IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 150, 19 March 1908, Page 9

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(BT TELEGRAM— SPECIAL COItRESrONDENTS.) -—• AUCKLAND. March 18. ' Tho advantages of ferro-concreto in the. construction ol' tho wharf were referred to by the chairman of the Auckland Harbour 'Board (Hon. K Mitchelson) at yesterday's meeting-of that body. Ho said that he . was now thoroughly satisfied that tho Board •should not employ any other material in its work. Members had only to go down to the Queen Street Wharf to soo tho great deterioration in wooden wharf structures. Of 'course ho blamed the great extent of the deterioration to tho fact that tho Board in the past confined itself, to tho use of kauri timber, which was unsuitable for wharves. It was a surprise to him that Queen Street Wharf had not collapsed long ago, for the timbers were in some places rotten. Last year-the coat of maintenance ran into £1900, so that unless the wooden structures were ■ done away with the expense of upkeep' would be very great. Dralnago Scheme. ' In connection with the drainage scheme, now tho burning topic here, tho Auckland Harbour Board has decided to abido by tho advice of Mr. Midgley Taylor to tho City Council, and not to seek expert opinions regarding a placo of outfall for sewage on its own account. Thus the various local bodies are forced either to join in the city drainage scheme or devise ono for themselves i-nde- ' pendent of an outlet into tho harbour. Tho chairman of the Board stated'at yesterday's meeting that this question was ono which had received-great consideration,, not only from the Board but from other boards, and resolutions had been passed prohibiting tho discharge of sowago into tho harbour. Tho local bodies concerned had received notice .on several occasions that tho practice must cease, but tho notices wore not enforced becauso tho Board knew that the City Council was in negotiation with one/of the foremost sanitary engineering firms in the. world, and it was so largo a question and so largo an expenditure was involved that it.was not advisable to take action before. , Tho time had now como, however, when all theso local bodies on the south 1 sido of tho harbour should bo notified that unless thoy took advantage or tho opportunity of utilising the ma'in sewer that was to bo constructed by. the City Council they must take some other moaps than 'tho harbour, for 'disposal . of sewage, as it was certain the Board could not allow any local body to, discharge sowrage except at Okaihu Point (the'place selected for the city outfall). • Devonport would also have to receivo 1 notioo to placo it 3 sowago. outfall 10ft. below low water. " Incendiarism Suspeoted. ( The frequency of fires within the Newmarket area aud neighbourhood of late has led to tho suspicion that, an 1 incendiary is at work. 'Yesterday afternoon a further discovery was made which lends colour to. tlio assumption. On going into her washliouse a housewife in the locality discovered thatthe boards in one corner had, been saturated with kerosene. The matter was reported to'tho police., -\ Legislative Council. : , A writer of labour notes iii the ."Herald" says:—Tho opinion is . expressed in well-in-formed circles that Mr. Robert Slater will be appointed to one of tho vacant seats in the Legislative Council. Tho special knowledge gained, by Mr, Slater while on the Bench of tile Arbitration, Court gives him'an advantage over any other Labour nominees that may he suggested, and his appoinment would give universal satisfaction to the workers. Prom time .to time the actual majority gained by Mr.' M'Cullough over Mr. Slatir for 'tho p.ositioiv of workers' representative on the Bench of the Arbitration Court, has been discussed; and rumour lias it that though Mr; M'Cullough had a majority ' of.' Unions,' Mr. Slatpr had a majority of Unionist®. This is utisatisfactqry,:fiuKl ; ' the-, feeling is' expressed that authoritative figurds ■should :be given by the Government, and all Labourites are going 10 .try to secure, through' soino.'/of ;the' li.'P.'s, , a'.return' showing' too-, 'actual figures of the, votes recorded. 1 .

CHRISTCHURCH.

March IS. . 'The recent interview, between tho dairymen .of .Halswoll and the Minister for, Agriculture regarding tho dairy regulations appears to have'been less satisfactory, than was thought'.' The dairymen held another 'meeting to discuss the matter. The chairman said tho dairymen had considered tho Minister's reply to tho deputation, and arrived at tho, conclusion that it was very :uiisatisfact<>jy.' Mr.'G., Witty, had telegraphed' to Mr. McNab.'asking him if the regulations were to bo enforced. , Tho, Minister to tho effect that in regard to\ tho. question of one bail for"each icotf, a" decision would bo .arrived atshortlyand would bo. submitted 'to tho parties! This was also unsatisfactory, as it did not state definitely whether or. not dairymen' had to' erect the necessary bails. Mr. Witty had stated tlmt, in his opinion, tho regulations would not' be put into operation at present. : The committeo appointed at the'list meeting had.drawn up a petition' to tho Minister asking'for reasonablo regulations in'regard-to, dairies. \ They thought that one bail would be sufficient, for three cows.; The. race should bft dono away with, and instead, tho cow yard, for a'space of 20 feet in'.front of'tho milking-shed; should bo concreted. This would allow the cows to knock tho mud off their hoofs before they were bailed. Tho unlimited power given to tho inspector ■ was taken exception to,; and' regulations were required defining exactly what tho dairymen had to do in referenca to tho style of shed, utensils, etc. It whs unanimously .decided-to support the petition. "Sweated" Sovereigns. . .. A sovereign. whicli, when placed on tho scales weighed just - sufficient to ba worth about 155.,' has been shown to a Press representative—"sweated" '"aiid v burnished afterwards. As the ■ milled edgo showed no signs of wear, . tho coin was /accepted over . the. counter of the General Post Office, and it. appears that, a number of them similarly manipulated are in circulation, as one was ihauded in and accepted at the Lichfield Street Post Office recently. The Recont Fire. ' Tho demolition of the ruins of the late firo is proceeding slowly. On Monday the walls of Messrs, Malcolm and -Co.'s premises in Lichfield Street were pulled down. The removal of debris is being carried on in some places, but, -as the labour, is ■ attended with spmo difficulty/t-ho progress is hardly appreciable. It is frequently found that even now, six weeks after the fire, masses of debris are red hot in tho interior, though on the outside there is 110 indication of. fire beneath; On Monday, an engine was sent to play on tho ruins in -WardeH's factory, where the worktnon had uncovered a brisk fire, which'.only required fresh to cause trouble.