LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 33, 3 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A fierce northerly gale swept the city yesterday, and did considerable damage to fences and gardens in various parts of tho city and suburbs. Some time yesterday afternoon n, Harbour Board dredge pontoon broke loose from its moorings olf the Thorndon reclamation and drifted on to Hie beach. The strong gale was apparently responsible for the trouble. Heavy gun practice was carried out by the Wellington Garrison Artillery Division on Saturday afternoon. So. 1) Company was stationed at Fort Kelburn (Ngahauranga) and No. 0 Company at Fort Ballitnco. Though the weather was veiv hazy some good shooting was oone. from . SI) to 85 per cent, of hits bsimr recorded at an average range of •tOOOvds. Ten rounds were fired from Fort Kelburn, and eighteen from Fort Bnlliince. Hong-Kong targets, towed by the Janie Seddon, were used for the'practice. • After tiie heavy scries had concluded. firing was continued with the 12-pounder gun at Fort' Ballance. Excellent service was accomplishoo' on this practice, the upper structure of tho stationary target being demolished entirely at a ranse of 1800 yds. • The shooting was witnessed bv Brigadier-General G. S. Richardson. Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, Coast Defence Commander, Colonel 1. T. Ktandish, Artillery Staff Officer, and M'aior D. !R. Menziw, Commanding Officer Wellington Garrison Artillery Division. General L'ichardson expressed himself as well pleased with the work, and said that, considering the somewhat adverse visual conditions, the- shooting was good. Next Saturday No. 3 Company will carry out heavy-gun practice, from Fort Dorset. A short sitting of the Magistrate's Court, was held on Saturday morning, Mr. W. G. Jiiddell, S.M., being on the bench. For insobriety four first offenders were dealt; with in the usual manner, and Thomas Blake, against whom there were two previous convictions, was fined 205.. the alternative being three days' imprisonment. Blake was further fined JJ2. in default seven days' imprisonment, for a breach of his prohibition order, and a. 'like penalty was imposed on Norah Xiicent for a similar otfence.

The second annual festival of the Wellington Competitions Society will commence at i;ho Town Hall on Thursday next, and will extend for a period of fifteen days. A cablegram has been received from Mr. John If. Hopkins, tho judge of elocution, stating that he is arriving 1)\- the Moeraki, due ! to-day. A large number of competitors have already arrived in the city, and a most successful season is anticipated. The box plan for the first twelve nights will be opened at the Bristol Piano Company tomorrow morning.

"In these days of scouring winds," writes a correspondent, "when it is an affliction to bo in the streets owing to the flying grit and street filth that fills the air and stings the cheek, T do think that the City Council ought to 'see that wherever excavations are being made and heaps of dirt are lying round, contractors and builders should' be made to hose such heaps or cover thhn mi, so that they will not be blown alons Ihc street. Absolutely 110 protection apuears to be given the public in this respect. Conlrae'ors and tho Gas Company are permitted to excavate while a gale is blowing, and the result is a condition of things that would not be endured in an up-to-date city."

The shipping company wihose ships bring fruit from islands of the Eastern Pacific to New Zealand has decided, on account of the great number of small shipments coming forward, to increase the freight on tlvsc small shipments by five shillings per ton. Mr. Luke mentioned this matter .in the 'House of Representatives on Saturday evening, reading a communication that had been received to this effect by a local merchant. Mr. Luke said that tho effect of this imposition would be to penalise the small merchant, and also the consumer of fruit. 3fr. Massey promised ihat lie would refc-r the matter to the Board of Trade for investigation.

The response by music-lovers in Christchurch to the miunst that Ihev should assist in ensuring the visit of the New Smith Wales Conservatorium Orchestra, by making up the. amount to be guaranteed by tliis centre, is especially gratifying. Chrsle'.iurob wns reijuired' to provide financial assurances, against, the expenses of the visit, ; o the extent of ,£lsOll. Mr. F. C. Raphael, chairman of Hie Citizem' Committee, formed in connection with the project, reported that guarantees have been secured iipto_ElGol), and .C2OOO i.-i in s : glit (stales the "Sun"). Amongst lhe horses which arrived by ferry steamer at Lytlellon on I'Yiday morning was the well-known racer Hurry I'p, which was•' accompanied by his closest companion, a small black and lan dog. As flurry Up fed contenledly beside tho others in the hold of the vessel, the dog Iny snugly coiled up on tho horse's back. The dog, it appears (states the "Sun") .accompanies the horso wherever he goes, whether lo the paddock. schooling ground, or racecourse, and sleeps in the same stall at night, but preferably on lhe sleek skin of his friend.

The million birds hive started on their nrgrntoiy tour, and during last week (•■ays a Pukeferaki correspondent of the "l)fag:i Daily Times") millions have been seen Hying low down going northward-. A peculiar iiic'dent: in connection with the flight is fliat lhe birds started a slioa' of very small fish, which nnnde I'er the beach, and were heaped up in niliw in us eountl'-'s numbers as t.h« mutton hi ids themselves. The farmers looked upon these small lisli as orize, as ll,ey look them away in cartloads and spread Ihem over,their land lo enrich it. How would the beaver and the musicrat or North America d;; lo reinforce our fui'-bearng annuals in Nmv Zeal'"id? The idea is moot-d i'« iys a Dunedin exr Imiuse). Mr. (!. W. M'lntouh n'otilifin'-d, at the lneetinT or the council of the Ob?o Acclimatisation Sacie'v htsfc

•'vet;. that lie liad a letter from Mr. 0„ 1-'. .M. Tullerworth. now on Ms l.vaveN, in which lie said flitt be li;v l Von in. f.nir"n<r ali-ml fur creatines fli.it lit mi?M- -- dc=irable to acclimatise here, and" it was mo—oHod to Mm that I lies* lnenlr'o". H would I:'' valuable immigr-inU. B"lh liv" on vp-'elv'tion. Mr. Tbiltcnrn-lh .m|rir.-l in his letter that he had i>:>t so far commitM himself or mivbody to ''"finif" iiclvon, but he would lnok'fntt the mailer further when he gol back In Toronto.

New Zealand has. according to Mr, Geo. D. Meudell, tlio distinction of having produced tlio best life nrcserver in the world, the invention of Mrs. Orpheus 0. Ifeaumoiit, wife of Captain Norman Beaumont, of Dunedin. Mr. Meudell. who is at present in Wellington, assisted Mr. It. A. C. M'ae'Phail, of Roxburgh, Central Olago to place the life jacket, in question before the Government of Canada and tlie United Slates. The llrilish Hoard of Trade, he says, has withdrawn its certificates of approval from seven corlc and seven kannk lifebelts, and Mrs. Heaiimonl's invention now beads the list oi' the four life preservers which may bo used on British .shins. Twelve leadinr; Uritiill steamship lines have alrcadv adopted it, including the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. ,