LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 456, 15 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

11l reply to complaints from Otac;o as to the non-enforcement of tho Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Act, tho Minister for Labour (Hon. A. W. Hogg) has stated that if tho charges can be definitely specified, ho will causo inquiry to bo made. Locally-grown grapes of tho "Albany" variety wero being sold in tho fruit market at Auckland last week at Is. 6d. per box of 121b. Peaches, also, were very cheap, as many as sixty being sold for a shilling by street barrow-moil. In Saturday's issue of The Dominion it was stated that a patent lifeboat lind been invented by Mr. H. Jackcn, of Kilbirnio Tho invention should liavo been credited to Mr. Fisher, of Rovans Street, Newtown. Asked his opinion concerning tho Timber Commission Mr. W. P. Massey, M.P., Leader of tho Opposition, stated to an interviewer in Auckland _ on Friday that ho regarded tho wholo thing as an expensive farce. He could not understand tho Govornmont setting up a commission of Parliamentarians to delino a policy for it. Heavy rain fell on Friday night and Saturday morning throughout nearly tho wholo of tho • North Island. The effect upon grass and turnip crops will bo greatly appreciated. Tho drought in tho ltangitikei, Manawatu, and Waikato districts was being severely folt. Along tho route of tho Main Trunk railway many destructive grass fire 3 havo t-aken placo during tho past week. Tlio Nativo Minister (Hon. J. Carroll) was understood to havo said, whilo attending tho obsequies of tho lato Mr. llono liekc, that the Government would erect a monument to tho memory of tho lato member for tho Northern Maori District. Uo has, however, sinco stated that his idea was that funds should bo collected, and the Government would no doubt contribute. Either by personal action or by written or telegraphed instructions, almost all tho members of Parliament havo secured their places in tho House, and the back of nearly every chair i 3 accordingly labelled with a name. Now that tho Government has decided to havo tho seating entirely rearranged on a totally different scheme, all tho choosing of soats will presumably havo to bo dono over again. Teas grown in different localities havo different characteristics, and even tho tea from nny particular garden is not the same in two successive seasons. Climatic changes, differences of soil, exercise inllucnces, and it is ill Iho art of tho tea blender to bring together tho different toas and by combination to produco a particular flavour. Crescent lilend Tea isachoico combination of Ceylon aud Indian Toas, and tlio flavour never varies. All storekeepers, 2s. .per. lb.

Anniversary services were held at the Bapist Church, Vivian Street, yesterday, when -hero wero largo congregations at each ser•ice. Tho Rev. S. J. Serpcll spoko in the norning and tho Itev.' J. J. North_ in the jvoiiing. On Wednesday tho anniversary ioireo and meeting will ho held. A deputation from Brooklyn will intcrviow :ho-Minister for Education (Hon. G. Fowlds) it 11 o'clock to-day, with rcfcronco to the iducational requirements of that district. Over £25 was taken up in a retiring colection made at St. John's Presbyterian Sluirch last evening in aid of tho linglisli 'Broad Fund." Tho erection of tho municipal abattoir! near Ngnhauranga is well forward. The site bas been levelled, and tho culvert enclosiiij. Jio Ngahauranga stream has been constructs Cor about 150 feet, about half the lengtl necessary. Tho walls are up to a height o; about six feet, and tho framing of the fence; ind roofs is nearly complete. The contractor: [Messrs. Mason and Nicholson) are cxpectce to finish tho building by tho end of May o: sarly ill June. At 4 a.m. yesterday tho Ferry Company 1 ! steamer Duco. left port to search for tin wrcckago which was reported by tho Mana pouri last Friday. Tho vessel proceeded ai far as Capo Campbell and l'alliscr Bay, bn returned to port about 3 p.m. without hav ing sighted anything. I'lio Duco report: having seen tho Government training shi] Amokura, which was also searching for tin wreckage. Tho latter vessel left l'ictmi a t p.m. on Saturday. An inquest was held at tho hospital yes terday morning by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., oi tho body of Martha Chaso or M'Manus, age< about 34. Tho evidenco showed that leased was attended by Dr. Mackin at 11.3' on Saturday. Ho ordered her removal t< tho hospital, whero sho dietl. A verdict t< tho cffcct that dcccased met her death ow ing to affections of tho lungs and hear Failure was returned. Tho Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company' liner Coriuthic, which is duo in Wellingtoi about March 22, from London; via Cape Towi and liobart, has on board a total of SGO pas sengcrs, thero being 5 first saloon, 42 scconi saloon, and 513 in tho third class: They an booked for tho following ports:—Wellington 160; Auckland, 168; Napier, 10; Gisbornc 11; Lyttelton, 89; Timnru, 12; Dunedin, 47 Bluff, 9; Picton, 2; Nelson, 9; Westport 7; Groymouth, 3; Now Plymouth, 21; am Wanganui, 6. Yesterday morning at tho 8 o'clock' Mas at St. Mary of the Angels, Boulcott Street tho Hibernian Society, numbering over 51 members, received Holy Communion. Afte Mass they adjourned to Lyon's Cafe, when tho annual communion breakfast was pro pared. Speeches appropriato to tho occa sion wero mado by tho president, Kcv Father .Venning, Messrs. M. Kennedy, M Bohan (ono of tho oldest members of til society in tho Dominion), J. J. Dcvino, A H. Casey, and J. J, W. Callaghan. Mr. A. H Casey represented tho Catholic Club, am Mr. M. O'Kano (United Irish League). Lot tors of apology wero received from his Grao Archbishop Ucdwood and several member of tho clergy win woro uuablo to bo pre sent. The present financial stringency should b relieved a little locally in a few days, wlici tho New Zealand shareholders in the Wei lington and Manawa'tu Railway Company wil be paid for their shares with tho money whicl has already been handed over by tho Govern mcut to tho company. Tho amount duo ti shareholders within the Dominion—tho ma jority of whom rcsido in Wellington—is ap proximately a quarter of a million. It i argued that tho greater portion of this mono; ivill bo available for investment locally, a Hiobo who will linvo tho handling of it an materially interested in Wellington. The fina meeting of tho company will bo held oi Thursday, when tho directors will sit as sue! For tho last time. Liquidators will bo ap pointed to wind up tho a/fairs of tho com pany, which has dono so. much for tho ad vancement and prosperity of tho Wollingtoi district. Vandals liavo been at work up tho Bulle: Gorge (says tho "Westport News'.'), th< beauty of that far-famed valley being do stroyed in its prettiest parts by fires, whicl liavo taken strips of a .half-mile, a milo ant more, right up tho cliffs, converting th< beautiful bush scenery into a desolate waste Lt is a shocking piece of work, and is sun to tho beautiful gorgo of much of iti attractiveness for visitors. .The Toiirist Do partment should bo at onco comiiiuiiicatee with and urged to hold an inquiry and pro rent further devastation. The gorge, as ai attraction for visitors far and wide, is : national park, a sourcc of very considerablt revenue directly and indirectly, and shoulc be protected against tho vandalism of thos< ivho liavo no sense of its beauty and value Tho Post and Telegraph Department shouk also have something to say on tho matter as the fires have dono very considerable damage to tho property of tho' Department a good many polos having to bo rcplacee by new ones and additional wire provided. Mr. Hatrick gavo an account of tho destruction at Pipiriki to a representative ol tho Wanganui "Chronicle," after visiting tho sceno of tho fire. 110 said tho destruction of tho building was as completo a: was at first recorded. Not a stick was lefl standing, and tho beautiful grounds were laid waste. Trees which ho had specially b'rought with him from America, and whicl wero thriving well, had been scorched ane' ruined, and altogether tho onco attractive sito ;was now a sceno of desolation. Mr Hatrtck's investigations liavo convinced bin that the firo did not originate in the kitchen as was at first supposed; but in tho cave! :>f tho building somo distance away from the kitchen. How tho firo started in such nr. unusual spot is, of oourse, a matter of conjecture. Mr. Hatrick is inclined to thin! l that a disastrous spark was wafted from ; [ire on a neighbouring bill-side at which some Maoris had been cooking during tho afternoon. . "However," said Mr. Hatrick, "il is no use speculating as to tho cause. The result is tho thing wo liavo to faco. Yes I shall put up another houso; but one thing I will not do, willingly, and that is build on a Maori leaso. It is only right thai ivo should be given a freehold, and I am con vinced that it is not good enough to ereci an expensive building, thousands oi pounds, on a Maori lease. I am in hopes thai tho Government will now deal with Pipirik as, I understand, they have recently doall with Taumarunui—purchaso it from the Natives an tlmako it a freehold settlement.