LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The railway arrangements in connection with the Sculling Handicap at Fox ton will be found advertised elsewhere. The advertisement, owing to the .boycott of The Dominion by the Ward Administration, is published at lour own cost in'.the interests of:our readers. ,\ ""-.'..

. The , postal authorities adviso that .the Moeralri, which left Sydney on Saturday, for Wellington, has on board an English and Australian mail for Wellington, which is due hero', to-morrow-morning.. .';/.. ' : . > v . '. . The ■ English mail which 1 loft Wellington on October 22 per, s.s. v Moana,. and connected at Sydney with the Brindisi mail per It;M.S. China,' arrived in London on. tho night of November-26, due date. ■■■'■■'". ■"; \ ' ■ • / ■ . 'A conscience-stricken patron of tho city tramshas forwarded the sum of 9d. ,to the city -trees-' orer. (Mr. Chas. Collins). A covering. note oxplained that . the. possessor of the- suddenlyawakened conscience defrauded the Tramways Department. on . several • occasions by evading the payment of his faro, and that ho took this opportunity of v setting his mind at rest, . To-day : is ; tho 'anniversary.'of. Scotland's patron Andrew; The, occasion will be observed as a holiday by the, Government Departments, municipal officers, banks, and insurance offices.' . ■ : • -.. \ • :':. ".- It : is understood ; that tho subsidy for' tho Wellington-Earotonga-Tnhiti mail service has been renewed for, another twelve months. ■■ The subsidy was given for ten trips, the last of which is how being made by the Hauroto. That steamer is now advertised to leavo againfor the Islands on January 1., ;■/: ~ . ' : . The city authorities aro at present giving some attention to citizens on. 1 the. high levels who use water for their gardens without registering the amount of fluid used, per medium of a meter. If tho trouble continues it is probable that, the council- will, take into; consideration tho question of policing the , districts under notice, with a. view to bringing offondere.to book.'- ",.- ■■:.': ■'.■■:'''-.■■ ■..;■" ■.'' ■■-•• ,'.<" ■' ■.''■"■■' Noxt Saturday will bo "Ambulqnco Day." The plan of campaign will be mapped out at a' meeting of. collectors, and. assistants, to be held in the Town Hall at'B p.m. on Thursday: i There are still somo vacancies for,lady collectors." • ■ ...... ...-.' .. ■..';" .-' •,'; . .'■,-', ..','■ Ponding the completion, of certain wqrk in connection with tho oianoennipment and light, ing of King's Wharfj very few Homo: steamers were berthed there: for dieoharging purposes. All tho work is,- howovor.i now completed, and it has been' decided that tho Shaw-SaviM steamer Athenic, duo to-day from London, wifl bo berthed, at King's Wharf to discharge her cargo.- Sho will bo tho firet direct mail steamer .to discharge there., ~' : . . ( . '■■ .- •: .The"experiment of running a late tram leaf, ing Newtown at-10.30-on Sunday night was !i thorough success.■' Over 100 people-paid the threepenny fare: on. the down trip, and about thirty - availed themselves of the: special, cat; for the return iourney. .:;-.:';. . v : ■■'-. Tho'takings on the city trams roso with , tho finowc-athov ■■.-■.end-.' , wooVenil spirits of lh o iieplilc. "On' Saturday the. receipts totalled £UB despitextile fact that there were no/'spocial iittraotibns. Sunday's receipts amounted 'to-X2S2 13s; Cd., exclusive of concession tickcs.traffic, .

' The very ingenious automatic, penny;in-the-olot stamp-selling machine, the. invention of Messrs.; Dickie and Brown, of this city, is now in uso in tho Goueral Post Office hero. Further, improvements have been made, in the machine since it was last iu uso hero, and its working is stated to bo in "every way satisfactory. Mr. Brown, who went to England in connection with the invention nearly two years ago, is still in London, where tho machine appears to havo met with a favourable reception in quarters where such things attract attention.:;■ ' ; ; . Tho lack of a water supply, at tho Karori Cemetery was mentioned at last week'e meeting of tho City Council, when point was made of tho inconvenience which' was caused. The Baths and Reserves Committee of the council has tnken the matter up promptly, and it is understood that'if the estimate of cost is satisfactory, a suggestion is to be bronght forward that a supply of water should bo obtained from the Kelburne reservoir, and stored in tanks situated on the highest points of the cemeteryj and thence reticulated through the conictery.' .'. ■•'.■ . : - '..,■ ■■ ■

Tho 'Wellington Choral Society has decided to include Sir Edward Elgar's ' oratorio, "The Dream of Gerontius," in next year's list of. choral works to bo performed, and ■ has sent ,to London for tho music. Tho oratorio is one of tho most notable works of its kind written ;in tho last generation, and is accounted the finest oratorio over composed by an Englishman at any time. It created a furore, among tho musical public when first produced in 1900,. and has been performed several times since then, most recently (it tho Birmingham Festival, ■a fow weeks ago. The reason why tho work has never been heard in New Zealand is on acconnt of the difficulties to bo ovorcome, particularly in respect to the orchestral excellence it demands. Wellington • audiences have boon given n taste of Elgar's quality in the cantata 'The Black Knight," tho success of which, has ovidontly, whetted: the society's taste for Elgar in excolsis. - ■■■■■■.'.. ' '. ■/ . Mr. T. Lloyd, of Wanganui, solicitor, is in town in connection with the Wanganui Roman Catholic' Lands Bill, which is now beforo. the Legislative Council. .■.' ■.' . The suburban schools do not intend allowng tho Wellington city schools to be ahead of them in tho matter- of miniature rifle ranges. A range was'yesterday opened in the ;Lower Hutt Drill-shed for use by tho cadet corps of tho Hutt District High School. Tho, travelling ■tareet apparatus'is of a substantial character.. Tho'franio is , of steel, and tho targots are covered, with ehielda, so that-there is noi danger'of a marksman firing at one target and iitting another, v The ■ apparatus ' in ; question, which has been patented by a Wellington him, has been supplied to schools as far sonthas Queenstown and in tho north beyond Auckland. ■ Holders of 'monthly tickets; of admission to the city, baths are about to bo penalised on account of abuses of tho system, j)y certain ticket-holders. The Baths Committee of tho Citv Council has gone into the question and intends recommending that the month y tickets should entitle the holder to ,30 swims at a cost-of 2s. cd. . ..-. . . ■.;•..;. ..■■ -■■■■■ ■; > 'Although tho ■Beserves;Committce_ of tho City: Council is agreed that it, is desirable to : fenco : Andorson Park, the tho reserves ac-, count is overdrawn and'that there/ is ; no money for anj-thing but the most urgent works hasr prompted the committee recommend that the v/ork should bo included m next year s estimates. '■,--.. ■ ■■.■■'■;" " '. ■ "'■ ; ■■;.', •'.■""■•'.' - The question of cbarging for. the Wo of/tho rooms in the pavilion .at Kelburne Park has been considered by.the Reserves Commit ee of tho City Council, and it is-understood that a charge will' bo made to ■ the, space occupied, those.. occupying the pavilion to provide their own lockers. . . . :. . .''. ,;' ' The Baths', and Resorves Committee of _tho City Council-which..has been'meeting on Ini day afternoons-for ■several months past .will, ■ ;in future, meet; at 11 a.m.; every second Mon, ,'daj.'' , .',•..:'■ .;'•' ■:".'•:' '' : !■■ ■• ; '•,■'"•■, ,: -. -' ■•'■ > -■' ''■ ' : "'- Tho" Leaseholds Committee; of'the Hospital Trustees waited upon the Reserves Committco of the City Council yesterday morning in reference to the strip ot'land m Salamanca Road adjoining -the property of tho trustees, which the council had offered to let'tho trustees have for -21 years, -at a rental ,of -6d., per, foot per annum. This, arrangement, it; was pointed ont did not suit the trustees; as: it was,considered, such terms would hamper_themm M dealing property. The Hon. C. M. Luke M L.C., pointed but' that tho; strip of land in question would never be of: any use to the corporation,-and :th ß trustees therefore, asked that the council'should invest the land in the .trustees aud' so'-biialjle them to: improve. the adjoining.■properties. .Councillor J. P.. Lulie, iihdf- the' committeo, would 'inspect tho, spot iin question in company with' the city engineer, and would report later;-, ..''•:; ; -- -.-',,' : • ''Take care ,of the.: pence and the founds, 'will' look' after- tbemßelvos".:is : an; old-pro-verb.wliicli has apparently been taken to s heart bv a- certain suburban' resident, who ownsBoveral hoiises-in'a "district recently connected, with-the water supply: Sinco . tho new water ■service was laid■• on to:the suburb in question tho property-owner ■ under V notice,.. who owns several houses whioh are situated .close .together, has connected one of the buildings up ( with: the' water .service, but the balance of ■/ his houses are not cdnnebted. - It.is m regard to tho unconnected. houses that the saving is being effected '.at,. present. ': Tho owner,■ 10 -is gtated, has capacious tanks; installed-in the unconnected houses, and most of his spare :timo is spent in hosing the roof of, house Ao.' 1, the arrangement' being such • that. the, water from the roof of house No. 1 finds its way; into the. tanks of the unconnected buildings. For tho'.present, (the property-owner fears (not drought. ; r : -.' ; ■ ■-."..- "■ .: .' ; - ':■■ •. It is; said- that .a"resident of■Ashburton, who has been, losing a good deal of. his firewood of late, hit upon a plan 'to discover the; culpKt. Ho bought a pound of blasting powder, of which, with: tTTo aid of an auger, he small charges in several pieces; of tho: wood, which" had been already^;sawn, up ;in longths and split for use. As a 6equel: to this, ho heard several oxplosions in'ono of, his neighbours" ;housesi the next, pvening., ; Of course, as'a. ; kind man and fair average. Christian, ■ tho '.wood's' original owner was pleased to < learn afterwards that none' of tho inmates of his neighbour's house had been.in-, jurcd; but it is believed.that there.was a certain obliqueness in.the sympathy .with which he heard of the/ stove , .being- considerably, shat■tered.',' All men are mortal—oynii; those of them whose firewood is occasionally commandeered by comuiunistic n'eighbours.~"Ashburtou .Guardian.",:.- ■'■', ■■ ■ '■■,;:■'•■' '•■:"■',-. ':• ' ■'.--- : ;'■...■■■

. It'is early in- the season for grass fires, yet several,were observed; blackening: tho hillsides on Sunday •afternoon. '"Tho lulls below; tho outer signal station' at Miramar were ablazo throughout the: whole) of the afternoon; and those who drove or walked alqng the Queen's Drive between Killnrnio Southland Maranui had totoako their way-through.tho smoke that descended from tho burning slopes. ",' Clouds of < smoke could be■.seen, ; too, ■ rising, above tho Wadestown hills early,.on Sunday afternoon,' tolling .of the destruction, of the sun-baked herbage. It is from , this time of the year on that people out on the hills should bi) careful 'with/.their.matches, as oiio thrown alight'in tho grass might easily fire a wholo hillside, scarring-tho laiidscapo for tlie season. :'"-:■. v-: ."Our/ friends :praise; us eno-: mics degrade us too much. Hit about a middle courso and you will-be somewhere'near.the mark.? ,;: Mr. Will Crooks, M.P.,: at the Now Zealand 'Club luuch; yesterday. :■..<,- ' ';'.!" A labour-saving device in?the form of an automatic points shifter-, was exhibited before the. Tramways Committee of■': the City Coun■cil- yesterday..by its inventors,' Messrs. Barrett 'and l?inneftj\ The invention, , which"has taken' three' years to : has . been' designed for : the purpose of avoiding/,the necessity for. conductors getting off their cars to shift points, and to do away vntK pointsmen. The. working of. the idea is • simple.-: • The points are' connected up with certain underground. levers, which nro controlledby a projecting stool' point through the rail just before the ear reaches the points. -A small contrivance fitted to the front of the worked by the motorman's foot, catbhea on to tho projection,- and, witli tho weight 'of- the car . behind .it- works the points,, a similar 'movement at the other side of the points putting them back into place. The inventors estimatt that tho invention can bo placed in .positioii nt any given point ,at a cost of Xl 5, 'and they, are: prepared to sell tho town rights-of their patent to the council for JKmi: After' the iriodel of tho patent had boen inspected by the. .'committee.' the Mas'or stated. the, r oitj , . engineer would.;be consulted about tho matter.: nnd the, inventors would hoar; the decision of the commiUee Jater. . Amdng tho third-class .passengers duo bytlic Athohio from London to-day arc 234 assisted immigrants—l 33. women, CO men, and 41 children.. . Individual, capital of' tho immigrants ranges from .£25. to JMOO. pecupatibns as given by.'somo of the passengors arc;—Farniers,/3? j. . farm -labourers,'; 12;, houpekeeperf,:, 3;. nurse, ■. 1'; and domestic eervants, 93.: ,■ V,; , .' / ■ .-,,•; Tho Auckland Electric Tramways .Union of Employees have instructed Messrs. P. Kichnrdson, H. Carter, P. C. Buckley, and A. Kosser (secretary) to proceed to Wellington and urge upon Hie Minister for Pnblio■'.Works to liasteri negotiations,in connection*with , .the:;installa-. lion of 'air brakes on tho Auckland ''tramearSi- , ''' i Shampooing,. Clipping, Hairttrosslhg, Monicur■'lug.' Face Massage, Treatment,'of. Falling .Hair and Dandruff, Combings i'rnado up, -.' Natural Jl'iir-pade. Mrs. Itollostnn (over CuttoU'r) . U JViUis Street.. 'Phone 1585.: .;'';,.:.;J;,. CiSl7

. immigrants'Wmo to/Net? Zealand :j :■'■'■ by tho Sussex, which arrived at Auckland .from- , ': '.■'->, Liverpoolon Friday last. Nineteen were for; Auckland, seventeen .'■ for' Wellington, ■ eight for.;;: :.■.-.■ Lyttelton, and. eight; for Dunedin. '■'- .:',.. • < \.;.:; ■ : ; •."• On' Saturday tho Tntanekai'e crew repairs to' the cable at Oterangi ;Bay, but,.on.'.;--;v.;-., other break has occurred that claims attention. , :.. While on, the trip a wheel of tho TutanckaiVv < cable- machinery- broke, and this has'. Iβ b» :r., righted beforo the vessel can resunio her wort; ..,.■ "As another -illustration that the Woposod \';"; surtax of 2J per cent.;on ordinary doty eausea..;;:, a certain amount of ; hardship," writee a. corrc-f.riu-eporident, "the following littlei.matter may bt. -;, : - of sufficient interest to ■ merit publication:—., ', When sugar paid duty at id. per lb., cacchanne, '■■.;. : was made to pay Is. Gd.'per'oz, equalling 245..";;■:-■ per lb. The strength of tho'latter is from M' .-..-■ to 100' times sweeter than sugar.. On the ques- ;...■' ..' l.tion of strength, taking saccharine at 100 hmci ■•.)■'■ that of sugar, the comparison was as follows:—. .. 4O01I). sugar at Jd., lGs. Bd. per lb.; Ib. ea©. ■'. charine, giving similar results, 245. per lb. rh« present Government, which claims to assist ; : flow Zealand manufactures, still claims the'; ■ above-mentioned exorbitant duty on saccharine. ; with sugar on tho free list. Tho surtax will ... put another 7d. per lb. on saccharine, which .- costs- lauded in Wellington about 2s.lb. m ;. bond; or,-in/other words, about 331 jier .cent: :K[. on invoiced price at Home. 245. ■ 7d. i«.; rather v a startling rate to claim on abont Is., lOd- >',; • Homo value." / '■' . , ; -~ '■~:.• Speaking at' 'the Labour tea-party to Mr.'V .' and Mrs. Will Crooks'yesterday, Mr. Edward Tregear saia lie felt liko paying Mr. Crooke . , : the compliment that was oncojmid to General■,..'■'■■ Washington by a littlo girl. Tho general- wae . about to loavo the room, whon the, little, girl jumped', up to , open"tiie door for him. ; "I'm 1 ;. very sorry to troublo/ybu," said Washington, - • with his accustomed (jrace. The littlo giilrc-T; plied: "It would have been a pleasure for me ' ■■ tooponthe door toletyon in!" ~.. ':■■.. ;...:..' : "The British Labour party is tho brightest •■'■■'.''■' and most hopeful'thing in British politics; to- ■;; , day," said Mr. John Hutcheson, at che, Labonr ;■■ v tea-party to Mr. Will Crooks yesterday.'...; \ "I honestly believe that tho Labour party, .is; the hopo of every : country. ... If: Mr..; ■ Crooks is £i sick man, I would like to 6eo mm. when he's a well man—ho must bo a goorl", '. -7H011; J.;, Paul at tho same function. ;■" .- :-, ;.■•' St. : Anne's Defence Cadet Corps' has been-' gazetted. 'Its members: aro recruited mainly: 1 from St. Anne's Boys' Catholic Club, Nevrtown..,;

Detective. Cassells yesterday arrested a manon a .charge of having ppstcd a letter contain- ,•;,';." ing improper matter. '■"'>.. v. :/.■';' The director of. the Observatory ; reports.Chat HaUey's Comet is coming towards 1 > the earth very rapidly.' During the eclipse of,;; tho:moon'on Saturday night, search was made ■ fof<tuV comet at the tinio of totality,, tat the . . nine-and-a-half-inch ' refractor failed : . to . .disr ; V close any. sign of it. ' .'•■_ . ,■;• . .y : \. At, Pahiatua yesterday, a man was arrested ', on : a ; charge of the. theft,: at Wellington, of - olothins valued at £3 7s. Gd., the property of;.:' Thos. Brennan.. Ho will appear, at tho Magie- \ : ; trato'eCourt this, morning. .'.,:."■■ ■.' :: .-.'-■-, ■■■':•.'.':; ! : Writing ■■; from Adelaide, Mr. John' ; Pnllor.; ; ': states that ho has secured.pome good attrao-. ■■;■ ' tionS , for. the vaudeville company : ,which; is to 1 appear at'the Theatre-, Royal .at'. Christmae.J .;'; when tho .'.management' llopo to revive , that,. \/ 1 popular class of entertainment. in. thei best>■'?. ■; Style. .: V ■.;.';;-' ','■ .'.:,;;.'. ■':' .-'■ '/..■ :, , '"iV'v":

Tho Public' Works Department has ticceptcd' , ' the!-tender .of Mr; John Wood, at J2611?, for' ; ■ additions to ; the 'Pori'rua ; 'Mental ' Hospital."-/-.•: : Other, tenders wore . W.; H. Bennett,..' MlS3i: , Sanders, Bros., dCGI9Bi Rcynell. and Harris,. .1 .•£6553; Wakelin nnd Son, .£0558; Hunt and''V: M'Donald, ■ .CG577;.-Humphries; Bros., > £<865 j ,. >v Howio. and -Matthews. £6743; Union Timber., ■ Sash and Door Co., Ltd., Palmerston' North, f , i *C 7849; Clark and.Son, JS2SO; D. E. Mansford,. ■ ■

JE10.288. ,, The contraot time' for completion 'of; the 'work is. March 31, 1910. .-, '; !:V; ::,-;>' is, particularly brilliant in , tho heavene'-;'-just now, which, probably 1 accounts for a-cor- i' .respondent's porplexity. at : seeing/ "a , •yery;-.' bright star \ little .to the west of Otaki-at -■ four-' o'clock yesterday afternoon." .'Venus is.-V easily discernible in tho day time, if one 'knove/v. how to look for; the; planet.... The, difficulty of ' the strong: snulißhtmay bo got over by stand-:'. ing .in euch a position that the' sun ie v be-hind-a, building, or a hill, .. ■,;: ■•.■': ,:■ ; At tho ,week-end camp of the. : Zealandia;: : Rifles on Saturday afternoon last," the men ociytd , . training in outpost ■ duty,: skirmishing; ' in; attack, - field -firing at unknown:, ranges in;; attack 'and -.defence, guard mounting* and' camp duties generally. In; the a ( number -of. sugar./:.bags; were erected in .- tho 1 scrub at'^inkiiown, ranges,'nhd whilst:one-half.:-', of.:the CMiipauy- (skirmished arid practised a; . flank'.!attack,'-, the',-'other,'half,,from entrcnohv, found the range,.and out of'SOO rounds.; expended Eoventeen Quits' were considering. tho long range and r the"snia3lnesß ■: of the target,' was , a very satisfactory result. : : Tho men evinced the greatest possible interest:in ;tho i training. The camp broke up yesto . ■ day.-nibrhing. .■•'.;,•■■''..'■,'' '■;/■: • ,'-*'. ■•'.■:.■''•'.:•■■•.',■■.' :