LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 101, 26 October 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦ • In Manchuria the opposing armies are still engaged in preparation for the next pitched battle, which cannot be long delayed. If Port Arthur is near its fall Oyama may be expected to avoid the offensive, and Kuropatkin to force the fighting. Meanwhile reinforcements are being hurried to the front on both sides. This week it has been announced that the Russian First Army Cs:ps, which at full strength would number 80,000 men, ha 4 arrived at JVlukden, and now we hear of Oko receiving large reinforcements, want of fuel, reported today as "proving a serious drawback, will be keenly felt by tne soldiery, but the Japanese, being in possession of the Yentai coal mines, will have the advantage in the matter of fuel. There are only three working coal mines in Manchuria, and two of these are now in possession of the Japanese. We may look for further hard fighting for possession of Yeniai. Precise statements by the Japanese Generals of the number of Russians buried by the victors after the Battle of Shaho, leave no doubt as to the side on which victory inclined. There is no word of Port Arthur to-day. Both the Houses yesterday passed resolutions regarding the attack on British fishing boats by the Baltic fleet, the debate on the subject in the House being particularly interesting. In the Legislative Council the Licensing Bill was put through final stages. The Public Officers' Appointment and Powers Bill was read a second time, and put through final stages, as where also the Payment of Members and New Zealand Loans Bills. In the House the 'Land and Income Tax Bill was put through all stages, the Loan Bill was introduced, and the Referendum Bill was further considered in Committee. Reference was made in the annual report of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, presented at the annual meeting last evening, to the system of holding Children's Courts in private, so that the cases of neglected or criminal children may be dealt with apart from the ordinary /Criminal Court associations. The system obtains in South Australia. At last night's meeting, Messrs. A. R. Atkinson and J. W. Joynt approved the system./ Mr. Atkinson instanced cases of mere,mites being asked in Court to plead guilty or not guilty to the offence of being neglected. Mr. Joynt believed the system was working satisfactorily in America. Tests are about to be made by the City Engineer with wood-blocking on the western side of Lambton-quay between' Messrs. Stewart Dawson's coiner and the Exchange Hall. It is proposed, in order to judge the durability of various woods, to lay down small sections in tallowwood, blackbut, box, and blue-gum on the same principle as is being followed with the jarrah blocking. The area chosen for the test is one, of the busiest in the city, so that the' blocking will have to stand the effects of heavy traffic. Tallow-wood and blackbut are already extensively used for wood-blocking in Australian cities. , A party of five Masterton residents cycled down to Palliser Bay on Saturday last to view the stranded barquentino Addenda. The rigging of the vessel is in a dilapidated condition, and the sails have been blown away, but otherwise she appeared to be in good condition. TBree members of the crew have been left in charge, and they are camped 1 on the shore. They are reported to have complained that the New Zealand coast is badly lighted, and considered there should be < life-staving stations on the coast, such as are in vogue in America. A meeting of the Karori Borough Council held last evening was presided over by the Mayor, Mr. A. C. Pearce, and attended .by all the Councillors. Negotiations wero recently entered into with Mr. A. Hamilton for the purchase of a strip of land 16ft wide and about 4 chains long, for street-widening purposes in Friend-street. The Council offered £50 for the land, but Mr. Hamilton in a letter presented to the meeting refused the offer. A Councillor thereupon save notice to move that the street be exempt from the operations of the Public Works Act. If the motion is passed it will have the effect of allowing the street to remain 33ft wide. Mr. H. C. Cutler wrote with reference to the formation of the roading at Donald-street. The matter was referred to the Works Committee. Mr. Geo. Gapes complained that the Orangi-kaupapa-road had been undermined whilst new road-making operations were being carried out. It was decided to close the track until the new road is finished, and to erect an electric light in the locality. At Government House last evening, a number of raffles in connection with the Veterans' Home Fete were drawn. The results are as follows : — Sewing-machine, Mf. Chandler; ton of coal, Mr. Wooliman; biscuit barrel,^Mrs. Hislop; mirror, Mr. A. Turnbull; hats, Mesdames Grant, Home, Sheet, Hislop, Jones, Brice, Gilmer, Good, Collins, Misses A. Brandon, Jarvis, Hislop, M'Millan, Partridge, M'Coll, Goring-Johnston, Messrs. Smith, Andrew, G. Haines, R. H. Rhodes, Short, A. G. Williams, Corporal Juriss (2), Sergeant Ainsworth, Sergeant Barwell, Captain Hughes, Misses G. Johnston and Ryarlson. Owing to the small number of tickets sold in canncction with the raffles for stag's head, silver lamp, etc., these articles are to be held over until the next Veterans' Home Bazaar is held. The winners of prizes and those in undrawn raffles desiring to have their money returned are requested to apply at Government House. Messrs. H. Beauchamp, C. T. Browne, and A. A. Barnett were the presiding Justices at the Magistrate's Court this morning. Two firet-offendere for drunkenness were fined ss, or twelve hours' imprisonment, and Joseph M'Conkey, who had previous convictions, was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. Frederick Arnold, an old offender, for a similar offence was sent to gaol for one month without the option .of a fine. A]ex. Fredericksen, 'for assaulting J. M'Conkey, pleaded guilty, and was fined. 20s, and costs Bs, or seven days' imprisonment. A fine of 10s was inflicted on George Phillips for leaving a vehicle unattended in Manners-street. Robert Caldwell and Adolph Wilkinson were fined ss, and co&ts, for allowing'cattle to wander on the Karori roads. A fine of Is, with 7s costs, was entered against Patrick Gleeson for allowing a horse to wander on a public road. The new models in summer shoes for | women are elegant and artistic productions, and a complete assortment of all the worthy sorts are now on sale in the shoe section of Kirkcaldie and Stains (Limited).— Advt..

Information has been received by Mr. Taylor* from Christchurch that the Sed-don-Taylor libel action has been put back till February next. On fine days something like 150 men were employed by the Corporation on street-improvement works in the Melrose Ward of the city. The bad weather experienced this spring is hampering the progress of the works. Tablets are being placed in the Napier Cathedral in memory of the officers and men from Hawkes Bay who died on active service in South Africa. "I beg to point out to you" — was the refined and polite manner in which a Justice of the Peace addressed a man who had pleaded guilty at me Magistrate's Court this morning of assault. The Premier announced yesterday 1 that when the Bill separating the Valuation and Taxation Departments was through both Houses he would be in a position to announce what appointments had been made. Argument on the stamp duty case relating to transfer of property by Mr.* J. N. Williams and the Yen. Archdeacon Williams, of Hawkes Bay, to their sons, was concluded in the Court of Appeal yesterday afternoon. Judgment was reserved. The means qf communication between the city and Karori is to be considered at a special meeting of the Karori Borough Council on Friday night, when the Mayor, Mr. A. C. Pearce, intends to move in the direction of having the tramway scheme, as at present installed in the city, introduced into the borough. The medals won by the Petone Football Club team in the tug-of-war at the Garrison Band and Football Bazaar were presented to the winners at St. Peter's Schoolroom last night. The art union was also drawn. The auction sale of goods left over from -the bazaar ' was postponed until a future occasion. The male choir, which is to sing two of Mr. Maughan Bamett's compositions at the opening of the Town Hall, promises to be a great success. Already Mr. Barnett has received between seventy and eighty applications from vocalists desiring to become members of the choir. There are still vacancies for several good tenor and baritone voices. Mr. E. Riddler, who has been temporarily carrying out the duties of secretary and treasurer to the Petone Navals 1 Ex-member*' Association, has been appointed permanently to that pdsition, and has been accorded a special vote of thanks for his past Services. A new committee has been elected, consisting of, Messrs. G. Pettett, J. Hamilton, A. Webley, J. Abrahall, and W. Hagan. A trial was made of the new exits at the Opera House on Saturday night, at the conclusion of the performance of 'The Rose of the Riviera." The occasion was a good one, as the house was crowded in every part. From the lowering of the curtain until the last person had left the' building two minutes only elapsed. No previous notification had been made, and it is, considered that when the public become familiarised with the new exits, which- are vied every night, the time taken on Saturday will be shortened. The public are invited to attend a meeting to be held under the auspices of the State Schools Defence League in the Druids' Hall, Taranaki-street, on Friday, 28th October, at 8 p.m. Mr. John Hutcheson will be in the chair, and a resolution will be submitted protesting against the question of religious instruction in the State Schools being submitted to a referendum. Amongst the speakers will bs Dr. Findlay, Hon. T. W. Hislop, Messrs. J. Robertson, D. M'Laren, and John Crewee. The Presbyterian General Assembly of New Zealand will hold its sittings in Wellington next month. The session will be opened "in St. John's Church on Tuesday, Bth November, and is expected to occupy about ten days. If the retiring Moderator (the Rev. Dr. Watt, of Dunedin) is unable to bo present the Rev. James Paterson will preside at the opening meeting. The new Moderator is the" Rev. Dr. Erwin, of Christchurch. One of the important questions to be. discussed will be that of union with other churches. On Thursday evening, 10th November, a demonstration will be held in aid of Home Missions. On the following afternoon the members of the Assembly will be entertained at tea, and in the evening a public meeting will be held in connection with Foreign Missions. A picnic is to be held at Mr. John Duthie's grounds at the Hutt, and in the evening there will be an organ recital by Mr. Barnett in St. John's Church. The late Bro. Mark, who for eighteen years was in charge of the local Marht Brothels' School, and who recently died in Auckland, was held »n high regard by all who had been under his charge. That his memory should be perpetuated in some manner by his old pupils was suggested by the Catholic Young Men's Club, and last night a meeting was held' in St. Patrick's Hall to further the idea. Various schemes for a memorial were discussed, including a window in St. Mary of the Angel's Church and a tablet in the Brother's School, and a scholarship or annual prize for competition amongst the scholars of the school. It was finally decided that preference should be given to the scholarship scheme, and a committee was set up to make enquiries amongst old boys throughout the colony as to the support .likely to be given. The sum of £17 17s was subscribed in the room. The Bishop of Wellington administered the rite of confirmation to forty-three candidates at a special service held in Wadestown Church last night. This was the first time a confirmation had been held since the parochial district was constituted, and the event created much interest, a large number of people being present, despite the stormy weather. Contrary to the usual experience, the number of male candidates exceeded the female, there being twenty-four of the former to nineteen of the latter. Eighteen of the candidates Were from Northland. In an earnest and impressive address, his Lordship, taking for his text Ephesians vi., 48, exhorted those admitted to church membership to lead an active and strenuous Christian life, fortifying themselves by prayer. The Rev. T. H. Sprott, Vicar of St. Paul's, and the Rev. T. G. Kay, Vicar of Wadestown and Northland, assisted the Bishop. An appeal from a decision of the Commissioner of Stamps under section 55 of the Stamp Act 1882 w,as heard in the Appeal Court yesterday afternoon. The question concerned the stamp duty payable on a deed of conveyance and memorandum of transfer from Letham Wallace -Mackersey and another to William John Douglas and another. The case was removed into the Court of Appeal on the motion of the appellant. The point involved was whether the sale of freehold station property at a fixed price and of the stock thereon at valuation was chargeable with conveyance of sale, duty on the purchase money not only of the land but also of the stock when ascertained. Dr. Findlay, who had with him Mr. Humphreys, of Napier, appeared for the appellants, and Messrs. Skerrett and Myers for the Commissioner of Stamps. After argument had been heard the Court .esorved judgment until this? morning. A duly qualified chfmist is kept by the Fresh Food and Ice Co. for testing the milk as it arrives from the farms. — Advt.

Although only a part of the electrio tramway service is working at present, the revenue returns have been sufficiently substantial to lead to expectations of complete financial success of the service when in full going order. The returns are understood to be averaging something over £100 per day, which, the Mayor says, is quite up to expectations, and lie is satisfied that when the 'whole system is at work the takings will be sufficient, to at least pay working expenses, maintenance charges, and interest on cost of construction. With regard to the delay in the opening of the Thorndon section, regarding which there are loud complaints, the cause, as already stated, it the delay in the arrival of a couple of long poles required for raising the eleo trie light wires. The poles are in Sydney, and are to be snipped by next Saturday's boat. As soon as they arrive thu company has undertaken to have them, erected with all possible speed. Peopk. are also asking when the Cuba-street sec | tion is to be opened. It is understood that the overhead work is alfio the cause of the delay here. It looks as if— at tho present rate of progress which is being made with the overhead work— it wHI bo many months before the whole system w working. A public meeting was held in tho Makara Hall on Monday evening last, the hall being well filled^ with a representative gathering. The Rev. Mr. Handsell occupied the chair, and introduced Mr. N. Turner, who spoke at considerable length on the objects of the Prisoners' Aid Society, also dealing with tho correspondence of "Whareau." Tho meeting was most enthusiastic. The Rev. Handsell, in replying to a vote of thanks, said that he considered the Home would be helpful rather than otherwise to the district. Mr. Johnson proposed, and Mr. Baron seconded a vote of thankß to Mrl Turner for his address. The tone of tho meeting, wo are informed, was expressive of sympathy with the objects of the Home, There are now ten men in tho place, who aro giving every satisfaction, and are most grateful for the help afforded them. Considerable progress has been made in the garden. The Master and Matron, who have been engaged to take charge of the Home, sail from Sydney per s.s. Waikare on Saturday next. " There's nothing left for me, genTmen, but to beg or steal," exclaimed a crippled petitioner for aid before the Benevolent Trust yesterday. He sobbed out his story; his wife and himself ordered out of their home, no roof to cover their heads, and no food. " And I fought for this country in '61, '62, and '63," ho said, "and this is the end of it all." It appeared that his leg had been badly fractured in an accident some time ago, and his day of active work was clearly past. It would be another year before he could qualify for an old-age pension. " Well, you go and hunt up a room," said, the Acting-Chairman (Mrl D. Rob* ertsqn), "and we will allow you and your wife five shillings a week, for rent and give you rations." The man murmured his thanks. "Can you do light work?" asked the Chairman. " Just you give mo the chance," replied the applicant. "Well, you come along and see me at the foundry in the morning," said Mr. Robertson, "and I'll see if I can't find you something to do," and the man who had fought fat his country hobbled off. Mr.. Graham P. Moore, Examiner for the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music, began the local examinations today. They will finish next Tuesday. Another evidence of the progress of Newtown is the erection in Riddifordstreet of a three-story brick building for Mr. H. L. Bryenton, of the Central Meat Mart. The new building occupies the site of the first shop erected in Newtown, and is of brick throughout, tho front being of pressed bricks, tuck poinfc. Ed, with cement dressings. The whole of the walls and ceilings internally are plastered with fireproof fibrous pulp plaster. A verandah balcony extends me whoh> frontage, about 36ft, and from the top story to same is a wrought-iron fire escape ladder and balcony. The basement, the area of which covers nearly the whole superstructure, is devoted to the manufacture of butchers' small goods, th* machinery being driven by an electrio motor engine. The ground floor is solely occupied by the meat mart, office, en» trances to basement and above, 'and cart* way. The first floor is subdivided into living, rooms, and the top floor has fiva bedrooms, bathroom, etc. The builder was Mr. Ebenezer Gray, and Mr. Win. Heginbotham was the architect. Tuft following were the sub-contractors :— Mr. J v Lamb, brickwork, et& ; Mr. J. Adams, plumbing; Mr. R. Carpenter, painting; Mr. H. Burton, plastering.; Messrs. Cederholm and Tolley, electrio power and lighting. The cost of tho building, which is a handsome addition to the architecture of this thriving portion of the city, was over £2000. The second anniversary of the Younff Men's Ckristian Association will be further celebrated to-morrow' evening. Par» ticulars are given in another column. Those ladies who have promised contributions are asked to leave them at We»« ley Church on Thursday morning. The celebration of the sixtieth anniver. sary of the Terrace Congregational Sun« day-school was continued last evening, when, notwithstanding the wild weather, the schoolroom was 'well filled with scholars and their friends at th© teaAfter tea an adjournment was made to the church for the public meeting, at which the Rev. J. Reed Glasson presided. The Revs. W. A. Evans and Newman Hall also took part. Tne latter, in a short address, emphasised the responsibility of parents, encouraged the teachers and impressed upon the scholars to n& earnest and regular. The Superintendent, Mr. Meadowcroft, gave a report o4 the year's work, and mentioned a few interesting facts in tne history of the school. The number of £ckoiare on the> roll is 126, the same as last year, 39 having been admitted and 39 removed during the year. The amount contributed by the scholars for missionary work waa £28 Qs 2d. Tho prizes, 68 in number, were then presented to those scholars who had obtained over 90 per cent of tho possible marks. Mr. Glasson, on behalf of the teachers and friends, presented Mr. W. J. Lankshear, who had been a teacher for 25 years, and for many years conducted the singing in the school, with a copy of "History for Ready Reference andf Topical Reading," in six volumes. Dur. ing the evening the scholars, assisted by the church choir and an orchestra, sang special hymns. Mr. Lankshear conducted,' and Mr. Cyril Towsey presided at the organ. Munt, Cottrell, and Co., general carriers, Customs and forwarding agents Storage a speciality. Furniture packed and removed. Office: Queen's Chambers. Telephone No. 23.— Advt. Furniture carefully packed, stored, and removed by experienced men; special low rates. New Zealand Express Company, No. 20, Customhouse-quay. Telephone 92 —Advt. Afternoon Tea.— At O. Smith's, Cuba street, ladies can see the prettiest assortment of pure linen afternoon tea oloths,, hemstitched and embroidered ; also a few handsome embroidered linen bedspreads, doylies, and dueness runners, etc. The«o goods aro the best value wo have yet seen, and are confidently recommended. Blouso muslins, delaines, voiles, silks, etc., in great variety of design and colouring. Spots everywhere, but no spot better than our Cuba-street shop for a grand selection at moderate prices.— O. Smith.- -Advt. For Bronchial Cough, take Woodi' Great Peppermint Cure, 1b 6d »nd 2a 6cL everywhere. — Adit,