LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12198, 18 February 1903, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

With to-day's issue is published a supplement, containing a number of interesting items, including a picture and character ' sketch of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, "Things in General," a special interview on the prison system, article on "The Awakening of the North," Woman's World, Children's Column, Serial Stories, etc. • The Minister foi Lands leaves Auckland to-day, proceeding through the Wailcato to the Kawliia district. A public meeting of the residents of the Lake Takapuna district will be held at the Luke on Friday evening, 27th inst., to consider the proposals for a canal in-Shoal Bay, to connect Auckland and the Lake. We may mention that the plan prepared by Mr. Percy Ward, C.E., embodies the suggestions originally made by Mr. Adams, of the Lake, and that gentleman has had the public spirit to bear the whole cost of the preparation of the plans and report. Major Reid, who has been connected ■with the Auckland Brigade Office for the past three years as district adjutant and acting-officer in charge of the district, severed his connection with the office and district yesterday. It will be remembered that Mr. Reid left his business in the Wa-kato to go to South Africa with the Second Contingent, and through some reason which has never been thoroughly explained he was left behind, and was immediately attached to the Auckland district as acting-adjutant. In March last, when the Ninth Contingent was leaving, j he was promoted to the rank of major, the J Premier publicly intimating the promotion in the Choral Hall, and expressing satisfaction with his services. Subsequently he was promoted to acting lieutenant-colonel, and lie was in charge of the district for seven months, during the absence of Colonel Uavies in South Africa. Recently he was informed from Wellington that lie was to be retired from the service, and yesterday he finally severed his connection with the office. He has become well known in the district, and the news of his compulsory retirement has been received with regret and a good deal of indignation by his numerous friends.

In a recent issue we intimated that the Temperance party proposed nominating another gentleman to take the place on the Licensing Committee of Mr. Bond, v.-ho resigned. Mr. Graves Aickin having announced his adoption of ten o'clock closing, we are informed that no other nomination will be made, but that the present committee will receive the hearty support of the Temperance party represented by the Auckland Temperance League.

At a special meeting of the Grafton School Committee it was unanimously agreed to ask the Board of Education to build a septic tank for the treatment of the sewage in connection with the school. It was estimated that the work could be done for about £40. As the night service would be dispensed with, a considerable sum would be saved annually, and the school would have the best and most scientific system of sanitation known at the present day.

The remains of the late Mrs. John Goodall, the victim oflhe Khyber Pass accident, were interred yesterday afternoon, at the Purewa cemetery, being followed to their last resting-place by a- large numbei of friends and representatives of benevolent societies with which the deceased lady was associated. The chief mourners were Mr. John Goodall, sen., Messrs. Henry and John Goodall (sons), and Miss Goodall. The Auckland Ladies' Benevolent Society was represented by Mrs. Nelson, and among the mourners were several who had benefited by the Christian work of the deceased lady. The coffin was laden with beautiful wreaths, amongst them being last tributes of respect from the Ladies' Benevolent Society and the Society for the Protection of Women and Children and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Canon Nelson officiated at the graveside, and referred to the good work anil Christian life of the deceased.

In responding to the toast of the Liberal party at the smoke social given to the Premier last evening, Mr. J. H. Witheford, M.H.R., whilst congratulating Mr. Seddon on the statement that the Government were opening up over ft million acres of land in the Auckland province, expressed regret that the settlement of these lands had been so long delayed. In noticing the Premier's remarks as to the South African steamers not calling at Auckland until the available produce could be . shown, Mr. Witheford said that if the Government would settle the 5,000,000 acres of unoccupied land in the North Island, and construct the 500 miles of railways necessary to place this island on a level with the South Island, then the Auckland province could show what it was capable of producing, Mr. Witheford's criticisms of the railway and land policy of the Government evidently puzzled the Premier, who interjected, amidst laughter, " You had better join the Opposition."

The last wool sale of the season, under the auspices of the Auckland Woolbrokers' Association, was held in the Harbour Board Buildings yesterday forenoon. About 5000 bales were put forward, but not more than half the quantity was disposed of, owing to the difference in values set 011 the wool by the buyers and sellers. The fine grown wools were sold at prices much on a par with those ruling when the local season opened (December 2), but the demand for the coarser grades was not as keen, and there was a' falling away of from id to §d per lb compared with the prices realised at the January sale, which was the most successful from a seller's point of view of the three sales held this season. Full details of yesterday's sale will be found in another part of to-day paper.

The following is the state o. the Auckland labour market as given in the Government Labour Journal for February 10: — Building trades: Very brisk, and indications of remaining so for some time, owing to proposed erection of new • buildings. Engineering trades: Quiet, but steady. No large contracts ; principally jobbing work. Boot trade: Very little change from last month. All hands not fully employed. Clothing trade: Scarcely in full swing yet after holidays. Plenty of work to he done, but employers complain of scarcity of hands. Retail trade (general): All round )gopd. Soindi' lines report phenomenally good season. Miscellaneous: Coachbuilding steadily brisk. All good tradesmen appear to be fully employed. Saddlery trade: Steady business doing. Unskilled labour: Owing to the large number of men (nearly 300) recently forwarded to public works, the number of suitable labourers has been pretty well exhausted. The number of men required would have been scarcely available but that local applicants were supplemented from late arrivals from Australia, who were fortunately in the majority of cases a very superior class of workmen.

During the voyage of the barquentine Senorita from Sydney to Newcastle on February 11, when 42 miles from Kaipara Heads, a lifeboat, bottom upwards, was passed. The boat was from 25ft to 30ft in length, and was painted white, but the barquentine was too far to windward of the boat at the time it was sighted, and it was too dark to get any nearer to It. The boat may probably hare belonged to the steamer Vent-nor, which foundered off Hoki.'tnga Heads some months ago, or may have been the missing boat from the ißlingamite.

Detective MeMalion arrested a man named John Dick I'oppleton on the Queenstreet Wharf yesterday, on a charge of committing bigamy in the month of May, 1901, at Dunedin,' with one Louisa tokenburg. Accused will be brought before the Court this morning, when ? remand to Dunedin will be applied for.

The directors of the Ivaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company have declared a dividend for the half-year just closed at '.the rate of seven per cent, per amnum.

In our yesterday's impression we noticed the circular sent by Mrs. Seddon to local bodies, calling attention to the Loyal Guild of Women that had been formed in youth Africa, whose principal function was to watch and see that those sacred spots where those of our nation who had fallen in South Africa are kept in order, and that the distinguishing marks are not obliterated. When Mrs. Seddon was in London, a meeting unde* the auspices of the English Victoria League was called, to institute a movement for subscriptions from New . Zealand. A number of New Zealanders were present. It is proposed to establish a guild in New Zealand, which is to have the help of the Loyal Guild of Women in South Africa, in seeing that the moneys forwarded from here are wisely and well expended in connection. with the graves of New Zealand soldiers. The circular concludes thus:—"l trust the matter may receive your early and favourable attention, and I shall be pleased to furnish. if in my power, any further information required. I feel that it will be a. great consolation to the mothers in New* Zealand whose sons fell and died in the war to know that, though far away, their sisters in South Africa will devote attention to those sacred spots by planting trees, flowers, maintaining marks, fencing, etc., all of which would have been done by those bereaved had their loved ones been laid at rest in the colony."

A full and interesting account of the Waipu Jubilee cerebrations, accompanied by a large number of handsome pictures, appears in this week's issue of the Auckland Weekly News. Altogether the number is a capital one, the illustrations dealing with the Premier Picnic, scenes in the Society and Friendly Islands, where the tidal wave did such damage, and other subjects of interest. As a very large demand is anticipated for this week's issue orders should be placed at once.

A young man named Ernest Power, alias McCalium, was arrested at Karangahake on Monday afternoon, on the charge of stealing a gold watch and chain, with pendant attached, valued at £20, the property of T. McCallum. It appears that the latter missed his watch and chain from his room at Montgomery's Hotel, and, placing the matter in the hands of the police. Constable Mo flat at once instituted inquiries, with the result that within two hours he arrested the accused, who was brought up at Paeroa Police Court yesterday and remanded.

A trial trip of the Auckland Harbour Board's new fire-float and tug is to take place to-morrow (Thursday) afternoon, at half-past two o'clock.