LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At to-day's meeting of the Stock Exchange, sales in the investment section were restricted to Wesfcports at £6 2s 6d. In the mining section, Grand Junctions at £1 6s, and Waihis at £8 17s, were the chief transactions, the transfer of a parcel of Komata Reefs at 7d being the only other item recorded. For Wellington Gas, new issue, buyers offered 12s 6d premium, but holders asked 17s 6d. New Zealand Portland Cement continue to be enquired for at £1 15sj but the market is bare of shares. Talisman were wanted at £2 •Jss 6d, which was sixpence under sellers' views. Mr. T. Harle Giles, the Auckland Conciliation Commissioner, left Auckland for Whangarei yesterday to inspect 'the Kiripaka coal mines and to endeavour to -make an agreement between the Northern Coal Company and the employees. The directors have intimated that they will offer every facility to the commissioner, both for his better acquaintance with the working conditions of the mine and for an intimate understanding of the workers themselves. The directors are willing to meet the men in conference, and the commissioner considers they are showing a friendly spirit. Referring to the import market the New .Zealand Trade Review and Price Current says: — "Trade is quiet, there being a disposition on the part of both importers and retailers to go slow. The former are not pushing sales, and the latter are inclined to buy from hand to mouth. This is a judicious policy at the present time. The autumn-winter season in the soft goodls trade has opened, but so far very little has been done. In addition to the general tendency to caution, tho weather, which has continued bright and mild for the season, has not encouraged buyers." Auckland Tramways Company, in agreement with the City Council, is arranging with city tradespeople, who will undertake the commission for the sale of tramway tickets at their shops. Tho passenger traffic between Auckland and Rotorua is reported to have suffered not one whit by the opening of ,the Main Trunk line. The Rotorua season has-been successful, and a striking feature has been the great number ot oversea visitors. All the trains are full each day on the Auckland line. A few days ago Mr. J. Kebbell, of Ohau, instructed Mr. J. G. Herdman to offer for sale a sheep from his flock, the proceeds to be devoted to the Penguin relief fund. The animal. was sold four times, and the amount realised (£1 13s) has been sent to the Town Clerk, Wellington, by Mr. Herdman. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., this morning gave judgment in the civil case Mabel Lane v. iW-illiam Webb, a claim of £11 10s, being an amount said to be due for instalments and repairs in connection with the hire of a cab. His Worship gave judgment for plaintiff for £7 10s, and £1 16s costs, deducting one instalment due on the date repossession was taken of the cab by tifo plaintiff, in the case William Webb v. Michael Lane, cab proprietor, in which plaintiff claimed possession of a horse and *the sum of £5 damages for wrongful dc--tcnlion, or, in the alternative, £10, the value of the horse, and £5 damages for wrongful detention, his Worship gave judgment for defendant, .vithout nosts. Mr. M'Grath. appeared for Lane, and Mr Toogood for Webb. "The liberal distribution of allowances to school committees and the amount paid annually for maintenance by the Hawkes Bay Education Board was referred to at Monday's meeting of the board by the chairman, who said that the board gave more to committees thnn any other board in the Dominion. The allowance for 1908, based on an average attendance for the year, was 6s 9d, and the expenditure on maintenance of school buildings for 1908 per school was £22 12s lOd. In 1907 the average allowance was 6s 7d. The following I comparison with amounts paid by other schools was prepared by the secretary : — Auckland 5s lOd, Grey 3s 9d, Marlborough 4s 6d, Nelson 4s Bd, North Canterbury 6s 6d, Otago 6s, Soutli Canterbury 5s 4d, Southland 5s 7d, Taranaki 5s 6d, Wanganui 4s v 9d, Wellington 4s 6d, Westlond 3s Bd. The average expenditure for all boards was 5s 2d. Ilis Grace Archbishop Redwood is on his way to Hamua, where he is to open a new Roman Catholic Church. Napier Hospital is overcrowded. Thero are 67 patients, which is much in excess of the number the hospital was meant to Accommodate. Until the number of patients decreases some of the medical cases will be placed in the chronic ward. Tucked net blouses with tucked net cravat to match in green, brown, purple, speacock, black, tabac, etc., at 455. Kirkc&ldie and Stains* Ltd.-r-Advt.

The Building Trades Labourers Industrial Union of Workers has decided not to secede from the Trades Council. In the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon argument was heard in the appeal case, A. Wyjaess v. W. Dingard and Co. and the Diamond Sign Co., Ltd. Judgment was reserved. The Premier of Italy has sent the following cablegram to Sir Joseph Ward: — "I thank you feelingly in the name of the Government and nation of Italy for the generous coniaibution of the citizens of New Zealand in assistance of the sufferers in the recent earmcjuaka.—Giolitti (President of the Council of Ministers)." The* Director of Geological Survey, Dr. J. M. Bell, who has just returned from a Southern tour, states that the copper deposits of the Aniseed Valley, Nelson, are being studied, and that a topographical survey of the Karamea district is being made. It is considered that — in addition to coal — valuable minerals will be found there. There are some seventy survivors of ■the battle of Waireka, the first, engagement of the Maori war in which volunteers took part. The jubilee of the. fight will be celebrated in March next. Amongst the survivors in Wellington are Mr. T. Humphries, Surveyor-Gen-eral : Mr. C. W. Hursihouse, chief engineer, Roads Department, and Mr. 11. 0. Hamerton. One result of the fire which destroyed the Harbour Board's J Shed on Tuesday_ night is a discussion concerning the advisabdeness of constructing wharf sheds of inflammable material. Mr. R. Fletcher, a member of the board, only last week spoke on the subject. His idea is that all sheds on the wharves should be constructed of steel plates, and that aU buildings on shore should be built of brick. A Stage Employees' Association lias been formed by the men employed at the local theatres. The association haa been formed on the lines of the Victorian association, which, during its existence of over twelve months, has proved of benefit to the managers as well as the hands. The following have been elected as officers of the new association: — President, Mr. A. Denttee; vice-president, Mr. G. Reid; secretary, and treasurer, Mr. T. Johnston; assistant secretary, Mr. Madigan ; and a committee of five. There is a likelihood of similar associations being formed in the other centres of New Zealand. There was only a short sitting of the Police Court this morning. Mr. W. G-. Riddell, S.M., presided. Minnie Wolfe, alias M"Neil, and" Frank Meyer, who both had previous convictions for drunkenness, pleaded guilty to a similar offence yesterday, and were each -fined 10s, with the alternative of 48 hours' imprisonment. Albert Tronson, for drunkenness also, was fined 20s, or in default seven days in gaol, and John Shannon, w&o had three previous convictions, was also fined 20s, with the option of seven da-ye' imprisonment. Herbert Hartley was fined £3, or in default ordered-to undergo 21 days' imprisonment for indecency last night in Manners-street. When his, name was called at the -S.M. Court yesterday afternoon, Michael Hurlihy, a young man charged with the theft of two watches, a chain and medal, ■of a total value of £1 2s 6d, failed to appear. The court adjourned for ten minutes to permit of a search being made. Accused's counsel, Mr. Cook, stated that his client had been at the court all day up till twenty minutes before the case was called. He appeared to be rather excited. Search was made at all the. surrounding hotels and streets in the vicinity, but the wanderer was not located when the court rose. Hia Worship- (Mr. W. G. Riddell) ordered that the accused's bail should be estreated. Meanwhile, Hurlihy is to be re-arrested. The Commonwealth Statistician, has received some interesting statistics frem the Census Office of Canada relating; to values, wages, and so on in that Dominion The average value of farm land for all the provinces is £7 9s per acre ; the highest price is in British Columbia, £15 17s, owing to the comparatively large extent of farm land there in. orchard and small fruits. The average value of horses is £9 12s for those under one year, £20 17s 'for those of one to under three years, and £29 16s for those of three years and over. Milch cows have an average value of £7 2s ; sheep are given, an average valuo of £1 Is 9d per hea-d. The average wages for farm and domestic help for Canada per month was £5 2s 6d for males, and £2 16s 3d for females, and per year £43 10s lOd for males, and £27 Is 8d for femaks. The highest averages are reported for the western provinces, where they reach about £62 10s per year for males and £33 6s 8d for females. In Ontario and Quebec the average for males is about" £50, and for females £25 per year. In connection with the Press Association telegram, crediting Mr. Lancaster with sending the first show sheep over the Main Trunk line, Mr. Jno. Allen, of Waingaro, informed the Star's correspondent at Cambridge that a consignment of Romneys, purchased by him (Mr. Allen) at Master ton and Feilding, was brought by train from Feilding last month, nine of the sheep arriving ill Cambridge on 25th February for the local show. Mr. Allen says he is puzzled by the statement that Mr. Lancaster's truck of 21 sheep were conveyed over the line at a charge of 3s per head, or £3 3s for the truck, whereas the charge made to himself (Mr. Allen) for a truck of 19 sheep over practically the same distance was £4 8s 9d. He thinks the difference in the charge requires an explanation. Mr. Allen says uhat while in Wellington, prior to smarting with his sheep, he interviewed the traliic •manager's chief clerk with regard to the subject o* railway concessions in respect of the carriage of pure-bred stock; and at the same time explained the method in vogue in Canada, where it is the custom for the Government to grant special facilities for the safe carriage of pure-bred stock at half usual freight rates. Mr. Allen was intormed that there was no authority to grant such concessions ; but the traffic manager kindly gave him a letter to the authorities on the line, requesting them to convey his sheep by the_ mixed train on both days, thus saving* several hours of tedious travelling. Parcels and goods forwarded to any address. Furniture carefully removed. Storage accommodation provided. New Zealand Express Company. Telephone 1333.— Advt. Tho big shoot at Trenchant has caused a good deal of attraction, and is being watched with interest by tho defence experts. Tho aeeuralo shooting of the New Zealand men clearly shows that they can hold their own against any country. It will bo interesting to the men who are at present staying in Wellington for the BSpley season to look round the store of O. Smith, Ltd., Cuba-street. First shipments have now arrived, and our stora is now j crowded with the richest and choicest of articles which men appreciate to the fullest extent. Smart styles in tunic shirts, fast colours, 3s lid, 4s 6d, 5s 6d ; up-to date styles in men's caps and hard hats at prices to suit every purse. — Advt. Tho Health Corselet differs ' from anything in the corset line. There are no laces, no buske. It gives the proper waist, fashionable dip, and contour. It is suitable to wear with tho most fashionable dress or costume. 0. Adams and Co., Cuba-street, are displaying these from 5s 6d upwards. — Advt. The Railway Department is inviting tenders for leases of refreshment rooms ;