LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 73, 29 March 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Post Office authorities advise that, owing to alteration in the railway timetables, mails for the New Plymouth express as from Ist April will close at Wellington at 6.30 a.m., and those by the Napier express at 8 a.m. Those mails hitherto despatched by the Wairarapa train for places beyond Woodville, on the Napier line, will now be despatched by the Napifer express. In explanation of the appointment of three Government officers to hold a departmental enquiry into certain charges made by some officers of the Tax Department against the ' Commissioner of Taxes, Mr. P. Heyes, the Prime Minister states that when Mr. J. H. Richardson was placed temporarily in charge of the office he was instructed to examine and report on the charges. Mr. Richardson furnished his report to the Government last week. At the same time Mr. Heyes furnished a statement, giving his side of the case, contradicting most of the allegations made against him. After considering these documents the Government decided that the .statements and evidence should be taKen on oath, and a report on the various charges should be obtained from three high Government officials. Sir Joseph Ward added that Mr. Heyes was entitled to such an enquiry under the Civil Service Act. The Cumberland wrestling contest at the Palmcrston Caledonian sports yesterday was won by R. J. Scott, in the catch-as-catch-can wrestling, G. Smith, after a long struggle with Scott, was awarded the prize on points. Tho Government steamer Hinemoa leaves the Bluff either this evening or J to-morrow on her periodical lighthouse trip to the West Coast of tho South i Island. She will land at Dusky Sound a party of men to examine the wreck of the Waikare. She has on board the moose which are to be liberated at the Seaforth River. It is intended by the Government to place a vote on the Estimates next session for another lighthouse. It is thought that the part of the coast which now most urgently requires lighting is the long stretch between Cape Palli&er and Napier. As v has been done in former cases, it is intended to consult shipmasters as to the best position for a light before the site is finally fixed by the Government. In an interview ai- Auckland, the Hon. R. M'Kenzie, Minister of Public Works, stated that when the Arthur's Pass Tunnel is finished, it is proposed that it bhould be woiked by electric motors, driven by water-power at each end of the tunnel. It is probable the power will alr-o in time be u&ed for the Christ-church-Lyttelton railway tunnel. A vote of about half a million jwill be asked for next session tp inaugurate 4>he scheme. Nearly forty boys from the V.M.C.A. camp at Otaki returned to town last evening, under the direction of Messrs. Eglin and Johnson. Between sixty and seventy boys remain at camp until a late train this evening, when they come down with Mi Adair, secretary of the camp. The youngsters have had a happy time at Otaki. They were in camp on the old racecourse, and had the place and its appointments all to themselves- Levin V.M.C.A. sent a football team to Otaki, but the Wellington lad& beat them by 12 points to 3. The camp on the whole has been a great success. While the attendance at the second Test match between New Zealand and Australia, which concluded at the Basin Reserve this afternoon, has not been quite so 'large as anticipated, still the gate takings have pretty well assured the New Zealand Cricket Council of a subfclantial profit. Th© first day's "gate" amounted to £146, and yesterday's takings were but 4s short of that sum — £145 16s. The takings to-day are expected to be well up towards the £100 mark, and if that be achieved, the council, acording to the hon. secretary, Mr. Raphael, expects to reap a profit of £2bO, as expenses will not absorb more than £160. Easter is over, and most of the holiday makers are back at work. Though I the weather was fairly good, there was not Hitch an exodus from town this. year as last. Racing enthusiasts journeyed to Tauherenikau and Feilding yesterday, and many picnickers and excursionists went up the line, Palmerston way, stopping at ■fhe seaside resorts en route. Some 1200 people booked to. stations in the Hull Valley, while about 400 crossed over the Rimutakas into the Warrarapa. ! On tho Manawatu line there were 800 bookings to Paekakariki and stations this side, and 500 to places further north. The harbour ferries were well patronised, crowds going over to Day's Bay and sister suburbs in the morning. Wonderland received its quota of visitors, and numbers went to thts Athletic Park to hear the Besses o' th' Barn Banr». The Men's Church, Atlantic City, New Jersey, has been suspended, and therewith concludes a very interesting episcopal experiment, writes a New York correspondent. It was tho object of the Church to 'attract men, and women were not admitted. Smoking waft allowed, temperance drinks dispensed, and in summer, when the weather was hot, the attendants were allowed to hear the sermon in their shirtsleetes. Great success attended the experiment for a while, but when the novelty began to wear off the congregations slackened. I visited Atlantic City to btudy the experiment at a time when the attendanrc occasionally numbered 3000 men aifd youths. A young English clergyman, an excellent preacher, was the pastor for a time. This new plan was the talk of the country. Never before had so many men gone to church, and it was proposed to establish similar churches in other cities. Now that the experiment has been concluded, among 'the rea&ons for suspension appears to be the competition ot other places catering for men, such as movingpicture shows and smoking clubs. After full consideration of/ the various lepresentations ' made to it, the Theatres and Music-halls Committee of the London County Council has come to the conclusion that there is no reason to depart from the decision of the council that cinematograph exhibitions shall not be opened on Sundays. The committee is of opinion that if cinematograph halls were, allowed tp opon on j Sundays under the same conditions a.s on week-days, many of the theatres and music-halls would probably be used for cinematograph entertainments on that day, and the proprietors might reason* ably ask to be allowed to use the premises for music also. Having regard to all the circumstances, the committee thinks that the condition inserted in the licenses should be adhered to, and that Sunday exhibitions should only be permitted on the same conditions as are enforced with regard to Sunday concerts. The main poition of the committee's recommendations read :—"lhat: — "Ihat no application for permission to uso premises licensed by the council under the Cinematograph Act, 1900, for cinematograph entertainments on Sundays or other days prohibited by the license be considered unless the application be accompanied by an undertaking from some recognised society or organisation, unconnected with the premises concerned, to the effect that : (1) The entertainments will be properly conducted and not for private gain or by way of tracle ; (2) the licensee or his servants will have nothing to do with the arrangements for the entertainments, beyond being responsible to the council for the obseivance of its regulations. "-

Another school building — the eleventh within a short time — has just been dea. troyed in North Auckland — at Pakotai, near Mangakahia. The origin is a mystery (telegraphs our Northern correspondent), but it is surmised that some natives /nu.-.t have been sleeping in tha building on the nighf it was burned, and piobably dropped a lighted cigarette oa the floor. There was no insurance. The Easter holiday traffic on tha railways has been very s-atisfactory; everywhere throughout the Dominica-— quite equal to that of the past few years at this season. The second express onthe Main Trunk line has been especially!" well patronised, probably owing to tha. fact that tho running of a second through train at holiday seasons ha& now become better known than it was last year. The Jast second express for thi3 Eaoter leaved Wellington and Auckland to-day. While proceeding, by the steamer Eagle to a picnic at Motujapu on Saturday last, Mr. D. Gallaher, of "Alt Black?" fame, met with an accident (telegraphs our Auckland correspondent). Ha» was ascending the sponson step's, when he slipped on a banana skin, and, being unable to regain his balance, made a spring and jumped clear of the revolving paddle-wheels. The steamer was immediately stopped, and a boat put out t« Mr. Gallaher's rescue. The ex-footballep proved himself a powerful swimmer, and after recovering his hat, which he had lost, swam to the b6at and was taken on board the steamer. He appeared nontf the worse for his experience. In many of the towns of the Domin-* ion the railway employees have started small library societies, to provide in-. t.tructive literature -for their members. Several years ago such a society was established a,t lhorndon in coniificttcjir with the Manawatu Railway Company. Mr. A. Cassie held the position of secretary until the Manawatu line waa merged in the Government system Tho library, then consisting of nearly 4000 volumes, including a large number of works of a technical nature, was handed over to the New Zealand Railway Department. Since that time it has stood idle, but now Mr. Cassie has been appointed by the trustees to put tha library in order, and arrange for itb re, opening at. an early date. Under date JBth February, The Post* London correspondent writes :—"ln: — "In a* local police court, in which the Waratah, was mentioned, it was stated by a iepresentative of the owners that about, £6000 had been paid as compensation to the sufferers. In the Nisi Prius Court; this week Mr. Justice Madden gave leave to presume the death of Nora Connolly, who was a passenger on. tha Waratah. It appeared that she left Tipi pera.ry twenty years ago, and went to Australia, where she married Patrick Connolly in 1892. She came home in. 1901, and remained until 1909, when she went to South Africa. Her husband had been killed in the mines there in, 1908. He made no will, and his wife was, his only next of kin. Last July Mrs. Connolly wrote to her friends thai she was returning to Ireland from Durban in the Waratah, and she sent a sum of £1300 to the Bank of South Africa in London. She was bringing the bodj; of her husband to Ireland." On Tuesday morning last, Captain Hacking, Superintendent of Navigation at Sydney, commenced taking evidence in connection with the Waratah disaster. The examination of several- peo pie on specific points in connection with the vessel's visit to the port of Sydney was begun under instructions from tho Board of Trade, which has instituted enquiries of a similar' nature in all ports touched by the Waratah on her last voyage. This* has been done by virtue or section 465 of the Merchant! •Shipping Act of 1894, which enables the Board «/f Trade lo collect evidence! in other parts of the world. The evidence of (the various witnesses apijearinj^ before the Superintendent of Navigation is to be p«*nt Home to the Board of I Trade, which will then hold an exhaus-i live enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the mystery of the big liner* disappearance. Some important witnesses at present in London will, it is understood, have to remain there until the Board of Trade's enquiry is completed, unless they can reach Australia or some* other port in time for the taking of evidence 4t whatever place they desire to reach. The renewal of the San Francisco matt service depends upon the fate of th« Ship Subsidy Bill now before the "United States Congress. As to the prospects of that Bill, oin American correspondent writes under date 23rd February : — The Mipporters of the Ship Subsidy Bill are not so confident of^victory as they wera when the measure was introduced into Congress. At that, time it was believed to be certain of passage at the present session. President Taft supported tt, and the Republican party appeared to ba with him almost to a man. "When the. Bill was referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine, there was a great show of haste to get it back to the. House with a favourable recommendation. Only one session of the committee was held, and the matter was hurried to the vote, the favourable report being carried by ten votes to seven. The Republican leaders were accused of "railroading" the Bill through committee to prevent discussion. The story was noised abroad, and Republicans from inland States began to receive reminder* from constituents of their opposition to ship subsidies. Some of these members are in a quandary, unable to decida whether to vote for the Bill in accordance with the party platform, or to listen to the voice of their constituents. Their beat nope is that the measure vyill not come ±o a vote. Latest advices from Washington tell of a scheme to lay it on the shelf. Undeterred by a shower of rain and a threatening bank of clouds in the south, between six and seven hundred people embarked on the turbine "flyer." Maori at the Queen's Wharf yesterday morning, and at two minutes to eight the ship cast off, bound for Picton. A southerly breeze was blowing, and it waa a speculative trip to the majority of those who were unaccustomed to the heave and swell of the sea. As tha Maori rode past the Heads she commenced to dip and rise gently in response to the swell, but it was soon observed that Cook Strait with on excellent behaviour, and thenceforward till past Terawhiti and on to Tory Channel the sea was haidly sufficient to trouble even the most inexperienced sailor. A. delightful fun through the picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound brought the excursionists to the Picton Wharf al 11 a.m., the weather being cloudy, but calm and pleasant. Many people f'ni'iirl much of interest in the prett" hilU-de domria, which Piclon resident"--* liive pi-eatly improved in recent years, - while others "boiled the billy" in bcduded ncoks oa the shores oi the Sound. The return journey was commenced at 3.35 p.m., and the racing spued, the wide stretr'-es of snow-whitp foam th<-i niarkc<l the \o>-f-el's progress, and th<> „-.ec-?.-i\\ motion just sufiVient to raW. pit t•> depress, the spirits, made a delightfully rcfiephing scene to city dwt-ll(v.s anrl u inkers. A pleasant and faiiiv fa^l passace brought the trippers back to the Queen's Wharf before 7 p.m., the day having been on the whole highly enjoyable to thoRP having the capacity for true enjoy- ! ment. Do you Puz Come down and see society's great new pastime — Zag-Zaw. A special window in Brandon-.streat. All piices from Is fid. — Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. — AdvU