LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 966, 5 November 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Supposing 100 pieces of laundry are sent to'tho Chinese, how many hours (loos it take to finish that job?" was a question asked of a Chinese witness when the Factories Act Amendment Bill was before the Labour Bills Committee. Tho reply was: "Some considorablo time. They can only iron about three and i i half shirts per hour. After tho shirts aro starched, if the ninJi is a quick ironcr he may do four." Detective Hammond and fivo constables from tho local force left for Christeliurcli last night to do duty at. the New Zealand Cup meoting. Tho Postmaster-General announces that tho name of the Post and Telegraph office at Lower Hutt will be changed from December 1 from "Hutt" to "Lower Hutt." This is the title used by tho Railway Department and the Boroiigh Council. The retailers of Wellington have settled tho Christmas holiday troubles by deciding to close on Monday, December 26 (Boxing Day), and Tuesday, December 27. The corresponding days in tho Now Year week will also bo observed as holidays. The Auckland retail shopkeepers havo decided to observe the same days. The Wangamii Band, so successful at tho recent Ballarat contest, is returning to New Zealand by the Maheno, to arrivo at Auckland to-mor-row. Upon arrival they will be welcomed by yio Provincial Band Association. Tho Court of Appeal did no business yesterday, and adjourned until 10.30 a.m. next Monday. Tho maintenance case of Pirani v. Pirani, which was set down for hearing in Banco yesterday by two .Judges, wels adjourned sine die.

The advent of the new Wairarapa Moat Company, with its freezing works near Mastorton, is likely to uiako the Railway Department think strongly of the necessity for tho deviation of the Rimutaka line. It appears (writes a correspondent) that one Fell engine can drag only two trucks of 420 carcasses each up tho mountain at a time, and that it is intended that a train shall comprise only four trucks. The meat trains will therefore be cut in half oil reaching Cross Creek, and it is stated that one half will bo left at the Creek until the Fell engine returns from tho Summit. In response to the natural inquiry as to why such a small meat train should be disconnected in this manner, it was stated that the Department was short of Fell engines, and could only utilise one at a time for tlie i job. It is a well-known fact _ that frozen meat has to be rushed into a port for shipment, and although tho Railway Department has constructed thirty new insulated meat trucks to deal with the export of the two Wellington local companies, it is generally I understood that the carriage of frozen meat over the Rimutaka incline • will •be a most difficult problem.

The lawn in front of the Parliamentary Library is an interesting objectlcsson at the present time. The turf, has been taken possession of by a fungus or toadstool, which is producing well-marked rings on the grass. In Europe these rings have long been known as "fairy-rings," the old popular tradition being that_ ,thoy were formed by. the fairies or pixies dancing in rings. The real cauge is that when a fungus spore or group of spores germinates, the mycelium (or felt, of white hairs) produced spreads through tho soil, and appears to use up some of the soil- ingrcdionts. After a time tho spore-producing parts or toadstools ai-e developed in a ring round the affected part, As the mycelium continues to grow outwards, the new toadstools are constantly being produced in an everwidoning ring. The fungus in tie lawn referred to apparently belongs (according to Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P.) to a well-known European species, lepiota parvannulata. An attempt is being made at the present time to dig. up the rings, and replace the damaged portions by new turf. But the whole lawn is badly affected, and in the opinion of Mr. Thomson, it would be much better to dig up the whole of it, treat it with a heavy dose of gas-lime or similar material, and after leaving this exposed to tho nir'for some time to Oxidise, work it into the soil, and prepare the ground for r©-sowing.

Of the six new cars which are to be added shortly to the rolling stock of iio City Tramway Department,. only the under bodies and equipment (motors .ind so forth) are to be obtained from Outside, sources. The car-bodies will be constructed locally by the artificers Of the department.

At tho meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour, Board on Wednesday it was re ported that the Government had been receiving tho rent of a railway 6iding in which, under an arrangement between the Department and the board, should have been paid to tho htter. . "Just like them," was tho laconic comment of one of the members.

On Wednesday evening last a meeting of tho parishioners of St. Mary's Church, Karori, was held to discuss the question of adopting free seats in the churoh. . There was a good attendance. The yioar briefly outlined tho history of the movement in tlib parish, and the motion was brought forward by tho two churchwardens. A discussion followed, during which the chief arguments for and against were considered. The motion was carried with vory few dissentients.

Tho "Electrical Review" reports, that tho Australian Federal Government has agreed to pay an extra sum of £2000 asked by the contractors on account of the change in the situation of the wireless. station to be erected near Sydney. \ site will be chosen in the Pennant Hills, thirteen miles from Sydney, and sufficiently far from the sea to ensure safety from bombardment by warships. Tho total cost of the' station is set down at £6150. These particulars have an, interest, in view of the fact that tenders for the equipment of five wireless stations in New Zealand close 'next month.

The application of tho City Council to the Government asking that Boulcott Street shall bo exempted from' the provisions of the Public Works Act, if granted, will' legalise the position of all existing buildings on the street, but the frontage lino of ■ all buildings erected -in the future > will have to be kept back 33 feet from the centre of the' street. In the - case of Wallace Street this measure of exemption has been already granted. The council is now asking, that Wallace Street shall be exempted altogether from the provision setting back tho building line 33 feet from tho centre of the road.

_ About. midday yesterday, Detective' Kemp arrested a man named Gillon Anderson, who was brought before the magistrate in tho afternoon, and charged with leaving Christchurbli without making provision for the maintenance of his unborn illegitimate child. On the application of Chief Detective Broberg, accused . was remanded to appear at the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, this morning.

Answers'to a series of inquiries made by the secretary of the Wellington Employers' Association indicate that a majority of retailors in this district will not observe November 9 as a holiday. Among trades affected by arbitration awards, grocers, butchers, and carriers will cease work on the day in question. Tho employees' unions in these trades claimed tho holiday as a fair quid pro quo for that which was not observed on June 23. Tho Harbour Board, City Council, and Merchants' Association have all decided to observe the holiday.

The "Electrical Keview," in a recent issue, states that experiments are now being 'made, in England, with a view to obtaining "wireless communications with Submarines, one of the latter having been fitted with the necessary apparatus. It is stated that messages 'have been successfully received by the submarine, although the problem of transmitting messages in the reverse direction, from tho submarine to vessols or stations above the surface, has not yet v been surmounted. Determining tho boundaries of tho Seddon Memorial reserve in the Sydney Strcot Cemetery involved a small exchange of land between the City Council and the Government. The original boundaries of the reserve have been altered and slightly extended. Tho alteration was approved by the City Council at its meeting on Thursday evening: . 'It is estimated that at the present time there aro no fewer than SOO wireloss telegraph stations in Chicago, owned and worked by amateurs. - This total, arriVed at by a conservative estimate, includes the existing active, dormant, and' neglected outfits, many of them the ptoperty of youthful owners. Included in V the total are equipments ranging froni the half-inch spark coils of beginners up to the high-power stations of advanced amateurs, which are in many respeits equal to commercial outfits. In addition to these amateurs, three wireless telegraph companies have stations in Chicngo. Sixtyfive vessels plying on the Groat Lakes aro fitted with wireless apparatus, and can communicate at will with a chain of stations along the shores. Mrs. Rolleston, Hair Physician and Toilet Specialist, litis'returned. Appointments may be booked, for the latest and most scientific Hair 'anil Faco Treatments, Electrolysis, clc\ English, Ara«rican, and Continental ejpericnce. 4 \yj{. lis Street, Wellington. \ 'Phone 1599.Advt