LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1714, 3 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After several nmnths the conferences between (lie Wellington branch of the Shipowners' lederation and representatives of tho coastal engineers terminated satisfactorily to both parties yesterday afternoon. The first conference was held same time back and was adjourned ponding a decision being arrived at in the dispute between the Union Compaiiy and their engineers. The latter having been successfully settled tho coastal ongijioLTs' conference was resumed on Tuesday., last and finished yesterday. . The committee appointed by representatives of both sides to give luiormation lo the press told a reporter last evening that ilio new agreement would be signed in the course of a. day or so and its contents would then lie available fur publication. iPublic Service.Commissioner (-Mr! 11. Itobertho.'i) informed it reporter yesterday I hat the classification, of the unclassified Departments in the Public Service which is no-v being'prepared would bo issued at about the end of Juno next. Mr. .Robertson, does not anticipate being , 0 , t« set out, with his Assistant Com-. nnssiouers, upon their projected tour of tho Aorth Island departmental offices before the end of this month. All the l>nncii>al towns, the Commissioner stated, would bo visited, and as far as possiblo every officer ili tho Service would re aflorded an opportunity of interviewing ono or other of the Commissioners, lo nrcet the case of offica.'s- scattered through country districts, convenient central points would Im> seleoted at which olhcers could assemble and interview tho Commissioners or one of their number. It was 7.35 p.m., and for over five minutes no tram had readied tho Oourtonay l'liico junction, inward bound; outwards, though, cars were going in regular succession. With the passing of each moment tho waiting crowd, of would-be travellers increased, till wheu a. city car liovo in sight there wero closo upon sixty people anxious to ombark thereon. The car lrom the seaside oU'ered only stoudmg. accommodation, and into this the entertainment seekerj rushed, till barely an inch of space was available. In tho run to tho ltoyal Oak corner tho guard had hardly workol, halfway through tho car,.and at this stop there was a greatexodus. "I'\u\.>s, please," called tho otiicittl as he jumped to tho roadway. Only ono man stopped; ho proffered a-shilling, and by the time tho eleven pennies change wero counted out tho others who had alighted wero lest to view. They apparently had urgent calls elsc-where. , Tho Anglican "Church Chronicle" (Wellington) states: The annual meetings of parishioners must bo held during this month. The meeting must bo convened by the minister, and must bo publicly notified at least ten days beforehand, and announced in'church on the Sunday next before. Kvery person registered in the Churchwardens' book as having signed tho Declaration of Membership two months before tho meeting is entitled to vote. The clergyman appoints one Churchwarden, and the parishioners clect the other. Tho vestrymen must I>o not' less than three nor more.than leu in number, communicants of the parish or district. Lists of names ill the Churchwardens' books, and parochial returns should reach the Diocesan Secretary before May 1. There will be 110 election of parochial nominators required, in accordance with the new scheme of appointment of. clergy to parishes and parochial districts adopted by last General. Synod. The conference of Native Land Court Judges convened by the Hon. W. 11. Herries (Native Minister) to consider, matters relating lo tha administration of tho Native land laws, conimenocd its sittings ,in Wellington yesterday, and will contimio its deliberations to-day. The Mill/ ister attended tho conference yesterday.. Twenty-threa Territorials appeared at the Lower Mutt Court yesterday 011 various charges of "breaches of the. Defence Act. Mr. 11. Ayson, who appeared lor oil'? of tho .defendants, raised two points of interest. 1 ' Tho first was that his client could not ,be fined twice in one ycsiiyand secondly defendant liad the option ofmaking up his absenco at parades at (ho Oringi camp, -to bo hold 011 April '28. Ma-. I'. W.' Jackson, who appwued 'for another defendant,i.supported Jlrj .Ayson. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., adjourned ' till' the cases cxcept oiuv in consequence of. tlie 'points raised," for . ono month. In tlio' meantime, Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., ' and Messrs. Ayson and Jackson aro to go into the question.' ' "Tho Federal Government recently asked through tho usual official sources if ' the King would lay the foundation-stono of tho new Commonwealth Offices in London. A cable message has been received from tho Secretary of-State for the .Colonies, stating that the King had intihiated that it would give him much pleasure to perform the oeremcny. , Tho dato has not yet been fixed. Mr. : Correll, the youngest member of the Mawson Expedition, who returned to Adelaide 011 March 128, stated that on 0110 journey with Madigan and Maclean 110 had a terrible cxpericnco among- tho crevasses and chasms 15 miles from Mount Outlook. They were fifty hours without food, and had to throw away scientific instruments. After speaking about other hardships, Correll was asked,. "Do you waut to go back again ?" "Yes," he answered, "I'd go hack like a shot if I got the chance.' lam hoping to get a trip when they go to bring Dr. Mawson back., It's a fine life." Some excitement was caused amongst tho largo crowd of people which congregated at the outer western tee of the Queen Street Wharf at Auckland 011 Monday evening to witness the departure of tho steamer Victoria for Sydney. Tho vessel's lines had just been let go, when a fireman who had. overstepped his shore leave came rushing down the wharf, and as tho steamer was slowly moving nway he made a jump for the deck. He struck' tho rail, however, and fell backwards into the water. Captain H. C. Brown, of 'tho Harbour Board's stall', immediately threw a lifebuoy to the struggling man, who succeeded in putting his, arms and head through it. Ho was then hauled on to tho wharf by Captain Brown and several bystanders. Tito man was only rescued just in time, and was in a very exhausted condition. lAs tho Victoria had stopi>e<J in the stream, in order that a boat miglit be lowered to put some ono ashore, the fireman was rowed out to tho ship. Tho erection of rural telephone lines, privately owned, are a great boon to the settlors in tho north (says, the "Herald"), and there are now very few districts where the farms are not linked up amongst themselves, and in many' cases conncctod up with tho Government lines". Tho system is also growing in favour in tho south of the province. The annual report of the Matamata branch of thi Farmers' Union contains reference to tho fact that three, and probably four, lines wilt shortly bs erected in that district. The report incidentally extends the thanks of fanners to the postal authorities for tho help the latter have given in establishing the system. Captain H. S. Blackburne, hon. secretary of tho Now Zealand Anti-Opium Association, in forwarding us an extract fp om the English copy of "China's Millions" for 1913, on the opium question in the Far East, states"l hear from different parts of China that the Republican Government aro dealing most ejl'ectual'y and drastically with the smokers as well as the growers of the drugs, so that, tlioro is littlo liopo of the merchants finding purchasers for tho largo stock of opium now 011 their hands in Shanghai." The president, of the Linnean Society of New South Wales (Mr. W. W. Eroggall, F.L.S,) pays no compliment to tho rabbit. But, although ho looks Jo his destruction as a consummation devoutly to be wished,.-he says in his annual report that: "There is another very important aspect of the rabbit question that cannot be overlooked. The effect that tho conslant killing of rabbits, often in a very brutal manner, has upon tho minds of the people engaged in rabbit-trapping, is to l>e deplored. The callous way in which boys and girls treat maimed rabbits has been frequently noted. Tho school inspector of tho Yass district recently reported that 20 per cent, of the children 111 the smaller schools were engaged in trapping. When rabbiting is seriously undertaken, it occupies a great , part of tho time of the children when out of school, and seriously encroaches oil their hours of sleep, as they work at tho traps till late at night. Opinions differ among the teachers as to its effect,'but there is a general consensus of oiiinion that it induces not only physical, but also menial ami moral deterioration. In (he Mudgeo' district', over 20(1 children are engaged in rabbiting, from four to six months in tho year."

A presentation was recently mado by a local church choristers' society to one of its gentlemen members as a token of tlio kindly way in which his vocal .services 1 have always been given. These little 1 gatherings are always organised to be of a "pleasant surprise" nature, but by some means or another the "secret" generally gets out. On the occasion under notice, however, ilie ntfair consistently retained its mantle of mystery—tho person who'll it was intended to honour was truly "not in the know," in fact lie had even been •asked to contribute to the list. The night of the function arrived, and "tho victim" i\*as .still unconscious that lie was to bo the "star." When the true position dawned upon him, tho effect was dramatic, and all ,lio could reply to the earnest .speeches mado was a simple "Thank you." No doubt it comes within the sphere of someone to keep the Oriental Hay foreshore clean of any offensive flotsam and jetsam. If not, it would bo well, seeing the popularity of tho esplanade as a promenade and children's playing ground, that tlio duty should bo specifically allotted. Much disagreeable garbage is washed up at tinies by the sea add left to lie and rot till it bcconics.o positive ni-i.sa.nce. Occasionally the body of a- dog, whose en<l Ims been accomplished by a piece of rope and a weighty attachment, is washed -ashore, and its last resting place us a. rule becomes a formerly pleas'ant nook on tlio beach, and that area has perforce to be rigorously tabooed for many (lays. If a slight patrol was appointed with an eyo to tho lemoval of such objects, the pleasure of many people would have an unruffled continuity. Referring to the new metallic circuit available for bureau communications' between . Wellington and Auckland,' tlio ; os t arid Telegraph Department notifies that the circuit will bo available all duy on Sundays in addition to G p.m. to 8 a.m. daily. The rates for communications between 8 a.m. and ({ p.m. on Sundays arc 4s. Gd. for the first threo minutes or fraction thereof, and Is. Gd. for, each succeeding minute or fraction. , A man whose curious action 1 was cans>n.K comment 'among the.spectators was, with exceeding nonchalance, and unconcern lor the world at large,, walking baretooted along Kent Terrace yesterday af- . ternoon. His boots and socks were firmly tucked under his right arm and tho witnesses of the incident could be. heard asking one another as .to whether ho was doing it. lor a wager, or was tho man suffering iroin sore feet. Threading his way through the waiting throng at tho Court enay I lace tram ■ terminus, tho -unusual pedestrian'faded out of sight as he tramped in the direction, of the city. Perhaps ? no the policemen, who now supervise tile traffic control, and who are not naturally as timorous of questioning other people s affairs as the majority of the general public, gleaned first-hand gome reason for the wanderer's strange pilgi image. Speaking at'a conference of parents and citizens-held in Sydney on March 2G, Mr. Cariuidhael New South Wales, Minister for Lducation,. said parents'might'do a great deal towards securing m6ro regular.attendance at school. 'It was a striking reflection, both upon parents and upon the educational system, that New South WMes stood considerably lower than Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Lugland Scotland, and West Australia H 1 J" 6 matter of school attendance. In Switzerland, the average attendance was 98.1 per cent, of the. enrolment. In Japan it was 02 jier cent., in New Zealand 89 per cent., West Australia 84 per cent., <md in New South Wales only 80 per cent. In other words, this meant that 20 pupils out of every lUtt were absent every school day. , 1 The method hitherto in vogue of appointing Justices of tho Peace has jieeii altered. The Hon. \V. Praser explained tho position to a deputation of settlers at Tangiteroria,. in Hobson County, which asked his advice on tho way, they should set about having a, justice - appointed in the district. Mr. Prnser said that formerly big. batches of justices'had been apIKjintod by the authorities regardless of whether t'iiey were required in their respective districts or 1 not. That system had led to confusion,' but tho present Government had made the matter much simpler. When tho settlers of a -district required a justice, all they had to do was to select ono of their 'number, recommend him lo the member for, Parliament for tho district, and that person, if suitable, would be appointed in due course. Tho thirteenth annuai meeting of. the ■Petono Junior Club was held in tho elubroonits last night. Mr. IVMothcs, in the aljienos of tlio president, Mr. W. Taylor, occupied the chair. About twenty members wore present. The report and. balancesh<».t were adopted. Officers were elected as under:—President,' Mr. A. J. Hooper; rice-presidents, Messrs. H. J. Palmer, W. J. Hardhaiu, and J. Pownoeby; secretary, Mr. A. A. Cairns; auditor, Air. .J. ]L Lynskey; executive, Messrs. D. Taylor, .10. 5/cpper, W. Wynyard, 11, Thomson, J. llolgate, and H. Naukiville. The election of a treasurer was deferred. Tho leader of the Federal Opposition was subjected to considerable interruption from'ono man when speaking at Balmain, recently. Tho persistent 'interjections wero so annoying fo au old gentleman, who sat near that he "swung a, left" on to ' him. A member of the forco then oame on the spot, but Mr. Cook requested that tho parties to tho dispute be left alone. However,' the leader of ,tho Opposition, went on to say that tho audieuico now' lfjtfew tho 'kind of material they had to fight. They m\ist fight against this ltind of behaviour. (Applause.)' Mr. lung O'Malley brought in a Bill onco to make a man liable to a penalty of £50. The i Liberals cut tho penalty down to .£5. "I )nm beginning to be eorry," Mr. Cook continued, "tluit we did," (Laughter.) Archbishop Kelly, of Sydney, speaking at a meeting of. the members of the Hiberninn Society on March 27, in tho ■ Chapter Hall of St. Mary's Cathedral, said that the separating of the children into different educational paddocks, which was not the fault of the Catholic Church, was causing the death of Christian civilisation in Australia. Human scieneo could not replace religious principles, tho lack of which was the cause of Increasing immorality, perjury, dishonesty, and contentious stnfo in the, country. "When wo form a country," he said, "wo aro bound by tlio interests of that community. If tho capitalist and workmen will light they must remember they are in society, anil must linvo rcrard to the common weal of the people, hociety has remedies, nnd should uso them, and not have recourse to violent means. Tho working men may be tile weaken warty, and the public aro willing, when their cause is right, to sympathise with them, but at tlio same tiiiio tin? capitalist has his rights also. Society in Australia was in a very parlous and dangerous condition. The people who were rich should consider themselves only trustees of their wealth, but that spirit was almost dead, and was dying faster and faster in Australia."