LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 335, 23 October 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho postal authorities advise that the Mokoia, which loft Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday, has on board an Fnglish and Australian mail, which is duo here by the express train from Now Plymouth on Monday evening next, October 26. A sitting in Chambers will not be held today as was originally intended. Thursday has been fixed as the day. on which tho statutory weekly half-holiday shall bo observed in the Featherston Town District. The annual meeting of the Senate of tho University of New Zealand will be held next year at Auckland, commencing on Wednesday, January 20. At the Christian Chapel, Vivian' Street, to-morrow, at 6.30 p.m., Mr. J. J.Franklyn will givo a special address on "The, Scriptural View ol : Baptism." . "I look upon Royal Commissions frequently as being graves in which Governments buried difficult questions."—Mr. A. Bruntnell, in the course of his temperance lecture at Wanganui on Tuesday night. Men—and' theso women who think of their husbands—should bewaro of persons who, adopting the nautical in their attire, represent themselves as sailors, and endeavour to dispose of rolls of serge in suit lengths. An exhibit of .kiwis' eggs has' been presented to tile Newtown Museum by Captain Boilnns, and Mr. H. Pankhurst has added an Amazon parrot to tho_ collection. The City Council decided last night to forward letters of thanks to tho donor 3. Firo drill, says a Taranaki exchange, has boon held on three occasions at tho Hawera District High School during tho current year, and at the practice held last week the school was oleared in 38 seconds. Tho largo number of exits favours a rapid clearance of the building, and tho discipline is excellent. The license fees payable to the City Council in respect of public halls were amended as follows at the meeting last evening:— Halls with a seating capacity of 500 and under 750, £10, instead of £20; halls seating under 500, £3 Bs., instead of £10. The fee for halls with a. seating capacity of 750 was left at £20. Tho plantation between Kent' and Cambridge Terraces is to bo set back for a distance of 60ft. at the northern end, in order to give a clear view of approaching cars and to provide for any necessary sidings or waiting places. Tlie same plantation, below Vivian Street, was set back some weeks ago, with good effect. - A coalhcaver, who appeared at the Magistrate's Court yesterday on a judgment summons debt, stated that his average earnings for some timo past bad been about £1 per week—sometimes a littlo more and sometimes a good deal less. " Competition is so keon now," said debtor, " that what 'you do get you have to fight for." Tho Mayor informed tho City Council last evening that tho Financo Committee v had passed resolutions in regard to loans, but lie had not yet been able to get- full particulars on a certain essential matten He hoped that the committee would be able before next meeting to distribute copies of the proposals among councillors. They would do so if they oould got the information he had mentioned. Now that tho Hutt and Petone Borough Councils have settled their dispute over the new fiutt Bridge, tho way is cleared for tenders to be called. Tho plans have been completed Somo time, and had the contretemps referred to not occurred, tho chances are that a tender would have been accented and tho worfc commenced by now. Olio or tho chief considerations in regard to tho new bridge is a stablo conduit for tho city mains from the Wainui reservoir across the Hutt ltivor. Nothing definite has yet boon dono by tho Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association with respect to tho protest of the Wellington centre against the refusal;to accept tho nomination of Wellington residents for positions on the council. In reply to the letter of protest, the following brief acknowledgment has eoino to hand:—-"The lion, secretary, Wellington Centre. '.Dear Sir,—l bog to aeltnowiodge receipt of your favour ol' tho 17 th iiißtant.—Yours faithfully, J. 11. Aitken, lion, secretary, N.Z.A.A.A." Tho Wellington City . Council charges tho Harbour Board os. per 1000 gallons for water, which tho board sells to vessols for 6s. Bd., getting a profit of Is. Sd. to covor main tenancc. Tho Auckland City Council ( sells for 2>i. 3d., and the Auckland Harbour Board charges ss. to vessels, a profit of 2s. 9cl. Councillor Fletcher, who is a member of tho Harbour Board, pointed out 'to tho City Council last night tho difference i between tho charges of tho two corporations as a discrepancy that should be put right. ■\o action was taken by tho Councd. ' I

Tho Ngairc and Cha-rlcstown Riflo Clubs liavo been disbanded. A copy of a dispatch containing tho revised statutes of tho Imperial Servico Order appears in this week's Gazette; Tho Eastbourno Borough Council has been constituted the Eastbourno Domain Board under tho Public Reserves and Domains Act. Money-order and postal correspondence for tho Cardinal Manufacturing Co., Ltd., London, and tho Anglo-American Finance Corporation, of London, is prohibited by a notice in this week's Gazette. A block of 670 acres of land at Trentliam, owned and occupied by Mr. John Barton, is created a sanctuary for imported and native game by a notice in this week's Gazette. The block adjoins the golf-links. A wharf labourer was arrested by Detcctivo Andrews yest-erday on a charge of stealing books valued at 10s. from tho steamer Oswestry Grango. Tho books wero the property of Messrs. Collins, Biss and Co., Ltd. Tenders wero accepted by tho City Council last ovening for tho abattoirs, cast iron pipes and fittings, and brackets and standards for tho tramway power house. Further information will not bo available till tho contracts aro signed. Detectivo Cassells arrested a man yesterday oil a charge of assaulting and robbing an old man named Chas. Stewart, 82 years of age, at Otaki, on October 1-1. The old man is ajlegod to liavo been robbed of a watch and'chain valued at £24. A greaser employed on the Union Co.'s steamer Manuka, John Maker, a resident- of Sydney, was admitted to the hospital yesterday suffering from ptomaine poisoning. It is stated that Malior, who' is reported to be in a serious condition, opened a tin of fish early in tho week, eating a portion of it at tho time and some of the balance later. A scion of tho house of Sikes paid a visit to tho residence of Mr. John Bell, Karepa Street, Brooklyn, on Monday afternoon whilst tho occupants were absent. An entrance was offectod by a baok window, tho catch of which was forced off. The burglar madp ail exhaustive and apparently leisurely examination of tho drawers and cupboards in tho dwelling, and departed with about £30 worth of jewellery and 355. in cash. As evidence of tho tightness of the money market, a resident of South Canterbury agreed to purchase a certain farm for £16,000, provided he could get accommodation for half this amount. He put down £8000 cash, but, in-spite of all endeavours, lie was unable to get tho other £8000, notwithstanding that ho had the best of security to offer for it, and as a consequence the deal fell through, says tho "Timaru Herald." The Hon. R. M'Nab, Minister .for Lands, informed a representative of tho Eltliam "Argus" that it will be within tho scope of tho recently-appointed inspectors to' observe the conditions of child labour in tho dairying industry and report thereon. Tho inspectors will, of course, have no power to do anything further than report. So far, ho says, the inspectors have nothing to complain of in connection with child labour. A list of about 24 cases of alleged encroachment on tho roads in Kolbunio was road by Councillor Fletcher at tho meeting of tho City Council last evening. In one caso ho complained of a concrete wall which very much limited tho footpath, and which could be reset so as to givo an additional threo feet to the public way. The Mayor decidod that it was too lato in tho evening to take a motion oil the subject. Councillor Fletcher also asked if anything was being done in tho matter of alleged.encroachments in Wingiield Street, brought up by him in tho Council several months ago. The Mayor roplied that proceedings wero being taken in thoso cases. • A deputation from tho Inangahua Miners' Union waited on tho Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour, on Wednesday, to urge an early sitting of the Arbitration Court to hear tho Otira dispute. Messrs. T. J. Malloy (president of tho Inancahua Union) and-Mr. C. Fry stated that unless a sitting of tho Court could be arranged within six weeks it might happen that the men would givo up work until the conditions of labour wero made more tolerable. Tho following reply was given by'the Jliliistcr j-esterday: "I am informed that the Arbitration Court have arranged to sit at .-Greymouth on November 18. Please have your cases referred direct to the Court, so that they may be dealt with on that date. I trust that this will suit the desires of your union." Interviewed by a "Timaru Herald" reporter on the present stringency of tho money market, a Timaru banker said: "If tho banks chose to take advantage of tho present position, they could get much higher rates of interest than they are. charging; but they do not want to do this. The banks want to deal fairly by the people, and they are refusing new business (110 matter how tempting the rate of interest offered) in order that they may havo sufficient money to keep their regular customers going. What we want to do is to trade on a fair basis, and in working as wo are, tho banks aro acting in the best interests of their clients, as well as of themselves. When it is remembered that the indebtedness of the people of this Dominion to the banks is £20,000,000, it can bo readily seen that there is need for a steadier policy. While debating which Labour journal to recommend as their official organ, the Now Zealand Miners' Federation yesterday listened to an unrestrained tirade against the Now Zealand press in general. It came from Mr. C. Fry, from Inangahua, and tho delegate, in the course of his pronouncement, declared that the press are tho greatest enemies of Labour. Tho papers could publish what they liked, and omit anything they wished. It was the pennies of tho workers which kept the newspapers going, and, if tlioy all agreed to withhold their subscriptions and advertisements, the newspapers would die With only a short struggle, Bio money of tho capitalist press could buy not only the brains of tho cleverest men in tho country, but their consciences too! The federation should favour its own journal, and have its own reporters at conference meetings. Then they would got truth, and tho unions could treat tho outside press with that contempt which tho workers had always received. The conferenco resolved to recommend tho "New Zealand. Worker" (Auckland) to the various unions as tile official organ, in preference to tho "Commonweal" (Wellington). The annual confcronce of delegates bolonging to tho Royal Now Zealand Association of His Majesty's Veterans took place in the Town Hall at 10 a.m. yesterday. The following branches wore represented:—Wellington, Masterton, Buller, and Now Plymouth. Colonel Ncwall, C.8., life vice-pre-sident, took tho chair in the absence of tho president, his Excellency Lord Pluilket. Letters of apologj wero received from Captains E. Tregear and 11. C. Hamerton. A largo amount of business was gone through, the correspondence aiid balance-sheet were road, and an association badge was selected. Earl Roberts, V.C., having become a member, was unanimously elected a life vicepresident, amid applause. Tho annual report showed steady progress. It was decided to thank the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, for kind concessions.made to tho association. The following officers wero unanimously elected: —Standing committee, Colonel Ncwall, C.8., Messrs. 11. Walton and T. Unvin; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr. S. St-idolph; auditor, Mr. J. M. Mnv; trustee, Mr. It. Tingoj', vice-president of tlie Wellington branch, flic chairman thanked thoso present for their attention to the affairs of the association, and said that, with the knowledge tliat they had such distinguished members at the head of affairs, naturally all looked forward to another year of prosperity, and at the next annual conference still greater progress would bo shown for the good and welfare of the veterans. A vote 01 thanks to the chairman terminated tho proceedings. Mrs. Kolleslon, Hair Physician, regrets to inform her clients that she will be absent from Wellington for a few days on very urgent private business. C 730 Tliero are more ways than one of blending tea, but there's only one honest and right wav and that is to blend for quality. Many teas aro blended for value—that is, tens of certain prices aro lumped together in order to mako cortniu of profit. Crescent Blend Tea is blended for quality, irrespective of the prices of tho teas required to make the blend. It is! a scientific combination- of tho strong robust teas of Darjeeliiig and the fine delicate teas of Ceylon, Two shillings per lb. from all stores,—Advt.