CITY ITEMS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1194, 18 January 1895, Page 36

CITY ITEMS.

It is notifiod that a list containing the names of persons, firms and companies qualified by the payment of dues to vote for the election of a member of the Wellington Harbour Board is open for inspection at tho office of the Board, and that objections to tho list and applications to be enrolled will be heard at a special meeting on Tuesday, 29th inst. Tho Customs duties collected last week amounted to <£4272 10s sd.

Tho half-yearly general meeting of the members of the Working Men’s Club was hold on Monday night, but tho proceedings ivere not made public. Notice of tho following motions were given for Thursday’s meeting of the Council: —Councillor Tanner to move, “That the police be requested to take under their notice breaches of Sunday trading by tobacconists.” Councillor Devine to move, “ That with a view of ascertaining tho utility and economy of wood paving as a substitute for the present system of street formation a sum be placed on tho estimates for the next financial year for the purpose of paying with blocks of wood one or more of the principal business streets.” Councillor Barber to move, “ That the City Surveyor be instructed to make provision in next year’s estimates for widening Adelaide Road south.” Councillor Barber to move, “ That the City Survoyor be instructed to make provision in next year’s estimates for widening Aro street, the necessary land having’ been acquired for the purpose.” Councillor Anderson to move, “ That Tinakori road be widened by the width of land purchased by the City Council from Mr L. Stowe and the road repaired.” The inmates of St. Joseph’s Orphanage were on Tuesday treated to a picnic at Island Bay by some of their friends. The children were taken out and back in brakes generously provided free of charge by Mr J. Lane. As the weather was delightful, the children had a very enjoyable time of it. On Saturday an interesting and unique exhibition took place in the operating room of our Hospital, the object being to show to tho medical profession of the city an invention in medical electricity, the inventor and exhibitor being a young Wellingtonian, Mr Leslie, now in charge of tho Telephone Bureau at Timaru. Medical electricity is now placed among the accomplishments of leading physicians in Great Britian and America; but in the colonies its use is known to very few, though many are interested in its application, and consequently Mr Leslie had an attentive audience. The exhibit was placed upon a table, and consisted of a complete set of appliances used in all its branches by the medical profession, from minor cases to the most difficult operations, internal or external. This apparatus is fixed to the table —a portable one —and is connected to a switch," by which the operator can change the treatment as required for different cases without loss of time or inconvenience, ho not requiring to leave the table in so doing. Tho different currents are led to a disconnecting, reversing or combination switch, so that either the Faradic or galvanic currents can bo used, singly or jointly ; and the whole apparatus is also under the curb of a very unique controller and milleamperemeter. The inventor, who, by the way, Inis applied for the protection of his work, explained to the doctors that the combination on tho table simplifies tho method of electricity treatment, as it does away with all the complication of wires which has hitherto been in voguo in medical electro-cabinets and installations. Mr Leslie is taking advantage of a holiday trip to introduce his labour and pain-saving invention to the medical faculty, and thoso members of it present on Saturday took not only the keenest interest in tho exhibition, but afterwards expressed great satisfaction at tho results, and wo understand several of our doctors have instructed Mr Loslio to supply thorn with tho apparatus.

Mr H. Smith’s tender has been accopted for the chimney sweeping contract for the current year in connection with the several Government offices in Wellington, and Mr T. Costello has secured the contract for the removal of rubbish. The same persons ca-ried out last year’s contracts for these respective services. The Now Zealand Shipping Company have sent us a very neat calendar for 1895. The ccntro-picce is a beautiful engraving of the Ruapehu. The annual report of the directors of the Wellington Gas Company, for the annual general meeting on the Ist February, is as follows :—“The directors, in presenting the annual statement of accounts, are glad to be able to report to the shareholders that there has been a steady increase in the consumption of gas during the past year. Your directors have decided to again roduce the price of gas, from the commencement of this year, to 7s lid, which, with a discount of Is Bd, leaves the net price 6s 3d per 1000 cubic feet. The result of the year’s working account shows that, notwithstanding an increaso in the quantity of gas made, there has boon a considerable reduction in the cost of manufacture. The plant has been maintained in efficient working order during the year. The mains have been extended for 129 chains, while 20 chains have been replaced by those of larger diameter, and 125 new services have been fixed. An interim dividend of 5 per cent, was paid in July, a similar dividend being now recommended, making 10 per cent, for the year. A sum of <£2ooo has been written off; the plant, and <£1791 12s lOd carried forward to next year. Mr Pearce retires from the board by rotation, but, being eligible, offers himself for re-election.”

Tuesday was the latest time for putting in tenders for the leasing of the Ministerial residence in Tinakori road, which was formerly occupied by the late Mr Ballance. Not a single tender was recoivod.

A neat wall calendar for 1895 has been issued by the New Zealand Times Company. We have received from Mr A. E. Kernot, local agent for the Mataura Falls Paper Mills Company, a copy of their calendar. It gives well-printed views of the interior and exterior of the mills.

The following is the annual report of the directors of the Wellington Trust, Loan and Investment Company, to be presented at the twenty-second annual meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, on Friday, Ist February, at 8 p.m.:—“ The directors have pleasure in laying before the shareholders the usual annual statements of accounts for the year ended 31st December last. From the figures submitted, it will be seen that the net profits, together with the balance brought forward from the previous year, amounts to <£10,161 19s 6d, out of which there has already been paid an interim dividend absorbing <£4050, and <£looo has been placed to a special reserve account, leaving an available balance of <£5114 19s Gd. A further dividend of 4 per cent, (making 8 per cent, for the year) is now recommended, which will leave a sum of .£1064 19s 6d to be carried forward to next account. During the past year the directors have, with regret, received and accepted the resignation of Mr Wm. Boyd, our late secretary, who was in the service of the Company ever since its formation. The Chairman will at the annual general meeting propose that a small honorarium be voted to Mr Boyd in recognition of .his devotion to the welfare of the Company during a period exceeding twenty - one years. Mr R. E. Rawnsley has efficiently performed the duties of acting-secretary from the date of his appointment. On the retirement of Mr George Allen from the jx>sition of managing director, Mr C. T. Richardson was appointed to that office, and has ever since been most assiduous in his attention to his duties. The following directors retire at the present time by rotation, viz., Mr James Wallace and Mr Edward Pearce, and they offer themselves for re-election.”

An ordinary meeting' of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held on Tuesday afternoon in the Loan and Mercantile Buildings. Present —Mr J. G. W. Aitlcen (in the chair), Mrs Lingard, Rev J. K. Elliott and Messrs Atkinson and J. S. Jameson (hon. secretary). The inspector reported that since the last meeting the following cases had been enquired into : —Nine cases of working horses with sores, five of working lame horses, two of cruelly carrying poultry, one of withholding food from a horse, two of worrying a cat to death, two of furious riding, one of overloading an express, one of keeping two cows with broken leg’s, one of keeping birds in a dirty state. Mrs Tarn was elected a member of the committee. The following subscriptions were reported : Per Mrs Lingard—Messrs 11. I>. Bell, .£1 Is; J. Dutbio, <£L Is ; T. W. Hislop, £1 Is; A. do B. Brandon, «£1 Is; C. J. Pharazyn, 10s; J. Varcoe, 2s 6d; C. 11. Black, 2s 6d; George Mee, 2s 6d; Mrs H. D. Bell. 10s 6d ; Mrs J. D. Hewitt, 5s ; Mrs Allen, 2s 6d; per the lion, treasurer —Rev J. K. Elliott, 10s ; per the inspector —G. Odell, 2s sd; Mrs Lamb, ss; Mrs Fannin, 8s; Mrs Graham, 10s 6d: total, £7 15s sd.