LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 3, 28 September 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It has been decided to repeat the illuminations at. Government House, the .Parliament buildings, the Government buildings, and the General Post Office to-night. ■• Jupp's Bandand tho Highland Band will play in front of tho Government buildings, and .in tho Parliamentary grounds.; Ten entries from various parts of tho district havo .been received for tho champion milking competition at tho Manawatu' show. Entries for. tho show aro arriving daily. Tho flood waters around Palmerston North have slightly subsided, but there is still (telegraphs our correspondent), a largo area of country, adjacent to tho town, undor water, Tho severity of.tho storm played havoc with young lambs in tho lowlying country. A heavy , galb has been blowing all day, and tho country all round is saturated. Agricultural operations''have been suspended. In the- Pohangina district several slips aro reported. Vehicular traffic is blocked on the roads on both ' sides of tho river, and workmen arc engaged clearing the way. Repairs to Pouangina Bridge aro boing conducted as expeditiously. as possible, and the bridge will be reopened for traffic within a few weeks. Last night, when tho meteorological conditions were all that cMitd.bo desired, tho State buildings wore again illuminated. Upwards of two thousand people assembled in front, or tho ''buildings," from the portico of which the Municipal Tramways Baud rendered a number of selections.

Tho " Gazette" announces that an area of 56 acres has been set aside for tho purpose of a sanitary sewage irrigation area for Dannovirko. <•

• A numbor of village homestead allotments in the Hukanui and Nireaha village settlements will bo open for selection on lease in perpetuity on Monday next. A ballot will be conducted by the Latid Board on October 4 at Eketahuna.

The monthly meeting of tho Wellington- Technical. Education Board was held last night, thero being present: Messrs J. P. Luke, T. Ballinger, D. M'Laren, D. Robertson, Wm. Allan, and T. Carmichael, Capt. T. W. .M'Donald. The report of 'the' teommitteo regarding jbwelldry and metal work classroom stated that preparations for this class wore almost .comploto, and everything.would be in readiness' by tho commencement of tho new quarter on Monday next. Tho.report was adopted. Miss Slattor was granted a month's extension of leave of absence. It was decided to grant a bonus' of £20 to Miss Riley, of tho office staff, in recognition of tho extra duties entailed upon her by the absence of Miss Slattcr.

Mr W. 11. Bennett, president, occupied, tho chair at the well-attended annual meeting of the Wellington' Master Builders 1 Association, held in its own roonis, Woodward Street. Reference was made to proposed amendments to' the Scaffolding Act, and tho opinion was expressed that, tho amendments wore ontiroly unnecessary. Tho annual report stated that at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Master Builders' Federation held at Wanganui last year the officers of the 1 Wellington Association had been elected to bo the executive of the Federation, and it lvas satisfactory to note that good work had been done. It also men-, tioned that the new general conditions of contract agreed upon between the builders and architects at tho Timaru eonforonco in 1905 have clearly defined the conditions of contracts and the position is much more satisfactory. Appropriate reference was made to tho death of Mr. Thos. Turnbull, architect, who was a ,por 7 , sonal friend of most of the mombe'rs of tho Association. The', membership of the Association is now 94 —16 have joinod during the year, and six resignations were received. The following officers' were elected : for the onsuing. year:—President, Mr W. H. Bennett (re-elected); vice-president, Mr. Donald M'Lean;:. secretary, Mr. W'. E; Gronfell .(re-elected);"' trea-, surer, Mr W. G.-Emeny; committeo, Mossrs. W. L. Thompson, H. D: James,, and J. Trevor; auditors, Moss'r.j J. Nicholson and Harbottlo; delegates to tho Federation, Messrs D. M'Lean, W. L. Thompson, and J. ■'Russell.

A council meeting' of the Women Students' Hostel Society, was hold on Tuesday. The following ladies were ■present: Mrs. Wallis (in the chair), Mrs: Gibb, 'Miss : Holmes, Mrs.' Gill. Dr. Agnes Bennett, Mrs. Gibbs; 'and Mrs. Salmond. Numerous application's for the position of Lady Principal were considered, and the council hopb very shortly to announce the appointment. Arrangoments are being made to begin tho building'of the hostel on the site purchased for it in Woolcombo Street. It is hoped that the continuous telephone serrice'at Palmerston North will be inaugurated at the beginning of tho month, but no definite answer has v been, received from tho Minister. Palmerston rosidonts_ are anxiously awaiting the service. The following officers, for tho ensuing year.wo.ro elected by tho Wellington. Cycling Club at its fifteenth annual meoting, hold last evening:— President, Dr. Izard; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. Fenton, J. Murpliy, H..G. Smith, and A. Laurenson; committee, Messrs. T. Morrison, W. Fordham, W. J. Hayvard, A. Mayer, S. Jacobs, 0. Ross, E. Gibbs, H. J. Baker, and D. M'lieod;. treasurer, Mr. J. S. Isaacs; secretary, Mr. H. Thomas..

With regard to what threatened to l«.a serious cnisli, if nothing worse, at tlio Town Hall mi Dominion night, it ltas been ascertained that although Superintendent lingo, of the Kire Brigade, lias power to hoop passages and exits c!f'.iii' in licensed places of enter't.iiiine.it. "such. In'iiverer, dues not exist i;i connect inn with i!u> Town Kail, its i! is not lioci.se-.1. This, of course, hi!." little U> (I" with Thursday ei'eriir-}:'.-: incident, which mijdir have been avoided, ic; illcto was- a h'.rg-? posse of artillerymen on duty, whose, services Me I .''.! not vailed nnor. to check the rush for >,eiits. K. 'is siij.nse.'.vud ih.U- ol.e hail shovld he fcriniiiiv !ie-..!|..-eJ. .-o ihiit all jKiv.vrs lw thfi siii'.-nai-d.iii}: of i.h«' iw-nple cold he

Commenting on the statement in the Truant Officer's report that soma cases of irregularity in school attendance were traceable to poverty and insufficiency of clothing, the actingchairman of the Education Board (Mr. William Allan) said that the 1 Truant Officer (Mr. Dineen) had in several cases sought the assistance of benevolent institutions on behalf of thoso children, and he considered that such work- as this was deserving of praise, (Hear, hear.)

His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will this morning deliver reserved judgment in the following cases:—M 'Konzio y. Poynton; Taranaki Petroleum Oil Company v. "New Zealand Times" Company; Judd v. Byrne; and Wright, v. " Thn Dairyman and Farmers' Union Jour nal."

A return showing the estimated quantity of Kouri timber or Crown lands in the Auckland districts was presviited to Parliament yesterday. Tin- quantity was givon as 270,575.777 Mipi'r fci't." Last year 30,971 ,f!>'o siiDer l'i:et were exported form the cukiflv. the value of which was £171(032.

It ivas stated at last night's meeting of ■Wellington ■'Provincial Lawn Teiiiiis Association that the membership of the association is now 1080, with a total of 31 affiliated clubs.

Hauhau-ism lingers on among the Wanganui Maoris, and has proved a hindrance to their progress in many ways, though an increasing aumbor of these natives' are conforming now to Pakeha ideas. • An instance related yesterday by . Dr. Poinaro to one of our reporters shows tho stubbornness of tho old notions, and dangerous effects which they were liable to have. In one of the Hauhau pas some time ago the doctor found that thii only water supply'was very bad. • The creek which ran through the pa had been dammed up higher in its flow, causing a diversion of its waters, and their stagnation near the village. It was no uso to sink wells, for tho pa, being near the sea, their water was itnprognated with salt at every high tide. It was dangerous to drink tho tsagnant water. Normally, there was only one solution of the problom—to supply the unfortunate natives with tanks. . They realised the importance of tho matter, but when' Dr. Pomare proposed this remedy, they said: "What is the use of tanks_ to us? 'We can't 'drink wator off tho roofs, because tho roof of a man's house is tapu." Nothing could overcome this conviction, and by Dr. Pomaro's orders a most remarkable courso was taken to preserve the health of the community. The pa itself was shifted to another place, where tho natural water, supply was more satisfactory. The weekly ambulance meeting at tho Mission to Seamen's Institution was well attended last evening, and the missionor, Mr. James Moore, gave some useful information' on the subject'of first-aid and health. ' A competition relating to" fractured lingers was won by sailors from ships in port. A bright programme of music was arranged by Miss M'lntrre, the following assisting: — Misses Evans Easson, Messrs. M'Farlano, Harper, Johnson, Tresize, and Goudie. A hearty vote of thanks was given the performers.

The. Municipal Corporations Act does _ not permit a regular meeting of a City Council to bo postponed tor more than three days. The last ordinary meeting of the' Wellington City Council fell upon Dominion f>ay, and though it was not intended to hold tho meeting on Friday .evening, it was postponed until then on account of the regulation mentioned. To meet the convenience of Councillors tha meeting has now been' "adjourned" until Monday evening. Tho adjournment of a mooting that has never been hold is something novel in procedure. </ .. ;- 4 . St., Joints Church, which.has been closed for three Sundays for, repaint-:' ing and renovation,' will bo reopened to-morrow, when the fifty-fourth anniversary of the congregation will bo commemorated. There will bo three services. The Rev. J. Gibson Smith will preach in the morning, and Rev. Dr. Gibb in the afternoon and evening- • . >

At the beginning of the present year the hope was held out- to residents at Seatoun that the big tunnel under the hill would be linishsd and the trams running before the winter had set in. The winter, however, has flown, and the spring flowers in tho vases toll of summer a stono's throw away, and yet Seatoun is still a stranger to the hum of the electric car. On inquiry, it has been' ascertained that the bricking of tho tunnel is finished, and the faco walls, now being built, will be> completed in two weeks' time. Mr. R. S. Bennett, engineer to the Miramar Borough Council, does not anticipate that the cars will be travelling through to Seatoun beforo tho end of November. Tho Seatoun tunnel is the ( biggest (not longest) in Now Zealand.. It is twenty-seven feet wide at the ground baso, which provides for three feet six inch asphalt footpaths on each side, and- a twenty feet road, to bo surfaced with tarred macadam. To provide safe road-space for vehicular traffic, the tram-track is to be laid between the centre of the road and the southern side-walk. The tunnel is 469 feet long, and, as at Jiilbirnie, none but sinale-deck carß will bo able to pass through.

. The tenders, for tho big chimney for tho new destructor at Clydo Quay closed yesterday. The tender-box will bo opened at the adjourned meeting of the City Council, to bo held on Monday evening. The new chimney will be 150 feet in height, or twenty feet higher than the' present stack, which is to come down as. soon as its successor is in position.

Tho annual meeting of the Now Zealand Master Builders' Federation is to be held at Napior on October 22. In all probability, Mr J. Stuart, of Wellington, will deliver an address during tho conference on "Schedules of Q.uautities in Conditions of Contracts."

A Maori female tohunga, named Hikapuhi, who has made herself soniowkat prominent on the East Coast, is in Wellington at present petitioning the Native Minister for a license to heal the sick. It is a bold request, after the roferenco mado to this lady Ivy the Health Officer to the Maoris. Dr. Poniaro, in a recent departmental report: " Hikapuhi and Itua," the report states, "have been tiro most prominont figures in the tohunga business this year. Hikapuhi had a religious sort of ceremony mixed with a groat deal of the three-star eau-de : vie varietv to cure her patients with'. Littloe.hildren attending schools were made to wear small narrow bottles filled with brandy nest their skins. From those they frequently took nips during the recesses. This crane has become very popular, because the wine is blessed by the .Divinity. _ JT.e consequence of this is that old inebriates havo taken to drinking again, and many of those who never drunkdo so now religiously. Wo prosecuted several of Hikapuhi's followers for aupplving liquor to Maori women, but I thiiik the matter should he attacked at the, fountain-head."

1n!... Kthti !i. Do Cost a, Lb. f>. (nee .Miss Ih.hei !!. rlotijamin of Dutiedin). iifier iii'iH'tisiii!'. ior sonic years in (|-,i:t ciiv, has r.omn»-rieod pracfioe ■:•:; b htirrisler an'! ..oicstor in No. d Nathan's h'uil<!inr.s, corner Grey .and leather. .■.ti-.ii Stive's. VuPiiiKtoti. _ Mrs. \) K Cost a lias the distinction of hoiufc up nnlv iady practising in- lie' Har in vne Dcminion. ltitend'iiir rlicitis cat! ileivn! on itt'ii:i-.]if and careful attention k sirs, Do CosM':; bands..-.

To-morrow evening the choir of the Wellington Y.M.C.A. will give; a sacred song service in Primitive Mothodist Church, Petone. Rev. C. G. Ward, President of the Conference, will give the address.

-The Parliamentary Savage Club is to give a "ladies' evening" at Bellamy's this evening.

Tho Land Board has decided to call public tenders for disposal of tire unsold sections of Block II Pohangmu Township.

Thb fact of persons squatting on a section of Crowriland in tho Ohaknne township was reported to tho Land Board yesterday. It was decided to notify tho trespassers through the •polico that they must vacate the land at once.

The reserve of one-eighth of an acre has been set apart for the purpose of a Town Hall at Kimbolton.

A section has been set aside by the Land Hoard close to Kaitieke town■'hip for the purpose of .a future school.

A poll will be taken on Monday of the ratepayers of the Johnsonvillo Town District to raise a loim of £1.000 for the purpose of' establishing an ac-tvleno gas installation Joe street lighting and-general supply withm the district.

Thanks to tho sympathetic interest of Her Excellency Lady Plunket, tho institutions were treated toil pleasant afternoon yesterday, which came as a welcome oasis in the desert of daily routine Children of the Levin Home, tho Salvation Army Children's Home, and St. Joseph's Orphanage were visited by Her Excellency, entertained at tea, and presented with lollies by' Lady Plunket, much to the delight'of the little ones. _ Other similar institutions will bo visited by Her Excellency shortly.

Athletic young men who devote themselves to the'strenuous life have to pay a substantial fee—in gold as well as energy. The point was mentioned at the annual meeting of the Wednesday Cricket Association last night, when it was shown that during the past season over £80 had been paid away in ground fees. -Tho President; Mr. C. H. Izard, M.P., was moved toprotcst. He thought it was unreasonable that athletic bodies — football as well as cricket—should have to spend such large sums for the use of grounds. There ought to bo some means, he urged, whereby clubs couid indulge in healthy outdoor games at loss expense. Now that tho City Counci Iwas' moving in the direction of forming grounds, tho matter might bo remedied; at any rate ho hoped so. .

At 1.55 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Fire Brigade was called out to a lire at 59 Coromandcl Street. The dwelling was a four-roomed, cottage, and the dining-room and contents were destroyed, whilst the other portions of tho house were damaged by heat and smoko. The cottago was occupied by Mr. Gustavo Ivenson, and owned by Miss Mary Burns, of Nelson. Tho.building was insured for £300, and the contents for £150. The house was unoccupied at the time, and the cause of tho outbreak is unknown. .

■ A start has now been made with the new post-office at Waikanae, but it will be several weeks before it" is completed.

It .is reported (writes our Woodville correspondent) that- the approaches to tho Manawatu Bridge, Kumeroa, were very much- undermined witli tho flood of Thursday. It is fortunato that tho ratepayers, voted in favour of the £3000 loan for tho erection of a new bridge in that locality. Thousands'of ornamental and protostive trees were washed away on Thursday "morning by tho overflowing of the Maugapapa.

A very , small amount of interest was shown by Mastcrton ratepayers in a poll taken for a proposet) loan of £12,000 to "extend and improve the gasworks. "Only 160 voters, out of, a thousand names on the roll, voted on the proposals, which were carried by a majority of 59. s

A letter from the City Engineer was read at last night's meeting of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association giving the area of the following recreation grounds:—Kelburne Park, 6 acres; Anderson Park, 6 acres; Kilbirnie Recreation Ground, 19 aores; Duppa Street Recreation Ground, 11 acres. Portions of the Kelburne Park and Anderson Park should, says the engineer, bo available for the summer of 1908.

Gold is reported to have been found on a property near Masterton, and development operations are spoken of.

Mr. T. M. AVilford, M.H.R., informs us that the Government has granted a £ for £ subsidy up to £1125 for the purchase of an additional school site at Lower Hutt.

The following cablegram has been received by His Excellency the Governor from the Hon. Frank iMadden, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of. Victoria: —"Victoria's hearty congratulatious on New Zealand's promotion amongst the -nations.' Earnestly 'wish maintained wisdom and ever-increased enterprise, prosperity and dignity to our great sistor of the South'."

There still remains,four weeks' more excavating work'(for 150 men) to bo done, before Anderson Park— the new recreation- ground at Glenbervio Road—is levelled. Tho lopping off of the top ridge that exposes a shoulder to the cutting in Glenbervie Road and the tumbling of.tho same into tho gully below has effected a wonderful change in that locality that is favourably commented upon by residents thereabouts. "It seems to give us," said one, " more light and' air, now that the big hill, with its gloomy trees, is cut away, and from my place on the hillside above Tinakori ltoad I can get a view of the harbour that was not possible before." It is possible that the solid part of tho ground— the decapitated hill—will bo topdressed and sown this spring. It is high time _ Kolburno Park was sown, if it is intended to ever allow the placo to fulfil its destiny. It is understood that the money voted for tho making of Anderson '. Park has already been exceeded. Out of the £27,000 sanctioned for the j-i-cruaiimi grounds, £-3000 was set apart for tho Thorndon ground, so fhiu;' there must either bo a call for ;m>n> money or some of the unmade grounds ii'tlst suffer. It should be remembered, however, that- the £3000 was. far,tho making of an cinjit-aciv ground, whilst Thorndon will, at tho finish, find that its Park is nearer twelve acres in extent. A leak was discovered yesterday morning in tho city wntiT main on th« Hutt sido ct tho Waimii hill ■ A gang of men, under .Mr. Dimes, effected repairs during tho day.

A. lucltv f'srapi- from sori&'.i? w fata) injur;; is ivrMrdtd h.v Uw '' \Vuikato Lil'iiopomlwit." A i;ir.n named Osccr Sis.roii v:;:s workiiig on thf Caml.Ticlijelvvol 'iiri'l.wi and, while icit.ov-ii-j.'. so.'nc »•' tiw ' ro,!; ''"' fovi-i-r cord, slipped and i'Jil a disianoe r.f al-oiit GO l\-.«t on lo a shelving ;>cvtion r,f t )io Inn!-:, where ,1 <r."ud deal nf l(iii:;o sand hail he.eu Hirawu out Tin? broke his Ml, mid »'l>cn. alior

s.niu.- dli':r!>h>\ he whs extrieat.-d. 'ho was I'iund '•■•'in' iiiiil:jiirficl. iieynnd llio hri-is.;-).; ivhi.-i! liuist'uaUiraliy follow.