LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 307, 21 September 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An English mail, ox AYimmcra at Auckland, is duo to arrive in Wellington by the Manawatu train this evening.

We still have on hand an accumulation of letters arising out of the controversy on ■ tho Rev. Mr. Gibson Smith's book and the comments thereon. Wo had hoped to publish somo of theso, but tho subject has been so fully. ventilated in our columns b.v correspondents, most of whom aro now writing for a second or third time,.ana at-great length, that wo cannot at present devote further space to it.

Messrs. Richardson and Blair, of this city, wil erect tho two riostman dredges on tho punts which sre being .built for the Piako swamp drainage schemo. y Only two eases ot scarlet fever wero reported to tho Health Department as having devoloped during the week ending Saturday. Other infectious diseases woro three cases of enteric fever and one eaBO diphtheria. No eases were reported from tho Hutt County,

Friday evening last marked tho close of tho series of first aid lectures b.v Dr. Begg to the Manawatu railway employees, and Mr. Pollock, superintendent of the railway division of St. John Ambulance, took occasion to present the doctor, on behalf of the class, with a, gold-mounted fountain pen, suitably engraved. The class consisted of about 25 members, and very good work has been done.

Tho steamer Aorcrc, which arrived' from Patea yesterday, reports that tho Patea Shipping Company's steamer Kapiti is ashoro at Patea. Tho vessel was entering tho port at the time of the mishap, and is supposed to be laden with coal from Westport. Tho Kapiti got ashoro at Patea recontly and was refloated nono the worse for her experience. It is expected that in this instance no damage will result, and that she will bo successfully floated off.

A deputation from tho Nov Zealand Post and Telegraph Officers' Association's Conference, which concluded its sittings on Saturday, waited on the Postmaster-General (Sir J. G. Ward) on Saturday morning. A number of minor amendments to tho Public Service Superannuation Act were suggested, and requests regarding tho alteration of certain regulations were brought forward. A matter of importance raised was that of compulsory volunteering by cadets, about which a vigorous protest was entered at tho coitferonco. Tho attention of tho Minister was also drawn to tho question of doing away with tbe veto regarding tho findings of tho Post and Telegraph Appeal Board. In connection with tho latter request, tho Minister told tho deputation that under tho present constitution of tho board, tho veto could not be abolished. He would give tho other matters full consideration.

Tho reading of Shakespearo among school children is being encouraged by tho Wellington Shakespearo Club, which annually presents a prize to the boy and tho girl who make the best attempt at rea.ding selected passages from tho master's work; This year tho competition has been extended to Roman Catholic day schools, and a littlo later thoro is to bo a competition for students attending tho secondary schools. Tho primary ' schools' Shakespeare-reading competition was held on Saturday morning in tho Wellington Technical School. Tho boys were given one of Shylock's speeches in tho third scono of the first act of "The Merchant of Venice," and the girls wore givon Jessica's and Lorenzo's speeches in tho first scene of the fifth act- of the same play. Tho reading was of a good averago merit, tho boys showing more facility in declamation than tho girls. The boys' prizes was awarded to Eric Rishworth, with SO per cent, marks, and tho girls' prize went to Marie Fix, with 76 por cent, marks. The judges were Miss Maltby, Miss .Richmond, and Mr. G. Toogood.

Tho Japanese navy will take third placo iir the navies of the world in 1911, according to the tabulation made by tho German Navy Lcaguo in its August leaflet, whirl* contains information on various naval subjects prepared by specialists, and often derived from official sources. The articlc says: "Notwithstanding the assertions of Japan's bad financial position, tho so-called programme of 1907 appears to provido for considerably more new construction than has been reported. From a usually well-informed quartor it is affirmed that Japan, besides building the three battleships Aki,, 'A' and '81,B 1 , and the four armoured cruisers Kurama, Ibuki, 'E' and 'F,' has appropriated money for four additional battleships each of 20,800 tons, and for five armoured cruisers each of 18,500 tons. Through these increases Japan will push forward in 1910-1911 to third place in tho world's navies,- Japan's position with great ships now boing: lleady—Fourteen battleships, with a total tonnage of 191,400, and twelve largo cruisers with a tonnage of 113,000; building —thrno battleships, with a total tonnngo of 60,500, and four cruisers, with a tonnage of 66,900, to which must bo added those vessels embraced in tho , latest information, namely, four battleships, with a total tonnago of 83,200, and five cruisers with a tonnago of 92,500."

A specialty of Hair and Scalp Treatment is mado by Mrs. Rolleston. Ladies troubled with falling hair, dandruff, or any scalp complaint should call for advice (gratis) at her rooms, first iloor, 3 Willis Street, over Carroll's, or telephone appointment 1509. Personal attention only. Certificated. C'/M

The men of New Zealand aro becoming great tea-drinkers, and aro now rather fastidious. Tlicro was a timo when they took anything in tho way of tea offered by tho womenfolk, but now they want palato pleasure—they want Crescent Brand Tea every time. This blended tea lias distinguished qualities, for it is a biipity combination o( tlio strong teas of Durjeolins Mid the ling cUliealg twu of Coy 100, CfiSS

The Eire Brigado received a call at 7.59 o'cock last night to No 122 Ghuznee Street, occupied by Mrs. Clara Wall, where a blaze had been in a bedroom on the ground floor through some clothes, which were being aired in front of an open fireplace, catching alight. Tlie contents of the house were damaged. Insurance was held on tho furniture for £200 in the Atlas oflicc.

On Friday night, Messrs. Rod Brothers' slaughterhouse at Porirua was completely destroyed by lire. The first sign of the outbreak was perceived somo time after midnight by tho watchman at tho Porirua -Mental Hospital. In addition to tho total loss of the building, a considerable quantity of moat, somo livo sheep, several casks of tallow, and a .vat and boiler wero destroyed. There was no insurance on either the building or stock. Tho carcasses of four bullocks and thirty sheep wero also destroyed, only a few charred bones remaining. Tho slaughterhouse was about thirty years old. The estimated loss is £600.

A deputation representing the Waikanao School Committee was introduced to tho Minister for Education (Hon. O. Fowlds) on Friday to ask tho Government t-o provide funds for tho purchase of a site and erection of a teacher's residence. It was stated that it was impossible to obtain a houso for the teacher, whoso services woro very much valued, and that unless a residence could bo provided ho would havo to ask for a transfer. It was mentioned that the Government had already come to an agreement with tho Education Board as to a new school. The Minister explained tho difficulties ho had to contend with for want of funds to provide all tho new buildings asked for. Ho promised to give full consideration to the case of Waikanae when dealing with the whole question of teachers' residences in about a month's time.

A special meeting of the committee of the Y.W.C.A. was held last week in order to make arrangements for the celebration of the anniversary of the association by a monster tea and public meeting on October 28. Tickets are being energetically disposed of by members. Tables aro to be presided over by friends and members, and a sit-down tea is to bo followed by a gymnastic display, reports, speeches, songs, and recitations. A most enjoyable evening is promised, and much' enthusiasm is being displayed in order to make tho work of the association as well known as possible. The members of tho committee expressed their thanks for tho ready help thoy have received in the past, especially in the furnishing of their now rooms. Votes of thanks woro passed to tho Agricultural Department for tho donation of certain furniture left in the rooms, to Mrs. Winder for part of tho linoleum, and to. donors of pictures.

Mr. Ernest Eight, tho young mechanic who was shot on tho evening of September 8 at Mastcrton, by Tobias Miller, will possibly carry tho leaden memento of his lively experience to his grave, writes our Wairarapa correspondent. The bullet has been located and photographed, by means of the X-rays, by Dr. Hosking. Tho missilo at present lies over the muscles of one of tho hips, near where it entered, and so far is occasioning Mr. Higlit no inconvenienco whatever. Dr. Hosking says that should tho bullet create any internal disturbance it will have to bo extracted, but otherwiso the victim may prefer not to undergo any further operation. There aro many individuals residing in New Zealand who carry bullets in some portion of their anatomies, and are none the worse for the extra loading. One Wellington citiMn possesses a bullet received in the FrancoPrussian irar, which is firmly embedded in his right leg, and which has been very useful for many years as a meteorological oddity.

Several important matters wore considered at a recent meeting of tho Wellington branch of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union. It was decided to make application to tho Court of Arbitration to have the following steamship companies and privato stcumship owners attached a3 parties to tho current award:—The Canterbury Steam Shipping Company, Limited, of Christchurch; the Mokau Steamship Company, Limited, of tho Waitara; Robert Pitcaithly, of Christchurch ; Batclielor and Company, of Nolson; Frank Ricketts, of Nelson; Invercargill Shipping Company,. Limited, of.Dunedin,; the Kaiapoi Shipping and Trading Company, of Kaiapoi; Keech and Malloy, of Kumara; and the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company, Limited, of Wanganui. It was also agreed to' cite employers before the Court on tho following charges: —Richardson and Co., of Napier, having failed to pay two firemen on the s.s. Kahu overtime for keeping steam on main boiler on certain Sundays at various bays and roadsteads on the East Coast; tho Wellington and Wanganui Steam Packet Company, Limited, of Wellington, having failed to pay two lamp trimmers overtime for raising steam on tho donkey boilers in port prior to 8 a.m.; and the (J.S.S. Company, Limited, having worked a dayman on the Maori moro than eight hours per day on tho six working days of the week, and failed to pay overtimo for tho exc-ess; also having failed to pay him overtimo for all time worked on Sundays at sea and in port. If the resolutions aro confirmed by the ballot of the members, the' applications will be filed with tho clerk of awards forthwith.