LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10041, 15 July 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The latest returns from the Masterton Dredge are 12o£ sdwt for 84 hours, work, and from the Mystery tflat 18cz 15dwt for 135 hours work,

Mr W. Pryor informed a Press representative in Cnristchurch last night that in consequence of the failure of the parties to arrange for a Dominion Conference, the matter of the Shearers' dispute would come before the Arbitration Court again at 10 a.m. to-day.

The male chorus, which consists of ' 24 voices, of the opera "Pirates of Penzance" which is to be produced next week by the Masterton Operatic Society, will be strengthened by the inclusion of Mr F. H. Elcoate, the well known baritone singer, of this town, who was originally cast for the part of Samuel. The heavy rains that have fallen during the past two or three days has caused the rivers in the Wairarapa and Forty Mile Bush districts to flood. A large area of lowlying country is under water. The flats at Kenini were a sea of waters yesterday. Large numbers of young sheen are reported to have perished from the cold.

The following officers of the Masterton A. and P. Association have been elected unopposed for the ensuing year:—President, Mr W. Perry; vice presidents, Messrs, Hugh Morrison and W. J. Welch; Treasurer, Mr J. B. Moodie. Thirty four nominations have been received for the general committee of the Association, and as thirty constitutes the committee a ballot will be necessary.

A district order issued by Lieut.Colonel Bauchop states—"At all times it is necessary to hold Boards of Inquiry on members of the Territorial Forcewho are maimed or injured while on duty. All officers commanding will in future see that the provisions of General Regulation 403 must be strictly carried out, aud a Board assembled as soon as possible after the occurrence to investigate the circumstances of the case.

Owing to the wretched character of the weather, the attendance at Knox Cburch last evening to hear Dr. Gibb's lecture was not large, but those who braved the elements were rewarded, oy an intellectual treat, Dr Gibb spoke at some length on hia impressions of Church wcrk in the Old Country, and drew some interesting comparisons between the conditions of life there aDd in the colon ies. The lecture's remarks were listened to with close attention, throughout; ,

The Attorney-General, speakine in the Legislative Council on the subject of humanitarian legislation, said he had always taken, and always would take, a very keen interest in this branch of our modern policy, which be characterised as the reduction of waste in life, in health, and in work. It was the promotion of human life and not the increase of wealth which was becoming the main objective, and he believed that it was much moire importaut that they should endeavour to improve the condition of the people by legislation than to add to the national dividend,

A cablegram received from Sydney yesterday stated that the report of the Labour Department shows that the number of factories in JSlew South Wales at the end of last year was 4,219, employing 50,500 males and 23,942 females, increases of 54 factories and 3,877 employees.. Only 6.8 per centum of the employees' were under sixteen years of age. The report comments on the fact that the number, of children who find it incumbent to work in factories is not increasing in comparison with the number of hands employed during the last five years.

According to a statement made at a meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, the Government's administration of the Kotorua fishing district is by no means a gratifying success. It was stated that a member of the society who recently visited Rotorua had discovered that the Government representatives were hiring launches and were traversing the lake, killing fish wholesale—the fat fish as welt as the slabs. They were killing hundreds of the best fish to be had there. As a matter of fact, so many fish were being killed that at each hotel in Rotorua trout was put on at every meal.

[ Dr. Charles Chilton, of Christchurch, who has just returned froni Queen Charlotte Sound, is an enthusiastic supporter of the proposal to place the Captain Cook 'memorial on Motorua Island rather than in Ship Cove. He says the suggestion is the OJie most popular with the residents of the vicinity. There is as much historic interest in the one as in the other, he says, for Captain Cook actually hoisted his flag on the island. If the memorial were placed on the island it would be in full view of every passing steamer, while in the Cove it would be obscured.by the bush. ,

An inquiry has been commenced in Wellington by Mr' W. R. Haselden, S.M., into the naval and military claims arising out of services rendered during the Maori wars. The claimants are confined to those who had settled in the Dominion before the end of 1872. There were seven applications from Wanganui, and all stated that when they joined the Yeomanry Cavalry they were promised sixty acres of land, which, however, had not baen granted them., Evidence was given by the applicants as to the Imperiai services bnth in volunteer corps and the militia, and a state- i ment of their claims is to be forwarded to the Minister. AH persons having claims are asked to dbtain application forms fmm the post office and forward thsm when filled in to the clerk of the Magistrate's Court, Wellington.

i Mr Thss. Crocket, of the Bluff, who represents the syndicate which bought the wreck of the Waikare, returned recently from Dusky Sound where he has baen spending a month superintending the work on the sunken vessel. Mr Crocket reports that good work is being done, the diver who replaced Diver May being a very active worker. Trie ketch Anna has been dismantled and moored at the wreck, and 1 the working party make their home in her, and conse quently much time is saved which would otherwise be spent in going I to and from the shore. The anchors I and chains, seats, and other moveables on the external, part of the ship have secured, and the propllor has been blown off the box with dynamite. • The blades are about seven feet long. This gear is all being accumulated, and will be brought up SDOltly. Urtto-

The monthly meeting of the, Masterton School Committee which was to have been heid last evening lapsed for want of a quorum, those present being Messrs K. Brown, A. Chapman,. W. Hendry and the secretary, Mr W* M. Easthope. The Ked Star Football Club's thirds fifteen to phy Dalefield, at Masterton, to-morrow, will consist of thefoliowing: Pauling, McKenzie, De Lisle, Treen, Kiddel, McHattie, P: Smith, H Dixon. Mcnn, Wickens, Golder, Welch. Ewington, C. Smith, Flaws; emergency, Simm^nds.

In view of probable amendments* to the Defence Act, necessary to> give effect to proposals made by* Lord Kitchener, and considering tfeat'. the current year must be one of transition in the Territorial Force,, corps will, as far as possible for the present, confine their recruiting to physically fit men below the age of 1 twenty-three years, to maintain thecorps or units at their strength.

Speaking of rhe Juvenile Court, inhis report to Parliament, Mr W. GRiddeJl, S M., says—"l am satisfied that the Court is an unqualified success. I am able to appeal to the children better in private than in the open Court The children's parents, are nearly always present, and'good reason is given if they are not there. No representative of any society ororganisation attends the Juvenile. Court.

Berore the Court of Appeal, areament was heard concerning a matter of Rex y. Archibald Muir, a Palmerston criminal case. Muir haa been arraigned at Palmerston Nontb for theft, upon four indictments, which were afterwards consolidated into one indictment of thirty-seven; counts. Each count referred to a separate cheque, alleged to have been. stolen from the National Mortgage' and Agency Company, Limited. The-. Court uf Appeal decided that the conviction must be upheld,iit being mentioned that there was sufficient evidence to convict Ahe prisoner both* at common law and under the. Crimes Act,

Up and dawn the country tion, condemrjatiun, execration, are being volleyed and thundered against the bookmaker, his license, and his bag, and ail his odds and ends. Of .course, Parliament wjll not be able to stab the bookmaker to death. ;with the statutory psn, but; it is ini tended to end the rosy days of the* legalised specimen. The Goveromenj; . is taking no risks, arid the chief is,; taking care to prevent any-anti gam--:; bier from saying that he set any evilexample by taking chances. I Government, is not doing any gambt- ! ing in this anti-gambling Jflr* Massey's chance of ever snapping a majority vote against the Government seems to have been scratched. JNo-confidence is a non-starter on the* Government race-card.—Post.

The Crown has no legal liabilftjp under the Workers' Compimsation for' Accidents Act in respect to workmen employed on State, Go- - operative contracts. Tne Government, however, has not set up any plea of and does notr promise to do so, as, in all cases* of accidents, claimants are paid an, amount equal to what they are entitled to under.the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act. Mr McLaren; in the.House, yesterday, expressed dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs, and said it was time that; the law was alteredThe Minister answered that the injured men got what they would be entitled to under the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act, without legal expense, and they were savedt trouble from labour agitators. . >

- / During his short stay in Auck- A land, Lord lihngtcn was greatly" charmed with the city and its surroundings. It is understood that His Excellency regrets the controveisy that has arisen in regard to the retention of Government" House, as a matter in which he can take no part„ but that he is favourably'inclined towards the continuatiun of this long; established institution. The matter : presumably, will therefore rest with the Goernment. The Governor, it; is stated,' is very well satisfied .withu the state of preservation of Government House, although, of course,: the naked appearance of the interior ■ of the dismantled building can, hardly be expected to have appealed to him. ■■■■■'!

The annual social and dance of the H.A.C.8.3. was held in the Drill;' Hall last evening. There were abouti. forty couples present, and a most enjoyable time was spent. Excellent.. music was supplied by Mr F. McKenzie, extras being played bj? ■■- Misses M. Eangi, L. Reynolds, and ■ Mr R Mcintosh. An excellent sup- . per was provided by the following Ladies' Committee—Mesdames Waters, O'Eegan, and Misses Hanlew (2), Curry (3). and O'Leaiy. Tha duties of M's.C. were capab y car~ riedoutby Messrs Kedmono, Con--nor, Richards, and Chapman. The joint secretaries, Messrs S. o'Regan ! and J. Clarke, deserve some recognition for their untiring efforts to - make the dance a success.

A somewhat unfortunate incident took place at the Loyal Orange LotJee < function on Wednesday, says the Ha wera Star. A visitor from Welline- ; ton was reciting a humorous piec« purporting to be a skit on a sermon" Thecrißia came wnen the elocutionist had got the audience thorouahiv interested. The Rev. Boys arose and with much warmth protested - against the recitation,- which he - characterised as a mockery and a reflection upon the gentlemen of the Ministry Some words were exchane--/A ed between the two, when some an- W plause followed a remark from the •'> reciter. The incident closed by the nterrupted reciter contributing a semi-sacred poem.

I In the course nf the sittings of ■ j the Royal Commission of Divorce Mr Justice Denniston, of New Zealand, said that in the Dominion misconduct alone on the part of the j husband was now a ground for diivorce at the suit of the wife. "The greater number of applications for divorce which have come before I me," he added, "have been on the [ground of desertion. A substantial portion of the inhabitants of the ~ Australasian colonies, as diggers I shearers,, and . such' like,, have ac- " quired a somewhat nomadic character, and made little of shifting or*'-- 1 -' abandoning their, homea at shnrt notice for trifling causes. Tixia en- '• •• courages desertion." > „< ;;; .; ; ■•";>." :&\

** An expert workman in one of the r * greatest needle factories in Birmingham, England, in a test of skill recently performed a very clever feat. He t««ok,a common sewing needle of medium «ize, an inch and five-eightbs in length, and drilled a hole through, its entire length from eye to point the opening being just large enough to prerait of the passage of a very fine hair. Anyone knowing the present address of W T. A. Halsall, formerly of Palmcrston North, is requested to forward the same to Waldegrave j V Street, Palmerston North. . | f' "Grocery prices for Saturday j only," is the title of a special advertisement inserted by Mr W. Home, , ou tha front page of this issue. The list is detailed a lengthy one, and should be well worth perusal. Messrs J. A. J. Maclean and Co., ■will seH.on the premises, No. 40, Dixon Street, next Tuesday, a quantity of furniture and household effects, particulars of which are advertised. Tenders are invited, to close on Mooday next, at noon, for internal r : alterations and additions to premises, %':■ Queen Street, for the Masterton .V¥ Trust Lands Trust. Plans and specifi- , cations may be t.«en at tbe office of j the architect, Mr H. A. Jones, i Gray's Buildings. j v -Mr H. A. Nevins, of Tenui, has given notice to move at the New Zealand .Farmers' Union Conf< rerce in tbe direction of asking the Government to amend tbe law under which it was recently derided by the Chief Justice, in the rase of Millar v. Lamb, that New Zealand wine, made in a No-License district, must not be | fold in the district where it is j kii, made. i

Oar Tenui correspondent writes: —The heavy rain lately is erausing some anxiety to County Council staff. The mail on Wednesday was ranied to Cast'epomt on pack horses, the slip on the Big Saidle has again given way. Up to now the roan's have been in good order, but if the bad weather lasts muchionger, there will be a number of slips come down. The Shakespearean Club, on Mr Hornsby's advice, have decided to study "Komen and Juliet" with a view to performing it later on. The first meeting of the club will be held in the Y.M.C.A rooms on Wednesday, 2 n tb inst. Fees have been arranged as follows 4 : Ladies ss, members of Y.M.C;A. ss, non members 7s €d. All in terested are requested to attend oa Wednesday* :: - The proprietors of ''Tonking's Emulsion" announce a third word, contest, te*i guineas in prizep, to commence on July 15tb. Ihe popni.Jdty of the first and second contests snoulu ensure an equally, large number of entrants for the third, and we would advise our readers to learn the particulars a..d forward their "reasons" without delay. Ladies who desire to take lessons in fancy work are invited to call at the Singer Sewing Machine Showroom, Queen Street, and interview Miss Davenport, who has decided to extend her stay in Masterton till Saturday, July 23rd. Ladies who have not yet taken lessons, still have ample time to receive instruction before Miss Davenport's de» partore.* A good opportunity to procure lines of cheap timber is offered as a .result of Messrs Gardner and Sons, of Queen Street, having decided to transfer their business entirely to their premises in Dixon Street. As their stock has to be cleared by the end of July, they have decided, rather than remove it, to take any reasonable price during that time.*