LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2252, 11 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rain is much needed in the'country (states 3 Timeru message by the Press Association). The winter has been the driest for many years. Less than four inches of rain has fallen near Timaru during the last five months. Detective-SergeW Cassells yesterday arrested a man, who will appear before the Magistrate this morning, on a charge of fortune-telling. - Palmerston tradespeople are quickly falling in with the "all-for-England" movement (telegraphs our Palmerston correspondent). German pencils have hitherto absorbed the bulk of the pencil (trade, but as supplies will shortly be exhausted, stationers are directing attention to English makes, whioh they declare equal or superior. The Borough Council has always stipulated for certain English makes in contracts. Mr. D. Buick, M.P., has received a reply from the Minister of Railways / (the_ Hon. W. H. Hemes) regretting 'his inability to comply with a request for a station nt Wnitmore.—Palnierston correspondent. . Some of tlio tanks of the' new 'Municipal Aquarium at tho Neutown Park •Zoo havo already been supplied with finny tenants of various species, but as there are still others with apartments "to let," it has been considered advisable not to allow tho public a, close view until everything is ready. Mr. Gcorgo Frost (chairman of the Reserves Committee) is at present arranging whh tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister of Marine (through whoso offices tho aquarium was presented to the City), far an official opening, which will probably take placo towards the end of the month.

While superintending the erection of the new .gasometer at Wanganui yesterday (says a Press Association telegram K Mark Syinonds, a married man from 'Bngliind, fell a distance of 24ft. on to the eoncrote. He is in a critical condition, and is not likely to recover. The "chocolate fund" inaugurated by the Mayoress of Auckland, Mrs. C. J. Parr, to provide chocolate cakes for tho Auckland section of the Expeditionary Force was generously supported by the public, the sum of £50 having been sub-, scribed. With this amount a largo ed and is now ready to be placed on the transport steamers The Dominion Conference of representatives of employers and trades unions affected by importations, to have been held in Christchurch this month, for the purpose of discussing the adoption-of a national stamp to be affixed to goods, made in New Zealand haa been postponed indefinitely on account of the war.—Press Association. The committee of ttie Yorkshire Society of Wellington _ has decided to abandon its annual dinner for the present year (which was to have been held last week), and instead of indulging in that usually sociable feast, to make a donation to the Patriotic Fund.

Our iron deposits at Parapara, if they are not worked, at least supply the Government Analyst with a oertain amount of work each year. The last report to hand says:—"The inspecting engineer of mines submitted a series or samples of iron ore from tunnels in the Was'hbourn and Cadman Blocks, P#rapara. Theso' had an average iron content of 45 per cent., being 6.4 per cent, lower than that obtained from surface samples collected in the same area by Dr. J. M. Bell. The Parapara district has also been prospectedtor magnesian limestone, which, if iron smelting and refining were undertaken in New Zealand, would ho essential for the lining of basic steel furnaces. Although no extensive and uniform deposit has been discovered, some of the results as shown by analysos are encouraging, and warrant the search being continued."

War relics of other days are_ now commanding an attention that is not bestowed on them in piping .times of peace. Exhibited in the window of Mr. T. Shields's premises in Willis Street at the present time are a French, cavalry sword and a rifle bayonet that were found on tho field of Waterloo many years ago. The sword was presented to Mr. Shields by an elderly Belgian lady, who resided near tho battleground where tho forces of Napoleon were finally crushed by the might of England, under the Duko_ of Wellington. In the .same collection is a fine old Andrea Ferara sword—a make famous in medieval times and referred to ou more than one' occasion in the works of Sir Walter Scott. ,Tho sword has a etraight blade, about three- feet in length, with, a hilt that. gives a very complete guard to the hand that clutches it. The weapon is now well bitten with rust, but it still retains its wonderfully graceful appearance and excellent balance. The Ferara blade is the property of Mr. 8,. B. Grange.

Official figures show that up to Saturday last tho Salvation Army marquee at tl'ie Awapuni military camp had received 18,000 visits from the !men in camp, that the attendance at the meetings numbered 6000, and that 6456 lotters had been written at, and posted from the marquee. Tho chaplains have recived many complimentary testimonies from all sections of the troops on the excellence of tho general managemont and the facilities afforded for recreation. The gate receipts for the Wellington Zoo at Newtc-wu Park for August totalled £33 Is. .3d. The receipts from September 1 to 9 amounted to £15.' •When the oversea steamer Irivortay was about to enter Otago Harbour yesterday .morning slio was brought to a, (standstill by a shot across her hows from the Heads battery (states a- Press Association message). A _misunderstanding in respect to tho signal flags is said to have been the cause. Tho error having been rectified was allowed to proceed on her way. For the first'time in its history, tho Wellington Royal Choral Society finds itself-in thd position of having to pay a royalty for every book of the words of "Samson and Delilah" (Saint-Saens) issued. The royalty amounts to ljd. on each issue. This will mean that the public will be asked to pay 3d. for its programme at tiio concert to be given in the Town Hall next Friday evening. The "book" of "Samson and Delilah" was written by M. Ferdinand Lemaire, and the English version was arranged by M. Eugene Oudin. The vocal score of the opera (155.) is, also tho highest price that has ever been asked for any opera score in this part of the world. The opera itself carries a royalty of £40, which makes it the most expensive work in existence to perform either on the stage or the concert platform. A' successful practice with the big 12--pounder guns was put in from Fort Ballance last night. The usual HongKong target, towed by the Janie Seddon, was used, and' 46 rounds woro fired, with a large percentage of Mts.

Private cable advice received in Wellington yesterday stated that tho London "Shipping Gazette" had issued a warning to British shipowners not to "fix" their ships to German firms in New York or elsewhero. On the other hand, it appears that instructions have been given by German owners to keep their position open with British steamers. It is suggested that a similar warning to that contained in the "Gazette" should be issued by the Press of New Zealand, and that shippers and consignees should be warned particularly against supporting 'German lines operating' in the meantime in English steameTS. A further suggestion is that steamers loaded by these firms will not be covered under the Government War Insurance Bchcme. This week's Gazette contains notification of ffche prohibition of moneyorder and'postal correspondence for Miss Wishart, 3 Grant Street, Dunedin.