NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The D.I.C. has secured the contract for carpeting the new Opera House now in course of erection in Manners street. The colour scheme is based on sapphire blue, and the whole effect will be highly artistic. Aft-g?- hearing an explanation by Mr E. J. Fitzgibbon yesterday, his Honor Mr Justice Chapman decided to remit the fi™ of £5 imposed on F. W. Haybittle, a juryman who failed to appear on the previous day. Two deputations had private interviews with the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister of Customs, yesterday afternoon. One delegation represented the candle manufacturers of New Zealand, and the other the Wellington Industrial Association. The postal authorities advise that the Maheno, due at Auckland to-mor-row from Sydney, has on board Australian mails and an Finglish mail via Suez. The Wellington portion should orrive here on Monday afternoon’s Main Trunk express. An eleven-year-old boy was brought before the Juvenile Court yesterday on charges of breaking and_ entering the Johnsonville railway station and stealing railway tickets valued at £7 16a 3d, and a small sum'of money, and of breaking and entering by day the dwelling of John W. Brown, Ngaio, and stealing an air-gun. He was sent to Weraroa Training Farm. In all probability the result of the ballot for the selection of Labour candidates for the forthcoming municipal and other contests will be declared on Wednesday night next. The ballot u. now in progress and the papers are being returned to the secretary of the Trades Council, Mr lleardon, very freely. In all nearly 3000 ballot papers were distributed. When the Labour “tickets” for the municipal Harbour Board, and Hospital Board elections have been determined immediate steps will be taken to push ths campaign,.

This morning at 10 o’clock an inquest it ill bo held at the Magistrate's Court in connection with tho death of Walter Francis Pcngolly, who was on Tuesday drowned at Paekakanki through tho capsizing of a fishing boat. Nearly 3000 signatures have now been secured for tho petition, promoted by the Trades Council, asking tor a poll on tho Saturday half-holiday issue. No difficulty is anticipated in getting many more than tho number required to make tho petition effective. At 2.30 p.m. yesterday a man who was dozing on tho stringer at the Queen’s wharf berth No. 13, overbalanced and foil into tho harbour. A ropo was promptly thrown to him and in a few minutes ho was lifted up on to tho wharf little tho worse for his experience. Tho following vessels are expected to bo within wireless range of Wellington this evening: Victoria, _ Mahono, Moeraki, Warrimoo, Corinthic, Delphic, Makarinl, and Atua. Tomorrow evening the following vessels will probably bo within _ range: Ulimaroa, Manuka, Moeraki, Warrimoo, Corinthic, Delphic, Makarini, and Star of Ireland. Of tho immigrants who arrived by the Arawa earlier in the week, only twenty-two have applied to the Labour Department for assistance in securing work. All tho farm workers among them were placed at once, and so were some general lahourers_ and a couple of bootmakers. There is still a fairly good demand for workers for the country, hut there is not' very much call for town labour. Mr Marchbanks, engineer to the HlJaUington Harbour Board, visited Potono on Thursday for the purpose of inspecting the proposed site for the septic tank to bo erected in connection with the Petono sewerage scheme, the effluent from which it is proposed to discharge into the harbour. Mr Marchbanks is to report to his hoard at its next meeting on this matter, as well as on tho contemplated extension of the wall along tho sea-front ot Petono. It is understood that the Reserves Committee of the Hutt Borough Council has recommended that the application of the Potono League Football Club bo accepted for tho Hutt Recreation ground for the football season. The price offered for tho ground is believed to be £3O for the season, with GO per cent, of the gate money. Last season the Hutt council only received a very meagre pittance from the gate receipts. The question will come before the Hutt council at its meeting on Monday night. Asked yesterday if he had received any further advices from London, the Prune Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) replied in the negative. The loan had been raised, but Hie Hon. James Allen stm had important work to do in the Old Country. It was also possible that he would visit Germany m connection with education matters, to acquaint himself with tho most scientific and modern developments. The _ arrangement made before the Minister left Now Zealand was that ho should visit Germany if time allowed. The close of the financial year on March 31st did not imply that there was any need for his return immediately after that date, and it was considered likely that the Minister would not reach New Zealand till about the middle of May. The following further amounts have been collected for the purpose of purchasing tho lioness at Newtown Park: By Councillor Frost—Staples’ Brewery Company, £5 6s; A. Maguire, £2 2s; Daphne Butter Company, A. H. Tumfcull, T. Ballinger and Co., P. J. Griffon £1 Is each; David Robertson, £1: J. M. Geddia, 10s 6d; Sympathiser and Robert Mason, 10a each; L.L.S., 2s 6d. By the Rev. D. O. Bates—Manager of South British Insurance Company, £2 Sbj manager of the Royal Exchange Assurance Company, £1 Is. Per the town dark—Mrs E. C. Hall (Turkish Baths) and “A Loyal Subject of Her Majesty,” £1 Is each; two Sympathisers with Her Majesty, 2s each. The total amount to date is about £6O. Tho biennial conference of Hie New Zealand Central District of the Independent Order of Reohabitea will be held next week, when delegates from nearly oveiy part of the Dominion will be present in connection with the Bonforence. Divine service has been arranged, when members of the city and suburban branches, together with the delegates, will assemble at the Queen’s Statue, Kent terrace, and headed by the Mission Band, will attend the evening service at St. Mark’s Church, Sussex square, to-morrow. On Monday morning, at 9.30, at the Rechabito Hall, the registrar of friendly societies and the Government actuary will meet tho representatives and members of the Order, when the question of tho future constitution will bo discussed. Mr G. Allport, Secretary for Marine, who reached Auckland by the Hinomoa on Thursday, on his annual tour of inspection of the lighthouses, informed a •‘Star ” reporter that the Hinemoa has on hoard this trip tho small tower for the automatic acetone acetylene light to bo erected at the Chickens. Mr Fraser, the department’s expert, who has been superintending the installation of the new light at Castlepoint, on the coast between Napier and Wellington, will go up in three or four weeks’ time to erect the Chickens light, which will be a flashlight visible tor about eighteen miles. Mr Fraser, while in the North, will also put tho acetylene light at Shelly Beach, in the Kaipara river, in good working order. Nothing definite has yet been decided about the erection of the new light at North Cape, said Mr Allport, although everything is practically in readiness for a start. The lantern apparatus and machinery are in Wellington, and a vote was passed last session to enable tho work to be proceeded with. Tho department is, however, arranging to have the erection of tho light pnt in hand as soon as possible. The site was fixed about, four years ago, and is a splendid one! at an altitude of about 200 ft on a small island just off tho mainland. Onhis way North Mr Allport had a look' <it tho newly-placed light at Castlepoint, which ho pronounces to be a very fine incandescent flashlight, obtained from oil gas, and similar to the pno installed at Capo Brett. Tho lightvne m&ciiino, instead of revolving on rollers, is revolved in a bed of mercury, tho friction thereby bein<- very considerably reduced. Tho Cacti epomt light, which has now been oneratmg for a month, is a brilliant and powerful light, and will, ho says, be of very great assistance to masters on the coast.