IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 176, 20 April 1908, Page 8

IN OTHER CENTRES.

| (DT TELSGRAPfI SPECIAL COP.RE3PONDEST9.)

; « . AUCKLAND. April 17. Preliminary stops are now being taken in Labour circles towards selecting and endorsing Labour candidates for the next general elections. In Auckland the Trades and Labour Council lias sot up, in conjunction with the Political Labour League, a committee to draw up a lighting platform, and consideration as to who will be the endorsed Labour candidates for Auckland City will soon be undertaken. In Ohinemuri the Political Labour League is likely to run a candidate, and present appearances point to Mr. It. P. Way being the nominee. • Immense Waterspouts. ; Tile barque Northern Chief, which has arrived from Newcastle, had a somewhat unique experience. On April 5 the barque was about a day|s sail from Cape Maria Van l)ic/nen, when suddenly three imnienso waterspouts were observed. One was on the port bow, another on the port beam, and , the third oil the starboard side of the barque. "It was a grand and impressive sight," said Captain Spruit, the master,. "to see the immensity of the spouts and the tremendous amount of water which they carried. At the same time, 1 was not sorry when they made their disappearance, the ocean being disturbed for a long distance." Manukau Harbour. Tho Harbour Board has decided to instruct its solicitors to prepare a Bill for presentation to Parliament, enabling it to assume control' of tho Manukau Harbour. The "Herald," in commenting. favourably upon this action, .remarks: There has always'been a grudging disposition displayed towards Onehuuga, and no activity whatever has been shown in making its wharfage adequate for its trade, or its harbour fairway deep enough for its vessels. At the present moment there is even less consideration shown it than usual, scanty as is the consideration it received at the best. The Government affects to think that the opening of the AucklandWclliiig ton connection will undermine the prosperity and check the progress of this western gateway of the northern'.metropolis, and, has therefore ceased to mako any improvement to the Manukau Harbour, and refuses to consider applications for tho better equipment of tho Onehuiiga wharfage. The Government apparently only knows Onoliunga arid the Manukau in connection with the railway service, and although this may bo merely an oxcuso to avoid spending money in the North, it has the very practical effect jf suspending all expenditure of Government money upon a harbour and, wharf ago which ire still'under departmental' control. We iro most emphatically of opinion that the jpening of the Main Trunk , will have no permanent effect upon the Onehunga trade )r upon the uso made of the Manukau, and ,vc sympathise altogether 1 with the indigna;io.n of Onehunga at its" most cavalier treatment by the Government. » Education. . , ' Discussing tho report of Inspector Burniide oil the year's school work, tho Education Board yesterday paid some attention to tho clause wherein the' Inspector asserted ihat, where . the • younger teachers were, jfficiency predominated. Mr. J. Stallworthy, M.P., said he would like to'know how.'far ;his was in accordance with fact. It seemed •ather strange to him that the eldor teachers vero not keoping pace, with the younger. ; Vir. C. W. Parr said he had no. doubt that vhat the Inspector meant was that when a nan reached tho sere and yellow : leaf, lie laturally lacked the vigour . and mental , lapacity of tho man .in the full primo of ife. Mr. Stallworthy thereupon asked if iho Board employed any teacho'rs over\Go rears of age, and was answered in >ive. "This is the first time," said."the nember, "we have had it from an Inspector Jiat ho prefers young to old, though, freluent ' complaints have been mado . that loachers of long standing do not get much idjrancement." \ Fog. A dense fog hung over the harbour yeserday morning, and kept tho mastera of the erry steamers oil the':alcrt; Tho fog was 6_'thick that it was necessary- for the; captains of the steamers to constantly sound ihe boats' whistles. ' In spite of this, howivor,' a collision, nearly occurred between two . orry boats, which came to within a few ■ards of olio another, while passing in the larbour. The fog was also very thick in langitoto Channel Tho Manukau Harbour vas likewise enveloped in fog yesterday norning, "and as a result, shipping was inerfered ; wiSh. The Union Company's lotoiti did not reach port until; nearly 11 •'clock, not having beon able 'to pick uphe' land.' The same Company's collier iotuku left Onehunga Wharf at 8.15, but ifter proceeding about three miles down the larbour anchored until shortly before noon, when she got away safely. At '9.30 o'clock the .Northern' Company's steamer Waitangi left Onehunga, for Raglan and Kawhia, but had the misfortuno to run upon a bank, > whore she remained fast last evening. DUNEDIN. April 17. "No fewer than 25 marriages were solemnised in Dunedin on Thursday, and at St. , Joseph's on Sunday last the. banns' Were published of 15 couples who arc married 'on Easter Monday. - Price of Gas. Tho Corporation is recommended by its GasvCominittee to reduce the price of gas : to ss. all round. '. ; A Collision. . • A slight collision occurred at Port Chal- ; ; mers yesterday between the Union Company's \ steamer Kittawa and the steamer Surrey,- , while the former was coming to the wharves to discharge part of her coal cargo into one , of the . hulks. The Kittawa's engines had been stopped, and she was coming up slowly on the flood tide and with a fair wind. To ■ get'to tho hulk she had to pass between the Den of Ruthven and the Surrey, and ,in doing this the tide swung her stern round ] and Tieaded her bow towards the Surrey. The < Kittawa's anchor -was, immediately ; dropped, but this did not prevent her from ( bumping the Surrey with sufficient force for ' tho anchor on the Kittawa's starboard bow to crack a plate in the Surrey's/ side. Lloyd's surveyor made an inspection this afternoon, aijd found that the damage was , not. of a serious nature. Temporary re- , pairs were effected and final repairs: will be ~ carried out when the ship reaches'the Old j Country. ; , ■ J Builders and Architects. 1 The name of Mr. C. Fleming M'Donald, j of Napier, having been mentioned in the rev , cent correspondence oil the subject of a com- , bination between builders and architects, that gentloman publishes a letter which is of much importance. He writes:—"lt was ' generally known that it was my intention to 1 tender for the erection of the Express Com- ' pauy's building, and shortly after my arrival in Dunedin I received a letter from -the local builders' association, requesting me to J support them in their decision not to tender ' for this particular work for reasons which . have since been made public. I declined to ' become a party to the agreement, and gave j some of my reasons. Next' I heard a report that it wa-s the intention' of the Builders' , Association to boycott not only the builder i who would undertake the work, but" all ; those who would .supply him with material. ; While I was not prepared to believe that the Builders' Association would' be guilty of [ such un-British procedure. I recognised that, . if true, tho position would be grave in the -j extreme, and apprised t-hose merchants from 1 whom I had previously obtained quotations ; of what I had heard, so tli.it they might have the opportunity; of withdrawing or con- * firming the quotation .in the face of tho pos- ® sible boycott."