LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13766, 3 June 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

To-day being the Prince of Wales' Birthday all the Government offices, including the Customs Department, will be closed. The principal telegraph offices will observe, holiday hours, viz., nine a.m. to four p.m., and seven p.m. to midnight: other offices which open on holidays will observe holiday hours given for them in the Postal Guide, viz., nine a.m. to ten a..m.. and seven p.m. to eight p.m. Several of the business establishments which did not close on Empire Day will also be closed to-day, including the butcriers and bakers. The general carriers will also observe the holiday. On the other hand, the grocers, drapers, and softgoods warehouses will remain open. Some of the general merchants will close and some will be open. A special meeting of the City Council was held on Monday evening, when the estimates, which will be submitted to tomorrow night's Council meeting, were considered. The Mayor (Mr. A. M l . Myers) presided. It- is understood that, in dealing with tile estimates, the progressive policy characteristic of the present Council will be continued, with a' due regard to prudence. Mr. Clark, of Melbourne, the successful architect in connection with the proposed town hall, was present at the meeting, and the matter of tenders for the. new building was also considered. Tenders close to-morrow afternoon at four o'clock at the municipal offices, Auckland. Mr. Clark will remain in the city some time to enable the Town Hall Committee to consult with him regarding the new building. A deputation of, clergymen and laymen from the Auckland Ministers' Association waited on the Minister for Education yesterday, to urge the abolition of Sunday cadet camps. The point of view advanced by the various speakers was that Sunday cadet- camps were, not desirable, inasmuch as' those devoting themselves to Sunday-school work fell their disorganising influence. Sunday, it was urged, should be kept as a day of rest, and free for the teaching of boys and girls in the Sunday-schools. Mr. Fowlds." in his reply, expressed .surprise at the remark of one of the speakers, to the effect that the Thames camp had been continued over Sunday. He said he was in sympathy with the request of the. deputation, and would undertake that henceforth no sanction should be given by the Department to Sunday cadet encampments.

With reference to the erection of the new Auckland Post Oilier Mr. Campbell, Government architect, states that building operations will be started early in the spring. The plans for the new courthouse will be put in hand when the uost office has been disposed of.

The. proceedings at last night's- meeting 0; the Eden Terrace Borough Council were, contrary to expectations, remarkably quiet when the letter from the district health officer with regard to the district's sanitary condition came up for discussion. Dr. Purdy had previously described Eden Terrace as "a blot on the map of Auckland," when the Road Board tried to throw the blame of the district typhoid outbreak on the city water supply, and it was expected that last night would witness reprisals on the part of the Board. lint there was no attempt at anything of the kind. Whether this was due to the highly scientific tone of Dr. Purdy's letter engrossing all the faculties of members of the board to the exclusion of everything else, or whether Dr. Purdy's bodily presence acted as a deterrent, it is hard to say, but the fact, remains that peace and harmony?prevailed. The district health officer also acted the part of peacemaker by prefacing his remarks with a text from Scripture, and then hastening to remove much of the sting from his renin about Eden Terrace being a blot on fiie map of Auckland by stating that' the Board had done all in its power to prevent the outbreak of the- epidemic in the district.

A?. ! .a meeting of the board of directors 01' the Takapi'uia. Tramways and Kerry Company held yesterday tenders were opened for reclamation work at O'Neill's Point, which includes the, cutting down of the hillside and the formation of the road and approach to the. wharf which the Harbour Board is to erect there. The lowest tender, that -A Messrs. William Parsons and Sons, was accepted. This is the first contract let in connection with the company':-? project, and marks a very important stage in this large local undertaking. In connection with the authority given to the Mount Eden Borough Council by the ratepayers to raise a loan of £17,500 for various works in the borough, the Mayor intimated at the last meeting of the Council that not only was titers ;;o occasion to levy a special rate for the interest on the loan, but that the Council could reduce/ the. present- rates by Id in the £, making be rating of the three separate districts it' the borough Js 2d, 1& 3Jd. and Is 4|<J in the £ annual values. Another plfiasing feature war she fact that, for the financial year ending March 31 last there was no appearance in the balance-sheet of any charge for overdraft interest, the district fund account having always being in credit.

The total rainfall for the month of May has been 5.88 in, falling on 15 day?. This is higher than the usual average fall for May, which, computed for a period of 41 years, is 4.21 in. The actual fall last month therefore exceeded the average by 1.67 m. It may be of interest to show the- rainfall during May for the five previous years, and from the appended figures it will lr 'seen that J:iot month's fall was twice exceeded during that period. The figures arc ; 1903, 6.09; 3.904, 1.01; 1905, 2.29; 1906, 6.80; 1907, 5.97. The greatest fall recorded in the month of May was in 1875, when 6.99 in fell. The smallest was in May, 1881, when .95 points, or less than an inch, .was recorded.,

The Acckjulvd WbkkW News, pfc fished to-day, contains ,an •3f«p- ] tionally ; tine ' election of pi'feirftg. A fine full page photograph of . th« Vte&ioer- Morftd on the rocks st; i\h' Bijj Chicken Inland-is given along with kWri&t id snapshot* illustrating {h« wreck sin the hL'ttifl oh which th« 'j*as*engeM and''"re it landed. A double-jwge is devoted U» p|«to», ol the JiicuiWrs -of tiki British ffkbalf trim iiuw tomtits Nee.- Zealand, am! th*. ojreob'tg matches <»" tho tour at Ha-jtf.rtw.t aril' Wellington are splendidly ilf«sii»t«d. Ationg many other picture,* will !>.• (osipd Kng &l wards now lurbibo y»<hf, ... f;j»b 'pate of "Ln#fals»r S.purc., *r»»J the. N''l>.. (! Coumn.London, and a wide v.»ikt\ -{ is?;-. tclfliKOlia illustration*.

As already.. stated, if is (he :«(»•&• i-.«» of the Labour Department- !» pace- u|<. the Auckland Tramway Employees' I,'nbn for its action over the lecent strike, it, has been announced, however, that Hie Department v. ill ask for only a nominal fine, since the men returned voluntarily to w>lk. The caw will be heard in the ordinary way; since the termination of the like removed the necessity for an emerg'ticy Kilting of the (."our:.

Thoentrie.* for examination of candidate* for oU]>loytnent if pupil-teachers 'rtveivwl by the, Auckland Board of Mutation total 45, eigit males and 57 female*. This num. ber is mailer thai*, was the ease last year. The eiXaninations will be held at Auckland, Thames Hamilton, Whanaarei, and Amlaptt. A well as this examination of candidate-", x. special examination of pupil teacherswill bo held at. three centres, beginning Tuesday, June 30.

Counsel engaged in a Supremo Court ease yesterday morning intimated to J|»-. Justice Eavards that a witness who had been sumn-med to attend the Court had refused poJit blank to come. "Is lie oil the telephone?" asked His Honor, and on being auwered in the affirmative he directed an {final of the Court to communicate wit! the unwilling witness, and inform him bat unless lie attended he 'would be guity of gross contempt of Court. Subsequently, however, it was discovered that the, witness had not been subpoenaed, and there the matter ended.

The question of.ho extension of the tramway service- to Jotint Albert wax before the meeting of tie Mount Albert Koad Board on Monday evening, when it »va* reported that Mr. Vaiklate. general manager id the Auckland Electric, Tramway* Company, had accompanied Mr. Coyle (chairman) and othetjnembers of the Board on a visit of inspec%n over the proposed route The interest ©ken by Mr. M. .McLean had lead to the outer being reopened, the scheme for a ternmiM at Mount Albert railway station now living the alternative of it, terminus at- Morninside crossing. The parly afl*r visiting lie proposed route.* climbed to the summit'of Mount Albert, where Mv. Walklate expressed surprise sit the extent of the dis-tri', which would be affected by the. extension. He did not commit himself to any doiirue statement, but said he would write to the directors in London on the subject. \ I is behoved that the proposal will receive favourable consideration, and that the\\vuk will bo proceeded with in the near \utire. i ■

""I congratulate you in the faxt that you did not enter by t\ie back door," said .'Mr. Justice Edwaros, addressing a newly-admitted young bSrristor at the Supreme Court yesterday, l" It. is a great pity the baek door was \ver opened." His Honor's remarks were apropos of the admission of barristers uftl* five- years' practice under the Law Wactitioners Act of six years ago, insteal of by ex*' animation. \

In connection with ill© conlr'verisy re* garding trapping' or poisoning c rabbit* m Auckland, the South Islaft' Agricultural correspondent of the -Ikkai.o writes:—lt is evident from stalcmtntß {.hat have been made lately that there an been a considerable diminution of the ralbt. pest during the past few years. A gojtonmn who has been through the Macraes bid adjacent district* in Ojtago, which fd;morly supported a rabbit-canning factory tnd * host of trappers, says that during h\ Urn travels lie only saw three rabbits. Ho assigns three causes for the extirpation\ remarking that the extensive trapping tinned out the rabbit.", the heavy snowfall, of about five yearn ago assisted, end the f&> lural enemies have don> the rest. In miU« parts of Southland, too, where, rabbits it one time were mimerois, there is scarce!}•a rabbit to be seen. The Woodlands district is not, however, in such a happy condition, for the rabbit pest is pronounced very real down there just now.

The shortage in the nipply of oyster, caused by tho lose of neary 200 bags which went down with the stealer Muritai, ha* not yet been fully overtake, but the Government depot officials fttte that it will bo by to-day. A shipmevt of 140 bag.-. came to band from tho Vaiheke Islandbeds yesterday, and a further consignment is expected from the northert beds by bh'i Clansman 10-da). One of the men employed us a Government piker made » complaint at the Herald Oft.-e yesterday that his services had-been suimarily dispensed with, although lie had a wife and six children dependent on him or support. He stated that lie was employe', picking a', the Waiheke Island beds from Way 12 to May 23. On the latter date hewaa called to Auckland on business,' »nd momied the : official in charge that h» would h absent a week. He. w*.< not able to rsurne hi? occupation immediately at the spiration ■ A that period, and when he saw Inspector Bennett, yesterday morning be r»« told that hi« services had been disponed with. Inquiries made at. the Auckland iljvrt- yesterday regarding this «tateme»t fitted- the reply that it has been found nevesary to' reduce the number of pickers ai tie Waiheke Island beds to 25. The loe*l inspector, Mr. Bennett, km, not in attendance, so the circumstances -if the particular case referred to could not b.- obtained. . " Your commii'tee recoi.»memJ's that the reading room be closed until such 'j'nie as the ratepayers request tint the Mom '<"■ reopened, seeing that the s;iid p-.n, is r» little patronised," wue tho contest 0! a communication from the llteading Room Committee to the Dcvofltort (Soroush Council, last, evening, Theiirinunittee further recommended that istrjluA [taper.-, etc., be forwarded to the 'Mental Hospital. 'J he proposals were adopt e\ without discussion. 1

-\ correspondent, nlm h-v hidden hi* identity undo, the ~r,ui de rue of "To the Rescue," hat written in .* facetious v<.-in to the City Schools ConmiUo:. with reference to a remark mad.; ,i last- meeting, to the effect that the w\ter at. on« school rose to the top of tin verandah potts. "Xoiv I have been \\)aderin;.'' writes this correspondent, "whi becomes of the boys at such time*, Are ,hev able, as somebody remarked, (o ' sviniWt.*' If not, i havo a few second-hand lifebuoys, winch. I am anxiotw to dispose' ci and I thought, that one might be lumg ton each verandah jxvjt, .with la fathom* lof line attached, for <i.>c in limes of floofi Failing this, would you let me make she floor of the school watertight, so that vhen the rain comer down, and the floods ise up, the whole building, like Noah's Arf, would rite with the. flood, and thus mak«a m&: refuge for the boys!"'

fi^:**-.';/'--'■■-:;: v :■■?■:>;■'."■;.■'■■':■, ■ i '■'.■'. ■-/;.■;:.::■ "■ ; :'-'' : .':;..■'.', : i%M^ : -i'£'' ■ v .iv. -h-* : te ■ :;;..:'ris.,. ; ■',■• y, «>■ ■ ;.;•" ■ r- : -;-- ■: >■•'■.'*■':,*:• :■ :.;"""" jygMW~«— g"u ii—i mm ——■—in " ESSSSSSSSS ~' The closing days of the annual exhibilion of the Auckland Society of Arts are marked by largo attendances of the'public at the gallery, and keen interest is manifested in the / finest collection of pictures that has been brought together under tho auspices of the society. Yesterday the exhibition was thronged morning and evening, and the .secretary reports that tho ail. anion tickets in connection with it are going off rapidly. Tho art union will pro- . .'■ hsbly he drawn next Monday .evening. !;. This afternoon and •evening the hulk*' fV committee will again provide afternoon lea, and a musical programme will be given. , Tlie latest addition to the list of "«old pictures is Mrs. Butler's "Daffodils."' ~:,, During tho last few weeks there has been a. serious outbreak of typhoid fever at Maryborough. Tho epidemic is attributed to some defect in the drainage, with a view to the improvement of which every effort • is now being made. From first to last nearlv a dozen cases have occurred, and half the worst found their way to the Greytown Hospital. Two of the patients, . ■■:■'" owing to other complications, died Just week. v ~ The police were able to report to the City Licensing Bench yesterday that there was a satisfactory decrease in the number of women visiting hotel*; in. the city,*a practice which had caused a good deal of comment, when reported upon some time ago, and the opinion was expressed that ;/ the publicity given to tho previous report had had a very beneficial effect. Tho conduct of the licensed houses in the city, as a, whole, was also favourably reported upon, the police stating that the Auckland hotels were as well conducted as those of any other city in the Dominion, and that the licenses were held by a very good class of hotelkecpers. Sub-Inspector Gordon indicated that the discovery of tho practice of women drinking in hotels was the re- '■: sult of the close system of inspection followed here. It had been stated that the V ' ■ practice was not followed in other centres, but it might also be said that'two years ago, if the practice had been discovered in any other centre, everyone here would have boon quite sure that no such thing occurred in Auckland. 1 A German tourist at Queenstown expressed himself freely to a Gore resident regarding the Dominion's labour laws (says the Mataura Ensign). Discussing the hard-and-fast lines laud down by the various t -"■ Acts, the'visitor said: " Why, if a hostile fleet appeared off Wellington on the day set apart as the half-holiday, 'to bombard the city, the Hon. J. A. Millar would be sent out to read the Act and tell them, it was outrageous to work on the half-holi- ■ ' day." ■ The humane action of Mrs. Lynch, licensee of the Clarendon Hotel, in quartering a man named Amos recently, when he was in the last stages of consumption, and had been unable to obtain admission to other establishments, did not pass without notice at the meeting of the Auckland Licensing Committee-yesterday. * "There is one •\ thing which the committee would like to - do," said the chairman, when the business ; of the day had been concluded, "and that is' to express its strong sense of appreciation of the conduct of Mrs. Lynch., of the ■.'..> Clarendon Hotel, in receiving Amos into , her house. Ho- had been refused admis- i sion to one or two places, and then ap- ; .plied to. Mrs. Lynch, and she, to her I . credit be it said, knowing nis condition, took him in." At the meeting of the City Schools Com- • v mitlee last night, Mr. Pullen took etro'ng exception to the attitude of a headmaster, ■V ;' who " took a prominent part in a deputation with grievances to relate regarding ; cadet encampment to , the,,. Minister, | Education," and expressed views which he j knew were contrary to those held by mem- ' bets of the committee. Mr. Pullen thought / the master should, at least have had a consultation with the chairman on the subject : beforehand." The chairman (Mr. P. M. Mackay) said he could find no fault with ; the masters behaviour. Every man was | ,' entitled to his own opinion. "Do you! want to pass a vote of censure on him ':" j ■' ho asked. Mr. Pullen: "Yes, it practically amounts to that." "Well, if you! ' did,"" replied the chairman, "I would rule j ' you out of order.'' , j

•"'•'.'The New Zealand mails, via Suez, '■ «• which left Auckland on April 20, were do - livered in London on May 30. It.is stated that the demands made upon .■■■ the Minister for Railways by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servant? would, if given effect to, entail an annual -expenditure from the public purse of between £60,000 and £70,000. •An interview took place between the Minister and ",. a deputation from- the Amalgamated So- :■''.';.■■•'; ciety of. Railway Servants on' March 13, and Mr. Hall-Jones, at the conclusion of the interview, said that there were people ■ . outside the service who thought the railway employees were getting more than. employees outside the service, and there were those who went so far as to say that the general public were becoming the servants of the railway servants. These '. sentiments were not, he. said, justified, but there, was no the granting of privilege tickets to employees was a concession that loomed large in the public eye. It is admitted in Wellington that the complaint of un Auckland resident," as published in the Herald, regarding the extortionate cab fares prevailing in that city, is well founded.: Cab fares in Wellington are certainly higher than in other ■ centres, it is stated, and it is considered strange that in revising the by-laws the question of tin: revision of the cub scale was overlooked. The trouble is. of course, overcharging, which is. a fairly '•■'" common practice everywhere. One can engage a cab in Wellington for an hour for ss, but everyone is not awar** of the fact. The terabits' Review answers the question as to whether the New Zealand farm labourer is well oft' in the affirmative. It says: —"The inquiries which have recently been conducted by the New Zealand Conciliation Board in connection with the claims of various labour unions for increased wages and other concessions show how remarkably well oil' the -tiial worker of that Dominion really is. Indeed, if the evidence given at these inquiries by genuine .'workers'were published in tho United Kingdom, or in other count-lies, it would cause an influx of agricultural labourers which. would speedily solve the labour difficulty in New- Zealand. Throughout the inquiries the evidence- of the genuine workers, whether* agricultural labourers, shepherds,-- '''-.. or dairy bands, and also of men now pros- .'.■:■,-' parous farmers who have risen from the ranks of the labourers, .shows that the good ;';"' man receives'from the employer a rate, of . wages which will enable him in a few years to take up land or embark in business for himself, and in turn employ labour. The workers fully appreciate their advantages, for the reports arc searched in vain for evipp: dance of dissatisfaction with their lot; on J ' the contrary, the 'disputes' (as they are K ' legally termed) appear to have been foment- :"; s ; «d by outside individuals, and the unions comprise a very small proportion of the men - engaged in the several industries."

Please note! Our establishment will lie. '. \vf\\ to-day as usual until six pan.— and Oatighcy, Ltd, |SS"',:;:- ■; .';' ■'.". ' ;;'•. " . ■'■"'.■