LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13725, 15 April 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

There will be no publication of the Herald on Friday next, being Hood Friday. The net increase in revenue for the lust, three months' working of the Auckland Harbour Board has been £2748 4a lOd. The acttteness of the labour problem was pointed out by -Mr. Arch. Chirk, chairman of the Auckland 'Industrial Association yesterday. After remarking _ that there was a great future before the association, if the members would only take more interin it, Mr. Clark said there were many important questions to be considered in industrial New Zealand. There was a tremendous amount of scope for the association. The question of prejudice against local industries had been to a great extent overcome, but they were faced with a great difficulty in connection with trie labour supply. In the soft goods trade his firm alone could find employ;;) .*nt for from 50 to 100 hand's more. In consequence of the shortage of labour, and, much against the firm's will, they had to import goods which they could manufacture her© to greater advantage, and possibly sell locally with a greater profit to themselves, but they were not able to do so because they could not get the labour to manufacture the goods the public were crying out for. It was a very serious matter, and a question which the association should take up.

A protracted discussion took place at the me ting of the Harbour Board yesterday on the personnel and function?? of the Standing Committee, which disposes of so much of the Board's business. Mr. G. W. Ba& ley, who first mentioned the matter, condemned the committee on the grounds that it usurped the functions of the chairman of the Board, ana «,- x were four or five members on every committee continually, to the exclusion of other,*. " The Standing Committee makes mere ' sticks' and nonentities of the chairman and the rest of vis," said Mr. Basley. "We dimply say ' Yes, yes, yes,' and I object to the committee's existence. Its creation interferes with our rights and prerogatives." The chairman {Hon.. E. Mitchelson) said the committee had been set up at his instigation. The work of the Board was so extensive that with enormous expenditure going on it would be wrong to place tew much responsibility upon the chairman. He could not say why there were always four or five of the same members on the committee, though he was sure some of them would he glad to be relieved of the work. As for himself, the business of the Beard seemed to take up the major portion of his time. The recently formed Auckland Market Gardeners' Association, which held its second meeting at Avondale last evening, has amongst its objects the promotion of confidence and good feeling amongst growers, and also the attainment of the best means of marketing their produce, and purchasing seed and manures at the leaut possible cost. The chairman (Mr. B. Johnson), a gardener of over 30 years' experience, remarked last evening that he thought the association would prove a splendid thing for ameliorating the conditions under which members were called upon at present to ply their calling. " 1 wish that we had had such an association 20 years ago," he said, "and I am sure that I should have been better off to-day, but 1 hope, that 20 years hence you will all be. in a better position." " I hope that I will be in a better place by that time," fervently ejaculated a member who was evidently not of as optimistic a turn of mind as the chairman. John Newbold Leapt, of l'acroa, a storekeeper, was adjudged a bankrupt on Monday. The first meeting of creditors will be held on the 24th inst. at Auckland. An English mail, via Suez, which left Auckland on March 4, arrived in London on the afternoon of Sunday last.

I The advance in the price of nrw»t at Welj lington has not so far been followed locally, I though butchers anticipate a rhw in' prtcffll, I and yesterday the market showed an Uj,*' ward tendency. It is stated that it is only J a matter of a short time whjjn a run in j prices will follow. The figures published J yesterday from Wellington refer to th* wholesale price. ;: : The operations of the Wellington tramways as disclosed in the balance-sheet recently published, are described as bcisiig disappointing by a Wellington brtsinesis man, the profits being particularly unsatisfactory in view of the large increase in the traffic returns. He says: "Compared with with the results of th© tramways in .Auckland, which are run by a public company, I maintain our results arc poor in the extreme. In Auckland, in addition to providing interest, depreciation, and a handsome dividend to shareholders, a targe amount was paid over to the municipality as their quota of the profits.'" A tetter from several master mariners w*s received at yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board, directing attention to the difficulty and danger to life and property when vessels were docked and shored after dark, owing to the absence of proper Quite recently, it was pointed out, the steamer Taniwha ami the barque Hazel Craig had been centred and shored ur in total darkness, and at considerable risk, though, t.ll>« expenditure of a few pounds would ensure adequate lighting of the dock. The: engineer reported that extensive alterations were to be carried out in the vicinity, which would no doubt obviate the necessity for these suggestions being carried into <;f feet. The matter will be further dealt. with by the Board in committee at its next meeting. Town followers of the rod will be pleased to learn that the trout liberated in Lake Takapuna are thriving satisfactorily. Several fish have been seen to rise in the lake lately. At the meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society yesterday, it was decided to liberate another 2000 yearlings in the lake. At yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board the Ne-r Zealand Shipowners' Federation applied for two slips, for the purpose of docking such vessels as the Wakatere and the Clansman. The engineer iM'r Hamer) submitted a report giving the details of the work suggested, and pointing out that owing to the grade, of the slip there was a large extent of work below low water. The Board decided to consider a modified scheme later on, the cost for a single slip not to exceed £20,000. At last evening's meeting of the Auckland market gardeners one of the members stated that at present gardeners suffered much from the. careless manner in which the auctioneers' employees handled and weighed the produce. The speaker said that the men were 100 fond of going out ifor a drink during business hours, and for this state of affairs many gardeners were partly to blame, because they invited the employees to join them in a glass. He moved that the auctioneers be asked to enforce a rule similar to that in force in other centres, viz.. that employees should not be allowed to drink during working hours. " But one drink won't hurt them," came the interjection. "Yes," said the speaker, but i? everyone asked them to have a glass of beer, where would they be at four o'clock'' Who gives the weight- then?" "The buyer," tried a voice, amidst, laughter. Members were unanimously of opinion that the question was a serious one, and that even it a rule were framed to the effect that gardeners should not treat the men to liquor it would be violated. The proposition was then put to the meeting, and was carried by 16 votes to 6. The question then took an amusing turn, however, for the mover of the proposition suggested that as they were not unanimous they should rescind the resolution. "We'll see if we can't get the boys on the ginger-pop racket," he remarked, amidst laughter. 1-. was then decided that the resolution should not be. given effect to.

Mr. Miifichamp Earle writes to correct a statement concerning himself and Cap.tain Hope-Johnstone, to the effect that lhey had decided to discontinue their journey through New Zealand, in a caravan, owing to trouble in Rotora. " Owing to the lateness of the season, as also the glorious uncertainty of the weather," he says, " touring in a caravan is not what it may appear to be to those who have not had the personal experience. The condition of the roads in the majority of the parts of the Dominion is too appalling to describe.", If the Government, instead of lavishly spending large sums of money on palatial buildings would use the money in repairing bridges and putting the roads in necessary order, it would be far more to the point. He adds, Probably as election time approaches, we may hear of some hundreds of men being thus 'temporarily' employed in order to procure their votes."

The question , of what stone should he used in the construction of the buildings to be erected at the ferry tee caused some discussion at the Harbour Board meeting yesterday. Mr. J. B. "aoffcrlane objected to one particular brand of Oamaru stone being specified, thus preventing any competition, and Mr. J. K. Kneen objected to Oamaru stone being used at all, on the ground that it was brittle and discoloured within two years. Then Mr. W. E. Hutchison said he believed that the manager of the stone quarries in Victoria, from which a lot of stone was to be imported, had written to say that he could not supply the material for some time yet. Mr. W. J. Napier opposed the proposed wooden floors, and suggested that these should be altered and made fireproof, and it was finally resolved to revise the specifications. Several tenders had been received for the work, but under the circumstances these were left unopened in the meantime. The, barque Northern Chief, which arrived from Newcastle yesterday, had a somewhat unique experience on April. 5. The barque was then about a day's sail from Cape Maria. Van Die-men, When iniddenly three immense! waterspouts were observed. One was on the port bow, another on the port beam, and the third on the starboard side of the barque. "It was a grand and impressive sight," said Captain Spruit, the master of the vessel to a Hkrai.d reporter yesterday, "to see the immensity of the spouts and the tremendous amount of water which they carried. At the same time I was not sorry when *hey made their disappearance, the. ocean being disturbed for a long distance."

It is directed by the Minister for Labour by a notice in the Gazette that from April 15 the sale of tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes in tobacconist*' shops in the City of Auckland shall cease at the following hours: — One p.m. on the statutory closing day; 11 p.m. on one day, which shall be Wednesday, in the case of those observing Saturday as the half-holiday, and Saturday in the case of those observing Wednesday a* the half-holiday; and nine p.m. on theother four working days of the week, except on the day previous to a public holiday, and | the said four working days during the I months of December and January, when the sale shall cease at 10 p.*a. This order is in accordance with the requisition recently forwarded to the Minister by the occupiers of tobacconists' shops.

Th« Acckuano WsKKtu News, rnhftov '•'-. Ed today, contains a mile, variety <-,>■.. teresting illustrations. Th* double. ftf ; the issue is devoted to some specially v? leeied pictures from she Weekly .Njcw*-'-Tenth'. Photographic Vtim Competition*, "m rinding the first prfraa coird study, entitle " Dia-bolo in th" Bark Blotto*." Arson.* the mimerous afrreni events d<Mh, *if.j* ■ may be mentioned the loss of th* ">\j.,,,. liner Star «' Japan, recent fir«» *? ff*,-f.H. ton, discovery of a gold-bearing reef »|'iK Russell, Kethtrtofl regatta on th* Thame* River. • hampiors.soip y»-hfc rat;*?* on Auckland Harbour, rie* if post oflhe at Greymouth, th*- ftps* :i Dreadnought for the German navy, Britain's new Prime Minister, it hoe sni*<i.':y of photographs of s-osm- of the great Ain*riton battleship* that are to visit A tick-' laud, two 'highly interesting views ,t % interior of the House of Commons, lon . don, and * large number of mrnxdiftneum pictures from all parts of the Dominion. .At last night** meeting of the Mount .Koykill Ristii BoSrd, a letter was reemved : from the Methodist Mission and Education Board agreeing to grant a lest,-- for 99 vest*; of 30 acres 3 roods oS a reserve «', WaiW'-'-v whal Bay as a recreation reserve, in anna*} ; " rental of Is tc be collected for same, if , necessary. The ground in question « y' : * be- known &$ Wuikowhai Park, and used hn public recreation purpose* only, no alcoholic liquors to be sold there. A complete " : Q survey had been made- by M., H. Munnj Wilson, ami a site chosen for a wharf. It was agreed that Messrs. Bagley HrtsUtt. and Her.) be ,» committee, lo arrange with she committee of the Methodic! Mbori Mission Trust in regard to the lay. ins out of the reserve, according t<; th* r plans of Mr. Wilson: the raising of the .02000 loan for the purpose of nwdiilg, ; fencing, beautifying, end making the r* serve accessible. An inquest wits held by Mr, T. <"re<ih*m» Coroner, at the hospital yesterday morning on the body of the infant girl Oharlota ; ; Riley, who died on Monday afternoon as the result of a burning accident. l-'dwaid Riley, a carter, of Newton Road, fathet of the child, gave evidence, showing that th* child's injuries had been caused by th*} explosion of a kerosene lamp, which ret fit* ! -?fi to its bed. Dr. Keith ami Dr. C. C, Aickin stated that the chum of death »a.« shock, resulting from the burns, and n r?rdiet was returned accordingly. At a meeting of creditors in the estate of J. A. Cochrane, farmer and fhixmiller, of Orongomairoa, held at the office of the . ofliee of the official assignee (Mr. E. Gerard) j?e«terday, it. whs decided that the realisation of the assets be not commenced until the secured creditor had seen a schedule of the valuations, which was being prepared. No creditors wore present at the meeting 3 called to consider the bankruptcy of James Henry Moore. M : r. Gerard adjourned the meeting sine die, on the understanding that he would preside at the adjourned meeting, to be- held at Hamilton as soon as convenient. To-day h' the bust day on which electors \ cur. have their nattier placed on the supplementary rolls for the elections of mayors for the eitiiw and boroughs, which will take place on the 29th in<?t. So far, this* year'? Auckland roll shows aji increase in ths .: number of names over la*t year by about 3000 names. There aiv three qualification!) for enrolment—freehold, rating, and residential. The necessity for a building by-law wm;v urged at the meeting of the Mount Iteskill Road Board last evening, when Mr. 'lliov, Hanson attended and complained that while th» di'Hi'ict could boast of a. better class of v house in general, a, number of small tenements, which were a disgrace to the community, who being erected. It wan resolved to bring the complaint under the j notice of the district health officer immedi- S ately, and to consider the matter later on. The dispute in regard to the church organ , at Hikurangi again came before the Auck- ; laud Presbytery at. its meeting last evening. One -speaker said that, in view of the trifl- ! lag amount involved, it wan beneath the C notice of the Presbytery, and that no action should be taken. Mr. (.'. J. Bagnall said they might well consider whether it. was not better to let the matter go, aa the amount in dispute was so small. The * question hid been referred to arbitration by the parlies concerned in the dispute, and the Presbytery appointed Messrs, Bagnall and Scott to act as arbitrators*. \ The funeral of the late Mr. Charh* : Kingsford Jeffs, of Onchunga, took place at the Waikaraka cemetery yesterday. / when a large number of mourners assembled. 'Hie remains were conveyed on a; . gun carriage, debased being accorded a :' military funeral. In making up the points for the shield competed for at the Auckland Fire Bri-; gades' Demonstration, held recently, th< Auckland City Brigade were credited with three points which rightfully belonged tc the Newmarket Brigade. The attention of points reduces the position of the City ■Brigade from 12 points to nine, making them now equal with Newmarket. Advice was received yesterday that a Maori gumdigger named John Clark, and aged 64 years, had liied suddenly on Sunday night in his whare at Whangaripo. In a telegram to Inspector Cullen, Constable Cowan stated that inquiries had shown that there were no suspicious circumstances, and that death was probably due to natural causes. The Coroner has informed the police that he does not consider an inquest necessary.