OUST AND SALT WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 35, 10 February 1904, Page 4

OUST AND SALT WATER.

I We understand that the City Council! | proposes lo utilise salt water to lay] j the dust in our streets. No doubt I there is much to be said for any plan j that will help us to economise our water supply during the summer. But I there are so many disadvantages at- ! tached to the use of salt water for this I purpose that we hope the municipal I authorities will consider the matter carefully before starting an experiment that will in all probability cause an immense amount of annoyance and j loss aid do very little good. Other I towns, both in England and America, j have attempted to make use of seaj water to lay dust and flush side chanI nels, and they have almost invariably I abandoned it in disgust. The ease of j Hastin.tr? on the South Coast of Fng- : land, is very much to the point. The ! Borough Council laid down a system of I pipes and erected a pumping station at considerable cost so as to bring seawater into the town, both for public ' and domestic purposes. At first the experiment appeared to be a success, and there was a brisk demand for sea-water : for bathing and other domestic uses. I But in a short time it was found that ■the surface of the streets, caked with ;

brine, broke up into dust- more rapidly than before. The owners of cabs and carriages constantly complained that the paint'and varnish on vehicles were ruined by the salt mud. The tradespeople in all the principal streets protested loudly that the salt dust stained and ruined everything with which it came in contact. Then the Town Council found that the salt water corroded the metal pipes and fittings, and the demand for repairs grew constantly. The leakage of brine from the mains, | and the percolation of the surface water i killed tree 3in or near the streets; and the loss sustained from all these causes became at last so serious that the town gave up the experiment in despair. Similar attempts have been made in America with almost identically ,the same results- We cannot afford to neglect warnings of this kind, nor can we expect immunity from the inconvenience anil loss that other towns have sustained if we persist in trying to lay the dust in our strepts with salt water. The whole question of an adequate water supply for the city will soon demand attention, and provision must then be made for this necessity as well. In the meantime it would be well for the City Council to recognise that the use of salt water on the streets must result in loss to a large number of people, and that the experiment has been discredited or abandoned wherever it has been tried.

Just before the departure of the mail steamer Sonoma for Sydney last evening a Tear" representative asked Captain rlerriman as to the truth of a report that a young man named Ernest Taylor, whose relatives reside in Dunedin, who had stowed away on the steamer at Honolulu, was kept in irons throughout the voyage. The captain said this was perfectly true, and he would serve every stowaway found on his vessel in the same way. A number of the steerage passengers who've sympathies had evidently been enlisted by soma of the crew of the steamer got up a petition asking him (Captain Herriman) to release the young man under restraint, and were informed that if they were prepared to pay the passage money amongst them he would release the stowaway. They did not seem disposed to go to this lergth, and the lad remained in irons until the arrival of the vessel in the harbour, when he was releaser l and ordered ashore. The inquiry into the death of Charles Bayles, a seaman who fell overboard from the steamer Saxon while on a voyage from Whangarei to Auckland on February 3rd, concluded to-day, when Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M., and the nautical assessor. Captain Thomas Fernandez, gave judgment. They agreed that the evidence showed that the master and crew did all in their power to save the man's life. Bayles fell into the .sea while clearing the sail at the cathead, and nobody was to blame for the accident. Two boys named Stanley Irwin and Roy Brownlee had a narrow escape from drowning at Awhitu on January 15th. They were bathing on the West Coast, when they got out of their depth, and called for help. A buy named Sidney Lorking, a pupil of the Auckland Grammar School, went to the assistance of Irwin, and got him into shallow water, and Ernest Brownlee succeeded in rescuing his brother. The council of the Auckland AeelLmaj tisation Society met yesterday afternoon at the Aluseuni. A letter was read from Mr A. C. Whitney suggesting methods for increasing the scope of the Society's usefulness, and consideration of it was postponed. Most of the time of the meeting was occupied in discussing the signing of the minutes of the previous meeting, and ultimately the proceedings were conducted in camera. A report on the ] regress of the work of construction of the North Auckland tine from the Kaipara Flats Railway League states that 35 men are at present employed. The construction of the tunnel will occupy some four or live mouths, there being still four chains to bore. At a meeting of the League i the rate of progress was deemed highly Unsatisfactory, and a resolution of protest was passed. ! Metal Albert will shortly possess a complete water supply for the wholo district, as the pipe, have already arI rived, and are being delivered in the vark.r... streets. Tenders will shortly be calicd I-..;- laying the pipes. The total j co: I cf securing a water supply is estij mated at about 2 Iii.OOO. j The block of six three-storeyed brick | shaps in Karnngnhape-road known as the sail,bury Buildings has changed h".::ds ai ,f l'o.'.O!). Messrs. Miller and I•• nigrum, vi the Thames, were the purchasers, the sale having been negotiated I through Messrs. Bntfie Bros.. land Ju : :as. The block stands on an exceli!• ::i -ii - r-n the side of Kaj v aa.: a;-... --road, the prope. ly being freeIv. ith a ii- ~!'• . / LU :'".•_, an 1 a.-re..-, is j pi."-id -I Id the rear ... ,Ac piemises by The -.-;'.;..:... ni of fresh ova from the | I'rited Males wlik-li arrived by the 1! V..X. Sonoma wa. -■•]>. on to the South iis'-.i.ai by the s.s. i-.arawa yesterday : al.v-.-mu.n. in chaiga . . Mr G. VV. Lamb.so :. superintendent of fhe Pacific Coast j Sitlnion Hatcheries of the U.S. fish I Com mission, and Mr Ayson, Government inspector of fisheries. The consignment consists of a millio? American whitetish and 300,000 quintal salmon ova, and it travelled remarkably well, the loss beii.g less than one-half per cent. The salmon will be liberated in the Waimakariri Hatchery, and the wh'tefish in equal proportions in Lakes Kanieri, on the West Coast, and Tahape, at the I bead of the Waitaki River. There was a rather unusual scene at the departure of the Sonoma for Sydney last night, when the Auckland Zionists .•.gain assembled to say farewell to their chief, Mr. Dowie. who held a levee on the wharf, lasting for about an hour. He stood at the rail of the steamer just before the lines were east off talking to his small flock, and at his instance the Zionists sang '"God Be With You Till We .Meet Again." He left them with the parting salutation, be unto you." Previous to the departure of the Sonoma a "Star"' reprtsentative asked Mr. Dowie to make a clear statement on the subject of his parentage, and mentioning the report as to his being the son of a British officer entitled to wear a ducal coronet. Mr. Dowie, however, was not to be drawn upon the point, stating that he would not look at any newspaper article on the subject, that he declined to say anything either one way or the other, and that people could i uni their own opinione.

I Wellington and the South Island are [ being cut out of the itinerary of tourists arriving in New Zealand from America, on account of 'the smaU-pox scare — 1 not so much for feat lest they should ■ I catch it, but that they rhould have to . be quarantined at Sydney and vaccinated. Many are makl ug the trip down as far as Wanganui overlaid via Rotorua, ' and thus see the best of the country - without the necessity of passing through I the infected port of Wellington. . The new business written by the Australian Mutual Provident Society for the past year amounts io £3,744,489, ' showing a substantial increase over the business of the previous year. This is 1 regarded as a very satisfactory result. 3 A meeting of the St. Patrick's Day ! Celebration Committee was held in the Marist Bros. School, Pitt-street, last evening, His Lordship Bishop Lenihan 1 presiding. There were present the Right J Rev. Monsignor O'Reilly, Thames, Very ' Rev. Dr. Egan, and Fathers McGuiness 1 and Halbrook, and a large representation of the laity from the four city par--3 ,ishes. The Bishop addressed the meet- * ing, urging all present to work assidn--1 ously to promote the success of St. Patrick's Day celebration. Monsignor 1 O'Retilly also spoke, making reference 1 to the first St. Patrick's Day in Auck- ' land in ISSB. in which he took part. A - sports programme was adopted. . Dr ; ] Egan was appointed musical director, 'land Hr M. J. Sheahan lion, sec. for the r national concert on St. Patrick's night. * The recent awards made by the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand have arrived, and an early opportunity will be taken of making the presentations. 1 The Auckland butchers will hold their . nineteenth annual picnic at Motutapu . on Wednesday. February 2.4 th. A good . programme of sports has been prepared, ; i and should provide an enjoyable day's . outing. The s.-aiiiei's Britannia and j Eagle will run to the island at 9 a.m., 3 10 a.m., and 1.3 C p.m. l Mr Hobbs, chairman of the Education ? Board, and Mr Stullworthy, member of i same, paid a special visit to the Pakur ranga school to-day to inspect the im- - i provements in the way of painting and t I decorating inside the school lately earj I ried out by the committee, and assisted -j by the Board. After complimenting the r i committee on the cheerful appearance f i of the suitable colouring and toning of j I the decorations. Mr Hobbs addressed ; ! the large gathering of children and par- - ■ ents invited for the occasion, and spoke 1 on (as he hinted) the much-needed adf vice of parental control in the colony, 3 urgling on the children the ultimate benefit of implicit obedience, pointing , out the beneiits in after life, and imI! pressing on parents the bounden duty |of enforcing strict control at an early i age. Another subject, he said, he would speak of to the children, viz., the value I of truth in all things, which would win ~ both respect and friends as well as an i easy conscience through life. These things, together with attention to their ■ teachers' efforts to educate them, would . I make life pleasant. Mr Hobbs added " I that the Board was ever ready to help , schools who helped themselves, and read apologies from other members unavoidably absent. Mr Stallworthy gave a brief address, saying one of his great- - est pleasures in life was to meet his old 1 ; pupils, whom lie had helped to equip ' during a long career as a school teacher, ; and find thorn in good positions. Ability and attention were necessary, but ' without goodness it was no use. Mr i Bed, of the school committee, thanked ' the Board for their visit and assistance, and intimated that suitable pictures were being procured for the school - rooms. Tea and refreshments were • served, and several photos, taken, which I are to be sent to the "Graphic." ' At the annual meeting of the School ! of Mines on Wednesday evening. Mr P. ' G- Morgan, M.A., director, intends to ; j bring before the School Council the important question of the raising of the ; standard of the examination for metal and coal mine managers' certificates, • which considerably affects practical ■ miners in their studies for such certifi--1 cafes. Mr Morgan, in his report, says: ; —"In connection with these examina- - ; tions it is to be remarked that the : ! standard required by examiners is ap- : | parently raised higher year by year- ; ! question as to what educational tests :i In consequence it is now becoming very ■ '-. difficult for ordinary working miners ■j to satisfy examiners' requirements. The I ought to be passed by a mine manager !is difficult, and I feel certain that any ' i further raising of the standard will quite debar many intelligent and experienced miners, really good practical : men. from gaining certificates." The ! new addition io the School of Mines has : just been completed.by Messrs HutehinI son and Ludwig, and consists of a class I room 27Mt by 20..ft. and a smaller room | 20Jft by 23ft. The school is now a i j fairly commodious one. 1 | Despite the merits of the pantomime . I recently produced, at His Majesty's ■ • Theatre, strong counter attractions made . | tite season an unprofitable one, and a i large number of t\\% talented artists ■ j who took part in the performance are j practically stranded in the town. Their I position appeals very strongly to other , more fortunate members of the profes- ■ jsion, and it is proposed to give a special ' performance fdr their benefit at the City I Hall on Monday evening next. The pan- . tumime company, assisted by other theatrical anl local artists, will be able to J present a programme of exceptional attractiveness, which, even apart from the i object in view should possess considerjable drawing powers, and which, in the ■ circumstances, should ensure a bumper ! house. i j The up-to-date Tea Kiosk "Sans .Souci," at Onehunga, which was opened this afternoon by the Mayor of One,hunga, will be open this evening tiU 9 p.m. The Art Union in connection with the Veterans' Home Bazaar will be drawn at eleven to-morrow morning at the English and Foreign Piano Agency. The drawing will be under police supervision Sir John Campbell has been asked to draw the numbers. Persons interested in the drawing ate invited to attend. Special line in ladies' satin court shoes. 2/11 to clear. At our fair Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Advt. Our summer clearance fair now proceeding. Smith and Caughey, Ltd— ! Advt. , c Fix this fact in your mind: Our sale j prices are definite reductions. White j damask tabling 1/1, 58-inch dam- ■ ask 1/2. silica linings 2d yard-Rendell, Queen-st. and Newton. —Ad. White calico and longcloth, 36in wide, 2/11, 3/6, 4/6. 4/11 dozen yards: unbleached. 32in wide, 3/3 dozen yards At Smith and Caughey's summer' fair—Advt. Unbleached sheetings, 72in wide Bsd yard; white, 72in wide, B|d vardj'soin. llfdxard; towels from Id each. Smith and Caughey's clearance fair.—Advt.