IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 190, 6 May 1908, Page 8

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(BT TELZGRAPil —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.) • « AUCKLAND. May 5. In tho text of the peition SDiit to Peking by th" Auckland Chincso occurs tho following:—"Wo arcs prctr.l to say that tho Chinese residents in the Dominion to-day are peaceful, hardworking, and law-abiding members of tho community. Thcso Chinese residents may well bo cited as a good example to many thousands of Europeans in tho Dominion, in that law-breakers amongst them are extremely few, and that offences aro committed aro of a minor character." St. John Ambulance Association. Speaking at tho annual meeting of. the St. John Ambulance Association, tho Governor said the work of tho Auckland Centre must bo a great satisfaction to those associated in it when they realised that it was so thoroughly appreciated by tho public. Olio small criticism ho would liko to make. He did not think tho work was brought prominently enough beforo the public. He felt suro that if certain incidents connccted with tho operations of tho Association's members, were mado known from timo to time, they would mako a very strong appeal to tho public. Tho Association was one which was very closely akin to that instituted locally by Lady Plunket, and a 11 limber of tho ladies of Auckland. The "Plunket Nurses," he thought, woro very closely connected in this work with tho St. John Ambulance Association, and lie hoped it might bo possiblo for a number of tho Association's students to attond tho Plunket Nurses' lectures.* Ho felt assured that a largo amount of good would accrue from a combination of tho two ' organisations. (Applause.) ■ The Laundry at Gostley Home. At tho mooting of the Hospital and Cliaritablo Aid Board yesterday Mr. M. J. Coylo brought up tho question of tho condition of tho laundry at tho Cost-ley Homo. The Chairman, howoi'er, ruled that as the question had been referred to a committee of three ho oould not allow any discussion on tho matter. This immediately brought forth a sharp retort from Mr. Coylo, who declared that lie was not going to wait until "doomsday" for tho committee .to submit its report. "Tho laundry, at tho Cost-ley Home,".he went-on, "is a standing disgrace. It is absolutely filthy, and if a private linn were allowed to carry it 011 under.'the same conditions it would bo howled down." The' Chairman explained that the'committee's report would have been presented at that meeting, but for an unfortunate mistake. It would, however, bo available for the next meeting of tho Board. Conservatorium of Music. . Tho Auckland Society of Musicians'last - night discussed tho proposal of tho TJniver- . sity Senate to establish a conservatorium of music.in the Doniinic-n. The Presideiitof'the. Society (Mr. R. -.Leslie Hunt) explained the position-of affairs to the members and visitors, while Mr. W. H. Web bo (vice-president^ ■ gave .a. very lucid account of the. argument? on both 6id-c-3. Tho petition against .tho proposal, which lias been largely signed by the various 'societies of musicians throughout-the Dominion and by, outside teachers as. .well, Was alsorc-ad. Mr. Kahn.spoke for tho outside teachers. On tho motion .of Mi;. ..Hunt, seconded by Mr. J. P.- Bennett,'a resolution was ■ passed protesting against the. establishment ; cfi a conservatorium of music in tho . Dominion. , Charitable, Aid, In "Mercutia's"' notes, published in. Saturday's " Herald," appeared a paragraph stating that investigation in a southern city showed that 110 inconsiderablo part of tho local Charitable Aid Board's relief money ; had beon undeservingly bestowed, and that thoro was a suspicion that if similar, investigations are made here, it . would show similar . results. Referring to this at tho meeting . of tho Auckland Hospital and 'Charitable ; Aid Board yesterday, Mr. L. P. 'Bagiiall 1 said; lio thought that if tho samo inquiry were made, hero it would be.found that there •were not many cases in which exception , could be taken to the expenditure. Possibly ! two years ago it might- havo been true ,to 1 a certain extent, but it was not so now, : as' tho expenditure,in charitable aid since ■ then had been reduced by £800 per annum, . or nearly £16 per week. ' He thought it ; only right that' this should ho made ..known . to tho Board and to the Ife reflected • very great credit, lie said, upon the officer i 111' charge of tho department.' ' . Accidents. The Governor, who' was present at the annual meeting of tho Auckland Centre, of tho St.. John- Ambulance Association last evening,, felt himself called up'oii to refute an aspersion cast on the Auckland niotor- [ cars. Previously Mr. J. J. Holland had mentioned the 'necessity for an up-to-dato ambulance wagon. " What with tramway ; accidents and motor-cars',"''ho..said;' "aii ' ambulanco wagon is .wanted, more, and.'moro 1 as time' goes. on -" Lord Plunket took exception to the inference that the automobile i was responsible for accidents. "In Auckland," snid His Excellency,' "the motor-car ' , is very harmless. a little-smelly, a [ 'little noisy, and a little .dusty,. it is true, ! our motor-cars never run. over anything. Some, peoplo say we cannot, go fast enough for that, becauso the roads aro so bad. -Wo 1 are carefuL beyond all words." [ - . L DUNEDIN. r May 5. The special correspondent of the "Star" 1 telegraphs that there was ,a little, mild exj citemcnt in Invorcargill this morning, caused 1 through Mr. Tom Leyden, ah old University 1/ footballer, finding -near the Heads a ; largo ; piece of what was supposed to bo ambergris. It wofched 441b5., and the; value was esti? 5 mated at £3000. TII3 stuff, however, turned out to bo, nothing better than a lump,of 1 paraffin' jettisoned from some passing ship, i and worth about half a sovoroi£n. Tlio finder > carried his prize ten milos, so that instead 5 of being rewarded at tho rate of £300 per j milo for his labour, ho gets only one shil- . ling a mile. 1 A Brewery Eusinoss. The brewery business of Stracjian and Co., ono of the oldest in tho colon}', has changed 1 hands. Tho purchasers are prominent sliare--3 holders in tho business of Speight and Co. > It is understood that other parties were . negotiating with a view to purehaso, and ! that the Speight folk thereupon promptly 3 closed at tho vendbrs' figure—something over r £10,000.' . - . ■ i CiIRISTCHURCH. > . . May. 5. Tho truth of tho saving that ono-story is ' good until the'other side has been told has ' just received further exemplification. Sir. ' T. B. Taylor has been making considerable capital out of the. fact that the rates -in > Oamaru havo been reduced by 3d.-in tho £, ' owing entirely to No-license. The roahrea- ' son which caused the. reduction of tho-rates ; in that borough is, however, asserted by a ' newspaper correspondent to be the increased 5 rental from the reserves belonging to the 5 borough which were recently held by Messrs. ' Campbell and Co., along with tho Otckaike " Estato which has just boon acquired by the Government. These reserves havo just been 5 re-let at a very much increased rental, and J if No-licenso had not been carried the rcduc- ' tion in rates would have been still greater. > ■ I Labour Matters. 1 At its meeting on Saturday night the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council rci solved to protest strongly against any, lcgis- . lation being introduced which would make any difference botween single and married s men's wages, and it decided further in favj our of tho principle of equal pay for equal . work; also that the Government be urged to 5 oppose, any amendment to tho Industrial r Conciliation and Arbitration Act, whereby tho j farm workers would be excluded from the - benefits of tho Act. Tho suggestion for such an amendment had, it was. stated,_ been freely circulated throughout the Dominion. It was further resolved to communicate the c. resolution to all councils, and through them to all tho Industrial Unions in the Dominion, I requesting their support in the matter.