THE HOSPITAL FURNITURE.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 110, 12 May 1881, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL FURNITURE.

» Some comment has been made en the fact that the trustees in furnishing the new Hospital have imported Borne articles which could have been made of equal quality, and quite as cheaply, in the colony as they could be obtained from Great Britain. As a matter of course all the medical supplies and surgical instruments had to be imported, and there were also a variety of appliances which, though they might b9 made in the colony, could be more perfectly supplied by importing them. But it is difficult to understand why a portion of tho furniture in wood should not hare been manufactured in Wellington. There was no need to import for

the Hospital— as we are informed has been done— articles such a3 chairs, tables, chests < of drawers, and some other varieties of j furniture made of wood. There are very < few countries in the world which possess 1 a greater variety of the finest timber for ' the manufacture of furniture than does n New Zealand. Not only are sonM-of those* -5 woods suitable for making plain, substantial, < and reasonably cheap furniture, but there | are other woods out of which the very" • highest class of articles could ig> made. ; It is highly important that so promising a ". branch of colonial industry as the manufac- ' ture of furniture from New Zealand woods should receivo the utmost measure of en* couragement both from the Government and public bodies. To promo c such an industry in the way indicated would encourage If ew Zealand makers of furniture to produce the best possible articles at a reasonable price, while it would also afford the means of additional employment to highly-skilled workmen. _^____^^_^___

Active steps are being taken to forward the preparation of measures to be submitted to the House during the coming session. The Licensing Act has been in type for some time, and the Charitable Aid Bill has now reached the same stage. Both are under* stood to be drafted on similar lines to thoße submitted to the House last year. "We understand that the Hon. the Premier will address his constituents at Leeston towards the end of this month (not " during tne coming month" as stated in a Press Association telegram from Chxistchurch). The exact date is not yet fixed. The speech will be looked forward to with great interest, as it ia expected to contain some important declarations as to the policy which the Government intend to pursue during the next session. A paragraph in the Rangitikei Advocate •f Tuesday last says that "it is stated on good authority that the Hon.- Mr. Oliver is' about to resign the portfolio of Public Works. The reason given is that he will now have to devote all his time to private business, in consequence of the drowning of Mr. J. O. Eva. Mr. Eva was a nephew of the Minister for Public Works, and occupied the post of manager to thj& Hardware Company." The Advocate further goes on- to nrge that Mr. Wakefield would be the fittest successor to Mr. Oliver: . We have not been able to learn, however, that there is any foundation for the statement as to Mr. Oliver's resignation. It is perfeotly true that he is a large shareholder in the company referred to (which now has the business formerly carried on by his late firm), and it is understood that his stay at Dunedin at the present time has been to a great extent owing to the necessity of attending to business connected with the company. We have reason to believe, however, that there is no other foundation than pure conjecture for the statement that the portfolio of Minister for Public Works is about to become vacant. There is to be a great feast at Parihaka on Monday, in honor of the returned prisoners. The charge-sheet at the R.M. Court to-day was a blank. A letter received by a gentleman in town from Mr. A. F. Haloombe states that a well-attended meeting in connection with the Wellington-Manawatu railway was held at Feilding on Saturday, when 450 shares were applied for in the room, 200 of whioh were applied for by the Emigrant and Colonists' Aid Association. It is expected that between 600 and 700 shares will be taken up in the district. Mr. Halcombe has ' taken a yefy active part in the Manawatu district in promoting the interests of the company, and the result of Saturday's meeting is very gratifying. So far a3 can' be . ascertained, abont 8000 shares have been allotted up to the present, so that only 200 remain to be applied for. to Becure the capital necessary to warrant the placing of shares in the London market. If passengers will continue to jump off the tram-sars while they are in motion, in spite of the repeated warnings that have been given against this most reprehensible practice, they must be prepared to abide the consequences Another accident occurred owing to this practice yesterday afternoon, opposite Alfred-street, Newtown, but, fortunately, it was unattended with serious injury to the person most concerned, Charles Wallman, a resident of the street just nauWd. The tram stopped at the corner of the Caledonian Hotel, a distance of about' 20 yards from Alfred-street^ Kdt Wallmsn remained on the platform till this street was reached, when he jumped off without giving any warning, and fell on his face. He sustained several nasty bruises on the face, but, as already hinted, none of a serious character. Captain Croll, who was well known in Wellington, died recently in China, while in command of the barque Rose M. Mrs. Croll- , and family were with himi , The late Captain Croll at different times had? command of the barques HevershaSa and- Malay) also, the* -brig-Neptune. They-wert aIP Wellington traders. The s.s. Wakatu, which arrived from Wanganui, brought ,down six prisoners — Miners, Omeke, Christie. Hargrejcv.es Soinmerfield, and Wright — who were, convicted and sentenced at the recent sitting of , the Supreme Court, and Calders and Wheeler, who were sentenced a few days ago for theunlawful possession of a still. * A horse bolted with its rider abont halfpast 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon along Dixon-street, down Herbert-street, and into Manners-street, where the rider — William Clout — was thrown to the ground. Beyond a violent shaking and a few scratches, however, Clout was uninjured. > Argument in Stnitii v. Johnston^ application for rule nisi for a new trial, was concluded in the Court of Appeal yesterday afternoon, and t^e 'Court took time to consider its judgment. The following tenders have been received by the City Council : — Formation • of portion of Herald-street and Russell Terrace—Accepted : George Pudney, .£lO9. Declined : M. P. Britt, .£llO 19s 6d ; C. O'Connor, .£ll2 10s; W. Baylis and Co., -6133 ; M. Bird, .£137. Laying 21-in. water mains along Featherston-street and Thorndon Quay— Accepted : M'Mahon and O'Neill, £3 2s per chain. Declined: J. and H. Farrell, .£3 2s ; W. F. Oates, .£3 6s lid ; F. Lenoury, .£3 10s : R. Lyon, £3 19s 6d; W. Mills and Co., JE3 l9s 8d ; A. Whiteford, .£4 j 2s 6d ; James Dealy, ££ 7s 4d ; Morrison and O'Connor, £4, 17s ;W. Baylis and Co., .£5 3s 6d. Laying 8-in. water mains along Charlotte and Molesworth streets — R. Lyon, £1 17s 6d per chain ; M"Mahon and O'Neill, £1 17s 6d ; F. Lenoury, £2 3s ; Morrison and O'Connor, £2 17s. "Pinafore" attraoted another fair house at the Theatre Royal kst night, and the performance passed off with its usual success. A duo was played on violins by Little Buttercup and Captain Corcoran, who were encored. This afternoon a performance was being given for the convenience of children and others. It will he noticed by the advertisement that to-morrow night closes the season. * - There is room for hope that our laws will indeed make the two races one, when the "noble savage" is found taking advantage of the most civilising of all enactments — that which affords the pecuniarly distressed an opportunity of becoming absolved through the Bankruptcy Court confessional from all their financial sins. On Tuesday last week a Maori at Wanganui convened a first meeting of his creditors, when proofs of debt amounting in the whole to iJ772 10s 9d were pnt in. How much more thiß gentleman may owe the good people of Wanganui is left to conjecture. The assets are somewhat curious. They consist of land, bringing a certain rental per annum ; a horse, mare, and foal, valued at £5 10s ; a cow and calf, ; a ohest of homoeopathic medicines, and (luxurious native !) an iron bedstead, furniture, and personal effects, estimated to b« worth 40a. The total of the assets is .£ll3. Mr. James Pearce, who acted as spokesman on the occasion of the recent presentation to Mr. Singer, of Pahautanui, writes to say that our correspondent was in error in statkg that regret was expressed by those making the presentation that so few heads of families signed the address. No such statement was made, and, as a fact, out of 91 signatures, 41 were those of heads of families. In justice to our correspondent, j we shonld say that his report was somewhat condensed in the office, and that the full i report would bear the construction that the j regret was felt rather than openly expressed, j At the conclusion of the drill practice of the Naval Brigade last night Captain Johnston inform the corps that he had received from Honorary Surgeon H. W. Diver a handsome silver cup, to be competed for by the first-class shots of the corp3. Mr. Seaver delivered last night, at the Odd Fellows' Hall, Upper Hutt, to a j crowded and appreciative audience, a, very interesting and instructive lecture on the " Chemistry of a Lucifer Match." The Rev. Mr. Nicholia occupied the chair. " Common Sense" writes complaining of overcharge on the part of the night soil contractors. He also alleges that the collector refuses to leave an account for revision, but insists on the account being paid when presented under threat of discontinuing services ; and adds, reasonably enough. " The practice of not leaving the bill opens the door to overchare ing, inasmuch as these collectors call for their accounts when the headß of families are mostly away at their business. On their return, they would only Bee the bill as receipted. They would then think it too late to protest against any excessive charge that might be made ; bnt if the bill was left, they would have an opportunity of revising an excessive change before the money was paid." As there are co many complaints about this contract, the City Council would do well to take some decisive action in reference thereto.

The Cattle Board met again to-day to receive the opinion of Messrs. Buckley, StafJord, and Fitzherbert relative to the removal of the twi> pigs (over which so much was said yesterday) from the hulk Woodlark. The report of the veterinary surgeon wa3 sent in, and he certified that the pigs were free from all infectious or contagious disease and were perfectly healthy -out the opinion of the solicitors was to the effect that the Board could not_ allow $h© anjnials to be landed, as ho certificate had Been sent out with them. The Board agreed that under the circumstance* the pigs" must remain, but thought it high time tie Act was amended in the direction of giving boards discretionary power in Buoh oases. Mr.- Moor, who was moving in the matter on behalf of the owner, eaid the expense the owner had been put to up to the present was much greater than the value of the pigs, and it seemed to him to be a hard case. The Board then adjourned. Special attention is directed to the Horticultural Society's advertisement, announcing that the annual meeting will ba held in Room No. 4, Athenaeum, this evening, at 8 o'clock. The question of whether the Society shall discontinue operations for the present will be discussed, so that it is important that as many as possible should attend. The Safe Retreat (1.0. G.T.) Juvenile Dramatic Club gave an entertainment last night in the Friendly Societies' Hall, Manners-street. The programme consisted of songs, recitations, and a negro face, all which were pleasingly carried out. The proceeds were to be in aid of tho funds of the Juvenile Temple. The promoters of the Excelsior Lodge met at the lodge-room last evening, to make preliminary arrangements for the opening, which is to take place on Wednesday next. They have decided to open, in connection with this lodge, a Pledge Society, where any person can take the pledge for one month or more, as desired by tho applicant. Thiß last arrangement was very successfully carried out in California some years ago, and was known as the Dashaway Society of teetotallers, and did a vast amount of good. Many persons, not feeling justified in taking a life-long pledge, would not hesitate doiner so for a definite time. There will be no charge made to anyone joining this new branch of teetotallers in Wellington. A most euecesßfnl concert was given in the Church-room at Karori last night, in aid of St. Mary's Church organ fund, the rocm being crowded. Mr. Sydney Wolf, R.A.M., acted as conductor A programme comprising more than a score of items, such as songs, duets (both vocal and instrumental), trios, recitations, and part songs, was gone through, several of which were encored. Those who took part in the concert, viz., the 'Misßes Roxburgh, Nicholson, Graham (2), M. Jackson, F. Marohant, Frankel (2), a»d Dyer, and Messrs. Palliser, J. Hill, C. Edwards, Jackßon, and J. M. Clark, acquitted themselves very creditably indeed. The Mulgrave Hotel, Dryertown, about nine miles from Master ton, has been taken ,by Mr. O. H. Osborne, who, while acting as guard on the Wellington-Masterton railway, wonmanyfriends by his civility and geniality. In anotLor column he announces his intention to provide a comfortable house for travellers and lodgers, and a covered express will-be kept in which to convey visitors to and from the hotel at the shortest notice. 'Mr. Osborne's numerous friends will doubtless wish him every success. A resident of Otaki writes to the Manawatu Herald complaining that some unprinoipled person has put in circulation among the Maoris base half-sovereigns, two of which the natives showed to Constable Mitchell, and wera found to be worthless. The writer says the coins "were afterwards weighed, and found to be of capital weight and g^ood colsr, but were minus the ring peculiar to the real half-sovereign. They also were open a little at tho edges, as if they had been stamped in two pieces and then put together." " Baby " performances are on the increase. To-night, a company of Juveniles, entitled ¦the " Baby Pompadour Minstrels," open for a season of three nights at Wanganui. The Herald says the troupe includes two Wellington youngsters, who recently appeared as Ralph Rackstraw and Dick Deadeye with Mr. Carey's Juvenile Pinafore Company. The 'Nelson Mail learns that the Maruia claim in the Lyell, which is held by only four shareholders, has been yielding its golden treasures very freely. At the cleaning up'at the end of last month it was found that 50 tons of stone had returned no less than 520 ounces of retorted gold. A curious robbery is reported from Melbourne. While a barrister was engaged in Court, one of the light-fingered gentry succeeded in taking the learned gentleman's bag, unobserved, and getting away with it. The thief took the bag to Mr. Michael, pawnbroker, and endeavored to raise money _pn it, contentsineluded. Mr. Michael makes it a practice never to lend money on briefs, even though the fees are marked on them, and, suspecting that the bag was not come by honestly, he went for a constable. The bag was returned to Mr. Quinlan just as he had informed the judge that he was "in a dilemma," as his briefs wore missing. Messr"s.- R. Holliday and Co., fancy goods importers, &c, of Lambton Quay, wish to direct special attention to a large number of goods just imported, including novelties in plush, artificial flower pots, fans, and so forth. - The sale of Mr. S. Jacobs' Athenjeum Bazaar stock, whioh commenced yesterday at Messrs. T. K. Macdonald's auction mart, attracted numerous bidders, and a large number of articles were disposed of, at prices regarded as " bargains." The sale is being continued to-day, and to-morrow the bidding will probably 'commence at lot 800 on the oatalogufe. Those about to marry, and all thrifty housekeepers, are often at a loss to know whioh is the best place in Wellington to purchase their household drapery. If one of tbe largest stocks in the city, imported direct from the manufacturers, a well-selected assortment and excellent value, ore important considerations, then James Smith, Te Abo House, Cuba-street, offers decided advantages.—Advt. Tbaj s Mask, Waltham, MAss.^-The Ameblian Watch Company, of Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.A., hereby give notice that their trade mark, "Waltham, Mass.," is now registered in the Australian Colonies of Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand. Proceedings will be taken against any copying or imitating same, or any vendors selling or offering for sale watches bearing colorable imitations or in any way infringing our righte. — American Watch Company, Waltham, Mass. — [Advt.]