NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12968, 22 November 1907, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Business people in Dumedin aro complaining of tho scarcity of office'boys, it Ls said that they sionply cannot bo procured. Tlio Wooiston Borough Council has decided, in view of the Tramway Boards non-agreement with the proposed allocation of tho cost of maintaining the Heathooite bridge, to apply for a commission to allocate the amounts to be paid. Tho following ihave consented to act as judges at the Rose Show in the Alexandra Hall, on December sth: —Dccorativo classes, Mesdames T. W. Stringer and E. Elsom ; cut flower classes, Messrs J. Dawes, W. Ross, and J. Rogers; pot plants classes, Messrs T. Turner ami J. T. Sinclair. A conference of representatives of printing associations and firms throughout tho Dominion is to bo held in Christchurch on th© 27th inst. Tho object of the conference is to consider the lincrens© in th© cost of production in tho printing trad© brought about by a recent award of tho Arbitration Court and other causes. Our Groymouth correspondent telegraphed last nigliit:—Messrs Recce, Chapman and Cowltehaw (directors), and Mr Harley (secretary), of tbo Westport-Stockton Coal Company, have just ooirtpleted an official inspection of tho company's property. Thoy ar© highly satisfied with tho progress of the development work, and with tho prospects generally of tho mine. Thero should bo no undue delay in the installation of the electrical traction machinery, and the company __honld !>© sending coal to market in nine months. - Influenza ia still with us (telegraphs our Dunedin correspondent). During this week n great men, as well as factory and tsnop employers, havo beeat having a bad time. Many ot" the students sitting for tne various yearly examinations held in Dunedin wero* seriously handicapped through getting an attack just, at this critical time. All jiho (lectors and chemists havo had a" busy time of lato. On© local chemist remarked that business in this particular line was quit© as brisk as during the winter epidemic. Although epidemics havo been in great force during the current year and have iv some cases necessitated the closing of schools, the attacks have not bo:*.i c.f such a nature as to incapacitate' tho children from taking part in their annual sports. Contrary £> expoo* a-t-ious th© entries for tlie I übJic Schools Athletic Associations sports equal thoso of preceding years, and there will 1»© over 1000 competition* in the sixty events, exclusive of those in tho massed displays and military drill competition, in which eleven, cadet companies will compete for the Lancaster Park Shield, now held by the Sydenham Cadets. Naturally tho families connected with the scholars turn up to Lancaster Park for this attractive function, mid the general public havo discovered Uiat this annual display of physic-it .•xcivises and athletic competitions lOriiw one of the most entertaining and imitriirtivo outdoor holidays of the year. It is to bo hoped that'the public will turn up in force at' Lancaster Park on th©_ :lChh inst., the date of this year's display of the Public Schools Amateur Athletic Association.

The condition of Hans Wilson, one of the actors in tho Addington tragedy on the 13th inst-, showed somo improvement yesterday. At a meeting of tho committee of tho Dairvmens Union of Employers, held last'night, the business dono was formal in character. Accounts were passed for payment. The City Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, 27th nist,. Nt 7.30 p.m., for tho purpose of electing representatives on the Hospital and Gharitahlo Aid Boards. ' Mrs Page, who has been nominated by several organisations-as a member of the Charitable Aid Hoard representing the City Council, has intimated to the Town Clerk tliat sho is unablo to accept tho nomination. Tlie Town Clerk has received a letter from tlie Town Clerk of Dunedin, conveying tlio thanks of the Mayor and Corporation of that city to the Mayor and himself for the courtesy and attention sbofcn to Cr. Mncdonald, one of tho mrmbers'of the Dunedin City Council, when, on a visit hero recently. At Oxford yesterday, before Mr V. G. Day, 5..M., two men were charged with shooting pigeons at Glentui. Mr Johnston appeared for tihe Acclimatisation Society. After hearing tho evidence of John O'Halloran (ranker), th© Magistrate fined defendants 40s each and costs. One of the delegates ot tho meeting of tho New Zealand Cricket Council last night was bold enough to call into question the superiority of tlio management of cricket in England compared with that obtaining in New ZeaI<ind. "Tho management of cricket in England is not perfect," he said. "Cricket is not managed as it is hero by a Cricket Council but by a largo club." A garden-party was given yesterday hy Mr and Mrs Coverdale at their residence, Riccarton, to tho employees of W. Strang© and Co., Limited. A very largo number wero present, and spent a pleasant time in tennis, bowls, etc., and in inspecting tho beautiful grounds. A lady fortune-teller had o large number of clients enquiring as to their future. A string band played a number of selections during the afternoon. At tho Arbitration Court at Napier yesterday morning, Mr Justico Sim spoke of tho-alteroitdon that was attempted to b© made in awards by the labour unions, simply for tho sake of making alterations. Ho said he cotrld not understand why tho. unions should always bo wanting to alter awards when the employers wore reody to give them what they wanted. "When they had nothing else to find fault with in an jiward, the unions appeared to want to alter the drafting in order to say the samo thing. Mr Justice Cooper yesterday delivered judgment m the Wellington Supreme Court in, the case of Koir versus tho Wellington Electric Lighting Company. A man named Corfield, who was working for Koir, was oloctrocuted through touching a live wire, which the load on a lorry lie was driving at Miramar had (brought to the ground. Iveir had paid Corfield's fanyfy '£105 Ids as compensation for his death under the Workers' Compensation, Act. 2 n i rti ,gh « * ho action to to indemnified by the Company. His Honour gavo judgment for Koir, being of the opmion that tho wire whioh, before tho accident, was 10 or 11 feet abovo th* level ot the road, was not sufficiently high lor a dangerous wire. Mr P. Hercus, president of tha Now Zealand Clothing Manufacturers' Association, forwarded yesterday to the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for .Labour, tihe following telegram relative to tho Factories Act Amendment Act just passed :—"Th© New Zealand Clothing Manufacturers' Association" strongly protests tfgainst the alteration in tho Upper Houso of clause 15, Factories Aot Amendment Act, as it would apparently render employers' to x>ay for services never rendered. We trust wording as passed by tho House of Representatives will be retained. Tho present wording of th© clause would Upset our award and destroy all discipline in our factory." Clause 15, providing for a ! minimum rato of pay for factory workers,, was amended by tho Legislative i Council to prevent employers from suspending workers for a few days in order to avoid payment for holidays. It is easy enough mow to get into tho toils of a breach of promise caso, but one shudders to contemplate what would happen if the contention, sulbmittod by certain counsel an tho Supreme Court held good im law (sayß the Wellington "Post"). Ho was cross-ex-amining a witness and sought to-show that she was engaged to another party in the case. Tho .girl disdain-Ailly repudiated the imputation., but th© relentless 'counsel, like tho villain in the play, still pursued her. At length with a triumphant jgleam in his eye, he flung down this tmmp card with a flourish: "Bub you call Hum George mow, don't you? Come, yon oan't deny it?" The lady did not attempt to deny the awful allegation, but sho soornfully refused to admit that tho fact that she called' him George constituted a legal prelude to tho wedding bells. Wo havo received a circular appealing for funds for the purchase of tho famous historical building, "Battersea Rise Houso" (near Clapham Common), which was for many years the residence of William Wtlberforce, "Emancipator of tho Slave." Its chief room is th© beautiful library (designed by William Pitt), which «wai__ the regular meeting-place of the Anti-Slavery Committee. This Committee, with Wilberforce as its leader, carried on for 20 yoars tho campaign which resulted in tho freedom of tho slaves. Th© estato on which the house stands is about to he built over, and unless voluntary contributions of £8000 be sp&odily forthcoming, this unique memorial of a movement which did so much for humanity will bo swept away. An influential committee, including Mr John Burns, M.P., Reginald McKonna, M.P., and other well-known publio men, has boen formed, nnd subscriptions should b© sent to the lion, treasurer, Mr F, G. Saunders, London and South-Western Bank, Limited, Clapham Junction, London, S.W. Some interesting evidence was given before the Conciliation Board j-ester-<day by Mr T. O. Hay regarding the cocksfoot industry on the Peninsula. Ho stated that he did not know the oxact figures, but estimated that between £60,000 and £100,000 represented the value of tho cocksfoot harvest on th© Peninsula. More than a thousand men are engaged in the work, which is largely done by con tract, two or three men taking up the contract and employing five or six others. Tho contract system is favoured because the worker employed by the hour, as soon as damp weather is experienced, clears out, and the farmer (unless he lias let the work by contract), has to pay ether people t<t thresh the cocksfoot. "If you do av.ny with th© contract system,"'Mr Hay averred, "cocksfoot is done, because you cannot depend on the men engaged by tbo hour." Ho also stated that ff a man on contract did not mnko £30 clear money in th© sir weeks of the cocksfoot harvest, he reckoned it was no job at all. He had known a man on contract to clear £100 but most of them cleared from £40 to'£oo "It's much better than being a member of Parliament." Mr Aclnnd commented. Mr Hay added that cocksfooting was no good unless a man made £1 per day at it. Tlio men employed by tlie contractors got from ls to ls Gd per honr, or £2 or £8 per week, and reckoned to work ten hours a day for seven days in the week.

! Mr J. Tliorn, president of the Independent Political Laboitf League, intends delivering addresses in Ashburton on Saturday and Sunday next. - On Tuesday next, 26th inst., the Union Company's turbine ferry steamer Maori will leave Lyttelton on the nrrival of a .special train, leaving Christchurch at 7.35 p.m. Commencing on tho above-mentioned date, tho special train will run every Tuesday and Thursday from Christchurch to connect' with tho Maori. A narrow escape from drowning oc--1 curred _in tho Ashburton Domain swimming pond on Wednesday afternoon. A twelve-year-old Ind named Hollis Hefford got in.to difficulties in 7ft 6in of water. bnt was rescued through tho efforts of threo of his fel-low-bathers —boys of his own age— named William Clark, Stowiart McCallam, and Thomas Alexander. "But the majority of men aro not dishonest," suggested Mr J. Thorn to a witness at tho Conciliation Board's sitting yesterday. "I don't know about that," was tho witness's cautious rejoinder ; "I am very sceptical about the majority .""I will give the majority to be dishonest, and that's why I like to get an honest man and pay him well." Measles havo been rife an Ashburton for tho past, few weeks. The Borough School, which re-opened r,a Monday morning, had to oloso again on Tuesday afternoon, tho attendance showing tliat there was no abatement of the epidemic. Many of iho children who were present on Monday were absent on Tuesday on account of having contracted the complaint. At tho Lord Mayor's banquet at Melbourne recently, Colonel Wallack complained of the lack of public sympathy with defence work, and l said that at Sydney, for instance, on tho occasion of tho most important riflo matoh ever held in Australia, thero was only a small attendance of tho public. People would, however, have crowded to a cricket match, if an English eleven had been present. Th© following Christchurch candidates hay© passed tho City of London Guild examinations:—Carpentry unci joinery: Vincent, Harry E (ordinary 2nd class). Plain cooking: Ist class, Bruce, Ellen M.; Mayne, Una X.; McCullough, Henrietta; Middlebrook, Emily L.; Mouldy, Amy E.; White, Elsie B.; 2nd class,Menzies, Margaret; R-oid, Violet M.; Smythe, Alice L. j Wright Elizabeth. H.M.S. Pioneer arrived at Lyttelton yesterday morning from Sydney, via Wellington. Tlie vessel left Sydney on Friday last and arrived nt Wellington early on Wednesday morning to land a sick man and carry out torpedo practice. Tho cruiser is expected to remain in port at Lyttelton for about a" fortnight, after which she will proceed to Akaroa, Timaru, Port Chalmers nnd the Bluff. She will afterwards roturn to Ljttelton and then work her way northwards to AucMand. On© of tho members of the New Zealand Cricket Council last night raised tho question of unionism and nonnnionism in connection with-a proposal hot to aJlow members belonging to clubs llot affiliated to an association to play in matchta under tho auspices of tflie Cricket Council. "Wo are," said he, "introducing tho question of unionism and noiMmionism into cricket in the shape of preference to unionists,'end tho next step 1 expect, will be w© shnll find ourselves in tihe Arbitration Court." The following Timaru candidates' have passed tho praction. examinations of the Associated Board of tho Royal Academy of-'Music and the Royal Collog© of Music:—Local centre examina-' tions: Laura, Kate Sherlock, advanc-od Siauoforte; Clara Ethel Holdgate and eannie J; Wright, intermediate pianobore. School examinations: Eurydic© C. Washington, higher pianoforte; Eileen Virtue. Geraldine Virtue, lower pianoforte; Olive Cooper and Solwyn C. Winterbum, elementary pianoforte; Marion Barrio, primary pianoforte..' Addressing a jury at Wellington on. Tuesday, counsel for tho deft ace declared that a woman could conooal her feelings so well that it was moro diffi-, cult to tell whether sho was speaking the tnith than in the case of a mam. Commenting on this remark at a later his Honour said that the experience in courts of law was that women wero just as likely to be truthful as men. Counsel infomrned his Honour tliat he had been taken.' up wrongly. All lie had mea.nt to contN_y -was that a bad woman was worse than a bad man. / The following matters will come beforo Mr Justice Chapman in Chambers this . morning at 11 o'clock :-<- Motions for probato re Mary Rauby (•Mr Holmore), re Charles E. OaJcutt (Mr StringOr), ro John Worgam (Mr Harman), re Edward Corbitt (Mr Wilding) and ro John Huston (Mr Dougall); summons for special jury, Sommore v, Lewis (Mr Wright), CDonnell v. Sumner Borough Council (Mr Wright); summons for adjudication." re John Mann (Mr Russell): application r«i costs, Barrett v.' Mullins (Mr Weston);. interpleader summons, Oilivier v. Cur-' lett (Mr Johnston). ■ A curious occurrence is reported by the Hawera "Star." A commercial traveller driving along tho road near Okinawa, in a four-wheeled trap, turned and knocked the ashes out of his pipe on the wheel. Apparently some of the live ash got under orio of the' seats, for when he turned a corner ot the road so that the wind, which had been dead ahead, was more on the side, he was amaned'to notice smoke issuing from the back of the trap. Ho got down hastily to take out ihi horse, but just then a puff of smoke blew in the horse's face, and the animal bolted. When it was stopped some considerable distance further on, all that was loft of tho.trap was tbo wheels and the axle. Tho traveller unfortunately lost his portmanteau and samples. Tlio quarterly meeting of the Oiristfc-church-Lyttelton District . Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held in tho Mamidheßteir Ch a-ritb_.nl on Saturday evening last. Thfl. lodge was opened in tho district degree by Bro. H. W T -hi_tolher, D.C.T.. The officers Wought fonvaind their reports, which after norno diiacussion wero adopted. Tlie district seaneta-ry's report allowed that ono lodtgo had ©eased wooktng, leaving six in the district, with a total _meni.borship of 361 j am increase over last quarter oif 43 incanibciu. It was decided by silent vote that messages of sympathy should be semit to the relative, of tho lato Bros. Smith and Davies. Tlie D.C.T., assisted by the other officers, conferred th© district degree in an impreraive manner on four candidates, two fitwn. the Hopo of Christdmrch Lodge, and two from th© Reviving Stream Lodge. \t a meeting of tho Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association on Tuesday, "Mr D. G. Wright brought up the question of the advisability of holding two separate shows—in t?ie autumn and winter respectively. He said that at present stock— *hoep moro particular^—could not 1» shown to the best advantage, and be thought thnfc a sheep show could be very well held in conjunction with the annual ram and ew© fair, and with advantage to the public and the Association. Should a rtep be token in *his direction, be lwd .MMMii promised tho support of sovenal sheep breeders, one of whom had not exhibited at show*.for years. Exhibitors showing at Chr__.tiini.vh did not care always'to exhibit their stock at Ashlmrtoii also- Mr Wright agreeing, it was decided that, as the mci«pr was of such import* l n<l °* notice-of motion should be given in the direction indicated for consideration at the annual general meeting in February.

Mr J. A. \oung, of HiirifefKH&4 announced his candidature,'at *iffi&af%9'-4 cal social on Wednesday Tanrangi".wat.- He jrta-iufe M%ffis(|fY'';. In the compensation ease .' v Dunedin City Corporation, £5750 was claimed for laud tsWSi* £?" ' street widening purposes at " ton, tho Compwisibion Court KwuSt'-'i ''& £4100 and costs. £250. Js_ ' A'runaway Jionse %t MaeterWait""' « - loped through « pkte-sW window u^vt , HuMenstoms clothing factory TffltortTj, s -- T morning, smashing three l»n« *id?- fi * r i" *" number of .mirrors inside. and * <km-_.g© to tho extent of £70 or"fflPM-'' Tho honso was, badly cut i_Jbout, , */*slvf / ' Henry Toovey, charged with awSJfcJS forged and uttered totaltsator tic_bti &*'*_ »t the, Auckland racos A •plSsi-' .ed guilty, and was i«nwS_l'®>, V to be dealt with by ''-" pendiary Magistrate who can . com, l'*'* •- mit to tho Supremo Court for •c&tcim.'r?? -f * Bi.il was allowed in two sureties of *3"v4-_ ' ond ono of £100. . , f Wliat is the meaning of th* %am :i -§& '.' "balancer" P queried Mr JusticeOooMTftW- "' during the hearing of a criminal j in Wellington on Wednesday. CraaMl^'*}' replied that the word was need ' scribe a man who does not psy %_*s%'& ' he loses a bet. His Honour; WtH ? didn't know that. Most people have thought that a "bilancw'* simply nn acrobat. "'' -v<(&i»j, Mr James Mills, an old-timo jHj&'fel. i ' man; to whom fortuno has not ;, particularly kind of late year*, ''~ Christohureh working up a West ' ond Nelson "Bradshaw," which. •bot_H?&'s! ' v be useful to tho travelling public. Mills has already brought out' publications, with mor© or loss suoc__M/~ t'i and on a recent visit to the Coast assured of ample support for lh*^Myi%xJ sent project. y<- #;*- ~' ' Ladies who know bow to appreciate »,»s?.* good bargain will havo the opportunity. i_\ ' of showing it-heir, powers of _vusilwt*. " 'iffi '" tion to-d«y, when Messrs Beath.ftipd. *h c Co., Ltd., inaugurate a -' clearauo© of quito a number of liam & l Jsy 2 .» sample and other merchandise, *' woro bought at a time when the ____mii_ J ss& J _r 1 p <. focturei-s wero particularly { \ sell.; -Th© oonsequenco js,, everyl'jteMfs, ._<• parfcment has somo special indutwnfijOils? } ' with whioh to gladden tho heart oisiS_Wt '. shrewd shopper. . £lfl/fsst A special sale of Musical In»thimenUf>J'4 ••'- ---commences to-day at th© D.I.C. space now occupied. by the B|w.'% btring, and Reed Musical Section, • being required for other. &'<%£ partmental extension, the whole of tie"' l*f stock of "Small" Musical Instru_a«Btilw. will be sold at greatly reduced 'priwJr-fjV; In addition, a_l Sheet Music Arfll.bif&f. marked at Special Salo Price*. Salo enables buyers to secure VtMlrf&F.F Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos, Cotflefc Olarionets.'etc., at actually ary prices. » .\l\ifijff-M' ' Mr Ernest M. Sandstein, F.B.mjo»^^ D.S.O.A. (London), Consulting .' _ cian, may bo consulted on all csjj|.'iif{;|iEs - defective eyesight . Th$ < molt "<tt_t«'SP' '.' pleto and up-to-date -' in th© colonies. Consulting tpuatfsS&S Cashel'street W. (next " Hours, 9.30 to fi.3o. - ;. Tho kwns aro setting very dry, bli|Mj * Hastie, Bull and Pickering hive plent»?§i-; .' of Hose snd Sprinklers. ' ','',„ "■ \ The most genuine y held in Christchurch ;< Saturday, November 16th. "• Moss's, Royal Exchange '" reasonable offer. reiused.;-' ■', l - ', '' •As natural aa the Calf,' .an .L.fes||||| « milking machine," buti _ auicker. W. Bassett-and' . Agents. '' v '* Hare jou thought of , and enjoyment to be derived from A]WK^i|_ teur Photography during ■' - months.? Photography is a ~ teresting and " fascinating 'V&\_Wsjm both developing the artistic' t*tt4*ijß^^s;i of the individual, and giving '' its expression. Before good * or *jMil||f:! ''■'' be done, however, a ? : bo' 'securod, but this does 1 •- sarily mean a large expend . now possible to buy a re»lljwpily__m Camera at Wallace and Co.'s, Ch*_WP^.ffe l High street,'* tor any prioe-' i -■» to £10, according to ''■* quality of tho ' what price you pay for . when you buy it at t' get the host .yaluo -,< moneys os this firm sjiows ,\ makes marked at the }, the pullman ,\, birthday gift to the King, is t" £160,000, and is tbo'largest 4ii#SW ever found. j, either emeralds, ' rubios,, or> A are in great demand, for '* D £ and dress rings. ._, , F.*," TV. 5 jeweller, 225. High street, ihoifi 1 :; tho largest stocks of .genuine •*•%JjflS ■. rings in tho colony, from >- each. ' Catalogues * n d_.;\fi a j posted free. . ; ' ? ' "Excelsior" Lawn Mowor* ;'. bnt Hastie, Bull-and , them. w y "V-l>k' 3 i ■ "I didn't know BeaWs ! ' good furnishing \ kind of remark one ir^ "i mado by ladies who really, $_W_WSB_W_* *< jjottor. It is suri»r_sißs bow; "to about this of Beath and hitm_m^fg^^ : it has long been a large ing department. A« a reoent. big improvements,.it ,*>*3_^l__P considerably enlarged and- }*lt}_rWaa%m. ), The firm's careful buying ■... shared by this section, Xr l!f3______m >' natural effect of V frionds for tho departmaftt.. 'fesffiwßHk '/ There is no doubt a large n ,SS_______S_l___tll S persons, who suffer from "WfflßSfffll §?" di_.-iinesa, and montal- : MIi I? aro not aware it can be, the uso of glasses. , Whons. J* ists John R. Proctor, OculWfr.lMigl vt tician, 180 High street, -CbntMRHMn * .can correct it by means °' $,*' ground lenses, whioh can $ rimless mounte or any patient require*. • : * '&• For oil engines, oils and f fi best oan be obtained at H, McCl»Uif«Vf||j :j 224 Cashel street, y VS. Clarke and Co., J«^ la SSiH9r|K % j Colombo street, announce that■*WL»___Baßg &. having a clearing saleof 9 L ' m ____MW> '/-■ their stock of watcht«, '*• lery, olectro-plate. etc. • Every .*j*?gs|f|| has been reduced to a vtry I * r -. i 'H!s»l in order to effect a speodi L c **2JHfliS| >y and a considerable loss willb* ■"> on some of the goods offered. .. stock, and note prices. invited. 8. Clarke and ■ Colombo street. '■ That idea of yours. %J»*Ji ~'■ patent itP Consult Henry -""flgvSg-B v Patent Agent, 183 Hereford,. wfRaHB V (opixjfite United Service Hotel). • M.f|| r consulting fees. -^ WARNED IN A'-AIN. \?\\tfg3% I was talking this morning *- Mr H. W. Lucy in tho "Sydney jj» ing Herald") with an old nnd ' n % friend of the late Sir John fr a colleague with him in the dil |'' of the Hue-j Canal. .Si-caking J*r ,JJ-infoi-mation of tho po,4ition *' Hoem ou the wa of tlio »"* r V spect to armament*, M tie Government by the 'S Department, of which Ardngh w «»J?X>Wt & head, ho told mo a little fitorj IjPjT;W ft; in his own words. "Som© io V y I J, hours Wforo war broke wit, I|f", a J&gBEt "i~conversation with n Cabinet *W l, ■& whom I met at Brooks's. s « id SIW % friend: 'Why thos© Boers have. Mg9ffffi| ?J? met in the field more than a '»!SS|lll. ff_ regiment of British wddiers. W havo no conception what it Will PW||||p '?? to encounter an army of 20,000 ?£{Q&9| £ trooj>s. And. mark my words, m Boers ever attempt to nwre *C t,l M across tho veldt, it will ho thoir ,*lfjiK 1 tain ruin.' Evidently this w . M '_\Kf|S§| & feeling in tho Cabinet' at the tiiaoj m

_J ArdagV 9 information and «P rf * V> Such "* condition of thin«s counsel- flf tho rll lers of a great on tbo p«r on(i of it t »» ttoß «crS« would he pitiful if. in «J'«; having' full infor- ; frtircw**™ , Jt - vero 1!0t mstion »t tntir . i piniinal-