LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 459, 18 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Twenty-four Swiss immigrants, mostly farmers, arrived by Uio Marama yesterday, and will settle' iu Taranaki. "Nearly £14 was raised for tho Penguin Relief Fund by a concert held on tho Marama during her trip from Sydney. The centenary of the birth /of Bishop Selwyn will be celebrated by special services in "Wellington, Palmerston North, Masterton. AVanganui, and Hawera, oil Friday, April 23 and tho fallowing Sunday. _ Tho Wellington commemoration on the Friday will take tho form of a united service, which will probably be hold in St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral. Good progress is being made with tlia erection of tho now Anglican Maori College at Otaki. Present indications are that the building, which will combine the uses of a boarding school and day school, will lo finished before the contract timo expires.' Tho Anglican Maori College at Claroville i 3 now full, and applications for residence havo had to bo refused. Tho survey of an alternative route for tho railway which is to connect Stratford directly with the Main Trunk lino has caused mxiety to settlors in the Ohura district, who state that they took up the land on the understanding that tho Stratford-Ongaruo route would bo adhered to. • A deputation of settlers put the matter before the Hon. R. M'Kenzie, Minister for Public Works, and urged that thero should he no deviation from the route already selected. Tho Minister declined to make any promise as to tho route,' but undertook to obtain all availablo data on the subject. A sensational accident occurrcd at South Head, Sydney, on Saturday night, March 6, when "Edward Long, in looking over tho ocean cliff at the notorious Gap, overbalanced himself, and fell a distance of 70 feet. Luckily ho did uot strike tho jagged rocks, but fell into tho sea. Ho was washed up on the rocks by the waves, and cried out for help. Fortunately his cries wero heard, and ho • was assisted to tho top with tho aid of a. rope-ladder, and a spare rope, when it was found that the only, injury ho bad sustained was a sprained ankle. Tho Gap is the site of tho famous wreck of tho Dunbar. It is expected that in about a month's timo a new telephone system will bo in working order in Timaru. Under tho new system a subscriber wishing to communicato with another subscriber will not require to ring up tho exchange; by tho mere act of removing the receiver from its, hook lie will indicate to the exchange that ho wants to bo put in communication with a subscriber ; tho number of the subscriber wanted' will, of courso, be givon'to tho exchange by the subscriber desiring to bo connected. Tho exchange operator will then notify tho second subscriber by ringing a bell near tho sccond subscriber's telephone. This system will bo shortly installed at Invercargill. Tho characteristic calm of the proceedings of tho Christchureh Tramway Board was rufllcd somewhat when a notice to go into committee to consider a new appointment was being discussed. Mr. C. M. Gray commented with some warmth upon tho multiplication of billets under tho board. At present, ho said, they had-one officer at £'1 per weok supervising certain work, and now it was proposed to appoint another over him at £250 per annum. The speaker did not like to threaten, but if tho proposal was carried ho would take tho opportunity of letting tho ratepayers know something about tho matter. Other members combated Mr. Gray's contention with equal warmth, and eventually tho little storm tailod oft' into committee.' Teas grown in different localities have different and even tho tea from any particular garden is not the sarno in two successive seasons. Climatic changes, differences of soil, cxerciso influences, and it is in tie art of tho tea blender to bring together tho different teas and by combination to nrodiico a particular flavour. Crescent Blend Tea is a ckoico combination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and tho llavour uover varies. All slorokocvers, 2s. per lb.

Tho Mayor of Levin (Mr. B. It. Gardener) had a long interview with Sir Joseph Ward 011 Monday 011 several matters of importance to tho town and borough. Tho land guestion around the Horowheiiua Lake, tailing over of laud for closer settlement, and tho making of Levin a stopping-placo for tho through Auckland-Wellington express were amongst tho matters discussed. Tho Mines Department is about to issue regulations under tho Act of last session for dealing with applications for water power from rivers to bo used in generating electricity for mining purposes. Several applications have already been received for a large number of heads of water power. Applications relating to areas out-side mining districts will bo dealt with by the Public Works Department. It has been decided to call further evidence in regard to tho enforcement case, Carpenters' Union versus Humphries Bros., to-morrow. Tho chargo in this caso is that defendants employed a non-unionist when equally qualified unionists were available. At the conclusion of tho hearing of evidence tho Court intimated that it would rcservo its decision. To-morrow morning judgment will be given with respcct to tho case, Inspector of Awards versus W. J. l'arsons. A conference in connection with tho grocers' dispute was held in accordance with tho suggestion of the Court of Arbitration 011 Tuesday evening. Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner for the Wellington district, at the invitation of both parties acted as chairman.' An agroemcnt was arrived at in regard to a number of tho points in dispute. It was then decided to adjourn until last evening, when it was agreed that a ferw unsettled points should bo referred to tho Court of Arbitration to-day. Yesterday's Auckland to Wellington oxpress arrived in Palmerston North about an hour late, owing to tho big locomotivo being unequal to the strain of pulling the train up 0110 of tho ascents of the ltaurimu spiral. Tho engino (says our travelling correspondent) jibbed.several times, 011 one occasion in a tunnel, to tho serious • discomfort of passengers, and then ultimately mado tho ascent with tho train in sections.' Two hours wero lost on tho spiral, and, later, at another waysido station, but an hour was made up by tho timo the train reached Palmerston North. Tho absorption of tho Tourist Department, "in a more important Department," as an nounccd by Sir Joseph Ward at Marton 011 Tuesday evening, was foreshadowed in The Dominion last week. When questioned yesterday, the Primo Minister declined to say which Department was to bo enlarged as indicated. Rumour points to that of Railways. It is noticeable that the Prime Minister in his speech mado 110 allusion to tho Department of Industries and Commerce, which is also under tho permanent headship of Mr. Donne. According to a rumour already noticed in tlieso columns, it may be attached to the Agricultural Department. In tiiat caso, tho question arises: What is to become of tho Hon. T. Mackenzie? Tourjsts and Industries are his two oliief portfolios. Without them ho will have nothing left but Sceucry and Forestry. Tho position recalls a suggestion, which was rifo a few months ago, to tho effect that Sir Joseph . Ward would only rotain tho portfolios of Lands and Agriculture until it was convenient to hand them over to Mr. Mackenzie. Tho semaphore _ method of signalling, in which tho Hag signals aro read almost as easily by the enemy from bohind as by thorn; for whom tho messages are intended, will have a serious competitor in an apparatus which has been patented by Colonel 15. It. Diotz, of the 7th Dragoon Guards. Tho invention consists of a disc rJjout one foot in diameter, with a hollow metal handle. On tho disc is a semi-circular flap,, working 011 a spindle operated by a bolt action, which, at the will of tho operator, displays an entirely white or an entirely black disc. Tho "longs" and. "shorts" of a Morso code,arc thus made readable by changing from bhclt to white and vico versa. Tho portion of the apparatus directed towards tho enemy is splashed with "invisiblo"' ojlour, and is, therefore, .difficult to disconr eyen at close quarters, while it is in 110 caso possible for tho signals to bo read from tho rear. On a dull day a message can bo read with the naked eye at a distance of 2000 yards, and with tho aid of glasses tho signal has been read up to 6000 yards Amongst tho special advantages of tho disc signal is that it may be used whilo the operator is lying down. A pathetic caso of poverty was brought beforo tho Duncdin Benevolent Trustees at their last meeting. The husband was a fcoblo man, and earned only a few shillings a week. Tho wifo, who was tho mother of five small children, acted as waitress- daily in a restaurant. for which she was rewarded with Is. and lier dinner. The Mayor, who brought tho caso to notice, had learned that the unhappy woman and her children were on the verge of starvation, and had sent her to tho trustees' secretary for £1, informing tho latter that if tho trustees would not confirm the payment 110 would pay tho sum from his own pocket; Tho trustees, needless to say, at onco granted the monetary relief asked for. At tho same meeting a trustee complained that a certain inmate of the homo had been in the institution off and on for . 20 years, and was a big, strong man now —a giant of a fellow, whom the trustee "would not like to tackle." Tho other Benevolent Trustees agreed that it was not for tho assistance of such men as tlieso that the State voted mo.'i-jy. It -vas agreed that tho man ager of tho Home be asked to prepare a list of tho men under his care whom 110 considered capable of earning their own living, and that the trustees meet at a later date for tho purposo, of giving tho wholo matter of granting assistance to able-bodied men their earnest consideration. Tho question whether brains and inventiveness in railway servants are encouraged by special rewards was raised. a few weeks ago in connection with tho case of a Greymouth employee, who claimed to have improved one of th 6 Department's cranes. Tho Goneral Manager for Railways (Mr. T. ROll- - said then that special rewards were given for useful inventions mado, by employees, and instanced one caso in point. Further evidence 011 the subject was given before tho Addington Railway Commission 011 Monday. It was mentioned that a fitter, named Sloan, had designed several improved machines, including a tube-cutter and a tube-oxpander. Tho workshops manager (Mr. G. E. Richardson) said that Sloan bad received no special recognition from tho Department. I oroman-smith Coles, in giving evidence, stated that he had devised some special machines for saving labour and reducing cost. Ho had reduced tho cost of forgings by about Jd. a pound by stamping out forgings under the steam-hammer. Ho found that his men wero now very keen on devising improved tools. Mr. May, another empluyeo, had devised an improved tool that had effected a considerable saving in points and crossing work, but had received 110 special recompense. Tho workshops manager stated that a litter named Tumor had brought about several improvements in tho gas installation in carriages, and his claim to special reward had been rccommcndcd for consideration. Tho annual statement of tho working of tho British National Itifle Association is an interesting document which deals with rifle shooting 111 giant figures. Besides its large membership of naval, military, and civilian supporters, tho association is made up of 00 county associations and 103 Indian and colonial associations. The number of clubs, civil and military, represontjd in these totals approximate to about two thousand, or something like half a million members. The clubs under the National Riflo Association streich geographically from Nova Scotia to Perak and from tho northern ico fields to tho foot of New Zealand. At the annual rifle meeting, held at Bisley in July, 4050 fixed and moving targets were used, and over a thousand officers and men wero employed to run the ranges. Tho servico ammunition used totalled 504,800 rounds, exclusivo of revolver and miuiatiiro_cartridgos. The prize list amounted to .£10,479, as against £!!5,307 in 1907. Thero wero 51,027 entries, as against 55,280, and the loss of 100,000 men from tho volunteers on tho inception of the new army scheme had, therefore, a comparatively small effect. Tho General Post Office report, is an interesting one. The telegraphists dealt with 13,480 telegrams; the number oi words signalled was 1,035.550, and the words "punched" amounted to 720,000. Tlio number of letters and parcols dealt with was 82,817, and 72 uowspapors wero represented I in canio.