LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 237, 30 June 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waiting jurors are notified by advertiseraont that they will bo required to-morrow morning at 10.30 o'clock.

At tho intersection of Riddiford and Rintoul Streets early yesterday: morning tho trolly-pole of an Island Bay car becamo ontangled with tho overhead wires, causing tho trolly-head to fly off. It foil through a shop verandah, very narrowly missing a lady who was passing at the time.

At a meeting of tho Wellington Ministers' ! Association held yesterday afternoon, tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith was elected president, and tho Rev. 0. Porter secretary. A cordial vote of thanks was tendered to tho Rev. Macdonald Aspland for his faithful services as seorotary for tho last three years. The meeting then, devoted itself to an instructive discussion of'the topic introduced by the Rev. J. Gibson Smith, "Practical Difficulties in tho Work of Christian Ministry." Tho balance-sheet for tho past year ended March 31 will be considered at- tho mooting of . tho Onslow Borough Council to-morrow evening. Tho estimates for tho current year have been prepared, and will be considered in conjunction with the striking of rates. Resolutions will bo submitted as follow:—(1) Approving of tho schemo of drainage, with all alterations and additions, for tho area of Kaiwarra at present proposed to bo dealt with; (2) defining such total area; (3) providing interest and sinking fund and other charges of a loan of £1464 in connection with abovo schemo and area. Spiritualism' and mental scionco, it appears, woro responsible for tho appearance in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday of a man and his wife. The wife desired summary separation from her husband on tho ground that he had noglected her. The Magistrato remarked that the wholt troublo arose beeauso the dofendant forsook his employment as n carter and took up tho studies mentioned. Tho now venturo did not turn out as good as tho okl ono, for, after tlio husband had spent eighteen months in England and £248 in cash, ho mado noxt to nothing at it. "You had better givo it up and try something else," concluded His Worship. Mrs. ElTiol It. <ra Costa, LXi.B. tneo Miss Ethel It. Benjamin, of Dunedin), after practising for some years in that city, has communced practice as a, barrister and solicitor in No. 0 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Feathorston Streets, Wellington. Mrs- Do Costa has tho distinction of being tho only lady practising at tho Bar in tho Dominion. Intending clients ean depend on prompt and catffcr «ttontioa at Mrs,. De Costaa hands*

The sitting of the Bankruptcy Court, which was to have been held yesterday, was adjourned until August 31.

The case of E. J. Searlo v. Thos. Lyons a claim for £1000 for alleged slander —will bo heard to-morrow. Mr. Wilford (with him Mr. Dunn) will appear for the plaintiff, and Mr. Skerrett, K.C. (with him Mr. Bunny) for thb defendant.

Tho decision to raise a special fund of £4000 for the extension of Methodist work in the city and suburbs is meeting with enthusiastic practical support.; Already about £1900 has been subscribed, though it is only a few weeks since the courageous resolution wis formed. A special thanksgiving meeting will be held in August.

Tho Navy League Secretary has arranged that should tho woathor bo considered suitable for 1 tho school members' visit to H.M.S. Encounter to-day, a flag will bo flown at tho Town Hall flagstaff at noon. It will be a case of no flag no trip. The same remarks apply for Wednesday also, except that if tho weather. bo fine enough, the flag will bo hoisted it 9.30 a.m.

When the section of the Main Trunk Lino from Mataroa to Waiouru is taken over by tho Railway Department on July 1, tho same train will run right through from Taihapo to .Ohakuno, and passengers ■ will bo_ spared tlio "change" at Mataroa, which is so troublesome in wet weather. As all goods and luggage have to be shifted from ono train] to the other, the change system necessitatis a delay of nearly half an hour, 'which will bo saved when tho Railway Department takes over tho section. On and after Julji 1, the train will leave Taihape for. tho N?rth' at .8.50, instead of 8.30, and on'the return journey it will reach Taihape at 6.25, instead of 6.45.

The uwatisfactory postal arrangements from Vanrauver to Auckland came in for some criticism at a recent meeting of tho Council of! tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the'chairinan (Mr. L. J. Bagnall) expressing tie opinion that tho ■ postal communication was not so good as it was twenty years ago.! Mr. J. H. Lipton remarked that for all that Auckland" was better off than any other! part of the Dominion. Mr. I. Peacock said that, as far as New Zealand was concerned, the subsidising' of tho Van-couver-Australian route was of little apparent. use, and, as. tho Prime Minister had said, the money was. practically wasted. Mr. Bagnall: i'Tho mail is now a week longer in reaching iis than it used to bo." It was resolved 1 to again approach the Government urging tliat some improvement should bo effected, j . ,

The sudden death is reported at Greymouth of Mr. A. Anderson, a resident of the Coast for close on forty, years. The late Mr.. Anderson was tho head of a forwarding agency for a number of years, the business still being-carried on by one of his sons. Messrs. H. A. Anderson, of tho Valuation Department, and P. Anderson, formerly of tho Government Lifo. Insurance, and now resident in Australia, are sons of deceased.

Speaking on the occasion of the opening of the Y.M.C.A. at Onehunga last week, Canon Hascldeu had a few words to say about smoking. Tho late Bishop Selwyn, he said,' was a non-smoker,. and got through a great , deal of work, while Charles Kingsley and Tennyson; also great workers" 'smoked heavily. -Whether smoking, was; injurious or othorwisfci'' was "rff''ijpifeidli',''tut at all events, a room had been set apirt : for tho uso of thoso who desired to keep company >vith " My Lady Nicotine."

Mr. B. H. Pascoe, who has just taken up tho 'position'of Resident Secretary for New Zealand of. tho Australian Widows' Fund Lifo Society has had a long lifo insurance experience. ;Entering the service of tho Equitable Life Society in Melbourne at ; tho beginning.of 1886 as shorthand writer, ho quickly became cashier, and when the' Society's business was extended to Tasmania towards the end of 1889 ho was appointed local manager. Threo years afterwards ho took charge in South Australia, whilst in 1900 he: became jointmanager for Victoria, South Australia,- Western Australia, and Tasmania. Two years later ho accepted the position of chief inspector for Australasia, and in successive years paid three visits to Now Zealand. After tho Equitable Lifo Society discontinued business in Australia, about two years ago, Mr. Pascoo, .who at that timo was manager for Victoria, was elected a membor ,of the Stock Exchango of Melbourne, and still retains his seat.

An unusual position arose at the Supremo Court , yesterday when the hearing of a claim for damages was commenced. A jury of twelve was required, but, owing to soveral jurors not having been served,. othors having been excused,' and counsel for, tho parties having almost fully exercised -their right to challenge, it was found that, after only eleven jurors had been accepted, the panel was exhausted. Mr. Skerrett, for tho defendants, suggested that the caso might bo heard without tho assistance' of the twelfth juror. Mr. Gray, for the plaintiff, inquired whether the Court could call upon a bystander. Mr. Justice Denniston replied that he was uncertain on the point. If it wore a . criminal caso ; such a course could be adopted. Mr. Skerrett, who expressed tho opinion that tho Court had not the power to call on a bystander, intimated that ho would withdraw one of hie challenges if ho wero permitted to: do so. His Honour said that that was a reasonable proposal. If it wero, however, decided to proceed with a jury of eleven, tho number to find a verdict would, as was usual in tho caso of juries of twelve, havo to bo nine, as he could not fix any other multiplo in tho caso of a jury of olovou. Eventually it was agreed, that the case should be heard by only eleven jurors.