LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15055, 26 July 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A mixer named Bavin Hildebrand, re- - aiding ,at 6, Green-street:, Ponsonby, was w injured yesterday by a bucket of stones ■ falling on him. He was engaged on ex- j cavation work in a sewer, and was as- fa cending the shaft when the bucket fell on ~ to his heard. He was taken to the hospital, where he was found to have sustained some severe scalp wounds. 8 a The steamer Moeraki, with Australian & mails on board, did not reach Wellington until early yesterday morning from Syd- : Hey, due to the fact that the vessel did not get away from the New South Wales port until early on. Sunday morning last.. The. Auckland portion of the mail will arrive by the Main Trunk express this morning. 1 Information was received by Inspector J Mitchell yesterday to the effect that two ( seamen, Christian Jansen and Hjalraer ( Hansen, had been sentenced to one month's , imprisonment by the Whangaroa Bench j for deserting from the whaling ship Prince George in Whangaroa Harbour. The two prisoners will be brought to Auckland today. To improve the telephonic communication between Auckland and Wellington a metallic circuit line is being constructed. Three gangs of men are at work on the construction at this end, one between Auckland and Penrose, a second south of Penrose, and the other at Pukekohe. It is anticipated that the line will be ready for use in about a month. . Owing to the breaking of a cable, the. man in charge of the lift at Union Buildings, Customs-street had a narrow escape from serious injury yesterday. He had i , just taken a full load of passengers to the , top floor and was in the act of descending again when the cable broke, and the cage ' fell to the bottom. Hie man was lucky to get off with several bruises, and was 1 able to walk home. r . The enforced visit to Auckland, owing 1 to shortage of coal, of the tramp steamer : Elvaston, turned out to be rather fortunate for the port, since over £1000 is being '. spent by the vessel's agents during her ' stay here. After receiving 250 tons of coal, ' the* Elvaston was to have resumed her voyage last Saturday, but she was de- . tained pending the receipt of a cablegram from her owners, which was duly receiyed on Sunday morning, and was to the effect that' the steamer was to be docked at Auckland. She was accordingly floated into Calliope Dock for cleaning and painting, while she also undergoes minor repairs to her machinery and in-. I temal fittings. The cost of coal at 25s per ton, dock and harbour dues, pilotage fees, and wages for labour, brings the amount spent on the vessel here to well over ! £1000 The Elvaston will not go" to i Sydney as originally intended, but when , she has finished taking in the balance of > her coal, will proceed direct toPaaqueme , (Noumea). ■ - , An old man of about 70 years of age, was knocked down by a taxi-car, driven by E. Thompson, at the' corner of Queen l , and Wellesley Streets, last night. The [ driver of . the car states that as he ap- ' proached the corner he saw the man \ crossing the roaiV He sounded his horn, and as the man did not seem to notice it 1 he sounded it again. r The pedestrian then seemed to look the other .way, and ali though Thompson applied the brakes, of i the motor car and endeavoured to avert an accident, ' a Collision took pl&CO, the old man going right under the motor car. The motor was backed and the old man extricated. He had received a severe j gash on his head and was severely shaken, . but was able to walk to a neighbouring [■'■ chemist's, and after hie wound had been treated he was taken, home. The man on the " look-out" at the ' Mount Victoria eignal; station had quite a ' busy day yesterday ; hoisting the various * signals which denoted- the?'appearance of i * several vessels making for port. The day's 5 arrivals included two large oversea ! steamers, H.M.S. Pioneer, and two of the * Union Companys' fleet. The first to.put] 1 in an appearance was the Tyser steamer ' Star of Scotland, from London, via Australian ports, which reached 'Auckland} ' shortly after eight a.m. She was! fallowed [ 1 about two hours later by the Monowai, * from Southern porte, and close behind the ' latter vessel came the big White Star liner Zealandic, from Wellington. Shortly 'after one p.m. the signals. hoisted denoted that two more vessels were in sight, and those turned out to be the Pioneer, from Wellington, and the.Taviuni,! from Fiji. The r total gross tonnage of the five vessels i which arrived yesterday aggregated over 30,000 tons.

The city electrical engineer reported to the City Council last evening that during the fortnight ended July 14, 148,801 -touts of power were generated at the city power station, and that 447 ions of i coal and 660,000 gallons of water were consumed. Sixteen new customers were enrolled, making a total of 976.

Offensive behaviour on the platform of the Auckland railway station on the evening of June 29, formed the subject of a, charge against three young men, Charles Lillewall, Leslie McQuoid, and Charles Angrove at the Police Court yesterday. Sub-Inspector Hendrey stated that on the evening in question, the accused were on the platform acting in a most boisterous and unruly manner. , In addition to scuffling, they were using obscene language. They were remonstrated with by the railway officials, but mid no heed, and eventually the police were sent for. The three accused, who pleaded "not guilty," were each fined 10s with costs.

A comprehensive scheme for the improvement of the district has been proposed by the Tamaki West Bead Board. Its project comprises the raising of special loans amounting to £36,200. for road improvement (£19,000), reservoir and mains for a water supply (£10,000), an underground sewerage system (£6000), and for the formation of a road from Waipareira Road to the Kohimarama Wharf (£1200). Special rates are proposed as security for the loans, and these. will cover interest and sinking funds to extinguish the liability in 41 years. It is proposed to pay the cost of.raising the loans and the first year's interest out of the loan moneys.

The loss of an umbrella by a lady tourist whilst in New Zealand has lately occupied the attention of, both the Auckland City Council and the High Commissioner,for New Zealand. It' appears that when in New Zealand about 12 months ago, the lady lost her umbrella in the Auckland Art Gallery—she alleged that hers was taken and an old one put in its place. The City Council merely received the letter, and the lady then referred the loss to the High Commissioner, who, after mature consideration, no doubt, advised her- to write again to the Auckland City Council. She did so, but at last evening's meeting it was decided to take no further action. The town clerk of Birkenhead reported at last night's meeting of the Council that 73 building permits had been issued in Birkenhead for the 12 hionths ending June 30 last the value totalling £17 925 10s. These included 63 dwellings 'and three shops.

Over 850 coolie, "^SS^ e bourse Jin« si.:,, Gai)qc? ' <t, 'The. vessel 1 t *■' >m Calcutta and 416 f lolTiy , ld »J»r, m the Bape of slrw ' } nds, was experience almost t h , ; voyage Seven adult cool; 3* tant died, and two adults dkirn ring presumably fallen „JJj !fk,'ii The Auckland master plumba. „ ' reus that one of their number'lowed to be upon tne boar? '1 tuners for plumbers, together ■yfafi, tentative of the City Council m x .uckland Plumbers' Industrial 'trfj Workers. It is probable that this ill be adopted at the next vxaato£ "I think that some steps 8 iken at once in regard to the 'sM angerous goods," said Mr., J. p" I m at last evening's meeting of .ik'-'j loaned. He pointed out that soms'» boring dangerous goods were hot iA ig with the by-laws, and that* J ases these goods were stored in &a I ,-ithin a few feet of the Btroet. '.<,(» .'as no doubt, in his opinion, thai,f the explosives used in the •..-": ;laries ■ were stolen from thesei-lii ?he matter is to be looked into, ■■'•'■ A dispute between the Auckland iers and General Blacksmiths' i rial Union of Workers and the eis-y vill be heard before the ' Coajg Commissioner (air. T. Hark (Jjji August 5. Assessors have not 'vut ippointed. The dispute between Auckland Operative Plasterers* Mi Union of Workers and the A,ue Builders and Contractors'. i l( j t Union of Employers, has been 11 for hearing on August 12. ; v; ' ■ fti A greatly-increased amount nl'f\& ?ower is being obtained from tlis new power station at Mechanics' %$$ power is utilised from 9.30 o'clock ; morning until six o'clock in the ev md lightens considerably the cfcir.a the old station, in Freeman's ,&» will probably be some months jet: the business of the old power stafi; be transferred to Mechanics' /Bat contract ■ for the boiler-house "at, t\, station is nearly finished., but *:---. i room contract is much behind, rra delay in the supply of material ||j Old Country. . '<1M The non-appearance of Peter elderly man, to answer a char;;:. & kenness at the Police Court yesterai accounted for by Sub-Inspector i by the fact that the accused was hospital with an injured leg. On J day evening- he was stated 1} fcji very drunk, and -whilst crossing C street "was knocked down by a naasi He was taken.to the police statii as he complained of being in pain *t was summoned to ascertain ii he '•£ tained any injury. The man I drunk to explain the whereabouts probable injury, and the doctor ym to discover if he was really huti' Yesterday morning, however,. on* legs was considerably swollen, Mi tor being again called in, it was ' ! i that his shin bone, just below tl had been either cracked or spllntei was at once conveyed to the hoapi the injury is such that he will hi to appear before the Court for spa .■■■;■:. • .'■■ , ■■■,'. ..;'.:.-;"!: , :'.3 " "'■■•"' ' ■:■'■:'/:':?'■■ .P!;»"!'sS| The agreement between the ~si' Borough Council and the Aucklfc OOTnciF regarding the supply of power is now almost complete.*,*. Council has received intimalic/ Newmarket body agrees in the* the city's proposals, and that I pineer has been • requested to coil the city electrical engineer with! to a few minor details, aria I .;"|j| conference is completed, arid th received, the.Newmarket Councilceed further with the matter.: ; The suspicions which have -a been cast upon the accuracy of tl of some private gas companies f siblr bo banished in the near futui has been ?n agitation in Borne' New Zealand for the appointment* cipaj inspectors to test such mi a Christehurch remit to next, webl cipal Conference recommends ttia tire power be given to municipal to make such appointments. '~ .■ Discussion took place in reeari timber-workers' award, which that wages shall be paid half-irtfei the Magistrate's Court, yesterdayj C. Kettle, S.M., considered thai;' often be more convenient for men out in the back blocks to »ap wajres to accumulate in town, - pointed out, however, that ever consent of the men themselves arranffement could not be mm men had to receive their wag monthly, whether they wanted not. A meeting of the Auckland Lai will be held in Botorua on A?a«; number of petitions urging the Q] land ;in the district have recei forwarded to the Board, aM jr| tions in support of these pvopfl probably- be made to the Bpafd:; tetions. A large amount of bosi probably be transacted by thftJ this meeting. '''<$, ■: Exhausted gum lands at vraij are to be set a3ide as a recreatiafl An application to have about 4-5 .< of the E«torua kauri gum resery<y. for this purpose was considered Auckland Land Board yesterday, resolved to report that the.las longer required for gum-digging/a; commend the issue of an Order-JJ declaring the land to be no hw ject to the Kauri Gum Industry:; that it should be reserved for "I purposes. ■-■."■-■'^S ' '""" ■'■'"■. .'. i ';. :V S9iP The* fact that a harpoon has 1 covered in the back of the strand' at Lyall Bay, Wellington,'is ■'.indicate that the defunct leviathan * which was harpooned close ihto| about a fortnight ago. It is awti: the carcase, rising to the surface. generated inside, was washed r ~ri the heavy southerly galea.' :. The Mayor of Hamilton (Mr Manning) ; stated yesterday ■;thai almost impossible for new" 'Wl obtain houses in the Waikato tc soon as new residences were ih" were occupied immediately* ■.■ M posed.to spend £80,000 in impro| ilton in the near future, and jl% predicts that the towr will heJ» most up-to-date inland '.centra : Dominion when the work, J* Si ; by the ratepayers, is cani ?d ', - " Greater Hamilton" schema, "»\ and already Claudelands, »J^* I dential suburb, has come in « ' borough's control. ' ..' /^' } P,_, ! The City granted " - last evening an application -^M > the Ponsonby Boys' Drum aril m 'for permission to play, -a ■" Pf^. music and take up a collei'ticn f of the six-year-old boy, Clydft J who lost both his braids &4 the' a railway accident at Huntly.; I The band will play in eidf; ■« I Karangahapo Road and Queen &i