LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1863, 24 September 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A letter from Professor T. A. Hunter, oil the subject of recent proceedings before the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, published in The Dominion on Saturday last, contained the -following passage: "But what happens? The Hon. Jas. Allen, a member of the Otaso University Council, immediately goes soutli to arraiifio with this body as to its course of action and tho evidence to be tendered, and then hastens back to Wellington to sit on the coniniitteo to judge the evidence." When this statement was submitted to the Hon. Jas. Allen he said that it was entirely incorrect. "I arranged to go south 011 private busi-, ness," said the Minister, "and had no idea when I made my arrangements that I was going to meet the University Council, but they, on learning that I was going down, asked to meet me. I did meet tliem and discussed tho question as to whether tliey \ should give evidence before tho Education Committee in regard to the Medical School. I agreed that it would bo wise to give evidence 011 the subject."

"Can you tell mo why we can't get tho trams to fit in, instead of paying all this ' stop-over' time, your Worship?" asked.Cr. ID. at last night's meeting of tho Karon Borough Council. He was referring to tho regular practice of t'lie tram cars stopping for long spells outside the Council Chambers. "Ask Mr. Morton," interjected another . councillor. Tha Mayor said that tho question had been gone into with tho tramway authorities, who declared that there was no way of getting over tho difficulty. Cr. Lewer remarked'that lie felt bound to ask the question, and it was tho first opportunity ho had had of doing so.

Someone who apparently forgot to leave his card seems to liavo been traced rather simply. Ho was motor-cycling along Willis Street, anil ran into an old man, who was a good deal knocked about. The cyclist did not remain long enough at the scene of the accident to seo the injured man carried into an office near by; he rode away without leaving name or address. However, the number of his bicycle was noticed by the motorman of a tramcar which was passing at the time, and this handy piece of observation played its part 111 a matter which has been the subject of litigation, mid which litigation resulted yesterday in the injured man being awarded' £10 damages against the cyclist. Dr. M'Arthur was on the bench. Working jewellers arc considering the question of forming an industrial union and a meeting is to be held next week to como to a decision oil tho isPitta*-

Weeds on the Karori footpaths cost the Borough Council some little trouble, and tlio expense of keeping them down is sail to bo no mean item eacn year. It was decided at last night's meeting of the council to consider whether a patent "weed exterminator" might not be an improvement on tho present method of dealing with tho nuisance. /

Loans authorised by the Stato Advances Office during the year ended March 31, 1911, numbered 1339 (895 by tho Advances to Settlers' branoh and 444- by the Advances to Workers' Braucli). Applications for 204 of the loans were forwarded through legal firms in the provincial district of Wellington.

By consent of tho Speaker of tho House, tho patentees of a newly-invent-ed automatic voting-machine (Mossrs. C. Fisher and W. Winnie, of Lower Hutt) are installing their first machine in Committee Room A early next week for demonstration. Tho contrivance is said to be about as perfect in recording votes as tho totalisntor is in recording investments. It claims t-o save labour and expense, besides declaring tho voting list on the instant that the last voto Ims left the booth.

Tho annual report of the Registrar ("if Patents, Designs, 'and Trade-marks ivas presented to Parliament yesterday. The year under review was tho first year of operation of the Act of 1911, repealing the Act of 1908, which consolidated tho Acts of 1889 and 1897. The report states that tho Act worked smoothly, and that it appeared to constitute a satisfactory advance in tho •law on the subject of patents. Tho amount paid in fees in excess of that expended was, prior to 1890, about £16,000, and since that year, £59,100; or a total for the period tho office has been in existence of approximately £75,100.

Reassuring tidings have been brought back from Auckland by the Chief Health Officer (Dr. Valintine) regarding smallpox. When he left tho northern city there wero only twelve cases in tho Kaikohe' Hospital and seventeen at Point Chevalier, all doing well. Word from Tauranga was also very satisfactory. ' ,

An endeavour is to be made before Christmas by the Defonce Department to hold a camp at Trentliam, for tlio purpose of training cooks for tho big divisional training camp, which commences at tho end of April, 1914. Last year the Department was unable to train sufficient cooks in time for tho annual camp, with ilio result that somo complaints were made regarding the quality of the rations. .

Begging and abuse of alcohol have sent to gaol for a few -weeks a young man who omitted to make good uso of a "chance" given him by the Court. One night last week tlio man begged alms from a police constable, and the next day Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., gave him "a chance" by merely convicting him, directing him to appear for sentence when called on, and ordering him to leave Wellington by Saturday. On Monday ho was found in ji drunken condition, and yesterday morning he was taken before the magistrate, who sentenced him to three weeks' imprisonment on the begging charge.

After endeavouring to elucidate a easo in which details of accounts were not procurable through certain books having been burnt in a fire. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., inserted into his judgment (delivered yesterday) a paragraph expressing his deep indebtedness to counsel (Messrs. E. J. Fitzgibbon and H. E. Evans), "who so clearly put the points at isi«ie" before liini.

Aii agreement has been entered into by the Wellington Match Factories' Union and Bryant and May, Bell and Co., fixing piecework ro.tes for workers employed on box-filling machines. Tlio agreeinent I :cnniQ;,intq. oporatien, on September 20, and will remain in force until Juno 12, 1916.'

Tenders for tho erection of the Harbour Board's new brick store, to occupy a site between the King's AVharf and I'ipitea Wharf, will bo opened at the meeting of tho Harbour Board this evening. The new building will bo 284 ft. in length, by 75ft. in width, with walls 31ft. in height. Tho shed will havo a steel-supported roof, with a longitudinal light chamber, and will be used for tho storago of wool and general cargo. v

During tho last annual period for' which totals are recorded the amount of all premiums received by tho Government and all companies for accident insurance was £319,881 14s. Sd. Tho total amount paid out by the Government and by companies during the same period was £146,163 6s. 3d. Tho foregoing information is contained in a return furnished to the House of Repre: sentatives. It is impossible to mako the return cover tho twelve months ended March 31, 1913, because: somn of the private insurance offices close their financial year on December 31, and somo on other dates. The totals covo'r a certain amount of plate-glass insurance, fidelity guarantee, etc.

A party of members of the Royal Artillery Band—probably forty-three in number—aro leaving i London for Now Zealand," j .where they will lepresent England in the musical arrangement at the oxhibition, to ba held during noDroneliinc summer season ill Auckland. Tho. Ro.'al Attillorv Band, wliinli nnrhaDS shares with tho band of tho Ist Life Guards the prts. mier position amongst tho military bonds of the world, 160, so that its strength will be redrced by a quarter only. The bandmaster, Mr E. C. Stretton. will take charge of tho section bound for New Zealand.

The annual report on Native schools, presented to Parliament yesterday, states that on December 31, 1912, there wore 112 Native primary schools and 9 Native boarding schools affording secondary education. In addition there wero 569 public primary schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance. Of the Native primary schools, 108 were village schools and 4 were mission schools, subject to inspection by the Education Department. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native village schools at tho end of tho year 1912 wasßoys, 2536; girls 2158; total, •1694. Included in these numbers ore 265 boys and 255 girls, who aro Europeans.