LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2279, 13 October 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Ulimaroa, which left Sydney on Friday for Wellington, and is due today, is bringing an Australian mail only.

His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking will preside at- a Chamber sitting of the Supreme Court.at 10 o'clock this morning.

The performance given in the Hospital Grounds by the Salvation Army Band on Sunday realised £2 14s. 2d..for the Hospital funds.

According to the Christchurch Bureau of the Labour Department (states a Press Association message); 249 men are reported to be out of work.

It has now been definitely announced (states our Carterton correspondent) that Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby will be the Liberal candidate for the 'W'airarapa seat at the nest general election.

Reserved judgment will be delivered by Mr. Justice Hosking this morning in the Supre'mo Court action, Moorhouse and others v. Godby and others, concerning tho estate of the late Mrs. S. A. Rhodes. _ His Honour will also givo judgment iu the Admiralty Court case—tho owners of tho s.s. Blenheim v. the owners of Die s.s. Opawa.

Several, prisoners will appear in the Supremo Court to bo sentenced by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) at 10 o'clock' to-morrow morning.

Tho very handsome trophy to be presented to the owner of the hdrse that wins the Champion Plate, to be run at Treiuhani on October 2G, now being exhibited in Stewart Dawson's Willis Street window, is commandng considerable attention. It consists of a 100guinea solid silver cup, which stands 3ft. 6in.' in height from the base to tho lip of the cup. _ Tho design of the trophy is original, in that it has hands of relief work that wero copied from specimens of Maori carving, tho photographs of which were loaned the firm's silversmiths in London by the High Commissioner (Hon. T. Mackenzie). In the centre of the face of the'cup is shown a representation of racehorses in action. The cup stands on a handsome ebony plinth, and bears an inscription plate.

According to the "Nelson Evening Mail," the Golden Bay Cement Company, at Tarakoho, on Friday last ceased operations for a time, having to close down owing to tho accumulations of cement on hand and the paucity of orders caused by the war conditions. The journal describes this as "a very serious thing for Takaka, and it is fervently'hoped the stoppage is only temporary." On being consulted yesterday regarding the above, Mr. W. M. Hanhay, the managing' director, stated that it was true that work had ceased temporarily at Tarakoke. The company had kept going as long as it could, and had in consequence a considerable stock of cement on hand but, as was well known, there had been a decided slackening off of work in the building trade, and the demand for cement had eased considerably. He hoped as much as anyone that the cessation of work would only bo .temporary, but the position was governed entirely by the conditions that aflectcd the business.

For over 24 hours steady, warm rain fell in the Palmerston district, from Saturday night till Sunday night, aggregating a fall of over 1J inches (telegraphs our Palmerston correspondent). Tho rain will be worth many thousands to the farmers.

Chinese residents in Wellington celebrated the fourth anniversary of the Republic' at their hall in Tory Street, on- Sunday evening. Mr: Kwei Chih, Consul, presided. There was a large attendance. After the customary Sunday evening debate a inagic lantern and kinomatograph entertainment was provided. The lantern views were exhibited by Mr. 'George Shin Ting, and. the explanatory remarks on the 'pictures were made by Mr. Kwei Chih. Tho subjects were mostly of Chinese temples, and revolutionary incidents, while war subjects were also shown.

Mr. W. Short, Assistant Undcr-Seore-tary;for Publio Works, sat as a Commission to allocate the cost of the construction of the causeway at Sumner to minimise the danger from rocks from the 1 cliffs; the parties being the Trainway Board and the Sumner Borough Council. The Commission heard evidence, and will make an award at a future date.—Press Association.

Commenting upon the small agenda paper at the meeting of the Council of the Auckland Chambor of Commerce on Friday, the president, Mr. B. Kent, said: "At times like these nearly all we have to do is to sit still and help the' Government with our silence. By Government I mean the whole Parliament, for we are working together as one_ man." Practically only routine business was transacted.

The- littlo mow Echo'nrrived at Wellington from Puponga yesterday morning, after a trying experience in Cook strait. She had been buffeted about for : the past eight days. The Echo arrived off Wellington Headß on Monday October 5, at' noon, but unfavourable winds sprang up and she was blown away to the southward. She made the entrance again on Saturday last, and once again the weather took charge of her. This time the force of the northerly gale reduced the Echo's foresail to ribbon. Captain Johansen and his crew had a trying time, and on ono or two bccasions it was thought that the Echo would be lost altogether.

News received by a recent mail from Amorica states that, contrary to genoral expectations, the ill-fated Cana-dian-Pacific liner Empress of Ireland has moved from the spot in the' St. Lawrence where she foundered. It appears that the vessel is righting itself. Strong curronts are said to bo responsible. ■ The Canadian Government announces that her masts aro now only 35ft. below the surface at high water.

An English .paper devoted to tho men's clothing trado in its issue of September 15 contains tho following paragraph:—"lt is significant that for weeks prior to the war declaration Germans pressed hard for tiic delivery of all classes of. cloth. Those were forwarded with all duo haste, and now manufacturers realise that they cannot hope over to receive payment for a big weight of such goods. Tho fact that tlio goods' were pressed for weeks beforo tho war declaration must not bo lost sight of. Scotch manufacturers had booked so heavily on Continental account that some of the mills had' been preparing to run day and night."

One of a flock of sheep belonging to a farmer at Maheno has established a unique -lambing record for one ewo, the "increase" having reached 500 percent. Tho ewe, it is stated, gave birth to a sestet, but one of the lambs died. The remaining five (says tho Oamaru "Mail") have thriven considering the heavy handicap imposed on the,mother by having to rear so largo, a family.

A shocking accident befell a young man named Frank Rae, on Saturday, October 3, while engaged in felling bush on Mr. H. D. Buchanan's Wairere Station at Mangatu, Poverty Bay. An overhead vino caught tho axe while Rao was in the act of making a blow, and deflected tho stroke. The full force of the blade struck the unfortunate man full on the left cheek, inflicting a' terrible gash. After fainting several times from loss of blood, Rao, with heroic fortitude, rode 18 miles to Whatatutiij caught the coach to Puha, and came in by tho train to Gisborne on Saturday night. He was convoyed to a private hospital, where his injuries were attended to. The wound was of such a nature that it was necessary to put in now fewer than twelve stitches.

In view of tho present financial stringency, it is doubtful, so the Hon. R. Moore informed tho Lyttelton Harbour Board, whether the Government could immediately take in hand the work of providing the wholo of the railway improvements contemplated between Christchurch and Lyttelton. The question (says the Christchurch "Press") had been raisod, ho said, whether the local bodies should not lend tho Government money to proceed with a portion of the work, and thus,_at any rate, tend to relievo the unemployed difficulty, though he did not believe it was so aoute as some people profosß ; ed. It was suggested that" £25,000 might bo raised and offered to the Government at 4i per cent. Whether the Government would be justified in going on with a work costing £125,000, with the amount proposed to bo lent, _ was, of course, a matter for the Minister. It had also been suggested that a public meeting should be hold to consider tho question of raising funds to lend to tho Government for assisting the proposed works. The chairman (Mr. Moore) emphasised the fact that the board considered it its duty to assist the Government in the provision of various works for the assistance of tho district. Mr, A. Kaye said there was no doubt that tho Government wished to proceed' with the work as soon as they secured the money- The matter was referred to the Harbour Improvement Committee.

A deputation from the Petone Defence Rifle Club waited on last night's meeting of the Petone.Borough Council, and asked for assistance from the council towards the erection of new targets arid the formation of the mounds and thqnecessary -works., pertaining thereto. After hearing the deputation the council agreed to assist them by employing men to do -work on the range to the value of £15.

Up till a late hour last night there was no news of the Union Company's disabled steamer Kini. Mr. Dalziell, the second officer, who travelled 65 miles'in a lifeboat to Porangahau, arrived in, Wellington last evening, but had nothing' to add to what has already beon published. This is the third time the Kini has broken her tail-shaft.- On October 22. 1911, she carried it away when off Farewell during a moderate vesterly gale. On that occasion the vessel was towed to Wellington hy_tho Komata. A similar mishap occurred to the Kini on July 7, 1906, when she was six miles north-west by west of Capo Foulwind.

Referring to complaints made about tho disconnecting of telephones in default of prompt settlement of accounts, "Hat'aitai" writes: "I am one who suffered inconvenience and annoyance by being cut off last Friday. In my case owing to being laid up with influenza the renewal notice was overlooked until the morning after the subscription was due. T then immediately sent a cheque in payment by hand, but before it arrived I. was disconnected. -The disconnection I was not aware of for an hour or two afterwards, when I wanted to communicate with my doctor. Such an arbitrary course of procedure ought not to be allowed. The Department should at least give notice, say; through the telephono, of what they were'about to do. Ais subscriptions are* 'paid in advance' they can scarcely be said-to bo overdue a "day after the time allowed for renewal."

A private meeting of the creditors of a Christchurch business man -whose unexplained lengthy _ absence from that city has been causing some concern was yesterday. . It is stated that as the result of an audit of his books, the liabilities were discovered to be only one-half of the assets'. ,A proposal to make the absent business man bankrupt failed to get support, and the meeting adjourned for a fortnight.—Press Association. . ■ -