LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9990, 29 November 1895, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

At a meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce held yesterday afternoon, it was docided to telegraph to the Colonial Treasurer asking re-considetation of the Ordor-in Council regarding tho new regulation affecting the delivery of delayed telegrams. The Council was of opinion it is a retrograde movement, and will more affect the extremities of the colony than the central portion, which enjoys a frequent and rapid communication with the surrounding country. Wo shall be glad to find the action taken by the Chamber meets with success, especially as the alteration does not appear to be for revenue purposes. Last year's report shows that a profit of ovor £2800 was mado by the department.

The application to introduce the electric tramway system into Auckland has been referred by the City Council to the Streets Committee, and the committee will deal with it as soon as thoy get the legal opinion of the city solicitor as to the procedure under the Act. It is evident that every step should be carefully considered. In regard to the overhead system, which some of our correspondents 'seem to be anxious about, we may statJ that this system ie fully authoriied under certain restrictions by the Tramways Act, 1894, so that the interests of telephono users, gat and water main owners aro fully provided for and protected by the appointment of t Board of Control, which is virtually th< Electric Telegraph Commissioner. Modoub that official will seo to the interest of the Government and of the public boin| fully conserved. In America out of 12,00 miles of street railways existing last yes ovei 9000 miles were operated by the ovei

mil system, which ia as yob tbo only :ommercially profitable method of applying slectrio traction to tramways. Tho relalativo cost of the several systems are given thus Total cost per car mile: by locomotives, 7.83 d; accumulator storage batteries, 11 39J; cable, 4'22d; electric overhead, 4'oGd. In the instance of the cablo, above stated, the low figure is duo to the enormous heavy traffic, being two and ahaff times that of the electric system as quoted. Tho first cost of the cable system is also from five to ton times that of the overhead electric system. The actual expenditure (or horse haulage on tho Auckland tramways for 1894 was B'o2d per car mile, while the cost of the electric overhead system is 4'oGd, Information has been received by Mr. Jame3 Stewart, C.E., that the new company—the Electric Tramways Company of New Zealand—intend to re-lay the eastern and western circuits, from 2nd to end, with 901b steel rails. There is no doubt that the reason is to have a perfect metallic return for the electric current. Over 50 tons of copper will bo used to pass the return current round the rail joints.

The Government havo offered a bonus of £1750 for the encouragement of the New Zealand flax industry under certain conditions. A machine or process ia wanted for dressing New Zealand flax or hemp (Phormium tenax) which shall be an improvement on the machines or processes now in use, and which shall, after trial, be found to materially reduce the cost of production, improve. the product, or increase" the quality of dressed fibre. All applications for the bonus have to bo sent addressed to tho Hon. tho Minister for Agriculture, Wellington, and must reach him not later than the 31st March, 1897. Full information as to the character of the machine must be given, mode of working, cost, and the cost at which the fibre can be produced. If within the colony, the Government will bear the cost of removal and trial, etc. A bonus is also offered for a process of utilising the waste products of the hemp, and the conditions attached to the machine apply also to tho process of utilising the waste products of the flax industry. It i; to be hoped that this offer of encouragement will bo eufficient to enable some one to produce a method of dressing flax superior to any that has hitherto been tried.

The first annual general meeting of subscribers to the Auckland Technical Association will be held to-morrow evening in the school premises, opposite the Drillshed. The council's report and balance-sheet will be submitted, and the election of a president, vice-president, and ten members of council will be proceeded with. It is desirable that there should be a good representative attendance of subscribers, as the remarkable progress of the past year can only be maintained by the general public taking a hearty and warm interest in tho affairs of the institution, A weokly drill of tho "A" Battery of Artillery was held last night under the command of Captain O'Brien and Lieutenant Bosworth. There was a fairly good muster. The big guns were not- brought out, but the Battery was put through a course of foot drill in factions by the officers. The captain announced that the monthly inspection parade would bo held next Thursday,

A Press Association telegram from Wanganui yesterday states that the jubilee of the Very Rev. Father Kirk was celebrated there, the proceedings taken the form of the presentation of a purse of sovereigns (£200) and an illuminated address. A large number of peoplo of different denominations contributed to the purse, and attended the meeting in St. Mary's Hall.

A meeting of tho Board of Trustees, Prince Albert College, was hold yesterday morning. There were present the Rev. J. H. Simmonds, President of tho Board (chairman), with Messrs. S. J. Ambury, W. S. Wilson, Thomas Buddie, James Heron, Richard Hobbs, F. L. Prime, W. Thome, J. L. Wilscn, and Thomas Allen (hon. secretary). It was reported that owing to the phenomenal success which had attended tho opening of the college for boys, under the head mastership of Mr. T. Jackson, M.A., thoro had beon a general wish expressed on the part of many parents that a college for girls should be established under tho same management. It was resolved, after full discussion, that the necessary steps be at once taken for tho erection of a building suitable for tho accommodation of day pupils, boarders, and the usual teaching staff. It is anticipated that tho college will be erected and opened early in the New Year.

There is now at Bartlett'a Queenstreet, on exhibition by Mr. A. 11. Whitehouse (by tho kind permission of Mr. W. H. Bartlett, the crowning triumph of the photographic art, Edison's latest and greatest achievement, the kinetoscope, which reproduces motions of any kind with startling reality. The first series of scenes includes the barber's shop, the fire rescue t'Cene, the Chinese laundry, and Annabelle'B graceful Butterfly dance. The picture* arc all perfect in themselves, are magnified in the machine, and are illuminated by tho electric light. A party of short sentence men, under a prison warder, are at present engaged in tidying up the grounds of tho Higb-streot Law Courts, removing weeds, cutting theigrass, and generally making the enclosure look more presentable. Th© athletic sports of the Princo Albert College will take place to-day in tho Domain. Hunter's Band will be in attendance, and those who take an interest in the institution or tho school oro invited to be i resent on the occasion. T !.evo wore in the lock-up, last evening, two prisoners on. charges of drunkenness, and a jnan-of-'warsmen for being drunk and diso derly. 'He' is also charged with damaging Constable O'Brien's tunio, value 15?. [Alfred Ashenden is charged with the iarcify of a cap, value 9d.

A correspondent writing from Pukokohe says: The members of the Pukekohe West Road s Board have managed to get themselves into bad odour with a large 'Motion', of the settlers by appointing f a ranger before first erecting a pound in pome central place within the district. As it now is, horses and oattle found on the road by the ranger are driven many miles away into another part of the country, to the nearest pound, and this at a serious cost to the owners, one man having to pay £1 7s 6d to regain possession of his horse, two days after impounding, and no wonder at the general feeling of indignation at this harsh and arbitrary proceedings on the part of the Road Board. A pound erected within the district, and tho services of the ranger dispencad with, would surely meet all requirements, as the Impounding Aot gives everybody power to impound any horses or cattle which may be a nuisance to them. A wet practice of the Devonport Fire Brigade was held on Tuesday evening in the presence of tho Mayor (Mr. E. W. Alison), under the superintendence of Captain Strude and Foreman Keefe. _ A full muster of the brigade turned out witn the reel. Tho scene of operations was the Flagstaff Hotol. Throe sets of hose being put on, a splonditf supply of water was obtainod, it reaching far over the top of the building. The way the men 1 workod reflected great credit on so young a brigade.

This evening the Literary Societies third debate tournament will be brought to a close, when three representatives of the Athenaeum Society (Messrs, VV. B. Ley land, F. M. Hay, and M. A. Carr, and three from the Devonport Presbyterian Society, Messrs. M. Niccol (Mayor of Devonport), R. Mitchell, and W. S. Hampson, will debate the now much-vexed question as to whether the principle of " Universal equal suffrage" is just and right. A keen debate is anticipated, tho contestants having been preparing for tho fray for the past five weeks. At the close the certificates won at the recent literary competition will be distributed by the president, Air. S. Clarke-Johnson,

At the Opera Houso last night tho Ken-nedy-Lucas Dramatic Company repeated " Madame Midas," a dramatic version of Fergus Hume's well-known work, and it went with great) smoothness and success, being on the whole an improvement on tho opening performance of the previous evening. There was a fair audienco, and they were not slow to appreciate the merits of the principal characters in the play» who wero repeatedly applauded.

The change of programme at the Tivoli Company's entertainment, ill the City Hall, last night, attracted a large audience, the building being well filled. Johnny Collins and Karl Browne wero very amusing in their various itoms. Miss Evelyn Harte sang a coster song, and was re-called. Fred Royd and Jack Hamilton were very successful, and tho latter introduced several new specialties. Trissy D'Aroy and Evelyn Harte sang " In the Dusk of the Twilght," and the company played two farces.

A very enjoyable musical evening, combined with a cruise down tlio harbour as far as tho North Head took place on board the ferry steamer Eagle last night, the occasion being the annual benefit concert tenderod by the Auckland Orchestral Union and Liedertafel Society to their conductor, Mr. A. Towsey. Tho water was smooth, bub the wind was rather cold. However, the excursionists appeared to thoroughly enjoy the outing. For the convenient of the executants a platform was erected, which enabled all on deck to see the performers and hear tho music to greater advantage. During the evening the following excellent programme of music, conducted by Mr. Towsey, was successfully given : — Marche, " Romaine (Gounod); part song, ''On the Water" (Mendelssohn) ; waltz," Autrefois " (Waldteufel); part song, " War Song " (Werner) ; gavotte, " Mignon " (Bizet) ; part song, " When Evening's Twilight" (Hatton); overture, " Lustspiel" (Kelerßela) ; part song, "Mariner's Return" (Hoosler) ; waltz, " Estudiantina " (LaCome) ; part song, "Come, Pill Ye Right Merrily" (Stephens); galop, "Grosser Sturm " (Keler Bela); part song, " The Happiest Land" (Hatton); selection, "Faust" (Gounod).

[ The bazaar and fancy fair at the Blind Institute yesterday was again a great source of attraction, and a good many articles were sold. In tho 'evening a first-class programme was gone through. Excellent musical items were given by Misses Bond, . Bollard, and Elsmere, and Mr. A. A. Partridge, members of the Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar Club, and a number of songs were contributed by Messrs. Downs, Cunby, Lemon, Murray, and Cearns, seamen of H. M.s. Katoomba. All these items were favourably received, and the tableaux undor the direction of Miss Mulvaney and Mrs. Ruck wore greatly admired by the audience. Dr. Purohas, who takes a great interest in the blind, had on view a specimen of embossed music. He also exhibited a very ingenious little machine of his own invention, in course of manufacture, which, when completed, will greatly lessen the trouble of preparing manuscript for blind students. Tho Newton and Newmarket bands were in attendance, and contributed excellent music. So far the fair has quite realised the expectations of the promoters, and a goodly sum is likely to bo tho result. Several ladies and gentlemen well known in musical circles will assist in tho programme this evening, and many new attractions have been arranged.

The usually fortnightly social of the Caledonian Society was held in the Foresters' Hall last evening, before a crowded audience. Being so near to St. Andrew's Day, a special programme was submitted, and greatly appreciated by the large audi* one. Mr. Robert Barbor occupied the chair. The concert openod with a grand overture, " Queen's Prize," by the Druids' String Band, after which followed the song, Four Jolly Smiths," Mr. D. Menzies; song, " Cabin with the Roses at the Door." Miss Murray. Mr. James Johnston, the champion skipping-rope dancer of Auckland, then favoured the audience. Mr, Harry Thomas appeared in one of his favourite ditties, "Mama's Black Baby Boy," and in response to an encore, sang, 'La Tiddly urn to Ay." Mr. Pete Millar appeared in some of his well-known musical items,_ and in return to the demands of the audience, gave a humorous imitation of the bagpipes. Song, "The Skipper's Daughter," Mr., Baxter, encore. " Living Pictures song, "Happy Birds," Mrs, Lookloy; sailor's hornpipe, Mr. Geo. Johnston; song, "Only to See Her Face," Mr. S. l'eaguo; song, "Cricket on tho Hearth,' Miss Garrish; sword dance, Mr. D. M. Simpson; song, "Wait till the Tide Comes In," Mr. Jaj. Hyland, encore, "Mother You're my Sweetheart song, "Coming through tho Rye," Miss Bercsford; cornet solo, "Express Polka," Mr. A. White; song, " Robin Adair," Master Smithson, encored. Mr. Michaels then announced the sports, which are to take place on Now Year's Day. "Auld Lang Syne" brought tho most enjoyable social yet hold to a close. The usual danco followed, Mr. Barber acting as M.C., the Druids' Orchestra supplying the music. Ab the City Hall to-morrow night, Miss Amy Vaughan oontinues her popular entertainments, when several new faces make their first appearance, and an entirely new programme will be presented. Mr._ New man, a very clever dancer, makes his first appearance, and Mr. Harry Baxter appears in several new items. Mr. J. Johnson, the Lancashire skipping-rope dancer, makes his reappearance. Miller, Thomas, and the Misses Vaughan and Thornton, also appear in new specialties. ■

.* Unusual interest will be attached to the farewoll to be accorded to Miss Emily Reovo, from the fact that this young lady is leaving the colony for the purpose of studying at one of the Conservatoires of Music in Oormany, Miss Reovo has made so many musical friends hero that proffers of assistance come from all sources, and the committee, which • is a powerful and numerous one, will have no difficulty, with such a combination of talent to select from, in presenting a programme offering both charm of variety and oxcellenco of merit. The box plan opens to-day, There was a large attendance last evening at the Newton Polytechnic Exhibition, in connection with tho Congregational Sundayschool. To-night is tho last opportunity of Bseing it. There are over 500 exhibits. i .