LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The' Marino Department is making arrangements to open'tlio Auckland oyster season, on May 1.; ■ ■ ■, -,i ■ ■. '

Tho Wellington Savage Club is to hold its first korero of the season at tlio Masonio Hall on Saturday evening. •"

"There was a judgment'against him for £10 last week,, another for £15 15s. since, and still another made rccently ; " remarked counsel for a judgment debtor in; a case.at .the S.M. Court.yesterday. "It's a case of tlio Day of Judgments with him,", remarked Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M., as ho entered up an order against the debtor. .

The: annual registration of factories' with the Labour Department has been proceeding sincei April 1, but' it is reported that about 200 in the Wellington district have, so far,, failed to comply with the law in this respect, and are being notified in writing of their default. If, this is ineffective, the Department will prosecute. / The!, maximum l fine lis £5 for each day. . 1

Business people throughout the North Island towns are .inclined to the view -that trade is now making a good recovery from tlio slump which it suffered during the March quarter. The increase (says our travelling correspondent) has been rather marked in Palmerston North, Masterton, Wanganui, and Napier. In the last-mentioned town there, aro no empty houses at present.

Tho Government m&sspngcra /' who / ha<l readied tho retiring age, and who petitioned Cabinet for a relaxation of the rule to bp tnado m their case, have received intimations that their request lias'bcen granted, and they mi • co " fcinuo i n service indefinitely. Tms affects about a 1 dozen messengers in Wellington and others iu different parts of tho Dominion. • ■ . r.

A meeting of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held yesterday, Mr. J. S. Jamieson presiding. Tho folloiying subscriptions were aekhowledged:— Messrs. Sargood, Son, and 'Ewen, Ltd., and Kempthorne,_ Pressor and Co., £1 Is. each; Messrs. Gollin and Co., 10s. 6d. :■ Mesdames E. Richardson, T. Wilford, E. B. Browno, Messrs, Meek and Von Hnast, D. T. Stuart, Phillips and Pike, Thompson Bros., Drs. J. S. Elliott, H. J. jl'Lean, A. Martin, ■is. each; Mesdames R. Parkor, Dumbell, W. A. Evans, Rev.i — Dumbell, Messrs. J.,Pike, A. Robertson, V. Dentice, H. Didsbury, J. Keir, 2s. Gd. each ; Mr. \V. H. Nimnio, 25.: total, £6 12s. . ... .. . '

; Tho _ final lot of exhibits that are being sent Homo by tho Government ,to tho Imperial, International Exhibition] to oprii in London in May go forward by the Corinthio' to-morrow. Among them is tho very fine collcction of goats and boars' - heads, recently secured in South Waiiarapa by Guide Steffan for tho Tourist Department. Mr. T. B. Donno is also sending Homo a few heads to supplement those exhibited in tho Franco-British Exhibition, for which ho received a gold medal. The exhibition of such a liotablo collection, of • sporting trophies should go far to encourage tho idea of New Zealand as a paradise for sportsmen. /

Tens grown In different loc&litios'havo different characteristics, -and even' tho tea from any particular gardon-is not the samo.in two sue* ceseivo seasons. Climatic changes, differences of. soil, exorciso influences, and it is in the art of the tea blender to bring together tho different .teas and by combination to produce a particular flavour. Cresccnt Blend Tea is a choice combination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and •the flavour »«T«r vario». iU atorckofpau, 28, BOX uk.

Captain Gardiner visited Potono last evening to swear in half a dozen local recruits as mombcrs of tho Dominion Scouts,

Judgment will bo delivered by Mr. Justice Deniiistoii at 9.30 this morning in tho following cases: —Pryco v. Small —a caso on appeal; Barton < tho King—judgment 1 on- issues; and- Wellington Harbour Board v. Miramar Borough—an originating summons under the Declaratory Judgments. Act. '

Tho' following prisoners will como up for sentonco at tlio Supreme Court at 10 o'clock this morning:—John David Andorteon, theft at Blenheim; Wm. Albert Hansen, falso pretences and forgery at Klthnm; Edgar Hope, arson at Palmerston North; and llichard Lynch, breaking and entering and theft at "Wellington.

I'wo deputations, representing tho old trustees of the Boys' Institute and representatives of tho institute as at present constituted; waited upon yesterday's 'meeting of the Finance Committee of the City Council in reference to a lflaso formerly granted to tho, trustees, and to discuss .how tho £1100 payable by the corporation for determining the lease should bo applied. It was decided that the money "should bo set apart for payment to tho trustees of tho Hoys' Institute, pending a decision to be obtained from the Supreme Court, the cost of which is to be defrayed by the.old trustees.' '

The. halfryearly. pharmaceutical. examinations commenced yesterday at the rooms of the Pharmacy Board, when a fair candidates presented themselves.. ; ■ Tho pre-' liminary examination or Section A was taken yesterday. Section B commences to-day, and concludes on Friday.' The, practical portion of this examination will bo held at tho Technical School. Tho examiners are as/follow:. Section, A—Mr. Georgo M'Morran, M.A.' Section B—Chemistry. Professor Eastorfield; botany, Professor Kirk; pharmacy, Professor Gieson; and materia meaica, Mr. White,' of Duncdin. ' •

A public meeting of tho Miramar rate-, payers, convened by tho local ratepayers' association, was held on Monday night to discuss matters of interest to the . borough. Tho president (Mr; R, Hall) said bo: >vas pleased that' tho: present, mayor (Mr. 0. J. Crawford) 'was again a candidate for the Mayoralty. He expressed tho opinion that drainage and water should havo been obtained before a tramway system. The meeting decided: to support the'candidature of Messrs.M'Clolland, Ayling, Muir, and Cooper for seats on tho council. The last-named is on tho present council. The following resolution was adopted.: "That members, of the association vote' according to their individual ideas for Mayor."

•At-■ a' meeting of the Railway Superannuation Fund Board on Monday, the secretary reported that tho,fund was in a very satisfactory condition. Allowances to G6 members amounting to ,an annual 1 liability of £5576 13s. 6d. were agreed'to; also allowances to' 4 widows and 14 children of-deceased con--tributors amounting to a jiability.of £254 per annum. Refunds totalling £1690' wero allowed to members who havo left tho service, Tho legal representatives of a deceasod contributor were, voted £39 6s. 9d., being .thi difference between his contributions and tho' amount; actually received in benefits, and in connection with a case in which superannuation paymonts had been suspended, it was decided to ; rehdW::'.tliem. as;from , ':'tlio. dato of' suspension. . , '. . Tho articlos roprint'ed in tho "Journal/ of the ■ Department of Labour" are sometimes the .subject, of- adyorse criticism,, hut" the Minister must havo beon gladdened ■ when' ho received a letter'recently from, a well-known educationist, praising warmly an article on "The Empire aM Labour." which appeared in the. March ; number of (no journal; "It is excellent from; start-to finish,', says tho Minister's j correspondent,arid is ,bno of the most patriotic and . most powerful, articles on tho problem of labour and nationality' that I remember, ' to: have road. If you Clin, may I suggest to you to spread it . broadcast among tho, working men of-this country." •- ■ • .Tho-iarticle,mwHiclifirst 1 appeared in the "Westminster Review," is a striking one, and advocates a policy of Imperial; fco-oporation .-'in',. 1 developing the', ro-i sources of tho .Empire and its .human assets by means 'of--';a': comprehensive, emigration scheme. '■ ; ' ■'

Advancing, .winter • proclaims itself in the increase of .the l lighting bills. ' Sinco -Jaßii winter the new metallic filament bulbs for electric light have come into general use, with the result . that , accounts have been lowered appreciably.' The City, Council ..has adopted the metallic filament. .lamp' 1 for street-lights ing, and th'oso thoroughfares—between Willis Street and Tory,.Street—which;have,been' supplied show; a, vast improvement on thVold .ordor of strceMighting. Bulbs of 50 and 100 candlo-power Have been substituted for the old 20 candle-power carbon filament lamps, the result being light for .gloom. Some householders who ; nave installed the hew lamps have found their bills reduced to microscopic amounts," the reason being that many of the. old meters are. not sensitive enough to'register such a small flow of current as tho metal filament requires to attain incandescence, and tho electrical department is having such meters displaced, by new and more sensitive ones that will place an effective check on. tho flow. • , ■ ,

. Frequently cases come before the Benovoleut Trustees of persons who are. in'want, but possess relatives in good 'positions ■ indifferent to their condition. This class of casowas referred to by tho Hon. A. AV. Hogg at yesterday's .meeting of the trustees, 'when lie made the suggestion that a carefully drafted circular should; bo sent to. the : rela-. tives, pointing out the ' needy circumstances of tho_ .'applicant, Tho'oircular should draw' attention to tho provisions of tho Act in regard to such cases, but state that . tlio trustees did not wish to put the',law into operation if some little aid were contributed voluntarily. The secretary pointed out. that' at - present the relatives word ! always written to where they' were known of.' Mr. Hogg approved of this, but thought that; a printed circular, 1 drafted in legal form and quoting the Statute, would have moro effect. There were oasos in New Zealand, 1 he said, of poople who were swimming in wealth; but vet left a poor, old patriarch o'f a father to, draw an old age pension. : • • The linking up of'tho Cape Palliser .light-, house with tlio city by telephone is a work that has, befen urged for nearly a score of yoars past, and its early /iccomplislimcnt should be a source of congratulation. It is frequently the case, particularly in the win.ter; time, that south-bound steamers leaving Napier encounter tho full force of those southerly gales* that are met with along tho adjacent coasts, and when the are overdue thero is not infrequently, anxiety manifested on tho part of tlioso ■ having ; frierds on board. In sucli. cases, when .tho weather is not. too thick, the, Cape Palliser lighthouse should be. a handy- reporting station. On rare occasions, too, maritimo disasters liave occurred in Palliser Bay/ tho nows of which has not. rcachdd tlio city for houre afterwards, and in somo cases: help might have reached tlio sufferers lind thero been telephonic communication, handy. '"-The lino is now being stretched from Pirinoa to the lighthouse. It traverses very rough country to tho ooast near tho Wliaterangi station, and then follows tlio line of the bcach to-the Ca!pe. An ordor for 500 poles has been placed to carry tho wiro between the two points.

There will bo a special meeting of tho City Council beforo tho, ordinary .meeting tomorrow evening, to pass a special' order making and. levying a spccial rate of fivesixths of a penny ui tho £ on tho rateable value (oil the basis .of tho unimproved value) of all rateable property within thoso parts of tho City of Wellington which wero lately included m tho boroughs. of Karori aaid Onslow, , exclusive of tho . portion of tho borough, of Karori defined in tho first' schedule to the Wellington (City) • Suburbs Sanitation Act, 1903, for tho purposo of providing interest and'othor charges on a special loan 0f.£22.550 authorised to bo raised tto provide a ..water supply to Wadcstown and • Northland; and : to pass a special order making and levying :a special rate of 4d. in: tho £ on tho rateable valuo (on tho bisis of the unimproved value) of all property within: that part'.or . tJio City of Wellington formerly known as tho South Ward of tho borough of Onslow for the purpose of providing interest and other charges on a spccial loan of £40,100 authorised to bo raised for tho construction of : a tramway to Wadestown and tho acquisition' of Upropertiesj. :0t0.,; Thorndoa, ' for npptoaoh to such tramway.

'At ' t mooting ( of tho : Karori Borough Council last evening, it. was dcoidod to wnto to the Postmaster-General/ recommending that a site on tlio comcr of Boauoliamp and Main Streets bo sccurod for a post offioo eito.

"The ovidcnco you aro about .to givo in tlio caso now. boforo tho Court will bo tlio truth, tho whole truth,, and anything, but tho truth . , t . " ig the latost version of tho oath. It was administered in tins form, to a witness .by a now constalilo in & suburban police court on Monday.

Yesterday's meeting of tho Financo Committeo of tho City-Counoil was:the.last in tho term of tho present counoil, and tho opportunity was taken by several of th« members to compliment tho Mayor (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) on t"ho manner in which tho business had been conducted during his terms of ollice. v -

Tlio following tenders have been accepted by the Wellington Education Board :-7-ficne-"' ral overhaul of Cross Creek School building and teacher's residence* W. Ri Cooltj, erect- ' ing. school and residence at Pukehiriau, W. Whittakor; latrines at Terraco School, Saunders Bros.; painting and .repairing Levin. School, H, Walker.

It does not scorn, "to bo gencrallyi known, evon amongst those especially concerned, that tho closing hours for drapers, clothiers, and mercers in this city are now ,9 p.m. on Mondays; Tuesdays,: Thursdays and Fridays, and 10.30 p.m. on Saturdays., This is in aicoordanco with a, requisition signal "by a majority of the shopkeepers affected. .'

Tlio Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister fbr Railways) explained to a reporter yestcrdfty that tlie recent dismissal of hands from Addington and other workshop's . is. not part of tho Government's general scheme of retrenchment. The Department .had dispensed with the services of the extra mon 'who.wero taken on to cope with tho building progrnmmo for tho Main Trunk, lino. Ho considered this was a better course than putting all the staff bit short timo, As to whether somo of the, mon' wouldbe required again, that would depetid on. tho amount of money voted by Parliament for building further. neyr rolling sfook. Four "hundred, trucks were under construction at tho various workshops, and no great extension of tho building programme was likely, to bo needed. ' : ' ' •-, '> v

• The . question of having Maori probationers as nurses, in general hospitals, was brought up, at yesterday's meeting of tho Hospital Trustees by. a lettdr from ; the Hospitals Department stating that two Maori daypupils woro ready, to commence training as .nurses in a general, hospital, and asking if the boaj-d'was, willing to tako one; also, whether sho would bo allowed the usual probationer' s salary, towards which tho Education Department would give an allowance of £10 for the first year and £5 per annum afterwards for books and clothos. Mr. J; W. M'Ewan remarked that ho would not like it to bo thought that there would be any differentiation • against Maoris: Tho chair-' man (tho Hon. 0. M. t Luke) ■: implied that, if thoro had boon any differentiation, it had been tho other way.,' It was decided to refei tho matter to the superintendent and matror of tho hospital to roport to next meeting a : tho House Committee.