LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 974, 15 November 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The City Council has obtained a legal opinion that it is entitled to charge for the use of Newtown Park. This is a distinct departure from opinions by which the council has hitherto been' directed, and the matter will be considered at its meeting on Thursday next. It is anticipated (says our Masterton correspondent) that the new freezing works at AVaingawa will be open for the reception of sheep early next mouth. A large staff is at present employed putting in the machinery.. . . ' During the heavy rainfall of yesterday the basement floor in Winder's ironmongery premises at the corner of Cuba Street and Manners Street, as the result of a block in the sewerage drain running along Cuba Street, was flooded through a sump in the private drainage system ,of tho establishment. When first discovered in the morning tho water was three inchos deep on the cellar floors, but later it gradually rose uritil the depth was 24 inches. The City Council staff rigged a temporary pump and the water was diecharged into the storm-water drain. Ranges, nails, staples, etc., were stored in the cellar,' and the flooding caused considerable damage. Mr. Winder considers that the trouble will be liable to recur until an additional man-hole has been provided in the Cuba Street sewer. He states that there is no man-hole from, the Eoval Oak Hotel to Smith and Smith's building. On two previous occasions .Mr. Winder's premises have been inundjfcd in a similar way, but previous floods were less serious than that, which occurred yesterday.

The approach of summer (says our Auckland correspondent) has been unmistakably proclaimed by the teiuppraturo during the last three days. The maximum thormometer shade reading reached 82 on Friday, whilst on Saturday and yesterday 79 and 80 degrees iwere re-, corded in the shade. The highest maximum this season, prior to Friday last, was, 74. Tho' Maoris are predicting a liot and dry summer. The cabbage palms have flowered very heavily this year, and there is also an abundance of flax blossoms, in various narts of tho district Both these circumstances are regarded by tha NntivM as evidences of coming htat and a scarcity of rain.

A report from the Reserves Committee, on applications that have been received for tho position of superintendent at the "Zoo," will be laid before the City Council at its meeting on Thursday evening.

The Eastbourne Borough Council, at its meoting on Saturday evening, resolved to take steps to have the plucky action of Doraenic Tessarieri (in rescuing Captain Durloo's sou from drowning in Eona Bay on Friday last) brought under the notice of'the Koyal Humane Society. The secretary (Mr. J. D. A very) was instructed to promote a subscription in order that a presentation might be made to Tesaarieri.

Rcret was expressed, at the meeting of the Reserves Committee of tho City Council yesterday, at the fact that the Cricket Association is apparently not willing to take advantage of the oifer of the Puppa Street ground for matohes, but prefers to crowd the reserves near tho city- The result is that senior cricket arrangements are dislocated when the" Basin Reserve is allotted on a Saturday to any other sport. The position is to be considered. liy tho council . when the grounds are finally allocated to the various snorts bodies "for the season. The building of the Union Company's large laundry at Evans Bay is to be commenced by Messrs. Muir and Ross, of Thorndon Quay, shortly. When finished the whole of the washing for the company s fleet in New Zealand ■will be carried out there. The machinery and steam plant were imported some time ago. The Reserves Committee will place before the City Council, at its next meeting, a recommendation on lines resembling Councillor ShirtclinVs recent proposal that tho whole position and policy of the "Zoo" should be considered. Tho committee has received several _ offers of animals from "zoos" in Australia, but in the existing financial position is praotically powerless to make additions to the Nowtown collection. The Saturday night boat service between Wellington and Eastbourne was made a matter for discussion at the Eastbourne Borough Council's meeting on Saturday evening. Councillor Sanson moved: "That, in view of the serious drawback to this district owing to the want of a night boat and the lack of communication on holidays, this council seriously consider the advisableness of running its own service, and that the town clerk be instructed to ,writo to the ehip-building firms, both, in England and New Zealand, and obtain from them the probable cost of-a boat capable of doing 16 knots.'* The Mayor asked that the motion should not be pressed, as he was in negotiation with the Ferry Company, nnd an amendment which he moved— "That nothing be done in the matter at present"—waa carried. • When the criminal sessions opened at the Supreme Court yesterday morning, the Chief Justice announced that, since the Grand Jury last was assombled, a new Act had been passed, which changed the form of taking the oath, ' The ordinary form of kissing the Book was abolished, and, unless anyone objected, a new forin would be observed. When the oath had been repeated,, the person being sworn would answer, "I do." Of course, anyono wishing to kiss the Book could do so. The whole of tho Grand Juryman took the oath, in the form newly prescribed, and other jurymen and witnesses dnring the sitting, .without exception, followed their example.

At 10.50 a,ni. to-morrow, Mr. Justice Cooper will deliver reserved judgment, in the case of John' O'Donnell and the Pohnngina County Council, a claim for ,£230 Bs. lid., balance alleged to be due on a contract. \ 'i'o-morrow morning, Mr. Justice Cooper will hear argument on questions of law as to whether plaintiff is entitled to reliof in the case Easton and Austin versus J. |{. Stansell, a claim for .£2OO damages in connection_ with the performance of-.a 'contract. ■ The Civil Service Association is organising a moonlight excursion for Thursday evening next. The balance-sheet for the year ended Maroh 31, 1910, is to he considered at a special meoting of the City Council to' bo held on Thursday evening. Pathe Frores, tho well-known animated picture firm, are desirous, of lio'STng an evening exhibition of pictures in the Basin Reserve, and -have submitted a proposal to the. City Council. The application will be considered on Thursday evening. Exhibitions similar to that proposed have proved-successful in Sydney, Melbourne, and other Australian ■ towns.

The Nelson Borough Council is intent on having thq river, Sfnitai preserved , as a, scenic reserve. At a meeting hold on Friday evening last the council decided to communicate with Mr. John Graham, M.p. for Nelson, and the Horn R. M'Kenaio, M.P. for Motueka, asking them, to urgo the Government ta acquire such parts of the river Maitai as are private property and to create the river and the land bordering its banks for at least a chain from either bank, a nublio reserve. The Waimoa County Council is being invited to co-operate in the matter. - ■ For tho first time in Australia the wonders of the wireless telegraph nave been used to book seats at a theatre. A message was delivered. at the Melbourne Theatre Royal on November 8 from H.M.S. Powerful reporting that a wireless had been roccived from the Moldavia, which was on her way to Sydney, requesting the Theatre Royal management to reserve four good stalls seats or a box for the uerformance of "Tom Jones." The message came to the Powerful at Port Melbourne, and was, as stated, forwarded to tho Tbeatro Royal. The Tongan Government is taking steps to copo with the disease in bananas,which has been curtailing shipments to a very marked degree, and with this end in view, they have obtained the services of an expert from New Zealand, in the person of Mr. Rawson (says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" correspondent). This gentloman arrived from New.Zealand by the September boat, and has spent the. four weeks of his stay here in driving all round the island and inspecting the trees in the various plantations. He goes on to Haabai and Vavau. Mr. Rawson will also go into the matter of tho fruit fly, which has got a great hold among tho oranges in that place, and whioh has been the cause of the New-'Zealand Government refusing admission, to our oranges altogether. It seems a great pity to seo millions-of beautiful oranges rotting on the ground -in Vavau, fruit which the Now Zealand people know and appreciate, but which is barred to them on account of the fly.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday application for a pawnbroker's license was made by Eleazar Metz. The application was granted. \. A meeting of tho Mother Wary Joseph Aubert Jubilee Committee was held at Mrs. T. G. Macarthy's last evening. Various arrangements were made in connection with the celebration of the jubilco to take place next month, Tho resignation of Mr, A. Amodeo as hon. secretary was received with regret. The committee's appreciation of his services was placed on record, and it was resolved that he should be requested to continue as a member of the committee. Mr. lYcd. W. Crombie was elected hon. secretary. .'

Despite the adversity of the weather last evening the physical laboratory at Victoria College was comfortably filled for Professor Wollisoh's lecture on "Modern Physics." Mr. H. F. von Haast (chairman of tho College Council), and Pro* fessor T. H. Laby, of the Chair of Physics at tho College, introduced the lecturer. Professor Wellisch concerned moi* self mainly with a general outline o. the line of investigation winch liad led from the theory that behind the atom was an oven , smaller entity, to the discovery of the free electron. With a progressive series of algebraic demonstrations, the import of which tho ordinary layman could imagine no more than that they were phases of a now .historic achievement in physical science, of which the lecturer was the hero in a liri 1 lent company of physicists, Professor We isch pursued his infinitesimal quarry till he captured it, and then, by experiments at once interesting and striking, revealed their presence and made them'show tlieir paces under the discipline of apparatus controlled by a master hand. At the conclusion of the lcctnro Professor Wollisch was, on tho motion of Pi'ofessor H. B. Kirk, of tho Chair of Biology, accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.

Mrs. Bolleston, Hair Physician and Toilet Specialist, Jins returned. Appointments may bo booked for the latest unci most scientific Hair .and Face Treatments, Electrolysis, clc English, American, and Continental experience, i %Villis Street, WoUiugtiin, 'Phone . 1539.— Advt. • •