LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1531, 29 August 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Khartum is a city that has made wonderful strides," said Dr. P. Mackin, who visiW the place recently. A new palacestands on the silo of tho one in which General Gordon was supposed to have been murdered: There is, too, the fin? Gordon College, a goodly monument to n. brave man, and a week after I left a new Cathedral was to have been consecrated. Khartum, with a papulation of about tho pame as Wellington, is a placo of consequenco in the Sudan." Tho Minister for Defence (the Hon. .Fame.;; Allen) does not despise the suggestion of the lafe Minister for Defence (Mr. A. M. Myers) that a New Zealand regimental band might be sent Homo to advertise, the Dominion. In reply to Mr. Myers's iiuestiou, he stated "yesterday: "The suggestion is one worthy of consideration. Definite action in the matter, however, might with advantage wait until some great c.xcnt of Imperial concern, in which tho band conkl tako a part, is in progress in Great Britain." The Postmaster-General announces that from January ], 1913, printed matler prepaid postage of Id., bsarin; a request for its return to the senders, will be returned and postage charged of- id.; but if it bears no such request and is of no intrinsic value it will bo destroyed. Refcrriuff yesterday to grand juries, the Hon. Captain Tucker, M.L.C., remarked that in his opinion grand juries of 21 are- infinitely two large. If there must bo grand juries, surely lialf a dozen would he as efficacious as 24, aud this would certainly save a considerable amount of valuable time. A division on the Legislative Council Elections Bill will probably be taken this afternoon. The Hon. H. D. Bell intimated yesterday that he would not speak to the amendment proposed by Mr. Rigg, but would reply generally at the close'of the debate. Cabinet has not yet decided to go on with tho construction of Parliament Buildings in accordance with the scheme embarked upon bv the Mackenzie Government. Meanwhile all work on tho foundations has been stopped. The men on the works have been much minced in number, but there arc still a number employed putting tho grounds into their new shape, and widening Bowen Street. According to the Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister tor Public Health), the Department is doin<j its \:e<t ta provide district nurses for the back-blocks, and efforts made by the settlers in this direction are being met, especially where settlers show their desire to obtain a district nurse in a practical v;ay by guaranteeing a certain 6\im towards her salary. . The Postal Department has not yet been ablo to secure a suitable site for a post office at Island Bay at a reasonable price. "In any case," said the Postmaster-Gen-eral (the Hon. 1C 11. Rhodes) in Parliament yesterday afternoon, it is very doubtful what would be the best position for a post office. Tho matter will not be lost sight of." ■ "Tho Government has 'been advised," said the Prime Minister iu the House of Representatives yesterday, "that tho thirdclass berthing accommodation for farm labourers upon tho vessels trading from the United Kingdom to New Zealand has been/secured for tho next, few months in advance. The new High Commissioner has been requested to inquire into tho matter upon his arrival in London and advise the Government in regard to tho position." "The natives were dying at flie rate of from 400 to 500 a day when I was in Hyderabad," said Dr. P. Mackin, who returned from a world's tour yesterday. "Plague had broken out threw months previously, and the two or three cases from which the trouble arose were correctly diagnosed, and the patients were isolated in a sort of compound, much against their will. The action of the medical man was resented so much by-tho natives that they broke into the compound and liberated the patients, and that without let or hindrance from tho Nizam of Hyderabad. . As the result of their stupid action the plague spread rapidly, until hundreds wero dying every day. It was an illustration to mo how little real power, the British authorities have over the natives in matters of domestic control." The Miraniar Borough Council held a meeting in the office of the borough clerk (Mr. J. D. Avery) last evening, to further discuss the matter of placing before the ratepayers the proposal to take over the steamers Duchess and Cobar from the Wellington Kteam Ferry Company. Tho terms on which the ferry boats are pronosed to bo acquired, and details as to the loan proposals will be announced early next week. ■ • ■ Among all the demands made by the Sydney bakers' .employees, tho one which will stagger the world most is the request that the delivery of hot-cross buns on Good Friday shall come to an end. This is a revolutionary attack-on existing institutions, and threatens to subvert our racial structure in a more disastrous fashion than any mere assault on capital or vested interests. The hot-cross bun on Good Friday, like tho plum-pudding on Christinas Day, and the roast.goose at Michaelmas, is one of tho foundations of the greatness of the British race, and a link of Empire which it will be most dangerous to sever. A bun is nothing in itself; but when scored, this wny and that across the top before it is baked it becomes a main wheel in our social and economic machinery, and to destroy it means throwing tho y;holo apparatus out of gear. The great conservative public, which loves things which are established, would rather pay 'higher prices for bread or accept stole loaves every morning of the year than do without the. branded bun on that pjie morning. The ' only crime nioru serious than abolishing the Good Friday bun would be to do away with the indigestible Christmas pudding. Add the second crime to the first, anr! the whole populace will probably arise with a eun in its hand and settle for ever Hip revolutionary Eection among the bakers. -"Sun." AN ENGINEER'S APPRECIATION OF TEE "E.M.F." Amongst the purchasers of the E.M.F. Car, and its smaller sister, the Flanders, have been a number of enginoers. The E.M.F. and Flanders please tho average motorist by their reliability, their spesd and power, and their economy in running. The engineer who owus one ot these, cars gets an added pleasure out of high mechanical efficiency, the simplicity and strength of construction, and tho evidence of consummate skill which permeates every detail of E.M.r 1 . cars. Here is a sample letter of appreciation from an engineer who owns one of these cars. The writer is My. Job Osbornr, of llo.vlvston, of the power well-sinkiug plant. He \vrit«s:—"The E.M.F. car 1 bought from vou has now registered 50(10. mile-. It Ims giv-en me every satisfaction.. 1 have hud the cur five months, doing iflOO mile., per month. I think it is the be.*t car for the money that can bo bought. It is Hpht and strong, and inexpensive on tyres and tubes." It is not nnces-ary for u.« to say more. Tho owners of the E.M.F. and Flanders nre their best advertisers. The five-seater 30 h.p. E.M.F. sells at £'l'o, ami the four-feater 20 h.p. Flanders sells at J.''29r>. and the two-seater 2fl h.p. Flanders at .1:275. Every car is equipped complete "with hood, wind shield, and five lamps, included in the above prices. In stock at Adams. Ltd., Chriftclmrch. Timaru. Wniignnui, Palromtop North; nlim Toui-isl Motor Co., Hwlinirs, Ct, T. M'ilwii. 'tuipjnal Motor Garjifi. Auckland.—Advt. . ;

A returned .Auckland visitor to Queensland expresses his amazement at the backward military condition of Brisbane, with :i population of over 110,0110 anil nn almost tropical heat in summer. The city is still without a drainage system. The present position is Hint the undertakiiiß would now require to be carried out on Mich a big scale, considering tho requirements of the large population, that no move is being made in tho desired direction. The recent visitor snv.s that Brisbane, could be mado a beautiful city, but he has no hesitation i:i saying it is without a parallel in the Commonwealth' a.s regards total disregard of. sanitation and its proverbially dirty streets. "If over nn epidemic breaks out," he «iys, "it will claim a. terrible toll in liiinnm life." The following Saturday afternoons halfiliiy compulsory parades have been fixed for Senior Cadet companies in Area No. 18 (Wellington Group),:—No. 17 Company (Boys' Juntitute Cadets), No. 27 Company (Scout Cadets). September 28, October 13 and 2S, and (1013), February 1, II arch 7, April 5. No. 22 Company (St. Vincent Cadets), and No. 30 Company (Technical School), September 21, Oetolwr 5, November 2, and (19U) March 15, liny 3. No. 1)1 Company (Y.M.C.A.), mid No. 35 Company (Mount Victoria), October in, Novem'lKT 0, December 7, and (1913), February S, April 12. \t a reported cost of between £55,000 and iICO.OOO the Bank of New Zealand lias purchased a block of buildings on the corner of George and Wynynrd Streets, in the heart of the city of Sydney.- Visitors wil. know the building when it is staled that the corner office is occupied by tho Ntw Zealand Tourist Department's bureau. J. he site is handy k> Circular Quay, the Union Company's'wharf, and the- General Post Office. The building, which is seven stones, high, has a frontage of 50 feet to George Street and one of 100 feet to Wynyaril Street. Mr. J. W. MacdouaM, solicitor to the Public Trust Office, continued his series of lectures on the duties of trustees under wills in the Chamber of Commerce last ovening. A deputation of the East Coast Kailway League waited on the Hon. W. Frascr. Minister for Public Works, yesterday to ask that a trial survey be mado of the routs for the suggested loop-line from Waipukurau to Mastertou, instead of the Enst Const route. The Minister listened .-to the statements of tho speakers regarding the potentialities of tho district, its isolation, and the rcsultnnt hard lot of tho back-blocks dweller. Mr. Fraser promised to visit the district during the recess and ho assured the settlers of his sympathy, but lie could make no nromiss that the work would be done until he was certain of tho amount of funds to be available. For upwards of an hour yesterday the House of Representatives had to listen to a disputation among Christchnrch members about two petitions arising out of a Magistrate's Court prosecution in their city concerning the custod<- of an adopted child. One set of parties live in Mr. Encsejl's electorate, and ho was at variance with Mr. Laurenson and Mr. Isitt, who supported the other set of parties, the Society for the ■ Protection of Women and Children. In the end tho two petitions wero referred to the same committee. During tlw course of a deputation to tho Prime Minister yesterday Mr. Campbell, M.l\, said that the small grazing ruiiholders had Ikcu asking if there was any prospect of their getting tho freehold of their selection?. Mr. Massey, in reply, said that the position was a most complicated one. He had referred it to the Crown Law Office and it was btill Ireforo them. Impressions of Sydney Harbour works and the progress ot the port, were given by Mr. M. Cohen at last night's meeting of tho Wellington • Harbour Board. Mr. Cohen, who recently made a trip to Australia, took letters from the board to the Sydney Harbour Trust. Ho spoko in appreciative terms of the courtesy that had been shown him by members of that body, and by its officers. A reference to the principal works in operation and contemplation was mado by tho returned visitor, who commented on the absence of cranes in Sydney. ' He explained that tho Sydney Harbour Trust was not hampered in its borrowing; and had not the financial worry of tho Wellington Board. Members of the trust recognised that Sydney was destined to be ono of (he greatest ports, if not tho greatest port, in tlio Southern Hemisphere, and where important necessary improvements wero concerned, they stopped at. nothing to carry them out. Mr. Cohen, however, had come back satisfied that, for comfort am! convenience, the wharves in use in Wellington could not'be surpassed in the Australian colonies. Ho was convinced that in its own way, the Wellington Harbour Board was doing well. On the motion of the chairman (Mr. R. Fletcher) it was decided to place on record the board's appreciation of the kindness and courtesy shown to Mr. Cohen by the Sydney Harbour Trust, and to forward a copy of tho resolution to that body.