LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A clerk in one of the Government Departments, on whom the effects of recent vaccination are making themselves felt, Is wearing his "red badge of courage" on the right arm. "But I thought you wero vaccinated on the left'arm, one of his friends remarked yesterday. "So I was," he whispered confidentially, "l/nt you don't know the chape in our office." Electric light failed during the sitting of the Racing Conference in the Town Hall yesterday. Darkness enveloped the gathering while Sir Geo. Clifford was in tho Middle of an important speech. After a few minutes' delay he proceeded, Darkness reigned supremo for the best part of half an hour, except at brief intervals, when wax vestas led members kindly along the printed lines of the order paper. A violet with a stem 18 inches long was recently picked ( at Otaki, says our correspondent. Several over a foot long wero also plucked. At next Wednesday's meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board, Jlr. li. Fletcher will move that the following words and figures should • bo ndded to Bylaw No. 23G:—'"When for "the convenience of the loading or discharging of a vessel any goods are allowed by the wharfinger to be placed on the wharves from vessels or railway trucks for immediate transfer to vessels or railway trucks the following charges in addition to those payable above to the Railway Department shall bo payable to the board by tho vessel, consignee, or shipper, at whoso written request the permission is given, such additional charges not to include any labour by tho board: On all goods (except such as are hereinafter provided for) per ton, inward Bd., outward, 4d.; artificial manures and guano, per ton, Gd. and lid. i frozen meat, per ton, Od. and 4d.; wool and skins, per bale, l}d. and Hit.; hemp and tow, per bale ,Id. and hi.; great cattle, each. 3d. and 3d.; small cattle, each, Old. and 0.) d.; and hides, each, OJd. and OJtl. Provided that in no case shall the additional charge together with the ordinarv railway wharfage exceed the ordinary wharfage rates, without labour, specified in By-law 19." At a sitting of the Juvenile Court yesterday morning, Jlr. AY. G. Riddell, SiM„ committed two young Children to the l{eceiving Home in Tinakori Koad. At the farmers' Union Conference yesterday, a motion was carried as follows: —"Thai the attention of the Government be called to the shocking waste of human life caused through accidents at level railway crossings, nnd the conference respectfully ask* thai immediate action 1,0 taken to reduce these casualties by minimising the existing risks, which, (on vory great extent, are reducible by the rmiiovtil of nbstnirlious to tho view at, and near, level ovossiaga. . ,

"In many instances families have suffered groat damage from sparks from railway engines," said Mr, D. M. Philip, at the Farmers' Union Conferenco yesterday, in moving a remit that tho Government should be asked to recognise its liability in this respect. Tho remit was carried. Speaking on a proposal that the Farmers' Union Conference should Tecommond the Minister for Agriculture to tako steps to eradicate the sheep tick iu New Zealand. Mr. C. H. Elisor, North Canterbury, saidi that the loss through ticks in their wool crops was serious. Wool buyers estimated it sometimes as causing a loss of Id. a lb. on tho wool, which meant a loss of some .£600,000. Mr. C. J. Rcakes, Government Veterinarian, suggested that tho loss was due in a great extent to improper and insufficient dipping. On Sunday evening next in the Opera House a public meeting will be held when the decisions of the lato Unity Congress will be placed before a Wellington audience by prominent Labour men. Tho public are cordially invited to attend. At yesterday's sitting of tho half-yearly conference ot the Congregational Union Mr. J. llott read a paper on the subject of Sabbath observance. At tho conclusion of tho paper Mr. llott moved: "In the opinion of tho halfyearly conferenco the , over-increas-ing desecration of the Sabbath Day is ail evil so manifest and serious as to demand tho most earnest attention of all who hflvo the welfare of the people at heart, and this conference considers that it is the duty of each and all to do what they can to discountenance and lessen the same; and, further, urges upon all, and in particular parents, ministers, and those in charge of the young the necessity of teaching and emphasising the claims and sacredness of the lord's Day." The motion was seconded by the chairman of the conferenco (Mr. T. Forsyth) and carried unanimously. A remit was carried at tho Farmers' Union Conference last night to the effect that the Government be requested to enact that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board bo tho recipient of all auctioneers' and publichouse license fees, Tho proposed veterinary school in Otago was mentioned at tho Farmers' Union Conference yesterday, when a remit relating to stock inspectors and veterinary surgeons was under discussion. Replying to a question, Mr. C. J. Eeakcs, Chief Government veterinarian, said that the =£5000 voted some years ago for a school had not been utilised. There had been a difficulty about a site. Mr. Keakes approved of tho principle that where possible inspectors of stock should be veterinary surgeons, but did not think it practicable to enforce such a proposal at present. Tho Department were arranging for lectures, and hoped they would be well attended by young men. A start was made to tranship the Indrabaruh's frozen meat cargo to the Makariui yesterday. The meat is turning out in excellent condition. It is being lifted out of tho ship's hold by the Harbour Board's cranes, then lowered to a clean canvas-covered place on tho .wharf decking, and thence hoisted in the original fling and deposited in. the hold of tho Makariui. The total quantity of cargo to be transhipped represents about 49,000 carcasses of mutton. It is expected that tho work will bo completed cither tomorrow or Monday. "What you call charitable aid in New Zealand," said Commissioner Lamb, of tho London headquarters of tho Salvation Army, in his address lust evening, "is a misnomer." Charity, he said, consisted in a man's dipping in to his own pocket, and giving to the poor something that ho had intended to uovote to himself. Hero the people were taxed, and they had to give it, whether they wished to or not. At Home this was called Poor Law relief. He had not yet seen a New Zealand dictionary, so that he could not say what was the local definition of charity. (Laughter.) Wednesday, August 6, has boon fixed as the date on which Mr. Herbert Bloy, violinist and conductor, is to be tendered a benefit concert in the big Town Hall. Jlr. Bloy is suffering from acute laryngitis, and is thereforo practically incapacitated from attending to his professional duties. Tho arrangements regarding tho commissariat at tiaining camps wore referred to at yesterday's meeting of tho Farmers' Union, and Coloiiel Hoard was questioned regarding this. Unseemly struggling for food, lie said, was due to improper organisation amongst tho unite.- "I was at ono camp, and I saw a Maori lying in his tent groaning 'Whafs tho matter with that man?' I asked, and was told that he had eaten sixteen sausages for breakfast." (Laughter.) "You see," concluded Colonel Heard, "he had been sent to fetch tho breakfast, and there had not been sufficient supervision." (Laughter.) Tho Farmers' Union Conferonoe yesterday liad under discussion a proposal to secure legislation providing tnat owners should got more remuneration for cattle destroyed for tuberculosis. The weight of opinion did not favour the proposal, and the remit was rejected. The Public Trust Office staff has formed a debating society. It is expected that over 100 members will attend tho first debate. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Patron, Hon. A. L. Herdman; president, Dr. Fitchett (Public Trustee); vice-presidents, Messrs. T. S. Ronaldson, M. C. Barnott, J. W. Macdonald, A. Purdie, Win. Barr, and W. A. Fordham i committee, Messrs. E. P. Hay; A. C. Bi-ctherton, W. M. Egglestone, R. L. Macalistcr, F. E. Kelly. D. L. M'Kay, and H, A. Cunningham (lion, secretary). The Eastbourne Beautifying Society had a field day on Wednesday, when its members turned out in force and planted somo 60 trees, which as timo proes on should add greatly to the appearance of tho suburb. Fifty of the trees were planted along the main road, and a substantial guard was . erected around each. These trees, which were all ngaios, were put in by parties of adult members of the society, aixmt fifty persons in all assisting. Tho remaining ten trees (pohutukawas) were planted in Makaro Road by squads of school children, who are each to look after 'their own particular tijee during the year. Tho squad whose trees is best looked after will have their names engraved on a silver bowl, which has been presented to the school for competition. Refreshments were provided by the ladies and lunch wns sent out in- picnic baskets to the various parties of workers along tho road. Later on afternoon tea was served. A small charge was mado for tho luncheon, and the food remaining on hand was also sold, tho society realisine ,£2 from these sources. As tho Borough Council has guaranteed a subsidy of 4s. for each treo planted, the society s funds will benefit to the extent of about <£12.