LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho, mails , whjch: left Wellington- pn December 18 per the Warrimoo,- sod connected st Sydney with tbe Mongolia, arrived 111 liondoa pn the .night of : January 22, duo date. ~- ■ . : r , 7. ■ Suspicious eyes' were cwt by the police on a pair of face-up tan boots with rubber heels w«rn ; by ; ! an'. ill-elothed ; vagrant ;wbo passed through the Court the other (lay. Inquiries are' now being made by the. authorities for' tho rightful owner' of tho boots. .:, • Tho opening sentences .of 'aS-jijdgment ;<!e'. Jivered by , Dr.:M-.Arthur,,.S.M., yesterday, caused somo amusement; .''From the period ,when ,-the', debt. ,was...ineui;red, i with i.intoreiit 1 up to the Dny of Judgment," ran the word' 1 ing of the judgment,'. "No li polJV.esplained' His Worship hastily. "I mean the qfttfi Of judgment." •■. :■ : cricket, matches between .teams representing England; South Africa, and Australia '■ were a;feature of the recreations;■ on board: tho lonie, on tho trip which: concluded', at Wellington i yesterday,- i'ba laurels of vicr. tor.y rested with.South.Africa, 'but it is comforting <:to' learn', that 'this was' -largely:'du« to./tlio assistance of two New Xealandm— Messrs-Stanley, Dean-and H. A. Matbioson, "Whyl he got married 'two-, dayf'after the meeting," remarked eonnsel in, ft case st the O,M. . Court-yesterday, when it wnj being explained that defendant could riot attend the particular meeting, becauso he was.ill,* "I have hoard of a man getting married, just beforo an execution," retorted counsol fQr tho defence, "so there is . nothing ; very' remarkable .aboilt that." "That was a double 1 execution, 1 '; said His Worship, dryly.' -: ; .'V Shortly after three. o'clock yesterday morning , a fire .was discovered in a 'pparo room of a. houso occupied by Mr, Wm, Mountjoy, 19 Shannon Street, and owned by Mr, R, W. WiHiams, of the Defenco Department. By .tho assistance of neighbours and ultimately tho fire brigade, the flames were suppressed, after the contents, of the room had been destroyed, Tho furniture is insured in the New. Zealand OHigs for £100. A ladj, fourte'eu , years of, ago t wholmd been found ■ sleeping in an old copper boiler en the, Reclamation on Monday/night, appeared beforo 'tho Magistrate in his private room yesterday, and was committed to tho Weraroa training farm, ft appears that tho boy's mother is an .invalid,'and .was deserted by her husband ten yaws ago. The boy had been looked after by. a relative, but had left thaf shelter and for some time past bad been beypnd-control, . ' ', .

■Wellington people may have noticed .that coloured men about the city have been grow, ing more and more assertive over siiioo the groat hosing matob in Sydney,.. A contest whioh resenibled in-many respects that wbi«h recently took place, for the ohainpionship of the; world washeld ju the yioinity, of' ; thq Forry Wharf yesterday.' Among the workers who' were -waiting for employment woro a number who began to digues'the 'merits the white and coloured Wing championsHigh words botwfion a tall negro and.a short aggressive European quickly led to blows being struck. In'the initial round (as was the casejftibe.big contest). "Burns" went down temporarily. Booine "Johnson" Ascend* ing into the "donkfly.rbom," "Burns" went after him expressing a great, determination "to JfiJ) and «?t" 'h)6 opponent. ' Hostilities, which were resumed subsequently, also proved rather disastrous to "Burns 11.,"' whoso head was so soverely bruised. (as a result of a knock-down) that he had to bo taken home in. a cab. . .' ;'

• The Hon. : Thomas Mackenzie, who left on Sunday night „by the. Hjne.moa on. a .tour round tho Sounds, then to walk overland- via To Anan ai)(J MRna?ouri. was interviewed-on arrival regarding his views on the question of regrassmp runs, that have boon denuded. T'qo Minister expressed tho opinion ' (tele, graphs a correspondent of the "Otagd Daily Times'-) that with the resting of the areas'," the putting into practice of experiments wjth grasses, asid attention to tJ» water question. Central Otago might be brought, .back to something apprpapliing it a, sheop.cprrying capacity of former years. Of course bo knew that .the. matter, of irrigation, was a )argo : one, and he thought that'to . begin with experiments might; bo made with runs that, have streams; adjacent. Eventually tho Oluthawould hiw tp be used, and although hp was not an engineer it appeared'to him that the river, should be tapped at as near its outlet from Jlawea as possible. He was aware, of course, of the porpus nature of the. BoiJ,. arid of tbo fact that much'of tho'water might escape, and bo would like it, to be undoi'stqod that his . remarks wore only genera], and to give some idea of what might bo done. ■

There ..oro .more ways tha none c'i blenrfinp tea, but there's only one honest find right way ; and thati is to blend for quality! Alany teas are blended for valuer-that is, . teas of certain •prices are lumped together in order to>"nko certain of profit. Crescent Blend Toa'is bleiidcd .for quality, irrespective of the . pricesoo s the ;teas. required to make the blend. It is a scientific combination of the strong robufct l teas of WttriMt jih find the, fii\e lUllc/ita tots of. Ceyloa, •!£wo ebMnjsa pot lb, tiom all etacea,—idvt,

The police .were still searching for' the Terrace Gaol escapee, John Archibald M'Neil, last night. It was; rumoured yesterday. that/ M'Neil. had been seen near Ngaio (Crofton). The latest', contributions -to 'the Italian earthquake fund aro as follow: —Picton residents, per A. Perano, second deposit (making total £31 10s. 6d) £9 10s. 6d. M. Yo(la, Paremftta,. 10s.; C. A. Pearce, Pah&utanui, 10s.; employees of the Ruanui Sheep Station,-per Town Clerk,.£4 Tho Hon. (I. J. Smith, M.L.C., who returned from England by the lonic yesterday, informed an interviewer that there was a; growing feeling at Homo that the female franchise movement was gaining ground, despite tho discredit which: has been brought upon the cause by . the theatrical tactics of the suffragettes. Messrs. Hickmott and Son, ecclesiastical and monumental sculptors,:Thorndon Quay, are erecting a magnificent high altar, of statuary marble; for the Church of-St- Gerard 1 (Redemptorist Order), at Roseneatjj, some of. pje marble coming from Gahvay and Devonshire, the principal from Italy, and it is, of its kind, the finest introduced to the Dominion, for many years- _ It has always been the custom that return tickets via the Manawatu line were not available, for return by the Wairarapa line, but a traveller suggests that'an alteration should now bo made since the Government has taken over the. former line, In ordinary seasons, two single tickets could be purchased, - and thus obviate the difficulty, but during excursions it.is urged that a passenger should notbe' denied the privilege of choice of route. '' A special message tg the Eketihuna "Express" from Wellington states there, is considerable comment there upon tho action, of the Hon. A. W. Hogg in retaining his seat on the- Wellington -Education Board. The Hon. T- Mackenzie,'- who was a member of. the Otago Board, and who has accepted a portfolio without pay, has resigned his •scat on that board, and it is openly stated that Mr. Hogg will damage the position of the Government: should ho retain office on the Wellington Board. ' . ... . ; '■■, No one has done more . to teaoh and - foster proficiency in swimming in Wellington. than Mr. T. Shields, who-has dropped into the 'habit,of devoting his 'Wednesday afternoons' in the summer-time to teaching boys and girls ,tbo useful. art. Now that the baths aro enlarged' there is plenty; of room for: all, and-the more that'come, the merrier for Mr. Shields. During this. afternoon there are to be trials .for' distance; proficiency., certificates." .Mr, . Pilkitigton, of the Royal 1 Lifepresent; : Chambers, of Commerce will meet in conference 'in 'Wellington on: April 13 and 14, if these dates-ore found to, suit. At a meeting of the. couucil or the local chamber .yesterday,:. Messrs. J. G. Harkess, U, 0. ;Tolvsle'y, W, G. Duthie, and D. Nathan w appointed to arrange for tho. conference. It was intimated that-the annual meeting of the chamber; would take pjape. nest month. Three, now • members were elected: Messrs. W- S. Sanderson, U. F.M'Cabe, and A, Macintosh, Members,.present were; Messrs.iJ. G, Haricness (president), W r ., G.' Duthie,. J. M'Lpllan, B. G, Pjlcher/and 0. W. Jones. The skua-gull, wo are told (says tho. Bluff correspondent of the "Qtago Daily Times"), is following on the ovil. courses. ; of-thp : kea,' •and making sad havoc amongst tho. island flocks. His delinquencies have been specially jioted at ; Compbell:lsland, ! > There he is understood to have-relinquished'his customary seafaring; pursuits :Btid.'devoted'a^ sivoly to the: pastoral interest, • No sooner docs a gheep got down on its back than ho is down upon it like a flash,'picking.out its eyes and otherwise .assisting' ;it ; .. to, a rapid djspatch.:. As wo understand it, this • is:, altor gother » n&w departure, and tho probabilities are that we may hear more about it in the lambing season, - '"-'A. rather'.;unfortunate accident spoilt Mr. Francis Birtles's 'break .' the Wellington • t<? North cycle record yesterday.. He left The Dominion Offico at 3 a.m.', but at 3.30 collided with another ' cyclist in Ngahauranga-Gorgo: Mr. Birtles himself, sustained no injury further than: a few, bruises)but;,his-':machine, was .so badly damaged that tho cyclist .was' obliged to return to tho city .t<j, liaye.:a.new frame fitted.In conversation with a Dominion reporter, Mr. Birtles-;gtatpd \that. this was:, tho. first serious collision ho h'ai} had in the whole 'course of his experience. ■ Undismayed' ,by th 9' :i ascident. : ;he: intended to 'start again at 3 o'clock this morning, and hopes to do back ■again at 5 o'clock-this: evening. .- .< ■ ■ ■ », Th'o contract', for the Uutf; pipe bridge has been signed, and tho. amount of the tender is.;an.npunwd .fo' he' .fil3,pQo, . Messrs, Di Burko and Co.; Palmerston' Norths will, commenco tho work without delay. The bridge iB to bo built of wood) but tenders were called for both, wood and concrete. . Messrs. Burke and Co. ' s price 'for a bridge of reinforced concrete wa? .-pther tenders received were;—Howie and Matthews, £17,945 .intimber, and. £21,575 in concrete;.. vD. M'i/ean and Co., timber £13,955,' ■' concrete £10,344; Williams and '/ Andrews, - timber £14,876, concrete £15,627 C. .Pulley,, timber £16,312; Rhpdcs and Co, (Dunedin), timber £18,049, ooncrete £22,069 unsigned tender, £15,211. . A motor-ear with a stevedore. al 'chaufEour caused some ; excitement. on the Queen's Wharf yesterday about; ; .noon." ! . Tho vehicle was being pushed along the wharf by a team- of-, lumpers, with one of ■'■ the number steering,V when . suddenly ' the spark was charged, and tho machine started • off on its 1 owi) account. Amidst •an excited;demo>istra-. tion on tho part of the lumpers, ■ the auto-mobile-gathered way. A wrestlo between tho'r'chaiiffeHr and-tho'steering-gear-.'resulted' in . -the . car. going .faster-than: over, and in a.few .seconds, the runaway: was heading - straight for' the open seaV. ' Tragio 'possibilities; were prevented, however, by : the machine crashing into a mlo of empty beer barrels which were decorating .the edge, of the wharf. Tho auto Vas pulled-up sharply with broken springs, smashed lamps, and Vot-her • breakages. '' The damage, altogether was .estimated at over £20. The stevedore who as chauffeur had had such a sharp experience of the .fickleee?? 1 of the . ;new:. invention, remarked that such pieces of .mechanism evidently required plenty of. dog hooks' to keep them from.breaking bounds-

How often does Wellington remember its pioneers! 1 A walk around the Early Settlers' Museum in.' Lower High Street, Dunedin. fills one with amazement at the exceedingly large and 1 varied/ collection -of interesting. matter tiiat has been gathered.; from all quartersj- far arid' near, in memory; of..the pioneer days of the settlement of Otago (states the ' "Daily Times"). Very often , spectators spencV hours in tho chairs are required, but that' i? a ,detail in copiparifi.oß, with jnore, urgent: iiMs'-and' it was jioticeablo during;, the holidays that' not a , few early settlers who- cajne into town from the] country 3i?tricts.mede their way to the museum and ' viewed many of; the. ej;hjblts' wit'h the 1 keenest delight./ Iu addition to the numerous articles already on view, Mr. ianglarids (secretary of tjio Early Settlors' Association) has in his possession.photographs, documents, and other articles by the soore,.but for the present, owing to';the lack of glass-cases, they have been relegated to a .shclf, where they will remain until somo generous person comes forward with a fpw cases—perhaps a dozen while ho is about; it—or; until;' the;'association is in funds to procure tho cases itself,' ■

A deputation from tho Tailmpo Chamber of Coroiuorpo waited upon the Minister for Rail* ways (Hon. J, A. Miilar) yesterday to nsk that somo safeguard should be 1 provided for a dangerous level crossing in the town and for a footbridge over': the "railway y also 1 for an improvement, in the time-table, so that the train from Taihape now leaving at 9 aim. [ should -leave" at 6 'a.m., thus: enabling resi- |. dents to get to Auckland in one day. : Mr. r H.' D.; Bennett,. president of,''the chamber, urged that Taihape,was the: principal station : along tho line, and therefore tho natural starting placo . for tho train to; Auckland, Mr. James pointed but that tho. alteration would enable passongers from the Wellington side of • Musterton and- the Napier ; side of Dannevirke to got to Auckland in two davs instead of three; The Minister said he would look into the-questjons raised wlion he weiit I over the Main Trunk lino, 1 and get a -'report' and see what could bo done. v V ,

For instructions on the' latest, and most hecoming jstyle of Hatrdresslng, for Hair Treatment, Face Massage l and Shampooing, visit Mr*. RplUjton, Willis -Street (over Carroll's) Far«"»'l attaatioa, ftdvloo free. Tel. 1555, C7S3

At Fort Kelburne, Ngahauranga, last even* V ing, No,. 2 Company, Wellington Garrison Artillery Division.(Petone Navals), were formally. inspected by Colonel R. H. Davieg, C.8., Inspector-General of tho. Forces. ; "The poverty and misery that I saw in tha Old Country were appalling," said the Hon. G. J. Smith, M.L.C., to a Dominion reporter, when interviewed on hjs arrival in Wellington by tho lonic'yesterday. "I am fully convinced," he added, "that tariff reform is coming," Th© following teams haro been selected to represent.ithe Petone Rifle Club in its return: match with the Karori Club on Saturday next:—No. I.Team (Waiwetu)—Carter, Mel- ; lor, Roberts,. M'Lachlan,: A, ■ Ballinger, Turner, Henderson, Thomas, Bntler, and Wilson; emergency, Drummond. No. 2 Team (Trentbam)—Drummo'nd, Gay, C. Bird, B. Bird, Lacey, Ress, Wood, Johnson, Knight, Faulkner; emergencies, Clark .'and Cook," ' Score# mode at this mateh, will - count in the club's ■ championship and trophy aggregates. ' ■-'. Speaking: of the .inyitation . which Lord ttoberts. has extended to ten, pubjio school cadets of the Dominion to shoot at Bisley in July,, wont. Knox stated last evening at the . ? own Hall that it would bo a groat advanT j? r tno miljtary pwpje in - the Home.■' .iiand to. have, these .boys, taking part in' tho : . shooting contests, ''I bolieve/' added Lieut, Jvnos, . tnat when these boys return to their country teay tvill be j'ncertain sense as asset to iSow Zealand from having shot iu-' such an important competition; at; Home,'' ,r.. „ Notico haß been given by the M'lageme'nl .. Committee of the ellingtoh' - Cricket Asso-' nation 'to the'various' clubs that' from, the ' = commencement or" the next match' Rule 8 of the championship - rules will he .strictly-en-forces, .go that in future liiatclies' will begin ; ± B /I Basm Reserve, and WellingCollege ground, not Jator' tlian S p.m. ; : all other matches within; the city xiofc' later.: ? n i P' lll, > matches outside the . oitv :: not later than 2,3Q p.mv If, for any: reason, ' play floes not begin within 15 minutes of the time 1 appointed; the Championship Committee V will award tho gamo against* the 1 ciub uhabj® ;v or unwilhne tij nrocced with the; match.- , H°n, G. FowWs speaks -of .liis :recent .. noUday m Stewart island; as a very pleasant -, tlino of rest .and change, 0e stayed-a week at jiaif-ijoon Bay, accompanied by Mrs, I'owJqs and family, .Ojio of; the. chief - charms': pt : t»© plac9; : -he. says, js that yisitors: are ' taken- jor ; numerous- excursions to' beaniifuJ hush-covered islands and wooded inletsi ?Tho . :■ fercsT.re very, fine, but'tbe rata is not flower-'■ ing this year so plentifully as usual.- EicaJ- :: lent evening entertainments are among 'tho- .. attractions. Mr. Fowlds regards Stewart island as an ideal holiday- resort for. North Jslanaers, ;i as;, it,.affords-ibem.. a.complete change of ..scenery .and - climate. .:;, ; ■ Tlio re-election of Mr. Henare Kaihau fli M.I, for the Western, Mnori District in' Dacemberris. to ho contested, (says tho Aucki land Herajd ), one .of the defeated qandii dates, Mr. ; Pepone Eketone, of To Kujti, haying lodged. a petition to have tho election declared: void. The petitioner declares that notices of the polling places, were not pub* lishcd in the Kahiti -.and';' Gazette, as ro. - ciuirodj that 70 voting papers from the polling booth at Manaia. wcre returned witfioni! the. name of the candidate voted for being • in apy.case written thereon;:that no booths wore opened in certain: places, as - deter-' mined, and that other.-places wore used ; thai voting;papers-wore not issued:as,required, and that; in - several other respects- the poll . : was-irregular. : 'TliO' petition is .addressed to Sir Robert Stout,- Chief Justico, and will : oomo up for hearing in'due course. There were five candidates for the seat; ;the success-. -. ful candidate securing over 2300 votes, and the' petitioner, wh6 .was second/ between -ICOP and 1700 votes..: . , .: . _j A - serious: injury . was ' received by one -mart : : itL- Newottttlo last; -week through "CBming- into contact with a' live., wircy . conncctcd with the- municipal council's electric, light, sta- ' tion, and another man; who attempted to rcleaso him,- was also burnt and shaken. It thatyrHenry. .' Holn)es, . r ;a : . .master . painter., was.' superintending the painting cf. tho-A.J.S. 'Bank jat tho corner of- Hunter and'/Watt- Streets; and while on ■ the' balcony . roof' of the ■ building- came into contact;with a live electric wire; suspended l over tho roadway, To save, himself, from falling he grasped they.wire . with /bothhands, " The palms of his hands were very , severely burnt, whllo the fonrth and fifth fingers of the left band were almost . severed.; He. also-' susta,ined a deep wound in the back of his neck, where f the wire burnt, its way into the-flesh.' A plumber named John Street, : residing' at... Cook's: Hill, ,-went to • Holmes's • assistance,. and in trying to release him from his dan« gerous position, ho, too, received a charge of; electricity, which gave him a nasty' shock; but. he recovered: soon afterwards and, was taken home. v' : .' •

/ Two' of the largest and most-up-to'-dato, oil stores'in.the Dominion stand facing the-Hutt Road,- a short distance from Kaiwarra. They are the property of the Vacuum Oil Company, Ltd.',-and have been erected by Messrs. Campbell and Burke, of Wellington;- from \pi ana drawn by_Mr. Wm,'Turnbufl, F.R.1.8.A. One of;tho; buildings, - a-capacious briok structure, was put in; hand and completed within thi comparatively short spaco'of 16 wookß. This is the ■ kerosene ■ shed,..in .which- upwards of 190,000 gallons -- oil can bo stowed away. The other, building ,js; not .quite finished, -.but should of tho contractors' hands very shortly. ;It is constructed wood and iron, and is intended for use as a store for lubrf* cants--bils and greases; it has a-storago capacity of from three to'four thousand barrels. ~The. roof -' is -a ' single span, "braosS by. stool-.trusses,' 60ft. long—the longest' *teel ■triisses-yet -used hctoabouts. Tho stflds'ara 25ft.,.and the heavier' timbers; are principally ironbark,; The buildings occupy.a frontago of 280 ft. by a depth of ] 30ft., and the total cost, I .including-- the land, - which was pur. chased,ifrom the Rhodes' Estate, -amounts-to something.liko £20,000. - -.y.'a:. r -r

Ngatiwhakaue tribe liauded over to the Cominission- «ir Native Lands, various blocks totalling 40,000 acres, to bo' dealt with: by that body, and'opoiiecL up.for settlement ;by either. • Maori or pakeha. -.'ln; pursuance of-that; policy Mr. Tai Mitchell; surveyor, is (says the Rotorua "Times"), -at present engaged laying off • the/Wharenui block into. Bections. j.Thei 'first step was- to lay out roads 01) tho mo3t. suitable grades, and' thou proceed with •,tho subdivision. : The ''block contains mahout 2000. acres,. and has been : laid, off into .three farms. .• The following'-will' probably bo tho terms,, pf the leaseltental about is. per acre . per -annum, term''of lease. twenty-ope;years,(tenant s to,be'paid;fprsall improvements if ho does iiot renew tho lea?a when offered' at' expiry of first term. It ia intended. to give Maoris- the;'ijrst chapca.at the . sections, and to: grant them tho opportunity of setting up as farmers,. If the.v do not accept the opportunity.the land will he Offered to Europeans. Thi Wharenui block is almost directly,, opposite Hotorna town, oii thp:. other-side-of the lake, extending from tb° . road to'the .crest of tho hill. The rest of the .Ngatnvhakauo land extends from tho » hafenin block, round to tho railway line, ; from Ngongotaha station to Maroaku, including t)io valleys of TJtuhina, l'uarengaj and •'•streams;.' Some good land -is contaiiied'-.iit ; tho part on the opposite .'side of the Uqmp Gorge from Rotorua. ■

. In. view of the ■ suggested., muaicipalis'ation or. the fish industry in New Zealand it is interesting-to note what is:being donfe' m Sytey.;.Fjsli .taken. S to the council S' marliet J hsh. sold bv tho council's own servants, at cost price fexcent lor - dues, and a 5 : per cent commissionY straight to . the:, consumer ( f l lc chooses to nso early; fish-as much fish, as: oan bo taken from the- sea-as imich, perhaps,, as the: Federal trawler , can . trawl, the fisher man getting his price, tho public their simply, unhampered Tw any. possibility of rinS or trusts, as fay. als the markets are - con" ccrned-that is. tho .scheme-at which the City Council was aiming/, in.. a resolution wjnch it,passed.last night (says the-"Sydney' Morning HeraW" of last Tijesday 'week)., It ! was resolved, ' ''That'.no .further action 1m taken to amend tho fislur.arkct bv-laws in ■ report-datof; Dumber "15, 1908; that it would be.far better not .to amend tQ existing by-laws reguhuug >ho fishmarketo at all: but simply to appoint tho .council's own men as agents (whom the council win pay,.charging tho consignors of fish a commission of 5 per .cent,, together with '.'all due? m. connection with tlio sale of tho fish), and notify the fishermen that the council are prepared to- receive consignments of fish on the basis proposed, no further actions'to ba' taken to amend tho fishmarket by-laws."