LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12646, 6 November 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Tasmanian Assembly laid aside the Taxation Bill, owing to the Council's amendments.

,; The, piano used at West's Pictures and the Bre'scians was a fine instrument kindly lent by the D.I.C.

Stat-9 Senator Emmons has been senterced to fi^e years' imprisonment at 'Frisco for taking bribes to influence legislation. -.■,.-..■ ■■ ' . i

At a reception in Sydney in honour of tho Mikado's birthday, the Japanese Consul-General announced that the Japanese Government had asked him to thank Australia for her sympathy during tho war.

According to a Melbourne cable, negotiations re- the Federal capital site have reached an impasse. Mr.. Deakin informed Mr. Carruthers that the. Federal Government proposed to invite Parliament to definitely determine the site. . •..-■!.."■•

Mr. Greenslade, the Liberal candidate for Waikato, speaking to the railway men at Hamilton, indignantly denied Mr. T. E. Taylor's statement in Parliament that a hiember of the telegraph staff at Hamilton had been prosecuted in connection with betting telegrams. ■■-.'■■*•■• -; ■*'•

A party of Doukhobors, who arrived in London last month from Russia are the remnaats of the sect invited by the Canadian Government about two. years ago to settle; in Canada.. The Doukhobors believe in the second oSming of tho, Messiah, and are at tim^s. given to vagaries which hays ;slightly vastonished the more sober settlers of other climes. A few weeks ago 20.0GL*>f -these £e3igi<*is enthusiasts, in Canada; completely disrobed themselves in the market square and set out on - a hundred mile inarch to meet-a great, prophet-who, one of their priests had foretold, Tvas coming to greet them; Tho march was immediately stopped by a number of mounted police. Those of the sect recently nrr London were under the charge of a. white-haired patriarch- named Jamncy Philoposky. They were eagerly looking forward to their arrival at their new homo in Canada.

Captain Hedditch left Taumaranui ■with a raft of timber on Saturday morning. He expects to reach Wanganui on Wednesday. It is interesting (says the "Post") to note the extreme prices which Wellington retailers are willing to pay for fruit. As an instance, Messrs. I/aery and Co., Limited, at their sales on Friday last, quitted a line of grapes at up to ss. 3d. per lb.—constituting a record for this fruit.

On Thursday, the 9th November, the Castlecliff Railway Company, Limited, will run a very convenient train service, full particulars of which will a>pear hi to-morrow's issue. No doubt, as usual a very large number will take advantage of the holiday to spend an enjoyablo day at our popular seasida resort.

Yesterday morning gave promise of glorious weather. The promise was fulfilled till late in the afternoon, when, after-oppressive heat, rain set in. At seven o'clock there ivm a deluge, which greatly interfered with the attendance nt the churches. During the night rain fell heavily, and Heaven's artillery had full play. - , « At the Police Court on Saturday morning a woman was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, being found drunk. Sergeant Norwood asked his Worship not to inflict a fine, as the woman—who was without money—was suffering from a throat affliction and had ah order for admission to the Hospital, and it would be necessary for her to go there. The S.M. accordingly convicted and discharged the defendant. ■■-■■.

While he always strongly condemns tho Government's "spoils to the victors" policy in the matter of votes for roada and bridges, Mr. Massey, nevertheless, claims to do very well for his district. He explained at Pukekohe that it was not the weak man who truckled to the Government that got the. votes—it was the strong man who stood up and demanded justice. He did not like the system, but as long as it obtained he would get his. share.

Tho following is the prize list of the St. John's Presbyterian Sunday School for success at the annual examination in Scripture and Catechism:—Agnes Haase, (both subjects), Sydney Scrivener (essay on David; Livingstone). The following took Catechism only, and their names are in order of merit:— Stella Bain and John Glasgow (equal), Winnie ScHrivener, W. Croton, Ethel Bell, Dorothy Gerrie, Jas.^ Glasgow, Oln g Burr, Jennie Haasa, Neria RuSselL Th> followingvwere awarded prizes for regular attendance :—D,: Caiman, D Walker, J. Bromley. W.'Scrivener, E Harrison, 0. Burr, D. Gerrie, I. Aitkan, E. Haase, G. Bayley, E. Bayley, J. Russell, R. Norris, D. McDonald, L. McDonald. The presentation was made by Mr. P. Bell, the retiring superintendent.. .The occasion of the presentation of the prizes was taken to present Mr. Bell with a very handsome easy chair. Mr. Bell has for over a quarter of a century been superintendent of the St. John's School, and tho' gift was provided by the parents and friends of tho children attending tho school. Mr. Bell feelingly acknowledged the gift, and hoped that his successor would enjoy his work in the yearg to come as much as he had done in tho past.. Henry Phipps, the Pittsburg steel millionaire, left £200,000 for the erection- of model dwellings for the poor "superior to any hitherto existing. Before his death he outlined his scheme, and the plans for the first of 20 to be built in big American cities at a cost roughly of £50,000 each were published recently. The buildings are to be six storeys high, and have a big inside open-air court, . where two fountains will play. In the basement will be a kindergarten for 200 children, and on the first floors rooms for the perambulators of each family. Roof gardens, hjgienio laundries, garbage cremators, electric light,., large sanitary rooms, ■aidd'-R-s^ovQr.^tkihJofl^&ch family are provided The maximum rental will be £13 par mon^h, and 1/the; number of rooms for each family will fun from two W three or 'fom* apiece. On account of the PJaipps'j legacy, these pala-tial-dwellings- will.bo -self-supporting, and in. JSew York, City,; where there i=i; probably. more '■. overcrowding in proportion to the population than any other city, the boon to the poorer classes \ will- be incalculable. In New York £3 a. mouth is-.accounted an exceptionally low. rent. .. , ■

The annual report of the./ New Zealand Amateur, Athletic Association states:—The backward stato of tuna*, teur athletics m the North; Island is at present engaging the attention of your executive officers^ When it is considered that between Masterton and Auckland there is no amateur athletic club whatever, the position is not at all creditable. Many North Island clubs have become defunct, and only ono or two new ones have been formed, until at present only five northern clubs remain affiliated. This is considered to be most unsatisfactory, and wo are of opinion that vigorous and determined efforts should be made during the coming season to organise. new clubs, or resuscitate old ones, in thft following districts, viz., Bahiaftia, Dannevirke, Napier, Feilding, palmerston North, Wanganui, * Hawera^ Stra-t^ ford, New Plymouth, Hamiltoni Cambridge, Thames, Paeroa, Waihi, and Gisborne. There are, in and around all of these towns, large and increasing populations, affording ample material with which to form flourishing;-clubs, to foster amateurism in these districts, but if prompt, measures are not taken tho probabilities are that the. work will become increasingly difficult as time goes on. ','.: •

Orta "of the best tips for the farmer is to invest in a Benicia Disc Plough. Agents, Williams and Harper, Wanganui. " ••• ■'-,-'.-' ■■'- -■-.--... .'

A large and delighted audience occupied the Opera House on Saturday evening, when "West's Pictures and the Brescians gave their final entertainment in 'Wanganui. The programme was exceptionally fine, "and was genuinely enjoyed. We hope Mr. West and his friends the Brescians may find their way to Wanganui again. They will be heartily welcomed by all theatre-goers.

Burglars during the year have had good, hauls on the Hurunui-Bluff section of railway. On the Supplementary Estimates are the following votes:— Gash stole. 1 by burglars at Hornby station, £19; Amberley station, £201; Btrko's station, £3; Rayensbourne station,. £8i; Mdsgiel station, £11; Waitati station, £4; Kaiapoi station, £13; cash lost in transit, Omakau to Dunedin, £100.

At Pukekohe Mr. Massey propounded a new scheme to solve the reading problem. The Government, he urged, seeing that it borrowed money for ali sorts of purposes, should raise, a. million and place it at the disposal of local bodies for roads, at 4 per cent, for 41 years, the 4 per cent, paying both interest and principal. It would pay the country to place a certain sum on loan at 3 per cent, for roads. There would be a loss at once, but it would be a tremendous gain indirectly. In ono of his addresses, Dr. Chappie informed his audience that in virile but despi&sd Japan there were 8000 medical school inspectors; America had 500, Brussels 52, Paris 128, and New Zealand none. These inspectors visitous illness, and this prevented the de^fects of hearing, sight, and speech, as well as for signs of infectious or insidious illness, an dthus prevented the development and progress of disease. The New Zealand Public Health Department, he said, should be brought into lino in this direction.—"Post."

Mr. A. T. Ngata writes to the Hastings "Standard" complaining of the titatment he and five other natives received in a Hastings refreshment room. Ha says: <:A party of six. natives', five being old College boys, sober, respectably dressed, and well behaved enough, entered Mr. Bond's new refreshment rooms, supposing thorn to be open to tho general public for luncheon:; As ono oi the party, I have personal knowledge of tho facts. The waitress permitted us to enter, we were taking bur seats, when the lady in authority ordered us out of the dining-room, on the ground that Maoris were not allowed to have refreshments on the premises. Though greatly shocked I made baste to tender the apologies: of -the party." He concludes with the suggestion that, to prevent further mistakes and groundless heartburnings; there be placed in a conspicuous position a nbtico to the effect that Maoris or halfcastes be not allowed on the -premises.

The music was a very special feature in tho anniversary services at Christ Church yesterday. Choral Communion was celebrated at 11, the Creed being sung to Tours' setting, the rest, of the service being the well known Dykes in F. The Anthem was Sullivan's "I WilL Sing of Thy Power" (tenor solo, Mr. Lennard). At the evening service, Tours' Magnificat and Nunc Dimimtis were sung, and Gounod's "Send out Thy Light" was the anthem. The choir sang admirably, and maintained a fine tone throughout an arduous day s work. Madame Briggs sang two solos in the morning, "Come Unto Me and in tho evening "With Verdure Clad. This lady is fortunate in possessing a charming voice of ' ample, compass, which she uses most artistically, and her singing was greatly enjoyed by all who were privileged to hear her. Mr. Naylor, tho organist of thfe church, is to be congratulated on the success which attended his painstaking and well-directed efforts. /;'

The Court .of- Appraisers in tho United States has decided that _ali Australian wool in bale's branded "Leicester" and "Lincoln" shall in future pay the same duty as-English wools on entering America^; i.e.,, 12 cents per lb. instead of 11 cents, per:lb:, being 1 cent perlb.sm'6retltan-hitherto paid. Circulars received-by yesterday' s_mail, an-nouncing-this decision, suggest that growers should discontinue branding their bales with these; descriptions, and either substituto "crossbred" or omit the: quality Altogether, giving description for lotting and cataloguing in .specifications only. It is at the same time pointed-out that all wools entering the United States must have the country of origin branded on the bales, and it is suggested that if this could be done on this side before shipment it -would baa great convenience to many 'English;buyers, and involve little or no extra scost to the growers.

During the three months ended 30th September last the imports to New Zealand reached a total value of £3,----587,065, as against £3,683,530 for the September quarter of last year. Of the total, Wellington received the largest proportion, £1,075,629, Auckland being next with £947,094, and Lyttelton and Dunedin following with £579,523 and £474,861 respectively. ,Tho United Kingdom sent us goods to the value of £2,293;329, Australia and Tasmania £406,483, and the United States £362,----644. The exports from the colony in tho same period were valued at £2,735,----320, an increase of £293,588 over the 1904 September quarter. Our test customer was the United Kingdom, which took £1,861,384 worth, Australia and Tasmania following with goods to the value of £593,757. The leading items of our exports were:—Gold £580,----825 kauri gum £133,595, frozen meat £677,057, wool £335,701, and flax £133,277. A remarkable experience befell the "ship's cat" of the Royal mail steamer Ortona on the last homeward voyage of that vessel. Soon after the Ortona left Sydney tho cat was missing. When the vessel was steaming through the (*ult of Aden, 32 days after her departure from Sydney", tho attention of one or tho engineers was attracted by a faint mewing from the refrigerating chamber. This chamber had not. been opened shico tho Ortona left Sydney. An examination of the chamber was, howove?. promptly made by the engineer, who found tho unfortunate cat in a terribly emad'lated condition, lying upon a' box of butter in the chamber. When the animal was brought upon deck it was apparent that it had undergono terrible sufferings trom cold and hunger, one of its ears and a portion- of its nose being bitten off by tho icy temperature of the chamber. «?tran"-ely enousrh, however, the fur or tho cat "bad grown to a great length durine; its imprisonment, but was so looso that it camo out freely when the animal wn* stroked by kindly hands. Tho vitality with which cats are creditor! was probably never so strikingly demonstrated. For 32 days the animal existed, without food in a temperature varying from 32 cleg.'to 36 deg., but it i-i surmised that, the animal was enabled to quench it* thirst by licking the moisfrom tho walls of the chamber. Tho cat ha* since recovered, and is pit hofiH tlio Ortona. Its fur. which was jot black, ir. now tinged with whit©.

Tha latest additions to the Telephone Exchange is No. 171, Mr. H. Purser's residence, Hatrick street.

A writ claiming £1000 damages has been issued by H. F. Fuller, of the Government Printing Office staff, against G. M. Yerex, who is contesting the Hutt seat, for an alleged libel contained in an issue of the Petone "Chronicle," of which Mr. Yerax is the owner.

Some comment has (says the Lyttelton "Times") been caused by the fact that, while the steamers subsidised to run from New Zealand to South Africa have received comparatively little cargo in the colony, and unsubsidised vessel, tho steamer Priestfield, has been brought to the colony to load at various South Island ports a produce cargo estimated at 30,000 sacks.

The dearth of teachers in Hawke's Bay district has resulted in the Puketitiri school having been closed for the past two months. Applications were recently invited by the Board for the position of sole teacher at a salary of £95, but the announcement failed to elicit a single response, and although the Board has taken every step to securo a relieving teacher, its efforts have, up to the present, been unavailing.

At Pukekohe Mr. Massey propounded a new scheme to solve the roading problem. The Government, he urged, seeing that it. borrowed money for ail sorts of purposes, should raise a million and, place it at the disposal of local bodies for roads, at 4 per cent., for 41 years, tho 4 per cent, paying both interest and principal. It would pay the country to place a certain sum on loan at 3 per cent, for roads. There would bo a loss at once, but it would be a tremendous gain indirectly.

Yesterday was Guy Fawke's Day, but tho rising generation anticipated it by holding th>a usual celebrations on Saturday. From very e^rly morning small banda paraded tho sjp-eets soliciting "a perny for the Guy," and they met with more or less success. Considering that yesterday was the centenary of the discovery of 'the Gunpowder Plot, it might havo been thought that the small boys Would put on an extra attraction, as theatrical managers-say. They did not do so, however, save that they heaped extra indignity upon Guy Fawkes' memory by making his representations moro disreputable than usual.

Mi 4. Dawson ,a prominent Dunedin bowler, who has just returned from the Old Country, says that' New Zealand was going ahead in the matter of bowling, moro so than in the Old Country. The Municipal Councils at Home were providing bowling greens for the use of the people, where they could play for a small sum. The corporations kep the greens up, (and they were paying' handsomely. He thought the Corporation here would not be going out of its way if it made a green or two in some of tho city reserves for those who could not afford to join clubs.

Jockeying is evidently not always a remunerative) employment, judging from the story told by a young man named W. Anderson, who was proceeded against by Adolphus Zachariah (Mr. Bright) on a judgment summons at the Magistrate's Court, Gisborne) the other inprning. Defendant stated that he 'only earned 103. per week, board free, and had his destitute parents to support. Cross-examined by Mr. Bright, defendant said he held a jockey's license, and had ridden for losing mounts at the last meeting, but earned nothing; in fact, ho had not earned anything for riding since the date of the summons, June Ist last. The Magistrate remarked he could not make an order under tho circumstances, and dismissed the case.

Dr. F. W. Mackenzie has petitioned Parliament complaining that Major Andrew, on arrival in New Zealand, reported secretly to General Babington that petitioner had neglected the sick on the voyage to South Africa in the troopship Montrose, and that as a result of this he was gazetted out of the volunteer force. In consequence of this he lost command of the Bearer Corps which he raised and commanded. Tho corps afterwards disbanded, and petitioner was left with a liability of £100 for uniforms. He asks to be relieved from this claim and to be reinstated in his commission in the volunteer force from the time he was gazetted out.

One of the most pleasurable incidents in connection with the Show took placo in tho Press room on Friday, when a typed address from tiie twenty-six pressmen present at the Show was presented by Mr. T. Mills ("Evening Post"), on behalf of the gallery, to Mr. M. Cohen, President of tho Association. The address expressed tho appreciation of the efforts of the Association to assist and lighten the work of tho pressmen, and also tho courtesy extended to them by tho officials of tho Association, and Mr. Lann ? secretary. Mr. Cohen replied in appropriata terms. He said he fully appreciated tho expressions of the pressmen present, and added he hoped his successor in office would continue to endeavour to lighten the work of those whom eveiy official of the Association was .sensible had been a factor in the success of the Association. Mr. Lane also acknowledged the many expressions of approval regarding his duties, and "hi-fi' help to pressmen. Cheers were given for Messrs. Cohen and Lane, and the gathering dispersed.—"Standard."

The auxiliary schooner Waiapu, which ailived at Auckland from Maiden Island on Sunday night, had a very pleasant round trip. Leaving Auckland on September 4, the island was reached on October 3. The schooner took a cargo of stores, etc., for the residents on the island, which, owing to the delay in tho arrival of the barque Casablanca, from Melbourne, had run short. The Waiapu only remained at the island for threodays, but during that time Captain Martin and his crew had a pleasant and enjoyable stay. There are about eight whito peoeple there, and about 150 native labourers, who are recruited annually from the islands of Niue and All w&re well on the island when the Waiapu was there, and during her stay the New Zealand Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly call&d in, and reported "All well." Madden Island has for many years baen famed for its guano deposits, which have been systematically and scientifically worked, the staff of officers including a manager, deputy-manager, doctor, and analyst. The native labourers, according to Captain Martin, ar.& very contented, and have their native teachers, who accompany them from the islands to which they belong. Divine service is held three times on ©ach Sunday, and also, on special days set apart for native festivals.