LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13496, 24 May 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Winter Show at the Drill Hall atj tracted large crowds v; yesterday afternoon and evening. It is really "a provincial exhibition, and visitors who went in to look round found much to interest them. To guide intending visitors the committee yesterday prepared large banners, one of which will stretch from the clock tower at the Municipal Buildings across Wellesley-street, and the other will be stretched across Queen-street-, near. Wellesley-street junction. The show will be open to-day and to-morrow from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Mr. T. Ronayne, General Manager of Railways, in a letter read at the meeting of . the City Council yesterday, referred to the shortage of trucks on the Auckland sectionHe had looked into the matter personally, and steps would be taken which, he trusted, would have a satisfactory result. The building of rolling stock was being pushed on as quickly as possible, and extra engines had been ordered to be shipped to the Auckland district immediately. - When these engines were put into service the waggons would be moved about much more quickly than in the past, "and. he had no doubt but that the truck difficulty would then be greatly reduced, if it did not altogether disappear.

j The City Council has decided to receive deputations at. its next meeting 00 the subject of the saltwater baths, and on a resolution passed at an open-air meeting calling upon the Council to organise a Health Committee to deal with foods and beverages, especially alcoholic liquors, offered for 6ftl^

... The duel inspector of . factories,. in a letter read at the City Council meeting yesj temlay, requested the Council as a great favour to make provision for the English | sweated industries ex (libit. No charge would be made for admission to the exhibit, which should reach Auckland early in June. The Mayor was requested to open the exhibition in Auckland. A slight discussion took place upon the question whether the Council Chamber or the vestibule should be used for the purpose, and finally it was resolved to refer the matter to the | Streets Committee.

Mr. Justice Denniston has arrived in j Auckland. He will hold a special sitting j in Chambers to-morrow, at ten a.m. The; criminal sittings of toe Supreme Court will; commence at eleven o'clock on Monday morning next, 29 persons having been committed for trial. Of these four are charged with manslaughter, two of the cases having arisen out of tramcar accidents, and two have to do with the deaths of infants at boarding-out homes. There ate also six offences against women and girls, and five cases of theft.

A Suez mail, which left London on April 12, arrived from Sydney by way of Wellington yesterday. Personal Notes from our London correspondent, will be found elsewhere in this issue. The colonial mails, via Vancouver,' which left Auckland on April 17, arrived in London on Monday afternoon last. •

When the butter entries in connection with the Auckland Winter Show were announced as a record for. the colony, a telegram was received on the following day from Wellington, rebutting the statement, and saying that several entries were received from one factory. Mr. J. R. Scott (secretary of the National Dairy Association for the South Island), speaking at a meeting last evening, said a Wellington man had spoken similarly to him, on his way to Auckland. "I was glad to find you did not duplicate entries in Auckland ; thoy are all single entries," said Mr. Scott. It is a record, there is no doubt about it." The president of the Dairymen's Association (Mr. D. G. McGowan) said the 119 entries were entirely for export butter. Every factory was : limited to one entry, in each class. • •

The Calliope Dock disaster will occupy the attention of the Supreme Court during the .present civil sittings. Mr. Justice Denniston will hold a special sitting in J.Cliambers to-morrow • morning, to hear an application on behalf of the defendants, the Auckland Harbour Board, made by their representatives, Messrs. Russell and Campbell, for leave to administer interrogatories to the plaintiffs, the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company. A number of other cases, in which -workmen claim damages from the Harbour Board, have been ordered to be tried by special juries. There are 16 such cases, but one of them is a- claim for an amount too small to come before a special jury. , His Honor will to-morrow probably fix a day lor the trials.

At the conolusion.of last night's meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council, Mr. J. Davis moved that a deputation from the j Council should interview the PostmasterGeneral (Hon. J. Ward) upon his return from England, with a view to the erection and establishment of a post office. worthy of the . borough. Mr. Davis said that , the present service in Mount Eden Borough, especially in regard to telegrams, could be greatly improved upon, and he bought a poet office in a central . position Was much needed. The Mayor (Mr. O. Nicholson) said that no harm could. be done . in. bringing the matter under tlie notice of the Min-. ister.,- It :,w,as faccojrdingly resolved that a. deputation should be arranged. j

A largely attended public meeting, con- j vened by the Borough Promotion Commit-! tee, , was held in Montgomery's Hall, Karangabake, on Wednesday night, Mr. E. J. Kitching presiding., Mr. W. J. Tycrman, as chairman of the committee, gave an account of the steps so far taken and of the advantages likely to result from the proposed change, Mr. T. P. Heron gave a statement of the. financial aspect of the question, and , proved that ample revenues were available to carry on the work of a borough when formed:. After considerable discussion a resolution approving of the action of the committee was carried N by a large majority. '

. " Shows jjre necessary in . places, like Auckland, Palmerston North,; and ,Dunedin, and even other places in New. Zealand," said Mr. J. R. Scott (secretary of the National -Dairy Association for the South Island) at a gathering last'evening. He advocated . Auckland sending exhibits to- .Bunftdin. No question of superseding any other show, should- enter the minds of people in charge of. shows. In 1 Dunedin there was a £25 grade? vprize, open to the whole colony. There good marketin the South for Auckland v sN jitter. He had already sold a lot of Auckland butter'. Mr. McGowan (president of men's Association) said they had no wisfi" to supersede any other show. "We only wished to retaliate against the action of Palmerston North,"- said Mr. McGowan.

A ratepayer has written to the Mount Eden Borough Council suggesting an alteration in the name of Mount Eden Gaol, so as to throw off the stigma cast on the district by the present nomenclature. "Call it 'the Auckland Gaol,' ' Stonycroft Gaol,' or any other gaol," lie Says, "but get Mount Eden freud, from its present nominal attachment to the idea, of criminality." At last night's meeting of <tlie ' Council Mr. Hudson characterised the letter as a very sensioie one. Call it the Mount Eden Moral Hospital," suggested Mr. C. J. Tunks, but the suggestion was not taken seriously. It was decided to write to the Minister for Justice on the subject.

Last evening a meeting of presidents and secretaries from the various branches of the Liberal and Labour Federation in tlie Manukau electorate took place at the Foresters' Hall, Onehunga. The object was the formation of the Manukau Electorate Council. The council was formed, with Mr. D. A. Sutherland as president, and Mr. H. T. Horn as secretary.

A representative meeting of residents of Remuera was held in. St. Mark's Hall last evening for the purpose of forming a branch of the National League of New Zealand. Mr. T. Finlayson presided. It was decided to form a branch of the league. " The election of officers resulted as follows:—' President, Mr. R. S. Lockart; .'.vice-presi- 1 dents, Rev. W. E'eatty, Mr. J. M. Carpenter; ; secretary, Mr. C. R. Munro; treasurer, Mr. j Alex. Rose; committee, Messrs. T. Finlayson, K. Bodle, and J. Shei'a. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. Frank Lawry, M.H.R., W. B. Leyland, Dr. B&mford, and Perry-Taylor.

A fire broke out at the Helensville railway station about six o'clock on Thursday morning,, when - flames were seen issuing from a quantity of luggage. A crowd soon collected, and by means of a bucket brigade the fire was extinguished. It appears to have originated through spontaneous combustion in a kapok mattress and bedding. ;; A considerable amount of damage was done co luggage; and the wall of the .building was burned through..

: • The Attorney-General, questioned jest*. "i day about the proposed creation of Ki&/ u "' ' Counsel, said: "I have sent on to tbaCbte ' % Justice, at present in the Auckland di*trfcL -"'. ■> * the Danes' of those throughout New 7!*' ' land wlk have applied for appoints? /0' 'the regulation* already in fore* lea? e determination of both the number and p» ' '£< j sonnel of the applicants to His Honor th, Chief Justice. As soon as the name* K„.'-"f His Honor's approval I have no doubt ih '! ' I appointments will be made bv His v ', ' lency the; Governor." * Lxwl * . :| The Union Company's collier Kiai, *hiri> "' - left Onehunga on Wednesday afternoon with a part cargo of coal for New pj T ' ; / mouth, got on to a bank off Popcni j where she remained hard and fast taS about half-past six o'clock last ..renin, when she was floated off, and returned fcelltf& journey. • 4 1

A meeting of the creditors of Allan ft ''"--;' Kirkwood was to hare been held at th«' r ' official assignee's office yesterday afternooa, • but only two creditors attended. jj^ 1 Gerard read the bankrupt's statement' • which placed the liabilities at £124 16» aj and the assets at £3? 16s lid, leaving la apparent deficiency of £86 19s lOd. Kirt. wood, » bootmaker at Xgaruavrahia, attri! buted his bankruptcy to heavy medical ex" ' penses and consequent compulsory tiegttct of his business. Mr. Gerard Mid" that the creditor® would probably only get about 2» in the £. It was his intention to wll some of the assets by auction, while lire ! stock belonging to the bankrupt would b« sold privately.

The Commissioner for Crown Lands (Mr ■' J. Mackenzie) is calling for applications foj the occupation of seven cottages At Ell«ts. lie, in terms of the Workers' Dwellings Act v - 1905. The applications will be received up to Wednesday, the 29th.

up to Wednesday, the 29th. ! :• 1 J A petition is in course of signature in . the . Northcote district, with the object of r „f having the Northoote Riding of the Wai- - temata County Council formed is to § |||| borough. , ;; . At the Cambridge Police Court yfcstard&y, ■■ before Messrs. Wilkinson' and Ferguson, »' yfcr man named Richard Walton, was commit* •_ ted to the Supreme, Court for staling » pony, the property of Colin Adams. ; : Mr. Adams' son, who works at. Tauwhaw, letj v.i the accused a pony on Monday morning to " " go to Cambridge. Subsequently Mr, Adams, sen., saw Walton riding the pony, H and communicated with the police. Evi- ' denoe was given that Walton had offered \ the pony for sale to ft lad named Saunders.; .-,V| Accused said it was a drunken freak, and 1 that he would not have sold the horse foi 1 £50. J I There has been an all-round decline . ill , < 1 the price of horseflesh in the Hawcra dia- ~'§ I fcrict and, indeed, throughout the colony. * Heavy draughts constitute an exception to X this rule, and they fully maintain their : high rates. The big rise some few years ago was due to the South African demand, • but contemporaneously with the cessation of that remand there has been a big in- ■ crease in breeding (stimulated by the good , ' prices offering), the net result being th«, ;3: present decline' in prices. . Speaking to'«f:|i3 Hawera. Star representative recently a . stock.salesman expressed' the opinion that. vendors generally all have to accept' a low- * ;; J er range of values. , j, £ California now boasts of nearly 3000 miles of oiled roads. The crude petroleum used ■ - ' | as a dressing for these highways has trail* *• ' formed the heretofore dirty and often im ' passable roads into excellent thoroughfares which make motor car travelling over the» a pleasure'and a delight. Of the five couri . v ,'j ties of the State at least 40 now have oil© , roads. The first experiment with oil as ! road-dressing was made in ; I{sß, an 3 it'-mu 4 'J » found that when it was applied it immedi'! ; ately began to bind : together all the loo* f*;";. particles on the surface, and formed a " 1 stratum, resembling asphalt. California I now occupies a foremost position in regard to mileage of good roads as a result of this 1 ] method of treating the highways. 'i&Jij A' well-preserved pelvis and leg bones of ' ; a very large mo» (probably a Dinornis ro--1 bustus) were found 1 recently in the bush at .. • Croydon, at the back of Gore. The specimen has now passed into the hands of Mr. ' - 1 Robert Gfibb, of Tuturau, a well-known 51 • „ student of natural history. The pelvis i« ' a perfect specimen, and fully as large as > ■ horse's skull; the legs are of massive and' powerful type, and are minus the toes only.' 1 Mr. Gibb himself unearthed an almost per-. + 1 feet skeleton of a small moa last Decem- - ) ber at Greenhills, near the Bluff. , ' U; i • ; As 'bearing upon the blackberry pest, an > experiment conducted by one of' the stock i inspectors, is now being watched with in- { ; terest (says the Nelson Evening Mail). - , .An area of about 30 acres of bush ; land, abutting on the Pelorus River, { in the vicinity of the Pelorus bridge, has , been securely fenced, and 40 common goats . have been placed in the enclosure. The \ blackberry pest has a particularly strong - . hold inside the fenced area, and on the adjacent roadside, but already the ravages of. -, f jfche goats are visible in all directions. They are partial .to the young shoots and leavei . of the' 6lto(Ckberry, and it seems certain thri they will sifty& the problem of keeping the ■ • pest in check/ s Dr. Fell states' that the buyers for th« i Wellington Art Gallery in London haw " , 1 j been very successful in "securing F. Bring- " wyn's famous picture, "Santa Maria Dell# Salute," for £250, the having most generously reduced the. price V from £570. r "We shall," he adds, "have to wait soma time for it, because it is at preset being exhibited at Mannheim; but when it oxxmes, I have no hesitation whatever in saying it will be the one picture of our gallery which, , f • 1 people will come from far and near to «e. Brangwyn is beyond question the grcatert exponent of all that is strong: and vigorous in modern British art, and to have secured so grand an example for so small a sum if indeed worth waiting a year." •• "What has been the effect of the Busk and Swamp Lands Act in this district?**' a prominent Taranaki settler was asked the other day. "It has enabled a fair 1 * amount of land to' be taken up under easy ' ■ conditions," was the reply; " but in my opinion the Act is too liberal. * The greatest flaw is that no rate can be levied for reading for several years, and as a result the holders of the land who use the main ' roads pay nothing towards' them. In my opinion, many of the me;a who have little or no access to their sections would prefer to contribute something towards the cost ; of roading." The janitor of the Timaru High School lias resigned, to retire on a superannuation allowance of £1 per week under the Teachers' Superannuation Act, after five years' service. A member of the High School Hoard expressed surprise that a janitor, after such short service, came under the scheme at all, and especially that he should . receive an allowance almost equal to that paid to the late secretary to the Board of , Education after a service of half a lifetime. .. _ : ' , The occupants of the police cells last evening were two persons charged with drunkenness and one with theft. i i " —~~ I In the advertising columns of this issue a notice appears in reference to Fitzherbort • t llerrace school," Wellington.