LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1854, 13 September 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

I When acknowledging a vote of thanks to the directors and staff at tho meeting of shareholders in' the Union Company, Sir_ James Mills mentioned t'hat the Maori, of 174 tons gross register, ono of the pioneer steamers of the company, was still in existence and was employed in tlio local trades in tho Samoan group. 1 Shod in leather boots, tho Wellington Cricket Association's old horse was a familiar figuro each summer as he marched round the Basin Reserve drawing tho rollor or the' mowing machine. He grow, in tho feeling of athletes (cricketers especially) to be ono of tho institutions inseparable from the ground. Tlio old hannts, howovor, will now know him no. more. On Thursday morning it became evident to tho groundsman that ho was no longer fit to struggle with j tho roller, and during tho course of the day he died.. Quite a good week has been experienced by tho Municipal Fish Market. Yesterday there was a good supply of different kinds of fish, and capital business was done. Prestige of petrol evidently has somo attractions for Wairarapa investors. Our Masterton correspondent stateu that a company is being formed to establish a motor service between Eketsyhuna and Pongaroa.. The capital of tha company has been fixed at £5000. A couple from tho Waikato who wished to prooeed to San Francisco by the Wilj loenra last ovening had an unfortunate I experience which necessitated a complete chango of plans within a fow liours. They had loft nothing undone in regard to tho trip except one thing, which happened to be all-important— they had not been vaccinated. So they hurried off to got vaccinated, thinking that all was now clear, but when they could not produce certificates showing that they had been successfully vaccinated, they wero not allowed to proceed, as to the authorities at Tahiti Wellington is an infectcd port, and instructions .have been issued that every passenger must have a certificate prov--1 mg successful vaccination. In order to get to America as soon as possible tho couplo are to leave for Sydney by the Tahiti to-day and by the timo they arrive thero they will know if tho vaccine haa taken, and' if it has they will travel to San Frn'ncisoo by the next Oceanic Steam Ship Company's steamer for San Francisco. Manners Street is generally thought to be too big a problem for the city to meet ill tho mattor of streot-widening. As an alternative measuro, however, somo scheme ' may bo devised whereby the trafflo can be eased off from Willis Street before reaching Manners Street. _ The Mayor has been in consultation with tho City Engineer oil this question, and tho council will probably bo asked to discuss the matter at an early date. Car 92, tho latest addition to the local corporation's growing variety of trams, was seen on its trial run through tho city yesterday. Tlio new addition is entirely difforent from tho present stylo, hiug the closcd-in portion at each end , and being open in the oentre, with a j passage down tho middle. Tho work of tho motorman has been increased inasmuch as it affects the controlling pear, for besides looking after tho ordinary "cut-off," and hand brake, ho has now to work a Westinghotise brake which is a valuable asset as far as hill work is concerned. Thero is also a speedometer attached to tho car, as well as an ampero indicator, and altogether the motorman's position'will bo somewhat more interesting in future. Tho Mitchelltown School Committee aro forming a Scholars' Sports Association and Union, and aro seeking tho assistanco of other bodies in launching the scheme. Street-widening has been a big item in the city's expenditure in the last ten or fifteen years. Tho City Treasurer (Mr. C. Collins) is now preparing a statement giving the whole of the figures —expenditure and income—from the inception of the scheme. Willis Stroet alterations will bo included in these figures, but will also bo shown separately. Tho following smallpox bulletin was issued last evening:—Tho District Health Officer, Auckland, reports: No cases reported from Auckland city or suburbs. Ono case reported from Kairara, Hokianga County. Tlio number, of cases at present in tho hospital at Kaikohe is 28, at Waikare 5, at Point Clievalior 20, at Hamilton 6, 'and at Tauranga 18. For Bronchial Coughs and Colds, .Wooda' Great Peppermint Curo, to. Gd.*

According to a circular issued W members it is tho intention of tho Wellington. Savage Club to form a company l'or the purposo of purchasing land and orecting a club-houso thereon. Tho proposed site is 011 Wellington Torrace, nearly opposite Messrs. Wiggins and Oo.'s factory, where a hall to seat 500 peoplo, and a suppor-roon> to accommodate 300 is proiwsed to bo provided. It is estimated that tho cost of land and building will bo about £7500. Chimney fires have been numerous in Wellington during the past mouth, and tho Superintendent of the Fire Brigade (Mr. Tait) has drawn attention to this in his report to the Fire Brigade Committee of the City Council. In some cases fires woro\reported to havo occurred the day after chimnoys had been swept. Tho Superintendent of tho Brigade now suggests that in tho interests of the public it might be a good thing to license all chimney sweeps. Fruit growing in tho Nelson district' is going ahead fast, according to Mr. R. B. Jackson, who is at present in Wellington. Ho estimates that another 2000 acres are being added to the fruit-, growing area in and around Nelson this year. Mr. Jackson is of opinion that \ tho markets abroad will he ablo to ' take more fruit than can be supplied from hero, and now that it has been proved that tlio carrying can be dono satisfactorily ( ho predicts that to New Zealand tho industry will bo at least aa important as tho butter industry. Tho address to bo given at Victoria College at 8 o'clock to-night by tho Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr.' Sprott) is sure to bo of groat mtorcßt, The subject is "What' Christianity Is," and Dr. Sprott may bo relied upon to handle a topic of this kind in a_ma6-> terly manner from tho modern point of 1 view. The address is under tho auspices of tho Students' Christian Union, and tho public aro invited to bo present. Seen last evening Mr. W. A. W. Gren-' fell, secretary of tho Employers' Association, declined to express his personal views on tho Arbitration Bill which wa»' introduced into tho House on Thursday, preferring that any statement from him should be on behalf of tho body with which ho is officially connected and nob 1 his own individual opinion. "I do not' oensider it advisable," ho said, "to express any definite opinion with regard to tho various alterations which aro proposed in tho Arbitration Bill. At tho samo timo, I feel justified in saying that a number of tho amendments aro' in tho right direction and should mako 1 for an improvement in the administration of tho jAct, though there aro others' to which objection might bo taken." Tho district council of tlio United Labour Party is calling a special meeting of affiliated unidns for Tuesday next. Members will then consider and discuss tho new Arbitration Bill, with a view ' to collecting evidence to lay before tlio Labour Bills Committee. Tho inquiry by tho Railway Coinmittoo' of tho Houso of Representatives into tho New Lynn railway accident was continued yesterday. Fireman England, of train No. 6, concerned in the collision, stated that tho train, in his opinion, would not havo over-run the homo signal if there had been a distance signal. Tho guard of tho train, W. J. Carr, said tlio signal stood at danger on tlio morning of tho accident, and that thoro was ! not much of a fog. Tho signal Could havo been seon 200 yards away. Tho. tablet porter at Now Lynn (T. W. Mortimer) also said tho fog was not a bad ono. Ho could 6oe tlio signal faintly, and it was at danger. Tho conditions on tho morning of tho accident did not warrant tlio uso'of detonators or fog signals. all tho appliances of which wcro available at Now Lynn. Other evidence was given to tho effect that tho conditions at Now Lynn on tho; morning of the accident wero perfectly safe. Tho ' inquiry was adjourned until Tuesday. Tho decision of tho Government to mako a change in tho offico of port health officer at Auckland has been at anyrato temporarily set aside. It will bo remembered that Dr. W. E. Sharman, who has held tlio position for several years, was notified that his services as port health officer would bo dispensed with on and after September 1 last. Tho intention of the Government was that at tho date named Dr. Monk, one of tho two district health officers at Auckland, should take up tho additional duties of port health officer. The Minister for Publio Health last night informed a reporter that it had been decided that Dr. Sharman should remain in tho service of tho Department "during tho oontinuanco of tho prevalent epidemic." Tho Minister stated, in reply te a furthor query,_ that after tho conclusion of tho epidemic tho position of Dr. Sharman as port health officer would bo reconsidered. Scythes—half-a-dozen of tliem—wore busily at work on tho Basin Peservo all day yesterday, and by evening practically the whole of tlio jilajriug area had been mown down. This is one of the first signs of tho approaching summer sports. t An unusuil course was taken on . Wednesday by tho Gisborno Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. A. W. Barton) in sending tho three young mon committed to 'tho Supremo Court in connection with, the Matawai assault, to Napier for trial. Hitherto all cases dealt with locally havo been heard at tho Supremo Court in Gisbomo, but his Worship stated that as tho Supreme Court was not likely to sit at Gislior.io for six months, and as there wero a largo number of witnesses who wcro likely to bo scattered within tho next six months, 110 had decided, as tlio Supremo Court would sit at Napier 011 Monday next, to commit accused for trial there.