LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 89, 16 April 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Circulars are to be issued by the Department of Labour to all factories and other pla-ces where manufacturing industries are carried on, with a view to securing industrial statistics, for the census to be taken next year. ' While in the North Atlantic, bound out to Now Zealand, the Austrian steamer Georgia fell in with very heavy weather which strained her plates, causing her to leak a little. The salt water attacked the tins of petrol and kerosene and rusted them, so that when they were taken out this morning, many were leaking. In the circumstances, it was thought prudent by the Harbour Board officials to prohibit smoking on the wharf near the vessel, and no smoking was allowed on board of her. Every precaution v/as taken to prevent posbibly inflammable vapour that might issue from the hold becoming ignited. Tho holds are carefully guarded, and measures have been taken to free them from gases. The Georgia will sail for the South Island to-morrow morning. At Bathurst the other night, Burrows established a new world's clubswinging record of 67 hours 20 minutes. The Shopkeepers' Association has resolved to approach the City Council with the object of getting more shelter accommodation provided, at tramway stopping-places. At Woodville on Wednesday night Captain Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades, gave an address on fire matters to tho local fire brigade, the Mayor, and some of the borough councillors. He returned to Wellington on the following day. A consignment of 294 live sheep was exported dv the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., by the s.s. Moana, which left for Sydney yesterday. Two draught stallions, forwarded by Mr. James Wilson, were also taken. A ten-roomed nouse in Bowenstreet has been taken by the committee of the newly-formed Wellington Art Club. It is hoped to provide a large studio in which memoers can work ; reading, writing, and smoking Tooms ; also a library of works on art, music, the drama, and kindred subjects. The Postal authorities advise '.vat, Ilu Vancouver mail which left Suva on tbe 14th inst. for Sydney, per Maitai, should leave Sydney next Wednesday, and arrive at Auckland on the following Sonday. The mail is expected to arrive in Wellington per Main Trunk express on Monday, 25th inst. Tho Shopkeepers 'Association sent a communication to the -Chief Inspector of Factories regarding prosecutions of shopkeepers for keeping their premises open, for a short time after closing hours. In the course of his reply, the Inspector states that the department will not take proceedings against any shopkeeper without giving him ample opportunity of knowing the provisions of the Act. Judgment was reserved by the Court of Appeal yesterday, in the case of the Gisborne Harbour Board and Percival Barker, sheepfarmer. The question was one of terms on which the appellants should or should not renew leases of their property to the respondent. Mr. T. W. Stringer, K.C., with him Mr. Myers, appeared for the appellant ; Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., with him Mt. Stock, for the respondents. Alluding to the postponement of the Industrial Exhibition till next year, it was stated by one speaker at the meeting of the Shopkeepers' Association yesterday, that the failure to obtain the required guarantees was probably mainly owing to the uncertain legal position in regaTd to the employment of assistants in the exhibition in the evenings. The idea had been well taken ap by many shopkeepers, and the exhibition would no doubt be held next year. It has been arranged by the Labour Party to start an active campaign in support of the candidature of a Labour representative for the Hutt District aJb ♦,he next general election. Mr. W. (*. D. Evans, replying to a deputation which requested him to agree to nominaitiion when the proper time came, said it was essential tnaA an active working organisation should be formed in the interests of labour. He thought the choice of a. candidate should be left to a committee to be appointed. Mr. Evans expressed his williii^ness to assist in securing labour representation for the Hutt. Congratulatory references to the signal success which the Labour Party has achieved in the Federal elections were made ait a meeting of the General Labourers' Union, held last night ;n iho Trades' Hall. During the evening U c following officers were appointed :— President, Sir. P. Shannon; vice-president, Mr. R. B. Lumsden ; treasurer, .Mr. J. M. Campbell ; committee, Mes srs H. Adams, F. Stott, P. Quirk, J. O'Bfian, and J. Nicholson ; delegates to the Trades Council, Messrs J. M. Campbell, F. O'Keefe, M. J. Rear l">n, P. Shannon, F. Sfcdfct, and' Williams. The sum of £5 was voted to the retiring president (Mr. O'Keefe), and £2 .Kte to the retiring vice president (Mr. J. M. Campbell). "The shekel of the sanctuary of old" was the appellation of the Yen. Archdeason Ensor to the traditional "threepenny bit" 'at the annual meeting of Phillipstjown parisionera last evening (says yesterday's Christchurch "Press). He said it was a most lemarkable thing that they could not do without that coin. It was really most useful, but still it did not keep the machinery of tho church going. He pointed out that often there were two or three wet Sundays in the year, and the people who stopped away did not contribute for those Sundays, but still continued : to put in the threepenny piece. They J expected, ho\vc\cr. that when they died the Church would bury them ; but in the meantime how -was the church to be kept going? This was a matter that was worthy of their consideration. Some of the peculiarities of grocers' assistants w ere referred to by Mr. W. E. Haselden, S.M., yesterday, during the hea-ring of a case which came before him for trial. "Somei assistants," he remarked, "treat custompis with deference; oUieis give them a familiar nod as if they had known them for yea/», talk about the latest football match, or the Palmor^ton semidal." lie added that a. particular cla«s of s-hop wan/ted a particular class of assistant. The witness who was in the box at the time promptly intimated to the Bench that he considered he was quite capable of exhibiting due deference to his customers, a remark which drew from his tho assurance that his observations had no personal application. Having received this assurance, the grocer man proceeded to explain that a smart assistant "picked" his man — framed his bearing according to the demeanoui of tbe customer. "Yes," sceptically commented Mr. Haselden. "But you may make mistakes sometimes— if a lady has api gpti the latent bonaei psj"-

c Steerage bookings on the s.s. Moan) yesterday were so heavy that & permi was obtained to carry about fifty extri passengers in that class. Altogether tho vessel carried 284 passengers. A married woman, Mrs. Daisy Moore, residing at 255, RiddiforcVstreet, fell ofl a tramcar in the vicinity of Courtenayplace last night, and was admitted tc the hospital suffering from a broken leg. Customs dues at Wellington for the week ending to-day totalled £10,325 3i sd, with a surtax of £205 18s Id. Foi to-day the amount collected was £1341 3s 3d, with a surtax of £23 9s 2d. The beer duty for the week was £241 2s 3d. At the meeting of the Shopkeepers' Association yesterday, satisfaction was expressed afc the decision of the City Council to have the wood-blocking of the streets in front of the General Post Office carried out. One result would be to greatly minimise the dust nuisance. "There ought to be a scheme arrived afc between the City CoancH and the Harbour Board, by which some method can be adopted for the clearance of the silt which is rapidly filling up tne Thorndon baths," said Mr. Wilford, at the Goring-street haE last night. In the opinion of some members of the Shopkeepers' Association, there are occasions when shopkeepers feel it to be a grievance to strictly observe the bylaw which forbids them to sweep the pavement in front of their premises after 9 a.m. Th« high wind, it is said, sometimes blewt the dust from tho streets into the shops, thus damaging the stock. Traders were bound to sween_ away the dust in the interests of cleanliness. Sir Joseph Ward informed a Poverty Bay Herald reporter that it was his intention at an early date to traverse the route of the Gisborne-Auck-landi railway, with the object of making himself fully acquainted with the nature of the work and the country passed through. Sir Joseph itnends to return to Gisborne som& time before the commencement of next session, and will ride from Motu through to the Bay of Plenty. The well-known middle-distance runner Trembath (ex-half-mile amatear champion of Australasia), has practically completed 'arrangements to start early for a trip Home, where he intends to compete against all comers (states an Invercargill correspondent). He will be accompanied and trained by the equally well-known, pedestrian L. O. M'Lachlan. Trembath intends to include South Africa in his itinerary on the return journey. Mr. John Leslie, of Kilbirnie, in a letter to The Post, criticises the police and the people of the Palmerston district for the methods adopted in tha pursuit of Powelka. He submits that Powelka. has not yet been convicted of any crime, but is being chased with far more ruthlessness than ever were Terry and Ellis. "Has it ever dawned on the authorities," states the writer, "to ask themselves what position Powelka himself considers he occupies? To a weakminded being, what must appear the enormity of his offence, in. view of the extravagant and outrageous methods' pursued for his capture? Why, even a healthy dog would be driven to madness under such conditions." Business at the Magistrate's Court today was veiy slack. Florence M'Donald, charged with being found helplessly drjink, was remanded, for medical treatment, till 23rd inst. Accused was in a very bifa state. A similar charge was preferred against Thomas Francis Coyne, who appeared in the dock with a discoloured eye and his head swathed in bandages. He, too, was remanded, till the 19th. Frank Ayres was charged with having unlawfully assaulted one Frederick Carroll, who was before the court yesterday on a charge of insobriety. Sub-Inspector Norwood stated that the police had made enquiries into the case, and were satisfied that Ayrea only struck back in self-defence. Hi» opponent was the provocator. The information -was dismissed. Miss Maud W. Kimbell, an art mistress at the Technical School, issued! invitations to a private view of her pictures at the M'Gregor Wright Gallery this afternoon. Miss Kimbell, judging by the number of works exhibited — about 80 — has been most industrious, and has gone for her subjects over a, vast_ range of territory. There are many marine, landscape, animal (dog), and portrait studies, chiefly in water colour, but a few of the pictures are in oil. One of the latter, >the interior of a smithy, earned for the artist the bronze medal awarded by South Kensington to ■exhibitors at the National Exhibition. Versatility seems to bo the principal feature of Miss KimbeH's work. In her landscape she is frequently daringly broad, and several deeorafave panels show evidence of much patient work, combined with intelligence. The exhibition is extremely "'interesting, and 'A will, no doubt, attract a large number of visitors. A question involving the action of an hotelkeeper at Woolston, who refused accommodation to an individual whom he considered undesirable was heard before Mr. T. A. Bailey, S.M., Christchurch, recently. The individual, one Taylor, said he was a drover, that he had arrived with Kelly, the hotelkeeper, earr> in the evening to have accommodation, and that he had remained in the hotel. At closing time, Kelly forced him to leave the place, but afterwards had readmitted him. Then, it is reported in the Lyttelton Times, Kelly's wife advised her husband to refuse complainant accommodation. The complainant had done nothing to make hrt presence objectionable, but he admitted under* cross-examina-tion that he had been mixed up in a case of theft, but he had never been turned out of the hotel. The defence set up was that under section 165 of the Act the man had to show hp was a traveller. The section also said that a traveller could not be refused unless for some valid reason, and the valid reason for Kelly's refinal to provide accommodation was that Taylor was suspected of theft. Defendant declared that, Taylor never-said he was a traveller, and on the other hand was always about the hotel, l>:.'t never spent any money in the house. Sub-Inspector M'Grath said that complainant at the time had been engaged inlegitimate employment, and it was hard if he could not obtain a bed. The solicitor for the defence contended that Taylor had been known as a loafer in the district, and for the first time asked for a i bed without slating he was a traveller. i Judgment was reserved. | The following message ha"s just been received by the Reichel Automatic Fire Alarm Co., from Messrs. Wallace and Co., chemists, Chriptchiuch : — "Please arrange- to install immediately yonr I>eichel Automatic Fire Alarm in our Premises. The Feat of Fisf on Sunday Morning laf-t convinces us it was burning for a long time before it was observed by Corporation Street Sweeper, and, notw ithstanding the prompt arrival of Firo Brigade, it will require large sum to recoup lo.'s. Had your Alarm been installed, we feel sure several hundred pounds would have been saved. — Wallace and Company." Full particulars may be obtained from H. A. Smith and Co., Cuba-street, local agents, cr at the company's office, Nathan's Buildings. — Advt. We specialise in Picture Framing of every description, 200 designs of the most up-to-date mouldings to select from. \Vo. invite you to inspect our art gallery. Kirkcaldie and Stains, tLtd.— Advi. '