LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1026, 16 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Maheno, with' this week'a Australian and Suez mail arrived at Auckland at 7 p.m. yesterday. The southern portion of the mail will arrive in Wellington by this afternoon's Main Trunk express. t

Yesterday afternoon, the residents and bathers of Worser Bay were rathor excited by the advent 'of an unpleasant visitor in the bay. A little after noon a shark was seen disporting itself in the shallow water, and immediately a brisk pursuit of it was organised. Three young men, residents of the bay, brought the creature ashore. When measured it was found to bo Bft. lin. from head to tail. It was caught on a ho,ok baited with conger eel.

Tor some time past, various rumours have bran in circulation as to tho fuftire plans of the Hon. Dr. Findlay, and it has been stated that the Minister intends offering himself for election at the general elections, no fewer than three North Island constituencies, including a city constituency, having been mentioned in connection with his name. 'A Chrijtchurch "Press" reporter asked the Minister what truth tnero was in these rumours, but Dr. Findlay declined to say anything on the subject.

Speaking on Saturday of a complaint that friends of passengers were sometimes needlessly delayed at the wharf barriers, the secretary of the Harbour Board stated that nothing of the kind could possibly, oecnr. Although ordinarily, said Jlr. Nicholls, persons using the wharves at the arrival or departure of steamers were supposed to.obtain tickets at the Tolls Office, the officials; in charge of the barriers had instructions to begin selling tickets on the spot ten minutes prior tcf tlio departure of any steamer. In practice, sales usually commenced a quarter of an hour before a steamer sailed, and the officials had full latitude, in the event of an unwonted press of passengers and their friends, to start sales at the barrier half an hour before departure if necessary.

Mr. Peter Bowling was to liavo delivered a public address in Wellington last evening, but failed to arrive in time. It is stated that he was detained in Peilding.

Yesterday Constable Taylor ai'rested u yoi|ug mail for an alleged serious assault upon Clifford Hickok. It is alleged that at midnight on Saturday night, iu Duppa Street, a dispute arose, and that Hickok was attacked with a bottle, which was broken on his head. Severe injuries were inflicted. Hickok had to bo taken io the hospital, and for a time his condition, owing to loss o£ blood, was said to be serious. Yesterday, however, he had improved considerably. Tho case will bo heard at tho Police Court this morning.

At the International Telegraph Conference-, held, at Lisbon in June, 1908, it was decided to erect a monument at Berne to-commemorate the foundation:-of the. Telegraph Union. The Swiss - Federal Council, which was appointed to arrange tho_ matter';-h'eld a competition. tcy artists of all nationalities for the best design of the monument. The board appointed to judge the designs has made no award, and the council has decided to hold a second competition. Tlio competitive designs are; required to reach lierno by August 15, 1911. The maximum price for the completed monument is not to exceed 170,000 l'rancs. The execution of the work will be entrusted to the successful competitor, ovho will receive no other reward.- Twenty thousand francs will be divided' at the discretion of the examining, board amongst other deserving competitors, the highest prize not exceeding 8000 francs.' Full particulars of the competition hre obtainable from the .Secretary, Genoral Post Office, Wellington.

The bowlers • among the. delegates to the Primitive Methodist Conference, now sitting in Wellington, have no reason to complain of tho lack of suitable grounds to, enjoy their favourite game. At Saturday's sitting of tho conference letters wero read from tho Thornclon, Wellington, and Victoria Bowling Clubs, placing their greens at tho disposal of the conforenco men. Tho president moved a hearty vote of thanks be recorded to the bowlers for-their kind offer, ami that they be informed that tho delegates will accept tho invitation if possible.

Tipper Hutt is henceforth to have its own .local; newspaper. We have received a copy of the first' number of the "Hutt Valley Independent and Upper Hutt Advertiser." Tho object of the paper is stated to bo to print full information of the happenings within the district situated between the Rilverstream railway bridge and the W-aikanae and Eimutaka saddles. Dominion and foreign news' will not be given. The name of Angus J. M'Curdy appears on the imprint.

Forged banknotes, which have been out of the list of offences which have come under the notice of the Criminal Investigation Denartment for a considerable time past (says the Sydney "Daily Tele,graph'), are ajaiu in circulation." As to ivlio is responsible for their reapponrancc the'police are!in the dark, but that a fraud of a clumsy and audacious nature is being practised is clear from two notes brought under notice by persons victimised on January 8. Three cases are reported to have been discovered, but only in two have the notes been seen by the authorities. These were unmistakably forgeries, rja'd, moreover, forgeries of a crude and, to even a casual observer, unconvincing kind. Both were evidently worked un from photographed blocks, wero indistinct, and.of bad colour. ; i.et- a,-teller at a city bank was the Victim in one instance. Subsequently he stated ■ that the note was so palpably a ■ wrong 'un" that tho only excuse ho could offer was tho rush of business. The notes purported to bo Commercial Bank notes, valued at c£s. It is thought, seeing that these cases carno to light so' quickly after each other, that many other notes may be in circulation.

The deaf mutes of America have a grievance against the moving picture shows, which form one of tneir best means of entertainment. Tho mutes are' trained to fee what 'people are saying, and the words they have seen coming from the actors in Idnematofjranh dramas have often been very shocking" Now a demand has been, made by Mrs. Elmer 15. Bates, a teacher of the deaf and dumb, for a rigid censorship of the language of these actors. Mrs. Bates recently made a tour of the picture shows in Cleveland, Ohio, taking "with her an expert in lip-reading, who took down the speeches verbatim. Much of tho language was too bad to 13q printed. The mayor of the city was appealed to, but lie declared the problem was beyond him.

On Anniversary Day, Monday nest, the s.s. Maori will make an excursion to Picton. The steamer will leave the Queen's Wharf at 8 a.m., and will leave Pictouat 3.30 p.m. for "Wellington.