CITY ITEMS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1290, 19 November 1896, Page 39

CITY ITEMS.

SHIPMASTERS’ ASSOCIATION.

A special meeting of the Shipmasters’ Association was held at midday on Monday in the Harbour Board Buildings, at which, it goes without saying, captains were as numerous as political candidates. Captain J. T. Adams presided. Captain Fraser resigned the trusteeship which he held in the Association, and Captain Babot fills the vacancy. Captains Hart and Manning were elected vice - presidents, and the latter returned thanks for the honour.

Captain Kennedy was appointed secretary and treasurer of the Association during the absence of Captain Strang.

A short discussion arose on the matter of approaching the Minister of Marine with the object of making the beacon on Jackson’s Head conspicuous enough to be of some better service than at present. Ultimately, it was sent as an instruction to the committee to deal with.

The new law enforcing the adjustment of compasses upon foreign-going vessels created a lively debate, the consensus of opinion going against the heavy expense incurred in the, in many cases, unnecessary arrangement. It was stated that the case of a ship being “swung” both here and in the Old Country was unnecessary, except in a case of beaching, in connection with which Captain North stated that during the recent Waihi incident his compasses had changed half a point. Captain Croker, of the Weathersfield, stated the adjustment of his compasses would cost from £2O to £ 25. The result of the discussion was that Captain Babot is to see the Nautical Adviser, and if no satisfaction be there obtained, a deputation wait upon the Minister of Marine. The signals for the calling at night of a tug and a pilot having been found unsatisfactory, it was decided to ask the Harbour Board to specify such separate night signals as will enable incoming masters to call either the tug or the pilot, instead of both, which are not always needed. The meeting then adjourned.

The bones discovered a few day 3 ago in a cave at Makiuo have been brought to Wellington for examination. A printed copy is to hand of the sixth annual report of the Shipmasters’ Association, a resume of which has already appeared in this paper. The booklet is very neatly got up, and also contains a complete list of the members of the Association. The Mutual Life Association of Australasia is to be congratulated upon the just and equitable spirit with which it meets the claims made upon it. As a rule there is time to make out a policy before the office is called upon to pay. In the ease of Mr P. Crowley, farmer, 'i'uapeka Flat, death took place from acute pneumonia after six days’ illness, and, though the acceptance notice even had not been issued at the time, no obstacles whatever were thrown in the way of settlement. A request for payment of .£2OO, the amount proposed for, was made on the 21th October, and cheque handed over on the 2nd November without demur.

At the meeting of the Philosophical Society last week, Mr W. T. L. Travers presided. Professor Horatio Hyde (Cntario) and Mr A. D. Merrick were elected honorary members of the Society. The concluding chapters of Mr Kutland’s paper on Polynesian Migration dealingwith the ancient monuments and statues of the islands, were submitted. The chapters were very interesting and full of information, and at the conclusion of the paper a vote of thanks to Mr E. Tregear for reading the paper was passed by acclamation. Mr Tregear was also congratulated by tho Society on receiving a decoration from the French Government for the interest he takes in science.

An election, to fill vacancies in the Mungaroa, Porirua and Whareroa ridings of the Hutt County Council, took place last week. The candidates for one s«at in the Mungaroa riding were Messrs George Brown and Alexander McCulloch, the polling booths being at the County Council office, Upper Hutt and Whiteman’s Valley. There were two vacancies to be filled for the Porirua riding, for which there were four candidates —Messrs Robert Bould, Benjamin Cumings, F. A. Majendie and John Mitchell ; the polling places being at the County Council office, Porirua, Johnsonville, Ohariu and Ngahauranga. Messrs H. A. Field and Ossian P. Lynch were the candidates for one seat for the Whareroa riding, the polling booths for which were at Paraparaumu, Rikiorangi and the County Council office. A poll was taken also for a proposed loan of .£4OO for forming a road between Rikiorangi and Waikanao. The result of the various polls will bo known to-day. The results to hand for the Whareroa riding give a majority for Mr Field. There are at present 1009 unmarried people over 65 years of age in the Colony. There are 7343 married persons, including 4785 males and 2558 females. The railway revenue during the last few vears is recorded as follows : —1892-3. £9789 J9s Hd; 1893-4, £11.594 3s Id; 1894-5, £14,254 4s 3d ; 1895-6, £ 52,067 5s Gd.

The nominations' lor the Wellington Mayoralty closed on Thursday. Messrs George Fisher (the retiring Mayor) and H. D. Bell are- the candidates, and the polling takes place on the 25th inst. The police authorities received intimation last week that a man named Albert Victor Edwards had been arrested at Palmerston North on a charge of stealing a horse, saddle and bridle at the Upper Hutt in June, 1895. The election of representatives for the Carterton and Grey town Ridings of the Wairarapa South County Council took place on Wednesday. The results wero as follows : Carterton (two representatives) Mr W. Booth, 103; Mr H. Braithwaite, 117 ; Mr E. S. Maunsell, 68. Grey town (one)—Mr Coleman Phillips, 52; Mr Hugh Morison, 36. In last week’s Gazette appears a statement showing the nature and value of the securities deposited by each foreign company under the provisions of Part 111. of the Foreign Insurance Companies’ Deposits Act, 1894. The companies interested are the Scottish Metropolitan Life Assurance Company (cash) and the Victoria Assurance Company, Limited. Mr H. J. H. Blow, Under-Secretary for Public Works, returned on Thursday morning from his visit to Nelson and Marlborough. In company with Mr J. A. Wilson, Resident Engineer, he inspected the works at the Nelson end of the Midland Railway, and the Government jg to be recommended to allow

c he Public Works Department to arrange for the haulage of goods once or twice a week over the section between Belgrove and Spooner’s range. The matter of tho Middle Island Native claims has been brought before the authorities. So soon as a question now before the Government is settled, the Commission can finish its work so far as the Canterbury, Southland, Otago and Westland Natives are concerned. The surveys of the lands set aside are well forward, and so soon as matters are settled instructions are to be given as to the size of the farms into which the lands are to be divided. The area reserved is, roughly, between 80,000 and 90,000 acres. A table is being compiled of all landless people, and it will be presented to the House on completion.

The St. Mary’s Convent Bazaar was closed in very pleasant fashion last week at the Skating Kink by the well-attended annual “ social ” and concert given by the pupils of the Convent in aid of the funds of St. Joseph’s Orphanage. The concert was highly interesting and successful. It opened with a piano duet, one of the Sclavonic dances, performed by Misses Long and Blake, and songs were given by Miss N. Gallagher, Miss Driscoll and Miss Brady; Misses Long and Brady sang a duet, and a part song was given by Misses Driscoll, Ga'lagher, Long and Brady. Miss Beck played with great taste No. 11 of the Chopin Waltzes, and a violin solo was gracefully played by Miss E. Hennah, who was encored. Dancing followed the concert, Mr Dean’s band contributing the music. A very novel and neatly-planned scoring card was issued on the Basin Beserve Thursday afternoon during the progress of the cricket match. Fresh cards were printed and sold on the ground after the fall of each wicket, giving the scores Tit all stages of the game. For instance, when the fifth or sixth wicket had fallen cards would be sent out giving all the batsmen’s scores, how they were disposed of, the extras obtained, and the number of runs at the fall of each wicket. When an innings was complete!, the card would thus give a full and accurate statement of the game and would be well worth keeping as a record. To Mr H. D’Elmaine the credit of this ingenious idea goes, and he is to be congratulated on its success.

There wore only about (52 passengers for Sydney by the Mararoa last week, while nearly 200 left Sydney for New Zealand by the Anglian and Wakatipu on Thursday. We observe that the Wellington bakers have raised the price of bread a halfpenny, owing to the Southern millers having advanced the price of flour 50s per ton. Three boys, remanded some time back on a charge of stealing pigeons, in order to see how they behaved in the meantime, were last week formally discharged at the S.M. Court. A man named Charles Broadbont was arrested on Friday afternoon by Chief Detective Campbell on a charge of stealing a horse valued at .£5, belonging to James John Patterson, at Manaia. A young man named Albert Victor Edwards, who was arrested by Detective Bishop at Palmerston North on a charge of stealing a horse, saddle and bridle at the Upper Hutt last year, and remanded to Wellington, was brought to town by train last week. ’J he nominations for the Onslow Mayoralty took place on Friday. Mr D. Burrell, the retiring Mayor, was nominated by Messrs J. B. Mack and A. Newton, and Mr John Holmes, sen., by Messrs C. Hodges and James Blackiock. Tho poll takes place on tho 25th inst.

A meeting of the board of directors of the No. 3 Co-operative Building . Society of Wellington was held in the Forward Movement Hall, Manners street, last week, to decide the Society’s third loan appropriation. Tho appropriation was determined by tender. The successful tenderer -was No. 173 on the Society’s register, the number of a member who holds three shares in the Society, and who tendered for a loan of £.300 at tho rate of .£lO 13s 4d per <£loo. All the members of the Society had been invited to sec the tenders opened, but only a moderate number in addition to the tenderers attended. Mr Fletcher, chairman of the Societj”, presided.

A highly-interesting locture by Dr Chappie on “ Pasteur and his Work ” was given at St. John’s Schoolroom, Dixon street. The lecture was delivered in aid of the funds for the annual pictiic o.- Te Aro School, and Mr Reith, chairman of the committee, presided. Dr Chappie sketched Pasteur’s career from his youth, and described man v of his experiments, including those by which he exploded the theory of spontaneous generation, discovered the cure for hydrophobia, &c. The Pasteur Institute in Paris, ana Drs Roux and Mitchnikoff, were described. The lecture was illustrated with limelight views, Mr N'orton having charge of the lantern. Songs by Miss Lawson and Messrs 11. Hull and Pope added to the attractiveness of the programme.

The erection of the new lighthouse at Farewell Spit has been completed under the supervision ot Mr Pearce, and he, with the men who have been engaged on the work, returned to Wellington in the Hinemoa on Friday. The lamp will now be put into position by Mr Scott and three or four assistants, and it is anticipated that this portion of the work will be finished in five or six weeks. It has taken exactly three months to erect the ironwork of the Farewell Spit lighthouse. The Hinemoa will now load the material to be used in the building of tho new lighthouse at Cape Palliser, and leaves about Tuesday next for that place. It will take three or four davs to land this material, and the Hinemoa will then retmm to Wellington, afterwards leaving ou a visit of inspection to the Southern lighthouses and outlying islands. Captain Fairchild, who, after all, has not taken the well-earned holiday he had intended to have, will now resume command ot the Hinemoa.

A polo team from Palmerston North will probably play a match with a team from the Wellington Polo Club on Friday.

At a meeting of the Board of Examiners of engine-drivers held at the office of the Chief Inspector of Machinery on .Saturday the } following certificates were granted:—Winding engine drivers’ certificates of service, 4 ; winding engine drivers’ certificates of competency, 28; traction and locomotive enginG drivers’ certificates of service, 7 ; traction and locomotive engine drivers’ certificates of competency, 34. Mrs Harris, trance speaker, lectured in the Exchange Buildings on Sunday, the subject being “The Ilelis of the Hereafter.’’ there was a large audience, and the speaker was accorded the closest attention during the delivery of the lecture. She -aid tint many souls carried a hell within themselves whilst on this earth. Spiritualists realised that as a man so.wed so should ho reap. They had put away the thought of everlasting fire, but recognised that every soul would have its recompense hereafter, and, bo surely as it did

wrong here on earth, would it be cast into prison until it paid the uttermost farthinp*’ '1 he funeral of the well-known Native of Petone, Jack Warren, who died on Wednesday last, took place on Saturday. Warren was born on Kapiti Island in 1822, and afterwards took part in the troubles of the early days, lie was well liked, always jolly as he was, and very good natured for a Maori. Jack took a great interest in football, and very seldom missed seeing any match that the local teams were engaged in. The interment took place at the Maori Cemetery at Petone, the liev J. Jones officiating at the grave. There was a large attendance of both Natives and Europeans. Among the wreaths was a handsome one presented by tho Petone Football Club.

The City Council has decided to sit on Friday evening this week instead of on Thursday. The election of City Council representatives on the District and United District Charitable Aid Boards takes place on the 25th inst. At Messrs Harcourt and Co.’s auction sale on Monday, the.'property consisting of a large section fronting Owen street, with fiveroomed house thereon, was sold to M.r S. Kirkcaldie at <£3ls. The property at Petone was passed in at <£2300. The following donations have been made to the fund of the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association: Union Farmers’ Alliance, <£s os ; Mr 11. Gilmer, £2 2s ; Messrs G. Cudby and John Cudby, .£1 Is each ; Mr C. W. Brown, .£1 ; Messrs P. Phiips, G. Denton and E. J. Judd, 10s 6d each. Only half a dozen members of the Council turned up at the meeting of the Public Works Committee on Monday, when a great many matters were postponed. Seven were absent, and Councillor Devine was the only one to write stating that he could not bo present. H.M.’s warships Wallaroo and Lizard re turned to Wellington from South on Monday morning, in order to be present for the opening of the Exhibition to-morrow. On Saturday tho Lizard leaves for Napier, Gisborne and Auckland, afterwards pi’oceeding to Akaroa to witness the regatta there. The Wallaroo’s movements are not definitely fixed, but she also will go to Akaroa in time for the regatta. Portion of the big return asked for by the Council from the Drainage Engineer in connection with the progress, cost, &c., of the drainage works was placed before the Public Works Committee on Monday, but consideration was postponed until the ordinary meeting of the Council. It was decided to have it typed and distributed amongst members in the meantime, and that it should not be published in the press until after circulation. The reason for this was not stated. Tho Engineer said that, in order to compile tho full return, tho assistance of two temporary clerks would have to be obtained. This matter was also deferred.

That even upholders and officials of the lav/ feel its effect upon themselves an incident of the other evening at the Botanical Gardens botweon a constable in plain clothes and the caretaker goes to prove. Either through ignorance or by virtue of his position in the public eye, the constaole was taking a stroll through the garden after dark, when suddenly the familiar flash of a bull’s-eye was turned upon himself, and he was gruffly bailed up. Never dreaming for an instant that he could bo trespassing, bis one thought was that the hour had brought tho opportunity and the man and a band of larrikins —and ho straightway arrested the caretaker and took him to the constable in charge of the gardens. Explanations—tableau ! The first public “ At Homo” given by tho members of the Women’s Club took place in Thomas’ Hall last Monday. The Club has not been in existence a year, but boasts a good membership. Its only other public function previously was a ball, the “At Homes” having been held privately at tho Club's rooms. On Monday there were over a hundred couples present, when a diversified programme was gone through. The intervals between dances were monopolised by singing, recitations, games, &0., and all present enjoyed themselves. Among thoso who contributed platform selections were Mrs Moore, Mrs Swindell, Mrs Harris, Miss Leo, Miss Hawthorne, Mr Burgess and others. The floor was in excellent condition for dancing, and there was a tempting display of delicacies on the refreshment table. Miss Lee, who engineered (he gathering in her capacity as secretary, had the pleasure of seeing her efforts brought to a most successful issue. Miss Hawthorne provided the dance music in a most capable manner, and Mr Bishop proved an eilieient master of ceremonies.

Applications are invited by the Wellington Education Board for the positions of headmaster at the Ohaihakeke School and assistantmaster at Carterton.

At the request of the Auckland S.M., the charge of theft against Joseph I)e La Hunter, of the theft of a picture from Nara Dorree, at the Northern city, was withdrawn. It appears that the picture was found up North after the warrant had been issued. The following additions have been made to the Telephone Exchange : —W. Campbell, grocer, Kiddiford street, Newtown ; Exhibition Buildings, Victoria street; E. T. Sayers, Grey street; J. Devlin, grocer , Cuba street.