LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There was an excited demand in the city last night for copies of the Evening Post sculling championship edition. Owing to the congestion on the telegraph lines and the exceptional difficulties the press representatives had to overcome at VVanganui the report was delayed, and it was some time before an abbreviated description of the great race reached Wellington. Tho special edition of The Posit was sold out shortly after 9 o'clock. A complete account of the race is published in this issue. A report furnished to the City Council Tramways Committee by the City Electrical Engineer estimates that there will be a profit of about £7500 from t.ho year's working of the trams. For tho ten months' working to sth February, the profits amount to £4307. It is calculated that tho gross receipts for the year to end 51st March next, will bo £125,000, and that the expenditure will be £117,500, inclusive of interest, sinking funds and depreciation. In order to make his coming public lecitals better appreciated, Mr. Maughan Barnett will shortly deliver a lecture oil the organ a& an ituimtueni auu ou organ music. The following are mentioned as probable candidates for the Pahiatua seat at tho general election : Messrs. Ross (sitting member), J. C. Cooper, W. H. Hawkins, S. Bolton, and D. Crowe. The Wellington Navy League proposes to expend ±512 on the purchaso of suitable books for presentation as prizes to city school-children. The schoolmaaters of Wellington are to bo consulted as to what form the competition tor 'the books snould take. A member of the New Zealand athletic team writes from Hobart stating that New Ze&ls.nd's representatives are in good heart and feeling fit for their engagements on tW&Jth inst. The team is housed in comfortable quarters at a privaib boarding house. Up to tho 21st inst. excellent weather had obtained and tho members of the team were training assiduously, A proposal made by Captain Whitney of Auckland for an ocean yacht race from that port to Sydney was considered by the Wellington 'branch of the Navy League yesterday. The proposed race is to encourage the building of fast ocean-going yachts, which might be of service as scouts in time of war. Captain Whitney himself has given a valuable trophy for the race. The league, while agreeing with the ideei of tho proposal, could not entertain it as it was held to be beyond the scope of its aims and obiects. Forging a cheque for £10 4s and uttering it to Francis Wm. Duncan, butcher, Ellice-Btreot, was the ch.u-go read at the Magistrate's Court to-day against a young man named John Movrell. Evidence showed that he forged the name of J. C. Bartlett on a blank cheque, which ho obtained from Michael James M'Enroo, son of the licensee of the Britannia Plotel. His explanation for wanting the cheque was that he desired to obtain some money from his employer. On 10th January ho called on Duncan to settle an account for £1 10s 7d. He tendered tho cheque in question, and obtained casli in change. The tradesman, on presenting the cheque to the National Bank, had it returned "no account." Chas. John Bartlott, builder, stated that accused at one time was in his employ. Witness did not have an account at tho National Bank, and ■the signature was not his. After Godfrey Thorny George, of tho National Bank, had given formal evidence, Mr. Moran, on behalf of accused, entered a plea of guilty, and Morrell was committed to the Supreme Couit for sentence.

At a meeting of the Public Service ( Superannuation Board yesterday, regulations for the working of the scheme were finally adopteu The board has refered to Cabinet the question of the j amount •*> b& returned from the insurance fund by the Public Trustee to { civil servants who transfer from tho compulsory insurance scheme \to the superannuation fund. Cabinet will bo , asked to lay down the rule in which , cash payments are to bo made to the ] contributors under tho insurance j scheme , Among tho items of business dis- i posed of by the Wellington Navy Lea- < quo at its meeting yesterday was the 1 appointment of »* sub committee to take 1 action, in connection with the scheme for < providing a second training ship for i New Zealand ; also to ascertain if it would be possible for a British war- : ship to be in Wellington. on next Trafal- • gar Day. The secretary was instructed to ; write to the Minister of Defence supporting the movement set on foot in Auckland for the establishment of a ' naval training corps, providing tho formation of such a body did not interfere with the efficiency of the land forces. "The Salvation Army has yet to set it best days in Australia and New Zealand," was the opinion expressed by Commissioner M'Kie, who leached Wellington from the south to-day. In regard to the, matter of general oversight of Army affairs, the Commissioner did nob know what the future held in store for the Dominion. It might possibly have its own leader, instead of being linked up with the Commonwealth. Tha Commissioner could not say who would bo his successor, and ho did not even know what hi& own futuro duties vvonld bt>. He was waiting for messages fr<-m London, and he expected to get some word before leaving Auckland. The question of the dock site was raised at the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday by Mr. R. Fletcher. The chairman, Mr. Wilford, said it had been stated that the contractors debired j on philanthropic grounds to throw up. their contract. They considered il >vas I not in the interests of the city that tho j dock should be whert> it was now being j constructed. He desired to give notice of a motion for the special meeting of the board on Monday next with the view of the secretary asking tho contractors afc what price they wuc willing to throw up their contract, and then the board could consider the matter. Hon. Mr. Macdonald said whatever the contractors said would not settle the question. The chairman said the discussion ■at that stago was informal. The rubble wall which is being constructed by the Government in connection with the straightening of the Wel-lington-Hutt railway was the subject of a brief discussion at the meeting of the ; Harbour Board yesterday. Mr. Bolton | said the Harbour Board had been in tho I habit of making such walls of concrete. He would like to know whether tho i-uoble wall was sufficiently strong, because if it was not tho board might in fuiuro have to dredge out the spoil deposited in the harbour by the Government. He was inclined to think there was a liability of a wash-out at certain parts of tho work. The chairman said the board had no jurisdiction over the land in question, but if j* was deemed nacessary representations could be mado to tho Government on the matter. It was resolved that the question be considered at a special meeting of the board on Monday next. The bennial conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants will be held to-morrow in the Foresters' i Hall, Lambton-quay. Mr. James Walker (president) will occupy the chair, and Mr. W. J. Edwards, general secretary, is in charge of the business arrangements. Tho following delegates will be present: — Messrs. Mack and Beck, Auckland ; Crawford, Napier ; Leo and Mooro, -Wellington; Legrango and Wilson,' Palmerston North ; Veitch and Smith, Wanganui ; Dawson and Cameron, Christchurcb ; Robertson, Timaru ; M'Nab, Oamaru; Hanrahn and Barry, Dunedin ; Thomas and Hutchins, Invercargill ; O'Donnell and Witham, West Coast. It is expected that the conference will last about a fortnight. There aro aheady 260 subjects on tho order paper for consideration, and besides this business, many other questions are sure to crop up during the progress of the conference. Tho Society now consists of about 6000 men. A contract relating to a brickwork contract at Kelburne was involved in a civil case heard before Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., yesterday afternoon, when Walter Claude Dudley and Wm. Wyatt, con- j tractors, sued Harold Lockwood. The claim was for £19 13s for the value of certain materials and damages for an alleged breach of contract. Mr. Hindmarsh appeared for plaintiff and Mr. Levey for the defendant. Plaintiffs' alleged that they had done £6 worth of brickwood when tho architect question the wetness of the bricks and quality of the materials. Words followed, and next day plaintiffs were ordered off t'->e job. Defendants usedplaintiffs' mateiials, whereupon plain tiffs claimed for the value and damages. ' For the defence Mr. Levey contended that the? work done was unsatisfactory ; that there was no breach, and thait one of the plaintiff's misconducted himself i to the architect. His Worship gave : judgment for £11 4s, less £6 paid into court, with £2 6s costs. On a charge of having converted to his > own use the sum of £27 13s 4d, a young ■ man named Henry George Hegarty was this morning brought before Mr. Riddell, S.M. The money belonged to ac , cused's employer, Hugh Hamilton, and | was alleged to have been stolen between ', 10th December last and 20th February. v Mr. Wilford applied for a remand unb til Friday, stating that tho matter was r a complicated one of accounts, and that he wished to understand the position oi affairs before advising his client what course to adopt. The application was granted, bail being allowed in self £75, - and one surety of £75. John M'Hugh, t a seafaring man, was fined 10s, in de- • fault 48 hours' imprisonment, for drunkE enness last evening, and £5, in default. - 21 days' imprisonment, for having used • obscene language when being conveyed i in an express to the lock-up. An ab f sconder from the vessel Geni, named An- - tonio Rosa, was remanded until 4th > March for sentence. It was stated that E tho vessel was now on her way to Aiick3 land. For insobriety, Harry Keogh wan f sentenced to one month's imprisonment, James Carney, Timothy Donovan, and Henry M'Corinack 2Cts ; in default seven • days' imprisonment, and Cornelius Sul- • livan, Anton Larsen, and one first ofl fender 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisk onment. Five other first offenders were - fined 10s, in default 24 hours' imprison- ' ment, and two wore convicted and dis- » charged . 3 Special display of model blouses and costumes for autumn and winter, tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday. Kirk- } caldie and Stains, Ltd. — Advt. j From all over tho country accounts are received regarding the damage clone by ■ bush fires, many of the mills having to suspend work on that account, and tho ' cil!y is stilj in a hazo of smoke. This, ! however did not prevent the unloading ■ of C. Smith's, Ltd., huge shipment of , oilcloths and linoleums. These new l goods have been selected with the view i of having os many exclusive designs as , possible, and tho quality is tho best pro- \ curable. We can prive a pries range to suit every purse, ana in every ono of the ' lines there is amplo variety to choose > from. Linoleums, 6ft wide, 2s lid, 3s E 6d, 4s 3d, 4s lid per yard ; oilcloths, 6ft ) wide, 2s, 2a 3d, 2s 6d, 3s lid per yard, at C. Smith'd, Ltd., Cuba-street,— Ad--,,