LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 144, 12 March 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Customs revenue collect-ad at Wellington yesterday amounted to £1578 3s. 9d.

. The next' l term at Victoria 'Collego .will commenco on Tuosday, March 31'. ' " ~ ' ; The City Electrical Engineer has been authorised to run extra cars to Newtown and Rentoul Street from the Government station, to copo with the heavy traffic at 5 p.m.

At a meeting of the " Zoo ." Committee held injtho Newtoivn Library ! last ovening, it was dccided to organise, a concert , to, raise funds for tho purchase of a lioness, to, bo added to the collection at Newtown Park.';

Councillor Cohen mentioned to 1 tho City Council last evening that tho Athletic Park Company was advertising the property for sale. Ho wanted to know if the Council intended, taking any action in ..this matter,, which he moved should bo considered by the. Reserves Committee. The motion was adopted. ■- -• .;' . '

The Hon. G. Fowkls (Minister for Health) was both surprised and pleased to sco the amount of work being done by Maoris in parts visited, during his East Coast trip in improving- .their lands, and .in their sheep and cattle-farming. The Minister thinks the extension of tho railway from Gisborne. to Ratorua, one of the most urgeut works in tho near future. . ' :

In answer to a question, t-ho'Mayor stated, at tho meeting ,of the City Council last evening that a stone; wall, faced with rubble; wbuld bb erected round the beach at Oriental Bay. Iti responso to tho desire-of residents, ho thought that tlioy might get back tho'wall twenty foet' higher up the boach' than had been at first intended, so that sufficient shallow, wator plight bo left in which the children cou'd disport themselves. ' The work would bo comnicncod in two or three weeks. : The alteration was approvpd; -. ' ;

While travelling on the East Coast, the Hon. G. Fowlds found , that in the Gisbonie electorate a good - many people • expected that no-license would-be carried at tho next election.. -There, was one certain, said the Minister, thoy ,;Coiild not reduco the character of, some of the accommodation houses; by carrying no-license. • Some' of tho' hotels lin those .parts were the', poqvest ho had over put up at ,in Now/,Zealand. The bpst acpommodatiqn hp, ; coi|ld,ge'tJwas..at un- : licensed houses, i,ji , i', ,

Thoderk of Awards (Mr. Stubbs) has re-: ccivqd from .Mr, Richard Mayze, chairman of a sppcial meeting. of. tho > Wellington'< Gatf Stokers'; and .Colters' Industrial, Union 'of Workers, held on February 24, notification 1 that tho,-.following resolution 'was! passed »t. the meeting—-"That.the/dispute of the .Union with the .Wellington Ga's Company, 'Ltd,, rp Hours ,of work, rates .of. pay, and other matters relating to gas stoking be referred (o the' Conciliation .''.'Board...' for settlement." Upon being submitted to a ballot, . this resolution was, it was stated, carried by, twenty-five votes to nil.

The Commission appointed to report in connection with the adjustment of. financial matters .between the Hutt County Council and the Eastbourne Borough Council did not sit again, yesterday afternoon,' as was originally arranged, but will;do'so'on Wednesday next, when it' is probable that the .EaVtbourne Borough' Council will give notico of its intention to apply to'the Supremo Court for directions, with reference to the powers of tho Commissioner/ (Mr. W. S. ShOrt) in the matter.,of .past/accounts, and tho.-Bor-ough' Council's right to an. interest in tho real and'personal property of ■ tho Hutt County.

. Tho new Police Barracks at Nowtown will bo an-unpretentious-looking building. Constructed of, wood, in two'; storios, with a verandah running along three-fourthg of its. front, it. will look very liko a largo domestic residence. It will not be much observed, for it will stand back on a large section,; 134 ft; by 225 ft., approached by a right-of-way, only 10ft. wide, from Rintoul Streot. The police offices and a lock-up will bo .situatod; on either side of ' this entrance, . and further back will stand, jon different corners of the section, a sergeants' houso and the barracks for recruits. The'barracks will bavo a frontage of 57ft., 6in., and a total depth of 67ft. On . the bottom floor', will bo a classroom, library, caretaker's rooms, moss-room, and office. . Upstairs will be sloeping. accommodation, divided into single cubicles, for sixteen constables, . 'together with baths, lavatories, otc. Tho sura of £1500 was voted for theso buildings last session,' and their construction has just been, authorised by Cabinet.

The Married Persons' Summary Separation Act' of 1896 was brought under special notice at the "Magistrate's Court yesterday. The Act in question provides that a' husband separated from, his wife by an order of the Stipondiary Magistrate shall pay a reasonable weekly sum for the wife's maintenance, and also makes provision that satisfactory security' for compliance with tho order for such payment shall bo. given. Mr. Riddoll, S.M., was asked to make an order in a case laid under the above Act,. the! husband having consented to a payment of 355. per week to the and three children. Defendant, held a property when tho . order was first' made,: but' subsequently sold it 1 and came out with £600 to the good. Counsel for tho defence, Mr. Herdman, argued that. £100 would be security, but Mr. • Atkinson, for the wife, < argued ihat this was not sufficient." 'After .''coniidoring tho matter His Worship held that: £100 was not sufficient security, and ordered defendant to doposit £300, which was to be irivosted;by tho Court or tho solicitors for the parties. . , :

, Mr*. Etlicl n. Do Costa, LL.B. (nee fllln 151 hoi R. Benjamin, ofDunedin), after practising for some, years.'in-.that city, lias commenced practico as' a barrister and solicitor in No. 0 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Feathorston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. De Costa lias the distinction' of being the only .lady practising at tho Bar in the ' Dominion"'ln>': tending clients can depend on prompt and _p*"«i'ui Atf«ntion at Mta, Do posta's bandst

Tuosday next (St. Patrick's Day) will tie obsorved as a Bank holiday.

The members of the City Council will pay a visit of inspection to the Karon dam. this afternoon.

A special meeting of tho Sanitation Com-; mitteo of tho Onslow Borough Council is to bo held on March 25, to'consider the report of tho Engineer on the sanitation scheme for tho North Ward, a' summary of which has beon published.

At a meeting of the Society of Friends held last night at the Friends' Hostel in Murphy Strcot, it was decided to start an adult school on the lines, of those at.Home; Tho first adult school' class .will meet on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock in the Druids' Hall for men only. These classes nro nonscctarian. The Auckland school has been in existenco for seventeen years.

In reply, to Councillor Cohen,'who alleged that tho way in which the houses were being ro-numbored was so unsatisfactory that- the Council should not allow the work t-o proceed, tho Mayor stated last night'that 'if tho Council wished'to interfere, it would have tc rescind the resolution confirming the igrccment with tho contractor. Tho matter was, ho continued, one which would receive wly attention. '

A now departuro is being mado by tho Education Department in. insuring; in tlio Stato office, tho complete equipment of all tho public school cadet corps in ; tlio Dominion. Tho equipmont of individual corps ranges in value from £25 to £100. ' The premium will bo paid out'of .tlio"Government's capit-ation allowance.. Several times in the past cadet accoutrements, and arms have beon dostroyed by fires that havd cccurrcd in-New' Zealand schools. • •

' The unpleasant odour which/Vpollutes' the air between Kaiwarra and Ngahauraiiga was .the subject of somo discussion at last night's meeting of. tho Onslow Borough Council; Several councillors remarked on' the strength of the smell which, according to ono speaker, " was at times simply unbearable." A letter was also received from a ratepayer complaining about this-stench, and asking that the. Council should take steps to liave it remedied. It was, resolved to write to the owners of tho works from, which' tho smell is supposed to omanato' in reference to the matter,. v

The New Zealand Rugby, Union has given notice to .tho. Sports'- Federation of its 'intention to; move that Clause 7, which makes provision for \ disqualifications- being made general, be amended by the addition of the following words" Provided 'that in regard to disqualifications imposed by any affiliated body prior to the constitution of the Federation," such'.application! shall-be made within, twolvo months from the constitution of. tho, Federation,', and that in regard to rll disqualifications imposed since the institution of .tho Federation, such' applicationshall she made'within fourteen days of the .imposition of sucli disqualification."

Tho Maori in,..tho back-blocks forms a great attachment; to 'the European teacher.; The Minister for' Education was urged on several occasions, during his tour, to let the toacher remain for ever, and"ever,"and ever. In one' of 'these'cases'; the Ministor' said he was unablo 'to promise' this, because', the toacher ' was' a \becomsng ' unmarried lady ! The Maori school teachers, states the Minister. did invaluablo work in the- schools, and also in cases of sickness, 1 sometimes tak-; 'ingVtty children into' their homfe atid' nursing them. ~ He ; regarded thesb^teacli'ers' as tho' most j valuable agency: 'at' : -work '-ih'' the' olevation or tiie iuaori people; r : V , • ' " '

: Consideration ! of .tho.'; following ' motions, proposed by' Councillors Bi'ss arid Fisher' respectively, has beon postponed' until the next meeting of, the Council':—"That a committes of five members of tho Council bo set up to deal with all matters affeoting the Fire Brigade of jthis, city, ; ..such cbnlmittfie to' submit a coiriproheiisive report 1 within' six .weeks, 'more especially with- • regard~ to. stations, plant, and .men." , " That a committee bo sot up, consisting of thb' iVhole'Council, for tho purpose • of considering 'tho question of taking-over the. rights .and, interests of the Kelburne 'and Karbri framway Coriipany,; the committee to report to the Council at the curliest possible date, three to be a.quorum."

Several matters' wi11... come up far. consideration at the meeting of the Management .Committee: of., tho. New V Zealand Rugby Union to-night.'- The Buller and Marlborough Unions have appliod for matches ivith the, British team. As 1 arranged: at' presont, ' the itinerary provides " for. . matches against Marlborough and Nelson (combined) and Biillor and West. '.'Co^st'(combined). Then; again; the matter of arranging tho number of matches to be played by; the British team in Now South Wales and Queensland, and tho towns in which they shall bo played, will bo dealt with. Consequent upon applications .from tho/Otago and Auckland Union's, the question of holding three' test matches, instead of one, against tho British team, will again be considered.

The Councillors of Onslow Borough have a grievance against tho railway authorities. It is stated that ; a custom has grown up of dropping refuse from .the dining cars out on to tho railway 'line,''the result being that fish- bones and .other offensive ; matter is left to bleach in the sun. At last night's meeting of the Council it was stated that complaints had been' inado previously about tho same practice, but the nuisance had not abated. In fact, it had got worso.. It was pointed out that remnants of food and ; decayed fruit wore to ho seen all along the line, and two Councillors testified to ha'ving seen tho rubbish, dropped from tlie train. A suggestion was put forward that the matter should bo 'reported to the Health Department, and it was eventually decided to again, endeavour ,to check the practice.

The Pominion medal which the Government devised to delight the hearts of -all its school children, and; impress on them i a faot .in history, is very lato in making its appearance. The medals'wero to have .been distributed by February 28, but it will be two moiiths yet, according to official computation, beforo they dangle on tho necks of' school girls and are "swapped" by boys. The explanation is that great difficulty has bpen oxperionced in achioving a really, satisfactory design."'Tho contractors, Messrs.- C. Moiler and Sons, have been ,at much pains in tho matter, and are not. to blame for tho delay. A design has just been approved,, and in two months moro tho.medals should be available for distribution. On tho obverse will be depicted the King's head, between the Union Jack and New Zealand ensign; with an inscription round . the . border " Dominion of Now Zealand." TKe'reyerse side will have a border: of fern loaves, with the (inscription, " Presontod 'to tho children attending the schools of tho Dominion," and, round a circle, "Now Zealand proclaimed a Dominion, September' 26, 1907;"

All ladies desiring to beautify their hair, also render, it. glossy and in : good conditiftn for tho various balls, etc., during the coming season should now book appointments with Mrs. Holleston, Hair Physician, of S Willis Street ■ (over, Carroll's).. Courses of-treatmont, including necessary lotions, from 80s. Advice freo. Tel 15S» ■ "*152.