Page 6 Advertisements Column 3

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 144, 15 December 1909, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL, More than usual interest attached to the proceedings of Parliament yesterday. The Council listened during the afternoon to an important explanation by the Attorney-General of. a new Bill dealing with degenerates and others who are no! fit to be discharged from industrial schools. The House of Eepresentatives spent most of the afternoon discussing the position of engine-drivers and cleaners in the railway service, and in the evening debated details of the Defence Bill. Eventually the Prime Minister tired of the frequent objections made to his legislative projects, and at 1.25 he carried a motion to report progress, after what was a significant remark to the effect that if the Bill was" not wanted he would not persist with it. The Hon. J. A. Millar has been hard pressed to disclose the site of Wellington's new railway station, but all the | questioning has drawn nothing more definite from him than an admission that the building will be somewhere between the present station (Lambton) and the lower end of Thorndon-quay. So closely is the department, for good reasons, guarding its secret that a request for a definition of "lower end," at the head office, drew no definite reply. However, the ordinary acceptation of the lower end of Thorndon-quay is its junction with Lambton-quay at the intersection of Bunny-street. Some months ago, when a lough picture of the new station was given out, it was mentioned that the building was to be in the vicinity of Bunny -street, to the rear of the Government Printing-office, and the probabilities point to the use of some Government ground in that locality. Mr. Partridge, a Wellington jeweller, has let a little light into a subject which to the' lay mind is somewhat involved in mist. He was speaking at the meeting of the Industrial Association last evening, and related how in Sydney he had seen a lot of old gold made up into a bar, and out of it were made 18, 15, and 9-carat gold rings, all out of one piece. (Laughter.) Things were not so bad in New Zealand, "but occasionally we strike it," he added. The larger manufacturers in the Dominion were too jealous of their reputations, he went on, but it was found rather difficult to check the manufacture of a cheap class of goods. There were manufactures, he said, which the better-class jewellers could hardly touch, the quality being taken out of the gold. He thought that in time provision for qualitystamping of gold and silver goods would be made in New Zealand. Travellers between Upper Hutt and Wellington have expressed ■> surprise at the grass-clearing methods adopted along the railway line. The authorities, in a praiseworthy desire to avoid the risk of a conflagration by sparks from locomotives,* decided not to allow the crop of cocksfoot and other herbage "to . dry on the stalk, but the proce&s of removing the danger has not appeared wise to eye-wit-nesses. The green grass was cut' down, and when dry was burnt off haphazardly. The adjacent fence did not altogether escape injury, and young trees, planted some time ago on the narrow reservation, were severely scorched. These juveniles last year had a distressful time, due to a similar firing of the grass, and now, just when they had rallied from the pervious check, they have been further discouraged. It is believed that, instead of burning off the grass, to the detriment of the trees and the annoyance of passengers who have been afflicted with the smoke, the railway management might have been able to make a deal with somebody for the crop, or at least give it to somebody willing to cart it away. Objection was taken by the police in the Magistrate's Court, this morning, to an application by counsel, who was appearing for the defence, for the remand of an accused person. •The solicitor urged that he was only instrucied to appear yesterday afternoon, and that he had in that time been unable to prepare his defence. Accused, he pointed out, had been in custody all the time. In opposing the application, Sub-Inspector Norwood submitted that there had already been two remands in connection with thecase. The alleged offences, he said, had been committed a fortnight ago, and during all the time accused had been in custody he had made no application for counsel. Tjhe magistrate upheld the official contention. Counsel then asked if the case would be allowed to stand down until this afternoon, but SubInspector Norwood again opposed the request. He contended that he had four or five witnesses in attendance, one of whom desired to return to the country this afternoon. The magistrate agreed with the police that accused was not entitled to q, further remand. He informed counsel that it was the man's own fault, " as the police," he remarked, " always allowed accused to receive counsel while in gaol." The case was accordingly proceeded with. Compulsory military training was a subject discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Presbytery. It was urged that the system would not tend to the preservation of national peace. The discussion arose apropos of a. Suggestion by the Women's Christian Temperance Union that " Peace Sermons" should be preached in the various Wellington churches at an early date. The Rev.' J. Kennedy Elliott said that personally he was in absolute accord with the defence proposals, but he recognised the good effects a peace crusade would have. The Bey. Dr. Gibb viewed the matter in a different light, and thought the present time inopportune for the preaching of a series of peace sermons, in that such a proceeding might be mistaken for an antimilitary training movement. The ftev. E. Inglis was of opinion that ministers ought to preach with the object of promoting peace, and that the church was the proper source for such ideas. No Action was taken. Christmas cheer for the inmates of the Ohiro Home is, as usual, a~ reasonable probability. At yesterday's meeting of the Benevolent Trustees the following donors had remembered lue institution to the appended extent : — Mrs. S. A. Ehodes, £5 ss; Mr. Martin Kennedy, £2 2s; and Mr. James Godber, £1 Is. "The House that Jack built" can actually be seen at Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. Let the children come and explore its interior and mysteries. No I one comes out. em#&.-l l a>'.cfed.— • Advt,