LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 162, 2 April 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

• — -o— — ' '■ S ; . ,- /■ The Customs revenue collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £1970 183. lid. Tlio agreement arrived at by the parties to the Federated Seamen's dispute has been filed, and application will be' made to the Arbitration Court to embody it in an award. The Mutual Trading Company insert particulars of-their usual weekly stock sale at Carterton. Included in the list is tho purebred flock of English Leicester sheep owned by Messrs. Auketell Bros. These are a perpetuation of the flock of this breed kept by the late Mr.E. J. Tully. ..... ■ It-was freely reported in .the Government Buildings yesterday that an - officer in one of the Departments had been waylaid whilst going through the Botai«<cal Gardens •on Tuesday night and robbed of £7. It is stated that the man was - attacked suddenly, and seized by the-throat whilst his pockets were boing rifled. The happening ha? been reported 'to' the .police, who havo. the matter in hand. The Convalescent Home Trustees met yesterdny. There were present: — Mesdames Brandon, (in the chair), Grady, Moorhouse, Newman (acting secretary), Barron (treasurer), and MisS'Coatos. The matron reported that fourteen patients had been admitted and thirteen discharged. 'She acknowledges with thanks gifts from Mrs. Pauli and Messrs. Rot-heram and Snaddon. The clerk of the Johnsonville Town Board, Mr. J., W. Braitliwaite, had tho novel experience of prosecuting himself in the Magistrate's Court yesterday for being the owner of a horse found wandering in a public street. The, by-laws of the borough lay it' down that tljo Town' Clerk must' prosecute owners of horses or cattle found wandering on a public road. Mr. Braithwaite's horse wandered at large, and was duly impounded, tho result being that the Town Clerk was forced to come-into Court and prosecute himself. A conviction and order, to pay 28s. costs was the result. The Government , steamer, Tutanekai ..returned -to; .Wellington shortly before midnight oil-Tuesday, having completed' laying the ..cable connecting D'Urvillo Island with; Stephens-Island; arid also'the one between D'TJrville island and Elmslie Bay.' This work was * carried out in very creditable time, favourable weather aiding the operations. The Telegraph Department, it is understood, will 'commence the shore work in cphnoction - with - the' cables almost immediately. Tlip Tutanekai is at present'unshipping the spare cablo and cable gear preparatory ; to going on the. Patent Slip., next week for,overhaul and survey. The vessel will bo engaged 'during the Easter holidays in''conveying volunteers to and from Nelson and Picton. '•' Why go to Rotorua when you. can have a sulphur, batli at home ? . Many ' scientists, have sought to liquefy sulphur, but have had to give it up , and vote it an insoluble quantity. ' Thero' is,-however, way' to ( do most things if wo poor mortals have the fortune to strike it, and sulphur in solution has been • obtained by Mr. Frank Cotton, of Sydney,- .who.' is described by a Wellington friend of his as 'a genius, and one whose inventions are claiming tho; attentions; of some of the highost industrial and .naval authorities,' in the world. Mr., Cotton's sulphur in solution, is a watery, pink-coloured fluid, which " smells like Rotorua." A small quantity, of the-solution in a bath is'said to liavo the same effect as the sulphur, baths of tho northern thermal district. A now and somewhat peculiar - point, has boon raised in reference, to the much-dis-cussed Superannuation Act. The annuity paid under, this Act' is on the retiring officer's latest salary, which in the,great majority of cases-represents the highest salary to which ho has attained. There are a few cases, however, in which officers whose'salaries were cut down among the retrenchments of the Atkinson Government, are stillreceiving less remuneration for their ser-, vicos than they' then enjoyed. This is the caso, despite' Ministerial statements, made at intervals in the past to the,effect that all such officers have , had their former salaries restored. It is suggested that the: retiring allowance of these officers should be basod on their highest salary, as in all other cases, and not on the diminished salary which' they may bo drawing immediately boforo retirement. - '<

The Canadian Fisheries Department have been better than their/word in respect' of. the consignment of Atlantic salmon ova,' which Sir. C. L. Ayson, manager of the Hakateremea hatchery, went to Vancouver to fetch. The New Zealand Marino Department asked for half a,million; the Canadian Department replied that it could not possibly supply more than 100,000. Yesterday Mr. C. F. Ayson arrived back, by tho Warrimoo, from Sydney, with 140,000. Ho informed a Dominion representative that ho had made a careful examination, and found the ova still in excellent condition.It is not expected that more .than one or two per cent, at most will bo damaged in transit to Lake To Anau, whore Mr. L. P. Ayspn, Inspector of Fisheries, has erected a special hatchery for them. Mr. L. F; Ayson left by tho Maori yesterday to take tho ova to Lake To A'nau, whenco tho young salmon, when they aro hatched, will be liberated into tho hoad-wators of tho Waiau River. Mr. C. L. Ayson went South by tho same boat- on his way to Hakateremea.

. Mrs. Ethel H. <Ie Costa, LL.B. (noo Miss Ethel R. Benjamin, of Duncdin), after practising for Bomo years in that city, has commenced practice as a barrister and solicitor in No. G. Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Featherston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. De Costa has tho distinction of beinpc the only lady practising at tho Bar in the Dominion. Intending olients can depend oil prompt and careful attention at Mra. De Costa's hands.

The volunteer special Saturday train, which leaves Wellington for Trentham at 1.45 p.m., to convey the shooting men to the range, will not run on Saturday | next. The working plans of the new Wellington Post Office havo now been finally approved by tlio Postal Department, and tenders for the erection of tho building will be called in a fow weeks' time. Boring operations aro being conducted on the Wellington Gas Company's property at Miramar for the purpose of securing a/supply of artesian water for tho Company's new works in that borough.. Tho Now Zealand Government training ship Amokura is expected to leave Motuhihi Island to-day for Auckland, where fresh water and provisions will be shipped ■in readiness for the continuance of her Northern cruise, which was postponed through sevoral cases of measles occurring 011 board. Tho Marino Department advise that the lads who contracted measles have now quite recovered. .. , The plans of a large four-story building to be erected in Featlierston Street for.'Messrs. Rowley . and Gill (local agents for the Norwich Union Company) have'been completed by Messrs. Maisey and Johns. The front elevation will be finished in pressed bricks] and polished granite,' and the floors, which will be connected by an electric'lift, will be laid out in the form of suites of up-to-date offices to suit tenants. The latest number of the Bulletin of tho First New Zealand Mounted Rifles' Association, .comprising members of the First Contingent sent from New Zealand to South Africa, is to hand. The Editor, Mr. Claude L. Jewell, has as usual compiled an interesting budget of gossip about contijigeriters and their doings, and also includes a spirited set of; verses from his own pen, which appeared in" tho " Lone' Hand," under the title, "My Mate." "The First" owes .much to Mr. Jewell for his enthusiasm in keeping alive old memories, and in placing old comrades in frequent touch with one anothor. ■ ' Through the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour and >Ma.rineV Mr. W. T.'Young, secretary of the Wellington Branch - of the Australasian Federated Seamen's' Union; has succeeded in securing an increase of 10s. a month in the wages ' ofsailors, : ordinary firemen, trimmers, arid greasers ,on the Government steamers Tutanekai and Hinemoa. Even sinco'lß93 the wages those classes of labour on the. Government steamers have boon 10s. a. month higher than on privatelyowned vessels, but the shipowners have just conceded a rise of that amount.The 1 Government, firiwever, has decided to keep ahead. The increases,;'in each caso, took effect yesterday.'- , -. "•