LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 68, 13 December 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Customs revenue collected at Wellington yesterday amounted 'to £1576 16s. -2d.-

The Art Gallery, which has been closed siiitie xho recent exhibition, will be open, to the public on the usual days oii and 'after Saturday next. " ■

i The Education Board has decided to a&k the Government to advance tho necessary fdnds for tho addition of two rooms at " tho Brooklyn school. ,

The management lif 1 the wharf in Pelorus River, Marlborough, has been vested (by a notice in this week's Gazette) in Messrs. Bi'ownleo and Company, of Havelock.

• •The Public 'Works Department has accepted the? tender of Mr. James Brown (Gisbornp) at £6403, for the construction of the Frasertown road bridge, Hawke's Bay. -

; Blucher Avenue, Wellington, has been exempted from tho provisions of Section 17 of tho Public Works Act, subject to .the building line being set back 33 feet; from tho centre of the street. '•■

A woman named Adelaide Lilian May Tiernan was arrested yesterday by Detective Lowis on a charge of forging 'a receipt 'to a money-order telegram for £2 at ; Wellington on November 19. '

Detective Andrews arrested a man named Jamfis Lowis yesterday on a chargo of stealing cheque for £46 17s. from Messrs. Robert Hannah and Company. Acoused will bo broUgty before the S.M. Court this morning-

The Education Board has approved ah application from the' officer comtriandiiig 'the No. 3 Wellington School Cadet Battalion

(Major Burlinson) for permission, to hold! an encampment at the Hutt Park Racecourse during the vacation.

Detective Cassells arrived from Palmerston North last night in charge Of the nlan Frederick Cooper, 'who is to appear at the Magistrates' Court this morning oh a charge of being concerned in the recent jewellery burglaries in Wellington.

Mr. Justice Button, speaking at the meeting of tlie Anti-Opium Association: last evening, said that he very strongly deprecated the anti-Asiatic feeling that was abroad in the community. Our own civilisation canio froni the East, and Christ and his apostles <vere Asiatics.

Next Monday, and every day thereafter until January 4, except Christmas Day, extra mail trains will be rim oh the Manawatu Line, leaving Wellington at' 8.20 a.m. and running thirty minutes after the ordinary mail train. The extra return trains will reach Wellington at 8.10 p.m. Other train alterations are advertised <

Through getting mixed up with a passenger's walking-stick, Conductor '' Bowo fell from tlio step of a Palace car in Courjtenay Place about 8 o'clock last evening.. He was conveyed to Mr. M'Kenzio's pharmacy -and was there attended by Dr. Gibbs, who, after a brief examination, ordered tho sufferer to bfl- talien to the hospital. Bowe was found to be suffering from shock, and there were abrasions of the skin, aud bruises.

Notices are being, issued by the Labour Department that in pursuance of a requisition under Section 21 of the Shops,and Offices Act, 1904, and of Section 4. (8). of' the Shtips and Offices Act Amendment Act, 1907, the sale of tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes in Wellington aftor 1 p.m. on Wedhesdays, 8 p.m. on ordinary week days, and 10.30 p.m. on Saturdays is prohibited. Similar regulations are being introduced in New Plymouth, Blenheim, Huntcrvillo, Waihi, Wanganui, and Gore. • ' '' The vital statistics for the four centres for November are as follows Wellington, 166 births, 49 deaths; Auckland, ICS births, 54 deaths; Christchurch, 137 births, 56 deaths, Dunedin, 128 births, and 49 deaths. The' proportion of deaths per 1000 of population places Wellington lowest 'with .73, with Auckland (.78), Dunedin j#(.B4), and Christchurch (1.01), in that order.- In Wellington six died of cancer, and four of influenza.' No less than eight death's in Christchurch, and seven deaths in Dunedin arc attributed to influenzal

A return tabled at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday shows that there are no loss than 67 uncertificated teachers at present in the sefvico of tho Wellington Jidubatioxi Board. Of those, 23 hold a provisional liccnso to teaoh. The remaindor have ho ! Certificates whatever. Mr. A. H. Vile, referring to the fiction of other Education Boards in th)£ Connection, said that while thoy did not wish to take such drastio action as had been reported in Othor districts, ho thought that the teachers whose names appeared in the roturn should be tendered a hint on the matter of improving their literary status. Ho moved: "That uncertificated toachors in the service of the Board be requested to use every offort to become certificated, as the Education Act

provides that uncertificated teachers may bo only temporarily omployed." This was carried unanimously.

Mrs. Ethel E. Do Costa, LL.B. (nee Jfiss Ethel R. Benjamin, of Duuedin), after practising for some in that city, has commenced practice as a barrister and solicitor in No* G Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Featl eiston Streots, Wellington. Mrsi De Costa has the distinction of being the only lady practising at tho Bar in the Dominion. Intending clients can depend on prompt and careful at tentlon at Mrs. Da Costa's hands,

This morning. the case George Scott r. the King—a claim of £450 for alleged breach of agreement—will be heard before Mr. Justice .Button and a jury of twelve.

Tlio Education Board; at its meeting yesterday, decided to call for tenders for all works which had been authorised to be proneeded with during the; vacation. ,The Chairman (Mr. Robert Lee), and the Secretary (Mr. G. L. Stewart) were deputed to deal with the tenders. ; n

Aai unusual occurrence took place at Sydjust prior to the departure of the Maheno for Wellington last; Saturday: It ivns discovered that ton firemen and trimmers had deserted from the ship, and her late departure was partly di)e to the time spent in filling the vacancies.

" As far as I can see," observed Mr. Levi at a meeting of creditors yesterday, '' the secured creditors have been so anxious to save a few lawyers' fees that they have tried to do the business themselves,'- and made a -muddle of it." The secured Creditors had eifectod bills of salo, and had neglected to register theui. 1 ( The Education Board's' Offices in Mercer Street will be closed for three weeks fiom Saturday, December 21, for the Christmas vacation. It has;also been decided that the schools throughout the Wellington Education District will closo on Thursday, December.l 9, in order to give teachers^an opportunity of clearing up their general work on Friday. • "

It is understood that no preliminary inquiry will be hold, iti Wellington into the, circumstances surrounding the outbreak of fire on the steamer Lord Stanley. It is stated: .that, if an inquiry is necessary, it" will - proi bably be held at Dunedin, Until the cargo is discharged it will be impossible, to ascertain whether any damage has been, done to the ship. ' '

' A special meeting of tho jUiramar 'Council will i.! bo 'held next : Thursday evening',■ when v the. .following matters will come on for consideration Amendment to Bilildihg Bylaw, special order re Sttfeet,' special order making special rate to provide interest, in respect of the £71,000 loan. The ordinary, meeting of tho Council'! win be held, immediately afterwards. W

Tile Registrar of the Supreme Cotfrt .'(Mr. D. G. A. Coopei') has beeil notified by His Honour,/ Mr. Justice Cooper, that the dates of the Circuit Sittings in March, 1908;, at Napier and Palmerstoh North have been altered. The sittings at, Napier will commence on Monday, March 2, at 16.30 a.m., instead of On Monday, March 16, and those at Palmerston North on Monday, March 16, at 10.30 a.m., instead of on Moiiday, March 2; '".I" '

"TJioro wore 252,830 passengers carried'; oyer i tho Weliington-Napicr-fte'fr ' Plymouth section of Government railways during the J .i four-weekly period ended November 9 last, as compared with 241,197 passengers carried during the corresponding period of last year. Ths number ot parcels carried wis 21,775, as compared with 22,210; goods, 35,113 (20,469); goods (tons) 62,141 (52,931); and the revenue was ;£57,279 3s. Bd., as compared with £52,173 Is. 7d.

The' Government has acceptod the tendaf of P. M'Loughlin and Co., Gisborno, at £8174 12s. 6d., for the Waikohu Bridges Contract, Gisborne-Motti Railway. The following ate the unsuccessful tenders:— Maurico; O'Connor, Wellington, £8212 2g. , Bd.; James Brown, Gisborno, £8640 10a.; Alexander Bain, Dunedin, £9198 9s. 7d.; G./ M.' Eraser, Cambridge, £9285 lis.; W. Rhodes and Son, Dunedin, £11,452. The tender of Boon Bros., New Plymouth, at has been accepted for the erection of Crushing Station Buildings,, Mount Egmont Railway. That of N. J. King, Strata . ford, at £1500, was declined.

."Several false .reports are current with r<y ferenco to the delay in-opening the Seatoun lino," remarked tho Mayor (Mr.. C. J. Crawford) at the meeting of the Miramar tioun'cil last night. Cbntinuingj His Worship pointed out that the permanent way was passed laßfc veek, but owing to the absence of the Government Electrical Enginocr, the. over-head goar had not yet been inspected J Until this was done a pormit could not be' granted to the Council; It was hoped that the lino would ,be opened on Tuesday next. On tho motibn of the Mayor, it was decided to' ask the Governor-ih-Council to sanction a forty-; minute service in tho meantime iii lieu of the thirty-minute service provided fof in the" Order-in-CounciL

It is suggested that some Councillor should move at the' next meeting of the Wellington' City Council : That, in the opinion of this Council, tho timo has arrived when the matter of street scavenging should be attended to.'' Such a resolution would have the approval of the entire community. Having wood-blocked the principal stroetsj and made spasmodic efforts to obtain boys to sweep them, the Council has evidently abahdoned the job as hopeless, and the shallow water channels are. allowed to become filled with stuff that is excellent for gardonSj'but highly objectionable in the eyes, eirs, and mouth. Courtenay Place is notorious for its side-channel filthj and the occasions are very rare when there are not some elongated islands of dust and dirt lying along the side-walk. If the Council cannot get boy labour, it might, hark back to men, who used to do very well in the old macadam days. As the work would bo very much. lighter now, a dozen men could make a good show during tho night hours. Tho approach of Christmas, with its ■ influx of visitors, suggests some additional attention being given to the city-cleansing process. ■

Lower Cuba Street, which has participated considerably in the building fever of late years, is to be grnccd by a six-story brick building to bo erected to the order of llossrs. Dwan Bros, from the plans of Mr. J. SI. Dawson. The building, which is, to be constructed on the most modern lines, is to be utilised as a private hotel, and will contain over eighty bedrooms, besides a capacious dining-room (40ft. by 32ft.), and comfortable sitting and smoking-rooms, nnd conveniences of the most, approved type. The roof will be divided betwecnsthe purposes of an elovated garden, and, at tho roftr, tho culinary and cooking department, which arrangement will, ensure an absence of tho smell of cooking. The dining-room will be finished handsomely ill stuccolin. Tho bedrooms and sitting-rooms are to bo connected with the main office by a system of electrio bells and telophonottcs, and the plans provide for an impressive elevation that will be finished in red-pressed brick with ccmout facings, and pretty fcrro-con-croto balconottes. Shop accommodation will flank tho main entrance on tho groundfloor, and onch shop will be mado as nearly fire-proof as possible.

Ladies visiting Wollington during the Christ, mas holidays would do well to pay C. Adams and Co.'s millinery establishment a visit befora going further. Tho millinery' rooms upstair* will be found extensive, ana afford the btet selection at reasonable prices in the city. Costumes and blouses will bo fiold at a reduction during December. Only address, 35 Cuba Street