LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 83, 5 October 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Zealand Merchant Service Guild has, through its secretary (Captain D. Watson), concluded arrangements whereby an amalgamation has been made with the Merchant Service Guild oil Liver pool. The Liverpool body is a largo concern which embraces practically the whole of tho world, and includes in its members masters and officers of the huge Atlantic liners. "Tho rates here are 40 per cent, better than they are in Petone," declared the Mayor of the Lower Hutt last evening. The Masterton Borough Council, after a personal inspection of all parts of the borough by the Councillors, finds that a sum of £25,000 is ne'eessary for the construction of new works in the town. A poll is to be taken. The Maori Mission Board met yesterday at Bishopscourt, and transacted routine business, and the apportionment of grants. Messrs. Fisher, Bedford, Taylor, and Laurenson will speak at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lower Hutt, to-night. Before the Ministry attempts to correct members of th© New Liberal Party as to their language in debate, Minister's should correct their own, says Mr. Fisher. The Premier told, liim just after he entered the House,, and before he had made more th-in two speeches, that he was a "political scavenger," and ''an excrescence on public life" ; and the Premier had said that a statement of his was "out of the mouth of a liar." The Glerk of the Miramar Borough Council last evening reported that the Wellington Electrical Syndicate had sent in a return showing that the syndicate had expended £1206 6s 7d the borough from November, 1902, to June, 1905. It was stated that this would be the amount required to be expended by the borough in the event of its taking over the lighting. A deadlock has occurred between the Eketalinna Town Board and the County Council in connection with the sanitation of the town. The Town Board rffuies to attend to the matter until an agreement is arrived at between the two bodies; and tho Council insists that the Town Board is the local Board oJ Health, and that tho Council has no power to administer the Public Health Act in the town area. As a consequence the townsSeople are suffering. Theie were no ghts in the town on Monday night, and therD is to be no sanitation carriod out. The rails on the Islnnd Bay extension of the electric tramways are, laid as far hs Cornwall-street, the'nrst thoroughfare on the northern side of the old racecomse. A few more sleepers, which came to hand by tho Monowai yesterday evening, are needed to .finish ihe track to Cornwall-street. The Corporation's' staff is making progress with the erection of the poles to carry the overhead gear. ( It is intended to open the line for traffic to Cornwall-street an soon as the overhead' equipment is completed. Word has been received f^om Home that the additional rails required to carry the line to the terminus at the Bay may be expected on the 6th, November." The road to Island Bay is at present in a very rough state, and' residents consider that the Corporation has made a mistakb in failing to reform the thoroughfare to ile full width M'ith first-olass metal. After tho special business at last night's meeting of the. Hutt Borough Council the Mayor referred to the recent fire, and intimated that he proposed to oall a public meeting of those interested in the formation of a fire brigade. Councillor Hobbs remarked that they could not erpeot to have their water supply availablefor a considerable time, but in the meantime a brigade could 'be formed and a chemical engine, obtained. Councillors approved of the Mayor's proposal. .Councillor War 3 paid a tribute to the good work done by individual members of the Pctono Fire Brigade at the recent fire, and thought, that the brigade as a whole would probably have been of much greater service there had it not been for the shabby treatment it received from a former Hutt Borough Council. On the Mayorjs motion the Council's Fire Brigade Committee was requested to draw up a report lecommending what stops should be taken in the direction desired. At the auctiuit sale held yesterday afternoon by Messrs Thomson and Brown, at their rooms, Hunter-street, a six-roomed villa in Waterloo-avenue was knocked down to Mr Martin Luckie, as agent, Hor £650; a six-roomed residence in Goring-streefc was withdrawn at £900; while two villas in Northland were passed I in at £660 and £680 respectively. In our double window ire are making & special display of all wool delaines Never before have vo had such effective colour combinations or charming designs, in this useful fabric. In plain ahades, spots', and floral designs, from Is 4d, Is 6d, Is 9d, to 2s 3d yard. White linen, with embroidered ring and spot, in leading shades, very smart and dainty," 28 inches wide, 2s 3d nor yard. Swiss muslin, with open-work embroidery in form of small leaf, in navy, heliotrope, black With white, pink, cool, stylish) and becoming, 30 inchos wide, 2s lid per yard. Japanese crepe cloth, for hard wear, cannot be equalled, in three shades of blue, Is 6d yard ; white, lO^d, Is 6d, 2s yard, 30 inches wide. Kirkcaldie and Stains, Limited.— AdvU

The matter of Civil Servants holding public positions was referred to by Mr. Fisher at the Druids' Hall last evening. It was not right, he said, that Mr. T. W. M'Donald (Mayor of Lower Hutt, member of Education Board, Technical Education Board, etc.) should be allowed to attend to these duties at the cost of his duties as a clerk in the Defence Department-, if it was right, then the same privilege of holding public positions should bo extended to all Civil Servants. At tho same time, Mr. Fisher recognised the value of Mr. M'Donald's public services, and wished there were more men like him. Residents in the suburbs are still agitated concerning the real or imaginary peregrinations of the "ghost," or "Phosphorus Jack," to u.«e the common term given to the mysterious one. The latest report is that a small boy at Roseneath started out with his father's gun on Tuesday night on hearing that "Jack" was in the neighbourhood. The story has it that "Jack" jumped in front of the lad, opened his coat to display the phos-phorus-outlined coffin on his vest, and then gob away rapidly. The boy, it is said, not only got a shot at the'practical joker — but brought him down. The police records do nob substantiate 'this rumour mom Roseneath. On the same night there came a knock at the door of a lonely house at a late hour. The housewife, with a whispered caution, "It's 'Phosphorus Jack'!" grabbed the poker out of the fender, and cautiously opened the door. The visitor was a neighbour who wanted to borrow a pair of scissors ! Of such material are ghost stories made up. The return of the criminal and civil business transacted at the Wellington ?n?J reme Courb durin 8 tbe quarter ended 6W,l\ beptember, shows that there were 12 indictments; and 7 of these resulted in convictions. The Court, in its civil jurisdiction, had 5 trials by eolumon jury, 2 by special, and 18 by Judges sitting honfc « J ury - During 41 chambersittings 140 motions were heard, and 184 orders made. The Court sat in Banco on 20 days, and dealt with 15 motions, 7 ap- ! peals from inferior courts, and 3 special eases. In Divorce there were 19 peti tions 'filed, 16 trials, 13 decrees nisi, 10 decrees absolute; 15 chamber motions, and as many orders made. In the probate jurisdiction there were 56 probates and 91 letters of administration granted. There were 3 sittings in bankruptcy! 7 debtors' petitions, 1 creditor's petition, 1 adjudication, 2 discharges, 26 motions in chambers, and 2 hearings. The amount of fees paid was : Bankruptcy £51 2s 6d, other than bankruptcy £709 6s, fines £3, mortgage sales £16 2s 9d : total £780 Is 3d. For the sanie quarter of 1904 the fees collected amounted to £807 16s. Tho necessity for a new post and telegraph office at Feathcrston was urged upon Sir Joseph WaroV yesterday afternoon by a deputation introduced by Mr. W. <j. Buchanan, M.H.R. The deputation consisted of two members of the Featherston Town Board and several residents of tho district, who presented a petition signed by 150 residents of ' the district in favour of the request. It was stated that the present post office was part of the railway station building, Much was situated some distance from the business part of the town. The Town Board had given a suitable central site to the Government, and it was pointed out that the Government should erect the new building and make provision for a telephone exchange in order to connect the district by telephone with Maryborough, Greytown, Carterton, and Masterton, each of which already had telephone exchanges. Tfie enterprise of the Wairarapa. district in the matter of telephone connection was .shown in the fact that in the lower end of the district alone there were nearly one hundred miles of private ' lines in direct communication with the several Government centres. Sir Joseph Ward, ill reply, said personally he 'favoured the proposal, and Would bring the matter up for consideration in connection with the supplementary estimates. Until then ho could not say whether the building would be provided for or not. The following Parliamentary incident was related by Mr. Fisher to his hearers in the Druids' Hall lasl evening -. By an lyrMent in the printing, a column of figures in the Estim-itos slipped down one The Minister for Railways (Sir Joseph Ward) was asked abou(T these figures, firstly as to a sum appearing as payment 'to a boy. Sir Joseph promptly replied that the boy had been transferred to another Department, and the sum represented, payment fiom this Department, and the balance of the salaiy would be found in another Department. Asked as to another sum, a farm manager's salary, Sir Joseph replied that the salary had been increased because he had proved an efficient man, and had been engaged for twelve months, and if he proved satisfactory his salary was to be so and so. Then Mr. Hawkins got up and pointed out that the whole column had slipped. It is olear, says Mr. Fisher, that to sit up till 3 a.m. to ask Ministers to explain these figures is wasie of lime. If the public were in his position to hear these things they would not believe any explanation ever given in future by Ministers of- any figures. If the administration was honest, there was no reason why Ministers should not tell the plain truth. Pursuant to a requisition- signed by Councillors Mason, Ward, and Yerex, a special meeting of the Hutt Borough Council was held last evening. Tlie Mayor (Mr. T. W. M'Donald) presided, and there were also present: — Councillors Clark, Croft, Ward, Mason, O'Sullivnn, Clero, Yerex, and Hobbs. The object of the signatories was to have drafted a petition to Sir Joseph Ward (who is in charge of the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment), asking him to take urgent steps to have legislation passed by Parliament to enable the Borough Council to make differential rating for special loans as he might deem best and most expedient. Councillor Ward moved in that direction. He explained that he and Councillor Mason, in conjunction with Mr: Wilford, M.H.R. , had interviewed Sir Joseph Ward, and they viewed the proposal favourably. Councillor Ward reiterated that it was most unfair that those persons outside the area to be served by the drainage scheme should have to pay as much as those directly served. The Mayor emphasised that although they could not under the present law make a differential rate, yet, under a method pointed out by their solicitors, the difficulty had been largely overcome, as the outer area would bo relieved of the charges on the £18,000 loan for the water supply. The upkeep of the water service and the interest on the loan would be borne by those in the inner cirole. The Counoil had unanimously agreed upon that. He was pledged to see the drainage scheme tlnougb, and he would oppose anything that meant further delay. Sunday's serious fire in itself was a strong argument against delay. Councillors Mason and Yerex strongly supported the motion, and a lengthy and animated discussion ensued. Ultimately the motion was lost, Councillors Ward, Mason, and Yerex alone voting for it. Councillor Baldwin attended the me6ting later, having been detained elsewhere. A meeting of the Newtown No-License League Avill be held to-morrow evening in the Congregational Church, Newtown. The public are invited to attend. See our special window display of the newest in belts, trimmings, sunshades, box robes, deluincs, men's and ladies' footwear. Kirkcaldie and Stains, Limited. — Adrtr

Judgment was to-day given by Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M., in the civil action in which Chas. Parata. and Wm. Moffatt sued Wm. Henry Carter and Herbert Carter for the recovery of £14 7s 6d, commission on the sale of property belonging to the first-named defendant at Muritai. His Worship found that the property was placed in the hands of several agents for sale; tho price was reduced at least twice ; the plaintiffs had difficulty m selling, although one of the defendants called several times upon them ; tho purchaser returned the key on the first occasion, and evidently considered tho matter closed as he bought another house; the property waa reintroduced ti> the purchasers' notice by another agent, who brought about the relation of buyer and sailer between the owner and tho purchaser, and completed the transaction After citing authorities, His Worship hole that tho house was not sold through the agency of plaintiffs, and gave judgment for defendants with £2 9s costs. Mr D. Findlay appeared for plaintiffs and Mr. Gray for the defendants. The Star Boating Club will open its racing season on the 4th proximo, when the preliminary trials of the senior and junior fours will be rowed. The crws will be as follows: — Seniors— W. 8 Wheeler (s), Dowland, A. Thomson, H. Anderson (bow); A D. Bayfield (s,j Kitching, T. Hamer, Smvthe (bow); R B. Pownall (s), W. Duff, E. Johnston, A. Hollis (bow) ; W. R. C. Oswin (s), Perks, J. Hamilton, Drake (bow); E. F. Richardson (s), F. Alexander, Wilkinson, H Smith (bow). Juniors— S. Cowles (s), Drake, Matthews, H. Lawson (bow); Turnbull (s), H. M. Curtis, Deare, Nathan (bow) ; Pike (s), Galvin, Rogers, Whitcombe ;bow); Fisher H. Innes, Gyles, Grut (bow) ; English (s), Richardson, Atkinson, M'Govern (bow) ; Kerslake (s), Crawford, Marchant Mack (bow) ; Girdlestone (s), Guthrie, Lewis, Martin (bow) ; Brown (s), D^nton, Morgan, O. A. Innes (bow) ; Barron (s), Gledhill, Pilcher, Corrigan (bow) ; Pye-Smith (p), Millington, M'Kenzie, A. M. Lawf-on (bow) ; Davidson (r), Stanseli, Hacon, Davis (bow) ; Bird (a), Wilkinson, Bedford, Bridge (bow). In reply to a question asked by Councillor Mason last evening, the Hutt Town Clerk (Mr. P. R. Purser) stated that the Borough Council's! present loan indebtedness is £22,000, and the Hutt River Board's is about £31,000. For the first time yesterday's sitting of the Hutt Court was held in the local Oddfellows' Hall, as the p antiquated structure that has done duty as a Courthouse for so long is to be removed, in the course of the railway improvement work. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., presided, and Messrs John Cudby and John Wilkin, Justices, were also on the Bench. Arthur Morgan, a 'bus driver, was fined;ss, with 9s costs, for furious driving. The frequently-ad-journed charge against Harry M'Gill of having used obscene language in Jaclosdnstreofc on 30th June last was gone on with, and accused was finell 40s with 27s costs, an alternative of .seven days' imprisonment being fixed. Alexander Atkin, for using indecent language in Ade-laide-street, was convicted arid discharged. The Magistrate was called on to' .settle a. fencing dispute between Michael MAuley and Edward Sherratt, but as it appeared defendant's wife should have been made the defendant, the case was dismissed. Two defended civil ca^es were heard. In the first, Mrs. Thos. M'lntosh sued Patrick Cronin for £1 12s for board and lodgings. Plaintiff got judgment for £1 4s with 6s costs. In the second, George Lanlbert sought to reebver £8 5s from Edward Battersoy for rent, an airangement to purchase not having been completed. Judgment was given for plaintiff with £1 16s costs. Judgment summonses:—Benjamin Burnley v. Wm. Jones, ckim £5 15s ; defendant ordered to poy by 18th October or undergo fourteen days' imprisonment. Henry Arnold v. Charles Herdman, claim £2 18s ; defendant ordered to pay by 18th October, or undergo seven days' imprisonment. "Oh! give me a chance, 1 ' pleaded a young woman named Lily Brown, who appeared before Dr. A. M' Arthur, S.M., this morning, charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. She made tho usual allegation of being persecuted, and was at last asked by His Worship : "Will you turn over a new leaf if I givo you a chanco?" "Oh, yes," was the reply; "if I say I will I will, and if I say_ I won't I won't." His Worship observed, "We will give her a trial and see if it will do her any good." The defendant changed her attitude to tho Court immediately, and, pointing her finger at His Worship, smilingly replied, "I knew you would." For insobriety John Waddell, a second offender, was convicted and discharged, one first offender was similarly dealt with, and another, who asked for a doctor to say whether he was drunk or not, was fined 20s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment, i There was a good attendance of members at the monthly meeting of the Wellington Acconutant Student*' Society, held in the Chamber of Commerce last evening. Mr. C. B. Robertson presided in the unavoidable absence of the President, Mr Powles. An interesting lectme on "The Sale of Goods" was delivered by Mr. A. R. Meek, M.A., LL.B. On the motion of Mr. A. Petheriok tho lecturer was accorded a hearty vote ofi thanks for his very instructive lecture. / Last night the Philosophical Society held its annual meeting in the Museum, Mr. M. Chapman, President, hi the chair. Tho report and balance-sheet were adopt cd. Five new members were elected, the number now standing nt 110. • Owing to a change io the rules necessitated by recent legislation, the report, etc., coveied only half a year, which, however, was the working half. The credit balance stood at £36. An additional meeting is to be held next month, and possibly one in December also. Officers were elected for the ensuing year as follows : — President, Mr. M. Chapman ; Vice-Presidents, Professor T. H. Easterfield and Mr. G. V. Hudson ; Council, Professor H. B. Kirk, Sir James Hector, Dr. A. K. Newman, Messrs. C. E. Adams, J. W. Poynton, and A. Hamilton ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. T. King', Auditor, Mr. IS. R. Dymock. A long and very interesting paper on "Maori Place-names" by Mr. James Cowan was road. The authoi had devoted much attention to collecting, investigating, and rectifying place-names in the interior ot the South Island. Many of these namos, he showed, were traditional in the Pacific Islands occupied by tho Polynesian people. Much false etymology had become current. In innumerable casos efforts had been made to find 'descriptive meanings and local application of names which were really the names of ancestors applied to localities. The paper closed with a protest against the prevalont mis-spell-ing and mispronunciation of Maori names. Mr. Justico Chapman (who has in manuscript a very large collection of verified South Island local names) made some interesting remarks on the subject, apeaking in high terms of the carefulness and accuracy of Mr. Cowan's researches. Mr. H. N. M'Leod read a paper describing in mlnuto detail tho ancient Maori "ruas" or excavations for food storage on Seatoun Heights. Some of these, he said, had been "filled with Etones so large that three men could not move them. Tho paper was, illustrated with drawings and photographs. Two natural history papers were taken as re»y*

The Premier has arranged for to-mor-row afternoon at 4 o'clock ai the time, and his room in the Parliamentary Buildingß as the pla-ce, to receive the deputation appointed by the publif. meeting of citizens held in the Concert Chambor of the Town Hall last month in, connection with the Meikle case. The Mayor, ths Hoii. T. W. Hislop, ha? consented to lead the deputation. An important enquiry is to be comI menced at the Court House at Palmerston to-morrow relating to the reapportionmenfc of the cost of maintaining the Manawatu Gorge-road and Upper Gorge bridge. The Oroua and Kairanga County Councils are taking the initiative, and il. is claimed that nine other counties and boroughs are interested, and should contribute to the work. Mr. Short, solicitor, of the Department of Roads, ha« been appointed Commissioner, nnd ho will take evidence on the subject both at Palmerston and Woodvillfi. At an enthusiastic meeting last evening presided over by Mr. H. N. Holmes it was decided to form a V.M.C.A. Amateur Athletic Clnb. The Chairman oxplained that in addition to the ordinan, functions of an othletic body it was pro posed to provide for arranging walking tours and country rambles. Officers wern appointed as follows : — President, Mr. A. Smith ; Vico-Presidents, Messrs. Stuart Robinson, F. Ross, J. W. Jack, and C. E. Dowknd; Hon. Sec, Mr. L. C. Parton; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. G. B. M. Fossetter Committee, Messrs. Q. Beattie, E. M. Regan, F. Hodge, F. Good, and S\ Rogers. The tablet system came into operation on the Wanganui-New Plymouth section of railway on Monday morning. Thn instruments were installed some t;in«> ago, and the staffs of the various stations instructed in their working. Th«> Stratford Post states that a final tesl was made on Sunday, when a special train conveying the Chief Electrician, Mr. Wynne, and several members of hia staff, the Traffic Inspector, Mr. W. A. Wood, and the Government Railway Engineer, Mr. Biss, passed through thfr section, the driver exchanging tablets *> with each station. The system reduced the danger of accident to a minimum, only one train being allowed on a given length of line at any time. The V.M.C.A. Swimming Club haii made an early start this season. Thert was a large gathering at the To Am Baths yesterday, when the season wan declared open by Mr. H. W. Kersley. President of the club, who forma'k swam across the baths. A 60yds race resulted in a win for M'Pherson, with C. Dickinson second and R. P. Stapltn third. On behalf of the club the President handed Mr. A. A. Somerville, the club handicapper, with a repeater watch, as a small token of estwm and to shorf tho appreciation by members of his services in instructing swimmers and helping at the races. Mr. Somervillo served last season as handicapper, starter, and timekeeper. What every one says must be true, thafl H. Fielder and Co. have the finest displaj of high-class furnishings in the colony.— • Advt. * Munt, CottreJl, and Co., general carriers, Customs nnd forwarding agentsStorage a speciality. Furniture packed and removed. Office; Queen's Chambers. Teleohono No. 23.— Advt. The New Zealand Express Company, Ltd., makes a specialty of handling furniture locally, and also of packing and shipping same. Experienced and reliable men. Rates moderate. Telephone, No. 92.— Advt. , It has been proved many years ago thai •U bjnilh justly merits tho reputation earned and acquired by his millinery department. Every succeeding season bring* with it a unique and pleasing collection ol tho latest Parisian toodes, at prices that have always appealed to tho purchasing public of Wellington. We have no hesit* turn whatever in saying that our new stooli cf niillinery for ijie tnsuing summer season cchpseß all previous efforts to satisfy tho tastes of a critical public. .Tho beauty oi style, tho tasteful combination of colourings, and the wonderfully moderate- pricoo that we are able to offer our hnts to out customers must mean a successful season ahead for the department. 0. Smith, CasJDraper, Cuba-street.— Advt. Messrs. Cory and Co., land and estate agents, 5, Lambton-quay, publish a new list of properties. Mr. Gr. Linley, cabinetmaker, of Man-ners-street, advertises a clearing sale ol household furniture. This sale ii necessary owing to his removing to other premises, his lease having expired.