LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14708, 16 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tin: suggestion made by Mr. Francis Hull that Parliament should vote a grant to tho wi<jbw and children of the late Mr. F. A.Claude, who so pluckily pulled up a runaway train at Ofcahuhu, and so saved the* Main Trunk express, was brought lr Mr. Arthur Myers, M.P., under the. intiee of the Hon. D. Buddo, Minister /for Internal Affairs, yesterday. Mr. Mvts urged that the ease, was ono which slpuld receive the careful consideration of the Government, more especially as it w-fi staled that Mr. Claude's demise had bed hastened by the strain ho underwent, it performing his gallant, act. His wife aid children were placed in circumstance/ in which they required help. The Minisi-r promised to bring the matter iindcrthe consideration el his colleagues.

Thl city engineer (Mr. \V. E. Bush) ropoifeed to the City Council last night that I during May, 20 streets were, remetaled or repaired, and repairs to footpath were carried out in seven streets. ImirovemenLs and formation works were carued out in 11 streets, new kerbing, and channelling, and repair work in 18; 11 nev sowea's were In course of construction, an/ repairs to old ones were undertaken in seven streets.

A somewhat unusual incident occirrcd in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, then Mr. A. L. Dennktoji personally guaranteed that his client in a judgment summon case would not leave the Dominion befor> next Wednesday if the case was adjour.*ed till that day. When the case was calld, Mr. Dermiston stated that his client wis away from Auckland, and he asked fo an adjournment. Counsel for the otter party opposed this, but eventually eleted "to. recover the amount from hif learned friend" if (ho debtor did not appear at Court.

The need for a tarred or *oodT>locked crossing in Quay-street, fron. the Devonport Ferry Wharf to the oo«sito side of the road, was the subject of a letter which came before the City Cornell last night, from Mr. Thomas Prosser, of Devonport. Attention was also drawn to he need for an are lamp in the vicinif. A report was made by the city engine©', suggesting that the formation of a, crossng should be deferred pending the pol" on. the proposed streets improvement, lan. as Quay-street was among the thoroughfares which the Council proposed pave. A crossing three yards wide woud cost at least £70, and* unlefs there ws a spell of fine weather, tarred mr/adam could not be laid. .The letter wai referred to the, Works Committee.

Yesterday afterioon the Art Society's exhibition in Gburg-street was patronised by an excllent attendance. The occasion was ai "At. Home," given by Mrs. 8. A. More-Jones to the Old Girls' Club, eonsistiig of former pupils of the Rcmuera Ladies' Academy. The afternoon bei'g fine, and the invitations numerous, the "At Home'' was a big success. Severs' vocal solos were rendered. In the evenng the exhibition was again open, and 'as well patronised.

'1 lie suggestions made by a correspondent, whoe letter was published in yesterday's Ikram), that the F shed on the Que'eii-stret Wharf is unsuitable for the Sheffield Choir's concertos, owing to an inadequacy of entrances and exits, was drawn mder the notice of the secretary of the Harbour Board yesterday. Mr. Burnet* said that in addition to the two permanent stairways leading to the upper floor, where the concerts will be given, the (to double staircases erected for the \Vint«r Show have been allowed to remain for use in connection with the concerts Nothing of an inflammable nature will be stored on the ground floor of the shec, and as the building has not been broight into regular use, it is very probable that the iloor will be entirely clear 1 of goods. An adjourned meeting of the Parnell Licensing Committee was held yesterday. Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., presided. Messrs. Clements, Thomas, Gavin, and Basley being also present. The only matter for discussion was the adjourned application for a license for the Panmure Hotel by Robert Nudds. The police reported that certain renovations required had been effected, and that others were being effected and on an undertaking being given by Mr. Grundy, on behalf of the owners, that necessary fire-escapes would be provided, the license was renewed. Commenting at last night's meeting of the City Council upon the steps taken by the Mayor to regulate pedestrian traffic in the city, Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin said that Mr. Parr was to be commended for his action. He suggested that the' assistant traffic inspector, who has been instructed to assist the police, should be provided with a uniform so that the public might recognise his authority. The Mayor said that the suggestion would be considered. . Probate has been granted by His Honor Mr. Justice Edwards in respect of the following/ wills :—Margaret Dignan (Mr. Skelton), John Brown (Mr. Prendergast). William Goodwin Cunnold (Mr. Baxter). James Lowe (Mr. Gilchrist), Klaas oelof Schniling (Mr. Graham). Letters of administration were ordered to issue in respect of the estate of Thomas Leonard, deceased.

Speaking about barmaids and registration to a Wellington Post reporter, Mr. E. J. Carey (secretary of the Wellington Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union) said: "Further consideration leads me to think that the number of girls availablefor bar service will be lessened much sooner than lat first expected. In Auckland there is even now a demand for barmaids, and some dozen vacancies were waiting to be filled when I left. The position, is that although there has been a large number registered, many of the girls have only applied so that in the event of necessitous circumstances arising bar employment will be open to them."

The Victoria League applied to the City Council at its meeting last night for leave to erect the proposed memorial to the soldiers who fell in the Maori War, in the reserve at the corner of Wakefield and Symonds Streets. The Works Committee recommended that, subject to proper plans being placed before the Council, the application should be granted.

The long-discussed question as to whether the City Council should acquire the rights to the Hunua stream at the Wairoa South Falls, for the purpose of an additional water supply, was apparently disposed of last night. A report from the waterworks engineer was received, stating that when the city consumption exhausted the supply of the Waitakexe, Nihotupu, and Huia llanges, a larger supply than the Hunua stream would be required. The Water Committee's recommendation that the offer of the falls should be declined was adopted.

"We are kept back by a body of men."' exclaimed Mrs. Barton, of Glasgow, during her speech at the temperance conversazione in Wellington, referring to temperance legislation in Scotland, '"whose only recommendation is that they are the eldest sons of their fathers. The House of Lords is the bogey of the British people. They say 'out with the Bills' that are for the betterment of the people ; and now the people are going to say 'out with the House of Lords.' " The audience shouted cheers at these remarks, and applauded long and loudly.

Speaking at the Insurance Institute meeting in Wellington the president (Mr. R. J. White) described marine insurance as concerned with the wildest elements of nature from the storms of the. "roaring forties" to the calms of the doldrums; from the swirl of the great currents to the gentle motion of a Sargasso 6ea. It considered also the chances of all ships against these elements: from the great Maurotania to the petrol launch of the yacht club. Marine insurance, invented probably by Jews, was fiist brought into general use U,Y Italian merchants, and had now existed from 600 to 700 years. Of the first 300 or 100 years little whs known beyond the fact of its existence and gradual extension, the manner of its growth was not recorded. At tho end of that time its usages, such as they were then, began to be written down. This process was carried on in Europe for about a century before, it reached England, when Lord Mansfield virtually laid tho foundations of the English '•uv of insurance.

The distinction of being the only instil lion ,n the Dominion thoroughly equipS to date with author and S ubi ect Un catalogues is claimed for the Auckland Free Public. Library by the librarian Mr fcdward Shillingkm. in his annual report for the year 1910-11. The m ,', collection of books has been ? creased during the year by 1041 volumes of which 820 were, purchased, and lid presented to the library. The, total col lection now comprises' 43,520 volume*" Headers and visitors numbered 144 000* a daily average of 425. an attendance nearly double that of 1908, when the total was 93,540. The reference library ' ha * been increased by 478 volumes, makintotal of 16.088. The lending library was 0 L on 307 days; 532 volumes were added durin the year, and 43.011 volumes and magazine were issued, being an increase 0 { 28,084 on last year's figures. The revenue derived from 14-% tickets issued during tie; year amounted to £305 5s 6d, an increase on last, .ears income of *J. 12s. Statistical mfonnat ion regarding the use made of the library is given in appendix attached to the report A return for three months shows that (luring that peno( , 16.502 reference book* Mere consulted. History, biography, and travel was the most popular section, 57% volumes heir,* referred to, while 3168 volumes of liter* Hire (including fiction). 3001 volume* on the useful and ho fine arts, and 1451 works on natural science wire consulted During the year 35.040 works of fiction and 3582 magazines wore borrowed from the lending department. Works on geography, travel, history, ami biography numbering 204 P. -.vere circulated. ' '

Shooting in the Maramartia district at the beginning of the week. Mr. Chaa Attrill killed 96 gray ducks and teal (writes our Huntly correspondent). This is the biggest hag recorded since the second week after the shooting season commenced. Numbers of Californian quail have been killed by local sportsmen, hut no more than four pheasants have been shot in a day.

A woman named .Mrs. Johanna MeGuire, who resides in Manukati Road Parnell. was knocked over by a. tramcar in Parnell yesterday. She was removed to the hospital where it was found she was suffering from injuries to the head which are not of a serious nature.

The stale of the restaurants and butchers' shops in Auckland, which was discussed in the Herald yesterday, was referred to at last night's meeting of the City Council, and, on the motion of Mr. P. M. Mackay, it was resolved that the chief sanitary inspector should submit a report- on the subject.

Davits are being erected on the Queen's Wharf, Wellington, to accommodate an emergency boat, to be lowered in case of anyone being in danger of drowning in sight of the wharf. The davits are a valuable innovation, in view of the fact that a boat which happened to be at- hand a few weeks ago resulted in saving tho lives of three boys who were capsized in the harbour.

Nautical opinion so far taken with regard to the accessibility and probable success of the new harbour for Gisborne, designed by Mr. Holmes (engineer-in-chief of the Marine Department), has with one exception been entirely favourable, though most of the skippers interviewed suggested that the breakwater should be lengthened by a further 200 ft to obviate the range that might otherwise find its way into the harbour. The exception is Captain Entwisle, of the Victoria, who roundly condemns the scheme. The dredging that would ba required, he states, would cost an enormous sum. He considers that no boat of any size would bo able to get in, nor would the captains think of approaching the entrance with a southerly swell on. It would bo a thousand times better' to put up with things as they are, as on the whole the steamers in the roadstead here get as quick despatch as anywhere, than for the people of Gisborne to have on their hands a harbour costing thousands of pounds which was obsolete and a failure. Look at Napier, he said, and the money they had spent and the result. Lyttclton's costly harbour was now becoming too small, for the large vessels visiting the Dominion. From his point of- view the best thing Gisborne could do was to divert at-, tention to its river, where, he considered, by dredging and widening the entrance a splendid river harbour could bo made. The Board had a good dredge, and by working it properly ho considered a harbour to meet all the requirements of the district could be obtained.

The Maheno arrived in Sydney a day late last Saturday morning, the passage from Auckland occupying 105 hours. The light gear was swept off the forecastle; two of the musicroom ports were stove in, ana some of the deck cabins wore drenched. For nearly four days the steamer fought in the teeth of westerly gales, which reached a climax bust Friday in a straight blow that sent seas over the Maheno in a deluge. Leaving Auckland at 9.56 p.m. on Monday, she did not reach Sydney till 7 a.m. on Saturday. She was in fairly light trim, and the 200 passengers had the tossing of their lives. Other vessels on the coast report having had a bad time, but the Mahono's was the worst, and everybody on board was greatly relieved when the voyage came to an end.

The funeral of the late Mr. T. H. White, formerly mill manager of the Kauri Timber Company, took place yesterday, and was attended by all the employees of the company as well as by a large number of citizens representing most of the business places in Auckland.- The Auckland Employers' Association, of which the late Mr. White was an ex-\ ice piesiden! and a highly-esteemed member, was represented by Mr. Joseph Miller (vicepresident), Mr. Thos. Hodgson (member of the executive), and Mr. C. tirosvenor (secretary). The president (Mr. V. Goldie, who was unavoidably absent, was represented by his son. Mi. Harry Goldie. A service was conducted at deceased's late residence in Graham-street, by Father Holbrook. The eoitcge, consisting of over 20 cabs and three brakes, then l 1'"" ceeded to Waikaiaka cemetery at Onehunga. where the remains wore interred, Father Mahoney conducting the service at the graveside. Among the floral emblems received was a., beautiful wreath corniced of pcrcelain flowers, with » suitable inscription, from tit* 3 Employers Association, Other handsome wreaths were sent from the Sawmillers' Association, marine engineers, Builders' Association, as well ay from a large number of private citizens. A syndicate has taken over a block of 20 acres of sand land at I,vail Bay. Wellington, will) a frontage to the main street traversed bv the electric ears, and is about to convert it into level building sections. This work, whirl, is to he initiated almost at one.., should provide a good deal oi work for unskilled labour during the balance of the winter. 1, is anticipated hat the new block will be levelled, clayed, ami subdivided by the end of the year. A. a special meeting of the County Council yesterday it was deeded to apply to the Government or a Urona^ lion'subsidy of £250 towards **«*«! la swimmin,: «*■"■'■ at l»«ro»- < :'---.