LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1223, 4 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Victoria, with an Australian mail, arrived at Auckland from Sydney at 3 li.ni. yesterday. The English mail (via Suez),' which ordinarily arrives at Auckland 011 .1 Sunday, was brought by the Vancouver liner Makura 011 Friday last, and tho Wellington portion of the mail arrived here 011 Saturday afternoon.

"Powolka rumours" are numerous enough to have become a little tiresome, but one that floated around the town on Saturdav had an origin that is worth relating. The police authorities had advertised for a mess-waiter for the Lamb! on mess. Applicants, as instructed, presented themselves at I.Jimbton Station on Saturday morning at nine o'clock. Their number was a little astonishing and seems to indicate that a lot of potential mess-waiters aro out ol' work. Between thirty and forty men turned un to inquire about the iob. The assemblage of this little army so quickened public curiosity that before, lone a crowd of considerable dimensions had congregated around the station door. Its component parts, on being undeceived, quickly dispersed, disappointed of a sensation. But somehow and somewhere a Towelka rumour, based on the occurrence, had taken wing. It was freely stated that the escaped had been captured, and had l>ecn taken into the police station in the presence of a large crowd. Some of the accounts iTere so circumstantial that the name of the captor was mentioned. The pilico were so pestered with inquiries regarding the rumour during the day that in the "end tho habitual urbanity of "tho . force" became a little threadbare. A number of rcceptive citizens were still unaware of the truth of the matter at a late hour on Saturday night

At G. 25 a.m. yesterday the Fire Brigado received a call lo Main l?oad, Northland, where nil unoccupied dwelling was ablaze. The flames were extinguished after slight damage had been done to an old mattress and the wall paper in one of the rooms. It is surmised that some stranger had slept on the premises and thrown down a lighted match.

Mine. Molh.l, seated in tho manager's box at Her Majesty's, Sydney, oil Saturday evening (August.2G), was surprised by a unique demonstration, originating from the stage, in Irt honour. Mr. Leslie Holland, who plays Hon. Ifughie in "Our Miss Ciibbs," stepped forward at tho end of the performance, drew attention to her prr-Y'iiee, and called for cheers for _ the distinguished Australian. The audience promptly responded, rising in a body and cheering heartily. The company followed witli "She's A .Toll.v Good Fellow," ill which the house joined. Several heavy cases of machinery for Auckland arc included in the.steamer Himntaka's cargo from London, The machinery is for tho Auckland Electric Tramways Company's power-house in Hobson Street. Tlio heaviest e,ase weighs "7 tons, while several weigh from five to 15 tons. In order to discharge these heavy cases from tho vessel's hold special lifting gear is being fixed up, tho lift being accomplished by several huge double purchase blocks, a derrick and the vessel's winches. Tile, cases will be removed to the power-houc 011 a four-wheeled trolley for which about 20 horse.-, will be required. It' may be mentioned that tho special gear to be used in tho lifting of the nvacliiuery formerly belonged to 11.M.5. Powerful, and was used by that vessel in the discharge at Capo Town of the heavy naval guns wliich played an important' part ill tho relief of Ladysmith. Chatting after the last concert in Auckland (which concluded the Australasian tour) Mr. Sousa said that the band had been in Australasia since May; and now that it was leaving lie had perhaps had time to form some impression of this part of tho world, lie expressed great satisfaction with his New Zealand tour, though financially the Dominion had been unable to support the costly organisation of which lie was the head. It \\:as not to bo expected that it could. Towns sucli as the chief New Zealand centres, in America would have been played in for only two nights, whereas thoy were given seasons of a week each here. _ It had, moreover, been his experience in nil of them that the audiences were larger at tho latter part of tho seasons. He was well satisfied with the support the band had had, for after all the percentage of true inusic-lovcrs in a community was not large—a few per cent, at most, and that proportion bad treated him very kindly. The audiences were splendid listeners, blessed with a good sense of humour. Professor Mills, of Milwaukee, gavo a lecture on "The Slums and the Boulevards" at the Opera House last evening. The Hon. J. T. i'aul presided. Wellington is not alone in difficulty regarding warehouse workers' and unionism. On Saturday week last tlio l'erth (W.A.) Shop Assistants' Federation met to consider the citation of employers to the Arbitration Court. Tho warehousemen insisted that tho meeting should bo open to the press. Tho Trades Hall secretary (Mr. M'Allum) declined to speak if tlio reporters wcro present. The shop assistants' chairman refused to submit any motion 011 the subject. Tho warehousemen departed, and held their own meeting, and resolved with one dissentient that it was not desirable to bo brought within tho Arbitration Court jurisdiction, being satisfied with the conditions, as they got sick pay and privileges ill purchasing goods, and ■had 110 desire to bo bound down by a minimum wage, which would be virtually tho maximum. They objected also to secret meetings and hide-bound unionism.

Mr. Newton Jones, an evangelist from tlio London Suiiday Schools' Union, addressed a meeting at the Y.M.C.A. on Saturday evening. Ho dealt principally with (ho methods of work winch he advised should bo followed by Sunday school teachers, and in support of his contentions gave examples of his expcrienco in Great Britain. Mr. 'Jones also addressed a meeting at the 'Wesley Church yestef; day afternoon.

Mr. 'I'cd. Knlman, tlio comedian, who committed suicide in Melbourne a week ago, was known in New Zoaland, having toured with Rickards's and Fullers' companies. The • discovery of the man's death was brought about by his noilarrival at the Opera House (Melbourne) for his turn at the. Saturday Afternoon's matinee. Ivalman's hotel was called up on the telephone, and tlio liftman, finding the room looked, summoned the police, who forced tlio door open, to find Knlman dead on liis bed. There was evidence that he had drunk lysol and had cut his throat. Kalman, whose real name was Edwin Symons, was a native of Oxford, England. He,, was always rather reticent naturally, but liad lately beeu dopressed from some unknown cause.