LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 501, 7 May 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' It was expected that llie details of the financial operations of the year would appear in this, week's Gazette.', Tlie public', hqwever, 'frill be'diSapr}oihted.jn the ftatt/eryand will have to possess themselves in.'patiehco as to -the details of bkpe'ufliture about Which Sir JoSbph Ward displayed-puoh..reticence in his- Invbrca'rgill addtfess.v The Prim© Minister laid, 'str&s mi the. fStefc that the railway barhihES 'during the yeal 1 had showrV an ihcfo'ase of -£163,000. It will bb .interesting fb ,'rioto what increase 'of expenditure be-, cu'rred in thV.same time. ■ ,Wb father suspect tltat, it Will not afford much.room for obhgratUlatidn. - - The new King's Wharf; wbilmg'tbh,.; lb gazetted, a legal. landing ,place> for ;thb laaih'g and unlading of gbbda under the Customs A!ot. ; ;'-'.:.. •

. The Gbvernment training ,ship. Amokuraj after, ah ahsehco .'of jiAany >ve>ks, ,frbm Welis duo back',again ,Saturday._ She. his been cruising, in the north for trairpng purposesi. and; Was. to, have left Tolaga Bay yesterday for Wellington. .';. :; ■'•, ..-..

', Only tw6 'Or.three Nb*.Zealand' ohtrics haVe been received So fair fb'r the Seliunlachef Giip rifle shooting rhiit-cbi orfeknisfed By thb London "Daily Mail," and but ohb entry, fbr the Empire Cup m'itch,. .The matches will b© fired throughout the Empir'b oh May 24 next. .-. ;•'•• '■

'It is understppd tbat.th)s rnlui, HeraiiigWay; who was suspected of beifig f t)ib p'ereoh.'.bbn; cernfed in 'the buiglaries at thb Priiiting Office aiid iKssrs. 'WhitcorAbe im Tbmbs's premises, has admitted that .ho broke info both places,, arid has sigmkl- i. 'statern'ont to this eifeH.-

notice, slates, that a duty, pi is, _ per. ldQ superficial feot ,bn ''compo-boafd. "' . This. is, timber■,with. a. backing of-''paperrpulp,.c'oni^nted."'thereto. v; Th'e duty is,being imposed because, iii the opinion of the Minister lor XJustom'sj ''compo-bqard:' may be used iFo? the same'purposes.as.sa-wh dressed timber. . .-,•.' ■: ' ,; .

The Minister for. Public, Works has accepted the following tendera for tho erection of Government btiildiilgs :—Post office, Maungaturoto, A. :M. Mackay, ~ Waipu (£758 lK.ii police station',. -llAlkolie', W. 'Cd'ok aid gon, : Ornate (£9&5) iMkb office at Epsom, W. Ball, Tlev.tthpart (£1332)'.

i Sir Joseph- Ward .-stated last' night that .'there intention;of ,'eallihg Pirliimont togothei- earlier than ilsual: -Previous-.ses; sionsha'd begun oh .dune 23; tfuhb.2s; June 28;. and other 'dates inrthat neighbourhood; ;aud ho kilew of ,tib special reason, far, a departure frbrii the custom. The exact date Mr the opening of the fco'ming session, was hot yet lixedi . ' .

. Although, as announced ,by tho Prim© Minister, tpb Immigration Department and the Labour Department are to bo worked by 'one staff bf officials; it is.hndcrsfood.t'hat tho 'two 'Ministers ; mll,cbntmue;.to. discharge their responsibilities.as ftt present, the. Hon. G; Fbwlds retaining .the portfolio .of Immigration and the Hon. A. W. Hogg that of Labbur. .',■ . .',',■-..,' ;..,

Tho residential attractions of Island BaV; whibhv seehib'd to ,hiive' 16st , sbruo; bf . their potency a feW, mbiiths.,'agoi 'havb apparently revived, fbr there are how very, few. empty houses at tlib, suburb',' to have let eight houses there in a single afternoon, and a builder is: said to bo erecting nearly thirty houses, of which seven,.already .'completed;-have been let as,soon a's thby were built. '-'•.-.';

The Prime kiiiister (Sir .'Joseph , Ward); when, seen by % ■ ÜbsriMbN, repoHief last night; said that ho had received.a edtntoiiicatibn frcSrh the Imperial authorities in cbfi: ne'etioh with tli6 i prtipbsed naval conference of repteseritatiyes' of different portions 'qi thfe JSmib'ire.' Tlie c'bmffiunicntibhj, hdwbVfei; was strictly cbiifideiitikl; :Ehtl; "li 6. vraS fore unable to riiiikd aiiy 'fiifthef statenfeMt oh tho subject: ' ■ v -

'. , Tlib ( fetal, estimated; populatibn ]S[ew Zcaliiiid. (including the iSobk Group arid lying, islands) 1,028,364. fiuinber the Maori.population .is down '&i i 47;731, arid that, of ihb. Cook Group and.pthqr islands at-12,340,. so^that, oxclbdirig pbp'illatibn.. under those Jieads, ..the white population of New Zealand..Js y 968,313. The.net.increase for tklyMar'ch,quarter w.as 4223 males;'and,3446 females, making a.tbtal of 7671.-, .-.•-.'

Mr. M'Nab, in his lecture last,night;, gave a happy instance showing ; hotv .history keeps up ia Now, Zealand her. old habit of repeats ing herself. Captain . Cook chdsb' Queen Charlotte Sound .as a base Jot. his, Antarctic expedition of 1773, and how; .after rrtoro than a. ceiitury, another.'Antarctic expedition started..from. Lytteltob, ,no g:cat distance dway—the expedition of Lieutenant Skacklcton. (Applause.) v ■.: , . For tiio_ $ast (i fbrthight building MVe beoii issued ,by, tlje pity Council. Tnb' value.of tho buildings covered by is £12,312, in,. the city ahd,£4675 iii the Mbirose district.. The principal iteih in the for' the Alliance Assuridic'e uifijpauy iH , Grey Strcfet, at a cost"„of aliout £'4270. Tlie',tbtal valiio of tli'e Biiildings is £16,987; as agaihst £61j132 for the previous fortnight:,- Conipared.ivith the fortnight .ending ..April G, liowOTor, aii hibrease, of' aljoiit £2DuO is shown; < 'Mr..Harle Giles is = doiiig splendid as Cbiiciljatibh Cbthniilsibher for the-, Aiibkland district;" kid the Minis'tcr bf Labbur to,a pciMtN'idft,.reporter, yes'terday: "Me is saving, the Arbitration. CddH.a^ great deal of difficult, business*, aiiU those aiiioiTg tlib liibbur unions wHo.jWere at first .so Strongly opposed to his appbmthient.are.iipw speaking of liiin in tlib.hiost .colnpliinciitary tcriris: I, talked witlisbino bf.tlibiii wlieiii iviis iii Atickland a few days' dgo; arid I fbiiiid that tlicy wbro delighted,.with tlib w:iy,iii,';v-liipli Jlr. Giles ■has been fixing; ilp their difficulties. 11 ■\Vednesday nest Has been fixed as t-lio dato for. t-hb hearing,.of the cas*^Arthur ,T. rl ß.ato and' John A. I'iko versus tlib City .Corporation; .This.is .A.bliiifc-.t.liai a. .frHt, of .mandamus be directed 'hgaiiist defendants commiindnig them to grant ,a .for t!ib erectiohof ajiiiildiiig ih mdeb of tlib' premises jihtil recently Qcb(ij)ibd by Mr;.,J. B. -.Inhes; . bbokseller'j in' "Willis. ground, of tlie proceedings is .that .plaintiffs have been refused the permit despite, the fabt.that they havb' bb'rhplibd with, tlib by-laws.. Lately the cbrpbfa'tibri lids had tlib property iihdbr cb'iU' sideration, in connection with its si-tcbtl widening seheihe. '. Tea thiit is iidt piir'b stioulit-.nbrcr US'sbldi. Inferior teas consisb mostly of tho woody fibres of th'S leaf, and brew out a coiisiilefablo rihloiint of tannin, which is iiijntibils-.to tlib system; There is rare enjoyment, for. thbso who can-tip-jiffcciate'fine tea: Drink Crescent. Blend tea; it is absolutely phre: It is a bleridcd tea with distinguished qualities— the strength of . the full-bodied, robust teas', of Darjceling is added to ,tho fine-flavbrired, delicate teas ofCeyloiu and tho luxurious Crescent Blend is the result. Obtainable from all storekeepers at 2s. per lb.

i Amended regulations ..under the .Won of Machinery Act, li) 08, are gazetted this week. . . / I 'Two roods of land facing diaries Street, I.West Shore, Napier, have been reserved by the Government, for tho purposes of a public recreation ground. Tee Dominion Printing House will 'bo open to visitors between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day- during»lndustries, Week, commencing Wednesday, May 12. Tiio public will .bo afforded an opportunity of viewing the modern machinery and plant by Miich a leading daily newspaper is prbduced; . . A. municipal, deadlock appears to exist at present ,'in 'Car'tertbiii Nobody, *as nominated the other day for the Mayoral office, and only three burgesses for positions on - the Borough Council. Tho 'tiiiiti for receiving further municipal nominations has been extended till to-morrow, but so far no residents have signifled any desiro to fill the breach. Cryptic lbttcr.from.a cheerful indigent to a.AVairarapa solicitor:—"About that 128; wot you rote,.i..carnt.pay,itj bu'tif giyo.me a.fortnit i will, jJay it.imagotTyi j don't no. wot tbis.world,is coi)iing to. i carnt get any money ; and i carnfe pay ,nbr body, the.btlier.day,i,had sonio hioncy But it. was gorn before i got it. . Ypurs tnllly'."— The soricifor decidbd to credit the 12s. to bad dobt's;" . The aesthetic perceptions of those who are compelled to make a daily pilgrimage through Sydney Street or Tinakori llbltd m'ust be but raged, by,the ta.U^and v bare ;hill-cuttiiigs on the .roadside. Good news,..hb\vevcrj is in store,for.them*, , An..attempt is.tb.be miide by the.. City .Council autllbrities to get grass to grow oil tho. bare sides and thus remove the eyesore. , The effort is purely an experimeht„.and, tfonsidbriiig tho stcephess.bf the kill-sides, the difficulties confronting the meii will bo readily imagined; An.idea-of the. extent of the bare patches will'be gAhiod'wheti it is realised that in.the streets named the areas under.consideration cover.aboilt half an acre.;' r A.start is to bo made to-day. with the experiment.. Ah amusing iticiderit bcouffed on . thb Veildiiig fdcecbursfe recently ; (says an . ekchti»g6)i-. The-raceobur'sb, with'its beaitiful lftw^ : bnd artifi'cihl .lake,.is a fav.oUritb pfbmenade for the • townspeople oh Sunday aftomeon'j aiid the imported- fallow deoK which :Toam there 4t; large, givb the grounds an.ftdded bttfa'dtibti. A few days,"ago a Wrl of sikteen appfbae'hed ohS of the deer Wlflch wass.taiidin| hoar the lake; and 'caressingly patted' it, what tiin'b she m'brniur'bd. sb'nib of .tho soft b'bby-talk. which, conies sb nattitally tb the fair sei'.. The deer had the'bad ■ taste -■ -to •■■. 'dislike , these ■ 'atleiltidnl, . aiid promptly knocked • the girl, .in'tb the lake. I whence she' rds'b dripping . wet only tb be ..'Once tn'ore; sbht b'aek ; >nfc} tlib. hmpid depths_._. At this ■ stage; neV b'Hes _ attracted attention, 'and , the deei: was. 'soon driven away 1 ; aid the inaiden.rescu'bd safbj'biit wet and hot a little frightened. ... i .'Tpleplicbcs' 'connected with . lighthouseß rouiid.tlib 'coast bf great pse .in passing steamers. u instruments Jare frequently .requisitioned for b.ther o.nd lUi laat- Saturday,.,when jilness -put Jn . aij, appearance, at. 6tep}ic'ns„lsla.nd, tlibse. on the island, were .ijbleto .flbmmuniwitjithemaiiilahdi and .medical assist.ajayo was .'sent from, AVellingtqn.,, A -nurse jand- an ..assistant left for. Stephens Island 'ybst'brdiy.tp assist in,caring tor..the three invalids,.who are r'eperted.to'.De.'pfbgressibg favourably... With,regard tt jth'o.iUstiiUatioii .of ;t«lbpljohic,communication from the lighth J Jr;,"%eo Allpbrt, the Mahiie, pepartment,; informed. ..a poJii'moN rbbbtterJfcliat, at present,there.were,bhly two lifehthousbsj.which,,.wj;re. iii,;, isblated; places. TBesep were. Mbkbmnau- i;and,-,C.Uvie.r,,,light- , houses, .whicb had, no means- pf communicating the'.. shpr'p.;,. Sbyeral.;.other..light'hbiiVes am nbt, require; as they yptliin reach of Abe. mainland; .and numbers, of. vessels passed regularly withiri signalling distance.- .... .. .--.■■'

. A bbrrespoMeht/tfbte.to Tafc ; , Dominio!* a day, or twb ag<J b&illplaijb.infe of itfoonvKiiionce and annoyance tb paSSeiigerg '6ii: oiio of. tho Main .Trunk express: ttiiins; ■ caused .by the oxclugiveness .with : which : : dh6. of'.the | 'carsnvas reserved fof the iiso oi'.the.Hbn; :Ai W; Hogg: .Rcfcfnlii'to thii'matter yesterday, the • Minister, told K D&miiuon rbv ;porter that life occupied tllci worst-and. leaist comfortable firstelnSscarriage.b'h the.train;' It was ono of tho old "bird-cage';' type, and hut >for the fact that a Minister must have !some.place whore.he could attend fco.lik.ctJrjsm .interviewers,, he. would have touch preferred'bhe'of the comparatively luxurious seats is another.car. At one'station. .Several pebplei who;.perhaps, did hot jsee the label ''Reserved,'' tried to board the' carriage and... were,, presented hy; official. OTlJtfi'ej. the Minister rio'f jtary know "of this until afterwards, biit tney werb informed that there was.pMty of room .for.all the-passengers in.other parte of. the train.;' No incblivoniencb• through, ovor'crpwding was notic i eablo„when the' express ,lott s Auckland, and ~tho .number, of.psople.on bdard decreasedjit the various,stopping places as the train went southwards. . ..

- Arrangement?:.fer.{the opening • of .the 1 Presbyterian .-.Orphanage ,are, iovr '■ .draiviig near.completion.,.. The .largo house irißr'ooklyni ftitmofly >&'cupie'd by Mr; -E. Seagcf, ahd surrbtihded by a conMdetablb area, of ground;-is Being' by,, the committee; Mrs. Mills;-.fbriHerly; of the Toty. Street mission, has l)&jh appointed sistef-itfchSirge, and -will; takb .p"bssbssi6fi iii a. week or two of th 6 building. _ Tlio. bbmhiitt'ee dto nb'w seeing to .the._ of the ;fcstablish : mont,'which ,w;ll ,provide„acoommOdation ior thirty and.,destitute children.. t ßoy3 aiid girlavwill ,hq lalien up.tp. T ten years, .of agbj and, oil attflinipg their tenth'- year .the boys, will be transferred to oho pf,.tho two Presbytbrian.i.prphahages .in Dnncdiii. ■','. Air ready;,a,number.of orphans aro being..cared fqr_ by., .the,. coririniitcb.' ,The orphanage is ihtehded.to serve .tlio .needs of, destitute and otiier .children ; hi. this and the neighfiburiiig .provinces, find ail- appeal for assistance h.as been made, to the, chiirches in tlio district to Kb Bgnehte'dj. Coiitributiohs to tho rnauitehanbe ;brpiianage will be thahkfhlly received by the treasurer;. Sir; ■W. M., of tliis:cityj.bf tlio Rpv. Dr; Qlbb; cdhvener of thb PFesljyffiry's cbmliiittobV It is intended, to iipljoirit sopii a nidlb apftnt, resident in Welfingtoii| whose work will lib lb rescue from,evil ways iii tlio manner followed with..good.tq--1 suits bx.tlib-Rev. A. E. Axelsoh;; the Duiiodin ageht. ' Ho will takb tliarge of youths who como before the court's, and generally net in the place of a father toyoung people needing .control and guidancb.