IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 115, 7 February 1908, Page 9

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(l!l f TEr.EOBAPU—SI'EOUIi COUBKSrOi DKKI3.)

/ AUCKLAND. Feb G. • A letter has boon received by tho Auckland Harbour Board from tho Marino Depart-, nlont iii reply to tho Board's communication in regard.:to tho question'of tho Board assuming control of tho Manukau Harbour. Tho • Department' now. states that the, matter of tho control of. that harbour is ono which will require to bo dealt with by n local Hill. If such a Bill is introduced into Parliament tho question whether there'is any need for tho Government to object to any. of., its. provisions will receivc cartful consideration.; A Protest. VWlion tio, 'Salvation Army,. authorities cs-, tabhshod, a homo for inebriates.,.at.. Bell s Island, it was considered that one source of revenue might be the sale .of, fish . caught by the, ! inmates,'. but local aro taking exception- to this,. and the . matter was mentioned at last night's; mooting of tlio Trades and Labour Council. Mr. Spratt, of the Fishermen's Union, led : tho w<iy_ by 'remarking • that he had hoard .it stated that the Salvation Army, authorities wore gettinga number of boats.for the men, and it was intended that they should catch fish :which sbould l?o curod'at tho island, and then submitted, for-sale. Ho had. heard that per month had been oftered a man to in-struct-the/inebriates; in' the of fish curing- Although it..would affect his trado.he did not, mention ;.the:. matter- heoa'us'e. of, that, but when employers had. such, a Kigb rate of Wages ,to ho thought some protest should bo made against such a, state, of affairs. It meant that tlio Salvation Army would 'be competing with pnvato employersl who were . bound by Arbitration Court awards. Two Other delegates spoke in a similar strain, and it was resolved to protest against the .'Army being -.'allowed to compete on .unequal terms with private-em-ployers. It; was dccided to send a copy of the ■>resolution to tho' Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour. i •

Girl Labour. .- ,'. :. . .At, the. -.same ■ mooting a , short discussion piado '.Iregarauig.-'. too ;'statem'iints' miido by omplovers as to the scarcity.of!girl labour/ for factories. • , Mr., Tischler, one of tho 'delegates, expressed , tho' opinion that sonic, of, the.'.employers had exaggerated things.-, . 35ie!.bry'f6r'.factoi7 girls,' he saidj < only took , p'laco'twc'br threo months'before Christmas, and ho ventured to say that if any factory : ■hands were; imported from England, .as; (tug; » gost-ed, they ■ ■ would: he out'of v work for nine/months of the year. Ho was a. native of . London, 'arid ,: it * seemed' a: hard; .• thine; to say;'' but-'ho considered' tho Colonial '■■",'a'U)it - above " the .'.English hand. , Mr;. ■Aggerfi: supported ;:Mr. Tisehlcr's- remarks, ; ]'ahcf it ;was , resolved • that,' a 'strong protest, shbukl'be' made I ,against' the proposalto 6bttiii'i,.,Goycrnmont''aid to import -labour into -tho,''Dominion.' '/ ]..'•'' ']/ .'■■''•■!.] FllHns in.Sparc.Timei-'. .1 The'extent , which .seliooi teachersshould; |-,b'p; ip'ermittcd ..to ' augmont their salaries ;;by, out'sido occupations :_during thfiir spare, timo, :occupied; the: attention of thc lulucation Board . yesterday. > ■ ;It was ~s tated - that - in", one' case a."teacher .had been in the hnbit of; publishing a periodical and canvassing 'for-advertisements . for' it.,. . ,- K • . . What' about';keeping cows ?., .tasked' Mr. .J. ]). M'Kenzie. . . " Or -growing cabhages ?{'' facetiously sug-. gested'-Mr. A. R. Harris.; should bo stopped." ~' .'>,].] /"■ i:The:Board,':-,whilst.not. going, so,',far as to phco anv embargo (m cows or cabbages, flccidecl'f.that, tho'ipubliihiiig of 'R periodical jfor ■purposes' of profit' was not-.- a ■ fitting, method :of ifilling iii' a .teacher's spavo time. ' . ■ • C'Uldran's Protcotion Aot. ( Air ICetile, 'SV,, jpste'idav dolivoibd • judgment':ii);i;.i--' : case in '-which a. than -and woman adopted, A, babv, .which !; afterwftrcjs '^ied , %hilsti: , 'in ; '!tubir. < a,.r,oyie\y : . -of 3lib:.:ov.idencb,, : thc ;Magistratb, said-hc.-.wns, satisfied . tliat defendants, were y ojilty> or .the meaning ; of ..Section: 8 -of the Children's Protection Act;;, He-was,also, iiiciined to the opinion that the.parents .were' 'totally guilty. < .'-Although, .he,..was not called | -on 'to :decitlo, what: action .should bo taken, 'thero was a.'.grbwing'inclination' among some 1 mothers to shirk nursing their offspring,-and, • 'a ' dosirp; to: shirk, their ■ moral obligations., ] Defendants ! were fined ' jointly; £10, ; ;or,;- ip: dpfault one month's imprisonment.: , Care of tile Childron. ; ; ' tad.v 'Pluuket's movement for tho form.y tioir of a branch"of].tholnfant Lifo'Protection Society is appa'rohtly at :a-critical : stage ; ■'. of "■'development'.'-'"' "At: »•' meeting of -rtotbers" at,'i Gavdrninoht . House] yesterday;,.- Her' Excellency expressed i' : some'.'/, disappointment . that',' "although "donations ,"are' -coming ,- in' : : moveniont is hot', progressing as - 'well' as; might be:.'tho caso .iri tl>o -matter,-of :mombership.'- 'It'liasi'hEon represented to her .' that"this,may,'-possibly; be.owing to ail,idea: ' that-'- the will .. clash' ..with, .other : societies .do.ing good- work, in 'Auckland, but ] so far from such bem?, the cftso', Lady '■ Plunket' is con\4ixcßd / .tliat \the "Infant'' Preservation. Society .'will prove a valuable anx- , ili.avy to', such' societies.,

Slimmer School for : Teachers. . • In:-previous, years the Education Board lias-VjiUowpd'. teachers ['attending' tho . school; in connection with tho Technical .College additional holidays in. consideration of ! ' ; such ;; attendrmcev'' This year the. teachers were required to attend the classes ■if they desired to do so out of thou- own time: 1 A report submitted' to-the Board' yesterday by - Mr; ' George'-George (Director of Technical Education) showed' that. under the new arrangement' >19;. teachers had , attended ' tho classes for .'agriculture as compared with .24, in' 1907, whilst the handwork < classes had been attended Ijy 25 as against -104 last-year. School Statistics. 7 • Tho State school statistics for Auckland educational' .distriot 'for tho : quarter ended. December .31; 1907, showed that, the liUmbcr of schools in ,the, district'on .that; date, (in-.. eluding 82 half-timo schools) 'was 484'; '.being an increase-'of. two. ;'Tho. adult tfeachers consisted of 386 riialcs and 401 females, making a total of i 787. Tho pupil leathers numbered 160 (43 .males .and 117 females'), making.a- grand total of 947. The scholars, comprised 17;4ol boiys and .15,723 gills, making a total, of 33,174, or-, an increase of , 30 as compared with' the. previous period. . : Thp average attendance of' boys was ; 14,950,' and of girls 13j198, ranking, a tcJtal of 28,148, or an-increase of 1432. .The : average attendance for. the year, 1907 wa5.28,057. ,

' CHRISTCHURCH. . " • Feb. 0. Tlio Clara Butt eouce'rfc seasoii has! been the. niost successful over . held -in Christ-, .churcli. Each night hundreds have been turned away from. His Majesty's owing to want of room, and on Monday night there were fully 300 on tho stage itself. After.tho concert a large crowd assembled in front of Warner's, and Madame Butt being informed that they were -waiting,to say good-night to her, camo out .on tho balcony. She was ; received with a storm of' cheers, and bowed her acknowledgments.' "Sing 'Homo, Sweet Home,' wag the cry from many voices, but the popular singer evidently felt that she had reached home anil was entitled .to a-rest. Thero vras a. furious sceno outaido 'the theatre soon after the doors opened. A long queue had formed outsido the live-shilling door, . .some ot>. those composing .it having been ilier.e. for fln-hour or two. The leading : files, were just gaining admission,. when four women,-who had just come up, broke through the ranks 'arid crowded into the theatre, amid the indigi'niit expostulations of the hundreds who had been waiting patiently to secure a scat. Tho queue forthwith broke up in disorder. It became a case of everyone, for himself and the; hindmost hud to remain in tho outer .darkness of the street. The "early door" system used by somo theatrical managers stands in peril of'extinction so far as Christqhurch is concerned. The City Council resolved on Monday night "that tho Bylaws Committee should consider tho qucs-

tion of making a by-law regulating the art-, mission and accommodation' of persons attending public entertainments, ancl in particular to consider (1) whether all scats in tho places of amusement should bo numbered and that tickets ,of admission should hear corresponding numbers; (2) that tho holders of sueh dockets should icta'ili the counterpart throughout the performance, and. should only bo entitled to use the seat referred to. Advancement. of Canterbury. ' Action was takon by two well-known business men in this city on behalf of tho-Ad-vancement of Canterbury Association, which it is hoped will eulminato' in a scheme, for widely advertising tlio capabilities and potentialities of this provincial district becoming, an accomplished fact.' Tho gentlemon referred to .spent the greater portion of the/day interviewing some of the principal business firms, placing beforo thom the advantages that are anticipated to result from the proposed activities of tho Association,' and securing from them guarantees of financial assistance towards the Association's funds. In every instance they wero courteously received. One of tho gontle.moii: .statfcd that tho reception accorded the emissaries of tho Association was fully as good "as lie-had anticipated. There existed n fairly strong feeling amongst a largo number of ■■■people"that something :in the nature of tlio• Association's proposals should .bo given, effect to, and he had littlo d6ubt that ohco the movomont had received definite direction it would recoive a considerable amount of support. Not only was such an Association ns the Advancement'of Canterbury' As-, sooiation ; required 'in order , to attract immigrants', to this provincial district, but it was also required to :lceop befo.re tho public tho numerous proposals, such as tho Ship Canal, which wero being mooted with the view of. advancing the interests of the; city and• distriot. In the-.nbsonco. of an associa-

tion, the principal, object of which' was to further the interests, of . tho' .district as a whole; such schomcn .wero liable to ho. sidetracked, and it would be tho'Associationls endeavour to keep them well before the public with' a view of .having, them . thoroughly in-' vestigated. ' ' ' ~ Crass Fires. In spito'of the-phenomenal'heat; and (dryness of the past'month, the railifall in this district being just-,about half an inch for tho month,. tho damage from grass 'fires-, has been , less serious than in some other-years, ' and.with the late rains and the consequent cooling of the ground tho worst dangers may be . said to have' passed. • Tho Ashburton County Council suffered a heavy loss'through .the ireccut firpyat Dromoro, as tho flames ruined; about, soventy acres of. plantation. This .is greatly to',be regretted; 'as'this body, has ■ by, its liboral tree-planting;.policy vastly .improved the .appearance and valiio of many a barren-looking and wind-swept spot. Diu> 'ing tho past fiyo years nearly £5000 has beon oxponded in planting additional reserves, and .asi the trees grow up they, not oply. afford shelter: for stock, but . prevent .-.tho. dreaded, nor'-westors from .doing anything- liko-'the. ,da'triago : they. did years ago. A Lady ...Organiser. .' Tlio- Political Labour 'party has! imported •a lady: organiser,- Miss:Powell, who for two.l years' was tho organiser of the Political Labour party in 'Now South Wales- and Yic- : toria. She is to conduct a campaign hero in the interests of Labour,, working on the samo linos as she,adopted in .Australia and in the.North,lsland. Sho told,a "Timos". reporter 'that sho is.,well satisfied with the, results'of hor efforts- at. Waihi and Karkngahako', but slip" has -not- made, a' proper- start.;,in ; NewZealand yet. In all parts of Australia, she says, there aro-good the' Labour, movement:. Socialism is its , aim',-rind' it: has, three' separate, platforms—Fedpral, Stato, and municipal.:: The-'members of .the: partj' are moro'warmly/Socialistic in Queons-, 'lan'tl -than in other. States,'-. and ...they., have made'greater progress.

DUNEDIN,

.v. ■ ■ ■■ '■ February,:6. ■•! The - "Star'.''■'says:—'"There is: littld.-.likel;-.-hood of Mr. \Vm; Earnshaw/being' acilndi;, datoat the next"'general eleotiorij as we hear that 'it is his intention, to pay "a visit to v tho Old' Country,.". r:r»-X -> Probably: no athletio .inccting\ in* : liuricdin, has attention. as'.the, forthcoming sports'],.of the D.A.A.C.. to-.bo. held, at''the-.Caledonian Ground,on Saturday; .I]cb-; ruary 15; " Entries 'easily Vconstituto ai.record for Otago, and . include the finest , of New; Zealand athletes. Advico has bccn.'recoived from .Wellington that H. Henderson, E. E. Fisher, ( and W. H. Pollock will' compote in tho sprint events, H. E: Kerr in tho ono and two-milo walks, and L. M'Kay in tho fiold events.

NAPIER.- ■■ - • February 6. , 'iu'r. C. Hall,! M.K, has received.'a'- coin-, iminication '.from tho Minister for. Railways to tlio/ ofFect that it is intended^ ■shortly' to provide'a new'aiid.up-to-date station at wik pukurnu. ' .V: ... ~. '. '. .;• : Tho recent, controversy' regarding : spontaneous combustion; was. revived iri'the most, pointed manner, at. Port Ahiiriri. vestcrday: morning when somo bales of flax were being unloaded into'-.the New Zealand •• Skipping Company's stores.' A load of the fibre had just been lifted.out- of a. waggotu' with tho exception of two bales', and one of ; those jwas about; tdVbe handled when it' broke out .into, a sudden blaze. ■ No time was lost in'extinguishing the flames, but, it was ■.forturiato that the fire took place where it did, as .had the bale-been on board V ship serious' resultsmight. have '.followed, The, flax, had not been ;grad«l, but was' of the best ,: material; and' apparently ouito dry.. It is thought probable that thp bale may have bepn set. on firo by, a stray match, as from, the'surrounding circumstances tho theory of spontaneous .comt bustion can hardly bo said to hold good. : .