LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 427, 9 February 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Yesterday the time for applying :to the Bankruptcy Court for its approval to the proposed composition in tho estate of' J. , J. Patterson, solicitor and sawmillor, Daunevirke, was extended for a week. c->l"- :

Forthcoming circuit sittings in with the Supreme Court will be's presided over as under:—Wanganui, Palmerston North, and New Plymouth, by Mr. ' Justice Chapman; Napier, by Mr. Justice Edwards: Blenheim and Nelson, by Mr. Justice Denniston. : : ■;

At 10.48 o'clock last night tho Fire Brigade- received a call to the premises of the Diamond Confectionery Company in Clayton Avenue, off Abel Smith Street. The out break was quickly suppressed, the only damage done being to a small quantity of timber.

•At a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday, a , tender for £600 was accepted for cylinder castings tor the now Wanganui road bridge. The tenders for the Cambridge Sanatorium storage work were considered to bo too high' and it was resolved that the work be earned out'by the Public Works Department.

The annual "retreat" of the Reman Catholic clergy of the Wellington Archdiocese 13 being held at St. Patrick's College this week. The inaugural service wae held last evening, about 70 priests being present. The Rev. Father Creagh, O.S.S.R. (Redemption Order) will conduct all the services. On Friday morning the annual synod will take place.

Dr. Thacker told a Christchurch audience on Friday night that Mr. G. Laurenson, M.l'., had said that children would be able ™ grow, grey-headed walking along Mr. H. (*. Ml s Summit Road, but thoy would not see a Christchurch canal. He would tell Mr. Laurenson that he would see that canal in operation before the: member for Lyttelton had time to develop grey hairs himself. More than that, Jie might see the work started within a matter of weeks only.

.Counsel for claimants in a case before the Compensation Court yesterday was of opinion that some of the valuers for respondents know no bounds in .their efforts to - underestimate the value of property. One of them, he said, reminded him very much of "Punch's" gallant Irishman, who, when asked by a lady what he would consider her age to be, replied "Ton me word, I don't know, but ye_ don't look it." He could just imagine this particular witness answering the question, "'What was the award of the Compensation Court?" " 'Pon me word, I don't know, but it was too much." ■~-'. ■.'.

A very bulky piece of freight in the shape of a combination:electric tramcar was handled on Friday by the Railway Department at Christchurch (says, the "Press"). The car, which was a splondid piece of workmanship, was built by a .well-known Christchurch firm for the Wanganui Corporation Tramways, and measured 31 feet in length, 8 feet in width, and 8}- feet in height, weighing about five tons. The car was safely negotiated through the tunnel arid unloaded from the railway truck on Gladstone pier. It was shipped aboard the steamer Storm by means of a large crane on tho after-deck of the vessel, and was secure]}' lashed in position for the passage to'Wanganui. : :' ; -j ..-■:,.

Two or three weeks ago the • "question of tho day" was the cause which led to the piling up arrears, of,business at the Supreme Court, It was submitted by the Law.Society that, .there was need for the appointment of a temporary Judge during the forthcoming absence of the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) on holiday leave, but the proposal did not meet with the approval of tho Government. Whilst the civil list was being settled yesterday, Mr. Justice Cooper observed has been said that. the pressure of business in this Court at times is duo to want of judicial power, As a matter, of fact, the cause of prears is the failure of counsel to attend on'dates on which Judges havo agreed to take cases." Subsequently it was found,' however, that the number of days available in tie meantime for the hearing', of cases was not sufficient. • '■ ' " '

An old man was apprehended at Little River station last -week on a charge of issuing valueless .cheques. He arrived on Bank's Peninsula about a fortnight ago.andproceeded to Akaroa, where he is alleged'to have represented himself as a wealthy farmer, desirous of •purchasing a property,,- It; is stated that a section, was soon procured from a land agent, and that'-plaua ior a seven-roomed dwelling, costing about '£750, wore prepared by a local builder. The man is alleged to have passed cheques for the deposit, and to the Hotel proprietor, and to: have, victimised, several or -the local shopkeepers, after which he departed. ■ On reach- , iiig Little River (says the "Press") 'ho' was seized with a fit, and lay ill for some days. On recovering, he was \ arrested at the., train on his- departure for Christchurch. • ..This brought on another fit, and the man is now lying Beriously ill at Little Eiver. '' ' :■'■'

While pointing out the places of interest on the Waimakariri during a motor-launch journey along its 'lover 'reaches oh Friday evening, the; Mayor of Kaiapoi (Mr. J. H. Blaqkwell) told the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts, that the Tourist Department had been written to some time ago, with the object of bringing the Waimakariri and its scenery- more prominently before the public, but no reply iiad been received.. The Minister suggested'that a' motor-launch .trip'on the river might be put on the tourist itinerary. He considered the trip was well worthy of inclusion. Mr. Bhckwcl] said thai the trip could be made daily any time after tbV arrival of the,morning train from Christchurch. a return being made in the afternoon, lhe Minister, in .taking a, note of the matter, expressed the opinion that the reaches of the Waimakariri' were admirably suited for the breeding of Paradise ducks, . and said- that he; also thought the native.history of the ; river should prove interesting to tourists if retold to them.—"Lyttelten Times." - .■■

t The Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts (the Hon. T. Mackenzie), the "Ofcago Daily Times" is informed, has taken prompt action in regard to the semi-permanent occupancy of the Rputeburn tourists' hut: by an elderly artist and a young man companion. Observing a, paragraph in the newspapers on tho subject, the Minister, while at To Anau, placed himself in possession of the particulars, and immediately gave instructions to the tourist agent at Queenstown to send an officer to the hut to. order the resi- 1 dent occupants to quit. The received word on Thursday that ; his instructions lad been carried out, and that the hut was now vacated. Quite a number of visitors and tourists to the Lake Harris saddle have recently made complaint of the pro-, longed stay of the two persons referred: to at this much-frequented overnight sleeping and resting place, and general satisfaction will be'expressed at the. prompt Ministerial action taken. The Hon. Mr. Mackenzie, it is understood, ihas under consideration- the framing of regulations which will prevent the.misuse of tourists' huts in the manner above referred to. .'..--. . .

■ Writing to a friend in Christohurch.vMr. Walter Fuller, of tho firm of Messrs. John Fuller and Soiiis, gives a sad account of the hardships "of the London unemployed (says tho "Lyttelton Times"). "After visiting the Canterbury Theatre we walked homealong the Embankment," he says, "and there wo saw the dijama of life in grim reality, On 'evo-y seat and every oorner. thero were men and women huddled together— homeless. Some were young and some were old; in fact, there were all,-sorts. Some, to keep themselves warm, had. newspapers tied all round them. Wo walked slowly, • and took notico of this terriblo scene, and on getting to Waterloo Bridge .we found a long queue of men marshalled by policemen. I asked a policemen what it was, and ho said they wero the homeless unemployed waiting for the Salvation Army to come-and give them tickets for soup, and that the Army men would come about_ 1 a.m. 1 did not wait to see it. The policeman told mo that there were 1000 men -there, and that there would probably be another 500 before that time." . '. . . ~-,.- : .

Teas grown in different localities liavo different characteristics, and oven the tea from any particular garden is not the 'same in hvo.sucV cessive seasons. Cliinatio changes, differences of soil, exercises influences, and it is-the art of tho tea blender to bring .-together tho differ, ent teas and by combination to produce a particular flavour. Crescent, Blend Tea is a choice combination of Ceylon and Indian Tens, and tho flavour never varies. All storekeepers, 2s. per lb. ■,'■■"

■ Constables M'Kelvie and Hodgson arrested three men last night on a charge of assaulting and robbing an old man named Carter in Tory Street. They will appear at the Magistrate's Court this morniug. . -. :

The oyster should be carefully inspected before eaten in these, hot days. Some citizens/including a well-known State official, have paid the penalty of carelessness in. this rogard .within the last day or'two. . -"■

Last year, and the 1 year ; before,-: scarlet fever appeared in epidemic form in several parts of the Dominion. In its epidemic form it has disappeared, and at present there are comparatively few cases. The Health Department reports that the general health of the people is excellent,;there being no serious epidemios of any kind.,- .- ; : .

: At the Mount Cook Police Court yesterday morning, .before Mr.. H. Baker, J.P., Peter James Mackin, charged with insobriety, was fined 405., in default 14 days' imprisonment. Two. first offenders were convicted and discharged. Martin Pier, charged with-.being drunk and disorderly, was fined:los., in default 48 hours' imprisonment.

The First Wellington Rifle Battalion (Lieiit.-Colonel W. G. Duthie, 0.C.) paraded at the Garrison Hall last evening—the parade being the final evening turn-out of the battalion for the volunteer year, which ends on February 28. A daylight parade is to beheld on Saturday, February 20.

. Tho Brooklyn School Committeo is concerned about the delay of the Education Department in providing the necessary funds:for additions.to the Brooklyn School, which is now said to be overcrowded. It is probable that a deputation will wait upon the Minister for Education to urge the claims of the district for increased, accomrnodation.. ■'.

It is intended to establish , a Wellington agency of the Public Trust Office, to specialise the Wellington, district work. When the new Public Trust Office is opened in May, the officer in charge of the' Wellington work will be located in a part,. of the head office. Of course, all branches will remain under the control of the Public Trustee (Mr. J. W. Poynton). ' ~■■■•■■'.■• . .. •,_.

1 A , deputation from the, Wellington Education Board will wait upon the Minister for. Education to-morrow afternoon, in reference to : the Eastern Hutt School.-- The Minister is averse to building in the meantime on the site recently acquired, preferring to make additions to the existing school. The board; however, maintains that the erection: of ■ a school on the new site is a matter of urgency.

"That the co3t of small navies for defence purposes should be encouraged in self-govern-ing States of the Empire," will be the subject ;of debato, at the,lnter-'TJhiversity :Dobating Tournament, to be held in 'Wellington at Easter. : In the first debate,Otago University's representatives will take tfio affirmative ancf-Auckland College will as- ' siime the negative. .In the second debate Canterbury will affirm and 1 Victoria College will take'the negative. ~: : " :': ; .'. . V

. \ A'circular has been isEued'io all city .solicitors to the effect that the solicitors' room attached to the Magistrate's Court will- not be > allowed as a- waiting-room 'for witnesses and : others. -In the. annual :report/'of ■ the Wellington District Eaw : Society, ■ solicitors are asked to observe this direction and report offenders, as .such ■.<lnfringement interferes v/xtk conferences between solicitors,'and the room is already inconveniently'small. ■!.

/; Gas-meters and gas consumption' formed the.subject of a discussion.-.at' the .Petorie Borough Council last night, 'special reference being made to tho consumption at-tho Petono Navale' boatshed. On? of the councillors said that the PetoneNavals thought;that, the largo consumption 'of gas, shown might r be duo to a defect'in the nWter,'but'a councilior suggested it might, be due to the'burning of a pilot. "There is ho provision in the agreement for the burningof a. pilot, "■. said the town■ clerk. "No," ■: said^a councillor,, amid- a burst of. laughter,;." it'only: provides for the,burning of gas." ',;■

.The new Presbyterian Churchroom-at Kel■burne, which is jrapidly.r approaching 'completion, is a pleasingly-designed wooden building, - roof ed with Marseilles itilesj, and occupy/ ing' ".an"'imposing^position l ''ndaV : the Karori tunnel. The buildmg will seat 140 persons, and will be lighted with: incandescent- gaa. ,. The opening ceremony will'take place on ■Sunday, February 28, the Bev. Dr. Gibb taking the service }n the morning, arid the Eey. ; W. J. Comrie in, the. evening.. A conversazione will be held in the churchroom in continuance of tho,opening ceremonies ontbursday; March 4.-.- ', '".- . . :'

■■':. Several of the senior officers of .the: Thorndon tramway". traffic office were before the Tramways Committee- of the City ..Council yesterday afternoon;; . The commitits had under consideration a report of the engineer,' Mr. Stuart Richardson, on the inquiry which he made last week, regarding .the theft. of £172 from the old Sydney Street office. ..At .th> ; inq'uiry, .which occupied soveral days,"' statements. of. members. .of the staff, wei-e taken,'arid these were also pfesonted to the committee. It was alleged:tliat.considerable laxity prevailed in the office" before the disappearance of the money, and the committee intends '.investigating- -the circumstances of the theft, more'.fully at its .next meeting/■ "; :, . : .; '■■'.-■ ■■;...:'■ , '.The annual meeting of'the Wellington District Law' Society' was held last night, and ■ the following officers were elected for the ensuing year-.—President, Mr. A. L. Herdmari, M.P,; vice-president,, Mr. ; Edward Stafford ; hori.,treasurer, Mr. E.H.DeSn; council; Messrs. iPlLevi, T; F. Martin, M. Myers (re-elected), H. F.;von Haast and T. Young, and' Professor Salmorid; auditor, Mr. D. M. Findjky; Council of law Beporting- (Wellington .representatives), Messrs. F. H. D. Bell; K.Q., and ■M< Chapman; : K.C; (both re-' elected); ■■ New : Zealand Law Society (Wellington Mr. F. H. D. Bell, K.C. (re-elected), and Mr, A. L. Herdman, M.P, The ' thirtieth'. annual report ■ was' adopted, together. with the : balance-sheet, which showed that the .finances of the society were in. a sound condition,: all,fees. , for' the past year shaving been received. : >' '"'■ ;<■ ;

Solicitors practising in the Wellington 'district; duriflg ;J9oß,numbered.24o, .-and , noir withstanding that ten of those on the district list; in 1907 "have ceased to practise in - : Wellington the. number . shows an increase of five. This increasois shown in the country districts, the number of town practitioners remaining unaltered—l2s • practise in'ithe oity and. 115 in other parts of the district. .The number .of solicitors practis- | iisg ■in the Dominion on December 31 was, shown in returns :siipplied to-tho Law Society, 841, as against 840 for the previous year. The variation in the different ■districts is shown as follows'(the numbers; in parentheses being the 1907 figures):—Auckland, 184 (180); Canterbury, 123 (119): Gisborno, 19 (20); HawkeVßay,"4l (41); Marlborough, 10 (10); Nelson. 15 (15); Otago, 111 (123): Southland, 29 (29); Taranaki, 52 (48); Wellington, 240 (235); Wostland; 19

Dr. Northcote Deck, frqm the Solomon Islands.mission, retells the; story of the riar-; row escajjo of Mr. Jack London , and his wife, when their boat was cast up on a reef about 200-or 300 yards off the shore of-Malayta, on whioh. island Dr. Deck and Mr. J. Caul-: field are engaged in missionary ;work. Hβ says that Malavta can boast, o£ the fiercest and most , uncivilised; natives', ih'ifhe Pacific, and there is. practically a price on a white man's head—a relic of the,;'old recruiting days, as everyone whqhappeiis to have had a relative taken-to Fiji or Queensland who did nonreturn, .tljinka itX'is his solemn and sacred duty ' to "get oven" on somebody white. The mission has about -1000 .Christian "boys," of whom 200 or 300 lived along the shore opposite where, Mr; London's boat came to grief. The wild hill tribes, ■ however, regard a wreck as' common 'property' and so they swarmed down to; the beach and canoe-loads of them surrounded the little vessel in a dangerously threatening manner; If the Christian;- hoys' under Mr. Caulfinld's , direction had not 'boarded the .vessel:, to resist the attack, Dr. Deck is convinced that tho novelist, his wife, and party would have paid vthe penalty for. visiting such an inhospitable .coast.-,'■ Our visitor states that the missionaries nlone are safe on Malayta, simply because ithe riativo-. Qhristians aro loyal to/the lasK'Jegree, and because—and this is largply "bluf!"—the missionaries have never carried arms of any kind. But no white man has yet penetrated into the interior of the island. It would mean death! from behind to attempt anything so foolhardy. ;.. Dr. .Deck was present when Mr." Sntto, the representative.of Patho Freres, took .a number of. kinematograph pictures illustrative of life in the Solomons. i

Members of the City Council will make their annual visit -to 'Wairiui-b-mata;- on Friday, February 26. .:-'.V'v-"{ i ': ;. ' ; ' ,•:■'.

Another successful trip to Paremata was made by the Deep- Sea Angling' Club .on Sunday, when over 200 'fish, principally blue cod, were'secured. r , v/:--" :■:.

Archie, McNeil,, the.: prisone'r who escaped from the Terrace Gaol, . Wellington, a short time agd;_ is supposed to have been through' Wanganui on Thursday morning (says.the Wangauui '."Chronicle"). He -'stayed on Wednesday ■;-.night..; at;.--the residence-;of.; Mr. ' : M'lntyre, lat _Wangaehu. McNeil l .was wearing, besides ordinary. attire- a pair.'of buckskin gaiters,' spurs. and cap, and was jiding an upstanding,bay horse. .';.-.".-■■-:-V"'. , .• ■;'■*:■;. .

■ Some days ago the Union: Company announced, that, in. future .late-comers to their boats would not -be allowed to board, them after the gangways bad been '■'.' taken ,down, fast night the Maori was 25 minutes :late in getting ;'away for Lyttejton owing to the. late arrival of.theiriail train, and some passengers who were delayed in getting their luggage the Railway Station, although driven by cab ;to the wharf, had the "bad luck tb'miss the steamer. . .'•■."■' r . .. - 1 "'

A: cheaper ride on the tramcars ; is what; residents of Island Bay have long asked for," and their cocipoiling powers are still being applied to the, City Council The proposal to reduce the'fares- for. residents of-the suburb; ¥ came before the ■? Committee yesterday afternoon, and the engineer was instructed to prepare another and more detailed!report. The Council wish to .know, how r the revenue would be affected if the proposed concession were allowed. One request . made. by ; the Island Bay people was that a ticket.should be issued to bona fide residents, giving a twopenny vide, between Cuba Street corner and'the terminus. ■ :..

■ Itis very unusualfor a man to: step" off? a train in broad:daylight and.then disappear completely, yet this is"'apparently what has happened to iijj.'Matthew-Toddj-a'Feildiffg baker, who was formerly in\ business in Palmerston North with: Mr. Charker.; Mr.■ Todd (say_s our' Palmerston ; .' correspondent) left FeMng for that town by the 10.30 train -on Friday morning. He was "seen to step off-the train, at.the .Terrace: End, and since that.h© haa,disappeared. His family expected him back on the same day/- and are very much exercised te':know, what , has happened. .•; Mr.. Charker,;.'his former partner in business, received a itlephone, message from Foxton' on Saturday;night, ait-about .9,30 o'clock, stating that: , the missing man: had seen at Foxton by a Mr. Brown, but in-" quiries have failed to corroborate the statement as to "his whereabouts.' ' Mr. :T6.dd is well known to the guard on thV Fbxfoav train, and the latter states-,positively that he did not'go down* by train.: The";police: have the' matter in : hand. . : : .'■::, -■■,■■-',' : '■■■'■■ ;.-. -. ■

The explanation of a.recent adyertiseineirf /■':■ calling for applications for-'.' number oi. ■': assistant masters "iaVWellington College, ia v ; not that there has been an unexpected exo-, , :■; dus of members of, the present teaching staff. , at the: college, but that 'the roll number of pupils at .the institution;.has:'-suddenly.shot-. - up from 297 last year for.' , the begin- -i I rung of the new, school:year, .an; increase of '■- : . 123. As the college fras staffed on a-oast's of':. ; - a little over. 20 .pupils,.'per-,''teacher,"or 14':■'■''.-•; teachers for an attendance'; of. .'about''''■' 300;''; pupils-last, year/and any excess per'teacher; is .-'I '■■ considered to. be"against tho.:canons of peda-',' gogies, as being bad for the teacher, bad for ;. the ;pupil, and bad fpr.;the .class- asa whole,..s an irruption of .123 new scholars means extra teachers: This'large increase''is Vthe effect of the-arrival of the free-place boys: who qualified at the : profioiejicy examinations of the Education' Board.last year.'- There is, .... so' far :as : : the.boys are concerned, -no .-. diffi-; ■ culty as to accommodation at the college, the ;•. new annexe, whioh. wast completed' last year,i having' settled that bone of contention; Pend- >"'; ing- the appointment, of. the new assistanta,..". of whoraeabout five or six-.willfbe: required, • .the .'Board: of rGovernors' has the headmaster (Mr. J. l>. -Firth)/'to make item-" porafy'arrangc'ments.'; ■■ ;J. ■.'■'' ; ., {'-:; \.' : '- '■ .:',■■ A broken;.oldicinder;of a-,rock, brorcn and- ■; weather-beaten ■■, aiid liphen-orusted,.. was brought into office yesterday,.. with 'the . Statement ,■' that, it ■ was', part; of ■ a ■ .metepriW' ■which:'felKoyer;!bjitfainuwwnata ' between; 80'; arid CO,' years" ago; Mrs.:.Gampr ■ .b'ell,' of;'Wanganui ) i who, tells .the storyj.reV . : .members. how,: When' she; was a ; young girl, ■•■ at/Wainui, there.was one.night au''awfnV't!j.i:mderstoim, during whioh an'enormous .mass v bf burning feS ■" into'a: field of corn. ..Her , father had;-oeehiu • the cornfield at^-o'pkck,th&.preTit.us.eren-i fug, and.wisn ie/went down!next.day to see :. how tha"crop :had stood the.furious'stormj he found in'the middle of it: an endrniou? mass ■ ofhotmetalj measuring 15: or,-,20 .■yards ■ aorbss, says, the-lady .-It waq then so hot that ho' could not touch it, and , an' idea of itk ; teat , was given byi the'fact' that the top of; ' thai wet corn all. around had been' scorched.It 1 was'not'possiblet to move, the greater por-' '■ tion, oi this mass,' but:the farmer, and his ■ men. :brqko .off; the,.edges round about, and ■.' carried jt away in cartloadi;; 1 iTwice recently ' ■ sa' attempt has been mai}e';to i'&nd'' the- '■■' meteoritej,but.'wherethere !was. once .corn is . now nothing but manuka scrub,, arid'the only/ '■ : refiult of the search, was .the ;:discov,ery of some of the fragments that were carted away. ■ ■; It is one of .these that: is'.now': in The Dominion-office. ■:".'■/ ■ ■'■'■■' :";,;■■ i