LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1209, 18 August 1911, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities advise that the s.s. Wimmora, which left Sydney at noon on August: 1(1 for Auckland,* has on board an Australian mail, also an English mail via Suez. 'I']]? Wellington portion is due lo arrive by Main Trunk express on Monday next, August 21.

His Excellency the Governor, Lord Islington, paid his first official visit to (he X.Z. Government training ship Amolcura yesterday morning, and' was honomedwil.il an artillery salute. His Excellency was received on board by Captain Hooper, R.N., and shown over the vessel. The Amolcura, boys, to the number iff sixty, wore paraded for inspection, and were also seen at work on various occupationsrifle drill, knotting and splicing, making tends and hitches, and signalling. An interesting competition was also carried out in the laying-out ami weighing of the hedge anchor. Tho boys were afterwards addressed by His Excellency.

The uso of wireless telegraphy is becoming more common every day, and as usual tho operator on board TC.M.S. Maitai was in constant touch with .ships ami stations on the way down from San Eranciseo to Wellington. Oil the eve of the vessel's arrival at Wellington, Suva was heard very plainly. In fact, so gcod was tho note that it was difficult for the operator to hear Wellington. Mr. 0. E. Schombel, who relieved Mr. A. 1). Gabriel at 'Erisco, states that, in his opinion, the Wellington station is in a bad position, owing to its being "shut in." This slate of affairs will, however, be rectified when the new station ou the hills is established.

"A curious story of the survival of Spanish tradition in the island of Ysabi'H 1 ' said Professor Macmillan Biown to a Sydney interviewer, "which was discovered by the Spanish Mendana in IoG7, was told mo by Captain Svoiison, a planter. Ho was looking lor some more Jand in Ysatet, in company .with a native. AVlien they got to tho placc tho native told him ho ought not to buy that land bccauso white men had been killed there. Captain Svenson said: 'I know of no white man having ever been killed here.' Tho native replied, 'Oh, it.was long ago. Two ships came with white men. I'hey built another ship, and then sailed off to ICesua. Two white men were left behind (probably deserters). The chief, ho comes with his spears and kills them.' Now, it is a fact that Mendana did bring there two ships, and built aitother, with which ho visited the other islands."

A few Austrian chairs ami a few rolls of roofing material arc till that remain in "U" store to indicate that Wellington lias had an Industrial Exhibition this winter. A little more than a week ago the big store was stacked with timber, which had been used as fittings—yesterday it had all been cleared away—sold at very fair prices. It is understood that the material so disposed of has realised about ,£:i(IO. Two hundred Austrian chairs were sold to »the Foxton Borough Council.

During the sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Invercai'gill the other morning (slates a contemporary), two solicitors not engaged in the case being heard were conversing audibly. His Worship (Mr. G. Cruickshank, S.M.), addressing tho two, said: "You gentlemen don't object to my sitting here, do you; it doesn't disturb your conversation, doss it?" Needless to say, there was 110 further demand for silence, as far as the two solicitors addressed were concerned.

Reporting to tho Abattoirs Committee of tho City Council yesterday, tho manager of the municipal abattoirs stated that during the month of July ISO cows, 512 bullocks, 20 bulls, ■1535 sheep, 107 lambs, 10 pigs, and .33 calves had been slaughtered, and of this number 2G cows, U bullocks, 5 bulls, and 29 sheep were condemned as unfit for human consumption. Tho total amount paid in fees was .£lsl lis. Id., less than tho .Tumi receipts by .ffi Is. Sd. Tho receipts from tho sale of'offal totalled JSIIG 17s. 2d., a decrcuso of .£2 9s. 7d. on tho returns for tho previous month. The meat generally was of prime cjuallty, with the exception of 133 cattle which had been slaughtered for boning purposes.

Tenders will be called, probably within a month, for the erection at Kotorua of a new isolation hospital, a cottngo hospital, and a nurses' home. The buildings will bo erected by the Department of Public Health, and handed over to the Waikato Hospital Board.

Some light was thrown on the dairy industry by Mr. Okey, a Taranaki member, in Parliament yesterday. Ho stated that the gross return from each cow averaged about .CIO a year. Of this amount, about £7 would bo absorbed in expenses of production, leaving a sum of £-1! per cow to the farmer as profit, and to reimburse him for the risks incidental to his pursuit.

The narrow escape of the Makuri Hotel from being "wiped out" by the ieadjustment of electoral boundaries is bring commented upon in this district (states (ho "Wairarapa Daily 'Jimes ). The Mnsterion-Puhial.ua boundary travels along in a straight line until near Malawi, when it makes a sudden beiul southwards, presently continuing again in (lie old direction. Makuri happens to be situated snugly in the little elbow thus formed, and the elbow comprises Pahiatua (license), territory.

At a largelv-iitlended meeting of amateur photographers held at Mawson's, Cuba Street, last night, an Amateur Photographic Society was formed, rules adopted, and officers elected. The Hon. G. Fowlds was elected patron of the society.

\ partnership has been entered into between Mr. A. Uutder, of Wellington, and Messrs. MacMahon for Hie purpose of conducting a continuous picture entertainment in Auckland. The proprielove; have secured a long lease of the promises known as '.Vinstone's Buildings, Queen Street. The contractors, Messrs. 11. h'dwards, of Wellington, arc now :iciiveTTvengaged in making tho necessary improvements ami alterations in tho buildings, which the management claim will bis oiie of the lines! and most: up-to-date moving picture playhouses in Australasia-

A proclamation was published in the Gazelle last evening in regard to tl;o talcing, under Iho Public Works Act, of land adjoining tho .Ministerial residence ill iMoloswoitli Street, for purposes of addi- ' lions to the residence. A passenger by tho Maitai ycslerdny was Mr. .1. J/. Young, of the tirm of Messrs. Henderson and Maefarlam', of Auckland, f who lias been acling-lii-iti-di OaiMtl at > l'apeele. Jlr. Young lias trade interests ] ul Taliili. Ho says that; llie island, in ' common with oilier of Ihe Pacific Islands 1 in llio vicinity, U making good progress, its imparls and exporls last year (instil lit ing a'record. The French Govcrnnienl, in view; of the approaching completion of the Panama Carol, is greatly imprnving the harbour. Mr. Young said that nothing was known in Tahiti, when lie left, of th". rumoured.' designs of Germany upon the island. The Government has accepted tho tender of 'John Piirns and Co., LUI.. lor the supply of raw and bailed linseed oil to the Railway Department. The prices are:—lioilcd, .'ls. BJd. psr gallon; raw, !is. T\(l. per gallon. Additional rules anil regulations under the Law Practitioners Act. relating to the admission lo practice in New Zealand of barristers and solicitors from portions of the Empire outside of the Dominion, a.re ga'/.etted this week. The appointment, as honorary surgeons to his Excellency tho Governor, of Sur-gean-General Skernian, of Moutoa, and Colonel J. If. Purdy, of tho Lower lint!, At last night's meeting of the Onslow Borough Council a communication was received asking if tho council would take any action respecting the subscriptions which were being invited for the Taylor Memorial Fund. Councillor Stafford said that lie thought it was sickening to see all the "slol.iier" that was_ being mado now concerning the late Mr. Taylor. When Mr. Taylor had been alive (hero were many who said hard things against_ him, and the present movement was ridiculous. The Mayor (Mr. Prank Holdsworth) said that the matter was being overdone, and lie was tired of it The communication was received. A mooting of the supporters of Mr. P. G, Bolton, who is a candidate for tho Wellington East seat at the next general elections, was held in t.lio Clyde Court Private Hotel last evening. Thero was an attendance of about GO or 70, and when Mr. Bolton rose to speak he was given an enthusiastic reception. He outlined his platform, and at tho conclusion' of tho address various sub-commit-tees wcro formed.