LOCAL AnD GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AnD GENERAL.

A better lone prevailed on the Exchange to-day. Ttare was a good demand *or Waihi scrip, the market being influenced by the \ray in which the lower levels are opening up. Sales xrcre recorded at £8 9s 6d, an advance- of 3s on the 'ast transaction. Talismans wero dealt in at rates that show a tendency to firm. A parcel changed, hands at £2 12s 6d. Buyers declared for Uniou . Steams at £1 11s 6d, Wcstport Coals, were wanted at £7 15s, and New Zealand Drugs had a bid of £2 Us 6d. A seller of Wellington Gas offered the £10 shares at £19, and' the three issues of Wellington Meals were available at £6 12s 6d, £5 2s, and £3 5s 9d respectively. The postn.l authorities advise that tho next English mail will arrive in Wellington yja. Auckland on Tuesday night. Ihc mail left Sydney yesterday by tba Mokoia for Auckland. The financial statement mode by tha ' chairman of the Harbour Board (tho Hon. T. K. Macdonald) yesterday had tho cCctt of raising an intcresting'ciificusKicn en the Patent Slip, 'and a sidelight," in the shape of various • opinions on the future policy of the board in viow of tha impending departure of 'Mr. Ferguson'. Mi*. Wilfordi counselled a policy of "roslow." "We will be without our steersman," b© said, 'though he will still act C 3 consulting engineer." Meoitoiß on tho whole, however, took a cheerful view of things. The chairman, said a tur.a came in tho affairs of every institution, sooner or later, when the directing bonds gave way to others. QkiS wan only the natural order of things. Correspondence cii the subject of t>o site of the new school at Petono was wad at the meeting' of the Education Board yesterday ait&rnoon. Aftw inspecting several plans and proposals the board finally decided, on tiie motion of Mr. <W. A. Allan, seconded' by Mr. Kefobeil, fch.it the site, on the Rutt-road lacciunende.d by the School CooKnittao should be purohas-d. During the mouth of Dee&mher, 71 deaths occurred at Wellington, 67 ut Auckland, 35 afc Chrisichurch, and 50 at Dunndin. v So far five bands have notified their intention of taking part in the Hospital Sunday Demonstration at Petdne on 9th February, including the Wellington G&N rison and Wellington Battaliori Bands. Rabbit poisoning is universal amongst farmers- iii the Carterton district (says a Press Association telegram). Hundreds of the pests aro lying dead- on tho ground in tne Maungatrrere valley. On ■Ciwu^ lands, where the Stock Department is conducting operations, similar conditions prevail. it ia stated that this is tho best season for ndisonin" since 1829. ; ' The. destruction of cxaminntipn patera in the .burning of- til© Parliamentary Buildings led the Education Bourd jesterchy to <ieJay appointing any pupilteachen?. The chairman, Mr. Robert Lee, explained that until ihe suppteulsntaiy, matriculation examination risuits were known l^ere -would--be,diffiejil't£,in classifying candidates. ' The -matter wa's left in the hands oi the chahaiun r ' Epidsmics affecting school attendance wer© prevalent last year. The secretary of the Wellington Education Boardi staged yesterday that in consequence of the drop in the attendance ho had been compelled, in.' accordance with, the Act, to give certain teachers notice of tho termination of their engagements. Much dissatisfaction was expressed by different members of the bo&fd at this inevitable injustice of the Bjstoai. Wtwn (he question of. tho motion of new sc-hools came before the Education Board yesterday, .Mr. Hogg recomraenaed th<* use of reinforced, concrete as a ' material in ono case, whero eomo o$ the materials were handy. , "Are you in a hurry lor the school?" interjected Mr. Aitken. "Why?" returned Mr. Hogg. "Well," said Mr. Aitken, 'it will lake two or three yeais to finish. Look at some of the buildings in this district." A letter from tho Education Department refusing to pay tho full cost , of single desks in schoola drew forth sarcastic comment from tho members of the Education Board yesterday. Mr. Vile Tegrefcted that the question of paying for school desks was over raised, when .the finances of the colony were in such a buoyant condition. On the motion of Mr. Field, the secretary was instructed to write to the department pointing\out that the resumption of double desks was not a progressive - step, as single desks in the opinion of experts wero far superior. Referring to the statement made by tho Hon. JR. M'Nab as to "the trade* objecting to Government going into thq wine industry, a leading member of "the 'trade" in Auckland, says there is no justification for Mr. M'Nab's assertion. "The trade," he says, would be only too glad either to see wine manufactured by the Government, or private enterprise encouraged to embark in this industry, thoroughly believing that' the popularising of drinking light pure win© would be in the best interests of temperance. Mr. James Burtt, a well-known ?nd respected resident of Auckland, disd yesterday, aged eighty years. The deceased had been an invalid for some time past, the cause of death being heart failure. In 1850, shortly after arriving hi Im ew Zealand, he became a partnor in the mercantile firm of Bain and Burtt, the first-named partner being the father of Mr. W. A. Bain, of Whangarei. In 1853 he retired from the firm, and bought a farm known as Paerata, two of his employees being shot there during the Maori war. After the war Mr. Burtt came to live at Romuera, and resided there for some years, and later on in Auckland. Mr. Hamilton Hunter, British Consul in Tonga, who is visiting Auckland, atated in the course of an interview last evening that the country is now practically free from all debt. The officials are .receiving their salaries regularly every month, and at the end of last year they had a, surplus of about £20,000 Mr. Hunter added that a hospital had been built at Tongatabu, and that thia year's estimates provided for two more such institutions, one at Vavau, and the other at Haapai. Thus each of the principal islands would have up-to-date meana of dealing with cases of sickness. A Contract had also been let to the Ferro Concrete Company of Australasia, for tha construction of a ferroconcrete wharf at Vavau, with a length of about 200 fte.t and a width of about 40 feet. Women's black lace and button shoes neat toes, Louis heels, Clarke's make, usually 19s 6d, going at 14s 9dapair, 4 the Summer Annual Sale. Kirkcaldie and Stains.,, Limited.— Advt,

There are 426 licensed surveyors in New Zealand. The list appears in this week's Gazette. Notice appears in ths- Gazette revoking the prohibition f the importation of grapes and grape vinos. - The residents of Karori and Makara. ore making arrangements for a flower show, to bfe held under u ho auspices of the Anglican Church on 26th and 27th February. For the month concluding to-day one bankruptcy occurred in Wellington. There wore none for the corresponding Esriod of lass year. Thare were two ankruplciss in December. The combined report on the joint tramway scheme for Petone and Hutt will not be presented for several weeks to come. Tha two borough engineers will confer next Monday evening. The- Wellington Harbour Board has received a joint letter fr6m the shipping companies drawing attention to tna large number of fires that have occurred lately on board ships, and asking that smoking on the wharves bo stiktly prohibited. A bylaw is to be prepared giving effect to the request. Acting on representations made by the Wellington Harbour Board, the> Council of Defence is issuing insti'uctions that the defence steamer Janie Seddon is not to 'go alongside) the j wharves with explosives on board, and that buoys are not to be lajd down withput notice having first neon, givon to tho Marine Department. Gallantry was officially recognised by the Ciiy Council last evening when th«t» body unanimously resolved! — '"That ili>« council expresses to George Hill its appreciation of his presence of mind arid prompt action iv rescuing another boy from drowning in tho Boat Barbonr, Clydo-quay, and that this matter bn brought under tho notico of tho . Royal Humane Society." The fourth demonstration atfPetono of cooking by gas was given yesterday afternoon by Miss Wolfe, under tho auspices of the Pctone Borough Council. About fifty ladies attended, several of whom havia consented to enrol as students of the proposed cooking -class at the local Technical School. It is anticipated that the class will scon ob established on a iirni footing. Another trip is to bs made by the Government Training Ship Amokura. The vessel is to.leaye Wellington next Wednesday, and will proceed up the East Coast as far as Mohgonui. Mor>t of the intermediate ports will bo called at, and the Amokura will spend some timo in the Hauraki Gulf for training purposes. The vessel will be at Napier during tho carnival in March. With reference to the importation of Australian grapes ths Minister of Agiiculture said to a Post reporter at Itaihapo yesterday: — "Some- complaint has been made about the' introduction of graphs as opposed to the former prohibition, but accompanying the introduction we are taking special care that they come from clean districts, and tho opinion of the department's advisers is that there is little danger uf phylloxera in the introduction, of' grapes, and tho fruit-fly only takes tho grape as a last resort." There does not seem to ,be much demand for scientific works in Russian in Kew Zealand, for tho librarian (Mr. A. H:tmilton) of tho New Zealand Institute Etated yesterday that there were some hundreds of volumes of tho transactions of Russian scientific societies in the Institute library which Avere never read. It was decided to revise tho exchange list, and plobably books in Ru&sian Will in future not be received. It was, Moreover, deciJed to insure the copies of transactions and o-ther boots for &2CGO. ■ ,' ■ EdwaTd Winter, a middle-aged man, was charged in court to-day with indecently assaulting a little girl. After evidence had been given for the prosecution. Mr. Wilford, who appeared for defendant, asked his Worship if ho conBidered a case " had been made out that would justify the case being «=ent to the Supreme Court. Hjs Worship considered he was justified in sending the case to a jury, and defendant wue accordingly committed for trial. Defendant reserved his defence. Bail was allowed in a personal bond Of £50. In the course of his reply to the Army end Navy Toast at the reunion of the Sixth Contingent last ovening, Captain F. A. Woods lamented the fact that of so many of the men who had seen active service in South Africa but very few were' still in tho volunteer corps. He emphasised the influence of trained men in their different companies, and urged those who had had tho experience in the lato South African War not to allow 'themselves to rust. Continuing, Captain Wood had a good word to say for the general body of Imperial oificers, whom he characterised as fine men, Hue soldiers, and good comrades. There is on view in the windows of Messrs. Stewart, Dawson and Co., jewellers, a handsome challenge shield, presented to the Scottish and Skye Terrier Club of New Zealand, by the president of tho club (Mr. Robert Young), for competition among menibers. The shield is tor the best Scottish terrier in the show, and is to be competed for annually, alternately In the North and South Islands, and to be won three tunes before becoming the property of tho winner. At the late Wellington Show the shield was won by Mr. John A. Pike, of Wellington, and it will again be offered for competition at the iluneciin Kennel Club's annual show in June nexi. "Why were nine only prosecuted when fourteen weio summoned for water-wasting?" asked Councillor Carmichael at the City Council meeting last evening The Mayor, in reply, said he supposed there were good reasons for taking no further action in the four cases referred to. One was that, of a, boy, who made unathorised use of a hose. Prosecution in that case would have beer> futile. Ho instanced another case where a prosecution would not have been sustained. He thought the average of nine prosecutions out of 14 cases was a very satisfactory one. The matter then dropped, the Mayor expressing the opinion that perhaps the unfortunato nine were anxious to obtain sympathisers. Netf Customs l anfi.— lnformation regarding changes can be supplied by the .New Zealand Express Company, Ltd., 20 Customhouse-quay. Telephone No. 2410. — Advt. If you have any doubt about tho soundness of your teeth, if they ache, or are broken and decayed, we will save them for you if they are worth saving. If necessary, we will extract them under our Painless System, which leaves no after ill-effects. Tho London Dental Institute, Willis and Manners streets. — Advt. The big race at Trontham on Saturday proved to be a great attraction. The big race in Cuba-Btreet was tho race for bargains at C. Smith*, Ltd., groat summer sale ; ths pace was fast and furious. The next events will start each morning and continue till six p.m. This sale is a certain winner. Ono of tho great event? in Wellington at the present moment is the annual summer sale which ifi being hold at the stor6 of C. Smith, LM-, Cuba-street. Tremendous reductions are being made in our millinery department. Hats for tho races at 50 to 75 Ddr cent, reductions. — Advi.