LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 224, 15 June 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

9The Northern Company's steamer Rarawa left Onehunga for Now Plymouth yesterday afternoon with Suez and Amorioan mails aboard for Wellington. It was Reported that she would cross the bar at 6 p.m.j and so should connect with tho express at New Plymouth to-day, tho mails arriving here this evening. ' .With tho passinc of summer most of tho fruit costers' barrows hscve disappeared from tho streets, but Inspector Doyle's troubles with tho men aro not over. One of them, who is alleged to havo wandered frequently, from his allotted stand, is to como before tho Magistrate next Wednesday, when it is expected that the powers of the City Corporation and the rights of tho iM (alesmeu w"' be fully dlsoimed.

Tho theoretical examinations in connection with the Trinity College of Music (London) commenced in the Willis Street Schoolroom on Saturday morning. Tho Health Department report tho following cases of infectious disease for the woek ending Saturday last: —In the city: scarlot fever, 7; onteric fever, 1; diphtheria, 3; tuberculosis, 2. ■ In tho Hutt County, nil. A Pross Association telegram from Duncdin states that tho Ofcago forward, A. M'Donald, will not play in tho inter-island football match or any of tho remaining tost games, though it is hoped ho may bo provailed on •to go North with tho Otago touring team. Mr. W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, has (telegraphs our Auckland corrcsspondont) made arrangements with the Railway Department for the conveyance of tho northern members of Parliament over tho Main Trunk lino in readiness for tho opening of the sossion. The through trip, it is anticipated, will ocoupy not moro than tyro days. The milk supply question, which has apparently been allowed to fall' asleep for a fow weeks, is about to bo roused up again. Dr. J. Malcolm Mason, Chief Health Officer, will give a lecture on "Milk,", at tho Town Hall on Monday, June 22. This is one of the winter sorios of lectures arranged'by the City Council's Library Committee. On tho following Thursday, at 8 p.m., the Wellington milk supply, qb it is and as it is to bo, will bo. discussed at a conference between the City Cquncil, the Health Department, and tho local milk vendors and' dairymen. A "ladykiller,". received a sharp lesson in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, on Friday evening. Ho .went up to a well-dressed young lady and spoke to her, but received no reply. Ho persisted, however, in walking alongside tho lady, when she suddenly turned on him, and with a walking stick she was carrying bogan to convince him in a practical manner that his presence was undesirable. Tho intruder beat a hurried retreat, the lady meanwhile pursuing. and raining blows on his head and shoulders. It was not until he had negotiated the chain fence into the Cathedral grounds that he osoaped further pursuit. "Did you say anything when the second officer called you ?" asked counsel at the nautical inquiry at Auckland into the wreck of the Northern Steamship' Company's 1 steamer Muritai at tho Hen and Chickens. Tho question was addressed to the master .of the Muritai, Captain Hopkins, who replied— " I do not remember whether I said anything. Just as my foot touched tho floor the vessel struck. I was not asking' questions just thon, and if I had Said anything it would probably have been something that is not to bo found in the dictionary. (Laughter.) I put-it to you," ho'added, 11 whether/you think that a master of a steamer oarrjing passengers, on feeling his vessel strike a rock in tho 1 middle of 1 tho night, would be likely to stop to ask a lot of bally questions?"

Reforring to ' tho Rotorua trout-fishing Beason, which closed on Sunday, May. 31, the "Hot Lakes Chronicle" says -.—"Although no record has boon kept this season, as was the case during the past three seasons, from a. knowledge of the fish taken from,the lakes and streams,' and the quantity dispatched daily by'the express, we feel we are quite safe in saying that the' 'take', .during tho season has quite equalled that of last season. Certainly not less than 70 tons of trout havo been taken from the lakes and streams about Rotorua, including Lake ■ Tarawera; Our estimate of the quantity of fish may. appear high, but it must be remembered, that the season has extended over seven months, and in addition to this a larco number of fish havo been taken from Lako Tarawera, the average woight of which has been 71b," Among tho ten candidates who aro said to be in tho field for the Hurunui seat, (telegraphs our Cliristchurch correspondent) is a Mr. Reiter, who deliverod his first speech at M'Konzio (Choviot) on Thursday night. The local : public, apparently with some reason, regard his candidaturo as a joko, for Mr. Reiter has some romarkable ideas. He said, among other things, that the Government should start now industries, and that , as, a beginning tliey should offer a bonus of £10,000 for the .first ten thousand yards of linen produced in the Dominion, the linen to become the property of the Government, and "given to the poor. Working mqn ought to get linen shirts as cheaply as' ootton ones. Ho would reduce the national debt by putting a tax of £l a : head 6n'bachelors.,,beginning at the ago of 18 years. . Subsequently ho said- he would tax widows! ton - shillings a liead. "Are you in favour," ho was asked, "of setting apart a thousand acres on Choviot for growing fish." "Yes," he replied, "if Sir Joseph Ward would agree to it." In reply to another question he said he was' not in favour of the absolute majority, bocause it would; play into the hands of the prohibitionists. "Apparently the candidate thought that tho absolute and the bare majority are tho same thing. Asked as to whether'lie thought tho yellow peril real or imaginary, he said he had nover seen a Chinaman with the yellow peril. The "Cheviot News" quite rudely suggests that Mr. Reitor would rnako a better clown than a politician.

Captain Ward, who was out iu Australia in th 6 training ship Port Jackson, has been paying a 'flying., visit- to. Sydney.;. : He is how commander of the barque Indian Empire, i which has been loading coal at Newcastle for the West Coast;of South America. Captain Ward had 100 Warsprite boys under his caro while in tho" Port Jackson, and after the ship reached London from Sydney, every one of tho boys, with tho exception of six, who joined the Navy, were drafted off into British ships. Thoro was no difficulty in obtaining ships for tho lads, for they had received a thorough training while in tho Port Jackson, during the round voyage from Sydney to' London and back. During his stay in London, Captain Ward gave evidence before the departmental inquiry, held by the Board of Trade, on the- question of boys and sea training. A lot of evidence was taken upon that occasion, and embodied in a Blue-boolc, .which-was afterwards laid beroro the House of Commons. Captain Ward (says the Sydney " Telegraph") is keenly interested in training boys , for a sea life, but he says that private enterprise cannot take the matter up. On tho Port Jackson's first voyage, tho Marine Society of London lost £600 on the venturo, and on the • second £800. Captain Ward expresses tho opinion that £10,000 per year is needed to placo this training ship 'scheme on a' sound footing. The British Government has been asked for £20 for each boy that goes to sea under the schemo. This sum would be handed to tho Marino Society, which would tlion fiiianoo and arrauge all the details. - Mrs. Ethel It. He Costa, LL.B. tnce Miss EthellE. Bonjamin, of Dupedin), aftor praotising for somo years in, that city, has commenced practice as a barrister and isolioitor in No. 8 Nathan's Buildings, cornor Grey and Fcatborston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has tho distinction of being the only lady practising at the Bar in the Dominion. In. tenilitig cU«nt« oan dopond on prompt and careful attention at Mrs. Da Costa a hands.

The front portion of the Ministerial "residence " in Molesworth Street 'is to bo utilised during the session as offices for His Excellency Lord Phmlcet. A magisterial inquiry into a railway accident at. Gore last week has been ordered for Juno 18, by tho Minister for Railways' (the Hon. W. llali-Jones). An engine ran into a stationary train, damaging several trucks. It is reported that sneak thieves broke into tho Midland Cricket Club's rooms at thq Basin Reserve last week, and stolo cricket material valued at about £20. Tho mattor is at present ongaging tho attention of the detectivo staff. It is reported that sneak thieves broke into tho Midland Cricket Club's rooms at the Basin Reserve last Week and stole cricket 'material valued at about £20. The matter is at present engaging' tho attention of tho detective staff. " The Town is at present pretty well clear of thieves" was tho reply - given, to a representative of Tub Dominion, who inquired of a police officer last night as to tho oondition of-the city as regards criminals. Pressed as to the reason for the clearance of tho laTge number of notorious- thieves and housebreakers who havo haunted tho city of late, tho officer of tho polico accounted for the improved state of affairs by the fact that tho sentences passed on the vagrants brought before Sir. W. G. Riddoll, S.M., havo been sufficiently severe to make the majority of tho law-breakers located in the city move to fresh fields and pastures new.