LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12818, 18 March 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

IXQCIBTES made at the office of the Taupiri Coal Alines, Limited, yesterday, show that the company's output is over 7000 tons a mouth, and that from 50 to 60 trucks a day ate required, whereas the supply is often just about half, the company not having storage facilities and loading directly from the mine into the trucks'. Tho consequence is the output is lestricted, to the inconvenience of the customers (it the company, the loss of 'lie company itself, and the detriment of thecollier.*, who have to Remain idle. The company acquits the district officials of any indisposition to meet their wishes. They go la it her and place the blame at the door of the Railway Department at Wellington. It. appears that the shortage is especially felt at holiday times, when the trucks are required for excursionists, as yesterday for the Kgaruaw-ahia Regatta. Then the trucks are lilted up for passenger traffic, and have to be withdrawn from mineral work two or three days: beforehand, to undergo the necessary transformation, and this because there arc only sufficient carriages to meet the requirements of the daily passenger traffic, and trucks have to bo largely extemporised for holiday business.

The athletic sports news (by "Lynx") will Ijl- found on page 5 of the Supplement issued with to-day's Herald. The notes include items of interest on cricket, lawn tennis, athletics, bowling, football, motoring, rowing, yachting, and other pastimes.

In answer to a question from Mr. Justice Chapman (president of tlio Arbitration Court) yesterday, Mr. H. Ferguson, the local inspector of factories, stated that so far as lie was concerned there were no hearing of breaches of awards to be dealt with at the present sittings of the Court. His Honor expressed his pleasure at the announcement, which he said spoke well for the way in which the existing awards were being observed in Auckland. His Honor, it will bo remembered, made a similar observation in the Court in December last.

The sudden death of Mrs. Grace Bennington, aged 44, lately residing in Alex-andra-street, was reported to the. police yesterday. The deceased had been feeling ill, and had applied to the relieving oflicer, Mr. A. St rat-hern, for medical assistance. He gave her an order to take to Dr. Hooper, dispensing oflicer, but she did not appear to have presented it. The police had the body removed to the morgue, and the coroner (Mr. T. Grcsham) will hold an inquest at half past three p.m. to-day, at (Jleeson's Hotel.

la the course of his remarks at the Arbitration Court yesterday, Mr. K. Morris a master builder, said that the 'statement made to the Court the other day, to the effect that the building trade was on the wane was corroborated by the increasing number of carpenters out of employment. Some 11 or 12 months ago, l.e said, there was work for even the most incompetent workmen, but now, he believed, scores were idle. As to the 'ncreased cost of living, he admitted that that could not be disputed, but the chief item was rent, which, ho believed, would shortly come down. It was not, he went on to say, improbable that before very long a good six roomed house would be obtained for 8s or 10s a week, or even less than that, unless, he added, a benevolent Government came (o the rescue of "poor struggling houseowners," who had embarked the savings of their lifetime in that class of investment, and fixed a minimum rent, such as would enable then.', to spend their declining vcars in ease and comfort, and so spare them from figuring on the old age pension list.

Tlio Hon. E. Mitchelsott (Mayor of Auckland) has definitely informed the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey) of his intention not to seek a seat in Parliament at the next general election. Mr. J. M. Shera has decided to contest Parnell in opposition to the present Government. Mr. H. J. Greenslade will again contest the Waikato seat at the general election, as a supporter of the Government.

A boy named John Kelly, aged 15, residing at the Sacred Heart College, Ponsenby, was running in a race in the Domain yesterday, when ho slipped, and in falling • broke his leg. Ho was taken to the hospital and detained for treatment.

The teaching staff of the Waihi District High School were personally introduced to the Premier on Thursday, and he told them that he took a great interest in teachers, especially as two of his daughters were certificated teachers. He hoped that next session a proper system of superannuation would ho arranged, and that the female teachers would receive better salaries than now obtained.

One of the witnesses who gave evidence in the carpenters and joiners' case at the Arbitration Court yesterday said he thought some provision should be made in regard to men smoking at the benches in the factories. The president (Mr. Justice Chapman) said that the Court could not deal with details of this kind. The employers had their common law rights, and their servants must render them obedience, subject, of course, to the awards of the Court. Tho ordinary law of master and servant, he said, remained unaltered. Mr. Brown (a member of the Court) laughingly, observed that in one of the Southern cases the Court had been asked to insert a clause prohibiting " smoking, swearing, and drinking whisky,'' in the working hours, but as was then pointed out, there was nothing to prevent the employers themselves making regulations in respect to such matters.

An unfortunate loss was sustained by the Albany and Dairy Flat mailman (Mr. George Low), last Wednesday (writes our Birkenhead correspondent). His horse, a valuable animal, while in a stable at Dairy Flat, gained access to a sack of wheat and had a. very hearty feed. While on the way back to Birkenhead the horse was taken ill. and Mr. Low took it out of the vehicle, when it fell down dead.

Two cases of accidents from Otahuhu have received attention at the hospital. Mr. Wm. McManua was kicked on the head by a horse which he was putting into a paddock, and sustained a severe scalp wound. Miss Kilgour, from the same township, was treated for a deep cut on the ankle, the result of a spade which she was using slipping and striking her foot.

Our Cambridge correspondent writes: — Mr. C. W. Meddiugs, inspector of telegraphs, was in Cambridge, on Wednesday evening last, and superintended the installation of a set of duplex instruments. The inadequacy of the present post office building is a cause of general complaint. It is expected that the new telephone exchange here will bo ready for business by April 1.

On Wednesday evening a requisition was presented to Mr. W. F. Massey, M.H.R., Leader of the Opposition, requesting him to give a public address in Auckland towards the en.d of the present month. Mr. Massey acceded to the request, and a telegram was sent yesterday to Mr. Seddon (Minister for Defence) asking him to grant the use of the Drill Hall for the above purpose, but up to five p.m. no reply had been received. • i

A few days ago (says the Wairarapa Age) a settler in the Upper Plain noticed a hawk flying about, in a peculiar manner, and crying out, as if in pain. The settler obtained a gun and fchot the bird, and investigation showed the causa of its distress was a weasel, which was perched on the hawk's back, with its teeth buried in the bird's neck. The weasel was also killed by the shot. Apparently the animal had pounced upon the hawk when it was on the ground, and had been carried skyward with the flight of its prey.

In an appreciative notice of Mr. P. W. Robertson, this year's Rhodes scholar, the Elthatn Argus bitterly reflects upon the /act that, while New Zealand has reason to be proud of the scholar, the colony does not kiipw much about him. Were he a 15:-b footballer, says the Argus, with muscles like Sandow's?, and a head like a bullet, and his hair worn in a fringe over his eyes, and had kicked a goal or two, he would be famous all over New Zealand, But as he is only .a brilliant scholar who has gained the blue riband of scholarship not much attention is paid to him by young New Zealand.

Arrangements are being made for holding the first ordinary meeting of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers for 1905 at Melbourne, commencing on May 1. The business of the meeting will include the reading and discussion of papers, and excursions will bs made to the various mining centres. It is probable that a visit will be paid to Mount Lyeil, Mount Bischoff, and Zeehaji. Arrangements will be made with the various railway departments and shipping companies for concessions in fares to members travelling to the meeting. Members intending to be present should notify the secretary as early as possible.

There are now 3114 men, including 179 artisans, engaged 011 co-operative works in New Zealand. Of these 1845 labourers and 1793 artisans are on railway and other works under the Public Works Department, and 1390 labourers are on road construction. The latter are distributed as follows : —Auckland 192, Te Kuiti 147, Rotorua 76, Hawke's Bay 99, Taranaki 182, Wanganui 197, Wellington 100, Nelson 47, Marlborough 26, West-land 144, Canterbury 37, Ofago 68, Southland 75. Those engaged on railway construction are distributed us follow: —Orahamiown extension 16. Kawakawa southward 1, Helensville northwaixl 68, Paeroa-Waihi 153, Gis-borne-Knraku 59, North Island Main Trunk 907. Stratford-Whaugamomona 19, Mount Egmont branch 21, WaiparaOheviot 152, Midland 198, Reefton-Inanga-hua 21, Hokitika-Ross 25, Coal Greek 35, Ngahere-Blackball 25, Otago Central 369, Ileriot extension 44.

No objections have been receive*! to flic valuations- of Hie town clerk of Birkenhead (Mr. A. L. White), who is also borough valuer, and therefore no sitting of the Assessment Court will be held for the Birkenhead district.

We have received a copy of the first number of the Australian Traveller, a journal devoted to the interests of commercial travellers. It is full of information of an interesting character for those- engaged in that pursuit.

Our Kawakawa correspondent writes: — After a cessation of about 12 months, workon the eight-mile railway extension was resumed this week by a number of workmen. There are to be 50 men employed altogether. There will be no difficulty in securing that number, as many have been anxiously awaiting this work for months past.

A cablegram'- from London, ■receive*!' \sA night, gives the following as th« latest prices for butter: —Danish, 112s: New 1 Zealand, 106s /ip 108s 5 Australian, 103 8 to I 106s ; second dairies, 102s to 103s. '-~■

Owing to the long-continued spell of dry weather, a meeting of the' executive of th« United Dairymen's. Association v.as held on Friday afternoon, at which it was resolved to raise the retail price of milk to 3id per quart, as from Monday next March 20. '

Yesterday Messrs Mennie (chairman) Atkinson (engineer), Harrison (surveyor)' and Furness (secretary) of tie Waitemata Canal Company, waited upon Messrs. Hav and Ferguson, the engineers from Duncd'in and Wellington, -who are at present in Auckland. The plans and estimates or the canal scheme were placed before the gentlemen, who were much interested in the matter.

To-morrow evening a special service will be held in St. Patrick's Cathedral. His Lordship the- Bishop (Dr. Lenifaan) will preside in the sanctuary, and Father Kehoe will deliver a panegyric on Ireland's patron saint (St. Patrick). The Auckland, Newton, and Onehunga branches of the Hibernian Society will attend the service, which will close with the Pontificial benediction.

There wore seven persons in the lock-up last evening, four of whom were charged with drunkenness, one with forgery, one with refusing to leave licensed premises, and one with assaulting the polite.