LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 13, 17 January 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

English and Australian mail matter, brought to Auckland yesterday morning by the Maheno, from Sydney, is due to arrive at Wellington by the Main Trunk express this afternoon. The Defence Department notifies that from to-day until Saturday, the 29th, two barrel targets with led flags attached will be anchored off Fort Ballance, at a distance of about 700 yards from the shore, in a direct line with Ward Island. H.M.S. Challenger, fecond- class ■ cruiser, returned to Wellington somewhat unexpectedly on Saturday afternoon. The man-of-war had been engaging ,in big-gun practice in the Marlborough Sounds, but foggy weather came on, and necessitated a suspension. While at Wellington the Challenger's bunkers will be replenished, and she will probably leave for Auckland in a week. A painful accident was experienced by Lionel Moss (son of Captain C. H. Moss, staying at the Hotel Windsor) yesterday evening. He was a passenger by the s.s. Duchess, and when the vessel was being brought alongside the Ferry Wharf, his left * hand was crushed j between the boat's lailing and a pile. Constable Falconbridge and some officials of the Harbour Board rendered first aid. Afterwards Dr. Herbert found it necessary to put twenty stitches in three fingers. A visit was paid to Wainui-o-mala last week by Mr. J. M. Morice, Assistant City Engineer, who states that practically all the difficult or risky work in connection with the construction of the Solomon's/ Knob dam has been finished. The work now is as simple as building a house. Four 30in pipes have been put in position as scour pipes, and also to take the river water off while the dam is being built. These pipes are almost ready to take the water. When the river can be turned through them it will be only a severe flood that will interfere with the work. In reference to the fire at Messrs Strand Bros. ' sawmill at the Lower Hutt on Thursday last, Mr. G. M'lllvride, lieutenant of the Lower Hutfc Fire Brigade, reports that the alarm was received about 10.30 a.m. About five minutes later the brigade reached the scene of the fire. Within, six minutes of the time the alarm was given the water was playing on the fire. It is considered that the promptness of the men saved the various premises about the scene of the fire, and it is understood that Messrs Strand Bros, are satisfied that this promptness prevented the whole of their buildings and plant being destroyed. In a report published on Friday not sufficient credit was accorded the Volunteer Brigade for iheir work. Under canvas at Hutt Park, the " D " Battery is putting in some very fine work as a, finishing touch to the year's operations and a preparation for the service contests for challenge cup and shield, which eventuate at Featherston next Saturday. Yesterday, the battery, with 68 horses, turned out in a time which broke all previous records. The officer in command of this corps (Major A. J. Petherick) pointed out to a representative of the Post' to-day that the battery averages thirty-two days a year service : which more than fulfils the ten to fourteen days which will be demanded under the compulsory service scheme. The space of thirty-two days' work under general service conditions is made up of odd Saturday afternoons, and Sundays, etc., and it bespeaks a whole-hearted enthusiasm which, no doubt, has very materially assisted the above corps to its record of successes. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., who has just returned from a fortnight's visit to Rotorua, believes that the trout in the lake there require a regular thinningout. The fish, though healthy and very plentiful, attain no great size, and what with the prolific nature of the female trout and the absence of such natural enemies as eels, the waters have become overstocked, with the result that there is a diminution of the food supply. ""To counteract the evil, Mr. Wilford suggests an amendment of the Fisheries Conservation Act, by which the Governor may by Order-m-Council authorise a coVnmittee locally appointed to net in certain parts of the lake at different periods of the year. This amendment Mr. suggests should be made general, for the same state of things is sure to occur in Taupo and elsewhere. Unless something is done soon it is said that in five years' time the fishing at Rotorua will become a thing of the past. A grass fire started on. vacant land at Lower Rata and Hataitai roads yesterday forenoon. It was extinguished before any damage was done. From Mr. T. W. Young, the City Fire Brigade has received a cheque for £5 (which will go towards the entertainment fund) for their prompt extinction of a recent grass fire in Elizabethstreet, on Mr. Young's property. A wonderful collection of art pottery is on show in our new department, now open and awaiting your inspection. Everything useful and ornamental. Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd,— Advt.

At Gisborne, says a local paper, over 700 cases are to be dealt with by the Native Land Court at tbe sitting commencing this week. 6omplaints about the -speed of motorcars along the Island Bay-road are nob infrequent. The other day a dog, valued at some pounds sterling, was run over and killed. A feature about the rates which the Manawatu County Council has decided to write off its books is that a large proportion of the amounts are due by Crown tenants who have forfeited their sections Preparations by the City Saniiary Inspector (Mr. James Doyle) for an active crusade against all persons owning unregistered dogs are complete. The staff of- inspectors has been increasad, end owners are recommended to pay a visit to the Town Hall and get their dogs registered. "Pilfering" cost the Harbour Board £19 6s lid during the past year. Including this sum, tho claims paid for goods totalled £83 Is Id for the twelve months ended on 30th September. An amount of £32 17s 9d "was due to accidents, £9 3s lid to loss of goods, and 1 £21 12s 6d to errors by the board's employees (states the secretary). Rural habits appear to be still prevalent in the town of Gisborne. According to the Times, a complaint was made last Wednesday night to the Borough Council of the stagnant water in the Waikanae drain. Councillor Smith affirmed that the residents of the locality were largely to blame, as they had been in the habit of damming the drain up in places for duck-ponds ! A motor party returning home on Sunday morning took the curve from Willis-street into Aro-street somewhat exuberantly. The car struck a post, and smashed its wind-shield and general tophamper. Two of the occupants were I slightly injured, and were attended by Dr. Clay. After a while they were able to proceed on their way in' the car, which was not much damaged in its working parts. The collision took place at 6.45 a.m. The years bring a steady and impressive increase in the ranks of men employed by the Wellington Harbour Board. At the close of tbe financial year the number of permanent employees of the board was 321, of whom 273 had their lives insured, towards the premia of which the board paid £1002 6s 7d, the total sum assured being £55,640, or an average of £204 per employee assured. The board's contribution equals 1.8 per cent, of the to^tal sum assured. A labour war on a mild scale raged at Waikokopu last Wednesday, when the s.s. Weka was there loading up wool (says the Guardian). Without any preliminary mutterings as to what was coming, tile wJiarf lumpers suddenly struck for an advance of wages from 8s to 10s a day. Capital would not budge, and Labour was equally deter--mined to get the extra 2s if possible. However, by working shorthanded the vessel got away, but two days later than she should have been. Further developments are awaited. Mr. R. Fletcher is credited with a good performance as an attender of Harbour Board meetings. During the year ended 30th September it was possible for him (from the board's point of view) to attend sixty-two meetings, including full board and committee fixtures, and i he was present at every one of them. The members' records, in alphabetical order, were: — Mr. Bolton, 45 out of 65; Mr. Cohen, 32 out of 45; Mr. Daniell, 48 out of 50; Mr. Fletcher, 62 out of 62 ; Mr. Fraser, 44 out of 68 ; Mr. Harkness, 49 out of 74; the Hon. T. W. Hislop, 16 out of 34 ; Mr. Jones, 51 out of 68 ; the Hon. T. K. Macdonald, 32 out of 39; Mr. M'Swan, 50 out of 59; Dr. Newman, 12 out of 25 ; Mr. Wil- ; ford, 62 out of 74. Mr. J. G. Harkness will give the following notice of motion at the meeting of the Manawatu A. and P. Association to-morrow :—'"ln: — '"In view of the present and iuture importance of dairying to the 'Dominion, and taking into consideration the special facilities' afforded by the Spring- Show of the Association, this •committee is of the opinion that the time has arrived when an effort should be made to create Palmerston North the Inter-Provincial Dairy Cattle Show of the Dominion, and as the only means to attain this object would be to make the pTize-list sufficiently attractive to encourage exhibition by breeders of purebred stock from all parts of New Zealand, it is necessary to provide a special prize of £ for the champion bull in the Holstein, Ayrshire, and Jersey sections." It is stated that the season's output of cheese, so far, in Southland has yielded £29,146 more than last year. Bowlers, quote , number under picture in our Willia-6treet window. If you do not see it there, skip along to the "Zak" Studios, 59, Manners-street, and get a lasting reminiscence of a successful tournament. — Advt. Tho prosperity of New Zealand is in the advance. The record wool clips have brought record prices, and now tho big cheques are coming to hand, and* the valuable effect of these large sums will soon be felt. Another big revenue to the general public will be tho great season sale now being held in Cuba-street at tho wellknown store of C. Smith, Ltd. Though the sale- is earlier than usual the bargains are records of low price-. With the summer weather still ahead you cannot afforf to let this opportunity go by. If out of town mail your orders at once. — Advt.