LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2418, 25 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In view of its dangerous nature phosphorus will not be permitted m future to be stored in the Harbour Board's dangerous: goods store. This resolution was arrived at by the board last evening.

Yesterday morning, says a Press Association telegram from Auckland, a young man named W. P. Storey was arrested by Detective Gourley on a charge that he was an idle and disorderly person with insufficient lawful visible means of support. Storey is rather a well-known fignro about town. Ho had an office ill town for the purpose of doing business as a financial agent, and just prior to the last Parliamentary elections he came into publio prominence by putting himself up as an Independent candidate for the Parnell electorate. He has just been announced as a candidate for a seat on the Auckland Education Board.

The chairman of tho Wellington Harbour Board has always had too, much power, according to Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh. In expressing this opinion at the board table last evening, Mr. Hindmarsh said that he did not wish to reflect on tlie present chairman, who had merely carried out the traditions of the ofßce. Mr. Hindmarsh said that tho time had arrived for the Board to appoint a Finance Committee to advise the chairman on financial matters. Mr. J. G. Cobbe: "To cut the wings of the next chairman." Mr. Hindmarsh: "No; I just wish to see an improvement. We all know that in the past the chairman has had power to enter into negotiations and refuse information on the subject to the members of the Boardif he wished to do so. The City Council, for instance, has a Finance Committee, and I -would like to see this body have one."

Detective Cameron yesterday arrested a seaman on a charge of deserting from the s.s. Corinthie.

The result of the election of s member of the Board' of Governors of the Wellington Boys' and Girls' Colleges, to replace Mr. A. de B. Brandon, was announced yesterday. Mr. Wm. Allen and Mr. 0. R. Bendall were the only candidates. The former was elected by a majority of 70 votes. Mr. C. P. Powles acted as returning officer.

A local wool broker tells a rather good story anent the handling of a line of badly-seeded wool, which ' had been placed at his disposal for sale. When the line was put up at last month's sale tho best bid ho could get was Bd. per lb,-.whereas the owner had put on a reserve of lOd. On the owner inquiring what was the best thing to be done he was advised to sort out the badly-seeded chunks of wool and place the fairly clean wool in separate bales. This was done and at yesterday's sale he realised 13Jd. per lb. for tho cleaner wool, and for the bale of seedy wool lie realised as much as lid. per lb.

Petrol is 6aid to be cheaper fodder than good oaten , chaff in .these times. Be that as it may, the demand for petrol-driven vehicles is said to have been quite abnormal during the past two months, and the difficulty of cotting a sufficient supply to meet the existing demand is the only worry which agents for such vehicles have tp contend with. One agent in the city states that the price of horse-feed has given tho business an enormous fillip, one that will mean a great deal in the future, as once business people are broken into tho use of motor-lorries and delivery vans, they seldom revert to the horse-drawn vehicles. The war. too, lias diverted the buyers to vehicles of the class mentioned that aro made within the Empire, which is another entirely favourable sign, which will reflect itself later on British trade. At present a great number of the big British firms are working on orders for the War Office, which fact has curtailed their outputs as far a 6 the Dominions oversea are concerned, but in time that will re-adjust itself satisfactorily.

Mr._ W. Cross, of Alfredton, who was born in Tinakori Road, Wellington, in 1842, was a visitor to Wellington yesterday, and ho states that last week's rain on the East Coast of the Wairarapa has had a very beneficial effect. Practically all tlie Tinui district received benefit from tho downpour, and as two months' good weather is expected before the winter sets in, tho prospects for a plentiful growth of grass are excellent.

In the trades compulsorily insured against unemployment, viz., building, works of construction, engineering, shipbuilding, vehicle-making, etc.. the percentage of unemployment at January 29 was (says "The Board of Trade Journal") 2.58, as compared with 2.72 a, week earlier, 3.37 a month earlier, and 5.50 a year earlier. These fieures relate to the whole of the United Kingdom, and inoludo all unemploved workmen in the insured trades. It will bo seen that '.he rate of unemployment in these trades is loss than half'the rata of a year ago.

Lace is an article about which shopkeepers and _ others are concerned at the present time because of the difficulty in trading with Belgium, whence much of the lace _ sold in New Zolaand was imported, pmr to the war. A paragraph in reference to the present position nf 'lit Belgian lnce factories and the problem of trading with them (as viewed by a local merchant) appeared in _ yesterday's issue. In reference to this, H Af. Trade Conimi'rfmiGr for New Zealand (Mr. TV. G. Wickham) has had a communication to sav that the War Refugees Committee ("England) is obtaining tho names of.all lace workers among th» refugees in tbo United Kingdom, with a view to finding them eiiinlovment in the lace industrv, which will no doubt be ntye to find places for a great many workers m the near future. Air. Wickham thinks that any statements, as to the safety or otherwise of dealing with firing' in those parts of Belgium occupied hv the Germans. should he accepted with caution pending some definite information on the question. He has no advice in torrvrd to th" condition of th» trade in Belgium and it is worthy of note that tlie matter does not receive attention in tho latest issue of "The Board of Trade Journal."

Applications for a section containing 632 acres in the Hikawera Settlement] situated about 12 miles from Martinborougli, wore received yesterday at the local Land Office, and will be balloted for to-day after the applicants liave been duly examined. All unusually largo number, of persons have applied for the land. The Land Board will, it is understood, insist on all the conditions of settlement being strictlv carried out. particularly tliat regarding residence, <ind any attempt at- future transfers will receivo a decided block.

The Kelburn-Northland «üb-area of the National Hoservo applied to tlio Harbour Board for use of the big U shed, in the vicinity of Waterloo Quay, for the purpose of drilling in. The board unanimously granted the request at its meeting last evening.

An enthusiastic publio meeting at Gisborne last night formed a branch of tho National Reserve, and a large number of volunteers enrolled.—Press As" sociation.

A generous donation to the Belgian i'uud has been made by Dr. A. E. Por"tt of Wanganui. Ho' is tho ownei of a block of land near Hamilton, consisting of 150 acres, and he las given the iiJiole of this property to the Belgian l'und. Tlia land will be sold, and it. is estimated that it will realise £1000.

.Tho local branch of tho Eailwnv Ofncers Institute aro tendering a smoke concert m their social hall, Waterloo Way, on Saturday next to Major Barclfty and fellow officers from tfco serTVwi aro , at P rMo «t ill camp at Treutlmm, and also welcoming back members of the Sainoan contingent of itailivay Enginee-s.

Street improvement work in Willis btreet is commanding the attention of the itinerant public. Not only is ten feet being lopped off that block of brick shops in \\ ilk Street immediately 'to the north of Mercer Street, but the new lront of the corner shop is being built oil an angle, calculated to ease the trafno at that spot. Further improvements have already been scheduled bv ™ City Council in' Mercer Street. A little later on the briok premises at the comer of Mercer Street and Wakefield Streets, acquired from Mr. W. Choto, and at present occupied by Edward Reeves and Co. and Colley and Co., is t-o be removed entirely in order to ease that corner in a manner tl at will open lip from Eaton's Corner a viesv of Wakefield Street. Still later the whole of the street is to be widened by ten feet on the northern side, W arrangement with Messrs. John Duthie and Co., whose iron store extends from the rear of the Willis Street premises to Victoria Street.

11l conversation ;with a reporter yesterday, Mr. E. H. Simons, statioumaster at Petone, mentioned that there was a dangerous practice becoming prevalent in connection with those who use tho workers' trains. People were inclined to rush to the train at the last minute, not realising the seriousness of the position. They know the time the train leaves, Mr. Simons added, and they know the trains must be run to time,- yet in .spite of repeated warnings there are some who arrive nt the station late and expect tlio train to wait for them. It is to be hoped that the public will take note of this matter, and that tho practice will bo discontinued.

At yesterday's wool sale in tlie Oddfellows' Hall, Lambton Quay, Messrs. Dalgetv and Co. offered for sale a balo of orutchings on behalf of Mr. J. Stevens, of Hawker Street, from his farm at Kaitoke, the proceeds to go to tho Belgian Fund. The wool realised B}d. per lb, a high price for crutchings, which means that a sum of about £11 will be added to the local fund for the relief of the Belgians.

A deputation of watorsiders waited on tho Wellington' Harbour Board last evening and asked that something should be done in the way o( providing shelter for men who linvj to wait about tho wharves (possibly from early morning till well on in tho afternoon) for work. The deputation said that at prosent, men had no 'shelter in which to wait, and when it was suggested that perhaps the donkey-room could bo used again, Mr. J. G. Bruce, secretary of tho Wharf Labourers' Union, stated that it needed ventilation and general renovation. Tho board referred the matter to its engineer for a report. Our Napier correspondent telegrapKing last evening states that tho Territorial camp at tho Napier racecourse, which commenced on Monday, was abandoned yesterday afternoon, owing to the wet weather. The outbreak of influenza and colds among the men influenced Headquarters to order the closing of the camp.

A special meeting of the Wellington City Council will be hold on Tuesday night next to pass a special order regarding the surrender and new lease of the Club Hotel. The sections were leased to Mr. Joseph Dwyer, hotelkeeper, from Messrs. J. Fuller and Sons, who held the lease from the council. Mr. Dwyer surrenders the old leases, and the new one to be granted, if passed by the council, provides for an annual rental at tho rate of £921, for the unexpired term of thirteen years, with right of renewal. The new lease also contains' a covenant to erect on tho land before June, 1916, a new bulding of the value of not less than £10,000.

Last evening the Wellington Harbour Board passed tlie following motions: (1) "That tlie Wellington Harbour Board, on tlio retirements from active service of Captain Henry Johnson, who for more tlian a quarter of a century lias carried out the responsible duties of Chief Pilot and Harbourmaster of the port, desires to place on record its appreciation of his long, faithful, and zealous service in the interests of tlie board, and wish him a long enjoyment of his well-earned leisure." (2) "That on tho occasion of the retirement of Mr. Henry Georgo Claridge, first Assistant-Wharfinger, who lias been connected with the wharf since 1874, the board hereby records its appreciation of his lonjj and faithful service and assures him that 1m carries with him into his retirement the cordial' good .wishes of the board."

Mr. T. R. Wallace, secretary of the Wellington district or the Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers, has received a cable communication stating that Mr. W. Peck, secretary of the Sydney district, died on Monday. Mr. Peck wns well Known in New Zealand, having been chief engineer in the employ of Mr. Martin Kennedy, of this City, Donald and Edcnbcrough, of Auckland, inspector of machinery under the New Zealand Government, and chief engineer of the Waitara freezing works. After leaving Now Zealand, Mr. Peek was in business in Sydney, and about ten years ago wns elected secretary of tho Sydney district of the Australasian Instituto of Marine Engineers, a position which ho filled l with credit to himself and satisfaction of his members. His many friends in New Zealand will regret to learn of his sudden demise.