LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 729, 31 January 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Maheno, mth an English and Australian' mail on board,! arrived at Auckland irom. Sydney: at 8.45 a.m. yesterday. Tho Wellington portion of the;, mail will arrive,; by this . afternoon's .Main, Trunk express. .':'•■■■ .-.;.' ■■■'.'■: '■.::;■. ;■ .'!■', . •- .-.>..

The president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. W. G. Duthie) has intimated., to the Council, of the Chamber ;his decision not to-act as/representative of that body on the Harbour Board during the'ensuing year. It is: the rule that failing, the'president there; shall-' be an election , to ■ decide which member . shall ; 'represent the chamber on : the board?This" election will take'place; on; Monday! next- So'far there has .only, been one nomination,. Mr;' James M'Lellan: (a 1 former' member of-the Board), who has, been nominated by Mr. H: C. Tewsley.,. r

The Iter. H. S. 'Woollcombe, alter' one of the best of the anecdotes in his stirring address to men on Saturday .night,'suddenly faced round to the'press-table and' remarked: "By.the by, ,Mr. Eopbiier, that might make good copy, but I'wish you wouldn't put my stories in. I want em again." ";•.,;.-■',; '■ ;; ; ;,v'--;■;•'■:'-->'.., ■

' .The■ Wellington provincial'.;'■.amateur athletic .championship.'■;',meeting;'. which was.. to . have. ■ been > held on; the', Basin Reserve' on Saturday afternoon,:: | had' to be., postponed until: Satedaj : next,' on account of the .rain.'.. ■■'[-: .--. ':• '..'-,'

KAboy named'.Duhcan SPLedd, residing ■nt>, Adelaide Road, iwhile", fishing .on: the Queen's Wharf yesterday afternoon, overbalanced'himself. and fell into.the.harbour. v'A man,»who: was fishing.'at the same,' spot; ;. climbed-- down tho ."stringers ;of .the .wharf and .rescued' the lad, -who was little the. worse .for his ; immersion.:-. ' i'Tf:,a goody-goody man doesn't become a prig,- he comes to a bad end."—Bishop Julius, at the Town' Hall on. .Saturday nightf'-.":'-"/- i: f;---;"'.;■•-.- v'-:-".-'..' ; '"'.'■■-.*■'■

'/. 'At the Lower Hutt .on Saturday imorn,.ing.: an'i inquest'was 'hold before Mr; Wi, G. : Eiddell,,.district coroner, on the body of IV ■ Throssell, who' died suddenly after! ■playing :a; .game" of!; billiards.'' -A'.;, post-' mortem. examination of the' body -was made ;by -Dr. 'llirahis, who .testified .that death '.was, due -to; cerebral pressured - A .in 'accordance.!with.the::medical '."evidence given ; was. returned..': The" de--ceased,'who 'had, been; in'"'indifferent ■ health:for ; some [ time, was' about 60 years :of ; dge. :;'"..':.'.-';...;■ : -,.;.::;. ; . ; . ■'•••../■•.V .'■':: V".-

■..,."There's"too much starch in the Church' at: Home; I don't, know :if there .is. outhere.' If there is,,take' : it out. .There;are men who have gone to' the devil because of' tho, starch: in the. Church."—Rev.' H. S.'- Woollcombe at :the. Town v. Hall , on: Saturday. v;v-; v. ; ;'■' 'Z : w--';' ,; ;: :' : ; : :-

; Bargain-hunters assembled 'in ■. strong forcovlost Thursday. at; the: annual:sale atthe Christchurch; railway, station-; ofi left; luggage and unclaimed.; goods. - ; . A ;weird. and, motley' collection of articles was. put/up; for auction,, and. embraced a variety; almost wide enough to'" enable the establishment of ; the business,of a; universal provider.,;; .Nearly-; alii'; of,' the' goods-found, a ready hale, .and' the .build-, ing/.was 'decidedly; animated. The highest iphce . paid was". £8 lOsy.for iß,.6acks; tif; wheat which;had!never.found ah;owner, while 'two' bales' of cferisdeks' ! foiind: ; a .buyer-.at £i. ss. Included, in the collec-; ,tion ; ;Was:,a' quantity ~- of. scenery '..'.'arid' theatrical. "props." -. The, goods ;brought -about 28s. The best bargain of the sale, .was m ado by 'a lady who had paid'ss. forVa-'brown .cardboard box bearing '.the' name of an Invercargill tailor.' "On opening'it.she found it,contained abrandinew :suit of'.:tailor-made 'clothes, ■', worth • anything .from .£3 10s.;to>£5. ■;Another; bidder, a,young ;man, was not so fortunate. A.box with numerous holes'-bored'in the sides was knocked/down to .him at seven shillings, and;when he', opened it..and .found he had bought an old his face was:a study;' ..;.;:. ..;...' :■.-.-";.■

':' (Wlighted passenger; cars _ appear to experience a very; bad time in;the Rimu-' taka. tunnols.: .On; Saturday;, 0n0,.0f the lights -'of .'a • first-class*:"snioker'',.on :-tho Woodville-Welliugtori. evening mail train "twico succumbed.coining up, the .incline, .'writes "Traveller,"-while the remaining illumination' flickered-' almost" to eihau's-; tion.'.No official-came through',to relight tho gas lamps, .and. as 'the gas was escaping a passenger -twice,' rendered firstaid.-' ;The ■ correspondent- 1 declares 'that there is 'some : risk 1 in; running vcoal gas lighted. - passenger "cars:, up . the incline,' and: he points' out the'danger, if, the train •happened to;:be stuck;for' any time'in a tunnel as ; was, the ■.case last - Saturday week. '.The correspondent .further, states 'that: last. Saturdays' Woodville/Welling- , ton train; arrived, in .Wellington twenty !.minutes after., time.' . .., ' __ ;;..'. :,-

The rainfall at Otira for 1909 amounted to : 20G.16in;, or over 17ft. Notwithstanding this exceptional downpour'there were no'fewer than' 191' fine days, on which no rain fell. ■•. On one,day. over. Gin.'fell,;on four days over sin./ori. Tv» days oyer,4in., on. six. days over "8in»;-';:On :2?-.days over. 2in.; 'on .35 : , days ;'• over.; 1in.,... and on : , '94'. • days■■■'•lessi v than:-.i.,.1in.--.;.'The greatest' storm of the year .'comniehced at: 5 p.m/'on June 3, and'ceased at noon-on June'i.'lOJin.:of rain - falling:during.ihe ;19'ionrs; j: •;•,-'.'■■'.' -'c.' v ' : :^-'"'';: : '. ■■■;!■■:':■'■'

Special services .were held.at St.'.Angustine's'. Church,' Petone,:. yesterday. • The Bishop' of Auckland conducted .the ser : vice .in- the morning,; before.a large congregatdon,.,and preached; an able and .eloquent sermon,. taking for: his .'.text, "-Then cometE the: devil.'',,; In the 'evening the. service was .taken: by the: Eevl H.. S. . Woolleombe, organising, secretary of ; . the ChuToh of .England .Ken's. Sooiety, .the subject, being. "The Churoh: as 'a Christ tian-heritage." ,'Afterwards he.addressed three hundred young, men,. calling'. upon them'tbassist.the'. Men's Society to the best of their .ability; ■ '~-\ :.:;' ,';, .- 1 ■■...

■' : A most interesting: "human. document has just been deciphered, by the Berlin. .Historical Museum. 'It : is, a-, palimpsest: papyrus' found, attached to.:the -top. of a mummy case, and- released; with -..difficulty. But it was,worth the trouble, for the document is the record of a contract of service between: Protarbhe, 1 a barmaid, and ; Taphesies, the. keeper •of ,the bar.' The contraot:runs : as: follows:— "ProtaTohe is to receive'at once a loan of two hundred'.draohniae, in.', return for which she is to'servo, Taphesies for the space of three' years, receiving.full and suitable food,, clothing,'and. lodging. .-; At the end of three years she-is to receive an additional forty drachmae. ,;, Sh'o ■; is. bound thereby duly and properly' to care for all that is entrusted to. her;,she is conscientiously to manage:all payments., made tocher (Le., she-i9 not .to, pilfer from, the till!), and.- to surrender, them to, her employer. 'She vis. not. to leave -the house 'without' the .permission of her, employer. Butif'sho shall/in any .way. fail'to perform her. contract, she; is, to repay the loan.'-with-'high -interest,-im-mediately, .to recoup, the.proprietress,for any loss. and :to . pay,: ;a vine-. of -,IM.draohmae."- It further appears .that tho employer could dismiss, the girl when: she thought fit, whereas the girl was not permitted to "give notice." ; ,If:-:,sho. broke her contract and could not pay the high fine, she was fairly certain'to be.sold as a slave to pay the debt. : :- ' ; His Honour Mr; Justice Sim has,mado the following fixtures for the sittings, of the Arbitration' Court.:—Dunedin,' Monday, February 28, at 10 a.m.; Christchurch, Saturday, March 5; .Wangnnui,: Tuesday, March 8; Palmerston North, Thursday, March 10; Wellington, Monday, March 14; Rotorun, Friday, April 1; Auckland, Tuesday,SApril 5.'-'.Sitting, at Duncdin, tho Court will take, all cases set down for hearing before February. 12. Shampooing, , Clipping HairdressiDg,Manicuring, Face Massage, /Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Rolleston (over . Carroll's), H Willis Stroet. 'Phnno 1599. Adyt,

The Greymouth correspondent of the "Lyttelton Times" states that there is a probability of the New Zelaand Federation of Miners putting •■ up . a candidate for the . Grey _■ Parliamentary seat.at the general election.

Captain B. Eodger, of the coastal steamer Gertie, .has reported to Mr. C. S.: Nixon, Collector of Customs,, that the Gertie stuck on a sandbank in the Mana,watu Eiver after crossing the' bar ,inwards on the. last trip from Greymouth toFoxton. As she grounded on a falling tide she remained fast for several hours, but eventually got oil at .nine o'clock, at night; While'going astern off the sand-: bank, the • rudder-shank .'was slightly twisted.: A thorough ..examination was i made, and no flaw' was; discovered. '■, V

, The half-yearly meeting of the. Letter.press Printers' Machinists' Union, held in the Trades Hall, Cuba, Street, on Sat-1 urday J evening,'.was well attended;-.. Mr. W.' Simpson, president," occupied • tho v chair. The report .and"balance-sheet, which was read and. adonted,'.congratulated : members upon; the continued prosperity of the union, and thoVimporved state of the trade generally. ' Notwith-' standing the depression' experienced during the early part of the term,' there had been no member unemployed during the. past three months.,; : The. balance-sheet showed that receipts : from all' sources, totalled £55 95.; CcL, not .including the oredit balance brought forward; and the expenditure, including partial refund: of second loan,' £32 14s. 7d.,\the';credit bal-: ance thus'' being increased; bbyy y £22' lis. lid; which now stood at £77 17s. 7d. The election of officers^for.the'.'ensuing-term was as follows:—President, Mr. W. Simpson- (re-elected);, vioe-president, Mr. S. M'Leary; treasurer, Mr. G. ..'Geary; secretary, Mr. G. D. Campbell \ (re-elected); trustees, Messrs. D.' V.V Claridge ' and E.F. Weight (re-elected); board members, Messrs., K. M'Cave, -W. -, Thome,: ,H. -Davey, and Ealph Hogg. : yp:p, \ ':■'; 'p-

Tm? well known to ~the: police,",.said. Mrs. Hay, wife. of the . Commissioner .of the Salvation Army, ;at,;a';Maybral' r*. ception ' i n:: Christchurch :. on, ' Thursday','; "and'.Fm; wcll ; knowii* to.-the: London .I ■ haven't.' caused : them many: sleepless; nights, * and ;: 1..' haven't', taxed their;strength on .the'way :to'the' police.station, however.::. As a.matter of. facf. I have had several: occasions 'to : help. them. ; I"haye saved several,heads from getting a : good thumping down in the slum quarters. ',:■■ As far, as New... Zealand and; Australia' are;.. concerned,, I ; wish to help all people to keep the,la ;of the: land.",/ . !;'.;'■>':

.'' There, is a healthy-rivalry.'amongst the rowing ..clubs for- the.'honour,, of being classed'as the/, champion' four of I Australasia ;■ during the coming ■ year. .: /The Now Zealand Bowing Association; laid it: .down that the crew -to. be, sent'.,to Hobart" as the /official ; representatives' ofZealand should be the ..winners; of' the' champion' fours • race at the championship, regatta, held, at ,'Pibton,on'"-January: 24.The 'honoiireV. in that. case ..went', to.l the, .Wanganui Union crew; aU/the members', .of-- which lave', obtained/; the'required' leave ofiabsence. 'There is,''however, a likely ,- prospect; of.'' another. '/'■Bichmondbeing in the : field',to. do'• battle ■ for ..New. Zealand. _ Bowing..Club's exrchampion crew. (stroked by Jackson} is regarded' l as/'suoti ■ a .strong combination that, a/subscription .list is'.:,going/'thorounds the,expenses?in connection with, sending the: brew; to Hobart ■■■■ As. already ~£so.; ! h.as. been/raised, 'there .is every-; prospect of/'.' Marlborough. ' being, represented: at the Australian'.championships. ./;.■.'."•,' ;/;,-•:',;//.///,■ /;\;- : "-/;;; ",i,',',,' .After .a'hot dry season' extending'over some/weeks the -weather broke', up -■ at'"a, .late■'hour ■■'on"'.Friday■, night,." aid ''rain/ .'set' in and, continued; throughout tho whole■ -of .Saturday and yesterday.//It 'is .unfortunate 'perhaps • that'; it .'came; at, the. • week-end,, but ->it : was'. more ; than welcome, particularly "to suburban . and 'country residents,'.who", were beginning to feel the effects:of the'long-'epell-.-.ot beautiful * weather,- which.led up. to' the •muggy.heat "of: the past'-. week. :'■ As the result of the- rain, all. outof-dodr. sports •had-■'■'■to,'.', be'-postponed—the WellingtonAmateur ■ ;Athletio • Club's',-. provincial ' ohampionship • ■ meeting;./■ crioket,-:.; howls, ■ ~tennis, etc. ■■'. Participators in .these sports .can-'hardly complain; as;this ; is'the first ;Satprday. throughout.'..the," summer',: pro-' 'per' on' whioh they,' have,' boon'; unable to ,play.-, /. One .good; feature- has :been-:the replenishing of the'tanks, of, the/dweller on. ; the high lands and in the' suburbs. Eor,years past the,end of January has ..been 'an -time .for/such; 'but gradually, '.as the.-.system of hign-loyel surface reservoirs becomes.extended; and the city mains/are .thrown outinto/.the. suburbs, ■.the/area: :where.; the/water sup/ i ply'is 'affected', by' long'- periods ..of : dry .weather/is-growing■smaller.''/' v../..,'

Very,'.-rieatly;: put 'was'.tho.; comment of the.Bey. ,E.;S: Woollcbmbe,; ,%hen,;/in: East Ixmdoni,.' a,. certain.; individual. -who ; wasdiscussing social questions 'with- him said-i'l only ,bet;a bob a week;;. surely .ybii can't' say. that: that; will .ruin;mer' Mr.' Woollcombe replied: "That's not the questibn;. .Tho .p'oiut; is:; Is 'your example a good: thing .for this community?"- .'The ; ,man 'reflected' for' a. minute or. two,;,an<r then said: "I. see/ .Well—l'll 'save/the-'bob.''-v/-;.;/;';;/■:-/'•;;.; -'r-ixV ■'-.:!'i;v:'

,; There; have, been-evidences- lately.that inceridiarists . have'/. been" at ■.', work; inrTimaru, and residents ~are ;': accqrdinglv. somewhat alarmed.-: Two weeks ago a parti-ally-destroyed ..-' cottage, /whioh.was unoc-. cupied.i was,burned to. the' ground.'; On ' Tuesday' evening, last a brick store, belonging to theTimaru; Herald-: Company! .'and containing ;- several'..;hundred ...pounds' worth;.of-printing paper,-was ; the; scene of a mysterious : fire. ■■ On ;, Wednesday ovening■ a passer-by:.was startled.by. observing : a/sackful of dressmaker's, clippings burning freely/' in a covered right-of-way in; : .;..::•;.

~Pew rents are an abhorrence/to., the Eev. H.;S.-Woollcombe.'' He ; is.a sturdy advocate of "free .seats," ~ and-, ho ■■'.■ exprossed himself, very .energetically' on the subject at'his meeting at the. Town Hall.'■ yesterday, afternoon. -.."We /don't-, want pew rents;" he said;', "we .want to make, a man feel that;h'e is'at homo in the House of God." Dr. Neligan, Bishop of "Auckland,/ who, was presiding''at the meeting, ,at.,a later.stage : said; that; .tie. rule l"in' Auckland'was that 1 one-third of the seating accommodation should be free, and fairly distributed'over,the building..' '

-;■ "Mappers"-, is .'the;. Bomewhat; undignified, 'yet' official," name given .to a'section' of /the', ballet. in the "King ,of Cadonia'' Company.; ; Like many .other things,.the term comes from .London, and is given in young girls'. : between; the .ages of -14. and 18 years,, who take up stage dancing as a/ means of livelihood. . Mr. Seymour. Hicks, is, credited' with being' the, first 'to.dis'cover the 1 charm, and' attraction that' lies in .witnessing a really,young girl iinbued with tho ! real.spirit of the/dance. /For. •ages the "ballets, in London- were reserved exclusively, for more matured and experienced dancers,' and -it.;was;once quite common, to' find' middle-aged . and even 'older:.'women:in the ballet." The change of .late years has been, revolutionary, and the "flapper""has now:an assured.place in -the,balleti.''.;-.:, ...''.;."■..'■,-;'■.....

.'■;' A. xeport :on the alleged:. overcrowding of the federal Hull, on the. night of the "indignation" nietsting to consider Cap.tain Knyvett's case, .waspresented to- the Auckland City Council on Thursday.evening by. the engineer.., The building was, he stated, licensed to hold ,600 people, and it.was considered that there were "about WOO present. : Mr. C., J./.Parr said the circumstances were certainly exceptional. .The committee" controlling the -meeting, he 6aid, found that it was impossible to keep the orowd from getting in, or when once. they, got: in, to turn .them out. This, he thought, was a strong argument in favour of the" council having resolved to build a-,Town Hall,"where.the, people of Auoklaaid. could meet together, and ventilate their grievances.':. Oh the motion of; the Mayor, it'was. resolved that.no.action .be. taken... . .■:..,,."■•'■ ;,; . ;'/ ' .Interviewed at, Timaru oh Wednesday the Hon. T.. Mackenzie replied', to .recent 'oriticisms-regarding lack of tourist, accommodation, at Mount,. Cook. 'He stated that; Mount ■ CookVwas.-far, from being neglected; that would be adequately'prgved asisoon as.moneys ..were available. In order to maintain the "motor service to Mount Cook the Government had. increased tho'subsidy,:'and .;his Department -.•'•■ intended - .'to .; improve the tracks and bridges in'.' tho vicinity. He was 'having two substantial • huts■. erected, one up the Hooker .River and the other at Welcome: Flat,. on; the Copland River. ■. There was accommodation;- at Mount Cook.for forty people,'and-surely it: was not expected, to provide for., .150,, when' such 'a largo number: would be present only-., on two.• or .three occasions during tho year.. The cost, of administration was lower this: year than, last year, while -.the revenue had-increased; V

H.M.S. Challenger arrived at Auckland'.' from Wellington on Saturday, morning.; : ;-.. Financially, the: visiVoftn® Sot. H.S.-, Woolloonibe to Weellington under theaus-.-.V. pices of the Church of England Men's So- 1 . / oiety, -has. been a"' most successful' one.;y :: All .expenses haw.been paid out of the collections, and it.is anticipated.ithat a -;; 6uni will be remitted ,to: the treasurer ol tho society in ; England.; .'. ' : '.K>- J '~■•: ';" At a'.meeUng of: the Waimata BoiougK . .'.."■• Codncil.tho Mayor (Mr. Norton.Francis) '■',■;':■''.'-- mentioned the question of valuations. Ho ~•■";■ stated that he. had found'.that .on Mill. !: v Road the land got dearer' as' it: was : furf :', • : ther' remoyed ' from the' town.Vln,• one ', ', street near .Victoria Park land: on. one . -; side of the road was' valued:at £101,' and ,f - j oil".the' other, in an apparently.'■. similar ■.-,"-.;' situation,, at .-.ill. The .most, .marked: ' .;. anomaly .was at tho corners at, the"in-; ■ ";.'■ tersection. of "High:'and' Queen; Streets.'.:": At one corner tho valuation 1 per aero was • £2223, : tit another at-.the,.third ■'..-■;, £2615;' and at a- fourth £1800. .After in-j'. specting a" map "prepared'by ;the;'dexk:y. the .council: resolved unanimously, .that;- :,;; 'a'. new; valuation should ,bo asked for.' •;-:;. ' '■On "a small island known, ■■ ■,' Island, ito;the north-west'of Stewart;ls-':;' ';'= land; there is (says tho Bluff'correspond-"'; . ent of tho "Otago Daily Times'') a.herd:;.' ■ of ; wild cattle-whose .existence hos'beenr-.,.■■'..' known for. a. quarter of a'century. ; They. 1 : : V ■ come .out. into.the■ open but .rarely,' ana;., are. seldom sighted.by passing craft. The. curious part of. the matter is that,, al- ■'-..' though a mixed lot, they seem:to remain... stationary as regards'; numbers; .They'...., were' recently seen by' a \ holiday excur- ;■;•'■ sion: party; ■ Comparing. notes, .it-was.;-: found that the. number; tallied with that": ;„-. . set '.'down'? many years' ..ago'.'.;,..v;-;.:;',; ; T y. «-(■;.;