LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 10, 11 July 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A question in reference to the Canadian cadet contingent was asked in tho House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. J. Craigie (Timaru). Mr. Craigie said \ that there were twenty cadets in camp at Treiitham, but the invitation extended to fourteen only, as far as he understood. He asked whether arrangements could not be made to send the twenty, and so avoid a great deal of disappointment. Sir Joseph Word and Ml. Myers both etated that the invitation was for a contingent of fourteen, and urged that it would not be advisable to further trench on the generosity of the Canadian Government. Tito Minister of Defence (tho Hon. James Allen) promised to look into the matter, and lay the question before Cabinet. Should moneys subscribed by New Zealand to the fund for the relief of distress in England caused tlirough the coal strike be applied to the relief cf women and children who are suffering from tho dock strike? The High Commissioner wishes to know. With regard to the coal strike, he writes: — "Tho resumption of work, however, fortunately ■ removed the very dire distress, and I have therefore only distributed sums amounting to £1046 8a lOd. This leaves on hand the amount of £630 19e lOd, and I shall be glad for instructions to be furnished to this office as to how this money should be disposed of." In a cable received from the High Commissioner on 4bh July he states that he holds £933 3« 3d unexpended coal strike money, and ho repeats his. desires for instruction* from subscribers as to whether this money shall bo applied to "the relief of dock strike, as -the distress and Buffering of the women and children is most acute." Further expert testimony to tho necessity, in the opinion of women teachers, for the separation of th© sexes in our schools was given by Mica N. M'Lean, Principal of the Wellington Gills' High School, before the Royal Connni«*ion on Education^ to-day. In answer to a question by Mr. Welle, she said she thought after about ten yeaa» of age, the eexee should be separated. Before thai it would be better for boys und girls to bo taught together. Next week the Wellington Racing Club ball will be held in the Town Hall, and ladies attending this function should fcue Uw beautiful* hosiery nov* showing by

An inqowt win be held to-morrow morning regarding the death of William Robert Prior, who is alWgod to have thrown himself in front of a train at Thorndon on Tuesday last. "The most pitiful thing in the life of New Zealand is the larp* proportion of her native born eons *ho are unskilled workers. The waete in the we of incomplete equipment is very great, but the greatest waste of all is m the incapacity of her untrained workers."— Professor Mills before the Cost of liiving Commission. Jolmsonyille's poll oa too proposal to raise £2500 to enable ratepayers^ connect their howee* with the main drainai?e syfiiam hae bee N carried by 81 votes to 5. At the same tim« an election for tlio vacant seat of Mr. J. Rod (•who is visit, ing England) waa held, y,.}^ Mr. Waiter Angoll was d*ct<>d by 112 votes against Mr. Robert Bonld'e 60 votes. B«*toun U to have ft bowling green *nd tem»s lawn, and ft company hat {""FiA?* % purpose, »Ith a capital of £1500. Mr- W. H Greon w chairman and Mr. H. E. Richards decretory. Mr. R. M. Wateon f, «,ij. citor to the company. The land to be laid out consist* of 1* aam, now tha beatoun Tunnel and on the tram line. Wanting only the dome and lantern to finish it, the new lighthouse for Castle Pomt stands wreot in S. Luke and Son's engineering yard, Victoria* street. The tower is 60ft high to the circular balcony, and weighs over eighty tons. The «tructure was cast in sections, which had to be bolted together, so as to fit with the greatest accuracy. There are 130 sections in all, and each one has been tapered, bo that whem all are joined up they will form a hollow conical towor. The lantern is furnished by the Government. Mr. Parkinson said before the Bdue»> won Commission yesterday that he agreed with the observations of General Gtodley on the AeeeaeHy of demilitarising the school oadete. Physical culture and military drill should be retained. He believed in the importance of riflo-shooting as not only a fine pastime, but a fine moral training. It developed self-reliance, judgment, and individual responsibility. But shooting should not be made universal, as some boys had not sufficiently good eyesight for it. He thought that the option of scouts or cadets should be left not to the boy, but to the teacher. For soiling milk containing water, an addition, which is prohibited under the regulations of the Pood and Drug* Act, Alfred Cottle, a dairyman at Maungaroa, was fined 20», with costs amounting to 255, by Dr. M' Arthur, S.M., at Upper Hutt yesterday. The information was laid by the Health Inspector, Mr. J. T. Hopkins, and the official analysis skovred that, taken at freezing point, there we« an addition of 10 per cent, of water. The defoiidwifc stated that he was perfeotly innocent of the fact that ir&ter had' boon added. "That may be bo," said his Worship, "but it is no, defence. If your men have been careless you must tak« the consequences.'' Centralisation of country sohoodfl has been a plank in the teachers' platform often produced before the Education Commission in its tour of the Dominion. Miv E. S. Hylton, secretary Of ithe Marlborough Education Board, giving 1 evidence yestei-day, did not think the system could be applied to Mftriborough, whichi at the Batne time was most afflicted vritbRmall > schools. In the Sounds district practically the whole system of communication was by water, and therefore .there was no chance of establishing central schools io which the children could b* conveyed. Out of tho ninety-two schools at present under the board, he thought there 'were none whicb could be centralised satisfactorily. The best interests of education would be served by allowing the district to remain as it wa*. Before Dr. M 1 Arthur, S.M., yesterclay, the first prosecutions at Upper Hutt tinder the Defence Act were heard, two youths— A. W. Blanford and P. F. Kelly —being charged with failing to render personal service by not attending instructional camps. > Captain Braddell, who laid the informations, did not put in an appearance, and this fact was commented upon somewhat ' severely by the Magis» trato. He agreed, however, to take the oases. Blanford pleaded that he was not in the district when the first camp was hold, and was ill on the second occasion. In answer to Dr. M 1 Arthur, he said that he could not be numbered among the resistors, as he had attended all the drills. The case was disumsed. Kelly gaid the reason why ho did not attend the camp was thttt he missed the traiu. Dr. M'ArUnir; "You don't object to doing nervice for your country, do you?" Defendant: "No, certainly not. I was sorry I missed the camp. Dr. M'Arthur: "Let us have better hick next time. The case will be dismissed," Last evening, the Hutt Town Board decided to put a proposal before the ratepayers to barrow £10,265 for the p-urpo** of installing a water Bervice on the basis of reports and estimates supplied some time ago by Mr. LaingMeason. Commissioner Webb moved m the matter, and his motion was seconded by Commissioner Harrison. Commissioner Webb urged the desirability of the scheme very 6trongly. Be pointed out that the annual cost to the ratepayers would be about £500 per annum lor interest and sinking fund. i"h© charge would fall on every ratepayer, those owning vacant sections to wy only half rates. He was perfectly convinced tbjat every a'eaßonftbly-mihdied ratepayer would ccc that the scheme was to Ills advantage. Commissioner Davis was the only member who opposed the suggested action. He did not wish to bring many argument* in favour of his contention, he said"; ho was perfectly sure that the ratopayei's "would not look at the scliome for one minute." For one thing, he was positive that the scheme could not be earned out for Mess than £16,000 as I2in pipes not lOin would be nocesuary. A« the ptweent board went out of office in September such an important matter should bo held over for the iiico'romg board. Ho mowed an amendment iA that direction. This was defeated, however, and the original motion was carried, Connnis sioner Davis being the only dissentient. The poll will be t&keri on th» third Wednesday in September, th« cfa.te ov which the new board will be docted. A verdict of "found drowned" wa* returned by tho Coroner, Dr. M'Avthuri at tho inquest y<?elcrday iv^axdin^ tlu> death of the man who was found in thf harbour near tho T»r»n*.ki.sfct'«t©t Wharf on Monday. Kvidonco was {riven that tho body had been in the watw about !i fortnight. Ko identification hat yet been made. Merchants having good* for delivery should get u» to handle them. We ship, receive, and distribute at ot<her «nd, a/nl collect charges (if d«sirod). The New Zealand Express Company.— Advt. The Cost of Liviuir Commission confcinnei to obtain evidence, but it is to bo feared that its report, wheu available, will bo of but little practical value. The causes of the problem lie deeper than any such body can delve. So fax as thu roquirom«nta of tho community in tho way of soft goods uo concerned, while such firms n« C. Smith, Ltd., are content with & moderate return on capital iuvested there will not be much room for complaint. l<or instance, at tbe great win. tor solo now proooedinir this firm are clearing a lino of ladies kid glovos, all size and colours, worth from 2s lid to 4s 6d por pair, at the bfcrgaia price ol k lltf per pp,h\ See l\\*t,s tit once, or fia&xl ygur order, by, i-eUuiu

A young man named Bert Eggs, a plumber, living in Adelaide-road, was admitted to €be Hospital to-dar suffering from servete injuries to the. head sustained through * faQ from a plank i> the Union Company's pnemiaas at "the Patent 8&p. "I approve warmly of the work of the Navy League," wzote the headmaster of the Napier Boys' High School (Mr. A. & M. Poison) to the Education Com. mission in a letter read yesterday. Th* movement appeak readily to way normal boy, and while incnlcs&ng sane ideas of patriotism and Inrperiansm, it helps to render more concrete the tooneglecied and often indifferently tsnght subject of British History." Memories of the Native trees which, once adorned Mount Victoria and other portions of i3ie Town BeH are rerryed by Mr. EL Baiffie, who has been looking through some oid records. " During the five years ended 31st December, 1848," he say's,^ "nine persons were convicted of 'cuttinc timber on the Town Belt. Five of tne calprite were said to be sailors or 'unknown,' and four were 'original setfctera.' When did the authority pkyVfu^ for I am sure that very few who have known the Belt for tine last thirty yearn will remember any timber." Sex-phy«ic4ogy and its teaching to young people has been eeveral thnee mentioned at the Royal Conumodon on Education during its Wellington sittings. Most witnesses have agreed that something /should be done in def aotfc of parent* carrying out their proper duties in en~ Kghteiung their children. Miss N. M'Lean, Principal of th* Wellington Girte* High School, was asked by Mr. Pirani to-day to give her view* on the question. She thought it was a matter for the parent* and the home, bet individual teaching might b» given by -the lady medical inspector* of schools in the course oi ineir round of visitations. After disenscon among creditors in the estate of Arthur N. Williams, plumber, yesterday, it was decided that tenders be called for the purchase of the stock.