LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 108, 30 January 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After six weeks' holiday, the State schools re-opeuxjon Monday next. The Customs revenue colleotcd at Wellington yesterday amounted to £1914 16s. Bd. An alleged assault 011 two littio girls aged 10 and 6 years led to a man named Frank Cookson boing arrested yestorday by Detective Andrews. Cooltson will bo brought before the Magistrate this morning. Before the steamer Corinthic (duo here on Saturday) loft the docks in London, tho High Commissioner (Hon.'W. P. Reeves), went on board and inspectod the large contingent of emigrants coining out under Government assistance. A thief or thieves entered the residonce of Mr. W. D. Lyon recently and ransacked tho house, removing a small amount of cash and a highly-prized Masonic jewel. An entry was effected through a window at tho back of tho houso, the family being absent for tho Jay,

A man named Joseph Daly was arrested' by Detective Cameron yesterday afternoon: on a charge of obtaining the sum of 123. ,6d from the Rev. J. . Gibson Smifch> arid sums amounting to about £2 , from I other clergy . men; by means of false; pretences. Detectivo Cassells arrested a mail riainet W.mi Hughes at Cartortori yesterday on cliargo of thoft at' Wellington; on Febrnar; ,; 19, 1907, of a gun valued at £6, the property' of Wm. Edmonds; . Hughes, was brriught to town by train last night; arid will appealbefore the Court to-day. ' The suspeiision' bridge, which the -Hit't Borough Council has decided to place over' tho Hutt River from the Belmont Road Jo Camp Road, will bd .370; feet longj and w 11 cost £1500. Of this amount thd Government will provide half and the property oiVne s £400, the Council finding the balance.

• . Owing-'.to an irregularity iii the 'electiqn of the memt er of the Wellington and Wni;--arapa Charitable Aid Bo&rd, to represent the Pahiatua- County Council and Borough; ar d the Alcitio, Castlepoint, arid Mauricevil/e; County Councils, another olfection was lied yesterday, . when , Mr. .R. Smith (the sittii g member) was re-elcctcd. '/ The funeral di.the late Mr.. Thomas • B!a 1," who was accidentally billed at'Mahangavßay on , Sunday, topk , place yesterday aftcriioori, the iiitormeiit being niado at Karori. Amongst those present were representatives' of ';tHe Deferioe Department, and officers and rriqn of the Wellington Engineers. Pastor Turner, of tho Church of Christ, officiated. •, ] ■ . The circumstances .surrounding.,the recent' fatal' accident At. Mahariga Bay wero inquired irito from .-a-military pointof • vieV yesterday morning by' a Board ,of Inquiry, consisting of .'Colonel, G. F. ;C. Campbell (chairman), Major Rdbinson/R.E., arid Cajj-, tain Lascellcs; It is probable that the Board will subrilit its Report to headquarters'today. ' l-'C-\Mr.- J, ;£. Arnold, M.P., Who 'ha's,-' been visiting Wellington, 'of-the Morningtori Brass' Band, which intends vtQ Sompoto dt the Ndfth Island 'Association'!; contest' at New Plymouth next month'. Mr. Arnold has obtained the periiiy-a-mile ,'cprir oeSsion over the railways for;thb;nibihb6rs .of tho,barid. He left fof the south again last evening. • • ' : :'K

The welcome to bo tendered to tho Hon. W. HallrJortes by the Liberal and Labour Federation Ws;be6h postponed:until Monday evoniftjg-on account of tho late arrival of the. Corinthic. • The- Concert Ch&mber .of the Tjjwn Hall has been, engaged for, the l purpfise. Tho Promior, who leaves fw\Auckland-; this fnorning to attend a" banquet ,t6; be given in honour of Mr. A. Kidd, M.P., wiU return on Monday evening, and.' \i ill 'speak at', the. Federation's function that.evening.: r-.v

Said, a city ; milkman yestei'day :''"l doh!t' sec I why milk should ,go up. ' I shall not' raise tho price to' my customers, unless the farmer who supplies-mo Taises the wholesale price. Perhaps,he will do so when ho finds the papers saying that the 'are going to put on another penny a quart. Of course there is a shortage,; bilt .it is not; so bad as somo peoplo would like to make out. They mint to raise the price, and so- they, talk about the'dry. Weather and the bush fires and all that, but they do not mention tho new farmers who are going in for inilking."

An ancient gardener arraigned before the' Court yesterday on a charge of wasting pre-| cious water* gave his defending counselin opening for a display of wit, which opportunity was not thrown away.- Defendant, addressing,l: his solicitor, - tyhisperod audibly : 'Jl 'am dull of hearing, sir." Mr. jWiiford i "You arc all right, thfin—they can't condemn a man without a hearing," The Court smiled. Subsequently, tho same dofelidant was asked if ho oonld hear what the water inepcctor was saying about him. "If he is saying you gavo mo authority, it's a lie—it's a lie,".declaimed defehdant, excitedly. The house at which tho gardener had used the water wds the residence of the defending solicitor. At yesterday's inquest on John Coaiclay, found dead irt 'one of tho Lambton Quay police colls at a lata hour, on Tuesday night', tho Coroner; was anxious to know if tho rnari had been given any food. Evidence was given that the man had bficn offbrpd food and . had refused it, but tho Sub-Inspector of Polico elicited a not generally known desiro of tho man who drinks well but not wisely. Examining ono of the watch-hpiiso keepers, he asked:' "Do'you frequently sen' strong nnsn suffering from tho ' effects -iot drink?" "Yes, frequently 1" replied the o(Floor. "Do they want food?" questioned the Stib-Inspector. "No," answered tho witness, "they always want water 6r hot they like hot drinks." ; A further conference of representatives of local bodies interested will probably bo held shortly, to settlo preliminaries in connection with tho erection of the proposed combined pipe and traffic bridge over the Hutt River at Potono. Tho Petono Borough Council has accepted the draft agreement subject to tho insertion of clauses providing that the' upkeep and maintenance of tho bridge shall bo fixed by a commission; that tho City Council repair all damages to streets arising from tho water mains; and that provision v bemado for the running of a tramway over the bridgo with permission to the Petone Borough Council to delegate certain powers in connection therewith to a tramway board or joint stock company. '