LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 62, 27 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. George Hunter’s expenses at the recent Parliamentary elections amounted to £177/12/'6.

The filling in of the lagoon at Westshore upon which nineteeen men are at present engaged will probably be completed in four or five weeks time.

Mr. George- Harvey, headmaster of the Dannevirke South School, has written to the Napier Town Clerk expressing thanks for the efforts made to give the school children enjoyment on the occasion of their recent excursion to the seaside.

The public are reminded that the annual garden fete in aid of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church building fund will be held in Mrs. N'ewrick’s grounds at the corner cf Havelock and Riverslea roads, Hastings, to-morrow afternoon. Tl*e arrangements aic well forward and this vein’s fete promises to eclipse all pieviuiis efforts of the kind. His Wciship the Mayor (.Mr. James (tarnett) will open the proceedings at 2.30 p.m.

T'tie Arbitration Court will sit at New Plymouth on .March 11 th, at Wellington on March 18th, at Napier on March 27th. at Palmerston North on April 2nd. At Wellington applications will be made for increased wages and improved conditions for bootmakers and woolier, workers and for Dominion awards. The court will also be asked by the merchants’ assistants to form a basis for grouping the various occupations embraced in the reference.

'Writing to the “Press” regarding the recent cable stating that the explosion at the quarry of the Sandsone Co., at Lenion, 'Washington State, in which 40.0001 b of black powder and 12.G001b of dynamite wore used, is believed to be the greatest of its kind that has ever been fired, a correspondent points out that tills is not the case, as in October, 1885. the United States Government blew up Heli’s Gate, in New York Harbour. 24u.0001b of rackarock. together with several tons of dynamite (which were used as primers) were exploded in one blast, and you will see by this that it was a very much larger quantity than that mentioned in the cable.

Surveyors have made a trial survey of the road deviation cn the Tuki Tuki hill.

Complaints have been made frequently of late at the number of cenidnt pipes broken on the roads where the Hastings sewerage scheme is being extended. From statements made it would appear that in almost every instance this wanton destruction of borough property is the work of children passing to and from school, and a warning is uttered to those concerned that all further trouble in the direction indicated will lead to Court proceedings.

A judgment debtor at Petone on Wednesday last (says the “Post”) was severely cross-examined regarding his attendance at races while the debt in question was owing. ”1 think it very unfair,” said counsel to Dr. Yle Arthur, “that this man should be able to go to races and spend his money while his creditors are kept waiting.” Dr. McArthur: “Yes, it is unfair. But attending races stems to be a necessity with a big proportion of the New Zealand public.”

Regarding the refusal of the Mahora School Committee to allow the Returning Officer the use - t their schoolroom for the forthcoming licensing elections, the secretary of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board has written to the chairman of the Mahora School Committee, Mr. A. M. Robertson) pointing out that tlie Licensing Act provides fl’.'it the returning officers shall have full service of all schoolrooms in the various licensing districts from 4 p.m. on the day preceding the election till 10 p.m. on the day of the poll.

An accident which resulted in the death of a polo pony, and which might easily have ended fatally for the rider, occurred in Hagley Park, Christchurch, on Monday afternoon. A young man was riding a valuable pony at a fair rate of speed, and was late in pulling up when approaching the picket gate leading to Riccarton road. Consequently the pony, which could easily have jumped the gate, got out of its stride, and being unable to stop, attempted to jump ,but landed right on the pickets, injuring itself so severely that it died in a few minutes. Its rider received a severe shaking, but was not otherwise hurt.

A t a special meeting last night the Wellington City’ Council decided, in view of the proposed reorganisation of the tramway service, that no appointment cf it traffic superintend•'■nt be made from the present applicants. A permanent tramway board was set up comprising Mr. W. H. Morton (city’ engineer), Mr. Stuart Richardson (electrical engineer), and the traffic superintendent. Mr. Menon will be chairman cf Jic board, which will manage the tramways on policv lines laid down by the council. This will relieve the council, and particularly the tramways committee, of a great amount of detail work. Mr. CabU. assistant electrical engineer ami assistant manager of tramways, was appoint-, rd acting traffic superintendent at £550 a vear.

That gieat care rho.dd be taken when petrel is used for cleaning purposes was evidenced by an accident which occurred recently at Riverton. A garage workman at the close of ihe day put his greasy overalls into a biii-kct and poure-.l ov< r them a smell quantity of petrol for the purpose of ch aning them, and took them home. Here he poured upon them some boiling water, and the petrol fumes dispersing with the steam, became ignited by a candle which was standing in a window near by, although the candle was inside, while the operation was being performed outside the house. The man was severely burned, and would no doubt have lost his life but for the presence of mind shown by his younger brother, a bov of thirteen, who extinguished the flames by smothering them with his own coat.

The special commission of agricultural engineers sent by the Uruguayan Government to srv.dv the pastoral and agricultural and life stock industries in Europe. North America, and Australia, arrived at Bluff yesterday from Melbourne, and will go on to Timaru by the first express to-merrow. These men are all students and all young (the eldest is -26). picked from different colleges, and the scheme is that each of them will furnish an independent report, so that frem the recommendations of the multitude the Uruguayan Goc eminent may extract essential wisdom. They are specially interested in pastoral pursuits, their country being laigely pastoral. They liked Australia and were greatly impress ed by the Hawkesbury College. There was nothing like it in their country. They all speak Spanish and Franeh. and some of them English. They are due in Hawke’s Bay at the end of this week.

Som M Vea. the coloured boxer, had the unusual experience of being counted out during an outing recently. The fact was that the boxer had struck an awkward proposition in the shape of a motor car. Journeying to Sydney, per automobile, from Manly across the Spit, a halt, was made at the entrance to the Spitpunt, on the Manly side. When the punt arrived M'Vea’s chauffeur moved the gear to embark. In place of the customary gliding of the car there was a loud explosion, and, disabled, the car had to be pushed on and off the punt. On the Sydney side of the water the driver made efforts to remedy the defect. but in vain. M’Vea, with oil feeder in hand, proceeded to investigate. For nearly an hour the two men worked ro locate the defect, but without success. A large crowd gathered round, anil, seeing M’Vea Iving on the broad oi his back under portion of the gear .the litimorous portion of the bystanders could not resist the temptaion to “count the champion out. W\ ea saw the joke, and joined in the laughter that followed, and fairly beamed when the trouble in the mechanism was finally adjusted.