LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1124, 11 May 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that English and American mails via Vancouver are due at Sydney on May 15, at Auckland on May 21, nnd at Wellington on May 22. An accident happened to a big steam crane used by Messrs. M. O'Connor unci Dillon, contractors for the Miramar Wharf extension, on Tuesday. It is understood that the crane, which stands on a temporary shying, and is used to haul the piles, from tho shore on to the punts, was being \\i?d : ;cd along into a new position when it toppled over, almost without warning. It is not believed to be much injured, and will be raised into position as soon as possible.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Eiiijby Union is to be held this afternoon and evening. TJeprcsontatives of the various unions.will meet at 11 o'clock this morning to difcuss a , proposal by the Canterbury Union in the direction of simplifying the arrangement of annual inter-provincial matches.

fiheoting parties which have been out during the past week report good sport in the majority of cases. Messrs. W. Judd and J. Cassells, who journeyed to Tokomaru last Saturday, secured, without the aid of a dog, a dozen hares and some twenty-two quail.

Speaking last night of the proposal to form ii Eugenics Society in Wellington, Professor U. B. Kirk said: "Wo don't want a lnt of cranks in the society who would be trying to get extreme legislation all at. once, and it' we do have Mich members we wnnt thorn over-weighted by sensible people. The need for public education on (his subject is very great indeed, and such ii society might help In enlighten the public, to some extent by means of lectures, distribution of 'literature, and letters to the press, and in various oilier ways." These remarks worn made at the meeting of the Philosophical Society and were heartily endorsed by the president (Mr. (I. V. Hudson).* A meeting to form a Eugenic? Society will be. held in Xo. 1 committcc-room at the. Town Hall to-night.

Mr. E. Xewman, M.P. 'for Manawatu, addressed a very successful political meeting at Marfou en Tuesday night. lie dealt with (he legislation of tho last sessicn of Parliament, referring more especially to the defence and licencing questions. Mr. Xeivman will deliver his.next address on May 17 at Foxton.

The fire brigade received two calls shortly after W o'clock last night. The first was to 88 Seatoun Koad, an unoccupied six-roomed dwelling- One room in the house was badly damaged, and another suffered slightly. Messrs Wylic Bros, arc the agents for the, building. The second call was to 10 Newtown Avenue, a four-roomed dwelling, occupied by Mr. Claude Jupp. The. fire originated iii a rubbish-box, where some ashes had been deposited. The damage done was trifling.

According to the annual report of the Superintomlent of the Tire Brigade, the Merry weather motor hose-waqon, ol'_ Sα horse-power, with 55ft. eliding carriage escape, which was ordered last year, will be delivered next, month.

Councillor Geo. Frost has been fleeted chairman of the Outlying District* ComniitVo ill' the Cily Council, and Councillor A. R. Atkinson has been appointed chairman of the Legislation Committee.

A special meeting of the Blacksmiths' Union is to be hold next week to formally refer the dispute lietwcen the Union and the. employer* to the Council of Conciliation for settlement. 'As already reported, a private conference between the parties proved abortive.

Another new car will be added to the rolling-stock of the Tramway Department next week, thus bringing the total number of ears up to S2. Number S.I is ex-. pr-cted to, make its appearance within the next few weeks.

A start has )>eau made by the Tramway Department with the work of erecting a new waiting-shed at the eastern end of Kilbirnie Tunnel. The frame of the building is already up.

One effect of the new scheme of worker*' return tickets inaugurated by the Tramway Department is said to be a decided lightening of (lie load tin the cars at 5 o'clock, the freight being more evenly distributed.

The Xapier and Hastings branches of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters' and Joinei>' Industrial Union of Workers have filed demands which will be investigated by Mr. P. Ilally (Conciliation Cnminissionp!,), and a Conciliation Council at -Napier on .May 18. A -H-hours' week and Is. fld. an hour are asked for, and it is further stipulated, inter alia, that wages

shall be. paid weekly, within IS minutes alter the cessation of work.

The Politick Labour Council, wMcli met recently in Sydney, passed a resolution slernly demanding absolute sobriety on the part of every Parliamentary representative of Labour, and that it would

"refuse endorsement to any candidate whoso sobriety cannot bo relied upon."

A meeting of the flononil Committee of the Wellington Citizens' League was held on Tuesday, when all accounts in connection with the recent elections were passed for payment. Satisfaction was expressed at the results of t lie league's efforts, especially considering Ihe short time it had been formed. A sub-cc-mmil-tee was set up to prepare draft constitution and rulc>, which will be considered at a general meeting, lo be held shortly, when permanent officers and committees will be appointed. At that meeting several matters of importance tn the city will be brought forward for discission.

The Chinese who came over from Sydney by the Malieno on Sunday (says the "Herald") attracted much attention on the Queen -Strest Wharf. . There are in all 102 in the party—9l liH'h and eight women. They were to be seen on the Malieri?'* after-deck during the greater part of the day, but in the afternoon a ferry steamer carried them, with their baggage, to the Taluno, at the Hobson Street Wharf. They left for Tahiti by that vessel on Tuesday, where most of them will be employed on tho plantations.

A special conference of the Federation, of Tinsmiths is to bo held in Wellington on Friday next, when representatives will bo present from Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington. The object of the conference is to decide whether a Dominion award will be applied for.

Councillor Cameron has given notice l"W' e A' 11 r" ovo •, ilt , the ,lext mectini; ot the City Council that the motion passed on April 6 to the effect that the sections of laud at Adelaide Hoad aud (jibbDn Street be sold by public auctiou bo rescinded. " .

After protracted negotiations, a valuable timber concision lms been secured °y the longanro Timber Company from, the Aativc owners. The land, embracing an area ot upwards of 40,000 acres lies between the headwaters of tho AVanganui River and Lake Taupo. The terms lmd to be submitted and approved by the Nutive Land Commission (Sir Kobert Stout and .Mr. A. Ngata). The negotiations were conducted on behalf of the company by Mr. D. 11. Findlay, who has left for England, via San Francisco, with the object of raising capital to work the concession. 31 r. Skcrrcrt, ICC, acted on behalf of the Natives. The price to be paid by tho company for the timber varies from £7 10s. to £\b per acre, but the company will have no rights beyond that of user lo the land, which remains the property of the Natives. In order to develop the property, it is proposed to lay down a substantial line of railway, forty miles in length, having a .similar gauge to that on the Government lines—viz., 3ft. Bin. This railway will connect with the Main Trunk line. One terminus will be at ICikahi, (en miles south of Taumarumii, nnd the other terminus three miles foulh of Tαkaanu, near Lake Taupo. It is anticipated that a considerable nnsscngor nnd tourist traffic will be available for Mi is line in addition to tho timber.

The Wellington Philosophical Society opened its winter session at the Dominion Museum lh't night, Mr. ("J. V. Hudson. F.E.S., presiding. The attendance was above the average. After the president's address (reported elsewhere) a paper on "Some Elfocts of Imported Animals on Indigenous Vegetation," by Mr. 15. C. Aston, wns read by Mr.'A. Hamilton. Mr. J. 13. Gatonljy read'pome notes of his own observations on the nests, life, history, and habits of mi»as distinetns (tho trap-door spider). It was announced that a special meeting of the society will bo held at Victoria Collide on May IS, when Professor Laby will lecture on gyroscopic motion, and exhibit a working model of the Breunau mono-rail.

The New South Wales Attorney-General recently requested (he Inspector-General of Police to report on 111? picture shows of Sydney, and the nnhiro of their audiences, with special reference [a whether any of the pictures luwc an immoral or bad influence, and whether bushrangiiiß pictures, like penny-dreadful literature, incite the youthful mind ta crime. Tha report of Hie, Inspector-General of Police is to the effect that there are '■> shows in and around Sydney, and that from 10 lo CO per cent, of the audiences comprise youths, girls, and children. There is no objection to the pictures on the ground of impropriety, and many of (hem are educational, but the spectacle of a wife secretin" a man in the house, anil such like subjects, are not suitable for young children. The Inspector-General concurs with the divisional officers in regarding the bushransinor pic'/ures as undesirable. One of the divisional officers reports that while the bushrangers are depicted as "handsome, dashing, and generous young men." the police are "made to look and ant in a ridiculous and incompetent manner." Another officET notes a tendency of youths lo emulate thofo tawle-s (lords, and a third sce.=> the same influence workins out when "young children are tivbr. seen armed with toy pistols, fighting mimic battles."

Mere fires occurred between f> p.m. and midnight during last year than- during any other six hours of the ilay. The total between these hours was 88. There were 67 fires between noon and C p.m.. v> between midnight and G a.m., and 111 between G a.m. and noon. In all tt fires occurred on Fridays, 118 on Saturdays, :i" on Mondays 34 on Thursdays, 30 on Sundays, and 20 each on Tuesdays and Wednestlays.