LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12833, 5 April 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Kiso George of Tonga, accompanied by the Rev. J. B. Walkin, returned the call of the Mayor and town clerk yesterday morning. Since his arrival in Auckland King George has been callec' upon, by a large number of persons, including Sir John See, and Messrs. G. Fowlds and F. 13. Baumc, M.H.R.'s. The King has also received telegrams from the Governor, the Premier, and the Hon'. G. 11. Mills, welcoming him to the colony, and wishing him a. pleasant visit, He leaves for Rotovua to-morrow morning.

Of the first issue of £100,000 of the Joan of, .€•100,000 authorised for the Auckland Harbour improvements, 329 debentures, representing £32,900, have been taken up at par. The Hoard has not been hurrying the matter at all, there being no immediate need for ihe remainder of the money. It is anticipated that there will be no difficulty in getting the whole of the debentures taken up.

Pending the printing of the report of Messrs. Ferguson and Hay, ami that of Mr. Hamer (ths Board's. engineer), in regard to ihe laller's scheme for harbour improvements, the Board's discussion ou the report;' nt ili? consulting engineers still stands defence!. -At jesterda-y'fl meeting of the Boiyd it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. V. K. Baume, M.H.R., "That th» engi- j neer he instructed to advise the Board in writing in relation to the recommendations and suggestions contained in Messrs, Fergu- j son's am! Hay's report."

Although the. weather was threatening towards midnight on Monday on tho west coast, yesterday morning broke line. The Rotoiti left Onebunga at six a.m. and the bar had improved sufficiently to allow her to cross. The s.s. M'uritai, bound for Opunuke and Wanganui, however, could nob take the bar, and returned to Onehunga Wharf at five p.m. There was an. improvement'in the condition of the sea running on the bar towards evening, and the Rarawa got out shortly after seven o'clock.

The Government has decided not to accept a tender for the removal of rocks in the Manukau channel, as the lowest (£999) is considerably in excess of the amount placed on the Estimates. Two tenders were received. The Government will probably inrite fresh tenders for the work.

The ancient dodge of "ring dropping" is rare, if not unknown, in Auckland, but there is a gentleman doing something very much like it in the city. He is tall;, and inclined to embonpoint, and ha? that nondescript appearance of the professional cadger. His practice is to accost oonfiding-lookiug young men, pour into their sympathetic ears a woeful tale of no work, hard luck, sick wife, and largo family, and then to whip out of his pocket a watch and chain. lie offers these with a tear in his eye, lump in his throat, aud the intimation) that ho will sacrifice them lor the sum of £1 cash. Tho offer was made to a journalist of guileless mien in Queen-street, yesterday; bub no business was done ; then he slopped! a. butcher boy, with the same result: a young follow, evident on a holiday from the gumficlds, aid still no business. Finally he turned into a hotel, where half-a-dozen sailors were dri»king, ami was lost fight of. This paragraph conceals no intention to hinder tho individual referred to in gaining am honest living; rather is it written in the spirit of caveat emptor. The Fertilisers Act, which came into operation on the first of the present month (Saturday last), provides for the registration of all vendors of fertilisers with the Secretary for Agriculture in, Wellington on or before July 1 in each year, and states that' every vendor is to deposit with the ■Secretary for Agriculture, in respect to every brand of fertiliser sold by him, a fac-simile of the brand, aud- a general description of the fertiliser, showing the minimum percentage of the following ingredients present, also the unit value attached to each of them:—Nitrogen soluble in water, nitrogen insoluble in water, phosphoric anhydride soluble in water,; and its equivalent in tricalcic phosphate made .soluble by acid, phosphoric anhydride insoluble in water, and its equivalent in insoluble iricalcio phosphate, and. dispostassic oxide (potash) soluble in water, and its equivalent in sulphate of potash. The Secretary for Agriculture may refuse to register any brand on certain grounds, and fertilisers are to be kept, in branded packages. Inspectors and analysts under the Act may ha appointed. A purchaser may, mi the payment, of a fed to be prescribed, have it sample of any fertiliser bought by him analysed by the analyst appointed under the Act. The dairy produce shipped at Wellington by the Athcnio for London last week comprised:—From Auckland, 3955 bores and 7 kegs butter, 221 cases cheese; from New Plymouth, 9510 boxes butter, 260 cases cheese : from Patea, 5980 boxes butler; from Wellington, 6984 boxes butter, 1282 cases cheese; from Lyltclton, 1902 hoses butter, 566 cases cheese; from Dm edin, 125 boxes butter, 2165 cases cheese. Total; 28,461 packages butter, 4294 cases cheese.' I

! There were 150 schools-at the bc-hiiv- -• i £ of 1904 under the control of ihe Welling < W ton. Education Poind. _ During the year •./ fi seven (including' four' aided • .schooisrVci* / i added, and five aided schools were cfo«p,l. /] | The average roll for the wbob of the /%W schools was 15.886, and: avenge at. /Jj£ "J tendance for flip, year ,13/462,, as against $W 15,496 and 12,801 respectively for 1903, /' '■■:-'■";» which was a satisfactory increase. but' lh ß / r; . - - U average is still considerably below those/ '/ of several other districts. Thine is arf T ||, average absence of 2500 pupils, a conditio)/ I_ i t|& of things the Board hopes to improve duii. * ; /f. Mi ing the present year. Bad weather an" -P] worse roads .accounted for many absent u|i in bush districts. Increased vigilance A || the part of truant officers was having aif , : ,fi cided effect throughout" . the Board's dltrict.. The., chairman's annual report •la p this subject states:—"There are still, lid-. - ever, about the city a number of cbildrH, '|; some unfortunately morally tainted, for ( ; j whom a truant school would bo a njn fitting institution than the ordinary 15 fid • school." • ~.',....- ~..'• 1., '' |_ The Auckland Weekly Niiws, huerl to-day; deals with a striking varict 'of interesting subjects draw a from very ale. sources. Among the current events ivill :./ffc| he found excellent pictures of the Sh hbDuffey. athletic carnival, 'including tipshots of Duffey establishing a woild record in the 75yds Handicap, and SI übb J finishing the Mile Handicap in Aiuful- .' •• asian record time. The double-pa i' of the number is devoted to a superb p lure of Lake Ada, in the Milford; Soum dis- '<■'■ trict. The picture, which 'is one o -the ''* ;ffi News' special double-page reproduc.ons, ' is one of the finest vet issued, and d•nets * I a beautiful scene in tho wonderful Smiklx t> region of the South Island. Othcifine views include full-page scenes in the Quito Cold Lake District, and some piclunl'pic portions of North Auckland .ami Wail .to. Other current events dealt With in the number, which is a. highly .varied one itelude luglewood's electric light system, tie funeral' of the late Sir Alfred Cadman, tinveiling the Maori memorial at Opotiki, tin opening of the new public school at Wha, ugarei, and the Shnrbb-Dufey 'athletic carnival at Wellington. ■•[ '• /.• ";'" ■ -r ". . 4 Mr. L. F. Ayson, chief inspector of fish- "V eries, arrived in Auckland yesterday froihjthe South. Ho is on a visit of inspection to ' the Hauraki and Bay of Islands oyster beds. The work will occupy some days, as if is />| only at favourable conditions of the weather ..X; and tide that the oysters cati be observed. The Hauraki beds have been closed for live 3 years, and the Bay of Islands! beds for three if] years. The oyster season otens on the Ist §f prox. Referring to the recent liberation of '/■? American white fish and■ qihmat salmon, /g Mr. Ayson informed a representative of the Herald that the- .million white fish ova had y been liberated half in Lake Katiieri and lulf in Lake Tekapo. These fish do well in cold 0: waters, fed by snow, being natives of tie great lakes of Canada and the United States. t$ The ova hatched out remarkably well, 95 per cent, of the fish being liberated from the eggs imported. The 500.000 qiinnat salmon • '.*. ova, which are from were placed ,i in the Hakataramea. hatcheries. There were; no dead eggs throughout the voyage, and the loss from the waters ii> California to -■'.' the hatcheries in New Zealand was undei £, per cent., or, to be more precise, only 875 out of 300,000 ova. • : ' '%

The Hon. F. Dillingham, Consul-General in New Zealand for the United States, will leave Auckland on a visit 'to the States bjj the mail steamer Sierra on tho 2J.s'fc inst. Hfiv. will be accompanied by s'i'rs. Dillingham ana family. The trip will be" one of business; and pleasure combined, and it L being undertaken partly on account of the health of Mrs. Dillingham, •which has not been very good of late. The Consul-General, who will pay an official visit to Washington during his tour, will be absent from the colony for about six months. His deputy during his absence will be Mr. L. A. Bachelder, Vice-Consul-General. Mr. and Mrs. Dillingham will be in residence at the Grand Hotel from the 14th insfc. until their departure.

The Auckland rattan and wicker workers have lodged an. application at the Supreme Court, asking that their dispute be referred to the Board-of Conciliation. In ' their demand the workers ask that the week's work shall consist of 47 hours; that all time worked beyond the recognised hours shall be deemed to be overtime, and shall be paid for at the rate of time and aquarter for the first two hours, and time and a-half afterwards, Sunday double time: that the minimum Wage to be paidto all competent journeymen shall be Is 3d per hour; and that apprentices, shall be legally indentured foi % term of four years; tho proportion of apprentices shall bo one to three journeymen. The union also seeks to hav-j piecework prohibited, and demands preference to unionists.

Mr. H. Poland was the recipient on Monday evening of a presentation from- the Star of Paeroa Lodge of Druids (writes our correspondent). Brother "IT. O. Rearle, G.D.P., made tie presentation on. behalf of' the lodge, and f-poko of the good work Brother Poland had done, in the cause of Druidiism during* Ids seven'years as secretary of the lodge. Brother Poland made a suitable response, and thanked the brethren for their presentation. The gift consisted of a handsome silver egg stand and, toast rack.

While Constable Finlaysonwas arresting a man in Albert-street about six o'clock last evening, the accused, a, powerful fellow, offered resistance, and the. constable had' to call on, those who had gathered roundil'or assistance- One of the number, named Jscil McLean, and believed to be a seafaring max, responded, and while ho was assisting another man rushed in and kicked him on the face, inflicting a nasty wound just above one of his eyos. ; In connection with the Mayoralty campaign at Onehunga. 'a special meeting of Mr. J. Howe's supporters is convened for to-night, and ths followers of the other candidate, Mr. Angus Gordon, will insect -to-morrow. The contest promises to be the most exciting held in the borough for years. "' •■ -■■-■■-- The long spell of dry weather is causing a good deal of uneasiness among the miners (writes our Waihi correspondent), and it is feared that the services of. another batch will shortly ha iispensed with unless, rain coined soon. Never in the memory of the oldest inhabitant 'of Ohinemuri' has the river been so low as it is at the present time,. The death occurred in the Waikate Hospital yesterday of Miss Boyd, luece of Mr. Stone, ol Woodlands, a visitor from Ch.i.stchurvh, who was -taken ill at a picnic hold on the Government farm last Wednesday. She was removed to the' hospital next day, but gradually sank. The cause of death wag internal hemorrhage. Deceased was 2* years of age. • Five tenders have beef received for .-'the erection or a post otliee at Whakarewarett a, llotorua. That of Mr. D. Lundon (£302), being the lowest, has .been, accepted. ■*/'-' it .- slated that in" their present slijinc the plans for the Cambridge high hive! bridge do not meet with the approval of the. Government- 4 5

While riding a young, horse in Khybcr Pass Road on Monday afternoon, Mi. John McAuliffe, of Vincent-street, met with an accident, sustaining a, nasty cut over the right eye. The animal j slipped and fell on the trap rails, throwing Mi. MeAuliffe, who was evidently kicked by the horse while on the ground. * The injuries, which were not of a serious nature, were attended to by Dr. Girdler. to whose place of residence MeAiiliffc was taken in an Onehunga tram.

The tramway which Messrs.. J. McLean and Sons are constructing for the l'aupo Timber Company is liow nearly finished, and will probably be open lor traffic at the end of the month. The line will open up a i o t of new country. arid the totara timber industry will soon bs recognised m one of the mainstays of New Zealand. An interLing interview with Mr. Murdoch McLean. of the contracting firm, appears m today's Supplement. ■

Alexander Pale. * settler residing at le *rai had his house and furniture destroyed hv lire on Monday. The building was a wooden one, containing live rooms, ami was covered bv insurance to the extent of £oU with the Royal office. The furniture was insured with the same office fo. £40. •. The Grey Lynn Tire Brigade was called out on Monday to a fire in the, Richmond Ward, but had not to contend with serious outbreak. The fire was in actable belonging to Mr. Borgoite (carter), and the building was destroyed. It can be replaced for ? few pounds. The cause of the tire is unknown. In all probability tender.-; for tlie new post office building for the borough of Parnell will be called for in th» course of a few days. The grant for the building ha* already been authorised. The annual "inter-Varsity tournament will this year take place in Wellington during the aster holidays. Students from the Auckland, CanteVbfcr?, Otago, ind Victoria (Wellington) University Colleges will take part il? . the debating;,conbesfr r tbe athletic sports,, and tho lawit'teniiis contritions. - ; Our Coromandel ; fbrresjjondenfe states that the police nrresfcfl a mas named Peter Jansen (a Dane), W.Opitcmri, yesterday, upon the charge of fusing bodily barm to James Courtlett, at.Mataraugi. The new tetegraf aa<* telephone line connecting -Paeroa w/h. Waihi has been extended as tar as \fHsao. If the same satisfactory rate of degress continues the line should reach W&i in about mother month. ■I At the annul meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Cjjhmerce yesterday the custom which the meters of the Canterbury Chamber have folded" for some years in taking luncheon tether before proceeding to the more mattf of-fact business of the meeting, was imitaW with great success.

Th-< Tjsaaki Herald, in. commenting on Mr. Ma»y" a speech, says:—"H© was able to tell |* Auckland people that t'us Mapourik?" ivjlauientary picnic cost the country £4555J*ut there ..are details o.i' other ex,eiidif» which will never see the light of dav, ii> which, iLknown, would be rather starting- The actual cost to the country 0 tHptate ianns—a cardinal point in the ( lovtSmeiif', policy—would, we believe, be sucl* revelation, that the farms would soon t, itlered to be sold." $f > ■<■ r : Jfweek ago ■ Mr; J. E. Heed and Mr. j/fcny asked that a special day might be sefside at the Police Court for private pro«Stions. Mr. Dyer, the presiding magistii«, said ha had conferred with: Mr. Heathy on the desirableness of setting anide special day. 'They had come the lecisfen that ib was not. practicable to take chis Jurse. However, if at any time there was Iprivate. prosecution, and' counsel were.to ftention til* case, at th? opening of the fccbrt a special day would hi fixed for it. fl'b's arrangement should: prevent loss of 'tine to the parties'Houcerned..-

A. curious study i* animal life is furnihed by an incident which' occurred at jlssrs. Patersoa, ; Mossman and Co.'s njiiure works near Betane, Hawke's Bay. I cat was v deprived of her kittens while -fey were very young, and in her search fi the missing members of her family she tscoveicd a nest of three young rats, and Srthwith adopted them. This strange ompauionship continued, and the harmonious relations remained undisturbed, the cat succeeding in rearing her charges. Remarkable as the story is, it» authenticity is vouched for by. a number of Napier residents, who have Seen this- strange family.

As an '.nstance of Departmental procrastination, the following is worth placing on record, say 3 the Wellington. Post: —On March 11 the Petone Borough Council wrote to the.Colonial Secretary's office, applying under section 17 of the Local Elections Act, 19W, foi an extension till seven p.m. of the? closing hour of tho poll to be taken i* Petone on March 23, on the rating ox unimproved valu» question, and also, (i the poll to be taken at next election of councillors. Under date March 25—two' day's after the poll first referred to hai .been taken—the Department wrote, "/ndor" direction of the Colonial Secretary/' requesting the Council to be good enough to forward a, copy of th« resolution paced containing the request referred to." I ' An interring : point regarding the wondrous Ruaiirf cayey, discovered some six months ago near Waitomo, in the King Country, is/{says the-Hot Lakes Chronicle) that the cjtea ate oh land held uadex lease from the Irow*. The law that prevents a Eettler lading claim ,to any minerals found 05 leaseipbj property .is said to reserve the rightbf ownership of these caves to the Crown. Meanwhile* the leaseholder is collecting fa from each person who wishes to inspfct the caves, and' that sum was djmauu>i frorr and paid by the Hon. C. H. Mip and his party a few days ago. The Wftilomo caves, two miles away, are on nawe land, and a charge, of 2s a head' is ma* for inspection. Mr. Mill: is of opinici that these caver should be under the c*ttrol of the Tourist Department.

Thre were in the police cells last night two persons arrested on the charge of drunkenness (a charge of assaul* - being added in tie case of one of them), and two charged will! theft. "