LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 June 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

A meeting of the H Battwy Bazaar Committee will be held at the Drill Shod this evening at 8 o'clock.

Local lovers of cheap literature will be glad to learn that instead, of having to pay 8d for sixpenny editions, the English price will now be charged here. Messrs Jackson and Co. have an announcement to this effect in our advertising columns to-day, and a similar advu.tisement is inserted by Messrs J. E. Hounsell and Co.

We have to acknowledge receipt from the Gordon and Gotch Proprietary, Ld., further copies of the new sixpenny edition of standard and current fiction and other literature These include Anthony's Hope's "Tristram of Blent" ; A. T. Quiller-Couch's "Hetty Wesley" ; and H. A. Vachell's "The Shadowy Third." All are excellently printed, with several well executed full-page illustrations. The Company also forward "The Message," a pamphlet on political, financial, and social reform, by "A Democrat," who deals with the land, labour and money problems.

Very cold weather is being experienced, the thermometer in the forenoon, in the shade, (registering about 40, or eight below freezing. There is usually a frost at night and in the morning, though there is no ice about yet.

Mr Geo. Trapnell, of Beightwater, informs us that he has just received official information that he has been awarded a diploma of gold medal and a diploma of silver medal for Raditim flour and wheat meal at the late Christchurch International Exhibition.

Mr F. N. Jones, senr., has resigned his position as President of the Nelson "Defence Rifle Club, owing to circumstances having arisen which, he claims, left him no alternative. Mr Jones, who has been an enthusiastic member of the Club ever since its formation, will not, however, retire from membership.

A meeting of Nelson butchers was held at Mo.-cer's Rooms last evening, when the following firms wre represnted :— Messrs Trask Bros., Wilkie and Co., Delaney, Coleman, Barraclough, Fairey Bros., and Bird, junr. Mr E. E. Trask was voted to the chair.. The following resolution was proposed and carried : — That a deputation of those present wait on the City Council in reference to the unsatisfactory arrangements at the Abattoir. A number of grievances were noted, and it was left to the Chairman to arrange time and date to meet the Council.

Tonga Bay has been quite busy lately sending away gi.-anite for the Wellington Public Trust Office. About ten men arc permanently employed. Two shipments have been despatched recently, and a scow is loading up again for a third shipment. It is beyond question that when once contractors and architects get used to the Tonga Bay granite, they will use it in preference to all other building stone for effect and durability.

A sitting of the Warden's Court was held this morning before Mr H. EyreKenny, Warden. The Warden intimated that he would recommend for favourable consideration the application of C. W. Faulkncir for a gold dealer's license. The application of T. J Kennedy for a prospecting license at Anatoki was granted, there being no objection, and the regulations having been complied with. The Warden stated that he would recommend for favourable consideration the application of C. Y. Fell for a protection for special license No. 1106.

The Amir of Afghanistan has a deep-ly-rooted suspicion of all fcreigners. When medicine is prescribed for him by an alien doctor, he invariably compels one of his servants to take a large dose of it before he touches it himself. He then watches the effect, and if the servant shows no signs of suffering, he consents to give the physic a trial.

Mr Pinero, whose fine play, "His House in Order," still runs menily on, was employed as a clerk in a public library, and later in a solicitor's office, before the stage proper attracted him. As a very young man, however, he was fond of acting, and when eighteen years of ago he joined an amateur dramatic club, in connection with which he sustained the 'role of Hamlet.

Count de Witte, the famous Russian statesman, is a remarkable example of the self-ma-dc man. Commencing life as a railway porter, he achieved his success in collection with railways, onH rhpidly rose until he obtained a. post as Governor Director of Railways. M. da Witte is a big man, standing over sft in height, and his frame is stronglimbed and muscular. '

The workmen in the Antwerp diamond factories are leaving in large numbers for the United States, and th* local papers are not a little alarmed at the exodus, which deprives one of the chief tirades of Antwerp of its most skilled workmen. The latter have beer engaged by great fa-ctories in NewYorlState and Massachusetts, and have brer offered three times their present salaries. A first batch of workmen has already left, with their families, and on favourable reports received f'.'om them moit !eft recently for the United States.

In an interesting article on the mining industry at the Thames, the AuckUnd "Star" says that the Waiotahi Company, whose mine is again producing \:<:ge yields of gold, was registered in 1871, and up to the encV of December, 1904, succeeded in winning cold to the value of £191,412, the total divi 'lands from this being £40.000, or al •he rate of £6 13s 4d per share on f.OOC shares, during a period of 33 yp.irs. Tho total output of gold since the early crsa 'ion of the company was of the value of €546,575, in other words, the value of rroUl won since the eiifl of December. 1904, to the first of this month, wa.= €355,163; out of this the fortitnntc shareholders have 'received in dividend." ! he sum of £279,000. equal to £64 11? ier sharo of the original number. GcV I'as struck in the Caledonian Mine early in 1870, and from thence to its final winding up in 1886 the mine yielded gold to the value of £717,991, and paid dividends in the years 1870 and 1871 to the tune of £546,480.

Pluralism seems to have been carried fo an extraordinary extent in London Suburban Local Government. Recently on« Dr ffilleary, facetiously described a? I ''West Ham's Pooh Bah," resigned hi* office of clerk to the local Bok'd of I Guardians. Says "Lloyd's Weekly":— He holds the distinction, of which he may be proud, of being the record pluralist. No other man has ever held so many local offices. He is partner in i laree firm of city solicitors, ' with a branch at West Ham, but, in addition lie held the following positions : Town Clerk for West Ham (salary £950 n war). Clerk to the Gucrdians, at i> salary of £600 a, year. This office hp has now resigned. Clerk to the Assessmerit Committee of the West Hair Union (salary £300 a year). Superintendent Registrar : — For this he receives £2 4s 6d for every marriage by license md 2s for every othw marriage. Solicitor to the West Ham Council, West Ham Union, West Ham Assessment Committee, West Ham Overseers, West Ham Education Committee, and West Ham Gas Company. For his work as v>licitor, he was, of course, paid by fees Dr Hilleary's many offices were recently the subject of a protest to the Local Government Board by the ratepayers, in attempt being made to stop his sal ->ry as clerk to the Education Commit , t.eo on the ground that the work was ! -«ally Hone by another. When the Ratepayers' Association passed a resolution protesting against Dr Hilleary's ilurality of offices, posted copies 'tr i number of different officials, but nY the officials happened to be one and the j same person — tv Hillcary. I

Messrs W. Rout and Sons report having sold house and. land in Vanguardstreet belonging to Miss Snart to Mrs Philip Cross.

Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co. hold their usual weekly auction sale at their Railway Yards to-morrow, when they will offer 250 4, 6. and 8-tooth ewes ant' crossbred ewes. 40 shorn ewe hoggets, and 60 do wether hoggets.

The public are informed that there is plenty of Victory butter obtainable at 1s Id per Ib. Ask your grocer for this choice brand. Encourage local industry, md take no other.*

Samuel Woods is a person who infinitely prefers being in prison to being out. \vhen charged with stealing a pair of boats at Acctington ho earnestly pleaded to be sent for tri.il, at the Quarter Sessions, on tho ground that he would get a longer sentence there.

Siunor Folchi, a Milan shopkeeper, has invented n method of pulverising eggs which preserves them for Bn indefinite period, while retaining all their nutritive properties.

In a case heard at the Middlesbrough Police-court, in -which a bookmaker was fined £40 for using a private houße lor the purpose of betting, the police stated that seventy-four people, the majority of whom were women and girls, visited the house in one afternoon.

A woman named Ida Lewia lately celebrated her fiftieth year as keeper of the Lime Island lighthouse, in the harbour of Newport, Kbode Island. As girl and woman she has lived a remarkable life. Her bravery and skill in handling a boat are well known, and her fame is secure as the gieatestwoman lif a saver in the world, for she has the credit of having saved no Übs than eighteen lives, most of her rescues having been effected in the fane of extreme danger and in winter. As keeper of the Lime Island lighthouse, to which post she was appointed in recognition of her bravery and record as a. life-saver on the death of her father. Miss Lewis hai nnown herself as careful and efficient aa a man could be. Sne is ono of the few women in such a position.

Advice from Melbourne, dated 29th April, sajsSthe Afric, when she left Liverpool on her present voyage, bad stowed away under her hatches _ «,<a>o tons of general merchandise, wmen is beli&ved to bo by far the most extensive CirgO that has ever left Great Britain in ono bottom for Australian ports.

Signor Paolo Tosti, the composer, recently became naturalised as an Englishman and is now surprised to find that when a man assumes a new nationality he at the same time loses his former one. Only lately Signor Tosti was informed officially by the Italian Embassy that he had lost his Italian nationality, and now he regrets having taken the step, because he intends shortly to settle in Italy again.

"The great big medicine" was the name given to the phonograph by the Kikuyus of the Kenia province in the British East African Protectorate, when Colonel Hayes Sadler, the Governor, and Mrs Sadler, paid a visit to that remote district recently, and set a talking machine going. The natives wore wildly excited at the marvol. In one part of the district the people were very shy, and would not come out to pacley. Colonel Hayes Sadler wound the phonograph up, put on a bugle-call, started the machine, and left it with no one near. The natives could not believe their ears, but instead of approaching the machine to investigate they bolted like rabbits.

A magazine writer refers to the queer mixture of races in - Wisconsin. It has Bulgarians and Flemings. It has an Indian population of over 8000. It is the greatest Welsh, Cornish, Norwegian, and German Slates. It has Icelanders, with Minnesota, Bohemians with lowa, and French, Finns., and Hollanders with Michigan. The oldest and only purely Hungarian colony in America is on its soil, and the largest colony of Swiss. It has a native white element as old as the Knickerbockers, and even Englishtlescended families who go back 150 years on Wisconsin soil.

In view of the scarcity of Australian irirls for domestic service (says a Sydney writu.') high hopes were centred upon the prospect of obtaining a supply from the other side of the world ; but here comes the new trouble : A young woman who landed with other immigrants from England last week, intent upon gaining employment as a domestic servane, brings' the refreshing information that on the voyage out she received seven offers of marriage. She is puzzled to know how to ceply, and has appealed to Mr H. C. L. Anderson, of the Intelligent Department, for advice in her dilemma. This is quite a new md unlooked-for duty cast upon this useful State Department; but if Mr Anderson is not prepared, to face the anger md fury of thousands of householders in this country, he will strongly advise the girl not to create a bad precedent for other domestic servants who will come to this country.

An interesting statement appears in the last annual report of the survey of India. It* is said that recent surveys in Burma have brought to light the rapidity with which the coast-line on the western side of the Gulf of Martaban is advancing, the margin of the tea being now at some points as much as ;ix miles from where the survey twelve years ago shows it to have been. The Gulf lies between the Pegu and Teniiasserim coasts, and this advance of the land on the Pegu side at the rate of half a mile a year is very remarkable. Probably in no other part of the world is a change of this kind .proceeding «> rapidly.

The scarcity of sailors is one of the most potent factors in causing the congestion of shipping at Newcastle. The

natter is virtually outside tho scope of i'.\e .Navigation Department (says a Syd•:i v paper). The deputy superintendent .-:£ navigation (Captain Hacking) said : — 'If we could get loaded ships to sea r Jiere would bo no congestion, and I have made innumerable visits to these vessels, but there is always the same reply by the shipmasters 1 . Wo can't ;et men.' " Steps, had, he said, been aken to make buoys available for mooring. There is more difficulty in manning British vessels with sailors than in he case of vessels flying foreign flags, •vhich is due, directly or indirectly, to he stringent efforts on the part, of the shipping authorities to suppress the practice of 'crimping.' Under instructions from the Premier some time ago .he shipping master cannot sign a sailor mi a British vessel unless he can show i discharge from his previous vessel ; 'mt in the case of foreign vessels the ame difficulty does not obtain, as men u-e signed on by the various Consuls, ■^respective of whether the men have iischarges or not. Meanwhile boardingiouse masters are reaping huge profits from their parasitical" traffic in sailors. Taking advantage of the dilemma in which sea captains find themselves these men demand exorbitant prices per capita for supplying sailors. Recently the captain of the barque Levernbank, in i>r-d*M- to fill his ship, was obliged to pay £2 10s a head lav 17 sailors— 3os said to be the ruling rate, and £1 extra, ostensibly because the men were imported from Sydney. Higher prices have been paid for sailors, so that this '"blood" money business j>j not the least profitable of the enterprises in such a port as Newcastle.

It is usual for ships going home at the close of a commission to fly the enormous paying-off pennant. That of the cruiser Diadem, on leaving Hong Kong lately, says the Singapore "Free Press," was about a 1000 ft long, tapering from about 2ft wide at the masthead to a matter of half an inch or so at the tail end, which was decorated with a bladder, beautifully gilt, and inflated with hydrogen to help the free 2nd of tho pennant to fly light. Just on coming out of Hong Kong the pennant fouled the rigging of a Chinese junk. With alacrity the sailors of the junk cut off about 100 ft of the Diadem's pennant, including the golden sphere. Then one of the Chinese limbed the mast of the junk and made the annexed [portion of ithe pennant fast to the mast-head. The junk sailed gaily into Hong Kong with the captured trophy from the Diadem flaunting boastfully in the breeze.

On the Boston and New York City subways there is an apparatus in use f o prevent one train running into another. It comprises an automatic block system of the type adopted by the Pennsylvania and a number of other railways 1 , tut with the addition of a short inclined plane alongside the track at the entrance to the block. This is interlocked by the mechanism which lights the red lamp at the entrance to the block whenever it is occupied by a tram. The plane, when raised, touches '. lever which depends from bhe second 'rain, and this lever in turn applies the air-brakes. Hence an engine-driver -annot run past the danger-signal. The device is reported to be perfectly successful in operation, and is regarded as in absolute protection against the admission of a second train to the block already occupied

A meeting of the Builders' Association will be held in Mercer's Rooms to-mor-row evening at 7.30.

The railway staff met yesterday afternoon at the station for the purpose of bidding good-bye to Mr Thos. Arthur, stationmaster at the Port, who is leaving Nelson to take up the duties of stationmaster at Greymouth. Advantage was taken of the gathering to present Mr Arthur with a handsome travelling Gladstone bag and a rich amber-mount-ed pipe. Mr Edwards, the local manager of the line, made the presentation, and in doing so paid a high tribute to M-.-Arthur for his zeal and attention to duty, and complimented him on the successful way in which he had. assisted to build up the trade of the Port, which had doubled its earnings in his time. Mr Arthur suitably replied, and the gathering broke up.

The Rev. H. N. Baker, of All Saints', Nelson, will give his lantern address at Brightwater to-night, and Richmond to-morrow, in collection with the jubilee of the Church of England.

A Roumanian, named Statesco, recently arrived at Port Darwin by the steamer Chingtu: He is walking round the world, and will traverse the Australian Continent from Port Darwin to Melbourne, via Adelaide. Ho is a member of a Turnverein, three o fwhom, including Stabesoo, .started three years and four months ago. One was left in a hospital at Khartoum, and the second died in Palestine. Statesco has already walked from the Cape to Cairo, through Palestine, the North of India, the Malay States, French, Cochin China, Tonquin, Japan, and the Philippines. He concludes his journey at Baltimore, United States.

The Christchurch correspondent of the Auckland "Herald" writes :—" At a meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union, Mr F. T. Evans, one of the bestknown referees and football authorities in New Zealand, made the statement that he had seen this season the foulest play in senior championship football matches that he had ever seen at Lancaster Park. Speaking to a reporte* ,Mr Evans gave his reasons for making so grave a statement. He had no intention ,he said, of condemning Christchurch altogether, nor did he wish to say anything against,the senior players as a whole, but he could name at* least half a dozen players who made a practice of indulging in unfair tactics. It was evident that in some teams there was bitter feeling against men who had left those teams to join others, and when they appeared in the field to play against their old teams their presence seemed to. arouse feelings of hostility in the minds of some of their former comrades. That feeling seemed to exist chiefly in two teams."

In connection with the New Zealand profession.-i 1 team for England, the "New Zealand Herald," Auckland, says: — "No new developments have occurred locally in connection with the proposed professional tour, and notwithstanding npinions to the contrary it is still believfid ill certain circles that the team will go. The Auckland selector, Jlr D. Gallalier, who visited Cliris.tch.nrch in company with selectors fiom other parts of the colony, to assist in the selection of the New Zealand team for Australia, returned to Auckland yesterday. Mr Galaher witnessed the interisland match, and on the Monday evening the prospective team f<r.' Australia was picked. Mr Gallaher brought with him papers which each Auckland player would have to sign before he could be Delected for the Australian tour, and it- is understood that those. A\icklancl players who were asked signed the additional document yesterday. This required each player to give an undertaking that he had nothing to do with the English p.-ofessional tour, that he would not take part in the tour, and that he would assist the New Zealand Union to preserve h'te amateur aspect of the same. Th opinion generally in the South, said Mr Gallaher, appeared to be that the movement was bsing. encineerd in Auckland, and when the 12 Auckland pliyors nominated for the Mortl) Island team refused at first to sign t*he declaration, additional colour was lent to the suspicion. He was firmly of opinion, however, from what he hid gathered, that there would be no professional tour. The majority of the players who would be a sufficient draw had definitely announced that they were not going, and, that being so, where was the team, to come from ? A god forward team, however, might be secured, but he did not see where the barks wre coming from. It was possible, ho\vev<c, that the promoters would proceed with the best team that could be secured." (Later statements aver that the team has been picked and that the tour is assured.)

The latest device for the education and delectation of children in Taranaki is a set of stereoscopic views of New Zealand scenery. The Education Board recently decided to buy three of these sets, one to be circulated among the schools of each riding. The cost will be 11s 6d a set, including the stereoscope. A few minutes before the same Board had had before it the following description of the school residence at Pukeruhe : — "Every room leaks except on?. Several of the windows have the glass broken out, the outside of the dwelling is sadly in need of a coat of paint, and four of the rooms want papering badly. . . It is no fit place to live in in its present state." For the improvement of this dwelling, the Bonrd aereed to provide material only — estimated cost, £4 Is 6d.

The Government hns now definitely rlnxjrfod to arouire Mr W. Howard Booth's Cnrrinfton Estnte. near Carterton, for clofpr si>ftl<>Tii<"nt nnrposos. siys he Auckland "Herald." The acquisition his been haneine fi re for snm« months ovine to difficulty regarding the hpnefii'inrifs' timber rights, and until there v.p>*f» qMtl^n the Government refuser! to ratify the purchase, although everything ?■}** hrul ho^n aprred utioh by the partins interested. Tho estate covers an ivm of nhint 6000 acres, and the price "-H is understood to be something near i^O.ooo.

A Transatlantic seolotrist. ProfVßsnr Deeming, is renorten tn linvn discovered an pnormom deposit of pitchblende in Hi° I a Plntti rnnrre of tli» "ockv Mnnr*»ins. PitchWerdft vi'-Id" nrnnium and ■•ndiiim. po that if this fin 1 lii> c->nh"rni"d rndium may be"ome phpn"«r ; but the " if " mast not be overlooked.

A Belgian physician saya thnt yawnin" is an exceedingly healthy function DPnsrally. besides having a very salutary cfTf-ct in'coniploints of the pharynx and eustftetian tubes. According to (fid results of late investigations, yawning is the most natural form of respiratory exercise, bringing into action all the respiratory muscles of the cheat and neck. It is recommended that every person shoold indulge in a good yawn, with stretching of the limbs, morning and evening, for the purpose of ventilating the luDg^ and tonifying the muscles of respiration. An eminent authority claims that this form of gymnastics has a remarkable effect in relieving throat and ear troubles, and says ih&k patients sui¥ering from disorders of the throat have cferiyed great benefit from it. He makes bis patients yawn either by suggestion, imitation, or by a series of full breaths with the lips partly closed. The yawning is repeated sis or eight times, and should be followed by swallowing. By this means the air and mucus in the eustachian tubes are aspirated.

Mr W. R. Allen, late of Neleon, f >rmerly chief irate of the Kaiapoi, has received instructions from Dunedin to proceed to Suva by the boat leaving Auckland nest month, to join the shore staff there as labour forenun. and to study work in the group generally. On Thursday next, at 2.30 p.m. sharp, Me Lock will hold a forced sale of Cramer pianos, without reserve, on account of whom it may concern ; immediately after a large quantity of music (about 2000 sheets), just arrived from England, will be sold, comprising classical and other pieces, songs, etc.

Miss C. W. Christie will deliver a lectu.e on "Health" in the Y.AJ.C.A. Rooms to-morrow afternoon.

The annual summons meeting of Lite Shedivood LoHge waa held in the Druids' UalK Tapawera, en Satirday night, when there was a good attendance oC members. The balance-sheet shows that the Lodge is progressing very rapidly, both iv the number o£ members and finance. This Lodge has lately built a fine hall with a good stage, and can accommodate theatrical companies and concerts to good advantage. It has a first-class floor for dancing, and the Lodge hrs decided to put in i. c good piano within a wejk or two, to that those wishing to hire tho hall will have every convenience .to hand. After initiating two new mem berg, and a quantity of business being disposed of, the election of officers for the current six months was held, when the following were elected : — A.D., Bro. Alf. Kinzett ; T.A D., Bro. Geo. Bromell ; Sea, Bros. S. Wadswortb ; Treas., Bro. A F. Kinzett ; 1.( J., Bro. A. Fenemor ; 0.G., Bro. Raymond Bigga ; A.-Bards, Uros. Hudson and Ron. Bigg 3 • VA B. Bros. M. flanron and W. Quinney Mm. Sec, Bro. Kus. Macmahon Bro. Levy, the D.P. from Nelaoa, visited the Lodge foe the purpose of installing the officers, and he was assisted by P.D.P Bro. Wadsworth, when the ceremony was read very impressively, and the Lodge closed after a very beneficial meeting to all.

Last ee&ion over a million of money was distributed among the butter producers of Taranaki, and this year the returns will be greattar, the weather being the most favourable that has ever been experienced for the dairying industry (spys the "Taranaki .News"). Land values, however, have been inflated to a ridiculous extent — as much as £40 to £50 being required in some cases. The custom i* to pay a deposit of about £o, and depend on Providence for the remainder.

A correspondent, writing from West Mailing, Kent, to tho " Daily Telegraph," slatoa : — " Wo hop-growers have now harvested ono of the biggest and finest crops of hops we have had of late years in Kent. It has been a bumper crop with every grower, and in consequence we can only sell our hops to the brewers at from 30s to 65s per cwt., whereas they wero paying us last year from £0 to .£l l per cwt."