LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1762, 29 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Government has made arrangejnents to bring out from Great Britain a numIter of female nurses, who are to strengthen the staffs of the Dominion mental hospitals. A detachment of twentyfivo nurses is now en route or about to leave. Tho Hon. It. H. Rhodes told a reporter yesterday that, so far as he knew, it had not previously been necessary to import attendants in this way, but that a shortage existed at tho present time which could not bo otherwise relieved.

'Thpse people wero married in March, and the woman says that she was deserted in June: that is rather quick. So remarked Mr. Justico 'Sim in the Supreme Court yesterday. "That is notlnnir to a case I have coming on," said counsel. '"The parties to this other action wero married in tho morning, and the woman went off by the afternoon boat to Sydney and has not been heard of since. Shortly before G o'clock last evening tho sky over Thonulon was illuminated by a dull reddish glow, caused by a fire m the Khandallah district. Tho only particulars available last night wero that a largo house situated on a lull at luiandallali liad. been totally destroyed.

A ietter from tho Wellington Leaseholders' Association, embodying _ suggestions, regarding the administration and control of Harbour Board leases, camo before the Harbour Board at their meetin" last night. The letter sot forth that the leases at present were inequitable, and that in tho interests both of landlord and tenant some change was necessary. Iho association suggested that an independent commission, consisting of a business man and a leading lawyer, should bo set up to investigate the matter, and to make suggestions for a more equitable form of lease. It was decided to defer consideration of tho subject until tho next meeting of the board, and that in the meantimo members bo supplied with copies of -Till correspondence from tho association.

Some four months ago, following upon representations made by the Ironmasters Association, to tho effect that because the facilities for the docking of small vessels in Wellington wero inadequate and too expensive, and repair work was being for (his reason diverted to other ports, the Harbour Board directed tho Patent Slip Company to erect a second smaller shy, in terms of their agreement with the board. Nothing lias yet been done, and TCKterdny th'o board received a letter from the company asking to be heard by the board as a deputation. It was suggested in tho letter that if the company could show that the construction of a second slip was not necessary for the convenience of the port, tho board would not insist upon the company proceeding with a venture which would bo pronlless for the shareholders. The board resolved to hear a deputation from the company at next meeting. "Tho life of tho tui," said Mr. E. C. Bruce, at the ann-Jul meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last evening"! "is the life of the forest that protects it." (Hear, hear.)

A deputation from tho Brooklyn Municipal Electors' Association, will wait unon the City Council to-morrow evening to iiree the' construction of the recreation ground at the head of Willis Street. The firo brigado was called out yesterday to attend to' a gorso (ire in Scarlwrough Terrace. Their services, - however, lvero not required, as tho firo was out when they arrived. Apropos of various suggestions for the control of stoats and weasels, Mr. C.B. Mori'on, speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society ln«t evening, told his hearers that he had lieard of an area of 0000 _ acres having been cleared of these pests in two seasons bv an experienced trapper. This territory, h>9 said, had previously been olive with' the little animals. Some of tho discourteous peoplo who are always late for public performances were given a le.-son at a concert by the Svdncv Symphony Orchestra tlio other day 'i'he conductor had been annoyed by people moving -noisily -to thoir sca.s whilo the orchestra was playing tho first number,, and ho arranged to bogm his programme with Mendelssohn s Scottish Symphony." As there are nono if tho usual pauses between tho movements of this work, the peoplo who were outside when the doors closed had to ranain (•here for about thirty-five imm: cs. When tlicy crowded in they t.iund that they had missed ouo of the important features of tlio conceit.

A paragraph, published iu yesterdays issue, stilled Hint members ol the staff of tho Tramway Department had wailed on Die Mayor and informed him nf their intent ion to form a Municipal Officers' Association and making certain ie(|iiests in connection therewith. An a matter of fact tho association has been iu existence since September last and the deputation which wailed on the Mayor were ilie duly appointed representatives of tho association. The object of tho deputation, wo ere informed by secretary, wan to lay hoforo his Worship certain mutters affecting tho welfare of the whole staff of tho council and not anv particular section .of it. The Social Club, which was mentioned in our report is riuilo distinct from tho association which was never intended to interfere with it in any way.

Tho inability of tho Postal Department nt Sydney to find n sufficient number of Ixi.ys to staff its services has brought about, considerable dissatisfaction among the girls in certain suburban teleplnno exchanges owing to tho request of the department for ono shift of girls to start at (i a.m., an hour earlier than usual. A strike was hinted at", but it is understood that this course will not bo adopted. The explanation given by officials at tho G.P.O. was that tho alteration had been caused by tho shortago of boys capable of doing the work. It had been found impossible to get tho boys, though they were paid 15s. per week for a start, and had considorablo possibilities of advancement.

Tho Sydney "Herald" states that when Mr. W. A. Holman, Attonioy-Goneril of New South Wales, returns from England early next month, Mr. M'Gowcn %vill resign the Premiership, and advise the Governor to invito Mr. Holninu to fonp a Ministry. It is understood that in. the reconstructed Cabinet Mr. Holman .wilt take tho portfolio of Chief Secretary. With Mr. Ifall as Attorney-General, Mr. Holman will bo able to preparo for the elections, which will take placo m September. It is doubtful whether tho caucus will decido upon tho appointment of two Ministers, or only one. Tho names of Mossrs. Georgo Black (Namoi), G. A. Jones (Gwydir), and J. I'. Lynch (Asliburnham) nro mentioned in connection with tho Cabinet vacancies.

l'he city of Winnipeg (Canada) leccntly offered prize 3 for a design for a new Town Hall, and that of Messrs. Clemesha and Pottimll, architects, of Regina, has been awarded the first place with Woodman and Carey, of Winnipeg, second. Hie ouindication was made by Mr. Leonard A. Stokes, president of the British Instituto of Architects, each plan being distinguished by a number only, the key to the number being kept by the Mayor of Winnipeg. The cost to erect the Town Hall, us designed by the first prize architects, will be 3,000,000 dollars (.£000,000). _ The buildinpr is to bo five stories in height, aim is a lofty and commanding structure. A BtTeet GOft. wide and .10ft. in height is to run through tho centre of tho building. It has been suggested by local architects that tho fairest manner of adjudication in raspeot 'to architectural designs is to send them away to a competent authority in England or on the Continent, without any guide to who drew the p.'ans, as was done in tho caso of Winnipeg.

Very strong comment was made by Mr. R. C.'Bruco at tho anmial meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last evening with regard to what Tie described as the wanton destruction of sea birds in tho vicinity of Auckland. Those birds, he said, flew hundreds of miles in order to nest and breed their young. But these hoodlums of Auckland," ho said, "go out to the rocks and wantonly kill the birds. I have seen as many as seven sea-birds, killed by. shot, float into one of the bays. Had I tho thews and smews of Donald Dinnie," concluded the speaker warmly, "I would have leathered these slaughtering scoundrels." (Applause.)

"When men are engaged by tho council, and tho council removes one of '.no wen so engaged because ho is an -ineflicient workor, a strike results. But when the men aro doing tho job themselves, and duo of their number is inefficient, the men very soon get rid of him." Tuus spoke one of the members at a recent meeting of the Mount Albert Eonuigh Council, Auckland, when the question ot day labour or contract work was being discussed.

Ono of tho sailors on H.M.S. i'ow Zealand was taking round a party of lauies (says, a Uunodin paper), 110 shoived them this, and ho showed them that, <i"d they thanked him, but ho fancied all (he lihilo that they wero not quito understanding tho explanations. So it was with a feeling of relief that ho led them to one ot tho big guns. 'Surely they must know tho usos of a gun. ' So ho set tlicm in their places, and started on explanations which ho knew they could follow, 'lhis screw did. that, that lever did tins., and so on. When he had finished his dissertation one of (ho ladies thanked him oil behalf of tho party. They wero s<> iruch obliged. Everything had been made so plain. "There's only ■ one thing ycu might repeat for my l>enetit, Miled tho fair one. "I suppose I am abit stupid about these things, and I don t ciuito remember where it was you said t.so hgiit cam© from/' Tho woman. tliougut it as the searchlight. The operations of the Norwegian wlialin" fleet off the New South Wales coast have been fairly successful since its recent return from Now Zealand, and the Campbell has already accounted for three whales. The third capture, a fine spcci : men of the sperm whale, was effected on Tuesday of last week. Apparently the company intends to carry on for some time to como, 1 as fourteen new hands brought out from Norway on the H.M.b. Orvieto, left for- Jervjs Bay by tho gunboat Sorrel last week.

A theft which, a a far as impudence is concerned, could hardly have Been excelled in tho largo centrcs of the old countries, was committed in Colombo Street, Chrisfclnirch, on Saturday (reports the "Lytteltoii Times"). A lady was looking in a shop window, holding a pair of shoes in her hand, when a man camo quietly behind her, snatched the parcel out of tier hand and made oft down tho street and into Bath Street, a small thoroughfare which is not greatly frequented. Two cyclists saw the affair and wont after the thief, and caught him in Bath Street. They took the parcel from him and brought him back to the lady and offered to complete the business by handing him over to tho police. Sho explained, however, that sli£ did not ivisli to suffer the annoyance of appearing in Court to give evidence against him, and as the parcel had been restored to her and no harm was done sho asked that ho Should bo liberated, a request which was somewhat reluctantly granted.

Most of tho sheep owners on tho Lauder and tins Cambrian Hills (Otago) were caught by tho snow with their sheep on the high country the other day, and snowraking has been fairly general. One party who went out early in tho wicek were glad to get back to safe country again, and had to leave a packhorse behind them, being nnnblo to get tho animal down the mountain. Fortmiatelv the snow shifted a good bit during' the week, and at the latter end settlers were fairly successful in getting their sheep out.-

The first Empire Day bonfire in Dunedin was lit by the Mayor (Mr. W..pownie Stewart) shortly before 7 o clock- on Saturday oveniiiK, at Waverley Point. This is claimed to be the first fire to bo set going in the huge chain of bonfires that would bo lit all over the British Empire. MOTOR-VAN AND MOTOR-CARS FOR SALE. Twelve-twenty h.p. Argyl van. suitable for carrying company or carrier. A chance for a suburban expressman obtaining a powerful motor-van at a low price. A pood bill-climber anil fast on the tint. Economical to run. Price .CDOO, roduccrt to .ilSiO (luring our stock-taking sale. Any trial given. Eight h.p. light delivery motor. Tiie cheap means of delivering light goods. Running expenses under Id. per mile. Suitable for any delivery business. Can be handled by a youth. Prico •£lls. Eight-ten h.p. Htimber Iwo-seoter, hood, shield, lamps. Suitable for traveller. Price JEISO, reduced to ,£125. Ten h.p. Roo, two-seater, hood, shield, strong runabout. Price .£75, reduced to .0)5. Twelve-twenty h.p. 11 timber, four-cylinder, capo, hood, wind-shield, five-scatcr body, back portion detachable to mako twoseoter car. Price JJI2T). .lust unpacked, 8-12 h.p. Clement-Bayard, traveller's car. Petrol consumption -tfl miles per gallon. Total running expenses for a year under £5(1. including tyres, petrol, .and depreciation. Price .£205. For further particulars, apply Adams, Ltd., Tmtm Street, Christchurcli. Branches: Palmerstou North, Wanganui—Advt.

men Detcctivo Burns, tho Sherlock Holmes of the United States, was in London a few weeks ago he tolu tlio rc " porters how he had trapped a band ol grafters in Atlantic City. Evcrj'uody told me," ho said, "that tho councillois were so infernally clever that tliey could never bo caught, \\ell, I inv ' en ted a schemo for Atlantic City. It was to liny land anil build a million and a halt dollar pier and a two-million dollar hotel. I got options on property, and had everybody on my back in no time. I announced my intention of building a wall ot concrete that would absorb tho moisture, and those councillors swallowed it right oif. Tlio schemo went well, and tho councillors were soon in it, and wanted bO.WJU dollars for getting it passed. So we fixed it up, and agreed to pay thom at a house in Atlantic City. We got the detectaphone fixed up in tho room beforehand, ami we had every ono of those crooks after their money and fixed right 1 was able to tell them myself that tlio whole- scheme was a myth created ill my own brain, and all but one owned up. They got three years each.'

A mooting of tho Wellington South Pro-gn:-ssivo Society was held last night, -' ii oio was a satisfactory attendance, over which Mr. J. Castle presided, liules winch had been drafted by a provisional committee were carefully discusMHl, and having ixftu slightlv amended, they wore unanimously adopted. The following were elected otiiii ts: —President, Mr. J. Castle; vice-pre-sidents, Messrs. W. .Wylie, A. George, basil Cooper, E. J. Fitzgibbon, C. L. Ludwig; committee, Messrs G. iownes, Worth, U Ilo'ie, J. Jenkins, Duncan Campbell, Pettersscii, F. J. Caterer, Goodycr, J. Creivcs, J. M. Savidge, J. M,Bcveridge, and W. Murdoch; secretary, Mr. G. u. Onniston; treasurer, Mr. A. Crosby, air. K. J. Fitzgibbon was appointed legal adviser. It was reported that there aro 8< financial members.

lilasting operations in tho heart of Auckland City (in Queen Street will be a novelty of tho near future., 11ns is to facilitate tho relaying: of tlio tram lino to expedito tho work. It is proposed that very small charges should hd usedj and such work should only be dono alter midnight. A gloomy outlook in regard to the financial position was taken oy a number of the Auckland City • Council, Mr, Hall Skelton, in the course of nu address to his supporters recently. Ho declared that the "financial position was extremely critical, and fai from sound." Mr. Skelton also declared that tho city's assets were .£1,700,000, and the liabilities .£1,550,000, and that as many of tho assets have no borrowing value, it was obvious that tho city had borrowed over and al>ovo its real assets. The Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr), in a reply, said that he had no hesitation in characterising Mr. Skelton's remarks as a tissue of inaccuracies from start to finish. Mr. Paxr reviewed tho city's position at length. In thh course of his Teview lio observed:— "There will never bo any need to touch our properties in order to pay our debts. When this _ year's additions are made to our sinking funds thl?y will amount to X' 200,000. In 39 years, at 5 per cent, compound interest, the sinning funds of this year could themstives extinguish the whole of the city s present debt. At C per aent. (the current rate of interest) our debt could be wiped orat in about 34 years—and that trenching for a penny upon our assets." At tho meeting of tho Wellington Philosophical Society last evening Mr. K. n. Holmes gave notice to move at the next meeting that a technological section of the soeioty' be formed. Dr. Chilton s lecture on the biological results of Antarctic exploration has been postponed to July 9. Mr. T. Boyd Garlick, Director of Physical Education, was to _have addressed tlio members of the Wellington leachors Institute in tho Education Board buildings to-morrow evening, but tlio lecture has been postponed to the evening ot June G. ,