LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13524, 4 November 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

*** Register ! Register! Every person entitled to vote at tho coming election should losc-no time in making sure that hia or her name is on the roll. Further, as part of Wanganui is now in the Patea electorate, and as changes of residence have also affected many people’s voting rights, they should also make sure mat their names are on the right rolls. They should apply at once to the Registrar of Electors, whose office is in Bon Accord Chambers (next D. McFarlane and Co.), Ridgway. Street. ' The value of the late Dr Uocken'a library, which he presented to Dunedin, is estimated at .£20,000.

The Education Department in Hub issue calls for applications for tho position of manager of *tho To Oranga Home (girls’ reformatory) at Christchurch. The arrivals at the port of Wellington during October totalled 1578, and tho departures 901, the excess of arrivals being 677. For the ten months of the year tho arrivals were 15.985 and tho departures 14,356, tho excess of arrivals being 1627. The parishioners of Christ Church are making determined efforts to wipe off tho old debt before tho new vicar arrives, and with a view of assisting this project are holding a sale of work in the schoolroom on Thursday next. A detachment of men from H.M, repairship Cyclops, lying in Cromarty Firth, rendered valuable assistance at a fire at Dalmoro farmstending, which at one time threatened to spread to the Ross-shiro distillery, where ,£3(),000 damage was recently caused by fire. A powerful searchlight from the Cyclops also assisted tho firemen in their task, and the flames were restricted to the farm buildings. All ladies and gentlemen interested in the garden fete in aid of funds for the Beautifying Society arc requested to meet at the Borough Council Chambers on Monday, 6th November, at 8 p.m. The mooting will lie important—arranging the date of the fete and general work of formation. This will probably bo the last meeting until next year, so that it is necessary to have Monday’s meeting as representative as possible. Carnarvon Castle was called by an old Welsh antiquary "the most magnificent badge of our subjection,” and is the most splendid specimen of mediaeval military architecture surviving in Britain, not excepting Alnwick. Art and beauty were combined with strength by Do Elfreton, tho architect, who had been commanded to construct a palace within an impregnable fortress. Whether the mean littlo fl passage chamber in the Eagle Tower was n the birthplace of the infant prince whom m Edward I. made the medium of such a * grim, practical joke upon the Welsh seems doubtful; but the mam story may still bo true.

What country holds the distinction of possessing the finest harbour in the world? Auckland, I!io, and Sydney .have each been named bv different people in answer to this much-discussed question, but there is a gentleman in Auckland at present— Dr. E. B. MacDowoll. a well-known American lecturer —who is emphatic in his declaration that the Waitcmata is the finest harbour in the world. “Until I came to Auckland,” he stated to a reporter the other day, “I was always of the oninion that Bio held the distinction, but as I looked across from Mt. Eden the other morning I had to alter that view. I have visited many countries, but never have I seen a harbour so beautiful in all respect!; as yours.” In tbc 77 groat towns of England and Wales, each of which had a population of 50,000 or over in 1901, tho deaths corresponded to an annual rate of 15.9 per 1000 of their aggregate population. In the I *' preceding three weeks the rates had been 11.8. 12.1. and 13.6. In London there were 2205 births and 1344 deaths. Allowing for decrease of papulation, tho births were 26 and the deaths 347 abovo the average numbers in the corresponding weeks of tho previous five years. Tho annual death-rate from all causes, which had been 11.3. 11.4, and 13.7 per 1000 in the preceding three weeks, rose last week to 15.5. In Greater London there wore 3741 births and 2025 deaths. Allowing for increase of population, the numbers are 69. and 509 tho respective averages in the corresponding weeks of the previous five years.

There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning, for the third successive dav.

Wireless advises that the lonic will probably be within range to-night, and the lonic, Manuka, Moeraki, and Athenic to-morrow (Sunday) night. The Dominion Meteorologist notifies that heavy rain is probable, and rivers flooded, with winds changing to strong southerly from ten to sixteen hours. The wholesale merchants have decided to discontinue the additional 5 per cent, imposed on all goods during the coastal officers’ strike. We also hear on reliable authority that, from this on. the coastal traffic will he resumed, and the boats will be running fairly regularly. The members of the, Chamber of Commerce are notified of the monthly meetr ing, to he held at the Borough Chambers ■ on Monday evening, 6th November, at 8 o’clock. The matter of the railway from Wanganui to Raetihi and Ohakune and the commencement of the work from this end will be brought up and discussed. The Weather Bureau reported as follows at 1 p.m. to-day:-—Westerly moderate to strong winds, veering to southerly strong winds, veering to southerly strong to gale. Very heavy rain may bo expected: rivers flooded; glass fall slowly, but rise after ten hours; tides moderate: sea moderate, but tides and sea increasing. The new era which js opening up for Wairoa has led to a great demand for small surveys (writes a correspondent). Hjtherto every man put up his house, shop, or fence haphazard, and now they find that in some cases they are encroaching on the streets. The increase in the value of land now makes it imperative that surveys should in all cases ho first made A resolution was passed at the last meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council as follows:—“ That it be an instruction to the officers of the Council that they are not to give private information to councillors on matters then under discussion in open meeting, and that such information is only to be given through the chair, so that all councillors may hear the information so given.-’’. The motion caused considerable discussion, and on the voting being taken was carried by 6 to 4. Three : of .the councillors who opposed the motion expressed their determination to totally ignore the resolution and to ask for and demand, if necessary, any information they might at any time require from the officers of the Council. Dynamite caps are very dangerous playthings, as a young man named Norton, who resides on Taupo Quay, learnt last evening to his sorrow. Norton, who had been employed in a quarry, brought home with him a piece of fuse, and after tea he was playing with it and lit it. Another boarder at the same place produced a dynamite cap, and Norton, ia the belief that the fuse had burnt out, attached it to the cap. Others present pointed out to him, the danger of his action, but lie took no notice of them, with the result that the cap exploded in Norton’s hand. He - was conveyed to the Hospital, and upon examination this morning it was ’found that two fingers and the thumb on one of his hands were injured, and necessitated the removal of the tops of the injured members. The young man is progressing satisfactorily.