet at tlio Trades Hall to discuss campaign preparations.

THE "TRIUMPH" STILL ON TOP. The Christclrarch-Kaikoura-and-back record still stands to the credit of Mr G. B. Brown and his full roadster "Triumph," and the new record made last Thursday has been buried almost as soon as it was born under the crushing weight of two hours and -twenty-one minutes. The principal features of Mr. G. b' Brown's groat ride on Saturday' havo been given full publicity. On Bth Febru-' ary ho rode alone. Some capital was made out of the fact that on a previous occasion ho was accompanied by another rider, and, though the precedent thus set has been followed in the subsequent attempts upon the record bv aiders of machines other than the "Triumph," Mr, Brown decided to denionstrate his faith in "Triumph" reliability by riding alone. He rode the same full roadster threespeed "Triumph" as ho rode when he established the record on January 17. The onlv difference in the conditions was that ho knew the road. It- must be remembered that this Christchurch-Kaikourft rldo was suggested by "Triumph" competitors presumably as' a course on which their machines had a better chance against the "Triumph" than any other. Tlio eonrso evidently does suit their machine—when their machine is going well—but it quite as evidently suits the "Triumph." just as well, and a great deal better. So tlio result of this little sporting controversy lias been to establish the "Triumph" as the liest "cross-country" motor-cycle, as well as the best speed machine, tlio best machine for reliability, and tho' best for hill-climbing. The latest "Triumphs" arc now to hand; prices: fixed engine, .£7O; free engine. ,£80; three-speed, .EST 10s. Adams, Limited.. Christchiirch. Branches, AVanganui, I'almerston North. Agents, Sutherland and Hankine, Wellington,' and Tourist Motor Co., Hastings.— Ailvt.