LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1908, 17 November 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Malicno' arrived at 'Auckland from Sydney at 12.;*j0 p.m. yesterday, leaving aniT>lo time for the mails, comprising English, Australian, and small American mails, to connect. with tlio Main Tnmk train arriving here t<>day. ' . '

The scarcity of suitable men for the work offering; jn tlio country, districts. is - referred te in the current issue of tlio Labour .Department's "Journal" 'There is work availabto for nearly a Iran-hod farm hands,", states tlio Tourn.it]," "the maj.orfty lining required in tlio Taranaki district for'dairy farms. Very little assistance has been afforded farmers from among tlie passengers of the recent oversea- vessels, aa .moat of tliom appear to have friends- to go to or K have work provided _ them immediately on arrival. During tlio. month employment, lias been found for 4n married men and 90 sinstle men with 134 dependents. ' Of this number, 101 proceeded to private employment aiid 34 to Governmeiat works-. Sixt-v-one -earns fi'-oin the North Island and 18.from the South Island; 37 from Oreat Rritaiii; 1.8 from the Commonwealth; and 4 fro:m

The. T, G, Mncarfhy Trustees will probably meet tins wei'lt to make an allocation of' tlio Moneys available. :

At 8.50 o'clock last overling the City Fire Bfigarld received a eall to a fourroomed cot-tago at 14 Tngcst-ro I'laco, occupied by Mr. George Jones. Ono of tlio rooms and its Contents were completely destroyed, and tho rest of the house, damaged by heat and smoke. It is not knowft how th,o outbreak occurred, as no one was home lit- tlio timo. The contents of the cotiago are f:nstiwd in the Commercial Union office for £100.

Mr. A; H, Hindmarsli, M.F.> lias been informed by the Postmaster-Gen-eral that in response to au application mfi.do by a deputation from the- Berhaiiipote Municipal Electors' Association, ho has given' authority for a coin-in-tlie-slot telephone machine to be installed a,t Beriiampore.

The usual charges for storage are he- 1 tag collected by the Auckland pott authorities on all goods passing through the wharf sheds. Representations hava been made by some importers that these charges should bo relaxed uhjt'il the normal facilities for removal are restored, but the chairman of the Harbour Board has refused to acccuo to the proposal. Ho explained oil Friday (says the "Herald") that it was impossible ■to depart from the usual conditions, asadvantage would immediately bo taken of the concession, and there would bo on inconvenient accumulation in tho wharf sheds. It was ussoi'.tial that goods should bo removed promptly, and the storage charges were an incentive to consignees to handle their imports expeditiously. Mr.. Gtmson added that as'no preference was given to any importer, there could bo no complaint.

Tho salvage cargo from tho Tyrone was disposed of by auction at Bahcdin on Thursday. Practically tli& whole of tho cargo of wb.is.ky was recovered from the wreck. It comprises 1892 cases and 93 quarter casks and octavos of many different brands, divided into . 25 trade lots, prices ranging (tor ease lots) from 13s. up to as lii'gli as 18s. fid. 'i'itt general goods were made up into 132 lots, and consisted of an extensive variety of goods, including hardware of ail descriptions, paint, white and red lead, sheep dip, and a quantity of groceries. Beforo commencing the sale the auctioneer drew tho attention of prospective buyers to tho fact that the duty on all tho goods, to be assessed by the Customs officer, was payable by purchasers. He said it was a trade sale, and if any of them were expecting to got a case of whisky "on the eltcap' they would he disappointed. tor.) Tho "Otago Daily Times" says very satisfactory prices were ■ realised for the whisky lota, which were ail taken up by the representatives flf wholesale houses and hotelkcepeis. There was keen competition I'or the general goods, which, iu one or two cases, realised perhaps more than their rourIwit value. The sale generally proceeded prosaically enough, but was not without humorous and exciting incidents. The auctioneer camo to a lot comprising a JOO-gallon tank of biscuits. "They might be had or they, might bo g,00d," he said. "Someone might male© a haul out of it, but I warn you, it is like backing the, Melbourne Cup." (wutgnt<»r.) The lot was disposed of for £7 iOs., and the purchaser had such faith in the bargain that ho bought another tank at tJuj samo price.. AH tilt goods wow sold, : J

Remembering what wireless telegraphy hits already dono in saving lifo and ships at seaj it is not unnaturally asked whether this rwnarkaVlo invention cannot Iro employed in conncction with our railways, and thus minimise tho danger of accidents, at which tlwi Aidgill railway disaster in a terrible exlixperiments 'are now being made in this direction on some of the Anroriciin railroads, and if they prove successful tiio result will do much, to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers. For instance, in approaching a station, a conductor of a train will bo able to notify tho agent there that lio is in need of an extra car, aiid transUii't .similar information which will ■011ablo tho station authorities to bo toady to make tho necessary changes or repairs immediately upon the train's arrival. It would be tsossiblo also to transmit news and other items of interest to a train while in motion. As & means of safety, tho wireless service should pi'GVe_ of inestimable advantage, and in combination with other precautionary measures should still further diminish the danger of modern travel.

Tho advertisements on hoardings abutting oil tho street, to screen building operations in various parts of the city, havo offended tho artistic senso of the. members of the Auckland City Council, and it was .decided 011 Friday nigltt that in future all such hoardings must bo painted a uniform colour, and must not refer to mustard, whisky, and other commodities. Tli© matter was introduced by Miss Melville., and when tho City Engineer (Mr. W. E. Bush) volunteered this explanation that it had been the custom of tho council to allow theso advertisements, the Mayor retorted: "It has not been the custom of tho council; it has been your custom."' . Tho engineer Said ho had received no contrary Instructions., and tho council therefore passed a motion prohibiting such advertisements.

At a fully attended meeting of the Kxeoutivc Committee of the West-era Hiitt Bovough Electors' Association, hold on Friday evening, it was unanimously agreed to, nominate another member of tho association in tho. person of ex-Councillor Hoots to fill the vacancy in the Hutt Borough Council, caused by the resignation of Councillor I'iiypcrs.