LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13845, 3 September 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

District High School scholars do not seem to be taking full advantage of the opportunities offered them, but the case is by no means as bad as the Department of Education made out in a return compiled some time ago, showing that only six or seven pupils attended for three years, and one for four years; in Auckland district. A report furnished •to the Board of Education yesterday, by the chief inspector, stated that two of the district high schools had not been in operation for one year when the Department's return -was compiled,. The Onehunga. High School was just completing a year, and a month later would have shown a large number of scholars -with another year's attendance. There were one or two schools which seemed to' be lagging. 'The chairman ' (Mr, C. J. Parr) remarked, "I' think, at some future date, wo should' coiisider: the whole question of these high schools. The position is not altogether satisfactory." It was decided to send the chief inspector's report to the Department.

It has been stated that the cost of living in some of the big centres of the Dominion is rather high/ and presses unduly on the man who has given many hostages to fortune. Whether this be true or not, it sis pleasing to note that at the present time fish are both plentiful and cheap in Auckland. Considering that the waters round our shores swarm with many kinds of edible fish, this wholesome and nourishing food should always be within, reach of the poorest purse, but unfortunately it isn't. Just now, however, fish are. in plenty. :; A noticeable feature of Queenstreet yesterday was the large quantity of fish hawked in the barrows. They (insisted ,' principally of splendid large schnapper, caught off the Barrier. They were retailed at four for a shilling, and the barrow vendors did a roaring trade" all day long.

In replying to a question in the House yesterday from Mr. Stallworthy (telegraphs our correspondent), the Minister for Lands stated : " The large amount of native forest still existing north of Auckland does not show the necessity for the establishment ; of more than one forest nursery and plantation, and : this has 'already been met by the starting of a nursery at lluatangata, pear Whangarei, while ', the burnt portion of the Puhipuhi State foreet-is now being reforested by. the planting of trees grown at Ruataßgata.."- .

.The Minister for Railways was asked m the House of Representatives yesterday ny Mr. Kidd (telegraphs our -correspondent), whether,Lin view, of the. late,* amount of work contemplated by the Government, including the completion of; unfinished buildings and the erection of now on« on the Main Trunk railway, they will take immediate steps to push on with these and 1 other works, and thus relieve the lack of I employment for .carpenters and joiners I throughout the district of Auckland. The 'reply was as follows: " There is a fairly i large amount of building work to be done J on "the Main Trunk railway/but we have a large number of men employed to do it— as many, in fact, as can be kept supplied I with timber. In the Railway Department, which also has in hand a certain amount' of building work, consequent upon the opening up of the Main Trunk traffic, instructions have been given, under which as many carpenters as can profitably be •employed will ,be taken on 'to assist in the completion of unfinished buildings and the erection of new ones. Only a limited numbcr of carpenters can, however, be engaged. One of the principal difficulties in "this matter, has been the failure of the sawmiliere to fulfil timber" orders." '■ T ,

"The Training College and part of the. Normal School are limited to a grant of £5000 a year," said the secretary of the Board of Education yesterday, "and if the expenditure goes over" that 5 the" Department , won't meet it. The Department has refused to pay ah item of £144 2s over "the £3000, the spending of which, by the ( way, is subject to rigid scrutiny.. ] think th* chief item in dispute *'concert, ; the wages of a janitoi. A janitor will he required at the new buildings, and the Board slKiild apply for a f grant over the £3000 to pay a janitor.',' This course was agreed upon..'■•■; '.- .' ' When the case of John Knight v. Peter Oliphant, an action for' relief from forfeiture, was called" on at; the Supreme Court, yesterday, it was announced that there was a prospect of settlement, and the Court j adjourned for an hour, in order to give counsel an opportunity to confer. »On resuming, Mr.'Burton, ; acting 1 for the plaintiff, on behalf of Alison Bros., stated that the parties had arrived at certain preliminary terms, which involved the preparation of certain deeds, and he, therefore, asked that the case should .;; be'' allowed to stand at the bottom of the list. He felt quite safe in saying that His Honor would not be troubled further with the matter. The case was ordered to be, placed at the"; bottom of the list accordingly, and this be- i ing the only business set down for the day, j the Court adjourned until 10.30 tnis Morn- J ing, when evidence will be taken in"" the | case of the Auckland City Council v. the -! Auckland Electric Tramways Company, ! Limited. - The spring exhibition, of the. Auckland ; Horticultural Society will be opened in the : Choral Hall by the. Mayor (Mr. A. M.I Myers} at three o'clock; 4hib afternoon. Very large' entries have been received in I the- various classes, and the show promises :; to. eclipse all previous exhibitions of the kind. The daffodils are expected to make an unusually fine display, while a tabic of carnations—a flower which is seldom hi bloom at this, time of the year—will also be exhibited.- The Choral Hall has been tastefully decorated for the occasion, and a 1 band will be in attendance. > There seems 'to be considerable difficulty

in obtaining a suitable test-book for the teaching of history in the' State schools, and although the question *\vas submitted to all the Auckland school inspectors, nob one was able to recominenU a suitable Jiistory book' for standards" 4, 5, and 6; ;anli'" all, except the chief inspector, considered the book at present in use, .'-Warner's Brief; Survey," unsuitable. The chief inspector, however, quotes the Educational Times and other journals in support of his approval of the work, and he considers that at present it is not possible to" obtain a book which" so well serves the purpose as the one in use. '■''■: •;, '■' - ■. s ■ •'.'■ -, ; - ■'■ "; ' - r' ' '■" C ' The secretary to the Board' of Education. announced yesterday that a total number of 38,750 Dominion Day medals had been? received for Auckland district, and Were to be distributed in the various .private and public schools. A medal' was handed , to each member of the Board as a souvenir., . An adjourned meeting .'of- creditors in the estate of John Robinson, horse dealer, Mount Eden, was held on? Tuesday at the official assignee's office to consider an Offer by the bankrupt's relatives. Mr. George Robinson, the »bankrupt's brother, offered in 'writing to take over the 4ssets of the estate for a. sum sufficient'to provide, a dividend of 7s 6d in the £ to unsecured creditors. ■ The matter Was discussed, and the assignee, Mr. Gerard, stated that in the circumstances he was. j not prepared to advise the creditors, 'to i accept the offer, but ; i was his duty to' point out to them tnat his Valuations, i if at all correct, would provide the credi- I tors with a bigger dividend tjiah a sale of | the assets to Mr. George Robinson on | the terms offered. A motion ,by Mr. j Johnson, and '' seconded by Mr. W. A. \ Key, to the effect that the creditors were not prepared to entertain the" offer, but that they would soil the assets of the j estate for a sum _ sufficient to provide a : dividend of 10s in'the £, was carried. If the foregoing resolution be complied with ■ the creditors will request the: assignee to ' recommend the bankrupt's discharge.. j The action of the members of the City Council who went to Wellington last week to remove the hitch that had occurred with ! regard to the Auckland and Suburb? Drainage Bill, and succeeded on the basis of granting representation ,on the drainage board for outside local bodies, is the subject of a loiter forwarded' by Dr. Stopford, a former member of the ' Council, to the Mayor. Dr. Stopford ap-* | proves of the action of the councillors who went to Wellington, and' adds C-" I feel just as strongly that if you had not acted : as you, liave done that a drainage scheme would have been put off very indefinitely. : Of .course my views must be that there •should bo representation wherever there is any pecuniary amalgamation, such as was proposed under the.Drainage Bill, and indeed • personally I could not see how it should be allowed to go through withoutsuch representation. If you only bring about the completion of this scheme by two years anterior to what it/would have 'been, : then I can say you and your fellow-dele-" gates deserve the thanks of both city and' suburbs. Nothing must stand in the way of ? complet* ' and up-to-date ■ drainage scheme: We must, have it." * The Government has issued additional rules in regard to life-saving appliances .for ships. It 'is provided: that all lifebelts when fully stretched out are to be at leaet 50in long from.outside of cork to outside ot cork, but when laid fiat with the corks pushed close together their length is not to exceed 40in. „ This rule is substituted for the "provision as to length' of belle contained in clause I „£ the rules made previously. The Tacklenburg . cover i*. quired by the former rules i s to be all linen with no admixture ,{ another materialit must have at least 28 threads to the inch in the warp and in the weft, ami is to be .unglazed and unmanned and free from all dressing. ■ It ■ may -be bleached or unbleached, but no artificially coloured' materM is to "Ufied v - *

Colour-Sergeant Friar's successful vis« t« ;| England'is causing those who take an' ittv-irl terest in. cadet matter*, to move in ; th# ?| ■ .'{ direction of sending a lull team: of 10 boya to England compete in all the compete,' -fty lions at Bisley in August of nest year. ,'£#'. : .l letter has been scut by Major Robb to thi *' i Primif Minister on the subject, in the co«r w .-\"'! of which he ays" I beg leave respect- i fully to brjhg before your notice at liuJifcJ early date the advisability of sending Home ; '. '! a team of New Zetland lads to compete ' I for the Empire trophies at Bisley in August ■ ••.! of next year. Now, when the Dominion : y.J is congratulating, itself on the lustre which > i her youthful representative lias shed upon' \f her, "would seem a fitting time te bring 1 ' \ the matter before your Parliament with,; ' 1 the ; purpose of securing a grunt for • next"/ *|j year's representatives, si: that no time may "-.••'.] be lost or confusion caused in the equip- i, J men* and drilling of such a team. Aparti '.'.■, ".1 from the filip: which it would give to the' ' '"j cadet movement, the advertisement the Do- ,' minion would receive would more than',,"-J ■ pav for the entire cost. 1 have received StM papers from disc-rent parts of England, all :/"., I eulogising the action of the >!cw Zealand f Government in sending a representative so ' h*"%m far across the. seas. I have no hesitation- .-,11 in saying that'a ,team of, 10 boys, who* :■ ',".'f would worthily represent the Dominion, ' ' [ could be picked from our ever-growing army of cadet;?." Major Robb has received *<-M letter from the -Council of the National ■- i Defence league of New Zealand; express- .- 1 ing gratification at the success of -our- ' | Sergeant Friar. The representation of New % -'•*< J Zealand at this meeting, and the splendid- ", I shooting Of the. Dominion's youthful repre ; ; I sentative, tlfc- Council" believes, will create - 'a, spirit of emulation among the. cadets of the Dominion. ;?■ ..■■..■■•....■ T ' I' ' ; The Auckland Trades, and Labour Council were emphatic in their endorsement, of ■' a.complaint made by the Auckland Iron-1;';,-',' mongers' Union at .last night's meeting- at ' •' the Council. .The union' stated that the ;;'.-' Auckland ~; Electric Tramways ■ Company' ■. , were imoorting their brake blocks, when , V they could be , made in the Dominica, and it was asked that the Council should urge the City Council to see that the deed of -." delegation, was earned out in this respect by the Tramways Company. It was stated -. on the authority of a delegate from the. union that the brake blocks could be turned ~. out locally'of a quality fully equal to the imported article. "But," he added, "tire \ - company has forgotten where Auckland is at the> present time, and they rind it better. V , to go to America.". A member of the Coun-v oil expressed pleasure in supporting - the , unions request, for the reason that " the • . Tramways Company should keep all the woitthcy could in the country from which they derived their revenue and dividends." This sentiment was iterated in varying form by several other members of the Council, including the president, and the letter was referred te> the City Council, with the unanimous recommendation that that body should enforce; the deed of delegation in this regard. The union's delegate asserted that * Thames- iron firm was capable of turning out 100 tons of these brakes at a cheaper than could be quoted in Get* ; "many or America, , • . . . A correspondent writes to the Wellington ; Dominion, stating that there has been a generally expressed opinion that,the Justice., Department would be wise if,' in. the allotting of the stipendiary magisterial business in the. four cities, the civil and criminal depart-; ments were separated and confined to thai jurisdiction of ore magistrate in etch, is-i stance. There are two magistrates idttagi in each of tie four centres, and theciril '. and criminal, bneineee : is v«:>«d up betwwo - * them inextricably. The result is iihiA there are frequent cases of miftundenttad* . , ing between the officials, and with the expected increase of work the position is no* ■'.''.[ •likely to be improved. • "*"

A compliment was paid to the Gov«m- . -j merit control of the oyster industry by the . Auckland Tradia .and Labour Council bat j evening, when.);a ration was unanimously passed congratulating the Government on bavin national the oyster trade. The mover, Mr. L. Henry, said that Auckland I had never had better or cheaper oysters -;?1 than those- sold since the Government con- i trol of the industry. It was decided to ; awl to the motion a suggestion that, as l.4i far as possible, oyster-pickers should be L employed in preference to those who , had j not, been previously employed in the in- . dustry. A suggestion that an oyster pickers' union should be.formed was made by the president. Hamilton wants «.; new district- high school and a new technical school, but apparently the Department of Education will not dissociate the high school portion I . from the maid school. 'At yesterday's * j Education Board meeting, it was agreed to . | ask for a giant for the high school at : Hamilton, and to prepare estimates and::, j specifications far * technical school. '/'if'"' A correspondent calls-attention to what . ; ' he terms the inapt methods of railway management.. .Last evening, owing to the : . train from Waikato being, nearly an noui. '.-..> behind,time, a number of passengers at,; Otahuhi3,,'d§ih , of reaching town, were ; I kept waiting,, although a train was standing idle at tha 'station. It occurred to one of them that this train might be utilised to carry the Otahuhu passengers to Auck- ; land, and he accordingly telephoned to the railway officials, ami suggested that that ' 1 course should be adopted. The suggestion, however, was treated with ridicule, 1 and the Otahuhu; passengers had to cool ( their heels on. the platform until the be-. '" lated Waikato train- put in an appear- I? ance. ~;: '. ':/•'• ■'" ' ' :: -:\ ■■.. . V;--; ''■' '■:'-"■: . •;[:•■ |. ,:.■ . ,;.. ■■■/■■■■?,;.■;,■;; -.. '-:;': . _ : ' ... " , ( It is understood that a company has been 'I formed to fit out a party .for the purpose ' of whaling at Campbell Island/ the party to proceed south in the Hinomoa oil hei next •' visit to the Southern Islands. The right or black whale is to be found in the vicinity '?. of Campbell Island in great numbuif. during the summer months. Almost » score '-, of years have passed since a whaling vessel f| visited the; Bluff or Stewart Island. Prior to that time it was not uncommon to see j as many as three or four whaling' vessels ■' anchored .in Port William and Half-moon : J Bay (Stewart Island), Lltis A i>ity to see ; whaling dying out so 'completely (says the V Bluff Press),- for in a few yeai*' time.it/. will almost be impossible to get men who ' are versed in the art of catching, the, sperm . . whale. An erroneous idea prevails that i it is owing to the scarcity of the sperm " whale thai there are so few. vessels em- Ig ployed fishing in the southern.' hemisphere, ' but it is chiefly on account or the low mar- ' ' kef, j?rice for oil—being only about one- '% third of the value compared with that oi . 30 years ago. It- the vicinity of the i Solauders, • the .' old favourite • hunting- : M ground for the monsters of the deep, sperm ' whales are still to b« found in great abini- u- | dance, and if ■•a- properly-equipped steamer, ';- .capable oi carrying about four boats, was ;H fitted out for whale-fishing, she would'be :.-' •' kept employed dwing the best part of in.* year. -' , . >*& ■.!■■'■■■ . i, . ■ ;,.. . . -.v. .■!:■:.:■'■.■ , r ■■■'.'.■. ■ ..- ■. ;-^-r-^\ " Whila employed at the Colonial Mugai .'" Company, Works at Chelsea a man nam.-. Joseph Doharty , ,ot with a painful accident. V-' | With others he was workirig on a walloldi -, ~ engaged u. cleaning a Babcock boiler, a'i-d .accidentally slipped and fell, sustaining ■. "ti ! severe fracture of tljo collar-bom.-. Actam: lon the advice of.Dr. Player he was remored! - ww liospitrip. ' ~ .;, _ ?§