LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Exchange second call yesterday, brokers reported sales of Trust and Loan, £7 ; Christchurch Gas, second issue, 15s premium; Waihi Extended, 6s 4dj Grand Junction, £2 6s 6d; and New Sylvia, 2s Id. At this morning's meeting a brisk business' characterised the mining market, transactibns being recorded as -follow : Grand Junction, £2 4s 6d (two parcels) ; Waihi Extend ed, 6s 3id, 6s 4d ; Tairua Broken Hills, 2s j New Sylvia, 2s and 2s Id. Talis•man scrip was in good demand, prices smartly advancing to £2 11s 3d buyer, cum dividend. This advance' may be an indication that the mine is now nearly unwalered. In the investment section, National Banks improved to £5 7s 3d buyer. The Mines Department has declined to give the Ferguson Mining and Smelting Company, Auckland, a loan of £10,000 to assist in erecting a plant for saving gold, silver, and copper, and other minerals from the refractory ores on the Hauraki Peninsula. "So far as I am personally concerned," said the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. M'Kenzie) in a speech at Tauranga, "I see no leason why there should not be a railway from Waihi to Tauranga in five years' time — the 44 miles could be built for half a million." A prisoner making a statement from the dock this morning in the Supreme Court was describing a process of identification. "The men were lined vp — some from the streets, some from the cells, and some with their 'eyes in mourning,' " he said.' The poetic euphemism was duly appreciated by the onlookers. We are requested to contradict the report that Tattersall's Club has engaged the second floor of Mr. R. Hannah's fine new building on Lambton-quay. Messrs. It. Y. Walls and Co., as mentioned in our * report, installed the electric lights, but the lifts (made by A. Smith and Stevens, of London) were installed by Mr. H. Moult. Ai.:ongst the areas of ground on the Town Belt which have been marked out as fit for recreation grounds, and made available for lease from the City Council to public bodies, under the empowering statute of last session of Parliament, is an area of a couple of acres situated in a declivity on the way to Brooklyn. There has been clearing work in progress at this spot during the last week or two, and an' impression has been given that preparations for planting the area with trees are being made. It is suggested, if this work is in contemplation, that it would b" as well to ascertain the actual position of the area as between park and "laying ground, before expending time j and money on the planting work which might have to be undone in a year or two's time, when some eligible sports body might apply for tho area. Only two cases were entered on 'the charge sheet at the Magistrate's Court this morning. A young man — Walter Patrick Millane — was charged with being found by night on private premises in Boulcott-street. Sub-Inspector Phair informed Mr. Riddell, S.M., that at midnight accused was found locked in a bedroom of the premises — a boardinghouse. He had at one time been a boarder there, but at the time of his ■ariest had no authority to be in the house. Accused had been warned against returning to tho premises. Millane remarked that he was intoxicated at the time. His Worship : "If drink has such effect on you, it would be as well for you to leave it alone.'' As a penalty was not pressed for, his Worship convicted and discharged accused. Thomas Brodie, a feeble old man, was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. It vas alleged that he was found by night iv St. Joseph's Chuich. Buckle-street. A remand was applied for by SubInspector Phair, on the ground that another charge was being prepared against Brodie. The application was granted. Speaking at Kaiapoi on Saturday night, the Hon. A. T. Ngata said the Young Maori party was quietly but vigorously promulgating its tenets tluough the public press and other channels. The Young Maori party stood for social, physical, mental, and, he should add, religious advancement of the people, by educating and engaging them in healthful pursuits, and so it was hoped to provide a solution of the Maori problem. It was not at first intended to approach politics, but it 'was necessary later to take in the sphere of education and to get into touch with the natives of the North Island, where the land question had to be taken in hand. The Young Maori party realised now that the Maori, to be a success, must be able to hold his land, and it was necessary to teach him how to do so in season and out of season. The backbone of the country was farming, and the Maori liie appeared to be best adapted for farming. In the end the natives must recognise that to become successful citizens they must work. That policy he held in its entirety, and he held it as a Minister. As to the policy of tho Young Maori party, its gospel was "work." The Maori must not be in the position of becoming a mechanic or bound to shop work or piofessions, for his health and physical state required outdoor living. The Maori had to be forced out of doors. "I do not wish to ' Subscribe to your paper any longer, as there will be nothing interesting around your district when the Prohibition edict is made final,"' was the burden of a missive received by a Wairarapa oxchange the other day. A man was. fined £t>, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, at Palmerston on Saturday, lor using obscene language in a crowded railway carriage. Two constables constituted part ot his audience, and arrested the culprit on the

The collection in connection with tha performance given in the hospital grounds by H.M.S. Challenger's band on Sunday realised £12 10s lid. About forty rifle cadets from tha United Slates will make a tour of Australia about the end of July. They will also visit New Zealand. About a thousand cases ot Fiji oranges, transhipped at Auckland from the liauroto, arrived for the local market by the Monowai to-day. May it be taken as an indication of hard times? Theie were no cases of drunkenness set down for hearing in the Magistrate's Court this morning. More carpenters are now engaged at work in the Wairarapa district, according to the Age, than has been the case for some months past, and it is expected that their services will be retained through the winter. Relative to the sudden death of Mrs. C. C. Smith, at Lancaster-street, Karori, the coroner deemed an inquest unnecessary. Deceased had received medical treatment for some time, and a certifl* cate as to cause v of death was given. _ Butler-pats are receiving the professional attention of the Inspector of Weights and Measures. Wholesale and retail stores have been visited *to the extent of 30. In one case, it is reported the pound pat was under 16oz, but in other cases, while some pats were found to be under weight, others of the same brand wera over-weight. The tailings-dump of the old smelters at Zeehan, Tasmania, are being overhauled with profitable results (says tha Australian Mining Standard). Many large cakes of practically clean bullion are being found, and these are being stacked, whilst other material, which is • said to be worth £50 or £60 a ton, is being forwarded in quantities to the Tasmanian Smelting Company's works. The final meeting of the Olympic Games Representation Committee was held last night, Mr. J. B. Speed presiding. The treasurer submitted an audited account of the expenses in connection with Mr. A. E. Kerr's representation in the Olympic walking events. The surplus amounted to £7 16s 6d, and it was anamniously decided to donate the amount unconditionally to the Wellington Contre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Twenty-five members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade assembled last night for a combined practice, the local divisions represented being the Wellington, the V.M.C.A., the Corporation Tramways, and tho Harbour Board. The programme of work consisted of stretcher drill, first aid to patients, load- * ing stretchers, loading wagons, passing obstacles with loaded stretchers, un>loading wagons, retiring from wagons, and lifting patient with injured spine and placing him on stretcher. Early this morning, at 6.53, a fourroomed cottage in Moxham-avenue, Kilbirnic, and its contents were badly damaged by fire. The speedy arrival of the Fire Brigade, whose motor negotiated the Kilbirnie tunnel in good style, prevented the whole building being destroyed. The cottage was occupied by Richard Campbell, and owned by Mr. Jones. The outbreak is attributed to the fact that one of the occupants, having occasion to use the gas ring in the kitchen very early, returned to bed, and left the gas burning, with the result that the rubber tubing caught fire and the kitchen was soon ablaze. The contents were not insured. With the advance of winter, shipping as usual is becoming comparatively quiet at the port of Wellington. There is a fair amount of loading activity, and outward freight, especially in such lines as frozen tallow and hemp, has ' kepu up surprisingly well. But the number of ve.«se!s coming to the port from oversea places has fallen off a good deal during the past two or three months. The sight of eight large oversea vessels at the wharves on the same day — a thing that happened in February last, would be very unusual at this fceason of the year. Full Homeward cargoes will probably be offering for another month, but after that tha "slump" wili become more noticeable. Some time agq, after a lot of discussion on the matter as to whether tho inmates of the Victoria .Home for Chronic Invalids came under the head of hospital patients or recipients of charitable aid, the financial upkeep of the Home was made the responsibility of the Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board. One effect of that change is aa an-peal from the Masterton County Council to the Government for the remission of its apportionment of £1800. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., has been appointed to adjudicate, with the commissioners representing the council and the board to assist him. All the other iWairarapa bodies which have been rated for the upkeep of the Victoria Home will be affected by the decision in the appeal which, if successful, will necessitate a now apportionment. "The Merry Widow" and her entourage received a slight setback to their triumphal progress through the North Island on Saturday last, when a common engine became overheated with its labours, and absolutely refused to go ar.y iurther unless its intense thirst was quenched, all the while knowing that there was no wpter to be had there and then. The standstill uccurred some two or three miles out of Woodville, and while the engine-driver, per foot and bicycle, walked and rode lor succour in the shape of another engine, the company adapted themselves wholeheartedly to the novel situation, set- in one of Nature's most excellent mise en scene of fragrant fein coverts and native bush. | where the lighting effects were most successfully handled by that reliable craftsman, the sun, who never in an absent minded moment lets up on tho stage manager. A camera, handled by an en- [ thusjast, did some solid work, while the " widow " and her lady friends gathered real ferns in a natural way, quite un- [ affected by the small audience. The whole act in the Gorge scene is described as being beautifully mounted, and the ] company displayed a naturalness that was as effective as it was refreshing. In his address at the Druids' Hall yesterday, Dr. -Hodgkin., in dealing with the election of the Israelites, affirmed hia belief that the thought of national election extended to nations other than the Hebrews. Every great nation had its .part assigned to it in the scheme of things, ' even unto the Oriental monarchies of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, and a similar distribution of various gifts, and call to various duties was surely observable among the nations of the modern world. Notwithstanding the high-pitched words of Milton's, "God would have no great design of His provi- , dence in hand, but He would conr.m.ni- ' cate some knowledge of it to Hi? Engljfchmen," tho lecturer said we had no ilcsiro ! to claim for ourselves the rights ond . privileges of tho chosen nation : but wo need not ignore or deny the fact that sometimes, notwithstanding all her follies ' and enemies, Great Britain had been a • fellow-worker with the Almighty in causes which made for the uplifting of humanity; nor that she h;'.<l wirw • gifts of national character, of il'm.uo, i of geogiaphicjil po'ition which, had fhe i osed them more faithfully and un^eHKh- i Jy. would have made her a mightier influence for good in Ihe h^pfls of the* All-Ruler. To-morrow we inaugurate a special display of New Zealand-made goods. Wo show Petone dress tweeds, suitings, blankets, rugs, flannels, shirtings.— Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. — Ad.

The Tutanekai will leave next week for East Cape, to repair the cable between the Cape and the mainland. At the usual meeting of the Hutt County Council, the follo\s»irig were present : — Messrs. M. Welch (chairman), J. Wakeham, W. Galloway, T. Edwards, J. Whiteman, and M. J. Lynch. Accounts amounting to £770 Is 8d were passed for payment. Mr. O. P. Lynch appeared before the council concerning an amount of £2 18s due by him to the council. The matter was one of seventeen or eighteen years' standing, and he asked for a final settlement. The amount in question was the result of compensation paid (or overpaid) to ill*. Lynch, on the acquisition of certain of his land for drainage purposes. It was decided to make enquiries into the whole business. Reserved judgment was given by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., to-day, in a Lower Hutt case in which P. L. Harnett claimed £25 for work, journeys, and attendances alleged to have been made by him on behalf of W. E. Trimmings as a commission agent, in the exchange of a certain shop and dwelling, the property of defendant Plaintiff asserted that he undertook the work by request. Defendant refused to pay, on the ground that he never employed plaintiff. In his Worship's opinion, the evidence disclosed the fact that defendant, through his wife, engaged plaintiff as agent to effect the sale. " Defendant," said his Worship, " did not deny liability till summoned, although written to on the subject." Accordingly, judgmenu was entered for plaintiff for the amount claimed. Mr. Dix represented plaintiff, and Mr. Ward was counsel for defendant. Recovery Ot possession of a horse and £5 damages ior detention of the animal, were awarded William Burrill in his case against Michael Read. Costs were entered at £2 11s 6d. Mr. Buddie appeared for plaintiff. Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday, Hamilton Gilmer was charged with permitting certain refuse to remain on land at Island Bay, of which he was the owner, so as to be dangerous to health. Mr. O'Shea prosecuted, and Mr. Skerrett, K.G., defended. The alleged obnoxious object consistea of a cesspit in connection with a cottage on the land. Dr. Ewart gave evidence i that the cesspit was dangerous to health. Pr. M'Gavin also gave evidence. Kobt. Fletcher, a member of the Health Committee of the City Council, said that forty-eight hours' notice had been' given defendant to clear out the cesspit. The work was carried out subsequently. Dr. Frengley stated that he regarded the j cessput, which was not watertight, as a nuisance. The City Engineer and James Doyle, City Council Sanitary Inspector, also gave evidence. For the defence, Thomas Carmichael, contractor, stated that the * drain connecting with the pit was ventilated. The construction of t'u6 pit had cost £140 to make it conform with the city bylaws. Counsel addressed the court, and his Worship reserved his decision, A. W. Margin, Sole Controller of Dr. J. A. Shermans method of curing rupture may be consulted at the Hotel Cecil until Saturday, 15th May. — Advt. The New Zealand Exprees ' Company, 89, Custom House-quay, pack, store, and forward goods to any part of the world. Safe, sure, and economical. Telephone ld5Z. — Advt'. The great cricket matches have commenced, and it now remains to be seen whether the experts have selected the Commonwealth's strongest forca to invade England. Possibly more interest will be taken _in the rosult of the test matches than in estimating the cost of a eecond New _ Zealand _ Dreadnought. Ladies, not iiitßrested in cricket, yet like to see good value, should see tw-o ppecial linee now on sale at C. Smith's, Ltd., Cuba-street. Tweed jackets, three-quarter length, in serviceable dark tweeds, sa. Hd and 8s lid ; ladies' tw eed paletots, in smart heather tweeda or stripe effects. 25s Note the address — C. Smith, Ltd., Cuba-street. — Advt.