LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 825, 25 May 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the ' s.s. Mariposa, with 373 bags of English i and American mails for New Zealand, left Sau Francisco for Tahiti on May 21. The mails nil! there be transhipped 1 to the s.s. Mokoia, and aro duo in Wclliugton by that steamer on June 1". Tiro interesting and unusual astronomical phenomena wero to bo seen at " once for somo timo last evening. East- ■ ward tho moon rose in total eclipse, tho ■ wholo disc being covered with the reddish . brown slnulow thrown by this planet. In the ivest the comet rose over tho [ hills, still bright though smaller than bol'ore. Tho observation of the moon enabled it to bo more clearly seen, and I as it is now constantly dwindling it will i probably not again be seen to such advantage' as last night. Tho total phato ' of tho eclipse lasted from tivenly minutes ' to five until half-past, ami although, according to astronomical calculations, tho last contact with tho ponumbra was timed for B.G, the moon's disc appeared, to the uninslructed eye at any rate, as bright as ever shortly before 7 p.m. when the™ shadow proper finally left it. Fortunately for observers, the sky was almost rluudlesa.

It in reported that signatures arc being very freely appended throughout tho IJuiniiiimi to the petition (already published) requej-tiiiK, inter alia, that the claim of the New Zealand Farmers' Cooperative Distributing Co., Ltd., against the State Coal Department, should he forthwith submitted to arbitration in accordance with a resolution of Parliament last session. Proceedings in the Supremo Court wero held up for three hours yesterday afternoon owing to tho fact that tho jury panel was diminished to about 24, this being tho third week of the criminal sessions. When ono jury had retired to weigli tho evidence in a burglary case only about a dozen jurors remained from whom another panel might bo selected, so that in tho event of challenges twelve men would not have been available. Possibly spectators in the public gallery little guessed as they waited for the return of the first jury "how near they i had come to being enlisted in the service of tho -king. Among tho measures to be brought down next session will be an amendment to tho Workers' Dwellings Act. Under the Act at present au applicant for State • ussistauco iu providing a home has to_ be possessed of a certaiu amount of capital to provide a margin between the loan from tho State and the actual value of tho property. It is now proposed that the applicant's deposit may be as low as .£lO. Drastic provisions will be inserted, however, to. prevent speculation in tho homes. On being interviewed yesterday on bis way hack to Auckland from tho south, Mr. Eobert Angus, general manager in Now Zealand for Thos. Cook and Sons, stated that Lako Wokatipu and district present somo beautiful sights just now, with the mountains mantled in' snow to tho water's edge. It was unfortunate that (.here was not more tourist traffic there in tho winter, when in his opinion Lake Wakatipit looked at its very best, and where, there were ideal places for tobogganing and ski-jumping, such popular recreations in other parts of the world. The number of visitors (estimated from sundry records) to tho Cold Lakes District even during the summer months was disappointing compared with the • tourist traffic in the North Island. It wasa good move on the part of the Tourist Department to improve the Queenstown Recreation Ground, and golf links would be a valuable addition to the recreations of the place. Perhaps tho addition of a new and up-to-dato steamer would more tiian anything else assist in popularising the lake, trip, and making Wakatipu the South Island centre of attraction and health resort for northerners and Australians in v particular. • To a reporter yesterday the Hon. G. Powlds stated that, so tar ho had not heard whether tho boy scouts had agreed to be incorporated along with the junior cadets. The fact that a boy was a snout did not of course exempt him from training as a junior cadet if he were of ■ the stipulated age. In very small schools where there were not sufficient boys to form a junior cadet unit, tho Department intended to establish boy scout patrols. Mr. Fowlds added that the Department did not want to interfere with tho training of the hoy scouts, as scouts, in any shape or form, it was his opinion that if tho scouts became incorporated with the cadets, as was provided for under tho new regulations, it would result in au advantage all round. A new style of telegraph form has been issued toytho public at Dimcdin, and according to a telegram received by Mr. D. Robertson, Secretary to the Postal Department, with the greatest snecess. The new form has advantages over the old, in that it ensures a greater accuracy in addressing, and saving of labour, and a saving in stationery. Tho telegram is not sent out in an envelope, but is folded in a manner that exposes tho address, while securing the secrecy of the message. At present messages aro sent out enclosed in envelopes and it not infrequently happens that in the copying of the address, mistakes aro made that are, of course, avoided by tho new folded message. If tho experiment proves quite a success in Dunedin tho new forms will be adopted for the wholo of the Dominion. As indicated in onr shipping columns two huge consignments of frozen meat left Wellington yesterday for London. The steamers taking tho cargo were the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's Tokomnni and the New Zealand Shipping Company's Opawa. Betwoeu them, they carried away somo 230.000 frozen carcasses, as well as i large quantity of frozen sundries and general merchandise. Further heavy lints of frozen produce will be taken during tho next few days by tho Shaw-Savill steamer Kangatira, the Tysor liucr Star of Scotland, and tho New Zealand Shipping Company's Tongariro. Inquiry was mado yesterday from the Hou. G. Fowlds as to what further steps it was proposed to take in connection with the training of junior cadet officers. Mr. i''oivid« replied that'the classes already provided at various centres would for the most part he fonnd to bo sufficient. There were many teachers who had already received sufficient training, but others again were not at all proficient. Ho had no doubt but that further classes would have to be arranged in the different centres. A resolution was passed by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesteruay, on tho motion of the chairman (Mr. . J. G. W. Aitkcn), seconded by Mr. R. C. Kirk, placing on record tho board's deep regret at the death of King Edward VII. Evidence is not wanting at Parliament Jfouso that the session is at hand. Tho •staff is now busily engaged overhauling tho furniture and' furnishings of the various apartments. Cork linoleum is to be laid in the "tube," which has been repapered. It is proposed that the Hansard staff, which last session occupied tho kitchen, shall lie located on this occasion upstairs. Tho room will then be brought into requisition as a kitchen so that members may get hot meals at breakfast, lunch, and tea time. Lust session no hot meals could bo procured. No. other alterations have yet been decided upon. . Several matters relating to the administration of affairs at Eotorua were brought under tho notice of the Hon. T. Mackenzie (Minister in charge of the Tourist Department) by Mr. R. A. Wright, M.i>., recently. The Minister promised that the scrub on tho pathway to the Postmaster Bath would be cleared away immediately. As legards the complaint that there was no lady attendant at the Spout Bath at Whakarewarewa during that official's annual leave, Mr. Mackenzie said thnt in future another lady official would be sent down from liotorua during the period in question. In connection with the charge for admittance to the -Whokarcwarewa grounds, Mr. Mackenzie replied that it had been decided that tho chargo for entrance should in future be sixpence instead of a shilling. It would be arranged that, tourists and visitors would bo able to buy tickets admitting them at any time at reduced rates. Provision would also be mado for passes availablo on date of issue only. A special meeting of the Karori Borough Council has been arranged for June 8, at which consideration will bo given to the proposal to. shorten the tramway route to Karori by bringing passengers via Kolburne. It was mentioned at last night's meeting of the Karori Borough Council that a deputation from the had waited upon the Kelburne Tramway Company in reference to the matter. The efforts of the police to trace the explosives found in the grounds of tho Catholio Jpostolic Church, in Webb Street, have .been successful in a measure. It has been ascertained that tho gelignite, fuse, and detonators were taken from a quarry at. Ngahaurnuga. Steps are bcinjr taken to double tho amount of accommodation at the school for defective children at Otekaike. In regard to this matter the Hon. G. Fowlds states that the results obtained more than justified the expenditure in connection with the school. There were children from the North Island as well as from the Sftuth Island at tho school, and at present I here were many, cases which could not be admitted for want of accommodation. Up rill now, provision was made only for boys, hutthere was plenty of room on the ostale for ii school for girls, which would bo erected wlii'ji funds allowed. There was, however, no intention at present to build similar (schools in other parts of tho Dominion. Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdressing, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Failing Hair, and Dandruff. Combings made up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Eolleston (over Carroll's), 11 Willis Street. 'Phone 1599.—Advt.

A young man was arrested by Coni stable iNaughton yesterday on a charge • of breaking and entering the warehouse i of Clark's Electroplate Works, Victoria ■ Street, in November last, and stealing a coat and vest, valued at .£2. 1 Four nurses al, tlie Wellington Hos--1 Jiitnl are at present ill with scarlet ' fever. In announcing this fact at the mooting ol the Hospital Board yesterday, s Mr. It. C. Kirk said that their illness ■ was due to the barn-like structure that • did duly as an infectious diseases hospi- ; tal, aud it was important, therefore, that - the new building for this purpose should > be pushed on as fast as possible. A 5 report laid before file board stated that i the contract for the now infectious dis- , eases hospital was proceeding satisfactor- ; lly, and that various matters of detail - relating to it were in the hands of a 3 sub-committee. ' As tho outcome of correspondence be- ! tween the Anglican Bishop of Auckland 3 oad the rccentlv-insta|]<.-d Mayor of Auckland (Mr. L. ,T. Bagnall), and iu t accordance with a custom which prevails t in England and other countries, the r Mayor officially attended church on Sunc day last. Attired in his insignia of ofs lice, and accompanied bv 11 members of 1 the City Council, the Town Clerk and the i city engineer, Mr. Bagnall went to St. f Andrew's Church, of which he is an elder, t The service was conducted by the Mods er.ator of tho Presbyterian Assembly, the , Ttov. I. Jolly, M.A., who preached a ser--3 mon on the parable of tho Talents. A reduced number of people' are' still s receiving assistance from the fund ad- , ministered by the Penguin AVreck Coml inittoe, and it is probable that a few , families which have lost the breadwint ner will require relief for years to come. , The committee has a sum "of £1500 still a at interest to meet such cases. Letters t are still being received in regard to uisp tress caused to relatives in England of 0 the wreck's victims, and tho full amount ' of assistance required from this quarter - bos not yet been ascertained. A nieetr ing of the Fund Committee will be held • on Thursday next. ._ The boot trade award, under which s there has been some trouble at Christ (. church in connection, with female apj prentices, applies to the whole of New j Zealand, and the clause concerned was lv exhaustively discussed before tho Arbi- .) tration Court in Wellington a few s months ago, when the Court decided that f Messrs. R. Hannah and Co. had acted j within their rights in dismissing certain .. female employees'at the beginning of tho , Christinas holidays and re-engaging them .. immediately afterwards. It appeared s that, had the firm not done so, they would have had to pay them for tho holidays. In view of tho statement of ': Mr. G. E. Whiting, secretary of the 5 Federated Boot Trades Union, that hie ; executive will take legal advice, developments are being awaited with interest, i Mr. H. C. Tewsley, speaking at the f veterans' dinner last night, suggested s that much good might bo done if tho i) Government obtained from tho Homo aut thorities a couple of superseded warships, ;. which could bo stationed in New Zeat land waters. The idea was one which - had been mooted by the lato Mr. Beds'' don. Sometimes they heard Supremo t Court judges expressing a wish for some i suitable institution to which they could r send young men of criminal tendencies. 1 His proposal would meet the need, as one of the' ships could Ik used for roll forraatory purposes, whilo young men of ;. good character could be trained on the '■ other. The Hon. C. M. Luke, JiI.L.C., 1 who followed Mr. Tewsley, expressed ;. hearty approval of tho scheme. e An instance which goes to show that V British manufacturers are not always so 1 lacking in adaptability as they are often s said to be is to bo found in a recent de;l velopment of the boot trade. Several '. large English boot manufacturing firms i- have studied the American market, obt taiued workmen from America, and are '■• now successfully exporting, boots and f shoes in fairly large quantities to that '. country. The "Boot and Shoe KeJ corder," writing of some of the English 0 boots and shoes now upon the American 1 market, says:—'They have the general i- characteristics of a high-grade line. The renowned English oak soles are used, the s workmanship, js painstaking and unit form, the upper stock and linings are of. first grade stock, and in price they are e somewhat lower than similar grade . American shoes. . . . They are careful » copies of American footwear, not exact, » but near enough to be related in style. . .'. The general workmanship is in ,f all probability equal to that of '. American manufacturers." Of a line of a ladies' goods made by a Leicester firm , the same paper says the price to the retailer is 3dol. 75c, to sell for 5d01., and 1 the goods compare favourably with American makes to sell for 6dol. and '" 7d01., when durability and materials are considered.. The journal adds that the 0 cost of production in England is tie s reason for the cheapness in price, ? Committees of tho City Council and i- the Harbour Board had a joint meeting i yesterday, and came to an arrangement - regarding the services of the Municipal 0 Fire Brigade, iu protecting the board's ;, property. The agreement will require to j. be ratified by both, bodies. A poll of the ratepayers of the Makara 1 Biding of the Makara County will be taken on Wednesday, June 8, on the i-' proposal to raise a special loan of .£6OOO, •- for the purpose of constructing a new •. road over the Makara Hill. !. Sir Joseph Ward states that the nump ber of telegrams sent by Mm on May . 7 and 8, connected with tho King's t death, totalled 2730, and from May !" 9 to 20, connected with the King's „., death, 25,731 messages, aggregating alto- ° gethcr 2,367,120 words. • Apart from this, the number of telegrams from tho public , dispatched by tho telegraph offices '~_ throughout the Dominion between _ the n time of tho announcement of tho King's ~ death aud tho funeral was 296,000, and D tho number received for tho same period 0 was 297,000. He was unablo to give tho t number of words connected with either t of these records. The whole work was 1 carried out by ; tho telegraph offices '. throughout tho Dominion in a highly satisfactory manner, reflecting tho greatest credit upon the staff.—Press Associa- '■ Won. • ■ ■