LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14926, 26 February 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Mails from Europe and Australia were brought by the Mahcno from Sydney yesterday. The total number of bags landed from the steamer was 569,, about 280 being dealt with at Auckland, and the balance despatched South by the Main Trunk express last night. Personal items and other interesting news from our London correspondent, together with the usual budget of Australian mail news, will be found elsewhere in this issue.

The president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour (Mr. P. C. Webb) arrived in Auckland on Saturday to co-operate with the officials of the General Labourers' Union in their endeavour to reach a settlement of the strained relations with the local bodies and other employers. The secretary of the Federation (Mr. Glover) and Mr. Parry (vice-president), are also to take part in the negotiations, which it is hoped the officials will be able to establish.

Xot only is a new railway station sorely needed in Auckland, but, in the meantime, improvements to the approaches to the present inadequate makeshift are imperative. Passengers by last night's Main Trunk express for the South, and their friends who went to see them off, despite the heavy downpour of rain, had to pass from Queen-street to the departure platform along a pathway that was half covered with water. In the badlylighted state of this .alleyway several people failed to observe that only one section of the path was dry, with the result that they waded ankle-deep in the extensive puddle formed by the rain. It is to be hoped that before the wet season definitely sets in this wretched approach to the station may at least be levelled and channelled.

The Huntly Citizens' League, through its secretary, Mr. J. Butler, forwarded a letter of complaint about the railway service at Huntly recently. A reply in the customary form has now been received by Mr. Butler, from the Minister for Railways, stating that the, policy of the Department is to decrease rather than to increase the number of stoppintr-places for, the express trains; but that when the time-table comes under revision the request to include Huntly among the stops will receive careful consideration.

The members of the legal profession in Hamilton have formed themselves into a law society, the main object of which is to provide and maintain libraries of law books, and to watch the interests of the profession. Rules and by-laws were drafted at a meeting on Friday, and the following officers were elected: —President, Mr. A. Swarbrick; vice-president, Mr, P. Gilchrist ; council, Messrs. H. riine, L. Lewis, C. L. MacDiarmid, H. T. Gillies, and E. H. NorthcToft; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. Tudhope.

The Anglican Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Crossley) having recognised the advantages of boys being trained as scouts, has approved of the formation of a Diocesan, boy scouts brigade, which will be affiliated with the local scout organisation. Already.about-120 boys have been recuited in the Mount Eden and Mount Boskill districts, and the Rev. C. 1. Maclean, chief scoutmaster of Devonport Nos. 3 and 4 troops, is actively engaged in the formation of other troops in the city and suburbs. It is also expected that a number of patrols will be organised in connection with the brigade in country districts. v- ;.■■;■*:■

A cargo steamer, the new Tyser liner Indrapuna, which arrived at Auckland yesterday, has provided shipping men with a subject for comparison, to the disadvantage of the passenger steamers now run between Auckland and Sydney. The Indrapuna made the passage from Sydney in four days actual steaming time, while the Muheno, which arrived yesterday, took four days one hour. The Victoria on the same passage last week, took four days five hours. On the voyage of the Indrapura from London, she showed a good turn of speed, registering over 14 knots an hour on the run from Las Palmas till after passing the Cape of Good Hope. From Sydney to Auckland she averaged 13.7 knots.

In connection -with the petition recently forwarded on behalf of setters of the Great Barrier Island, in which it was requested that the weather forecasts now being sent to Whangaparapara should also be sent to other places on the Barrier, the secretary of the Auckland Fanners' Union (Mr. A. Schmitt) has received a letter from the Marine Department, stating that the Minister had decided that the forecasts shall in future be supplied to Port Fitzroy and Tryphena, in addition to Whangaparapara.

During his speech on the no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives, on Thursday, Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, M.P. for Wellngton South, stated that it was being bruited about in Wellington that a certain Wellington man had bought some poor pumice land in Hawke's Bay in the region of Runanga, and that he had afterwards got rid of it by selling it to the Government through a member of Parliament. Mr. R. Keene, in a letter to the Dominion, writes as follows: — As I am the Wellington man evidently referred to, I think it my duty to state that.the facts are not as represented by Mr. Hindmarsh. In the beginning of the year 1910, Mr. James Reid and myself sold to Mr. Thomas Ballan, of Christchurch, a block of land at Runanga, and a portion of the purchase money., namely, £7000, was secured to me by a first mortgage over part of the block, given by Mr. Ballan to myself, and dated March 5, 1910. On June 2, 1911, Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P., called upon me in Wellington, and stated that he had purchased the Runanga land from Mr. Ballan, and was negotiating with the Government for a sale of part of the land, and he inquired of me on what terms I would release my mortgage. I agreed to release a portion of the land on payment off my mortgage of a sum equal to 10s per acre. In December last a transfer was put through to the Crown of a portion of the Runanga Block, and the Crown solicitors requested me, through my solicitors, Messrs. O. and E. Beeie, to sign a release of my mortgage over the land comprised in the transfer. This I did, receiving the sum of £702 5s in reduction of the mortgage debt."

Probates of the wills of deceased persons have been granted by Mr. Justice Edwards as follows: Henry Walter Huggett (Mr. Wright), Patrick Brophy (Mr Napier), Chas. Wedding (Mr. Armstrong). Jitters of administration have been granted in the estate of Samuel Pearce (Mr. Miller). In the Gisborne case of Rees v. the East Coast Timber and Trading Company and Fred Hall, His Honor has made an order, staving action until plaintiff has amended his statement of claim, or elected whether ho will proceed under his first count, or under his present count. The question of costs was reserved.

The muttonbird season in the South is now within easy distance, and already the natives are- making preparations for their annual onslaught on the birds. Recently at Bluff, a little way out, the birds could be seen in thousands. The- young birds have now been hatched out, and the parents are busily engaged feeding them, hence the reason for so many being on 'the wing.

Another meeting 0 Auckland fishermen was held on Saturday to dk. cups the deadlock which has arig e n be* tween them and the dealers, but (L position was not materially altered either way It was stated during the di Scllaiion that supplies had been poor, owing to th» scarcity of fi,h rather than because th! boats had not been out, and hopes were' express,,! that better luck would rule «£ enable the public to have their rami!? ment, more fully met. A denial was given to the allegation that the men ; had gent delegate., to the Thames to try to induce the men there to stop their supplies. The meeting resolved to con tmue to boycott the wholesale dealers and to .supply anyone, else, at the wharves at 3s a bundle. • ™'

The proposal to hold a citizens' ball at the end of April, as a compliment to j, ord and Lady Islington, is engaging the active attention of the Mayor. Mr. Parr intend, to invite the formation of committees of those interested, so that, the f Uc . tion shall be as large and impressive as j.s proper to such an event. Tie Mayor recently, wrote to Vice-Admiral Sir Oeoro King Hall to ask if bo could arrange. ill * visit oftheAustralasianSrjuadroa.it that time Ho has received a reply expressing the Admiral s regret that he cannot be in' Auckland himself, but stating that he had arranged for the cruisers Challenger and Pioneer to reach the port about April 25 The actual date for the ball will not be fixed until Their Excellencies* convenience is known.

The Australian Seamen'* Compensation Act has now come info operation, under which the dependents of a seamen who dies as the result of an injury will receive compensation equal to hu earnings during i the throe years preceding the injury, or £200, whichever may be the highest]. but not exceeding £500. Compensation for total or partial disablement is also provided for. Owners or masters of vessels on which are seamen to which the Act applies arc expected to furnish returns to the Federal Customs Department, specifying the number of cases of injury in respect to which compensation has been paid, and the amount paid. It applies to ships in the service of the Commonwealth other thanl in naval or military service, and *hjp s ; trading there, or with other countries. Owners are not liable in respect to an in' jury which does not disable a man for a' week from drawing full wages.

Bluff oyester merchants are now busily engaged making preparations for the coming season, which opens on March 1. - During the past week good catches of fish were made, and in the Bluff freezing work*, which were completely cleaned out a short time ago. there are now 300 cases of blue cod. Tlie cutter Dolly Varden returned to the Bluff from Pegasus recently, bring- ','' ing with her 40 cases of blue cod. The weather was rather windy for making big \ ! catches. 1 The two huge structures, which arc to ' support the aerials for the Tinakori Hills wireless station have been put together ' at the Works Department's yards at Pipitea Point, and are now about ready toie removed to the top of the hills overlooking I the Thorndon end of the city. The pole* Eire a series of ladders, the total height of which is 150 ft, or twice the height of the General Post Office. The timbers of the , ladders are stout Oregon pine sticks, each ; £Oft in length. The base consists of three ladders, supporting two others, which in turn support the topmost ladder. With . ''5 two of such structures a dozen of these ■ huge 50f ladders are needed for the elevation of the hill-top aerial. The timbers have been powerfully bolted together and clamped with steel in a manner to ensure stability. They will be stayed to % . ground in all directions by steel-rope guys,, ending in lengths of railway iron, which in turn .will be embedded in blocks of concrete. It is hoped to make a start with the carting of the "masts" to the , top of the hill within the next few days. The men engaged in fitting up the wire- - loss station '.have been bo impressed with the power of the wind on the Tinakori ridge that they have fixed up a windgauge, which will record the velocity of/the nor'-westers. In a recent blow the gauge is said to have registered a veloctiy of 91 miles an hour, which up till now stands as a record for the new wind-record-ing station. s ...... • ■ • Throughout yesterday the clouds huttE lowering and threatening, the day being dull and grey. The morning was hot and oppressive. and in the afternoon a tight ; sprinkling of rain fell, which failed to clear the atmosphere. After sunset, however, heavier rain Bet in, the weather becoroini.: cooler. As the evening advanced the rain came in a steady downpour, lasting for several hours. Up to the time of going to press the sky was still overcast, with rain falling steadily. J ' y\£ At the special invitation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Lieut. H. T. C. Knox (Navy League) delivered a lecture at the Village Hall, Sandringham, on Saturday evening, January 13. His subject was "The First Country to Offer* Dreadnought to the Empire/' The Prince of Wales was present, also Prince Albert, and the hall was crowded. The lecture was copiously illustrated with lantern] slides of New Zealand scenery, including»| a picture of the New Zealand Government training-ship Amokura. Lieut. Knox disclaimed the idea of being an authority on. New Zealand, but he said he loved the country and its people, and it was always a pleasure to him (in this case an honour) . to lecture on it whenever the opportunity offered. A young man named Wendall Cook journeyed to Bathurst (New South Wales) from George's Plains last week to take part in a cricket match. Whilst "J Bathurst he purchased a acidferous chemical mixture and carried it about in his pocket* A gas being created, the acid exploded, with the result that Cook was burned » . severely about the lower part of the 1«"V that his removal to the hospital was con--sidered necessary. A London patent expert has been disco* sing the new law relating to patents, designs, and trade marks, which comes foW force iu New Zealand on July 1. The Act has been based principally upon the British Patents Act of 1907, with the exception of that relating to the liability of revocation of a patent should the working condition not be faithfully carried out. Here, the provision of the Australian Act has been embodied. The expert thinks that in any event the patents will retain full , patent rights, so far as the right to import the patented article into New Zealand « concerned. Consequently, the patentees of inventions that cannot be manufactured in New Zealand at a price to compete with the imported article, need not take any '' steps to manufacture within the Dominion ;: in the period referred to. ' it, The members of the Australasian Pr* 1 vincial Press Association will hold their annual conference in Auckland next month, Mr, B. McMillan, the acting-secretary, will leave Sydney by the Maheno onj|.g| March 6 to make the arrangements for the meeting, which will 'probably take place.; ; in /the Town. Hall. , It is expected that about 30 provincial newspaper proprietors, ' i ■ from the various States, will attend^|ThaM| party will leave Sydney by the .Victor!* , \ ; on March 13.. , f \ \ » ■ i 'ti