LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2383, 12 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Two young jackals died at the Wellington Zoo within the last few days. Fortunately, there are some other specimens of the family who have survived, and appear healthy. An intimation of considerable importance was received yesterday by a local importing firm from the Steel Products Company of America. This was to the effect that the company had withdrawn all quotations throughout Australasia, for fencing-wire, staples, and nails. The reason assigned is the unsettled condition of trade, and presumably points to the probability of a further rise in. prices.

The Fire Brigade was engaged for over an hour yesterday morning beating out an outbreak of fire in the grass and titrce on the Rhodes Estate, Wadestown. No damage was done to any fences or buildings. The fire originated from sparks from a passing railway engine.

What appears, to be a case of very hard fortune has come under our notice, A working woman on Wednesday lost her handbag, in which was her husband's month's wages (£10) and other articles. The woman's loss _is made more severe owing to her having very young children dependent on her, and the £10 was all the money she possessed. Further, her husband,-who is a seafaring man, has just left for- the Chatham Islands. The finder would be doing a very charitable set in return-, ing the handbag and its contentß. The Wellington cricket championship has reached a very interesting, stage, and followers of the summer Bport are looking forward with great keenness to the meeting of North and Petone, as this match will almost certainly decide which is the champion team of the season. Norti had a handy lead until last Saturday, when Old Boys produced the surprise of tie season by easily defeating the leading eleven. Now ketone and North, are .equal; These teams will fight oat the big dub fixture of the season on the Basin Reserve on February 20 and 27, and in view of the importance of the match the Wellington Crioket Association has'decided to make a charge at the gates. The civic authorities have granted the association permission to do this. Questioned in Auckland was_ regard to a statement by Mr.. Fred Pirani at Ohakune that Mr. D. Guthrie, M.P., had been called to Wellington to receive the portfolio of Education; Mr. Massey said the matter had never been considered by Cabinet, and at present ho could not express any opinion regarding a possible appointment.—Press Association. The latest contributions to the Salvation Army's war relief and emergenoy tund include:—J. J. Craig (Auckland), £100; Hugh Cameron (Ashburton), ciUO; Mrs. E. H. Grant (Timaru), £25; P. Ehvorthy £25, and H. Elworthy (Timaru), £25; H. B. Bloomfield (Auckland), £30; T. Peacock (Auckland). £40 ;, Ashburton-County Racing Club, £10 10s.; South Canterbury Club, £10 10s.; Auckland Trotting Club," £10; Onehunga (Salvation Army) Corps, £8 155.; Pamell Corps, £5; L. D. Nat-ban £10; — Ferriman (Ashburton) (previously acknowledged £50), £50. The fund has now reacned £7000. The Amalgamated (Society of Carpenters and Joiners is/appealing through its monthly publication for more 1 members. The rate of attendance at meetings is complained of, too: "We should never have leas than 90 per cent, of our members present at our, branoh meetings; instead of that, we seldom get more than 10 per cent, there." It aas been suggested that the attendance at meetings might be improved by limiting the time for the transaction of routine business to one hour, and using up a further hour in the discission of matters of interest. The rates collectable in the Akitio County for the current year total £8955 15s. 5d.. of which £2415 12s. has been collected to date. A matter arising out of the Huntly disaster is referred to in the monthly report of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and ' Joiners. Several branches appealed to the Executive Board to make a grant towards defraying the cost incurred by the relatives of those who lost their lives in the explosion at Huntly, before the Royal Commission (set up by the Government to inquire into the cause of the disaster). The total oosts of counsel in connection with the case is £241 12s. The Executive Board made a grant of £3 out of the 25 per cent, fund. A substantial "gate" was received at the Wellington Zoo in the month of January. The total sum was £114 14s. lOd. For the first ten days of this month the receipts were £23 16s. 6d.

Chaff, landed at Pongaroa, is costing the Akitio County Council at the rate of £9 ss. per ton. Consequently the feeding of the county teams is an expensive item. ■ •

On the motion of 'Mr.- E, 0. Jack, .the Municipal Electors' Association resolved last evening: "T.iatt tie proposal now before the City Council for the alteration of the Courtenay Place Deserve and the tram station does not meet with'the Approval of-this meeting —(a) it continues the practice of concentrating the traffic at one stop, causing unnecessary. congestion; (b) entails the mutilation of tlie plantation, and the erection of more buildings, to the detriment of one of our few beauty spots.".

The Labour Representation Committee has decided to receive nominations of candidates for seats on the municipal bodies which are to be contested in April up till 7 p.m. on March 5. If more than tho required number of candidates are nominated, a Labour ballot will be held from March 10 to March 22.

At the Trenthani Military Camp on Sunday the Salvation Army services will ba conducted by Lieutenant-Colonel ■i'owlay (tha chief jecrotaixi. ■

The Pahiatua County Council has decided to effect improvements to Matheson's Bend, on the road between Ballance and Woodville. This portion of road has for some time been considered to be dangerous, and only recently was the scene of a motor-cycie and side-car accident.

A writ of habeas corpus to secure tho release of F. E. N. Gaudin, of Auckland, will be applied for in the Supreme Court to-day before His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert- 7 Stout) and another Judge. Gaudin was recently sentenced by a military tribunal in Samoa to five years' imprisonment for various offences, including the conveying of correspondence for Gerresidents of the islands. To-day's application is based on the ground that the military tribunal, which dealt with Craudin's ease, was not competent to pass sentence in the manner it did. Sir John Findlay, K.C., with Mr. D. M. i'lnilmy, will appear in support of tho application, while the Attorney-General' (the Hon. A. L. Herdman), with Mr. n. H. Ostler, will appear for the Crown.

The Pahiatua Borough Council, at its meeting this week, decided to make furr.lArn^q? ro,ative to the raising of £10,000 for the electric light and power scheme. The poll authorising tho scheme was carried some time back, but the finanoial portion was held over when the European war. broke out.

It is good town-planning to have, your factories all in one quarter of thecity," remarked Mr. 'A. Leigh Hunt at the Municipal Electors' meeting last evening, "and yet on any morning ona can see the chimney stacks belching, forth smoke at all' parts of the city,.!) poisoning the air,_ and thus the lives of the inhabitants, 1 and cer-i tainly interfering considerably with the < health of infants." Mr. Hunt con - sidered that facilities should be pro>i vided to make an industrial suburb o&i the shores of Evans Bay.

The question of whether advantage should be taken of the Local Railways Act to construct a railway between Masterton and Waipukiirau is being publicly, discussed. It has been suggested that the Masterton Chamber of Commerce and the Wairarapa Railway League take the matter up.

According to the secretary, the Hawke's Bay Education. Board is still experiencing great difficulty in filling vacant positions. Many teacherships have temporarily been filled. .

The first practice of the Wellington Corps St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas since, the holidays wa6 held in the Tramway Room on Monday last. Members were divided into squads of four and each squad was set to treat supposed accidents, and some splendid work was done. The assistant commissioner (Mr. H. H. Seed) and the district superintendent (Mr. W. Cox) inspected the,work during the evening. Mr; Seed expressed himself well pleased with the manner in which the work had been carried out, and was also extremely pleased with the good' attendance. There were between 40 and 50 present.

At a meeting held in Masterton of subscribers to the Liverpool Equipment and Belief Fund, it was decided that a sum -of £100 be forwarded 'to the Belgian Refugee Food Fund, and that £10 per month for twelve months be forwarded to the General Relief, Fund, as long as funds permit. A sum of.£lo was also voted towards the equipment of a bed at the base hospital.

Captain E. Home will represent the: Petone. Workshops Fire' Brigade at the annual Fire Brigades' Demonstration at Timaru. The following team will I compete in the events Firemen IL, Wakelin, H. Young, W. Miller, T. Wil- 1 liams, J. Hepburn, and D. J. Collins.

The Masterton unit of the Legion of'; Frontiersmen has established a revolver range, at which practice'is regularly ' held. This is the first revolver range in the, Dominion.'

"The city authorities hare failed, to." make adequate provision for the futura.' tram and vehicular traffic of the city,'* was a resolution agreed upon last overt.' ing by the Greater Wellington Town Planning and Municipal Electors' Association. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt was tha mover in this drection. He intended that the city was spreading , southward,.. and that a traffic tunnel should before now have been run through ,Mount Victoria. He thought that tne city authorities hpl made a mistake in pinning ' their faith to the Constable Street extension; as. a means of relieving the Kilbirme traffic. That route was a natural.line to Lyall Bay, but would not bring adequate relief to Kilbimie. He considered that Wellington should .have a town-planning board to consider * such questions in tne interests of the future of the city. If the council went, on with the Constable Street extension the association should insist on having Crawford Road made 60ft-. wide, otherwise the road would be inconvenient and: dangerous..

The'quarterly meeting of the Publie Service Superannuation Board was held yesterday, there being a full attendance of members. It was resolved to urge upon the Government the necessity' for the introduction of an amending Bill 'at the first opportunity. Ordinary retiring allowances were granted to twenty-two contributors, totalling £2721 per annum. Allowances on retirement as medically unfit were granted "to five contributors, totalling £227 12s. per an. num. and 13 widows and children's 'allowances were granted, aggregating £224 per annum. The amount to the oredit of the fund on January 31 last was £704.638 4s. 3d., an increase of £120,106 13s. 3d. during the preceding Tear.

Major Colvin, of the Salvation Army National Headquarters, who is •on special business in the % provinces, addressed well-attended meetings at Norsewood yesterday, and is due at Hastings to-day.

> The Petone Roman CathoKc School Dicnio was held at Day's Bay yesterday, under favourable conditions. There was a large attendance, and the onting proved a great success.

The Masterton Borough Council has decided to call tenders at once for the erection of the new municipal buildings, for which a loan of £10,000 was raised.

Owing to the want of shipping facilities, says a Press Association telegram" from Christohnrch,; the- local freezing works will close down iihmediately until further notice.

A man was arrested by Detective Cameron 1 yesterday on warrant, on a ( charge of stealing a cart and harness at r Auckland on January 1 last.

The triennial conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants is ito be held in Wellington on February 122.; The order paper is a fairly long one ? containing 140 remits from the ivarious branches, many •of which are . iof a highly-debatable character, particu- ' ilarly those that'refer to the election of delegates to conference; ■ there being iseveral branches which desire that the system should be altered to tthat of proportional representation.

• The, annual meeting of the Greater (Wellington Electors' Association was {held last evening.' * The Hon. J. G. pW. Aitken presided.. The annual report: and the balance-sheet were adopt.•ed. ~The balance-sheet stated that the ■revenue during the..year had amounted '±o £261, \ besides £32" 18s. '6d.Y which iihad ,been received for town planning {purposes. : There was a balance of £25 iss: 2d.' The sum of, £212 was spent Son'the municipal election,, and £15 15s. wad-been given by the association towards'the expenses of .'the . town-plan-sning lecturers who/ visited Wellington a few months ago./ Officers, were elected as follow:—President, Hon. J. ' G. W. ' Aitken; vice-presidents, Messrs. T. Ballinger, and A. Leigh Hnhtj committee, Dr. "A. K. Newman, M.P., E. O. Jack, Ji. J. Collie, D. Campbell, H. Tombs, A. Tolan, and C. E. Wheeler; auditor, Mr. O. B. Robertson j secretary, Mr;- J./L. Arcus.'; ' j Dr. Jissel Miura and Mr. N. Matsuymura, Japanese Commercial Envoys, will reach Wellington towards tho end : !of next month. They are coming here Jaffer visiting Australia, via Hobart. They -will proceed from Wellington to jNelson ana Auckland. : They will be '.officially mot hero by tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce. 'Dr. Miura is one of the most prominent commer--cial men in Japan. Up to the time of ■ihis lea.ving there for Australia, he oocupied the position of Secretair of the Department of Commerce of .the Japanese, Government, and in this, post Tie ~ distinguished himself as: a, leader in the , progressive, trade movement which has jsent:Japan ahead as a producing and (jinduatrial oountiy. He Was responsible ilfor introducing into vho East a number , of modern ideas, setting going a. scheme for furthering Japan's trade rela.tions.in many unexplored grounds.. It was in. • recogniticn'of this work that the, Japanese Government 6ent Dr. Miura out to Australasia on the present important mission, and. he is to take up the permanent position in Sydney of Japanese Commissioner of Commerce" in ■Australia. Japan is appointing a uumiber of. trade commissioners to Australasia/ .who i will bo Dr. Miura's guidance, and the Dominion , will pro-: Vbably have one, or' possibly\twd, such commissioners 'to - reside here.. ■ ,/Some.half avdozen .firemen arrived from-Wellington, yesterday : morning by the Wahino -to fill; vacancies on the Maori, says «a Press Association telegram from. Christchurch. The .latter /has now 'secured almost her Ml oom--plement, it : being anticipated that the .number will be made up to-day, enabling the Miori to leave Lyttelton in her usual running this evening. - ! Sidney Shears, who was Beriously injured through, falling- off a ladder last ' week, was. reported from the Hospital 'last jiight.to be in-a very low condition. As a result-of an open-air recruiting meeting at the Dunedin ; Town Hall steps last night about forty-five men, handed in their names as .willing to ,go ito the! front.—Press Association.. .. Illegal trading on the part' of the (Wellington ,City. Council was alleged by Mr.: T. Ballinger : at last,night's meeti.inc''of' the Municipal Electors' Associajt'ion. Mr. Ballinger said that :hiß alle-. Ration might be a rather , strong one, j but he could prove it by comparing trad|ing ventures with the provisions of the FAct.! ■'■Mr. Ballinger. said that the Coriporation had no power to buy and sell fish,,but 1 simply, to erect a market/and j let the' stalls. Regarding the water [ service, tho council had no power to inwstal water-meters affd pipes on private i property. , Then, : as to the gas and \electrip' light services,-.the oouncil had! mo power to instal, ; pipes, / wires, etc. i'lhe. council proposed to instal waterimeters at a cost- to water-consumcrs of !63. < per year. At'.ihis rate, the Coriporation would sose'£22B on 200 meters, ; reckoning' the interest charge at 6 per ; cent; 7 If the charge was 5 per cent., -the'loss would be £190. ' When it was considered that thousands of meters would be installed, it would easily be realised that the loss would be heavy. Mr., Ballinger moved "That the proposed system of renting water-meters is not in the best interests of the city.'' The motion was carried.

The' Auckland City Council has obtained the services of Mr. 'J. Neil Breden, an officer of the Sydney City Corporation, to advise them as to - a pro posed market scheme. A letter was read at the meeting of the Wellington City Council from Councillor J. Fuller, now- in Sydney, suggesting that the Wellington City Council ,might secure ihis services for a. similar purpose. The suggestion of Councillor \ Fuller was adopted 'on the motion . of Councillor Hindmarsh, who moved' that a request 'bo .telegraphed to the Lord-Mayor of "Sydney, asking that Mr. Breden should be given permission to come to Wellington.. . ...

The New Zealand fast bowler, C. Robinson, will not be able to play for Wellington against Hawke's Bay to-morrowj on account of injury received. His place will be filled by C. M'lntosh, of the University eleven.- : :

It has now been definitely decided to hold' the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Championships in Wellington on March 13. The Wellington Cricket Association, haviqg offered to forego its right to the ground for that Saturday, Messrs. A. A. Marryatt and J. C. Cuesack, of the Athletic Council, waited on tie Municipal Reserves Committee yesterday and aflked. the committee to agree to remit its charge for the use of the; Basin Reserve for the. meeting ia view of the fact that any profits; were to be given to the local fund which was being raised in the interests of wounded soldiers and their dependents.

Rifie range results indicate that in their musketry work the 3rd Reinforcements have not proved quite so good as their immediate predecessors—the 2nd Reinforcements. The figures, show that whereas the 2nd Reinforcements put up an average of 59.0, the average of the 3rd Reinforcements was 58.9. The,-averages of the various units of the 3rd Reinforcements are as follow: — A Squadron, 64.3; B Squadron, 57.9; C Squadron, 60.7; D Squadron, 65.1; A Company j 66.9; B Company, 61.9; C Company, 59.2; D Company, 55.7. The mounted rifles thus averaged 59.5, and the infantry 58.5. ; Lieutenant Bishop, of D Company, and Lieutenant Casserley, of B Company, proved the best shots: with 97 points each.