LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13450, 29 May 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The grand jury, at the conclusion of its labours at the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday, made the following recommendation:—"This jury respectfully suggests that in view of the laxity in the supervision of nursing homes registered under the Infant Life Protection Act, efficient medical supervision and inspection should he insisted upon, in addition to the 'present police supervision." Mr. Justice Denniston said he would have the recommendation sent to the proper authorities. " I may say I think there is ground for more medical supervision," said His Honor. The jury brought in a true bill against the keeper of an infants' home in Auckland.

The various parts of the new locomotive which is to run on the Auckland section of the New Zealand Government railway service, have arrived from the Dunedin railway workshops, and the work of fitting them together is at present being proceeded with at the Newmarket railway workshops. The engine, which is of the same design as those built by Messrs. A. and G. Price, of the Thames, is expected to be "on the road" in about a fortnight's time. ,

The Auckland Weekly News £ published to-day, contains a very large variety of interesting and high-class illustrations. Prominent amongst them may be mentioned a fine series dealing with the first Winter Show of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association. ] These comprise views of the opening ceremony, some of the leading exhibits, > the interior of the main hall, and a group of the committee and officials. Included among the pictures illustrating recent events are those showing the military tournament at Hamilton, the Governor's visit •to Gisborne, the Imperial Conference in progress, wreck of the ■. Emma '. t Sims, opening. of anew orphans' home at Wellington, Wanganui Gun Club's championship match, and the hunting season in New Zealand. There is also a further fine selection of pictures from the ninth photographic competition, and a large number of miscellaneous illustrations.

The invitations issued by members of the Pacific Club who are at present or have been members of Parliament to the dinner, to be given on the 7th prox., to the surviving members of the House ot Representatives who have sat for any Auckland constituency since , 1854, ~ are signed by the following:—Hon. J. A. Tole (1875), D. Goldie (1879), W. J. Speight (1879), E. Mitchelson (1883), E. Withy (1887), Hon. G. Fowlds (1900), E. W. Alison (1903), ;A. E. Harding (1903), A. Kidd (1903), E. G. B. Moss (1903), C. H. Poole (1906), and J. Stallworthy (1906).

As showing the scarcity of cement, it was stated at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board that no further supplies of the local article were available, and it was; decided to send an order for 1500 barrels to England. The ferro-con-crete works no in progress are : absorbing a great deal of cement, and the engineer to the Board stated that he was unable to obtain a barrel of it here at present.

Througn the courtesy of the commander of H.M.S. Powerful, the Mount' Eden Public School Cadets, to the number of 69, were allowed the privilege of inspecting the flagship yesterday afternoon. The lads assembled at the Devonport ferry tee, under the charge of the headmaster (Mr. A. Hosking) and Captain Gatenby, and were taken across to the warship in a boat supplied by the Ferry Company free of charge. The cadets were shown over the warship by the petty officers, and spent a most enjoyable and instructive afternoon. After the inspection, the lads paraded on. the deck, and cheers were given for the officers and crew of the Powerful. The return trip was then made, and immediately on landing at the tee three cheers were given for the Ferry Company.

The tablet to the memory of the late Mr. Seddon, subscribed for by the employees at the "Newport railway workshops, Victoria, is of white Carrara marble. The pediment exhibits a winged wheel, denoting the progress of engineering. On either side are basreliefs depicting scenes connected with Mr. Seddon's early days—the old loco, works at South Williamstown, and the Breakwater pier. On opposite sides of the upper portion of the inscriptions are representations of a cogwheel, an engine governor, and a pair of callipers, as symbolical of Mr. Seddon's calling as an engineer. On the opposite side a scroll, pen, and book, suggest his rise to statesmanship. Beneath is a garland of wattle and eucalyptus. The back of the tablet is composed of South Australian slate. The tablet bears the following inscription:—"From the employees in the railway workshops, Newport, Victoria, Australia, as a tribute of respect to the memory of the Right Hon. Richard J. Seddon, P. 0., and in remembrance of his association as a mechanic, in early manhood, with that branch of the service." And then follows a verse of Whittier.

The "At Home" to be given by the Mayor of Auckland and Mrs. Myers to His Excellency the ; Commander-in-Chief and Lady Fawkes and the officers of the fleet will take place at the Drill Hall this evening, commencing at eight o'clock.

The shooting accident at TeTeko (Whakatane), which ; occurred last week, and by which a boy named Gow had his leg shattered, has terminated fatally. A further amputation of the injured leg was made by Dr. Stapley, assisted by Dr. Hood, but without avail, '

In dealing with » young man. «,},_ „, with vagrancy, at the Folic* Court yeg J« day,' Mr.CC, Kettle, S.M., said- that t.„ bad received an ;u;miym.->!;-s letter in tw , - ruction with the raw . He handed the £ ter to Detective Hcnderww, requeuing i,;,, ' if possible, ascertain who wrote it" iw writer, if identified, would ho d-;,dt „.';£' by the Court. Mr. Kettle also remarket] that be had only received two anoavmoiii letters since ho had been in Auckland, The l ai»dj, , .e Settlement, To Awamvvj • {lata church mission), a very valuable }>'■;" . pert recently purclittted by the Govern- « went, with an area of about 173 acres, will bo open- for public selection at an car!? date. Judging from the numerous in- , quiries that are being made for business aad residential sites, a number of new t&ftpi and offices aro likely to be erected on the property. A prosperous future is predieted for To Awarontu. Some of t& richest agricultural holding* in the coJoa* are in the neighbourhood. :' Arbor Day will be celebrated this v.■...on July 24, and as upon former detains will bo observed as a close holiday in Government offices. The Colonial Sxirctarv in a Gazette notice on the subject, hope*, in order to make, the. movement ,w .«k;o,, ful a* possible, that tin* Mayors of the vanoua municipalities and chairmen of l&t bodies will place tin- matter prominently before the people of. the colony, and do all they can to encourage the planting of public reserves and other available laud?, both public and private, .with tree,. suited to the locality.

A mild sensation was caused in Queenstreet opposite Messrs. MeCnllagh aad Cover's premises yesterday afternoon. As a cab belonging to Mr. Bowdets wss being driven past, it came into collision with a tramcar, which was running on the Queen-street section. One of the wheels of the cab was knocked off, while an axle was broken. The occupants of the tab; consisting of three ladies, escaped un ; hurt. The driver was also uninjured.

The thieves who were such a source of. ■• annoyance to yachtsmen and others alongthe water front a week or two ago have r* ncwed operations. The Ponsonby Cruising Club's premises at St. Mary's Beach wew visited during last week, and an entrant*' effected by cutting out the glass windows. A quantity of portable property," in the shape of trophies, which had been presented to the club, was taken away.

A young woman named Murphy fell into , the harbour off No. 3 Jetty, Quay-street, be- ■ tween eleven and twelve o'clock on Monday night. The Northern Steamship Company's, night watchman, hearing' the splash, threw a lifebelt to the woman, who failed to secure it. Mr. A. Parris, second mat© of tin*. Kanieri, then made his appearance ami threw a rope to her. The woman managed to catch hold of this, and held on until she was rescued by a boat from H.M.s. Pioneer. Prior to this, however, a young man named Leach jumped into the water and assisted to keep the woman afloat.

A trial of the Friend reversible turbine,

a recent invention by Mr. J. 10. Friend, was given yesterday at Messrs, Massey . ,■■ Bros.' establishment, in Custom-street. There was a largo gathering of experts, whose comments upon the general efficiency of the new machine were most fa*•'.-, vourable. The chief points of advantage of the invention are the great range «* the engine, which runs right or left at any velocity from 10 to 3000 revolutions; that the machinery occupies less than half till space .and half the weight of a reciprocal'ing engine under similar conditions. It, is also claimed that 64 per cent, more ac- ' tual power is generated for each erjuan? inch of;' the piston 'than is"' possible'.' wifu. ordinary engines. A company is to be; formed locally to take over the New Zealand rights, Mr. C. J. Owen having the formation of it in his hands. The danger to shipping in.. harbour • that exist* owing to the risk of collision with rafts whilst .being towed at night 1 ' is being impressed upon the Auckland Harbour Board by the New Zealand Shipowners' Federation. The secretary of this body (Mr. W. G. Smith) in a letter read at yesterday's; meeting of the Board, stated that at present the towing vessel earned only the two vertical lights, indicating that she had a vessel in tow, and there was nothing to indicate a raft, which was frequently several hundred feet astern. Neither .was article 3, ; of -the Board of Trade . regulations which provides for,three vertical lights when more than one vessel is in tow, and the tow line is' over 600 ft long, acted upon; consequently there, is a risk that an approaching vessel might ; not allow sufficient margin to clear the danger. He suggested that a regulation be framed providing that vessels towing \ rafts should carry ; distinguishing light* on.. the mast, and also astern, the latter to warn an overtaking vessel. The letter was referred to the Board's By-law Committee, - ~"' ''/;■■ .■'■/■. ;- ■ '■■ :.■' .' ■: '. ..■■■■■.■■■ : : :':: ' ■ ',;■ t\'liiJJ The matter of ensuring the safety of,, pedestrian traffic on the portion of the ~ new Queen-street Wharf which is now in use . occupied the attention of the Harbour i ! Board at its meeting yesterday. The traf- / : fie manager {Mr. Burgess) reported that; '' two narrow escapes from accident had occurred through persons trying to dodge vehicles on the portion of the wharf in question. He suggested that the -wharf . should be made safer, cither. by placing two kerbs, and forming a 7ft pathway down the centre,' or by erecting a handrail on the western side, and placing two ! kerbs, one, say, 7ft clear of the western " side and the other midway between that / and the eastern side. The former, he said, would be the better for general purposes, but it would necessitate persons coming to ; or going from the wharf to cross straight over Quay-street. This might be inconvenient when the street was wet or dirty. On the other hand the _ other way would require all persons coming from the eastward to cross all the traffic to or from the wharf. The chairman of the Board (the Hon. E. Mitchclson)' said that he thought that the traffic could be regulated so as to obviate any , difficulty. He moved that the matter be referred to the Board in committee. Mr. t Keyesimovedi as an amendment, that A' kerb be placed 7ffc clear from the western * side of the wharf. The amendment was' carried unanimously. It was also resolved to place a fence at the Quay-street : cor-i ner, and at the turn at the end of the' new wharf, : and also to erect a railing along the whole length of the western side of the wharf. K It is understood that another two weekswill elapse before the work on the Queenstreet tramway track will be completed and ready for the full tramway traffic to ' be resumed. The work remaining. to *>j , done is that of strengthening the foundations at the foot of Wollesley-street, and this is now in hand. Yesterday the Trarc" , way Company had a car running right ~;./." down Queen-street, from the front of the Auckland Savings Bank. This car kept up a continuous service, the fare charged

being on© halfpenny, and will be run until the ordinary service is resumed.

The inmates of the police cells last tiig« r - _ consisted of two persons arrested on charge* r.' of drunkenness.