LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Maheno, which left Sydney on Wednesday, March 0, for Auckland, has on board an English and Australian mail for Wellington, which is due here on Monday ovening next (Starch 14) by the Main Trunk express. A notice in this weekls Gazette states: that the importation of. New Zealand potatoes into Peru is prohibited. The Public Works Department has accepted the tender of A. E.. Gardiner for the erection of a post office at Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. The contract price is .£3IOO. Other tenders' received were as follow i—A. Duncan, Hastings, .£3217. Ss. Gd.; R. H. J. Hamlin, Napier, £3297; Eeynell and Harris, Wellington, £3376. The Mayor does not. share the opinion expressed the other day- by Mr. Haseldeh, S.SI., that the tramway motormen ring their bells so much that the public no longer take notice of them. "I am often amazed at the things . magistrates and coroners say," remarked the Mayor. "The bells are very useful, and are not rung too often. And, whafs more, I like to hear the jingle of the bells. It shows that Wellinjjton is alive and alert." High-level reservoirs are to be constructed, forthwith at Newtown and Roseheath. The City Council passed the following resolution on the matter last night:—"That the City Engineer be authorised to proceed with the construction of the high-level reservoirs, provided for under the Wellington Citv Water Supply l.oan Moneys Diversion Act, 1909." The Mayor intimated that' between £19,000 and £20,000 of. the waterworks loan had not been required for the AVainui Reservoir, and the sanction of Parliament had been obtained to the diversion of the money for the. construction of reservoirs on the high levels of the city. Councillor Luke mentioned that the highlevel reservoirs already, in use at Kelburne aiid'Brooklyn had met all the requirements of their respective localities, and were ah undoubted success. The City Council resolved last night that a letter of thanks be forwarded to Mr. W. H. Long for his.presentation to the Botanical Gardens of a largo Himalayan rhododendron. /The following sample of English 'as; it. is writ", has been received by a Shannon tradesman (says our local correspondent) :—"Dear sar,—Hi done aknoleg only ono Pond aten shilns (£1 18s.), wich you can ave anytime, res (the rest) Hi ave als (always) denid—Yous, .etc." Our correspondent adds:—"lt will coinc as a surprise to most people to learn that phonetic spelling has penetrated to Shannon. The. . system has obviously certain advantages." ' ' The Electrical Department of the Wellington City Corporation has imported an electrically-driven 1 pneumatic cleaner—the latest device to relieve the weary housewife or' tired servant. This pneumatic cleaner is a,, handy...concern, inasmuch as the cylinder which contains the motor and the dust receptacle can be removed from room to room, and made ready for action by attaching the cord to the ordinary lamp-plug. .The tender of Mr. W. E. Hutchison (£7777) has been accepted for.the erection of a new theatre for Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, on. a,-site in Tipper Pitt Street (one block removed from Karangahap'e Road), Auckland. In designing the building, the architect (Mr. E. Bartley) has aimed principally at.making.it.fireproof, and in this ' connection a number of large efcitshave been provided. All the stairway's . arc '; to be of ferro-concrete, the walls are to be lined with asbestos slates, and asbestos curtains will be hung on the .stage. A unique feature of the fire escape arrangements is the fact that exits from dress circle, stalls, and pit, all lead on ,to the ground level, without necessitating, the use of stairways.;,' This is rendered possiblo by the: naturally favourable levels of the site. Nearly threefourths of the thoatre'is to be surrounded by a roomy, right-of-way. Special attention has also been .paid to .ventilation. Sloping floors, are also- a feature of the design, bringing occupants' of rear, seats within clear view of the stage.. Electricity will, be; the means of lighting.,. ~■,,<-■„•

Tramway, arrangements; for the Easter holidays were 1 decided upon last evening by the City Council,'which: also dealt incidentally ; with the fruit-carrying. question. It was .agreed that a service similar to that run last year should be run on Good Friday, double : fares to be charged; also that for tho future it be permanently established, that such; services at double . fares . be., run on all Christmas Days, and Good Fridays; The council further resolved. that, during the Easter holidays, the same charge-be made for .luggage .carried on tramcars as..was made, during ..the-.. Christmas.,- holidays, namely, passenger rate; also that, "in future,-cases of fruit be not allowed to be carried on cars;

• The ancient railway carriages which make up. the workmen's "train from Addington to Christchurch have recently been thoroughly overhauled, : cleaned, and painted. Many of these carriages are of the old side-entrance type* and date back to the first beginnings of railway making in tho Dominion. '

- The Bluff oyster, trade for February represented a take equal to 300,000 dozen. This is. a ' somewhat lower average per boat than what is regarded.'. as , a normal yield.. Allowance must be;made for the start of. the season,, which invariably entails ..interruption of some kind. The wages earned,may be approximately estimated at ,£ISOO.

For their sports next Saturday the Victoria College Amateur Athletic Club has been granted : the use of Kelbume Park. No charge will be made for admission. ■

; A compljnieiit was paid to the Melbourne pebpl'o by the, Anglican Bishop of Tasmania (Dr. ■Mercer), at the commencement of a recent course of lectures on the Sub-Conscious Mind. He said he had found! they were steeped in new theories. He had. nowhere to hear new theories. He had nowhere else received so. many, inquiries and litters as after his last Melbourne course. But he had now to'modify, his opinion, for .lie announced fhat he had received, letters from two ladies, saying ..that they were disgusted with him for telling a; number of funny stories during a serious lecture. "The stories are hone the worse for being .funny," said the -Bishop, "and as a matter of fact they mostly came from the' most serious reviews and books that one can well conceive, . the great books on psychology and occult science. So I do not know whether these Melbourne ladies can really be satisfied." In dealing with hysteria, he told of a man who suddenly stopped in the act of-eating and announced. "It has come.". "What has come?" asked the startled family. "My paralysis," was -the answer. "I've been pinching my leg for five minutes, and it doesn't feci." "Excuse me, sir," said his neighbour, a lady, "it is my. leg you have been pinching." The Bishop used this story adroitly to illustrate an in-' volved point.

.Replying to a question by Councillor Atkinson, the Mayor stated at last night's City Council meeting that he had written to the Government to ask' whether the money for the. Wadestown tramway loan could be ob'tained under the newState Guaranteed Advances Act. This had been suggested to himbv Councillor Luke, and it would be a great boon to the Wadestown people if the money could be raised at 3i per cent, with one pbr cent, sinking fund, in terms .of the Act The resolution making and levying' the ?P. ol!, .¥..rnte «:as formally confirmed bv the council. i • ■.

The Blenheim Garrison Band and the Nelson Garrison Band arrived in Wei lington by the Pateena last,night on their way to compete at the band contest at Wanganui.

The city engineer has . reported that from February 22 until March 8, 33 applications were received for permission to erect, alter, or extend buildings, and m 31 instances permits had beeii issued The values of the works to; bo undertaken were as follow:—Cit-r, Melrose, ,£7314; Northland, i 250; total' .£20,918. '

The City Council resolved; last night on the motion of Councillor Prost:'"l'hat in future the. city solicitor shall advise on all applications under the building by-laws where the discretionary power allowed to the council under' By-law, 1002 and By-law 235 is necessary."

Shampooing, Clipping,. Hairdrcssln" Manicuring, Faro Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff, Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Kolloston, (over Carroll's), 14 Willis Street, 'Phono 1500.'—Advt '

.Recreation grounds in and about the city will be closed for cricket after Easter Monday, according to a decree of the City Council. - The Tramways Department of the City Corporation intends to issue a new timetable on Monday next. The actual timetable is. not materially altered, but it js extended in several instances and there is much information that should be of service to patrons of the cars. Full particulars are published of the running of Sunday "specials" on a page set apart for that purpose. A note states that between Cuba Street and Lambton Quay the stopping-places are all compulsory, and it is not necessary to ring the Bell on the central city section. One of the features of the new publication is a table setting forth the distances between the Lambton Quay Station and the various termini of the system. It is interesting to note that the longest journey from the Government Station is to Miramar (6 miles 33 chains). Seatoun is 5 miles 70 chains, Lyall Bay 4 miles 31 chains, and Karori 3 miles 11 chains. Perhaps the happiest innovation in the . new time-table is the additional information given about "last cars," . always so important to people spending the evening out. Hitherto the time-table has only given the departing times of right-through cars, Without reference to cars that go only a certain part of the way, but which may suit. For instance, the old - time-table states that,the last car leaves Island Bay at 10.37, p.m. (the last through car), whereas there are six cars running into Newtown from the bay after that hour, which would suit Newtown residents who happened to .be at the ' bay. The same applies to Miramar, where' there are manv cars running as far as Co.urtonay Place lonf? after the last through car (to the Government Station) has taken its departure. The possibility of accidents is not overlooked, for one page is devoted to the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of medical practitioners, and there are useful directions -on -the back cover as to what should bo dono (and how to do it) in case of accident. Altogether, the/new, time-table is worth studying. It will be for sale on all the car's next week—price one penny. . "

In regard to the significance of .the rocks which Mr. Wraggo claims to have discovered near the Bay of Islands, Professor A. P. W. Thomas told a "Herald _ representative that, in his opinion, the view, that Mr; Percy Smith has taken is likely to be correct. Eocks often show very curious markings, which are the result of the weather.. "Before any conclusion, can he .arrived at that the markings on the rocks were made by prehistoric man,".said Professor Thomas, "a great deal more evidence is" needed than has been offered so far. The onus lies on, Mr. Wragg'e'to prove that they are other than natural markings. . We have ho evidence whatever in New Zealand of occupation by prehistoric people, and many claims have been put forward before of natural markings, which were stated to be the work of some prehistoric race." Since leaving England in February, 1908, Mr. Mayers and the.Barnardo Boys have held over six hundred services and meetings, and have raised more than ,£16,000 for the Barna'rdo, child-rescue work (says an Australian' paper). This sum is to be expended in a new hospital to be.erected in the Barnardo; Girls' Village as an. Australian tribute to Dr. Barnardo's memory. The party! has been well .received in every State; and in the Dominion. . Situations have been secured for ten boys who came ..out with the secretary. The chief, cities of Australia and New. Zealand have contributed'the proportionate cost of a bed each in" the new hospital; and largo photographs of these places will be hung upon its walls, it is to/be .'called tho "Australasian" Hospital. '

.The people of Picton and neighbourhood, are rousing themselves to the im-. portaiice of the Sounds district as a health and tourist resort. (says, a, Marlborough exchange). -They have therefore decided to form "The Picton and Sounds Promotion Society," and : a public meeting in furtherance. of this'.object is to he held shortly:- Some of the objects sought by the society are: The beautifying,of. Picton, .by,. trae : planting,..etc., the preservation 'birds, etc., : round Picton, "arid: all ; over -the Sounds district; the promotion of-the. undertaking of works siich,;as swimming.. baths, gardens, pleasure grounds, and .other worTis of. a like nature that shall form attrac-. tions to visitors and tourists; the advertising of the Sounds as a tourist resort; the organisation and provision of adequate motor-launch.sen-ices to meet-the requirements of tourists; the encouragement of a progressive spirit in the town in the direction of improving, the conditions .of life so. as to render Picton and its . neighbourhood attractive as , a place of residence, and resort to strangers.

A bankruptcy sitting of the, Supreme Court will be held at 10.30 - o'clock ' this morning.. ;■'.■■'.'•.

Owing to the rain the first annual picnic under the auspices of the Railway Head and Departmental •Offices, which was to have taken place at Day's Bay. yesterday,' was p6stponed until Monday next.

. Perhaps the "most foolish development of the "Marathon" craze is that reported from Butte, "the well-known American mining town, where 53 men and as. many, women, took part recently in a "Marathon waltz concert." At first the spectacle was exhilarating, but. before long the strain began to tell. One woman dancer was seized with muscular paralysis, and had to be hurried to a Hospital,, whore she was joined soon by another competitor, who had ruptured a blood-vessel. After the dancing had been going on continuously for 14 hours and 41 minutes the Mayor of Butte, acting oh. niedical advice, used his authority to stop the performance. There were then three, couples only'left.in the arena. .

The next ordinary meeting of the. City Council will be held on Tuesday, March 22, instead of, Thursday, March 24, the day before Good Friday; i .

Ladies have found the chairs in the Town Hall very uncomfortable, the seats of the. chairs being too high, said Dr. •Newman at, last nighf s meeting of the City Council.':. The Mayor added that a large number "of ladies ■ had .told him that they would not come to the' Town Hall, .because' 'of. this inconvenience., On the Mayor's, recommendation, the council ordered that two inches should be sawn off the legs of 100 chairs. "These will be labelled 'Low chairs,'" said the Mayor, "and .if we find that they are overcrowded, we can cut down some more, or all. of. them."

At the Mount Cook Police Court yesterday, before Mr. T. S. Lambert, J.P., Charles I'erguson pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in Revans Street, and was fined. 55., with the alternative of 24 hours' imprisonment. Of two 'first offenders who had been arrested for drunkenness in Tory Street, one had. a large sum of money on liini, and both had been admitted to bail, each for 10s. Not appearing, they were each fined 10s., or 48 hours 'imprisonment. A first offender who pleaded guilty to a charge of insobriety was admonished, convicted, and discharged.:

. Electric meters in the city are at present read at the end of each month, and the discount day is in the middle of the month. The City Council last evening sanctioned an alteration in regard to the reading of the meters. They agreed that a method of continuous meter-reading should be adopted, discount to bo allowed if. the accounts were paid within fourteen days from the date of the reading. The Mayor explained at last night's council meeting, that the practice of continuous : reading had been ■'■ adopted by many gas and electric light companies, and that it was the most economical plan. .'Additional life-saving apparatus is to' be placed at Lyall Bay within a few days, said the -Mayor, in reply to a question by a City Councillor last night. The Mayor, replying to a question asked in the City Council last night by Councillor Fitzgorald, recited the history of his efforts to got a waiting-shed for tramway passengers erected at Lambton Station. The Government had insisted that if a shed were erected in front of Us property, where the seat now is, it must bo removable at a moment's notice. That was what .had blocked the scheme, but lie was going to see if a shelter could bo erected further on. . We are informed that the parties to tho Westland bakers' dispute, which Mr. ]'. Holly, Conciliation Commissioner, has been endeavouring to settle, have not arrived at any. compromise, and the matter vill probably .be threshed out before the Arbitration Court during its next Bittings on the Coast

The City Council's Reserve Committee will meet on Tuesday next, at 11 o'clock, for the purpose of allocating the playing grounds for the winter season. Representatives of sports bodies, associations, and unions desiring the use of grounds are invited to be present.. . After considering numerous representations made to bim by merchants and - farmers in the South Island, the Minister for Railways (Hon. J. A. Millar) has decided (hat the maximum gross weight of sacks of gram carried on the railways • shall be 2061b. per sack, as at present, but the penalty for overweight will no longer vary' with the distance the produce is carried. A uniform penalty of £3 per truck will be imposed whenever the maximum gross weight is exceeded. The Minister expresses the hope that, now the Department has endeavoured to meet the difficulties that hvo arisen, those interested will do all they can to conform to the by-law. The condition of the Karori reservoir—a matter which almost invariably crops up. at City Council meetings when questiontime arrives—was mentioned again last. : evening. Tm city engines (Mr. W. H. Morton) replied that the reservoir, and • the mains were being scoured out regu- . i larly and systematically, and a great im- . - provement nad been'noticed in the quality of the water. Water taken from the bottom of the reservoir had been found to be better than that in the mains, showing that the improvement was . coming. The Health Department had inquired into the discoloration, and had found no- . thing in the water injurious to health; The. slate of the water, said "Mrl, Morton; - was no doubt duo to the unusual' climatic conditions that, had existed this summer. The Mayor (Dr. -Newman)- remarked that citizens could rely upon having clean, water very shortly.: ■' '. ..-'.. > The prosecution; of pedestrians who make use of the Kilbirnie tunnel was re-■ ferred to at last night's' meeting of tha City Council. The Mayor, replying -,;to . Councillor Luke, said that cars, were running through the tunnel from.6 a.m. till midnight on week days, so that there ■were'' hot many "off" hours, during which it. would be safe for people to make use .of the tunnel. The Order-ih-Council under which the tunnel,was built provided that while trams were running pedestrians must not be allowed to go through. The well-known spring in .Grant' Road was extolled by Councillor A. E. Atkin- : son at last night's City..Council meeting. If it were in a Swiss or. Gorman city, he said, it would flow into a marble basin, but here it looked like a drain outfall. ' He suggested that something should be V done to improve it and make the place . a beauty spot.. The Mayor promised to look into it. He also said he bad been consulting Mr. Glen, the' superintendent ■ of reserves, about .closing the quarries about the city, which ouuld be done at very little cost, and beautifying theni.. As a result, the Reserves • Committee would . be.asked to do something. He specially mentioned the big quarry at. Oriental B "y- .■'-■■':.'■■