LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 678, 1 December 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

•Mr. W. H: Travefs, the well-known' natural-* ,ist,.states that while at his residence at Kil-' birnie 'on Monday afternoon ho heard the call of a Paradise duck,, and on , looking up he saw the bird that uttered it flying from the direction of.Hataitai. It settled on a pond, whicK Mr. Burke uses. for wool-sctatching, and Mr.: Travers saw "that it had particularly, beautiful' plumage... Knowing the- lmunls of 'the bird, ho realised at onco tliat it must have travelled a long distance, dr. else it must haTC escaped from captivity. .'.-*,■

Garrison: gossip is* responsible for the. statement that under the' new: defence .scheme the Wellington Rifle,' Battalion will consist of eight oompaniee, each with an establishment of 100. The battalion, 'so it is said,'\vill be , commanded by a colonel', with a paid adjutant at .£3OO a year.: The Stato will take over the liabilities of tho companies as at present constituted;,. -Coast defence infantry units .will also be attached to each garrison artillory corps.. :■ .-.. -I .;. '■:■.' ■'■-,;.. ; ■.:"■■•""■ •'■■■•'

Souie interesting lettors have: been received from Field-Marshal Lord Roberts by Captain J.' T. Marshall, of Wellington,' including.ono ; relating to tho Eoljerts trophy, competed for -by' New Zcnland schoolboys. It is as follows:— "Enelomere, Ascot, Berks, 13th: October, : 1909, Doar sir,—lnm directed by Field-Marshal Lord Roberts to thank you for sending him a copy of Tnij Dominion of the 28th August,: giving an acconnt of the shooting of the Now Zealand boys for'the Roberts trophy.; The score they mnde~Avas a' very erodltamo one,. and Lord Roberts is ' glad *to see ■it shows an improvement over'last year: Ho hopes this will continue, arid that, before long, they may'win tho trophy with a record score.—Tours, t-tc, Harold; S.. Ferguson." *.. In ' a communication covering the above letter, Captain Marshall forwards us ■ some interesting facts concerning his' military experiences':—"After seven : years in India—lßsß-Gs—and being down twenty-eight times; with'fever, and• in addition .numerous fractures, my health naturally would suffer at 60 years,of age on the veldt of South Africa in 1900. I, : was invalided by a medical board from malariarfever, the report being the attack was a severe one and may not recover for at least twelve I returned with a fractured arm. : The commissioners of tho Royal Hos-'; pital,'Chelsea, granted me a pension of Is. 3d. per'diem for twelve months. I applied'to my oi/n Government four times for a penfiion npder 1 the '■ Military .Pensions Acts of 1900-1-2 and :3, but have liever-received ovcii'a reply. My unrne is recorded.for employment by the Right Hon; tho'Prime Minister and others of the Cabinet; but- thus far, and no further. -I- landed in ■Auckland, December 31, 1865, and Maior;General' Chute on /January 17 to attack Whitccliffs. (Pukearuhe), , Taranaki, "'., and - :mv services are "on record in the Defonce Office.'

-•'■' A chicken with four legs is. not , an, everyday novelty. -One was hatched ;. at Mirama'r on Sunday among a white, leghorn clutch belonging to Mr. Wood. , .The extra legs, are: placed just in front of'the : usual, limbs', land hang down in a peculiar, way without touching the ground. The freak, which is alivo and doing well, apparently has no muscular control over its * f f ore-legs.''. .;,-.:■>:'• : - ; '• .■.■•■'■..''■;■';■! ;:■•'■'"■■■'

Although the members of the ''Hospital .Trustees'- Board should retire: from office at tho. 'end of the yeiir in the. ordinary course of events,'■ they will,' through■ a flaw, in the'Con-. solidatcd.Act of 1908, .retain office until Aprils Contributing local bodies have been'notified that a conterence will , be 'held;'on; Monday next, to appoint now trustees, but owing. to tho flaw intho Act there is some doubt whether or not. under the: present condiKon-of affairs delegates will, be able to exercise a valid vote and whether any appointments \they.,;' might 'make, will ho]d. good., ,It was': decided, at. yesterday's niopting of the.'■ Hospital Trustees • to. obtain a legal opinion on the point, .with a view of advising local .bodies, of -the ..'exact ■position..;..lt ■ .is :anticipated! that.".'.irhen: v the position has been fully gone into the conference of delegates which■'.has-been-called,will probably, bo;allowed".to'/lnpse".-';':■'■■•.' ""■'■';:].■'<■■ )'■ ;Mr.. John- Swan, /architect,, has drawn.plans of a: churchrooin fof tho Eoinan .Catholic community ' at . The .■ building which consists of one large room (50ft. ■".by. 25ft.), two' small.room'si and. a... porch, ■■will accommodate > 200 persons,' ■ and wilt occupy -ft good ; sito on' the Creswick Eoad. The building, which' is to be completed; in -February, .will cost about MB9'. ■'■':'■■'<■■: ■■ ■'.••'■ - : ---'V- - ■'■',:■' ' ~";'

':, A meeting of the .Wellington Licensing Committee will be., held, at; noon.- tq r day. in "the 'Magistrate's Co^rt-.r00m. , .': ' ..:.- ;..'■.,■'■

1 Very'keen ehthusiaem is beine'showaby-the, members of the ChfarcV of England Men's Society in Wellington-and district in"tho visit of the Eev; H. S. M'opUcombe, who is-making a world tour to stir; up and adviw'the .various branches/ of tho. society, which now .has: 2380 braiiohes,' at -Home- and abroad. ■:;MrV vWooll: combe, who reaches ■': Wellington "this- month, 'says: "My usual plan is to. have ;series,of. meetings in ' and* l around- the - large', centres when I give n , talk oc CB.M.S.'.TTitfl questions' at the dose; all .those, work: up to 1 a-big meeting in some large hall. ; or theatre. In Pertn we had a' meeting of-about ,2500 men.', in: the' big theatre, and. they" stayed without/moving .while/1 harangued <"•■'■ them for ■■; fifty ..minutes. Patient, people; you will , 6ay!" At Brisbane 3000. men paokedtho great Exhibition buildings. : The new municipal abattoir'..-. at Ngahanranga will!, comnaenco':: its '.'. career . ;of: activity-'this v ;;'. >pf;'- v C-'.." ■::■':';.- -.",.;';y'.v, J .'.', ,- ,- : A Bpe'ciol .meetinct of : the City .is to-. be hold before1 tho ordinary meeting.to-morrow; r night, toconsider the balance-sheet for-1908-09. ii> The.new.. shelter foiv; men.-at; the Otaki Sanatorium is to be ready for occupation b>day,.'when ; four patients ; have : becnj Avaitiug' the cprapletida of the. shelter, ■ will. bo : admitted. \The. sanatdrjum , is:now capable of, treating 84 patients, and the male side of,,the .institution;, is full,'. bnt.V. there: : are ■; several yacaibics.for: females, as about seven or eight ; are" about, to. bid farewell .to Otakj. : . : . Much discussion-too kpiace , at a meeting'of ■ tobacconiiits held in Armit's rooms- on Monday night, - \on ■ the ; following ;■' uibtion:—f'Wo, ; tobaoconiits of .Wellington, : dbsiro : to form; an association for the welfare, of .the trade. , ' Ono 'dealer present was'opposed'to tlie i'prming bf:, an association, contending; that past'.efforts ; to. ■keep together iuch a'body had i ailed; through' :lock of interest., He thought that the small attendance.!Vat ■•'' tho".! : meeting ..(only ■ eight tobacconists were present) indicated tho.feeling of the ; trade ■ generally ; towards the proposal.' Another spoakor urged against this that Mniilar; associations-: were now thriving "in Auckland, Christchurcb, and :Duhedin, and in ,the'.firstnamed'eity an agreement with the grocers as to the regulation of prices of tobacco,.was :looked for as a result A member: "It is-tho' wholesale ttaders who regulate : tho.prices." The motion was put to themeetiug, and carried bysui Totes td.two; Former, associations' had, included hairdressers, but it was decided :to icavo' them out in this case, as it was' thought that in some matters the respective; interests' clashed.,'. A. further- meeting will bo held ,at :■ an early date,.; when officers will be elected.; -, ■ Inhig evidence at. the inquest on "Monday. Dγ, W. Kington Fyffe did not say, as reported, that stryohnind caused inflammation of .the large intestirie. ' Ho said, that as. a rufo 'it caused-oonscetion of; the brain vessels, .and that thijtsignwas Hot present in the caso then in ; question.; ;;/-;- ■-. : ;, '. ; -.■,".■' '"■; : ";■"': '"

Somo.of the plane trees; in the streets'and reserves of.Palmerston North' have .been on-. tirely: stripped; or foliage; by the ravages of. a disease, supposed,to bo caused by. the , inroads of 11 pnrneito. The oid of, the Government biologist is. being invoked to discover a"natural enemy, of tho pest. A row of shapely plane trees, which, aclded'greatly to the beauty.' of the Square,., are amongst ' tho latest .to bo attacked.: '~ r ■.V^.^yV^'V''' ; -' : '

: ,Tho oroction ; 6f:Auckland's new Town "Hall is going on npacc. .Within the last month 96,000 brick;) and 5000' cubic feet- of Oamaru stone have been utilised in.raising the' , walls of fnoiiew structure. On the west side of the building the wall of the small hall under which is. tho 'supper-room has reached ;n height of 9fV. 'or IOJt., while on the opposite side of tho bujliling tho-.'outer' wall of • tlic 'Jorge concerthall is reared up to.2oft. The inside partitions nre now wolf defined, and: levelled with' the outer walls,' so that, partitions' and: walls grow together. Carpenters are busily-. ■ engaged;, in erecting tho framework of. tho galleries in the. large hall. Tho council chamber, and the adjoining ofncosi'. and comniitteq rooms are.in an advanced state of fpruiation., , : ; ,';- v , .... .: ~ .The quarterly exaniination " of . Volunteer officers for commissions.lvill take place ht the ; :vnrioiis centres, in:'the. ,Welliiigtoti- : Military District ■to-day.'.'.Thore' are thirty-four, candidntes—a "record-number/- \.;;.;';' ; ';;r ; ' '.-.■■ i [- Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdrossing,' Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatmont of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings I made up, > Natural Hair-pads.; Mrs; Kollcston (over CarroU'elU JViUU Street. 'Phone 1598. - - •. CUI7

It .is ' understood; that'; a: recommendation will? . ■',"■. •; . ; Iμ'. put forward at, 10-mbrrow night's meeting' .'■ .; ;of Iho; City. Council: to tho ■effect tliati'-tW. ;, .'V- : ""'■:'■•■■'. trams, should be run on.Christmas Day;.'.-'. '■".,"■;.■ -.'. -' : ., ■.'.:■) The Auckland ''Herald , ' has conie out as an", ;" advocate of tho-South Wand . Main :.Trunk' .: railway..- In its-leading:columns yesterday it ''' ■'•'■'■ "■"': States '.-"Although the South .-Island ■■ has. a<y'. ■■.'•:-■ ■..:'■, quired a variety/of. railway linos for the: con- ~: . --.v struction of which ho good-argument could.be ' .;' , α-dranccdj and/although its 1 railway.mileage'is : : '.'/.'Vγ most disproportionately heavy when compared.--.', to the North Island, wo -most: unreservedly "-.■•■' v ogreo with the South Island Main Trunk Rait ,'; . way League that their project is a uational and J ', . deserving one; Prom some cause or other, pre : :■''. ■'-.'.';' sumably because the .■ dominating southern '■:'' v, : ■'• provinces.wero solely, intent upon their, own ,: .'";■'.'■'.-', ■ aggrandisement, the province of Maryborough. :'. .'■'■' has not been fairly treated in the past; and the. .v.'-:■,'•;'' extension of tho South Island Main Trunk to i"V---".V ,-.-■.' tho southern.coast of the dividing watec■ hiu/i-. ■,'.'.:)*' been thrust into the background. Tho Dominion '•: needs such a lino, so that our islands may be-.!; , :':. ' .ultimately connected from furthest north to- '■ :,' , furthest south with as short a sea.ferry ai:.-: : ~; 'possible between the through railways." :.:■•> ,; -■' ..