LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2627, 24 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

n TfUsmph- Office advise that the I acinc Cable Company notifies that it Will resume the acceptance of 'week-end cable messages via Pacific for places beyond America. Messages are accepted on this condition, subject to indefinite delay.

Ihe petition recently presented to Parliament praying for a remission of the sentence of imprisonment for life passed on Alice Parkinson, indicted for murder at Napier, have been considered by the Executive. After receiving the report of the Cliie!: Justice on the case, the Executive decided to tako no action for the present.

By tlie Mocraki, wliicn arrived from Sydney yesterday, came to hand a fine pair of white dingoes (Australian native dogs), and one Woodird's kangaroo, secured in AVestern Australia, which are to go to swell the menagerie at the "Zoo" in Newtown Park. The caretaker (Mr. Lnngridge) reports that the three lion cubs (one male and two female) are thriving wonderfully, and now that they are beginning to gambol about/ the den, arc a source of endless delight to visitors, particularly tho children.

An escaped patient from the Porirun Mental Hospital was discovered at the Lower Taueru on Monday. He has been returned to tho institution.

t The North Wairarapa Rifle Association is effecting important improvements at the Fairview Camp, in anticipation of the annual meeting to be beld at New Ydar time.

Reports from Eketaliuna and Alfredton indicate that there has been a heavy mortality among newly-shorn nheep in those districts, as a result of the recent, severe weather.

A proposal is be: : ng discussed for the establishment of a Home for Convalescent Soldiers in Masterton.

Exportation from and importation to New Zealand of unset diamonds has been prohibited, except with tho consent of the Minister of Customs..

A casual labourer earning 10s. a day and having a wife and five children to support, was at the Napier Court yesterday deemed to have no means. The *lebtor said he could make 110 offer owmg to the increased cost of living.

. The South African Government has inquired from the New Zealand Government as to tho possibility of obtaining 50 tons of checse in the Dominion presumably for army supplies. The 11 ime Minister has. asked the Imperial Board of Trade whether this amount ought to be taken from tho 15,000 tons of choese ordered by the Home authorities for Array supplies. In any event, oO tons of cihcesi! is a mere handful, and Now Zealand will easily be able -to supply it.

Two cottage properties at Worser Bay were sold at auction yesterday by Mr. «m® €orge Nathan. One cottage ( 'Tarawa"), ereoiied on a section 30ft. by 250 ft., was bought in by Mr. Allan Smith for £225, and the other ("Manapouri"), which is cn a section 2oft. by 250 ft., was sold to Mr. Key for £200.

During the month of October, 226 cows, 493 bullooks, 10 bulls, 6040 sheep, 672 lambs, 144 calves, and 20 pigs were slaughtered at the Wellington Municipal abattoirs at Ngahauranga. The fees received during the month amount, ed to £454 35., be:.ng a decrease of £8 10s. 2d. on the rorenue for October of last year.

The secretary of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society has been advised by the Department of Internal Affairs that after due consideration of the society's application, and with a view to assisting the various societies to adequately protect th«. native birds, it has been decided to Appoint the various surveyors, Crown Lan Is rangers, and scenery preservation .inspectors <jf the Lands Department to be rangers under the Animals Protection , Act. The council of the society, at its recent meeting, passed a resolution thanking the Government fcr its action.

Mr. E. F. Dutliie has forwarded his resignation of the ijosition of employers' representative on _ the Arbitration Court, and t!he icsignation has been accepted, to take effect from January 31,. 1916. Industrial unions of employers have now been request-cd by the Secretary of Labour to nominate Mr. Duthie's successor. Nominations will be received up to Decombcr 22. The New Zealand Employers' Federation has decided to recommend employers' unions to nominate Mr. Win. Scott, of Dunedin, who was previously employers' representative on the Court. .The new representative will hold office for the balance of the period for which Mr. Duthie was elected, namely, till February 12, 1917.

A meeting of the Mayor's Distress Fund Committee was held yesterday. Tliero wore present the Mayor (in the chair), Rev. W. A. Evans, Messrs. E. 0. Jack, M. L. A. Reardon, and R. Moston. Tho M;.yor reported that a medical man attending an accouohement case coming within the scope of the committee's work had made tho usual charge agaiast the committee, but had requested that the fee be accepted as a donition to the fund. •'This is not by wiy means tho first instance of generosity on tlio part of tho medical profession that I have to report," said tho Mayor. The subscriptions received to date are £3773 19s, 7d., and disbursements (inejuding £2500 on deposit), £3435 16s. Bd., balance £327 2s. lid. Accounts amounting to £15 2s. were passed for payment.

A Soldiers' Room is to bo established at Grey town, and at a meeting held on Friday evening; a committee, consisting of the Rev. A. W. CompUwi fell airman), Mr. H. Morison, Mesdames Drumniond, Waldoti, and W. A. Tate, and Miss Wyott. was set up to further tlie scheme." A donation of £50 lias been promised by the Wairarapa Patriotic Committee, and several pieces of furniture have been offered.

An examination of tlie men's class of the Petone Ambulance Division in Home Nursing, took place on Monday evening. Dr. Rosjs was instruotor and Dr. Harding examiner. The results were as follow: —G. Wilson, 82; A. P. Deeble, 82; L. Parrant, 82; J. Kyle, 76; 0. W. JoTmstou, 76; H. H. Onslow, 75; F. Lockwood, 74; W. F. Greenfield, 71; S. C. Crowtlier, 67; W. Huskisson, 67; H. L. Andrews, 65; W. Holgate, 64; J. Hialop, 61; A. H. Medliurst, 61.

A committee of tho Wellington Harbour Board lias made proposals to tho Petone Borough Council, for-the erection of a 6-ton weighbridge in the vicinity of tho Petone wharf, providing tho council agrcca to pay 8 per cent, per annum—amounting to about £10, on its value, including tlie cost of erection, tho council to have tho right to collect all fees. This offer boing considered reasonable by the Petono Council, was accepted, and the matter will povr oomo before llie nest mooting of till# .Welliwitoa Boiivdu

I Messrs. G. E. Matheson and M'Cullocli made an attempt to go over Mount Hector at tho. beginning of the month, reports our Greytowii correspondent, but through stress of weather they only got as far as Mount Alpha. Mr. Matheson, in describing tho trip, says: ' Although wo were disappointed in not getting over Mount Hector, we were highly pleased with our trip. The tracks were in splendid order, the new track from Mount Reeves to Tauhorenikau bemg especially good."

One of the American buyers at tho Napier wool sale on Saturday last said that the reason why America predominated was that the buyers representing that country were prepared to take their chance, whereas the colonial buyer, under the present circumstances, s Wftn t a certain class or clip, he said, "and we intend to have it. _ lhe wool here to-day? Very fine. It is a much finer clip than that offered at Wellington the other day, and I do not think I havo seen finer wool in pier. Hiere is some of it heavy, but not much, and the majority of it is light and free from earth. That's the ' clip we want, and wo intend to get it. Of course that wiU send the prices up, and you can take it from mo that tho figures will be still higher. Hawke's Bay is a wonderful wool-growing country. There is something different about Hawke's Bay wool; I think it muoh N finer _ than the fleece grown in other districts." He stated that trouble was being experienced in sending shipments to America.

AAhen the Union Company's training ship Aparima returns to New Zealand about tho_ end of tho year, there will be vacancies for cadets,, as four of the boys will liavo completed their term of service and will be transferred to tile companyjs steamers to fill the positions of junior officers. It js possible that room will be found for two or three other lads also.

T lt was stated in shipping circles in Wellington yesterday that notice liad been given recently that freig'ht rates from America, which have been ruling at about 60s. per ton, will presently be raised to _100s. per ton. It is believed that the increase is being imposed because of the higher insurance premiums, due to war risks, and also to the operation of the now Shipping Bill passed by Congress recently.

Not much work was done in connection with discharge of the Japanese steamer Kwanto Maru yesterday at Wellington. The vessel arrived from Japan, via southern ports, during the morning with 200 tons of superpbospivates 011 board. Sho lias come down under charter to Mr. Hassell, of Sydney, and has landed part of her cargo at punedin, Timaru, and Lyttelton. On arrival here the stevedores offered the waterside workers Is. 6d. per hour, but tliis was refused. The men demanded 2s. 6d. per hour ordinary time, and 3s. per hour _ overtime. To tliis arrangement, it is understood, the stevedores would not agree, and a deadlock ensued. l'inally, Mr. Taylor, who is travelling with the Kwanto Maru a 6 Mr. Hassoll's representative, engaged the labour himself at' the rate demanded, his object being to get the steamer away as quickly as possible. The superphosphate cargo has to be placed in baga before it is landed, and during the first hour of unloading operations only 60 bags (equal to five tons) was put out. This to the charterers was considered most unsatisfactory, and consequently the Kwanto Maru will be sent on to Napier this morning to complete discharge there.

There was to have been a meeting of the executive of the - Merchant Service Guild (New Zealand Section) yesterday to consider tie proposals* of Sffi new agreement which has been fixed up between representatives of the guild and tlie Union Steam Ship Company. On "account of a quorum not being obtainable, however, the meeting had to he postponed. It is proposed to hold it within the next aa.v or two. No statement has yet been made as to the result of the conference, but it is understood that a conciliatory spirit was displayed by both sides, and an agreement was drafted for submission to tho Guild Committee. This includes salary increases in the various grades, and the provision of uniform mountings free of charge. In regard to general working conditions, concessions were made by the company; but these did not involve regulation of hours. An extra day's pay is to be granted, however, to masters and officers of vesselß leaving port on a public holiday or Sunday. Shipmasters are to receive two clear days' holiday every month, and masters of all vessels are now to be granted twenty-one days' annual leave. There was, further, a general clearing up of minor points which have been in dispute for some time. Tho salaries portion of t-lio new agreement will date from November 1, but the balance of the new conditions will come into operation on December 1.

The Rev. R. M. R.vbum, tie new Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly, is an old Auckland boy. He was educated at tho Newmarket and City East primary schools, the Auckland College and Grammar School. He gained junior- and senior board scholarships, and proceeded to the Auckland University College, where lie gained a senior college scnolarsliip. and took his Bachelor of Arts degree. Mr. Rybum took his M.A. degree at the Otago University, wliere, during his theological course, ho held the Somervell Theological Bursary. Since he was licensed as a minister of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Rybum has filled the .pastorates of St. Andrew's Church, Gisborne, and St. Paul's Church, Wanganui. He is now minister at First Church, Invercargill.