LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 85, 3 January 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Customs revenue collccted at Wellington yesterday amounted to £1917 15s. lOd.

A Press Association telegram states that the steamer Hauroto, which arrived at Auckland from Fiji yesterday morning, brought mails from Canada and tho United States.

Tho number of bankruptcies registered in Wellington during the year which has just closcd was greater than in any year for the past seven years, thero having been fortyfour insolvencies. Last year thero were thirty-livo; for 1905 tho number was.thirtynfn'oj for 1904, sixteen; 1903, twelve; and for 1902, twonty-two.

Attired in tho uniform of an English constable, a fireman bolonging to tho Athenic attracted considorablo attention on the Queen'b Whan yesterday afternoon. Upon being warned by Constable Packer that by appearing in the uniform ho had rendered himself liablo to prosecution, tho man speedily returned on hoard and donned less pretentious garments. How ho obtained the uniform or why ho put it on did not transpire.

" Had lovoly-Christmas weathor,?'-. says a: private letter from Sydney, dated December 28, " but ram has cgmo now—it is pouring dowiv Rain is general—even. Broken- Hill has- had an inch' and 1 a ■ halfi .Australians wonderfully prosperous, and it is a record Christmas 111 every way.".. • : ... •,i > The need for exorcising caution while cycling Tound .busy street-corners was demonstrated . yesterday afternoon- w'hcu a cyclist coming round the.,comer"of. Manners;'and Cuba Streets collided'with Ballinger Bros;' express. The wheels of the bicycle were : buckled/and- some spokes knocked out, I'biitthe rider sustained no injury. > '

• Qvito-- a crowd gathered on ; ' the ; Queen's' Wharf at 12.15 p.m<,yesterday.' while! Constable -M'Xeod was arresting a man' for' diunltennosb It is alleged that a man named Robert Bugby -interfered with' the constable, i Mr.,- Usmar ; of the Harbour Hoard: staff, went to 1 the assistance of -the policeman. Bugby stands charged with having obstructed tho constable m the execution;: of his duty -and' with having j assaulted Mr. Usmar, *

,A number of the' immigrants from the! .Athenic called yesterday. ?t- the office of the; Labour Department, but it is likely that mora will call to-day. The Department:• ivill have, absolutely no. difficulty, in placing rail the farm hands that apply, and will probably be able to sond the artisans to employment m thoir own trades, i Immigrants also called in considerable numbers at tho Tourist Department Office, and put the officer at the counter' through'.'.a..-searching examination on. .the climate, geography, and industries of New Zealand. A. large proportion' of them were , directed .to pursue : their' inquiries.; at' the' Labour Department.-, With these visitors and an unusual, influx of, visitors from overseas, ■ the - Tourist, Office had the busiest day of tlio season so' far. ; i' : ■

; The • rainfall at Wellington during • 1907 .was a little less than the. average. .'lt was 44.26 inches, according to the Weather Reporting Bureau, yrhich makes ■■ the average 50.61 inches, Rain fell on 150 days, the average being 170 days. The wettest day of the year was November 11, when we had 2.51 inches.. ; The; monthly rainfalls were as ■ fol-. low January 3.34 inches on; 8 days; February, 3.94 inches on 9 days; March, 5.49 inches on 11 days; Apri1,,2.73 inches on 16 days; May, 6.39 inches on 20 days; June, 4.29 niches on 14 days; July,_ 3.75 inehes on' 14 days; August, 4.13 inehes on 17 days; September, 3.01 inches ojj. J4. days; October, 2.79. inches : oil 15 days; . November, 3.02 inches on 7 days; December, 1.38 inches on 5 days; total, 44<26 linches on 150 days.. „

. , The littlo township, of Kiama is concerned just now with a loss of prestigefears are expressed that its famous "Blow Holo" is commencing to show signs of wear. This spot has been the pride of the district for nearly- a centuTy, and it: has' been a tangihje asset iii ; inducing excursion traffic to the town. The "Blow Holo" is a subterranean channel worn by wive action through the hard volcanic rock, having an outlet, in .a small depression somo distance from tho water front. In stormy times the waves ' rush througlj the. tunnel' throwing up a groat column of spray, and making a splendid spectacular effect. Time, however, is commoncmg to wear away and enlarge the' outlet, which widening does not concentrate the water as formerly, and it is said the column of spray, does not shoot'up with the velocity-and to tho same height as previously. Old residents of 40 or 50 years say the result is app£epmble,..and they reV commend the concreting: of the mouth of the tunnel where tho wearing has taken place, ,so as to concentrate. the w;ater and promote a greater. upward throw. They 'do, not' look upon .it as but claim they merely wish to arreest nature's decay, and - restore a world's ■ wonder to: its former state;- / . 1 An official, statement- for 1906-7 • shows that the whole :number 'of Rhodes scholars at;tho beginning of tho October term, 1907, was 160. ' Of' these-157' wore in actual residence:' threo were .'. temporarily absent on account of illness -or for purposes of /special study.: They: are' distributed aniong the colleges of the University as follows atßalliol, fourteon at Christ Church, twelve at Queen's, eleven each at' New College and St. John's', ten each at Exeter, Worcester, and Morton, nine at Oriel, eight at Magdalon,; seven- each at Hertford,. University, Wadham, and Trinity, six each at. Brasenose and: Lincoln.-, fire, at Pembroke, two each at Corpus, and Jesus, one each at Keble and St. Edmond Hall. / Twenty-eight - now scholars were elected and entered into residence in October, 1906. Of these, six wero from Australia, eight from Canada, five from South Africa; one' each from Bermuda, Jamaica, Newfoundland, and New Zealand, and five from Germany. No scholars from tho United States were elected for 1906. For 1907 73 scholars wero elected, 45 of whom wero from the United States, eight from Canada, five from South Africa, ono cach from Bermuda, Jamaica,' Newfoundland, and New Zealand, and five from Germany. Threo States of tho American Union failed to supply qualifiod candidates. The three scholarships provided for Rhodesia wero not taken up. .

It was at that period in the inter-provin-cial cricket match yesterday .when Canterbury had well passed Wellington's 'first innings score, with still two wickets in hand and Bennett was the ingoing batsman that a young lady in the grandstand cnclosuro, of pronounced Welljngtonian predilections— whose frequently-expressed and fervent hope was that Canterbury, wickets should fall in quick succession — asked her escort who flannelled fool" proceeding across the sward .to tho pitch was. " Oh," replied' tho mere male—long weary with tho persistant feminine cross-examination—"that's Bennett, the professional." "Have we" —with an emphasis on tho " wegot a professional in 'our' team?" "No," was tho answer. " Well, then," retorted the damsel, with an ardour that ; appealed to the sympathy of unintentional listeners, " no wonder 'we' are getting beaten." The escort was evidontly unwilling to risk an explanation, but mildly remarked that professionalism was usually a mattor of monetary circumstance, that there were just as good amateurs as professionals in sport the world over, and that, anyhow, Bennett had "sprained his wrist bowling 011 the previous day." Shortly afterwards a Canterbury player, ail acquaintance of the lady, and gentleman, eutcred into conversation with thorn, and explained tlje standard of Bonnett's—who is a Christ-church-born player—" professionalism," but even then tho young lady announced that it " wasn't right."

Mrs. Ethel R. De Costa, LL.B. (nee Miss Ethel R., Benjamin, of Dunedin), after practising for some years in that city, has commenced practico as a barristor and solicitor in No. (1 Nathan's buildings, corner Grey anil Feathorston Street, Wellington. Mrs. DeCosta has the distinction of being tho only lady practising at, the liar in tho Dominion. Intending clients can depend on prompt and careful attention at Mrs. De Costa's hands.

You. will find a display of such dainty holiday frocks, morning dresses, pretty blouses, charming millinery, etc. at Mrs. Mathowson's Melbourne llouso, Lambton Qua.v. The prices will enable every lady in Wellington to look really smart and well dressed. Remember tho address t Lambton Quay, oDp, Bank N.Z, 6117