LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1585, 31 October 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bookings by tho ferry steamers leaving Wellington for Lyttelton this week have been exceptionally heavy. It was estimated that close on 500 people left by the Maori lest evening, and all her available accommodation has been secured for Friday night's trip. The attraction, of course, is carnival week in Christchurch.

"Thcro is no summer or winter at Honolulu—we have the finest climate in tho world," said Dr. \V. T. Brigham to a Dominion reporter yesterday. "When anyono in Honolulu thinks of taking a trip, lie has to stop to consider whether it is summer or winter in tho place he contemplates visiting. Tho temperature seldom varies more than 20 degrees—from 03 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit—but still wo have our cold places. There aro mountains 14,000 feet in height covered in perpotunl snow. It is a long and arduous journey to them, and the natives do not like going, not only because it is cold, but Ik-ceuiso it is where they believe that their "akuas" (gods) dwell, for underneath a veneer of civilisation they still have a healthy regard for their ancient religion and superstitions, just as many of us believe it is unlucky to have thirteen at table."

The Hon. A. I/. Herdman stated yesterday in the House of Representatives that the Government will arrange to hold an inquiry into the aft'uirs of the Public Trust Offico as soon as tho session is over.

A petition from about a hundred residents of Hastings against tho Petano Beacli route of tho Napier-Gisborne railway, was pre=onted to tho House of Representatives yesterday. Petitioners nsk for an investigation of tho circumstances and advice under which this routo w3s cliosen. They assert that tliero has never been a thorough investigation of routes.

In a return recently issued by tho Australian Commonwealth Statistician, it is shown that tho population of the vnrious States at the end of June was 4,641,23!),.0r 41,387 in excess of that when tho iast figures were made availablo on March 31. During the qur.rter ended June 30 tliero wcro 31,123 births, and 12,877 deaths. Altogether 41.865 people arrived in tho Commonwealth during tho three months, 30,310 males and 14,555 females, while (lie departures numbered 21,224.

The activity shown in Sydney municipal circles regarding the enforcement of the by-laws has been followed by so many prosecutions that Aid. Lawrenco was recently constrained to ask tho Lord Mayor tho following question:—'"Seeing that at the present time there aro fully 100 citizens in tho city of Sydney who havo not been prosecuted under tho by-laws, will tho Lord Mayor seo that a now by-low is framed that will bring the remainder into the fold?" Everybody laughed, excepting tho Lord Mayor, who said ho was not good at conundrum^

Tho removal of about 4,000,000 sovereigns —the Federal notes gold reserve—from the old strong-room to tho new one, ju6t completed, necessitated the counting of tho Bold (says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph"), After this had been done the tables wero swept, and tho dust sent to tho Hint for treatment. It was found to contain 28s. lOd. worth o£ gold dust, tho not profit being 18s. dil.

Among the passengers to arrive in fiydney from tho New Hebrides by the Makumlw a few days ago, was tho Rev. J. (iillnn, of tho Presbyterian Mission, who has spent over 20 yeara on tho island of Malokiiln. Mr. Gillnn soys that the dual control of tho group is not at all satisfactory. Britishers observed tho law, but tho majority of tho French did not. Tho last-named continued to sell grog and firearms to tho natives, and till this traffic was stopped there would always bo trouble. I make protests pretty well ovorv month about this selling of grog," Mr Gillnn remarked, "but still it goes on." J. hero was some inter-tribal fighting when, ho left, and that was tv more deadly busi« n -°n v '' 10 na tives were armed with rifles than it was in. the days when their weapons consisted of clubs and arrows.

wl 10 , °.? . Joint House Committee i hat it is desirable that in tho coming recess better arrangements be made tor the accommodation in the Parliament Buildings of the representatives ot the press and Hansard staff during next session . . ."-was tabled in tho .Legislative Council yesterday bv tho chairman (tho Hon. J. E. Jonkinson), and agreed to practically without discussion. Some hundreds of names have been suggested to the Home Affairs Department as suitable for the Australian Federal Capital. Ono of them is "Fishervillo": another kookooburra," anothor "Deakinburg,' another "Maroomba," another Haratah, ' another "Partes." Sir George Keul, in a letter, expressed a preference jor Pficinca. It appeals to him "as the .least objectionable" of any that he can think of—musical, and appropriate Its appropriateness rests, he says, "upon vnr b , ro . a( l grounds.;' Ho does not wait to claim that it is an outwardly ideal name T, th ,?^ ca i )1 r ta , l, All 1 is," he a i J , never heard of a name which has fewer objections to it." The Minister says that ho intends to give members an early opportunity of considering what the name of the Capitil shMI

# The Court of Appeal was yesterday adjourned until 10.30 a.m. on November 27.

A suggestion by Mr. Malcolm, member lor Ciutha, that select committees of the Houso of Representatives should consist of four members instead of ten, so as to do away with overlapping and confnsion, is to be referred to the Standing Orders Committee early next session.

The uso of vehicles resembling city tramcars on suburban railway lines was the miners who lost their lives in the House .of Representatives yesterday, during the discussion on tho Government Railways Amendment Bill. Mr. Ell said that lie saw no rci.smi why a line liko that from Wellington to should not bo (jlcctnfwnl on tho overhead system. Cost of running would thus lie greatly reduced, and more frequent services could be provided.

Replying;, in the House of Representatives yesterday, to a question by Sir Arthur Guinness, tho Primo Minister said that inquiries were being made as to tho position of the widows and orphans of tho miners who lost thoir lives in the Mount Lyoll disaster; and, if necessary, a vote would be placed on the supplementary estimates ior the relief of these bereaved dependents.

A preliminary notice aa to the great scienco congress to bo held m Australia tho year after next has just been received in Sydney. That congress will bo the result of ail invitation by Federal Government to tho British Association for the Advancement of Scienoo to -hold its 1911 meeting out hero. .It is bo bo attended by some of tho greatest men in tho world—men whoso names aro quite familiar to us already, though wo may not know much olso about them: Sir William Crookes, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Ramsay, Professor E. A. Schaefer (whose paper oil tho origin of life has caused so. much talk, .lately, and who occupies tho Chair of Physiology at Edinburgh University), and Professor J. A. .Thomson (biologist, who wrote "The Evolution of Sex" and "Progress of Science" in tho "Nineteenth Century"). In Juuc, 1914, an advanco party, which is to spend a week in West Australia, leaves London, and m August it is to unite with another party which will have come straight tliroueh. This united party will be mot in Adelaide by those of tho visitors who have oome via America. They will all days in Adelaide, eovoh inMelbourne, seven in Sydney, and three or Kmr m Brisbane. A party will probably travel also via Sydney to Now Zealand, i. ,I'as are becoming slowly disinhnbated, wroto Nurso Beotham, in lior report on tho Nativo health work to tlis Mawera Hospital Board. "Instead of crowded pas, as formerly oxisted, we find them to-day thinly peopled. The Maoris themselves assort that within, a few years tho pas will be quite disinhabited. The people aro desirous of possessing their own kamgas and land, anxious to milk, and to work the land in the pakeha mant ""i! them are starting very well. The nurso added that many new kamgas had been erected, and that a number of people are now following tho pakeha modo of living.

Dr. Te Eangihiroa gave notico in tho House of Representatives yesterday to ask tho Native Minister: "Whether he is awnro that seven Maoris are now confined in the Lyttelton gaol-three of Ihom after spending about a month in tho gaol j,t tho Chatham. Islands-committed thereto bv an order of the Stipendiary Magistrate at tno Chatham Islands, in connection with a dispute over the ownership of certain Native lands at tho said islands; notwithstanding that an application in respect of the rights of the prisoners is now peiding 111 the Native Land Court, and that certain of the matters affected by tho decision of tho magistrate can only bo dealt with by tho Native Land Court; and whether he will arrange for tho release of these Maoris until tho matters in dispute are determined by the proper tribunal?"

There is every probability that some excellent pheasant shooting may be infill! m f"( Auckland province in the near tore (writes our correspondent). Mr. \\, H. Hazard (chairman of w 1!T tlon , S ? clotj,) statcd ho had ] nst returned from a visit to the Okoroiro hatchery, where ho had found that very good results wcro beinr obtained in pheasant breeding by the new curator (Mr. J Doteon). T le fcX ™ lading well and 300 eggs were at present being hatched. In all probability tho society would bo ablo to raiso from between 800 and 1000 birds during tho coming season, hever b?foro had pheasant- - raising been attempted on such a scale in New Zealand tf'hen theso birds were liberated there should bo somo excellent snooting obtainable in various parts of tho province. •

A DEMONSTRATION OP "TRIUMPH" POPULARITY. The "Triumph" motor-cyclo has demonstrated tinio and time again, here in Now lts possession of such hiek qualities as reliability, eoonomy in running, efficiency, capacity to stand hard wear, and ability to climb hills at high speed. /It has demonstrated these things in actual competition, under competitive conditions, and it has demonstrated them less publicly, but not less effectively, in cvery-day use at' the hands of thousands ot motor-cyclists. Ever sinco wo first introduced tho "Triumph" to the New Zealand market the machine has grown in popularity until to-day it is tno standard motor-cycle in the Dominion-rho machino by which all others aro judgod If additional demonstration is needed of tho popularity of tho "Triumph," wo may mention that wo havo entered into o. contract for the supply during tho nest twelve mouths of 500 "Triumph" motorcycles, tho maximum number available for shipment here. The total retail vahio of the order is .£40,000. Tho first shipment of 85 "Triumphs," arriving por tho s.s. lonic, under tho now oontract, hns a retail value of .£7OOO, and is tho biggest shipment of motor-cycles of ono mako ever sent to ono firm in Australasia. That is a demonstration of our faith in tho "Triumph" and our belief in its nlienomonal popularity. Wo can also show tho accepted contract to anvono interested. Tho new model 1912-13 "Triumphs" sell as follows:—Fixed engine, ,C"0; fveo ingine, .£80; thrco-spced, .£B7 10s. We have fixed and free engine models for immediate dolivery. Adams, Ltd., agents for "Triumph" motor-cycles and cycles, High Street, Christchurch. Branches at Palmerston North, Wanganui. Agents, Messrs. Sutherland and Rankine, Mercer Street, 'Wellington, and tho Tourist Motor Co. Hastings.—Advti