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Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 302, 18 December 1912, Page 4

Tli? followirtp is Mr D. C. Bates' weather forecast for 2-i hours from 0 a.m. I tlii. s day-. 'Westerly \rinds r.-ith southerly tendency, moderate to strong. Expert changeable and showery weather. Baro- ■ inctsr rising temporarily. Sea moderate."

Replying to a deputation at Napier yesterday, the Hon. W. Fraser (Minister for Public Works) emphasised his previous statement that the stoppage of work on the East Coast railway was only temporary, in view of the finances oi the country, and said it was the earnest desire of himself and his colleagues to see the completion of the Napier-Gisborne line. With regard to the Waikaremoana electrification scheme, Mr. Fraser said the Government had decided to wait and see the result of the Lake Coleridge scheme before embarking upon any further Bimilar enterprise. He also mentioned that, so far the work at Lake Coleridge was inside the estimate. On the question of the construction of a railway embankment across the inner harbour he said this might affect the inner harbour proposals, and he pointed out that all the local bodies were not represented on the deputation. He suggested that he should return to Napier about the end of January. In the meantime all the local bodies might meet and come to an agreement if possible, and say when he returned wha. they were prepared to do in the matter. The Education Department has decided to discontinue its subsidy on voluntary contributions for sewing machines used in the Technical Department on the. ground that sewing machines are not essentially necessary in connection with ! the sewing classes. Mr. George George, I Director of the Department, in reporting to this effect to the Education Board at its meeting to-day, said the Government had taken up an absurd matter. Sewing machines were very necessary, especially in these days of machinery. It was almost impossible to make a dress, for instance, ivithout using a sewing machine. On the motion of the chairman (Mr. G. J. Garland) it was decided to make a protest to the Education Department against its decision. Some years ago the Education Board decided that it would be in the best in- | tercsts of the students attending classes lat the Auckland Technical College if all students under twenty-one years of age were required to pass the sixth standard before being admitted to the College. In order that no hardship should be inflicted upon students who had left the primary seho-ol without this qualification, special continuation classes have been held from year to year so that students could prepare for the standard six ex- ■ animation at the end of the year. These i classe3 have proved most popular, and ■ many students who have passed through them during the past eight years, and proceeded to the more advanced classes at the Collepe, to-day occupy positions of responsibility and trust for which they would not otherwise have been fitted. During the present session these classes have been well attended, and at i the examinations held last week by the ■ Chief Inspector of School*, 48 students obtained certificates of proficiency and nine certificates of competency.. One of the little things in everyday life apt to be deceiving is the weight Of a Chinese gardener's vegetable-hawking outfit. The problem was put to a prac- [ tical yet amusing test in Auckland last I evening. A tram from the city had j emptied a number of passengers at the | ! Graf ton Bridge stop, and as they crossed i a Celestial was trotting ahesd with two well-filled baskets of vegetables on either j end of a baimboo cross-bar. Two wellj grown men saw fit to make a wager. It : was that one of them could not carry the Chinaman's burden to the end of the ; bridge—about 25 yards. John chuckled ! heartily when he was offered assistance, and the onlookers in general were given J cause for further amusement when the ! would-be- Hercules succumbed to his task I after struggling for a distance of about ! five yards. Incidentally his experiment cost him a couple of shillings. At yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board a committee, consisting of Messrs.] Gunson, Alison, Entrican, Heather, and I i Virtue, was. on the motion of Mr. Virtue, i set up to inquire into the apparently ex- | travagant manner in which the treasurer's department is conducted, and as to , the advisableness of bringing the treas- ! tirer's department under the control of the secretary. "I am afraid, your Worship, arithmetic is not a strong point at the prim- j ary schools," remarked Mr. W. J. Napier j at the Magistrate's Court this morning, j There was some cause for the comment, , as a witness, after stepping the length | of the Court room, and announcing it to be 15yds., spent several minutes with a pencil and paper supplied by Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., before announcing it to work out at Soft. As the witneee had just given evidence regarding the area of a section of land in dispute, his evidence wae of importance. The trouble which occurred on several stations lately over the shearing of "■ " sheep, has been settled in Wellington by the payment of 2/6 per 100 extra to men handling such sheep. Representatives of the North Island meat freezing companies mept in Wellington to-morrow to consider the demands o" the Slaughtermen's Federation. The demands -will be discussed in Christchurch at the end of the week by a conference of representatives of all the I freezing companies in the Dominion. j A select committee, consisting of the chairman and Messrs. BacW. Hutchison, Bond. Fisher, Taylor. Heather, and Brad- [ ney, was set up by thp Harbour Board yesterday afternoon, to consider the terms offered by the Railway Department regarding the. sale to the Board of, • Mie Onehunga wharf. i •U an adjourned meeting of Auckland ■ ' City Licensing Committoe this morning * attended by Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M. , I chairman)."Dr. King and Mr. J. M. Men- I : nip, transfer of the license of the Hob- ] s.-in Hotel, from Charles Ernest Watts to ' William Howe was granted. The Auckland Garrison Band win play j the following programme undftr Conductor G. F. Cater, this evening, in the Albert Park, beginning at S p.m.:— • March. " The. Conquerce " iMoorhouse): j waltz. "Druids' Prayer"' (Dawson); livo step, " Uncle Rastiis' Skating Party :: (Losey) ; selection, " Harry Dacre's Songs," (Douglas!; intermezzo, " Hypa- ' tin "' (Ord Hume) : selection, " Rob Roy "j ' (Round) ; ma-rch. " Fighting Mac " (Lithgrow).

The inquest iust concluded at Waihi in j connection -with the death of Frederick i li. Evniis occupied over nine days, during which time forty-seven witnesses irere examine*) and cross-examined. The type-written evidence totals 374 folios. There is evidence already of the popu- ; ]arity of tbs admirable maps of Auckland and its environs included in the issue of Brett's Almanac and Diary for 1013. Added to the tide table, extensive diary on excellent paper, digest of statistics, enmpiete local, governing and socie-1 ties' directory, they" make this volume J wholly indispensable in office anrl hopje. ! Anyone who desires a copy will be wel , ! advised to buy early, as the edition will j certainly not fulfil the demand. Your j "Star" boy will bring tho Almanac tf , your door, or yon can secure yo-.ir copy frnm ,my ?!.-<iior.cr nr njient. or from this office. lii?h tide nruv! Wade in here for boys' and youths' costumes, 1-0. 1/11, Z',% 3 e.—Geo. Fowlda, Ltd.— . ;(Ad.) [