LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 253, 18 July 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Mouiin, which left Sydney on Thursday for Auckland, has 011 board English, Vancouver, and Australian mails for Wellington, which will roach hore by tho express train from New Plymouth on Tuesday oveuing next. Offing to tbo unavoidable absence of Mr. Skerrott, K,C. • (who is suffering from inIluenza)j the caso of Reed v. Simpson, in which hp is engaged, could taken at the Supreme Court yesterday. A Special telegram from Auckland states ,that tho British team to meet the northern province to-day will bo;a weak side. Injuries will prevent Jackett, Gibbs, "Polity" Jones, Morgan, and Davey from participating. During the sitting in Chambers yesterday, Mr. Justice Chapman stated that twenty civil cases still remained to be heard in the Supremo Court. Mr. Justice Cooper- and himself would probably sit one day next week for tho purpose of making definite fixtures. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sis Robert Stout) will hear tho caso of W. Blundell arid othors, trustees for tho Erott benefit fund (appellants), v. the "New Zealand Times" Co., Ltd. (respondents), this morning. Mr. Noavo will appear 011 behalf of tho appellants, and the Attornoy-Gonoral, Dr. Findfay, K.C,, for the respondents. It is a hopeful sign that some of the Maoris are prepared to go beyond tho ideas of any Pakoha, in their zeal for tho perpe- ■ tuation of their ancient customs. A chief of the Urowera country seriously lamented, at tho Congro3s yesterday, tho dccay of the old practice of tattooing ohiofs. Another Native proposed that, as tho Maoris were becoming more arid more liko whito men, they ehotilu all. bo tattooed in future, so that a Maori would be able to recogmso another of his race a mile aivay. ' An enjoyable srnoko concert was held at Mawson's by tho members of the Wellington Garrison Signallers' Club last evening. ' Captain C. B. Harton (Post and Telegraph Billes) presided, and about 70 members 'were present. - Among the visitors were. Major C. D. Mackintosh (Battalion Staff), Captain Moore (Johnsonville Rifles), Lieutenants Duigiiau (Headquarters Staff), Simeon (Kelburno Rifles), and Fitzgerald (Wellington Engineers), and two petty officers from H.M.S. .Pioneer. Songs and recitations were given by ox-P.O. lioutohcn, P.O. Woodman (H.M.S. Pionoer), Sergt. Hugo (Zoalandia liifles), Major Mackintosh, and P.O. Williamson (Wellington Navals). A comprehensive toast-list was gone through, the principal speakers boing Major Mackintosh, Captain Harton, Lieut. Duignan, Lieut. Simoon, Sergt. Hulbert (Post and Telegraph Rifles), Sorgt. Hugo, P.O. Williamson, Sergt. Lambert, arul Coed. Whito.-,

Notification is given that tho Kelburno tram will not run to-morrow as a new ropo is being put in. A sitting of the Native Land Commission will be held at the Court-house, Masterton, on Friday. Other sittings will bo held as follows •.—Coromandel, August 4; Auckland, August 13; and Thames, August 17. . The Wellington Savages will extend tho hand of greeting to their brothers from tho Urowera Country, East Coast, and Auckland at the Masonic Hall this evening. Dr. Buck will preside, and Mr. Ngata, M.P., will also attend the gathering. A man iianied Robert Gibbes was admitted to the Hospital late last night. It appears that about 11 o'clock ho was running to catch a car when his foot slipped, and ho fell, breaking his collar-bpne. Ho is a single man, a painter by trade, and resides at Cottlevijle Torraco. Tho Fire Brigade was called out at 5.8 p.m. yesterday to the Kilbirnie School, where a firo had broken out in a cupboard in one of the class-rooms. A quantity of chemicals, etc., was stored in tile cupboard, and the firo is supposed to havo originated amongst these, although tho definite cause of the outbreak is not known at present. The damage was not extensive, being confined to the cupboard and one of the walls and tho ceiling. During his visit to Sydney as representative of tho Wellington City Council at tho annual meeting in October next of the Australasian Tramway Officers' Association, Mr. Stuart Richardson (City Electrical Engineer-) will givo spccial attention to tho , methods of handling heavy car traffic in that city. He will have an exceptional ■ opportunity < of doing so, as the traffic in connection with tho Spring Race Meeting (October 3—10) is ono of tho heaviest the Sydnoy Tramway authors ties havo to deal with. The Maoris wjio are attending the Congress now being held at the Town Hall aro manifesting a lively interest ■ in the operation of the city's utilitarian works. -Yesterday a party of Native sanitary inspectors, with Dr. Buck at their head, were escorted over the tramways power-house and tlio new destriifitpr by the City Engineer. (Mr. \)'. IJ. Morton). Tiioy displayed a lively intelligence in all that was shown them. The Council's up-to-date method of disposing of the city's rubbish interested them greatly, and they were loud hi expressions of admiration of tho pakeha's advanced, methods. Tho second debate of the Debating Society Union tournament took place last ovening at tho Y.M.O.A. Rooms, Willis Street, between Y.M.C.A. Debating Society and the Victoria College Society. Mr. J. B. Finlay occupied the chair, and Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., judged the debate. Tlje - Y.M.C.A. were represented by Messrs. Leeming,. Clarke, and Nicklin, who had-to affirm, and Messrs. Oram, Armit, nnd Hogben spoke on behalf of tho College. The point discussed was ''That the trend of modern times is to-, wnrds physical rather than towards mental development." In summing up, the judge awarded the following.points:—Mr. Leeming, ,65; Mr. Clarke, GO; Mr. Nicklin, 90; combined treatment, IS,' total, 230. Mr. Oram, 75; Mr. Armit, 90; Mr. IToghen, 75.; combined treatment, 25; total, 2G5. At the Kaitangata Court on Thursday before Mr. Kenrick, S.M., James Donaldson was charged with failing to send -his son to school. Tho truant, officer explained that'the lad, who was thirteen years and six months old, possessed no competency certificate, and had been at work for three months in the samo mine as Ill's father. His Worship condemned in strong terms the action of the parent in having the lad employed in tho samo mino as himself, wherein lie,held a responsible position. As thero were fivo informations ho iniiwsed a fine of 10s. with costs, in all £4 ss. In reference to this matter, tho "Star" points out . that whereas tho Minos Act expressly declares a youth to be a lad from 13 to 18 years old, the Education and Factory Acts say that no boy under 14 shall bo employed , unless . lie first gains , a leaving certificate at his school. These Acts should be brought into line. Tho bargains offered by white fruit hawkers are not always what they seem. A liousowifo in Wellington South, tempted by the offer of:a hawker, invested in some poiatoes rocontly, but on weighing her purchase found that tlio tubers fell about six pounds short in weighti The seller was out of sight before this discovery was made, and .tho only consolation tho lady had was in retailing tho story to her husband. . A few (lays later the samo tradei came to the house again, and on this occasion lie had a hard-headed Scot to negotiate with. An order was given'for six pennyworth of potatoes; and these wero duly handed over. Tho dealer waited for tho sixjjoiico, but was told that tho account of a few days previous had; now been settled. The hawker, however, was not satisfied! and resorted to threats. The purchaser, whose daily work is connected with the police force, politely informed tho dealer that his name was , and he was to be found at —- polico station, where, if tho dealer still persisted in getting_ his sixpence. lie could call tho-uext'day. Up to date tho vegetable man lias not called. The moral of the story is to weigh bargains before paying for them. Tho pakoha has much to answor for in his maltreatment of tho. Maori language, Tho members of the Natjvo Congress shook with laughter yesterday wlion a llaori mimicked, with soino difficulty, the common' 'pakeha pronunciation of tho Nativo words in this short sentence: "I am sending, somo totara to Kumara by tho Manuka." 'I\o Rev. Nikora Tautau (Tauranga) rebuked his countrymen for adopting, in some instances, European perversions of their language. Tho popular "Kia Ora," for example, is now used, even by Natives, in placo of tho old salutation, "Tcnakoo." And "Kia Ora," though it has since been used as a greeting to English Royal blood, had its .origin ■ m common drinking bars. It is a literal translation of tho English toast, " good health. While all tho Maoris at the Congress yesterday woro in favour of tho preservation of their language, there was some dilfereuco of opinion as to how this should be effected. One tribal cliiof proposed that tho dialect pf his tribo should bo made tho standard speech; Ho said this, because ho was, convinced that tho language of his tribesmen was tho best. He admitted, however, tnat lie might bo prejudiced in the matter, and suggested that Mr. W. W. Bird, _ inspector, of Nativo schools, should be appointed arbiter to. cliooso the special dialect which should bo preserved. . Tho decisions of tho recent Conference of Acclimatisation Societies in Wellington wero laid boforo tho Minister for Marino (tho Hon. J. A. Millar) yesterday by Messrs. Tripp and Pollard. Tho deputation asked that posts be placed by tho Government at the mouths, of all rivers, estuaries, sea outlets, and Lako iSllesmero, to indicate the limit in which nott'ng is allowed to bo done. Other suggestions were That tho Government should give a grant for tho further assistance of tho Societies in their efforts to acclimntiso tho Atlantic salmon (of which 1-10,00 ova wero imported' last year) by having annual importations; and that tho Government help in the importation of tho English minnow as a food for trout. Tho Minister said it was not worth the oxpense sending a man to Canadn for 150,000 salmon ova. At any rate ho could not do it this year, ns lie was making arrangements to import some English salt-water fish. Tho Minister said also that tho Rotorua Lako should bo netted as tho food supply for tho fish was decreasing. As to tho importations proposed; from England, ho was at present confining' his attentions to crustacea, haddocks, and herring. Regulations had been in existence for years regarding the netting of'rivers. Ho could uot sacrifice tho fish food supplies of tho people on tho off-ehaucn of a. stray trout being caught, as it camo up the river. As to Atlantic salmon, ho would get a report lis to ■the quantity tho Canadian Govern in j it could supply. Inquiry would also bo made ;'n regard to English minnow. During Haco Week tho Rooms of Mrs. Kollcston, Hair Physician, Pnco Specialist, and Masseuso (certificated) will bo open overv ovening for Hairdressing, Shampooing; all Hair and Face Treatments; advtco freo; personal attention. 3 "Willis Strcot (over Carroll's). Telephone' 1599. . C 739 Crescent Praia Tea brows a stront: rich 'awny liquor, with a fine smooth toxturo, ami lavos tho palato most agreeably. It has a distinct and dclicious flavour, and is tho most favoured for tho morning oup of tea. Tho quality and flavour of Crescent liraiid Toa novor vary. Tho samo to-day as it was yostordny, and tho prica is 2s. por lb. Obtainable from all grooors. CBSS

A number of letters to the Editor uro in type, and will bo published at tho earliest opportunity. the report of tho'Conciliation Board will bo found on page 15, law reports on pago issue* P rovlncia l news on pago 11 of thi* liie position regarding tile bakers' strike romams unchanged. " There is no strike," says Mr. Allen. Two. or three of the operatives (said one of their members) havo loft for other parts of tho Dominion to take up positions. * tlj , G , Sla(,ri Congress will, no doubt, bo interested to hear that, -weather pernutting, the Toa Football Club (composed of Maori boys) will play a match on tho Bat?am tSrSfSoon! 0 Sir ; los , e / lh Ward, is to prosent the address M r . 'William M'Lean (Government candidate for Wellington East) at the New Century Hal) . sremng. opecc.ics are to be delivered by prominent members of tho Liberal party. Messrs William and Herbert Black A. 11.1.8.A., have obtained first place out of .eighteen designs submitted for the big Cooperative Stores to bo erected in Timaru. llio Messrs. Black were the winners of the second prize in competition for the Auckland lown Hall. . The loitering of peoplo in the vestibule of the General Post Office, particularly in wot weather, is a matter that needs the attention of the authorities. Tho crowd is so great at times that peoplo having business to attend to at the Post and' Telegraph Offices have difficulty in pushing their way through those merely sheltering from tho weather. The committee of tho Wellington Rugby Union met last night to consider the matter of the ortlering off of George Spencer lot the Melrose team) during the match between Melrose and Poneke on. Saturday last. The referee reported that Spencer had deliberately kicked a Poneke player, who had tackled him, while both were on the ground. It was resolved that Spencer bo susponded lor twelve months, ail amendment to suspend him until tho end of tho season being lost. A member of the New Zealand Alliance, who visited Day's Bay yesterday on business connected with that organisation, had an impromptu sea bath when embarking at iii 01 ! 1 ." w ' lar f on his return journey to Wellington. The Cobar was approaching tho wharf in a difficult sea. There was one passenger oil tho wharf, and during one of tho steamer's violent lurches towards him he endeavoured to step on board{ but missed tho rail, and splashed into the icy water. The steamer was hastily backed out, and tho hapless gentleman was pulled out of his unpleasant position, none the worse, it is understood, for his chilly five minutes under" the pier. : ■■■''.• '• ' : ' A conference of timber millers is. to bo held in Wellington towards tho end of the month, when delegates from Auckland, Mauawatu, Rangitikei, Wairarapa, Taranaki, and the West Coast (South Island) will attend to. discuss tho crisis that has arisen in the industry on account of tho large importations of Oregon pine, which is said to bo .paralysing the trade. It is maintained . by. one. Wellington, gentleman interested in the timber industry that if the present state of things is allowed to continue for another two months there .will be a thousand men thrown out of work. Tho conference is being convened by tho Combined Timber Workers' Association, who intend to wait on the Prime Minister with regard to the matter. Tile •" Stereo-Spotter 1' is the name given to a device, invented by Captain Thompson, of.tho Royal Engineers, which practically revolutionises tho work of preparing military maps, and has earned the warmest praise from Sir Robert Ball, of the Royal' Society. Its most. striking feature is tho geometrical accuracy of contours which,can'be obtained with its aid. It is admirably adopted for hilly country, and its radius depends on tho elevntjon •of the observation station. -A photograph of the surrounding country ia first obtained, its : configuration being- afterwards faithfully reproducod with the aid of tho " Storeo-Spotter." . Under the existing' methods of military map drawing,: the average rate of progression is about ,two square miles per dny. With the " Stereo-Spotter " ton square miles of country may be accomplished in an hour. The device costs something liko £150, but as Lieutenant Duignan, Instructor of Engineer Services, remarked to our representative yesterday, one instrument would servo for tho whole of New Zealand. The installation of tho weigh-bridge at the destructor is almost pomplcted. When quite ready for duty the evaporation tests (in which the weight of tho rubbish dealt with is the standard worked upon) will bo proceeded with. There was an impression that tho 1 destructor would reduce to ash or clinker almost' anything it was fed with, including .the tins, which have hitherto gono to reclaim tho unpoetical depths of Jam Tin Gully, but it was noted that in the majority of cases they are shovelled from the furnaces _in a blackened stato, but retaining their original shape. Mr. Morton explains that all tins are iron, and that to melt iron requires 2912 degrees of heat, while the guaranteed minimum temperature of tho destructor furnaces is 1600 degrees, and the average working temperature 1800 degrees.' Tin melts at 410 degrees. It is interesting to learn that copper melts at something over 1900 degrees, and the destructor has been known to melt that metal.'' Even the iron is robbed of a good deal of its virtuo 1 by the time it goes through the process, and one only needs to tread it underfoot to crush it almost to a powder, in which fonn it readily dissolves in the earth. '