LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 759, 7 March 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Wimmera, with an English and Australian mail, failed to connect with the eipress at Auckland yesterday. The mails are expected to arrive in Wellington by the Main Trunk express to-mor-row evening. Wellington has never boasted itself particularly as a religious centre, and it will bo glad news to ministers and others that it has at last roused envy in this respect. In commenting on the smallness of the audtence at the Church of England Men's Society mass meeting at His Majesty's Theatre, Christchurch, on Friday night, says "The Press," Bishop Julius said whether it was they were too respectable or too lazy, men did not attend as they did in Wellington. ' v

A large shoal of fish, principally red cod, followed or preceded the steamer Tarawera into tho gTaving dock at Port Chalmers on Friday morning, and when the , entrance gates were closed the imprisoned fish attracted some attention as they swam round and round the confined area seeking for a way of escape. As the water was pumped out through the iron gratings at the bottom of the dock the fish were stranded, and the suction of the pumping operations below was so great that large' numbers wero over the gratings,' causing a blockage, ■ when they had to be shovelled off to allow the water to escape freely.' When the dock was completely pumped out the floor was covered with stranded fish, which were gathered up and placed in heaps or put into baskets and taken away by all and sundry.

Tho long-delayed civil sittings of the Supremo Court will commence this morning, the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, presiding.

The Auckland office was advised that the Doubtless Bay-Norfolk Islands Section of the Pacific cable has been totally interrupted. Eestoration is expected on Wednesday or Thursday next.

A youth 1 about eighteen years, of ago was arrested last evening for an alleged theft of a bicycle. He will appear at the Court to-day.

A pleasant-faced individual, with long fair liair hanging down to his shoulders, who styled himself as an Israelite, appeared • before the Christchurch .magistrate on Saturday, charged with infringing a by-law. His name was Arthur Anderson, and he 'was a member of the Houso or' David, an American religious organisation having its headquarters in America, and a branch in Sydney. He had come -o New Zealand to deliver a messago to the people, and.it was while fulfilling his mission in Cathedral Square that ho gathered round him an audience sufficiently largo to obstruct the public street, and constitute a breach of the City Council's by-law. Defendant said he was leaving on Monday. He did not wish to create a disturbance. The magistrate convicted him, and ordered him to pay the costs. The defendant returned to the Court some minutes later (says the "Evening News") and said he .could not pay the. amount, £2 2s. Thd:magistrate: "When can you pay?" Defendant: "It is against our religion." The magistrate said he had dealt with him very leniently, and if he thought he was going to expiate his faith in that w'ay, ho would have dealt with him in n different manner. "Give him the maximum under the Justices of the Peace Act," he remarked to the. clerk, "as-an alternative." The sentence amounted to a month, and shortly after'the defendant was removed from, the court; he quickly sank his religions principles and paid the costs.

So far the following candidates have ,bcen nominated for seats on the now ■Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (nominations for'which close on Wednesday next with Mr. J. Ames, at the Town Hall):-Dr. Borghetti, Messrs. Duncan Campbell, Frederick Castle, and David M'Larcn. Mr. B. C. Kirk has also intimated his intention bf a candidate.

Lyall Bay continues to hold a foremost place among Wellington's seaside pleasure grounds. The perfect weather'yes'tefday attracted 2000 or 3000 people to the glorious stretch, of ocean strand. that looks out on' to Cook Strait. Among them were several hundred bathers who disported : themselves gaily in the surf: • During the afternoon the scene was enlivened by a game of water polo, in which more than one lady bath«r took part to the joy of the Kodak- manipulator. Faith in the permanency of the Bay as a seaside residence is plentifully evidenced by the building operations in progress near the tramway terminus. On one section facing the beach large tea-rooms are being erected, and on some'of tie back sections recently made available to the. public cottages are springing up.

A Wairarapa paper mentions a rumour that Groytown may be deprived of its train service. The branch line between. Greytown and .Woodside is said to be threatened. .

When the Government steamer Tutanokai called' at' Ship' Cove, pear Jackson's Headj' on Friday afternoon it was found that tho work of. installing tho new Pintsch light'on Jackson's Head is progressing satisfactorily. . Practically the whole' of the superstructure for supporting the light is' now completed. One of the big cylinders for the gas is already in place and the other will be fixed at the first favourable opportunity. A trial of the light will be made on shore from One of the small cylinders for about a. fortnight, before it is finally installed. If the trial is satisfactory, the new light should bo . permanently exhibited in about three weeks' time. '

The "Waikato Times" says:—A Post Office Savings Bank: book was picked up recently at tfrankton Junction by a poor person. .'lt contained. receipts for i£4o or XSO, the name of the depositor being that of a man residing near Christchurch...Nothing would have been easier,than for the' indigent finder to have forged the man's signature and drawn the whole of the money, for it is unlikely that any of the local officials knew tuo depositor by sight. The finder of the bank book was honest, and-banded it unconditionally to the postmaster at Hamilton. A few days later the owner walked into the post office, said he had lost his bank book, and asked for another. He was told of the lncky find, and the book was restored to him. Coolly pocketing it, he walked off without so much as a thank you.

The Kev. A. Cameron, of Anderson's Bay, who thinks that matriculation should be made easier, was mot on Thursday by a party of Otago students, who, "to mark their appreciation of the able and zealous efforts rendered by him, as a member of the New Zealand University Senate in the recent matriculation examination report," presented him with an appropriately-worded address and a serriceable silver-mounted walking-stick.

Newtown Park as a Sunday afternoon resort was more than usually popular yesterday. The Tramways Band gave an open-air performance, which was greatly enjoyed by the- large number of people who were present.

Mr. Edward Travis, who played the piano for 60 hours 20 minutes nt Westport, writes from that town that Goldsmidt, tho American "endurance pianist." who haa played for 60 hours continuonsly, has accepted his challenge to play him "to a finish" in San Francisco in May this year. Incidentally, Mr. Travis mentions thnt his condition is impecunious, and suggests that, perhaps, there are those in 'Wellington who would assist him in reaching the goal of his ambition.

Reference was made by the Rev. T H. Sprott at St. Paul's pro-Cathedral yesterday morning,to meetings to be held during the present week by the forerunners of the Anglican General Mission which is to commence in October next There is to be a 6ervice in St. Paul's tonight for church workers, to be followed by a conference with men in the diocesan library. On Tuesday a conference with women will bo hold in St. Paul's Sunday School, Sydney Street, at 3 p.m. Sir. Sprott pointed out that it wa3 essential to tho success of the coming mission that proper preparation should bo made, and he earnestly requested all those interested in the visit of the missionors from England to attend the meetings.

The alms-boxes which stand in the porch, at St. Michael's Church, Christchurch, were broken' open by some person on Friday morning. Fortunately they hnd been cleared of their contents since Sunday, and the intruder had to go away empty-handed. So far as can be ascertained, tho contents of the church were not disturbed.—"The Press."

A striking coincidence , came to light at a sale of unclaimed luggage in the railway roods shed at Dunedin on Wednesday (says a southern paper). Four enlarged photographs were sold, the last one being bought by a man for is. On examining Mβ purchase closely, the buyer identified it as an enlargement of a photograph of his father and mother and family, and he had no difficulty in recognising himself in the group, although he was only ten years old when the original photograph was taken.

The Methodist Conference spent the greater part of its time on Thursday dis:enssing in committee a proposal to establish a connexional journal. This was to be called "The New Zealand Methodist ™es.' .and, provided a circulation of 2000 copies was guaranteed, was to consist of 16 pages, and be published fortnightly. The matter had been considered by a special committee (which was not by any means unanimous in its. decisions), and arguments in favour of the scheme suggested were- that, while almost every other important dcnoiniuation in ■New Zealand had an independent denominational paper, the Methodists had none; and that the Church was practically on its honour to establish a journal of its own, owing to the remark having been made at the Presbyterian Assembly that the Methodists, in regard to this matter, wore "hanging, on to the of an unprofitable Presbyterian paper. That statement .was blunt, and very unpalatable, but not unjustified The inclusion of the Methodist paner in the Presbyterian "Outlook" had ' not proved financially successful, and the hrae was undoubtedly come when the .Methodists should endeavour to free themselves fiom this position. Strong opposition was offered to the scheme. It was pointed put there was evidently some pubnc feeling against denominational journalism, judging by the number of failures of "".SMbs Papers, and by the experience 1 Methodists in New Zealand in the J , * j r mnch discission, the motion tor the adoption of the scheme was carried and it was resolved that the offer "'Messrs. Fraser (Ltd.), Christchurch, to publish the paper be accepted, and that a Ohnstchurch minister be appointed editor, at a salary of per annum. It was hoped that the first issue of the paper would be circulated within two months time. • , -

That the continued prosecution of the campaign in favour of proper methods of caring for infauts is productive of good was illustrated on Thursday by the citation by Br Truby King of a curious incident. ]Je and a member of the Society for the Health of Women and Children were going along a < street in Dunedinwhen they noticed a chemist's window full of that particular baby feeder known as the long-tube feeders. Being bo cognisant of the harm done by this form of bottle, Dr. King's companion insisted- on going into the shop to remonstrate with the owner. This she did, when she found that the chemist's excuse for the display was curiously complimentary to the society's efforts. It was: "There is now so-little demand for these tilings that 1 thought before it stopped '' altogether 1 would make an effort to clear off my stock." In spite of this, however, the representationa made by Dr. King and his companion were successful in inducing the chemist to withdraw the goods.

. The sixteenth annual convention of the Wellington Provincial Christian Endeavour Union->will-begin in the Vivian Street Baptist Church this evening, when Alr..E. A. .Wright, H.P., wUlgive an address of welcome, and the annual report and balance-sheet will be presented. To-morrow ■ afternoon, in. the Taranaki Street Schoolroom, the Kev. W. Shii-er will read a paper on "the heeds of the Church," and a junior workers' conference will be-held in the evening, followed by a sacred concert in the Kent Terrace Church. The annual picnic will be held at Hutt Park on' Wednesday. On Thursday there will be an afternoon meeting \n the Taranaki Street Schoolroom, and in" the ovening the juniors' tea and consecration service will be held in the Kent ierrace Church. The retiring president , s address and induction of the new .president will, take place on Friday, which will be the concluding, day of the conierence.

."'lhe elections of members of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable- Aid Board will,be held ou Wednesday, March' 16. The combined district of Wellington Uty and Karori and Miramar Boroughs is to have 14 representatives, and nominations are receivable by the returning officer, Mr. James Ames, at the Town Hall, up to noon on Wednesday next. Nominations for tho Hutt district (comprisine the County of Hutt and tho Upper Hutt D ' st T ict ) will received by Mr. J. W...Cudby, returning officer, at tho ilutt .County office, Lambton. Quay, up to noon on Thursday next. The Hutt district is entitled to one member.

ihe desire of the.Board of Governors of Canterbury College to establish a botanical alpine station appears to be in a iair way for realisation. It was thought when the proposal was first mooted that an area near Broken River might be set apart for this purpose, but as the extension of the Midland line indicated every probability that the Broken Eiver station would be done away with, the necessity ot selecting some other site arose 'An inspecting party have now selected a site just oil the main road, and opposite the Cass btabon site. The. area is about 200 acres, and it contains all the different features which are essential. There are two stretches of bush, a sunny face shmgle. land, swamp, hills, and flat. It is suggested that the board should enclose this for the purposes of the station Ihe party also recommend that ten acres tronting Lake Sarah should be reserved tor botanical purposes t

Tomatoes were brought. into Dunedin last week m such a guantity as to nronde an average of more ; than ljlb. of Ph-M F M,' for « aoh m »". woman, and child in the community.. As far as can be ascertained . (states . the "Otaio Daaly Times") -the total was over » cases, whroh at an average of 301b. to the package, striking a medium between cases' and half-cases, would give over 90,0001b" of tomatoes. This is by far the ■ biS supply ever placed on the Dunedin market, and tho effect upon, prices is shown °{ »e f act that Mb. cases' of > best Christchurch fruit sold at Is. and Is. Gd each. Even some 36401b. cases sold at kJ- -«. leadln S auctioneer in menhoning. facts remarked that though hese prices wore entirely in favour of the public they were profitable to neither the grower nor his. agent.

The season for trapping rabbits in Otago Province opens on March" H, and there is every expectation of it being one ot the'busKst-on record.. Blocks of land for trapping are at a premium, and so great has been 1 the rush for areas that it is expected' the number of men engaged £,1 .°nnn ng '^ m f this season will exceed 4000. Several thousands of traps have already.been forwarded to the counny;i m- to ,P ricos (observes >tlie "Otago Daily Times"), it simply rests with the trappers themselves to get the best possible, money by falling in with the' wishes of exporters and bleeding the rabbits and otherwise handling them carefully. Improved quality, of course, meang unproved prices on the London market. J-ne market will open iu Ur. per pair on the ground. The impetus which such wholesale trapping of the rabbits gives to the freezing industry and to the timber trade—for truck loads of timber for packing-cases go to the depots almost daily during tho season—is very considerable, while it is calculated chat the in. dustry brings into tho country in one season alone nearly .£IOO,OOO. This refers to Otago only. Tho bulk of the money goes to the trappors.

At Saturday's meeting of the Wellington Land Board, the Commissioner (Mr. Jas. Mackenzie) made reference Ho the receipt by the board of an anonymous letter referring. to a certain transfer that was under consideration by members of tho board. The object of the letter was to influence tho board against passing the transfer, by insinuating that there was something crooked going on. The Commissioner expressed his indignation at such underhand attempts to prejudice tho mind of the board, and a resolution was passed to the effect that the board wonld pay no attention whatsoever to anonymous communications, which would be destroyed on receipt. Tho board sa\r no reason to object to the transfer. It , was a section which had given a great deal of trouble, and was overrun with woeds, and the transferee was a man with a large family and altogether a suitable tenant.

Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdresstng, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling nair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. RoUeston (over Carroll's), 14 Willis Street 'Phone 1699.—Advt.