LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 317, 2 October 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities advise that the Victoria, which left Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday, September 30, has on' board an Australian mail for Wellington, which is duo here by tho express train from New Plymouth on Monday evening noxt. The Government offices will bo closed on Wednesday, October 14, Labour Day;' Mr. Herbert Baillie, chief municipal librarian, cabled Messrs. Gordon and ' Gotch from Suva yesterday, advising that firm that no periodicals were saved from the wreck of the Aeon. • : Tho usual allotment of stands for street hawkers was made yesterday by the City Inspector (Mr. J. Doyle). There were only three applicants owing to the present shortage of fruit, and there was no difficulty in choosing tho best positions. There will probably do keener competition next month, when more fruit is due. Seventeen tenders were received by the Public Trust Oliicc for leases of 41 lots, comprising for the most part small town sections in Oakura and Pungareliu (Taranaki). The lots wero chiefly offered so that adjoining landowners might bo able to take them up and clear them. The amounts of the tenders received woro above the upset values. ' Tho young colonial lias a picturesque manner of expressing himself on occasions. A lad of 15 summors was being cross-exam-ined at the S.M. Court yesterday, and was being pressed as to why' ho did not stay at a certain race-course after, lie had been spoken to by 'a detcctivo about bctting.- " Cassells came up to mo and I got a bit gallied and scaled away home," was tho nnswor given by the youth,, who also informed the Court that he had gone' out to tho course with " six bob " in. his pockot. At last night's meeting of the Miramar Borough Council, a letter was received from the Public Works Department drawing attention to tho practice of removing, grave] from the Defenco Reserve at Dorset Point by carters employed by tho council or acting apparently under its instructions, and requesting that it bo stopped, as tho Government did not desire the gravel disturbed. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Crawford) remarked that the matter had been attended to, and the request compliod with. Tho council was now getting its gravel supplies from another source. Twenty competitive designs have boon received for tho enlargement and extension of the Wellington Hospital. Tho timo for the receipt of plans closcd on Wednesday, but the award will not be made for sonio little timo. Tho judges are .Mr. John Campbell (Government Architect), Dr. Mason (Chief Health Officer), and an architect to be appointed by the Wellington Architects' Association this evening. The plans gcncrt.lly provido for extension on a. large scale of the whole hospital building, including the addition of another story to each of the wards, the provision for another operating theatre, a cancer ward for five malo and five female patients, and an eye, car, and throat ward for live malo and five female patients. A new children's ward is to be provided, and the present fever ivard (an old wooden structure) is to bo destroyed. Tho whole of the work, which will bo done in sections, will cost approximately £30,000.

The Wellington Bowling Club will open its season to-morrow at 2 p.m. , An effort is being mado to provide a Presbyterian Church at liowa, near Huntervillo. About £200 will bo required, of which £65 Ins been collccted. ' An assistant at a local drapery establishment will appear at tho Magistrate's Court this morning on summons to answer to a chargo. of tho theft of £1, tho property of the D.I.C. Tho members of tho Court of Arbitration, who returned to Wellington on Wednesday evening from Masterton, will leave on Tuesday for Auckland, whero sittings of the Court will be held, commencing on October 8. Whilo playing at Karaka Bay on Wednesday, Nigel, the six-year-old son of Mr. David K. Blair, of tho firm of Messrs. Richardson and Blair, sustained a fracture of tho skull through falling. After being attended to by Dr. M'Gavin, the boy was removed to a private hospital, where ho is progressing favourably. Tho annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers' Federation will be held on Wednesday commencing at 10 a.m., and will probably last a few days. A largo number of remits havo been received, and it is anticipated that the gathering will be the most representative and interesting that has yet taken place. Recently a Winton business house had occasion to take its cash' register to pieces, and while engaged in the task tho proprietor received a, pleasant surpriso by finding a cheque for £6 odd and three single £1 notes in the back of the register. The money had apparently been thero for some timo, for the cheque was drawn in 1906. A just completed shows that of 193,572 acres of West Coast lands administered by the Public Trustee, 160,000 acres aro leased among 1229 lessees, leaving a balanco of 33,000 acres for the occupation of Natives. Most of the leaseholds are perpetual leases, and they include a number of licenses to the Native owners themselves. The Stratford "Post" understands that the Railway Department will shortly run a fast train from New Plymouth to connect at Marton with the mail train from Wellington for the Main Trunk line. Tho proposed . train will only make four stops between ls T ow Plymouth _ and Wanganui, and an earlier train making more stoppages will be run in order to allow of passengers from .intermediate stations catching the fast train at the nearest stopping place. Tho exhibition of pictures in tho Art Gallery was very well attended by the public yesterday. Three pictures were sold during the day—" A Yorkshire Moor: Winter," by P. P. Frcyburg, £2 25.; "St. Ives, Cornwall," by the same artist, £3 35.; and " Roses," by Clelia Burton, £3' 10s. Since tho opening day thero has been another new exhibit, a beautiful littlo marble bust of a girl-child, by Mr. C. Kidson, the Christchurch sculptor, and this has been much admired. Mr. A. Hamilton, director of the Dominion Museum, will begin his huia hunt in tho country near Taihapo in October, states tho "Taihapo Daily Q'imes." Hiraka te Ronga, of Taihape, has interested himself in the project to find'sufficient huias to,place in sanctuary, and thus prescrvo tho bird from extinction. Tho chief agrees with Mr. Hamilton that there are probably riot more than ono hundred huias now alive, and 'he and his people, with Mr. Hamilton, will try to capture as many as possible next month. Examinations were held recently by the oxaminers of tho Inspection of Machinery Department at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunodin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson. Wanganui, and Wellington, Fifty-five candidates in all were examined, and for the following classes of certificates:—First-class marino_ engineer, second-class marine engineer, third-class marine engineer, river engineer, marine engineers for auxiliary powored vessels (both for sea-going and river trade); first-class stationary engine-driver, secondclass stationary engine-driver, and locomotive and traction engine-driver. Of the candidatM who sat ,fpr.ty r thr.oe; passed. . . ; A handsomo trophy, the " Hudson Cup," valued at fifty guineas, has been presented to tho New Zealand Garrison Artillery! Vol-, unteers, as a challenge trophy for competitive quick-firing gun practics by Messrs.' R. Hudson and Co., of Dunodin, in appreciation of the excellent work achieved by tho. Artillery during tho past season. There are now' two challenge trophies in tho possession of the Garrison Artillery' — tho "Coast Artillery Cup" for big-gun shooting, at present held by the Petono Navals, and the " Hudson Cup" for quick-firing guns—6-pounder and 12-pounder armament. Distinction in quickfiring gun practice has formerly carried no material reward, and the institution of this competition should cause-those companies which man quick-firing batteries to take n keener interest in their work. Mr. O. Beere, of tho legal firm of O. and R. Beero, solicitors, ha 3 received a letter from Mr. Richard Iveeue, of Wellington, now touring England, stating that he is having a most enjoyable trip. Being anxious to purchase a steamer for tho newv service between Tauranga and Wellington,',-he has visited Aberdeon, the Clyde, Sunderland, and Now-castle-on-Tyno, in which places about fifty steamers havo been offered him, from which ho hoped to bo able to make a suitable selection. With reference to a recent telegram from Tauranga, Mr. Beero states that tho tender of Messrs. Gibbons Bros., of Dudley lEngland), has only been accepted subject to that-firm being able to deliver the plant b,v a certain date. The gas-snpply concession for Tauranga is_ held by Messrs. Keene and Roid, of , this city, for whom Mr. Beero is solicitor. Mr. T. W. Butcher is the local representative for Gibbons Bros.

The committee of the New Zealand Natives' Association has recommended that the following be adopted as the "objects" of the association at the general meeting to bo held on Wednesday evening next:—(l) The fostering of a national spirit,, and the upholding of the best traditions of our, forefathers ; (2) safeguarding the interests of New Zealand by improving the conditions of its people, and by having regard to a judicious system of defence; (3) the imparting of education upon all subjects affecting tho welfare of the people of the country, and stimulating a healthy interest in public affairs; (4) to mutually assist fellow mombers, and to encourage the mental, physical, moral, and material development of one another; (5) whilst discouraging any discussion on party politics or religious questions, to invite discussion upon all matters affecting tho general welfare of tho community. Tho committee has also recommended that tho annual fee for ordinary mombers be 55., and that life members be accepted upon the payment of £5 ss. In an anticipatory article in the New York "Evening Post" as to what the American Fleet might expect to see in New Zealand, Mr. Freeman Lloyd saj-s:—"At Kotorua girls will dive and turn in pools of mud for pieces of silver. 'They aro as graceful as otters _ or seals in this thermal liquid of the consistency of thick pea-soup. It is indeed a sight to watch tliern as they turn over and manage to get the coin, again coming to tho surface with the silver between their pearly teeth, their long straight hair almost typifying the imaginary mermaid. The Maori is quick at making friends. He will make tho advance without any ceremony, and ask his questions in succession. From where do you como? Who aro you, and what aro yon? Tho Maori wants to know and he will bo informed. Mayhap oiie or two of those you m%et in tho native villages can read. Then you will become a sort of walking bureau for information on all the current subjects of tb'o day. If thero should happen to bo a war in- progross, you will recognise tho old Adam of fighting that courses through tho veins of tho rod mail of tho southern seas who clubbed his enemy to death with his green marble, hammerliko weapon, and then ato him."

It is reported by the "Wanganui Chronicle" that Mr. Allison's ostriches started laying a day or two ago with an egg weighing 3}lb. 'i'lic Wellington Bowling Club will open its season on Saturday next. Tho Kelburno and Ivarori Clubs will open for play on tho same day, Hutt on October 10, and Newtown and Victoria 011 October 14. Three young men were arrested yesterday by Detectives Broberg and Cameron on charges of consorting with reputed thieves. The accused will appear at the S.M. Court .this morning. Another man similarly charged stands remanded until this morning from Monday last. "As you are aware, Mr. J. A. Gilruth is leaving the Dominion. I am sure you will all agreo that wo aro losing a real good man, one who calls a spado a spade, aiid whoso place will be hard to fill."—Mr. B. A. Campbell at a meeting of the shareholders of the Wanganui Meat freezing Company, Ltd. At the Ad'Jington railway workshops tho construction of eight large compound engines to bo used on tho Rauriniu spiral on tho North Island Main Trunk line, is.being proceeded with as rapidly as possible. It is expected that two of these engines will be completed in two or three months. The boilers aro tho largest locomotive boilers in the Dominion, and weigh when empty 16 tons 10 cwt. each. Two men were arrested by Detective Cassells yesterday afternoon on a charge of false pretences. It is stated that one of the men wont into an hotel and endeavoured to cash a valueless cheque, but was refused. Ha. returned later, and is stated to havo introduced a friend, whom he said was Detective Cassells, which friend, it is alleged, vouched for the first mail's bona fides, with tho result that tho cheque was cashed. A seventy-foot whale, which was towed into the harbour at Phillips Cove, Maine, for exhibition, became so odorous under the influence of the heat that the owners decided to destroy it by a stuffing of dynamite cartridges. It took fire, however, the oil making it practically a floating lamp,. and tho flames gave Phillips Cove a free illumination which attracted hundreds of visitors for ten hours. . The Rev. Mr. Mason, whose success in locating artesian well-springs has earned for him no littlo fame, has intimated, says the "Manawatu Herald," his intention of visiting Foxton about'the beginning of November, for the purpose of locating suitable places where artesian bores may be put down. It is the.intention of several settlors in the district to ilso enlist the services of Mr. Mason. The Australasian Medical Congress, which will open on October 19 in Melbourne, and which Drs. Mason, Pollen, and of this city, will a.ttend, is a triennial institution. Tho congress _ will be divided into eleven sections, each with presidents and vicepresideiits of its own. Dr. Mason will preside over: the sanitation division of the congress. General meetings will be held for the discussion of various medical problems, addresses will be read by presidents, and a variety of questions will be dealt with by tho separate sections. The Governor-Gene-ral, tho Admiral, and the Governors of the Australian States, Now Zealand, and Fiji are patrons of 'the congress, and, an alluring social programme has .been drawn up.