LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

V. M'Colli' the walker, was the bnjh Wellington athlete to win money atUhe Otago Cajfedoniah ,l Society's sports.. , .: .... ,' '.-.■ Among; the welcome'contributions to " the Christinas- :tree :and entertainment, at tho Home of Compassion wes the'siimof £10 16s 6d;: colleoted by Mrs. J.H., Gavin, df ; the Quccnls Private Hotel.; ~; '-, •■ ,: ;. The Health Department report the follow-ing;-cases of. infectious'diseases, for the fortnight ending January 2 :->lii the city. Scarlet fever 5; ehteriofever 1, diphthbria l'.\ In tho Butt':County:'Scarlet fever, 1. . ,i, ~ .; The.,(3overnment.training ;6hip -;Amokura, eii route to Wellington from New Plymouth, arrived at Picton yesterday afternoon." It is supposed "■' that iho will' iiifiva la' Woll!jigtou .tb-c&jt.- .:.■■■. .-• ■;■■ - - ■.-'-. ~,j,<:: . -.--",.y°- . •

A slight decrease has -occurred: this ne*r year in , the city train traffic , . The receipts wero:—Thursday, December 31, £602 65.-7 d.; Friday, January 1, £508 15."7 d.; Saturday, January 2, £475 145.. lid. Saturday's -takings arc ahead of those of tho corresponding day last year. ' ~ ''•■ ■ 1 Dairying in the Rahgiwahia distriot,' does. not seem to find the same favour as formerly (says an exchange). It is stated that;.ninny of the small farmers aro soiling their land to well-to-do neighbours, who aro going >in - for sheep-farming. The looal butter factory, is suffering inconsequence. Some years-ago the district's output amounted to 100 ' tons, whilst"this year it is estimated:that it, will only: reach 60 tone. . ... ~,.,.:;,' ."Probation" and "prohibition" have,.-the. same meaning to some people. An ojd pft fender who appeared at the S.M. Court yesterday tried his persuasive powers to the very utmost in pleading to the Bench for leniency,and concluded by saying: "Your Worships can take a probation order out against- inb, It may do some good, and I'll proiniso to lead a better life , in the future." Accused' was" given a month "to-ponder over the wretched past.. . . - . ■ ■ .. • : ■ 7 .-.; Colonel Sir Theodore H. Brinckman., has written to Mr. T. I!. Donne, stating that he intends to visit New' Zealand this month, aiid will stay on-.for the deer-stalking season in March. Colonel Brinckman is tlio third baronot of the lino created in 1831. Ho was born*in 1862, and succeeded to the title in 1905. ■ ■ Ho served in, South Africa, and was mentioned in dispatches twice, was created a 0.8. in 1900, and wears the King's and Queen's medals, and the South African medal with three clasps. His regiment was'.tbe 3rd Battalion of the. Buffs.; '. . -. Mr. A. Hamilton, Curator of the Dominion Museum, returned last night from a cojlect-' ing trip in the Taupo district. The weather was very favourable' for Mr. Hamilton's purpose, but ho secured a considerable number of insects, including some rare speci-' mciis. With Mr. Hill, of Napio'r, he examined an. interesting ;bed of lignite inter-stratified with the pumice whiph nils the whole'lake basin between Runanga and Opepe. The bed' is of more geological than commercial importance, bwjng to its remote location, and the plentif ulnoss.of timber in the locality.; '. A scandalous act'. of. vandalism has 'been perpetrated ot the plantation off Grant Read, between Park Street and Featherston; Terrace.' Some soulless persons have, wantonly stripped the- bark from a number of .fine deoiduous trees, planted there some 17 orlß years ago, and the plantation will probably ' be the poorer for , the loss of some beautiful ashes and'silver birches. The reserve, , is , the j property of the citizens, and the corporation , should .lose no time,, in offeringa reward and following :the matter up, iri the , hope'' of bringing to book tho individuals responsible' for this,act of vandalism. . .. li.'^'v'l The question of control over pipers-and dancers competing at cash meetings produced a lengthy discussion at Friday's'meeting of tho New Zealand Athletic Union (states .the "Otago Daily Times"). They are classed as competitors, and are called upon, to register with, the un ion and pay a registration lee. of 2s; 6d., being also liable to disqualification for. competing at unregistered meetings. ;See-' ing that; some large-meetings are held putside tlie jurisdiction of the union,.the,pipers and dancers haveformod an association, and recognition was asked for it. The question was not settled, but was deferred for further consideration. ■ .'■ r ; ! ' i . - i \(. ; Diners in • a. ; city 'restaurant: were .a' little startled yesterday evening when a . young woman,: apparently about 24 years of age, insisted' in joining,into conversation.-with those.seated at:tlie'tables on general principles; ■ '. Sympathetic inquiries elicited the fa.ct —delivered , .'in; shaky sentences amid jncipient. sobs —that she was an immigrant from England, and had broken through.the proprieties put of sheer loneliness. "I-have not seen : a kind face since,! have been ■in' Now Zealand" was ono! ejaculation.;..,: 'And then,.from behind her. han'dkerohief,. ;; :came this ■:,' "lf .'there, wae dry ■ land between;'.herSj : and England I would walk back,',' ;r; ; "' ; '''.''' ..'...There.'was launched from the shipbuilding yards'bf ,Mr.:,C.Bailey, iun., Auckland, '-..-on: Wednesday .last ,a v now, ketch, /built",to ~ihe order of .Sir Rupert .Clark, ,of -Meftpurne,; f p'r' ithcN lEanua- Rubber -, :Elantajjion : : Projrjgtary,; . Limitejt,..pf. .whjch.; Sir. Ruport, ( js', y^. ..lea^/ding. ■"' -spirit.- the .vessel left ,tho named.the Era by Miss Laurel Bailey,- daughter, of ,the builder. .The.new .vessel.'has,.:been built I .', solely for commercial <:'and should provo an acquisition to fthO;-Island trade,. Captain .Alexander, who , . , :recently took-tlie small scow Advance over-to,Sydney from Kaipara, has been appointed master of the Era, which will take nor departure for New Guinea at an early, date. jThe.ketch's port ,of registry, .will be Port Moresby; /.;.>/ Tho return of : criminal cases passing through the Magistratefs Court for tho.quarter ended December 31 shows that. 1031' ■males and 110 females, were taken into custody, summoned, or apprehended. Of these; 858: males and .98 females; were summarily convicted,' 90 males and 6'females wero dis-! charged for want.of prosecution or want of evidence, 42 cases against males and < '6, against females were;di6missed on ,the ! merits; 41 m'ales:were committed for trial, 416 males' and 21 females were fihedj 109 males and.9 females, were ■imprisoned m ; lieu'-'of.;fine or surety, 58' males 'and 6 females were pun-, ished by peremptory imprisonment, , and one male was bound over. Orders weremade against 131 males .and' 44' females, and.l 43 males and 18 females were convicted , and discharged with 'a Caution. Of the.Bß6-persons charged-with offences against good order, 799 wero summarily convicted. The total of convictions was made upof 707-males: and 92 females. \ , . ; / ;.-. : : : Grizzled and grey, but still with youth in his eye,: a very old Wellington resident is now on a visit to the city he holds dearest. This is Mr. H. E. Owen, conductor of the,",Whaka-; tane County Press." He left Wellington in 1876, and now, naturally enough, is hardly able to recognise the capital oity. Newtown, for instance,- in his day, was "No Town," and many another spot now selling, at fabulous prices was only a savage.blur of raupo arid fern when he knew it. Having travelled wide, especially. in Australia,: Mr. Owen • naturally has a fund'of reminiscences, and,, perhaps his most interesting.is his version of the Maori prophet .now enjoying the usual ephemeral Maori reign of. popularity. "Rua," says Mr. Qw'en, with the. ring of conviction ..in his voice, "is. no fool. He knows the immense potential value of the lands lying south.of the. Bay of Plenty, and it is (to say the least of it) surprising, that more people cannot see how very correct Rua is.; Few^parts of New . Zealand have such, a certain future." ;. A speaker at Friday's meeting of the Zealand Athletic Union in Dunedraldid not see,;why the union should go to the trouble of holding amateur -"events, in connection with its sports meetings (states .the "Otago Daily Times"), ■;. "Why should their, officials come on to,bur grounds'and.order us about if we .wore not.-able tp manage our own- sports?" he asked.' "We got nothing ■ from I,them.-" This, brought another, speaker : to his feet. "Ahl" ho,said, "you!forget the pretty girls who: "attend tho sports to see the amateurs run. There are lots, of people who go to see the amateurs who would not go for any other reason.". A number, of delegates spbio very bitterly of. what they, palled ' Uhe lily-white amateurs,"..and referred to the ..statement that the amateurs, while taking advantage of the union, in many ways, yet did their utmost to. harm cash athletics. "The sooner we. do something pretty drastic with , them," said one gentloman, "the better for ourselves. We will have to settle them, for they are doipg their, very best to. settle .us." The man spoko somewhat strongly concerning the amateurs, and concludcc[.ms remarks.with a solemn warning: "If they do not coass" : their criticism of us we will, in the near"future,consider the adrieablonese of wiping amatonr events off our sports programmes eltogether." The rooms of Mrs. Eolieston, i Willis-Street (over Carroll's), -re-oponed yesterday for Hair Troatment, Pace Massage, HairdressinK, Shampooing, etc. ', Ladies are, advised to book upppintnients ' early.. Personal attention. Advice given free, of oharge. Tel. 1509. . C 739 There'lire more waje ttias one of. bwndiW tea* but there 8 only one honest sod right way and .tuat is to blend for quality. Many teas are. blended.for value—that is,.teas of certain prices, axo • lumped together in order to make I certain of profit. Crescent Blend Tea is blendod for quality, irrespective of the prices of tho teae required .to make :-o blend; It ie a scientific combination of the btrong robust teas of Dttfjooltne imd tho fine .dclUaio teas ol Ceykn. # Xwo;emllu)ge pQtlb. from all storee.-Advh -:[

'A large number of,'passengers left for the south by the Union Company's steamer Maori last night, there being 159 saloon bookings at 4 p.m. The Pateena which sailed for Picton and Nelson -yesterday had 86 saloon passengers on ••board.'. The Takapuna ; and Wiiikare, which sailed for northern ports, were, also heavily patronised.. ." .' -.Auckland and its environs (says a Press Association message) are at present in an exceptionally healthy condition. The: records of the/local office of the Public Health. Department during the past eight years show that at iio time have: the city and suburbs been so free from-epidemic diwase as at present. ■ JJndcr the provisions of the Teaohers' Superannuation Aot, it will be necessary for the contributors in each Island to elect two representatives to the board in March next, the election is;.'fixed by statute to take place oh March 1, and nominations close twenty days earlier, about February 8.: - _Tho article contributed some time ago to The Dominion by. the Bev. B. Wood, dealing with the attitude of. the founders of Prcsbytqrianism' towards the Sabbath, has since bpen. submitted to Professor T. M. Lindsay, 'of Glasgow,. The "Outlook" states that Professor Lindsay characterised the article as an 'excellent".statement of the oase. :'-'.Tho' Wellington Naval Artillery. Volunteers will go into camp at Mahanga Bay for their annual course of instruction and class-firing on Friday next. . On the following day the D.Battery of field artillery volunteers will go into camp at the Hutt-Park. The Battery will ; proceed' to Greytown at the termination of its instructional practice, in order to carry out its annual class-firing. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, was interviewed in Chr'istenureb. last night regarding'a published .statementthat -the harbour boards of Greymouth and Westport were to be consolidated, and control assumed by the Government. According to a Press Association, telegram, ■ the Prime\ Ministers; answer was that the mattor had not been before ■Cabinet, y\ ", -..- -' : ... A - ./,, ■ sA very successful gathering was held at the'Y.M.O.A. Booms Tast night when a welcome dinner was;tendered 'to Mr.. Edward Beeves', of Adelaide. Among those present were the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, Minister of Education; Mr. J, Palmer, Town Clerk; Colonel -Bauohop; ,Mr. W- D. Gorham, secTetary .of the -Wellington Shakespeare Club; Mr: H. N. Holmes, secretary Y.M.C.A.; Mr. C; ' 'E. Salter, president of the Christchurch YiM.C.A.; and Mr. A. H. Hammertoe The Hon. Geo. Fowlds and Mr. H. N. Holmes, on behalf of -those present, extended a iiearty welcome to Mr. Beeves. ■;.: .'..■.// "Last , wool season Mt./ G; H. Scales, of Wellington, exported large quantities of wool to-London in sailing vessels. The prohibitive rate's of insurance, etc, ruling-this reason have prevented Mr. Scales from again using .sailers, and as announced, in these columns previously, Mr. Scales-is employing steamers for this season. - '-'Ihe first of theseV the Clan Sutherland—en route to Wellington, is.reported bv Farewell Spit to have- paseed there at 3.80 p.m.* yesterday. She should arrive in:the'-Btreamoariy;this morning, and onVdischarging- here goes on- the wool berth for London, under oharter to the Scales Line. ■Recent robberies in the. city had evidently upset the nervous.system of an elderly lady, who was "transacting 'some' business in..the .Post Office Savings Bank- yesterday morning. She was filling in' a deposit slip, and had laid hpr purse , on the dosk/iii front of. her. A gentleman, who happened to be writing at the desk alongside, , piclked up his pass book and walked out,- when the.;la'dy' immediately uttered a scream and followed him into the! street;/ A- crowd immediately gathered, and the gentleman was accused of purloinirig the elderly, lady's purse. : After vainly, protesthis innocence, he walked back into the Savings Bank,-- and there tho lady's-purse was-, s'tijl lying whore she had: set it on the desk. '.jSpeaking.at the Competitions : Society's Concert in Christchurch on Saturday oven•iiiK Mr. W-., Short,, the. King's .Trumpeter, saTd. tha^ , t;liere,la*pehr^ t{ 'li6 l ' : :bo: a large aih'ount of'.latent talent in theranks of brass instrument-players in New Zealand, and he suggested -that-if'the"'best could •be, brought 'together, permanently. New Zealajid..could: own. one of the. finest binds'in ;>h,e.''*orld. .It'.'miglit■be , ;possiblo ! for: :ffl4 (rp'vern'nient 'to;.'subsidise the; 1 good;,playere '■arid;.so/Eecu're l '^'.'the.'p6untry/pne;^onq '.band, ' .The ,suggestion| might' not,be' praV ticablo ono. at present;.' but \ there were possibilities in it. 'There; wore players quitei as goijd in New Zealand as there .were, .elsewhere, and it was. a pity to have a; large nuniber of bands: raado up of ' a few solo players while the middle of the' band Wade not, music" but a'nbise. .- : ■;. '' .' v / : .' Our - Christchurch correeporident V telegraphed last night: It is stated that sharks .art" very, numerous'off Sumner and New Brighton, this suinnier. Last; week. a sixfeet shark was caught at New Brighton, and while fishing for cod , off the end of • the pier yesterday a young. man; was considerably astonished to see the gaping'jaws of a , fair-sized shark come to view after an unmistakablebite. '■.: The shark was caught by the \ipper lip; and was , suspended ■ with its head lust above water. The line would have been too weak to. support the shirk's* entiro weight,.and whilemeaus were; being devised to' net an amateur sport with a pea:rifle-made a target of the.jaws'■■ without inflicting' any/ very serious injury on the shark. Eventually a rope was lowered and made fast round the fins by a venturesome who swam out from the beach, and ' the shark was landed on the pier amid muoh jubilation. It measured'seven feet from the ! nose to the tip of the fail. . // v ■■-.• ■-Stalkers will' be; interested in a letter which Mr. T. .E. l)onne, of the Tourist Department, has received from 'Mr. E. J. Eiddiford; the owner, of■.Tβ. Awaite Station, famoue to feA^i. 01 ■^■•.■.deer.'..': In the'past Mr. ;Biddiford has. given permission'to' many visitors to stalk. over; his Jand, and : though '. he does'not statehis intention of refusing such permission <ia the future he says that he doubts .if: the-stags (with good, heads) are there. "During the ,last two years," be addsj ,"over. 200 U. stags have been, destroyed on 'le.-Awaite, as .they/were interfering with the carrying capacity, of-the land." Some'of the finest heads in New-Zealand--p6ssibly in tho world—-have/been obtained on; Mr. Biddiford's land by colonial and visiting sportsmen, and while one "may regret 'to learn of .such apparently ruthless means of reducing.the. herds, it must be borne in mind that they make great demands.on the-pas-tures, it is .only a':ycar ; .or two ago that there was an outcry among sheep-farmers. in certain .parts of the North: Island against, the depredation of pasture land made by rapidly-increasing deer'. , ; The Acclimatisation Societies' interested might utilise this information .by devising '. some means of thinning out the hprds where their numbers are being complained of, and establishing them in'such districts as the Tongariro National Park, Waikaremoana', where their presence would be'better appreciated. ■ ' ■ .--.: : , ■ . '.The trim little Government steamer Janie Seddon, beloved of. the garrison gunners of ..Wellington, who are ferried to and fro over the harbour between the city and the forts, costs the Government something liko £1500 a ; year to keep up,.and will probably be dispensed with_ ps an expensive luxury. Her future fate is not yet decided: upon.. Meanwhile, there lies in the boat harbour a squat--looking motor'launch, .painted grej', with a .varnished deckhousis, whioh'is designed to-act in future ;as the Defonco Departiaont-s dispatch boat for harbour work. . She has no name, the only distinguishing mark' being a ."W" '(Wellington), to signify her centre of usefulness. She Iws two sisters, one at Auckland, and the.other,at Duncdin, but they are both . smaller, craft, .being. only .38 feet .in ilcngth, as agsiuat, the 'W'ellington, boat's 40 feet. The launch, which successfully completed,her spbed trials la-st.iTbek,..was taken over.by the DopsrtmcntatS o'clock yesterday ,' aft«rnoon,..and, with a party on board,; made a; short trip 'round the inner harbour. The launeh was built by; Messrs. Bringens and Bailey,' ETans. and engined by the Palmer .Engineering Company.;'Hor' length" is ■AQ feet, with a 9-foot beam, a depth of 4 feet 6 inches, and sho draws 2 feet of water. The veßsel is' built of Australian hardwood and kauri, and fitted with » 2&-h.p., two-cylindor Thorneycroft motor, solid '.'bronze' propeller and a reversible clutch, and ! has a contract speed of 9 knots. The party included Hon - Captain J. O'Sullivan, Head of the Defence' ■ Stores-Department, Captain. Symon R.N.Z.A., Messrs.- W., Palmer (renresenta.tivo of the Palmer Engineering Company) Brlng«r«;;.ahd;Bailfly;(the builders).

- That campmg ontUe Foxton boach is b* commg more popular each year is evidenced by the number of Palmorstonians who are holidaymaking there, says the ''Manawatu Times." It is' estimated that"-fully 200 are staying • there at the present time,'and in addition to that number between, forty and fifty Palmorston residents alone came up from Foxtqn by the train leaving there at 7 o'clock ona recent morning. The majority of these had spent their week-lend ■oti the beach despite the unpleasant, weather. ' Quite a number of those "returning to Palmerston walked, fronv the , beach, including several young women, a distance of about 3J milesi'-regardlese. of. the drizzling rain, that was/.faUing,. and they ..appeared to .be. happy and well satisfied that they were a good time. A number of Marton attd'some Masterton residents are also campedon the beach. A long and animated discussion arose at a special' meeting of the Cooks' and Waiters , Union; hold Inst. evening. to-consider'..a.-'sugv gestion from the..Oooks'.Association that ths union' take over,the club, premises and be?; longings on Lambtoh Quay. ' The. nieetirig was largely attended, and the proceedings at times were somewhat, exciting...lt.was.stafed that the\ finances of'.the club were : inj; a languishing condition, and. several of those present objected to a transfer of-the liabili* ties to the union. The.opinion was.expressed that on a matter,.of such.',importance every member of the, union was : entitled to speak, and. it was insisted by some that.th'e rule of. the union—that a ballot shbuld.be taken.on. important proposals when so desired .by any einglo, member—should be strictly observed. The Cooks' Association, however, intimated, that unless a definite deoision on the question was arrived at by the offer would be withdrawn. .It was ultimately decided to take a ballot on.the proposal, with the result that the.association withdrew-its offer. A subsequent deputation from'the union to the association failed, to induce the latter to rescind its.withdrawal,-ah'd.ther* at present the.matter stands..- ' . ■;■',.