LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 608, 10 September 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

.With reference to tho anniversary of.the. death of Major VonTempsiky (September 7), itia not generally known (writes" a' cor? respondent) that his sword, which was not iijcludcdfin tho funeral pyre,;' , .wliioK. ;/,tho victorious Natives mado or tho white .'leader and his : unfortunato comrades, is; now in possession: of an old Maori woman in 'ho Tarahaki district. :".Tho manuscript, of .-'.ho. incantation pronounced by the'tohuhga. when tho bodios of, Von. Tempslty ■ and. his inim wore'■-' lioips burnt is also in tho possession of a'Native, but has nevor, yet been iix print. Tho city Solicitor has been: instructed to apply.to tho Supreme Court by originating summons for, a. declaratory • order determining whether ■ the council can ■ invest its s'nking funds in its o,wn : debeiituros. ■..HcvWas , also asked by. tho , council Uwt.. evening" to bring a tost case against one. of tho persons who, will not'.set back their fences -to fho. correct alignment of WinglioldStreet.'- • _ . Somo members of a whaling party who recently returned c to New Zealand from'the Campbell Islands 'spolio disparagingly;of-Mr. Frank T. Bullon's descriptions of: old-time' Whaling expeditions, and this lias brought forth' a champion for Mr. Bullen, who, in a letter t0., : the "Otago Daily Times, 1 ' Bays that his experience and Mr. Bullen'e description do not differ, materially.' .''lt is a: long time since I read 'The Cruise of the Cacha ; lob," , ho writes, • "but 1 must say.; that I thought it the very ttjst. description of a' whaling cruise I had over read. Of course fhc cavo 1 incident is rather out of tho ordinary, and perhaps rather foolhardy, but I L havo witnessed actions quite , ' as reckless, . I think; and I know that there were ; lots'of men of tho 'Paddyj Gilroy stamp niib would not only follow a whalo into a cavo, : but would havo gqno to' tho infernal regions if possible, sooner than lose a whalo ,if they : couM possibly help it.; Thqn there arc caves and oaves; it is just possible that tho one referred to at tho Solantler. may bo pretty roomy, and the feat may not be so terrible' after all. It is much'easier to catoh a big fish, oven in a. cave, than to make - people beliovo it,to bo true; and tfcen thero' l are lots of people who.cannot believe anj-thing out of, the ordinary if it lias not.come'within their own limited experionco." • . ,■■"/' A sequel to, the recent commotion wHich was caused, by tho lotting of tho Town Hall for boxing contests happened before . the City Council last evening, when Councillor Fletcher moved that a resolution, passed two years ago by thVcouncil, should bo rescinded, so that the Finance Committee should no longer be.the solo authority'■ in regard to the letting of the hall. Councillor Fletcher urged that this was an important.responsibility, and that the recommendations of the committee should come before the council for confirmation. An amendment to leave power wiiih the committee, but with, the direction that all concessions in rates should be reported at the first succeeding meeting of the council, was negatived by sis; votes' to two,-after half the connoillors had departed at; 11.15 p.m., and Councillor Fletcher's motion was also lost, 60 that, the committee remain masters, of. the situation. After a drift down the coast, to make-it interesting to_someone,_ a punt (said to belong to Captain Harrison, cf Hokiaiiga), is still lying on Otaki beach. : V : "Will the engineer say if.thcro have been any new brake accidents on the trams sinco the ono at the corner of Manners and Cuba Streets ?" was a question'asked by Councillor Fitzgerald at last night's meeting.of tho counoil. The engineer informed tho council that there had been ono very minor accident, of which tho cause had been traced. Councillor Fitzgerald said ho had heard that thoro had boon accidents lately, and it was only right that something should bo done, if necessary, to safeguard tho public. The Mayor said he would have a report submitted nt the next meeting:of the council. A roport will also be submitted on a dolay which happened in connection with the Brooklyn train mat Saturday, i . .' . . .'./■-'■'. A meeting of the \Vellington No-License league was held last night in the Now Zealand Alliance'rooms.'. A good deal of. time was given to the discussion of financial mat- j ters, nnd methods of work. The following l resolution was passed:—"That the attention of: the Wellington Licensing Committeo ho called to tho fact that in Duncdin tho committee has compelled licensed victuallers in that city to conform to tho spirit of!the Licensing Act by ordering alcoholic liquors to bo retailed in one bar only. Seeing that several hotels in Wellington possess at least six bars, the Wellington Licoiising Committee is requested.to insist upon.these'hotelkeepers obeying the spirit of the kwj , . ' i

:j Stringent steps are to bo taken by tie City Council in regard to ratepayers who decline to pay their rates. Authority was given last' night that tho water supply should be cut off fijoni tho residence of a consumer who was in arrcar with his payments. Information has been received by the Agricultural Department that, tho Govoriv, mont of Capo Colony has, by a proclamation, dated June 28, cancelling the proclamation dated February 17, 1909, declared that it shall not bo lawful to introduce into tho said colony, or knowingly aid or assist in t)io introduction of, beeswax, or foundation comb, savo and except under written permission previously obtained from, tho Secretary for Agriculture, land subject to tho production in tho caso oj each consignment of sworn declarations in accordance with- tho forms required. ■ .'..,, Tho tondorof Messrs. S. Luke and Co., Ltd., has been accepted for executing repairs in the ongino-room of tho Government training ship Amokura., Tho contract prico is £159 10s. Other tenders received wcro as follow:—W. Cablo end Co., £192 '10s.: D. Robertson and Co y Ltd., £255; Hutehinson and Campbell, Ltd., £273. For convenience in executing tho repairs tho Amokura has.been borthed at the King's Wharf. . Whether anybody has'ever been known to catch a weasel asleep is still a moot point. Bo that as it may, a Gazette notice states that they can be killed (asleep or awake) in tho Mangonui and the Whangaroa Acclimatisation Society's district. . - -. > Notice; has, been received by the Agricultural Department of an international agricultural exhibition, to be held at Palermo Buenos Ayres) by the Sooicdad Rural Argentina (Argentine Rural Society), frwi Juno 3 to July 31 next. The, exhibition is in celebration of tho first centenary of tho Argcntino emancipation, May 25,: 1810, and will ■ bo held under the auspices of tho Government of the .Argentine Republic; : Further information unay ba obtained on : application to tho Hon. T. Forgus, Vice-Consul for .'Aβ Argentine Republic in New Zealand, Dunedin. . A two.-y«ar-Qld draught colt of 'unusual substenco and quality and of classical pedigree leaves by'the Moeraki to-day. 'He was bred by Mr. J. S. Oughton, of Okamwa, Taianaki, and --.took first prize" in a strong class of eight at list* Hawera'Show. ..Tho ■■purchaser, is Mr, :L. H. Groenawny, cf Folton Station, Darling Downs, Queensland.'. Among those, who will journey to Auckland to wolcomo tho Prime Minister!(Sir,Joseph Ward),on September 30 will bo tho ActingPrimo Minister (the Hon; J. Carroll) and wveral othor Ministers, including the Hons. ■J. A, Millar and G. Fowlds. ,It is understood that thcro is a. on foot in , Auckland to accord Sir Joseph- a , fitting welcome- back to the Dominion, Nothing definite has so-far;been decided upon as to tho form of the proceedings; but it is not unlikely .that, an, address will, bo presented no him. , ; •■■■'... '■• '■ ,'.' ■■',',.■ .'. ■• /. •■' ■'■!.'■■ ■'."■ ■■..•■ : A; proposed, agrcement between tho Weilington Electrical iWorkcrs' Union and tho Wellington City .Council was approved by the latter body last evening. ■' The terms ; are similar to thoso which were embodied in the previous agreement;-/ Application will be made to have tho agreement, niado an award of'the Arbitration Court...:-,..;';■ .•'•'''■ The following- aro extracts■ from a letter from Captain Crutchley, Navy League-head-quarters (dated July 27), to the Steal hon. secretary;—"At :tho timo 6f,- : writing .this' letter I.suppose tho eight ships are, recurcd. , Thoro _ was a stormy meeting, in tho House last, night, and had it "mot" been for the support afforded to ,the- ..Government /by tlio I Unionist members thoy would' almost have .'sustained defeat at; the hands of the 'Little Navy,. Group.' ,\ '■;■'. . . Tho Navy ' debate last night;has,;at all events'cleared the air, and we know where, .wo are, ~ *'■ ;' I thank' you for your balance-sheet, up to" March = 31;.* You aro, getting into quite respectable , ; figures.. . '.'■'., Wo had. our naval manoeuvres, recently, - with between, 300 ". and 400 ahips, and. I think thero ' were .only' two of <i ( .mjnor kind, arid, two or thrco accidents.'':-!; tlyhk 'tliat'is '&■ very.'good, performance, and although we must keep tho pressure , , on to counteract the devices of tho iLi.ttlo Navy' people, T do-not think that British supremacy at spa. to-day.'is-in a bad way, but on our action between now and this timo nest year-will depend , the sea supremacy or :: otherwise 'of tho /British Empire."- ' ■'■'.••■ ■ - ; ' ;'■ ■'.: : - ■■' •' •'. ' ■'.!.■-. , Sea-walls, of ! concrete are not.tho , ,easiest things in tho world to erect. They need a firm.lodgment on a solid bottom if tliey aio to. stead" tho stress of weather* and tides for tho normal life of: such structures, and to ensure this the trench on the floor ; of the harbour which takes the. foundation of the wall has te be, cloained outin ttiobest manner possible before tho concrete work is begun.: ,Some littlo delay has been experioncod by, Mr. 9> F^, Pulley, in thp. preliminary work-in connection;with tho erection of the big sea-wall at Waterloo, Quay, owing to tho bottom, of the, harbour at, that point having been found to be coated with two or three feet, of silt—a fine grey, soft mud. Under, the contract it is tho, duty of tho Harbour Board to clean up tho bottom, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to-'do ..so with a'.Priestman,dredge. ;Somo days ago it was decided to experiment with the Whakarire'e suction _plant, which acts on a largo scale;-in precisely tho ; same manner as a vacuum, cleaner. A hugo.pipo ending in. a, nozzle is lowered to tlio" bottom, and the powerful pumps on board the dredge draw tho. mud up tho pipe and eject it into: an-: other: pipe, the mouth of which extends 70 feet from,the- side of the dredge, over a spot within tho line of tho. sea-wall. : Tho trial made, yesterday afternoon was .perfectly successful,. tho pumps experiencing'no difficulty in raising the sift from tho trench line. In using tho dredge for this work a double purr pose is. served, as: the silt raised 'will -assist the reclamation operations of tho , future in that locality. ; ■: ~ '. .---.• ■■ •- ; ,-.',■■, 'Merchants, and others who make frequent use of the cable service may ..nowj under certain conditions, have , their codes certified to as being in conformity with-the International Telegraph Convention . regulations. At the last International' Telegrap- Conference- (Lisbon,; 1908) Great Britain, Germany, ,and France were deputed to examino all codes $nd vocabularies' of words in code language, or of syllables intended for use in code language, submitted to them, arid* if approved issue- a certificate that the oodo or vocabulary is, in accordance with the regulations. '• Persona, in . Now Zealand desiring to submit their "codes must make application through the Secretary, Gonoral Post Office, from Whom full information can be- obtained. The submission'of any code is optional with the user, an 4 will be treated as confidential by the administration. ■■ No information is ■required on the. subject of .the meaning given to any, word in the..code. /■A threatened obstacle to.the construction of the Charlotte Street tramway loop has been removed.' At the meeting of tho City Council last evening a lotter was read from the Public Works Department to tho following effect: —"l have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 17th ult., stating that your council does not proposo'te proceed with the construction of the , Charlotte Street tramway loop until the Government shall have- come to a decision regarding the rebuilding of Parliament Buildings, ana with rospect to the suggested alterations to the streets adjacent thereto. Iu reply, I am directod by tho Minister for Public Works to inform you that the matter has been careconsidered by Cabinet, and I am to state that the Government is not awaro of any proposal to throw part of the Government land into' Charlotte Street for.the purpose of widening it. ' If your council wishes to widen tho street tho Government will desiro payment for tho land to' be taken for that purpose" Tho matter was referred to tho Tramway Committee. . ■ . .--., ~ An interesting war-game for.junior officon was-.tJie chief attraction at tho weekly mooting of the Garrison Officers' Club last ovbning.. Tho general idea for the operations in miniature was that n "Blue" force, under Lieutenant'Hutehea (College Rjfles), was to advance from Nowtown Park to Ponrua, via ' Johnsonvillo, and reconnoitre the position of a "Red" force loo;ite<l -at .Pahautanui under Lieutenant Roacho (Wellington Guards), Lioutenant-Coloncl Bauohop, C.M.G., Officor Commanding the Wellington District, acted as cliicf umpire, assisted by Captains Courtenay, Turner, Essou, Micklo, and Cowles, .while Captain Henderson was timc-kecpor. 'flip various moves wcro followed with koon interest,.and at 'tJio conclusion Lieutenant-Colonel Bauchop critically reviewed the operatioasi ,

A new ferro-conoreto building is to .bo erected in Jlrandon Street to accommodato tho recently amalgamated legal .firm of Messrs. Skerrett and Wylio and Chapman and.Tnpp. . ■■ ,■' " ,; - By a Gazette Extraordinary Parliament \a ' prorogued until Ootober 7, at 2 p.m., on : which day both Houses will meet for dis- / patoh.of business. ~ ■ .. . . . Somo time ago tho City Council asked the Government to appoint a commission to eet-' tie tho vexed question of tho Karori special rates. Inquiry was made at last night's meeting of the council as to whether, the matter ■ had proceeded any further. Tho-Mayor. r»- ■*' plied that tho .Government had not yet sot "-.-' up the commission, though' a considerable period hod elapsed, and the council had been I waiting day after day for, it to'do so. They • [ were unable to for,co the Government to act any..earlier than it thought fit, but tho Town ,\ Clerk would'write.pointing out tho length of -.-' timo which had elapsed since tho council's ap- ; plication was made. -, . ■;. ■: ~./'-.. A deputation of Oriental Bay resid«nte • waited on the City Council last evening to discuss the work of wall conetruotion round tho Esplanade.. Mr... H. Bridge; said that .-'■ tho new,council had resolved to build on the.' -' : -" concrete wall already in position, raising it • to the level of the footpath. The residents protested against this, .because •: it would ' mean considerable oxponso. in -addition to' . ' that mapped out by tho old council.. .The .- . deputation urged that the wall should bo left at its present height,-and a-.sloping, face built behind it. T-ho representations'of the- -. -■ Oriental Bay people were referred to the; Finaiico. Committee, and.the. Mayor: said. -.'', that the .committee would visit the Bay to.;'. consider the proposed worke.-. • ... ;' Tho Hon. D.'Buddo,- Acting-Minister for' ; ". Lands, in conversation with a, Dominion' re- - porter yesterday, definitely' confirmed the : roport that tho Qovornaent has purohased tho. Clydebank' Estate, Hawke's Bay, for .plotter-: settlement purposes.,-.,Tho- estate, ', which comprises 10,000 aoros,,was the pro- .- :nerty of Mr. > Duff, 'and is/ situated : near . ' : NVftiroa.' Most, of!the:land is said- to Iw.oi : : excellent quality for grazing. It will pro-. -.'■. bably: come'into the possession of tho Gov- .; erninent about the end of tho year, and. the' ■ ■■. Minister ; anticipates, that,- it will then be '.' ready for; settlement, .'■' .- .A shooting match', between teams, r ■ senting the Cycle- Corps, and the Working • Men's Club, was fired on a miniature rifle range.yesterday. The-.Cycle. Corps won by \ . 9 points, their avcrago ; being 30, whilst c l their: oppoucu.ts'. was , a.little over 29. ; The '.' '. highest scorers were: Lieutenant Slinn, and :, Corporal Scott,' of the Cycle Corps, and E. ( Gamble, of the Working Men's Clnb. It is proposed that at no distant date a minia-V turo riflo range: should bo : erecte<l »t' the Working Men's : Club,' so that. members will ;' ; , ; have every, op)iortunity of indulging in thu ■ useful 'reoreation..- '~'..;•■.- ■'■:■ ■:'■'.' '\'--"" ■ ...A lalo.of :flax, ;: set- ; alight;by, Bome' tiojp '■*'•' on a i piece , of; vacant ground in'.Whitaker ■■■"' Street (off Ghuznee Street) yesterday, caused '. the. fire brigade fo/bo called 'ont at 3.37 p.m.." : There were no buildings near, and no damage ;was,done; ■' :^ ; ';> .;•••■■-'■•;■,•." '•'■•'''■.'■.■. :■ .; '■..Two. Chinamen-were arrested yesterday by ' Sorgeant Rutlodgo and Constables Johns'and : 1 rooter, on charges of soiling, tickets -'-on.; titling tho holders; to j take part in, a game- ,' r of chance, ,to. wit, pak-a-poo.'- ■■'-, , : . '~.-.;.,: A suggestion.was made by. -Councillor >. Devine:at last' night's Meeting -'of tlio City, -• ■Connoil that hot saltwater fbaths - Ehould be- ; • established in connection with tho municipal baths, for, the benefit ' of v suff<}rcrß ;; from ; ' '■ rheumatism and similarieomplaintj.' '■ cillor Luke/ 'cliairmari' of itJie -,'Bathe ■ Coni- ' ■ mittoo,' said that-it might -be-paible to. ■•- h«at water '•.for: this -purpose "at tho dostruc- - tor, and he'hoped'to «oo the'idea "carried' , '' '■' 'out at fto.Te Arorbaths/ within tho next : year or two. "I think.thko : ought- to"'be hot' baUis in this oity, ;and. the chairman of ;the ■', Baths - Committep ,will ',look in.to: the: matter;, andreport," said-the- Mayor in TCply. to a■;- ■ later; inquiry by. CounoiHor- Carmichacl. , . ■ :, -.'• .The proposed,'top-dressing and resowing of "■'..•' Duppa-Street''Rooreation Ground' (lower) is '■.■■- to. oo held over, until after, th«-;oricket soaaoa,' ■ Tlio Reserves Comm'itteo' , , of l tho City" ; - Council hayo''givTO''instructionß , rw''tho';im-:'' ! 'v mediate' resumption of a portion of'the Town," ir Bolt at Tanera Crescent, Brooklyn, :for tho , purpose of a children's playground. ..Coun-,-, eulor Luko, remarked, at tho council meeting r: last,evening,''that tho trams, would soon, pass.' through tho Basin ResoxyO) and it was the ~ duty of tlio, to iretain every available ,J reserve for^tlio,benefit : pf.'tho cliildron.■ V■f l •' '■ ; At- To Aro ; baths, ~®& '.City 'Cbuncir has - , ■aulhdrisodtho;ercction'of additional dressing', sheds, extending fronrtho terminatiott of -!ho :.'■ present sheds'on (ho south sido.' tq : .the outer■'■;, wall of th.o baths. , Similar extensions, are' to bo carried but: to' the .ladies' baths'. "The ' city engineer has/also , authority*, to'fit up '-, several,other requisites, for thb/nibre.'efficient equipment of, tho .baths;. Additional, diving-;-.-boards'are;badly needed.;'!;' ; v'':: ■:,'.;■'/; 'i ; ." ';■ by. a; Dominion rbportor, yes- .• '' terday, tho'Hon. Pr.; Findlay. said.that the.'. ; list of now Justices of ■; the Peaces would '. not bo ready for publication until t next, week;; Ho explained_that the work in;connection, .with the nominations! the selectiou of suit-, ■ ■ able persons, for-the ,offlce,-and tho^prcpara- , -- -... tion of thecommissione for signature by tho Governor had entailed a considerable auipunt' of.time. There would have to bo:a supple-, mentary list of those nominated too late for,, , ; inclusion in tlie main,list,. '' ;:;...: •-. According to the ,Hon A ,G. Fowlds,: who ro- , ■ turned; toWellington'from..tho.t\orth,yest : oor■,r r ■, . day, there is evidence' pf prosperity on every ■: hand in tho:Auckland .district., Owing to . the mildness of the winter; the growth; of tho ,' pastures had-been practically unchecked.: ; Stock olio, were in'splondid condition. From ,' what ho could learri,' Auckland would have a ■ record dairying season this year.' In Auck- V; land.' city there, was. a.'keen d?mahd for ■ .houses,'of which there were yory few, vacant.,'■;• One: builder , had informed him that a num- : ber of residences which ho had erected bad, been "snapped up" , beforo they wero completed, and numbers of people now desired ; . him to build for them. -Compared, with ;a-;' / year or so ago, not so.many large.buildings,were at, present boing erected in the centre , of tho city. ...Good headway iuraVibein'g made with tho now town; hall, post, office, and liar-,': ; bour works.' '.The 'bridge across' Cemetery,' ', Gully would,-'he said,-,be a fino structure; Its . central arch, which- was 170 ft. high, was; the " largest in the Southern Homisphcrej ,;.... > 'Patera To Tuhi; , the : first ; editor' of .i' .' ■Maori journal, "Te Korimako," published at ■ Kikihi, Waikato, just, prior, to,the spread of;. .. the Maori War thcro in, the,early sixties; is said to bp still. alive, and ..residing In- , Mangere.in the Auckland province. "Pat'w*\ had a rival editor. in tho pewon of Sir. (th*n -:■'. Mr.) John,,:Goi'st, whose- publication,-V"Tβ , Hokio,"' w'aa' forcibly sunprcsEcd. by'Ewi' ' Maniapoto., There, is only ono> copy of-' "Korimako" known.to bq extent,',but there'! are'soveral issues of "Tβ Hokio",-still, in.': existence. ■ -.-.'.' . ■ '.-.' ■■-,'; -v : -, : . ■■-;.'. ■' Prohibition is one .tiling, but tho', prevon-: tion. of prohibited persone -'obtaining"/, spirituous liquor is quite another, according..: to' the argument* of cpunwl in an appoal . caso heard.- before Mr. Justice Edwards -at ■'■'' Auckland: on Wednesday.- Some; hotels, it" was stated, supplied something like 2000, ■ persons daily, and'when as' mnny aa 17 pro- .'" hibition orders hod been issued at Aucklnsid in ono day it was , a matter of impossibility ; for ■ licensees' employees' to ascertain, L the - , - identity of -all. '"In London,", /renwrktd Mr. R, Eeed, "they have a black li«t, . which means that'publican* are supplied vrit.li... : : photos of prohibited persons." 'Some'-w'sh ' , practice, he thought; : might work, eucctss-.' fully in-Auckland. ..: ." : : .■-. . ' ' ; Tho promoters of th« roilitaii-y tonr'nv-'.;. ment to bo hold in Paliner»ten-iri, ( S'nv.eii, , l>er , -.'."'' liavo been definitely informed bythp'nuDiori- :' : taos that tie Navy will bo re^riec<nt«l''-b,v- , .a'' contingent from tho warships. Grpal-'intriVsi... is being manifested •in . this ,'. milititj ; gathering. ' • :"■ < '■'~-':-.: ' ■'''-.■■ .--•'■'■- •,-;' , Shortly after 11 o'clock last n'ight tho (in , brigade received a call t0 , ,N0. 278 : Cub?,' . Street, where 1 nn incipient fire had been rf : u, covered in'a shod- at- the rear of. i second' V hund shop occupied by Mr; William Ilpavj / SligJit damage was: done to the ,51i«:1,.-■}»■,. contents.. The owner of the premises is it ; '. Robert Patorson. . .:,,:.:/., Field tectics at Treiitham- aro bcin\''•:'.' mapped out for tho Wellington Riflo Batter '■' lion by LioutoiwutrColoncl Diithie, : 0.C.,. as tho programme for' Labour Day, : next month. The battalion will proceed,: m "■■. ■ full marching order,, by th 0.8.-16 a.m.lrai;" ~ ' from Wcllingteu, returning by'.the trail-.,, leaving.Trentham at 4.35 p.m., :.' > .'' ',",',,,