LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 82, 4 October 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Plans were approved by the Harbour Board and Marine Department yesterday of the big undertaking which the Union Steam Ship Company will begin forthwith at Evan'« Bay. A reclamation 380 feet long by 160 feet wide will be started, and when completed a wharf, laundry, engineering repair shops, stores, sail loft, and other buildings largely in iron and glass will be erected. A contract for the wharf and reclamation is already let. The wharf will be 280 feet long and 30 feet wide. There will be a depth of 24 feet of water alongside without dredging. . . When the case of the Auckland Endowment, involving land valued at about a quarter qf a million sterling, is concluded before the Court of Appeal, which began its quarterly session yesterday, the next hearing will be that of the appeal case Edith Dorothy Ellis and John Eli Ellis and Karl Rasmussen — an action relevant to alleged damage caused by a dam in the Waiweto stream, Lower Hutt. Other cases set down are : John Mullan v. Ashburton Licensing Committee, Alexander Hatrick v. Emma Sophia Nicol, Christchurch City Council v. Bollard and another, Law Practitioners Act and re John James -j?atterson.

Further progress ha« b%en made in the scheme for the improvement of the streets round Parliament grounds. The Mayor (M-r. T. M. WHford) informed a Post reporter to-day that the council wac only waiting for the plans from the Public Works Department in respect to the rounding of Quinton's Corner, to take steps to secure the necessary land under the Public Works Act. The plans are expected shortly. "The victory of Arnst in the sculling match on the Zambesi attracted remarkably little attention here," remarks The Post's London correspondent. "A large portion of the press did not trouble to notice the event at all. The Reuter message, which was used by all the English papers but two, was not more than a hundred or two words, and many of the papers made* no comment at all. The Financial Times states :—'Undoubtedly the better man Avon, although, in j view of the superiority of Arnst, this ! implies no depreciation of Barry's merits, and the sportsmanlike naturo of the contest has given Barry's supporters a good run for their money." A sugestion was recently made to the Minister of Justice by Mr. J. B. Fielder of Napier, that a company or association which pays rates to local bodies should be entered on the ratepayers' roll in its corporate name, and that the person authorised to exercise the vote should be supplied with an empowering document signed by the chairman of directors. Mr. Fielder pointed out that as the law now stood companies and associations were practically disenfranchised at local elections because their officers were already on the roll in respect to private property. The Minister has promised that the suggestion will receive careful consideration when the amendment to the Act is being prepared. What is described by The Post's London correspondent as "a most important development in the ocean passenger trade" has taken place at Belfast. The steamer Aeneas was launched at the end of August. She is a vessel of 10,000 tons gross, and is the first of three similar steamers, built to the- order of Messrs. Alfred Holt and Co., of Liverpool (known the world over as the Blue Funnel Line). She will inaugurate a new passenger service to and from Australia. A distinctive feature is that one class of passenger will be carried— hrst-class— and provision of a very generous nature will be provided on the steamers for no fewer than 300 such travellers. Fishguard will be the port of arrival and departure in Britain. The Blue Funnel Line formerly was almost confined to the Far Eastern trade, and connected also Freinantle with Singapore. A would-be bioscope artist had a disastrous time at Waikaia last week at the threshold of his career as an operator. He had purchased an apparatus and in- . tended to make a circuit of the northeastern district of Southland, his first show being at Waikaia. After a couple of films had been exhibited (says the Southland Times) "bang" went the machine, and acetylene gas threw fire in all directions. The audience, which was of fair dimensions, made a wild rush for the doors and a crush ensued, in which some ladies fainted and one was trampled on. Several members of the audience were singed by the flames, but the fire was speedily extinguished and no great damage was done, except that the machine was wrecked and the operator received some naety bums. A grievance of the Manawatu district, recently ventilated in Parliament, was again brought under the Government's notice yesterday by a deputation which interviewed the Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways. Previously, it was stated, the Manawatu Company had been partly or wholly responsible for the maintenance of fences between the railway route and settlers' property. Since the winding-up of the company, however, the Government had declined to accept any liability. The Hon. J. A. Millar commented that the Crown Law Officers advised that the settlers' redress was against the Manawatu Company. Sir Joseph Ward promised that he would have Fhe matter carefully investigated. He would have a conference with the late general manager of the Manawatu Company (Mr. W. M. Hannay) on the subject. Commissioner Hay, head of the Salvation Army in Australia, has already approved of a fairly lengthy list of New Zealand engagements. He will arrive in Auckland in January next, and will tour the district, including visits to Waihi and Hamilton, and come south to Palmerston North, Feilding, Hastings, and Wellington. What he will do in Wellington has not yet been decided, but it is understood some matters of great importance connected with the social side of the army work will be disposed of. While in Auckland the commissioner will open the inebriate's establishment at Eotorua (Ruthe's Island) in the Hauraki Gulf, also the new men's shelter in Auckland city. At present the shelter is attached to the People's Palace, or private hotel, managed by the army. In future the shelter side of this institution will be conducted in a building apart from that devoted to permanent and transient boarders. "Catch them young." This is the principle advocated by the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford) in the movement to introduce municipal electricity into the home more widely and for more purposes than it serves to-day. In conversation with a Post reporter to-day Mr. Wilford outlined a scheme with this object. His proposal was that the City Council should furnish to the new cookery school now being erected at Mount Cook a complete set of electrical apparatus designed for economising labour and energy in the home. Current would be supplied by the council at reduced rates. The electrical engineer (Mr. Stuart Richardsop) has been consulted by the Mayor, and approves of the scheme. It will be placed before the Tramways and Power Stations Committee this afier- I noon, and the question will then be discussed. Should the attitude of the committee and council prove favourable, j the next step will be to secure the consent of the Education Board to its installation in the new school. To the V.M.C.A. authorities the running of the gymnasium of ten presents (as was pointed out to the conference in the V.M.C.A. buildings, this morning) a difficulty of a far-reaching effect. According to Mr. Virgo, it was often found, that instructors while being of a deeply religious and God-fearing character were utterly, incompetent as physical directors. His experience was that there was too much attention paid to the spiritual side. In many cases it dominated to excess every department in a V.M.C.A. building. To him it seemed that it did not matter if a physical director was a slim man, or what not, so long as he was capable of imparting plenty of theology to his students. Then on the other hand there was a danger of making the gymnasium an absolutely separate institution from the main work of the V.M.C.A. — an institution within an institution, without any regard at aP for the spiritual side of the question. No man was perfect, and what was required was a strong gymnastic committee in each building to supply those deficiencies which any instructor was found to lack. A miner and his three daughters, it is declared, recently recovered 2800 worth of gold from their beach claim at Okarito, Westland, for three weeks' working. To-morrow being the first Wednesday in the month, there will be tho usual clearance of remnauta, etc. Kirkcaldie ♦ad Stains, Ltd. — Advt.

Last Friday evening, as the north tram did not stop at Chaneys, report* the Christchurch Press, a man passenger took a flying leap from one of the carriages while the train was running at full speed. The train was pulled up but the man had ap D arently alighted unhurt. The Christchurch Woolbrokers' Association has decided, in the interests of wool-growers, to limit the number of lote offered at the December and January sales For this purpose single and twobale lots will be grouped as far as pussible, and all two-bale lots not grouped will be treated as "star lots." Seven teams have entered for the annual road race, which will start this y ea 5 from the Athletic Park. The present holders, Port Nicholson A.A.C., will not be represented, owing to two of the original team being absent from Weiungton. The following are the teamß to start on Saturday:— Wellington HarWifnV? 0 ? 3 '? Harriers A and B, W.A A.C Club, Zealandia Rifles, and Wellington Rowing Club. "School committees," said Mr. Flux headmaster of Wellington South School last night, "can do a great deal to help forward the work of schools-more than they know. If they look at their position as constituting the boss of the teacher instead of as his loyal helpmate, disaster must follow. No self-respecting teacher would accept such a position. ! woujd break stones rather than do so." A Congregational branch of the Laymen s Missionary movement in connechon with the Wellington Auxiliary of the London Missionary Society was formed m the Terrace Schoolroom last evening, when Rev. H. P. Schlencker, of New Guinea, and Rev. G J Will hams, Australasian Organising Agent addressed a large audience of men' About twenty members were enrolled To-night in the Tea-race Schoolroom a public meeting will be addressed by Revs. Schlencker and Williams. A list of other meetings, to be held is advertised to-day. The Northern Union Clubs are beginning to marshal their ranks in preparation for the winter season (writes The Post's London correspondent). Rowe (New Zealand) wiU be in the threequarter line for Leeds. Archie Waddell, of New Zealand, is stated to have signed on for St. Helens to reinforce their forward line. Wigan is staunch on New Zealanders — Seeling, Todd, and Ramsdale are to be reinforced by Lionel P. Williams (Ponsonby, and Auckland city), and Albert G. Renwick (Ponsonby, Grafton, and New Zealand, 1908). Johnston also may return to Wigan this year. Complaints have reached this office of the recklessness with which gorse is fired at Day's Bay to the disregard of the safety of other people's property, and in proximity to dwelling houses. On. Friday last the desperate efforts of a band of willing workers were required to avert disaster. A gorse fire which had been carelessly started, after destroying some beautiful native bush was only checked within a yard of Mr. O'Connor's residence, and it burned right up to the verandah of a house in course of construction. It is feared that unlass some firm measures are adopted to compel grubbing out instead of burning off the gorse, there will be a very serious fire at the bay, especially should it break out in the dry weather which is shortly to be expected. Strong disapproval of the present regulations governing the public sale- of milk was made by Mr. T. W. Hfslop as counsel for the defendant in a prosecution heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday He submitted that the series of prosecutions which had been instituted by the Public Health Department savoured of anything but the true spirit of the administration of the Act. Tho regulations were extremely harsh, and unlike the regulations obtaining in any other country in the world. In the Old Country it vras assumed that if the composition of the milk was below a certain standard, th« fact was prima facie evidence that the milk was adulterated. That was a reasonable regulation, but here the conditions were far more burdensome in character, and very difficult to comply with. He quoted figures to show a relatively high percentage of " water in the milk of cows, even at State farms, and in early spring there was always a tendency for the milk to be somewhat deficient in solids. Ship-building activity, of" an order to interest New Zealanders, is mentioned by The Post's ..London correspondent. The Union Steam Ship Company is inviting tenders for the construction of a cargo steamer to carry under 3000 tens dead-weight. Tenders are to be in by the end of this month. Fairplay states : — "On behalf of the Maoriland Steam Ship Co., Ltd., Wellington, the Union Steam Ship Company contracted with the Campbelltown Shipbuilding Co. for the construction of a steamer to carry" about 2200 tons dead-weight. She will be 238 ft over all, 35ft llin beam, and 17ft Bin moulded depth, and will cost between £17,000 and £18,000." The latest addition to the Indra fleet is the twin-screw steamer Indrabarah, which niay be expected to put in an appearance in New Zealand before long. She registered 14£ knots on her trials on the Tyne. The New Zealand Shipping Company is inviting tenders for the construction of a passenger steamer, and for a cargo steamer for the New Zealand trade. Messrs. Huddart, Parker and' Co. are also said to be in the market for a steamer. A grievance is felt by Dunedin merchants regarding the slow handling of West of England boats on the coast in general and tho Empire Transport in particular. This vessel, says the Otago Daily Times, M-as first due to arrive at Dunedin on 10th September, and last week was expected to reach here on Tuesday last, but did not come to port till Saturday. It was pointed out last week that the Aparima took only eleven days to reach Dunedin from .Auckland. Tho Empire Transport left there on 3rd September, and has thus taken 28 days. The goods she contains have in many cases been sold, and much inconvenience and annoyance are being occasioned by the delay in delivery. Matters have reached such a pass in regard to the West of England boats that merchants are now requesting their agents not to forward goods by that Kne when any other route is available. An interesting comparison is afforded by tie following : A Dunodin firm posted Home an order on 18th June. Despatch at the other end was prompt ; the goods were shipped in the Otaki, and arrived here on 24th September. The Empire Transport, on the other hand, has goods in her which wore invoiced from Liv«ry«el on 2Oth June, and the vessel is just to hand. In the face of that delay it is no wonder that merchants are irritated. Never travel without checking your baggage through us. It costs no more ; saves all trouble. We collect, check, deliver immediately at other end. The JS.Z. Express Co.. Ltd.— AdvtThe Harbour Board is to be congratulated on having arrived at a solution of the dock problem, for the present, at any rate, though the question will doubtless have to be faced again at no very distant date. Another problem which concerns many Wellington ladies is: "Where can the best value be obtained when gloves are required ?" C. Smith, Ltd., can promptly solve this. They are now showing a special purchase of kid gloves, tons and browns, at 2s 6d per pair, and tans, white, brown, beaver, at 2s lid. These are graad value, and should be seen at once in the glove department at C. , Sniith'fi, Ltd., Cuba-etreet.— Advt,