LOCAL AND GENERAL..

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 313, 28 September 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL..

To mark, the occasion of the first anniversary of the. establishment of This Dominion the now offices oil Plimmers' Steps wore thrown open for public inspection 011 Saturday afternoon. A large number of people found much to interest them for an hour or so in making a casual acquaintance with tho manner in'which the paper is produced in tho mechanical department. The linotype, stereo, plant, and printing machine were shown at work, and visiters were presented with souvenir copics of tho birthday paper hot from tho press, and received a linotypo cast of their names. In tho evening tho literary staff was entertained at dinner by the editor (Mr. Chas. Earle). Numerous congratulations havo been received from all parts of tho Dominion on tho success The Dominion has achieved in the singlo year of its existence. An Australian mail, from Sydney via Auckland, and an American "mail (per Gymeric at Auckland) arc due to arrive from tho north by this evening's express. An English mail in duo in Wellington this morning by tho Otterbura from Newcastle.,

!- To-day will bo observed as a holiday by j. those city and suburban State schools, tho s pupils of which participated in tho Dominion Day celebrations on Saturday. Tho holiday has been granted by tho Wellington 0 Education Board at the request of tho a 1 riniQ Minister (Sir Josoph Ward) to mark his appreciation of tho conduct and bearing or the school children and cadets in Saturu day s manoeuvres. '; A man arrested in Nelson on a chargo of 'I haying committed bigamy at Wellington in a February last arrived by tho Penguin on e Saturday night, and will appear at the Magj istrate's Court this morning. , ; "Mr. Barton suggested that the land ' could bo made into a deer park,'" said a witness before the Native Land Commission, "but," continued the speaker, an aged man, "I'm getting too old for that kind of work, e and the young fellows won't do it,, as they 1 like to bo near the billiard saloons." The juvenile members of the congregation of the Cliurch of Christ, Vivian Street, gayo B yesterday afternoon over to what is styled ' Temperaaeo Sunday. Interesting and iuf structivo temperanco addressos wore delivered by the Rev. J. J. Franklin and Mr. R. A. Wright. The lessons were made the more interesting by tho number of picd tures, 5 T 1 ? 0 . s °rvices of the fire brigade were re- - quisitioned on two occasions on Saturday 2 evening. At 6.37 a turn-out was made to 3 the Palaco Hotel, Willis Street, where a chimney was on fire, and at 7.30 a call was received to Cleveland Street, Brooklyn, ■ a 5 curtain in one of the bedrooms of a house r occupied by Mr. W. C. Waldio having caught E on fire through coming into contact with a lighted candle. Tho curtain and a kapok mattress wore damaged before the fire was f got under. . a PP ea . r to have done Mr. Barclay a , slight injustice in our referenco to the reason 3 which actuated him in changing his vote on ) Question of uniformity of school books. A\o had understood that the reason given by him was that ho had believed that he was - voting for free books for school children, . whereas ho informs us that his vote was , cast for the amendment because it" would bo a step in tho direction of securing free 1 books. He afterwards voted the other way, j the reason given for this reversal being his . desire not to imperil the Education Bill. "They say tho Maori won't work,"- said a ■ gentleman interested in the Lands , quostion on Saturday, "but look at"this," and he proceeded to trace on a plan in front of him a farm of 28,000 acres of rough, i. almost impossible country, which few white i men would undertake to worlt, and which ! land was being farmed by a Maori, who ran about 20,000 sheep and 300 head of cattle oil it. The farmer owned part of the land I in tho first instanco, purchased a portion from a Pakeha, and leased the balance from other Natives. _ The nearest town to the station was Martinborough, but this was t-oo far to 1 cart the. wool, which was shipped , direct j from the coast into small st-eainersj which ! called periodically. Tho Wellington Farriers' and General Blacksmiths' Union has decided to : ratify an agreement entered into between Mr. W. 11. Westbrooke (representing the union), and tho representative of tho country employers. 'The agreement provides for a 48 hours' week instead of 46 hours in tho proscnt"award; wages to remain as at present; statutory, holidays not to bo paid for if no work' is done, double time to bo paid for work done (but not in addition to ordinary pay) ;-employment book to bo kept in'main centres, but preference clause only to apply, within six miles of places where employment book is kept. There aro also several other amendments, but they are of an unimportant character. The agreement will probably come before tho Arbitration Courts;'at its sitting in Mast-erton this week. The Fifteenth Annual Convention-of the Wellington Provincial Christian Endeavour Union was opened on Saturday with a picnic at Seatoun, which was well attonded. Sports wero held, and a pleasant outing enjoyed. Tho convention will be continued t-o-day and will conclude on Thursday night. The retiring president (the Rev. Macdonald Aspland) states in his annual letter that the duties of- his ofhco have been made easy bv the loyalty and devotion of tho members of the executive,, t-o whom he offers ; his sincere thanks. The Christian Endeavour movement was founded only a quarter of a century ago by the Rev. F. E. Clark, and today tho societies number 70,404, and their millions of active, associate, and honorary members are found in all parts of the'world. The Rev. T. Keith Ewen, of Berhamporc, is the president-elect. It appears from a statement made by a Maori landowner, after" the sitting of the Nativo Land Commission on Saturday, that tho Natives interested in a section *of the Waitutuma' block in South Waiiara'pa. consider they have a grievance against the Government. During the hearing of 'the views of the Natives in regard to the position of one section of tho block, one witness remarked that the country was rough and mountainous, and tho only lenefit that was being reaped from it was the' deer-stalking license fees, and theso went to the .Government. It was explained after tho Commission roso that the land in question was noxt to a Government reserve. . ■ Tho Government 1 do not allow dficr to be shot on the reserve, but issuo licenses at £1 per gun per season to sportsmen to shoot on the land owned by the Natives, who ' complain that they receive none of tho money. ' . The now band rotunda in the Hospital grounds has just been finished, and it was formally declared oj.en on Sunday afternoon by the Hon. C. M, Luke, chairman of the Board of Trustees, in the presence of a largo number of visitors. • Heard from the grounds and from the Hospital balcony, the rotunda was_ proved to be a good resounderj .and, from its - position, it was agreed to bo excellently suited for its purpose.. The Central Mission Band, which has -been a good friend to' tho Hospital patients in tho past, occupied tho rotunda for the first time yesterday afternoon, and gave ( the following selections:—March, • "Wanderer" (Southwall); anthem, "Lord ot all Power and Might"; Don John" (Bishop); march, "Challenge" (Calvert); anthem, "To Thee. O Lord" (Leech;; "Sanden" (Rimmer); fantasia, "Voluntary" ; and-"Abide with Me" (Rimmer). -An endeavour is being made to arrange concerts every Sunday afternoon. A collection was taken up in aid of tho Hospital funds. Tho new rotunda was. erected . by Mr. W. D. James, at a cost of £230. A meeting of the Victoria College Debating Society was held at tho Collego on Saturday evening, Mr. H. F. O'Lcary presiding. The motion for discussion was "That it would bo expedient to adopt a system of • NoLicense throughout New Zealand." • Tho movers were Messrs. W. J. M'Eldowney and E. Armit, and tho opposers Messrs. J. Mason < and J. ,M. Hogbeii, Eight other members also took part in the debate, and Mr. Granville Hunt, who acted as judge, placed the first five speakers in tho following ordor: Messrs. A. Fair, E. Armit, J. Mason, J. i M. Hogben, and R. M. Butcher. The motion ' was carried by 25 votes to 12. This debate ; being tho concluding debate of the season, i tho award of the society's prizes was made upon the result of the year's work. The i union prize, for the speaker securing the i highest average of points, was awarded to < Mr. E. Armit, with a total of 23 points ] out a possible 30, Mr. J. Mason being second with 22 points. Tho chairman's prize, for ] the new speaker showing tho greatest im- j provement, was awarded to Mr. M. H. Oram, i The committoo has appointed Messrs. j' j Mason 'and D. S. Smith to represent tho j society at tho Easter Tournament -Debate, ■ which will be held next year. J A specialty of Hair and Scalp Troatment is ! made by Mrs. Itolleston. Ladies troubled With i falling hair, dandruff, or any scalp complaint should call for advice (gratis) at her rooms 1 first floor, 3 Willis Street, over Carroll's or 1 telephone appointment 1539. Personal attention - only. Certificated. Qygg ] The men of Now Zealand are becoming groat ,' tea-drinkers, and aro now rathor fastidious ■ There was a time when thoy took anythihe in • the way of tea offered by tho womenfolk, but 1 now they want palate pleasuro—thoy want v Crescent Brand Tea every timo. Thiii blended s tea has distinguished qualities, for it is a happy combination of the strong toas of Dar- . 'jeoline and the fine delicate teas of Ceylou. CBSB J, Messrs. C. B. Hoadley and Son, Ltd., insert j; an advertisement this morning in connection wi h an important land sale, The Wallingford »' OMnhpr IK, •" l> S" I ? uctiou »». Friday, 1 tomd lull Particulars will be «