LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is understood (writes our Dunedin correspondent) that the City Corporation is likel yto increase the salary of the gasworks manager to £400, and the stokers are to bo raised ■ to 10s. and lis. per day. The postal authorities advise that the Victoria, which left Sydney for-. Auckland on Wednesday last, has on board au Australian mail, which is expected to reach Wellington by the ospress train on Monday evening next. The Wadestown school piano has now been completely paid for owing to the energy of the committee that took ofiico at the end of April. At that timo there was over £50 owin;* on tho piano, and within tho short intervening spaco of timo tho whole of that amount nas boon raisod, largely by shilling subscriptions. A letter from Mr. George Winder, dated August 15, was received at last night's mooting of the ox««tivo committee of tho Wellington branch of tho Liberal and Labour Federation, tendering his resignation of membership and tho presidency. Tho letter was received, and tho secretary (Mr. D. Gorham) instructed to acknowledge it. Messrs. Hoggard and Prouse, architects, have received instructions from Messrs. Cadbury Bros., of Bournvillo, England, through their representative, Mr. F. Meadowcroft, to orcct a four-story warchouso in Ghuznco Street (on the section recently occupied by Grove's cycle works). The building will be a steel frame and concrete structure, and will bo practically fire and earthquake-proof, lfc will have a frontage of 34ft. by a depth of SOft. In an advertisement elsewhere the architects call for tcn(l.ofS, which will clooe ou Monday, September 14, '

The recomnienda.tion of tho Board of Conciliation in connection with tho Hawke's Bay fishermen's dispute will probably bo filed on Tuesday next. Tho habit of alighting from moving tram cars is continually responsible for accidents, but few people take warning. On Wednesday last no less than threo ladies sustained injuries through this habit. Two wero not badly hurt, but one received slight concussion of tho brain. In a lecturo on the birds of Kapiti Island, given befoYe tho Canterbury Philosophical Institute, Mr. James Drnmmond mentioned a report by a writer on New Zealand birds that tho whitehead was on tho verge of extinction on the mainland. Mr. A Hamilton, director of the Dominion Museum, states that whiteheads aro quite plentiful on tho higher hills round about Wellington, and aro undoubtedly holding their own very well. A ton-days' course of instruction for field artillery and engineering sections will commence at headquarters en October 12 next, for officers and non-commissioned officers of these branches of the service. To ensure the best results, it is pointed out that at leajit olio officer and three non-commissioned officers from each battery of artillery, and one officer from each company of field engineers, with ono non-commissioned officer from each section of his company, shall attend tha course. The laying-down of the telephone wires in connection' with the metallic return system has been pushed on with steadily right through tho winter, and, thanks to tho fair averago weather, the back of this work has been broken. The outposts havo now reached the junction of Courtenay Place and Clyde Quay, at which corner a big man-hole is being sunk in the middle of tho road. The institution of this system in tho central city district has meant a great improvement ia the telephone servie®.

Tligto was an unexpected determination on the part of the 10.10 train from tho Hutt yesterday to do its duty in whistling before approaching the level crossing between Aaiwarra and Wellington. It commenced to sound an alarm at Kaiwarra station, and it was still sounding when tho train drew up at tlie Wellington station. It transpired that something wont wrong with tho choke of tho valve, which would not close automatically as it should do. Tho whistle had to be gagged with a sack at the station. . Mr. Andrew Collins, secretary of the Wellington Operativo Bakers' Industrial Union of Workers, which was fined £100 yesterday by the Arbitration Court for striking, Informed a Dominion representative that tho union has not the money in hand. A special fund to this amount, which was reserved at first in case of fine, wa6 subsequently spent to assist the wives and families of the strikers. The court stated that if tho union paid its fine within one week, only nominal penalties would bo enforced against the individual strikers, numbering some forty, but that if tho fine was not paid in tho period the individual penalties would be substantial. Tho union hopes to raise its fine within, tho week. A' broken wire near the corner of Kent Terrace and Vivian Street threw tho tramway service into some' confusion soon after eight o'clock last evening. Eight cars wero soon blocked on the south side of Vivian Street, and eight more tore un&ble to round the oorner from Courts nay Place. In the case of sevora.l of the cars in Kent Terrace, the passengers got out, and pushed tho cars round the bend till they could piok up tho current. Several trams which usually take the Courtenay. Place route to town went by way of Vivian and Cuba streets for the nonce. * Cars coming along Vivian Street from tho city were hot impeded, as the long slope beforo the corner gave therm sufficient impetus to tako them past the point of stoppage, although in temporary darkness. Tho mishap was remedied in about a quarter of an hour, and both blockages wero then relieved/" ' : ' . ■

''I'was. iii Port' Arthur' in' March last," said Mr.-'Gi"W'." 8." Ptfttersdm", 1 of New York and Auckland, to a Dominion reporter yos;t«rday. "It is a very dead and desolate place now —all tho oity forts have been dismantled and levelled, save those on Golden Hill and tho fort opposite, where I was not allowed to go. I expect the guns from tho dismantled forts bav« been moved to tho two forts that still remain. There are piles of debris everywhere, and there are only four or fivo people residing in the whole of Now' Town, where the ltussians built their splendid "residences. Thera they stand with their doors and windows out . and the fittings looted, fin«. solid houses—on tho erection of which money must have been lavished. At Dulny the soene is different. Tho Japanese borrowed from England the money to construct a railway from Dalny to tho Leo River, promising to place tho order for tho railway material with English manufacturers. Tlioy did nothing of tho sort, but called for tenders in America, and when I was tliero a few months ago I saw no less than 200 Baldwin engines, 4000 trucks,-and acres of wheels covering the country rouiid Dalny. Such a sight was probably never seon in the East or, perhaps, in the world beforo."

"I have nover heard a business man say anything agaiust a Chinaman, and I havo never heard one say a good word for the Jap." So says Mr. G. W. S. Patterson, of New York and Auckland, who has recently, returned from his annual trip to the East. "The reason:for this is not far to seek," he says. "The Chinese merchants hare for centurios been drawn from tho better class, and honesty is a part of their religion, while in tljq case of the Japanese it has been tho other way about, the better class becoming soldiers or priests. Tho Japanese Government was trying to raise tho standard of the national commercial morality, but with very little effect. Allien I was there early in the year ther-o was a case before the courts in Tokio, where the Japanese had, imitated the label of/a British brand of whisky and sold a vilo spirit in place of tho genuine stuff throughout the East, but the courts threw out tie charge oa the ground that there was no registration of trade-marks in Japan. The case was referred to the.recently-institu-ted Chamber of Commerce—really a Government institution, to correct commercial immorality—but I see that body has thrown out the case. Now I learn that tho Powers are about to insist on Japan recognising registered trademarks. This is only one of hundreds of cases where the Western trader is defeated by the cheat of the East."

A female complainant in a suit for maintenance disturbed the calm serenity of th» Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Complainant's voice indicated Scotch extraction: and that sho had an utter disregard for all tho recognised rules of the court was apparent before she had beou in tho witness-box for two minutes. Counsel for tho defence asked for an answor to a question concerning the family life of the parties, whereupon complainant informed counsel that the proceedings before tho court were not for divorce, and she would not answer his query —no not oven if sho didn't get any money out of " him "—pointing the finger of scorn at defendant. Several outbursts of the kind happened during complainant's stay in tho box, and when she stood down and defendant had his turn, the wife kept up a running liro of comment from tho side of tho court. His Worship bore up bravely for some time, but had to giro up at length. " That will do," ho said, interrupting'defendant in tho | middlo of a reply to a question. " I won't hear tho caso any further. The information will be dismissed, and complairiaut can commcnco proceedings over again when sho can contain herself. " Don't I get anything for the children?" asked complainant in surprised tones, and someono said she would have to apply again. "<1 won't apply," sho replied as she strode out of tho court.. A specialty of Hair and Scalp Treatment is made by Mrs. Kolleston. Ladies troubled with falling hair, dandruff, or any scalp complaint should call for advice (gratis) at her rooms, first floor, 3 Willis Street, over Carroll's, or telopliono appointment 1599. Personal attention only. Certificated. 0739 The men of Now Zealand aro becoming great tea-drinkers, and aro now rather fastidious. Tlioro was a timo when thev took anything in tho way of tea offered by the wouionfolk, but now they want palate pleasure—they want Crescent Brand Toa ovcry time. This blended tea has distinguished qualities, for it is a happy combination of tho strong teas of DurJeoliDS and tho Una delicate teas of Ceylon. CBSB

A meeting of the Now Zealand Lawn icnnis Association was hold last evening, Mr. A. loung presiding. Tho whole of the evenLn 3 ww spent considering tha rules. The coal houso and tha meat safe have tempted the sneak thief on several occa,Ejon.s J™s winter, and now it is reported tnat two clothes' lines at boardinghouses in Boulcott Street have been robbed. Minister for Public Health (Hon. 6. Fowlds) received tho Wellington Hospital Trustees (introduced by tho Hon. 0. M. LukCj chairman of the board) as a deputation yesterday morning, to discuss matters ill connection with tho acquisition, by tho hospital authorities, of the necessary area of nmo odd acres of the asylum reserve, whereon to erect the new fever hospital. The conference was of a private nature. Our Duncdin correspondent writes:—Tho strong feeling in connection with tho nonacceptance of tho nomination of Sergt.-Maior Bonfell for a lieutenancy in the North Duncdin Riflos is again rising after subsidising a little. A deputation to the Mayor is now being organised, and great interest is boing taken by all volunteers in the matter. Tho members of tho North Dunedin Rifles consider that they aro fightng for a principle upon which hang issues of moment to volunteering generally. Mr. A. H. Vile's notico of motion to the Wellington Education Board with respect to tho need for copies of the Decalogue in the schools, and urging that the Minister for Education be asked to supply a sufficient number to hang on the walls of every classroom in the schools of tho Dominion, has been forwarded by tho mover'to all other education boards. It is accompanied by a circular, in which ho asks that a resolution similar to his bo passed at their next meeting. : The new issue of Stone's Wellington, llawko's Bay, and Taranaki Directory, a copy of which is now to hand, fully maintains the reputation for completeness and accuracy earned by its eighteen predecessors. Tho changes necessitated by the recent renumbering of tho Wellington city strosts, for instance, appear to have been" mado throughout. Handy cross-references are insorted • in tho alphabetical section to facilitate the finding of names known by pronuciation only. Tho municipal, county, official, and miscellaneous directories, and the New Zealand Annual, contain a vast amount of useful information, packod into a small compass. _As already intimated,' arrangements aTO boing mado for the school children throughout the Dominion to Assemble at their respective schools at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, and for tho children to saluto tho flag and receive thoir Dominion medals. In Wellington it is proposed that the schools should unite and havo the ceremony at the Basin Reserve. - At 2 p.m. there will be a march of tho volunteers from the Government Buildings to Newtown l'ark (the use of which has been kindly granted by the Mayor), where a military review will take place. It is expected that 500 children from tho different schools . will assemble at tho Basin Reserve, besides 1200 cadets. A young man named Frederick Watson a law clerk, 25 years of age, a married man with a _ wife and five children, residing v in Dannovirke, was found in a state of collapse in somo scrub near Talavera; about midday yesterday. A sodawater bottle found near Watson contained a solution of matchheads, somo of 'which solution" the man is supposed to have drunk. Constable Lcckic, who found Watson, administered an emetic, but as this had no effect Dr. Boyd's services were enlisted, and the stomach pump was put into operation with successful results, after which, tho man was removed to tho nospital ; It is stated that-Watson had been suffering from insomnia and, being out of work, had remarked that he could not earn enongli to' support ; his wife and. children, and was tired of life. On inquiring at the hospital last night it was stated I that Watson was progressing favourably. ' Not.-the- least interesting • featuro.'of the military review .to bo held at Newtown Park on* pdminiqu" ; Dajwvill be frthe new army transport and field'' service wagons. As mentioned in the,annual report'of-'the Defence Council, presented to Parliament recently it has been decided to form the nucleus of an army service corps, and'to this end are being constructed the necessary vohicles for ■ each district field force 1 —a general servico wagon, ambulanco wagon, water-cart, and ammunition cart. • Tho equipment for this district has now been' delivered, and compared with tho Imperial service vehicles aro very much lighter in weight. They are also exceedingly well adapted for rough country. Tho "wheels and. axles are interchangeable; that is to say, the wheel of tho water-cart will also fit the general servico wagon. This, in field servico, is an obvious advantage, as in case of a breakdown, the vehicle not |in urgent uso can be mado to supply the necessary parts. Tho water-cart is capable of receiving a supply of 100 gallons, sufficient for the needs of 600 men for one day. An. interesting point in connection with the harness fittings is the fact that everything has been made by the artificers' department of the Permanent Force.