LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1737, 14 June 1905, Page 24

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Lake ELter water, on the Flaxbourne ©state, has been proclaimed a reserve for the protection of native and imported game. r , The number of Chinese in New Zealand at the end of last year has been estimated by the Government Statistician to be 2829. Of these, thirty-five were females.

Men employed at ballasting and earthwork on Government railways ate in future to be paid at the rate of on© shilling per hour, instead of seven shillings per day of eight hours. Mr Justice Chapman and the members of the Arbitration Court have gone South, to hold a sitting at Chiistchurch. The Court is not expected back in Wellington before the end of the month.

At the meeting of the Otamaru Acclimatisation Society (says the “North Otago Times”), in discussing the menu for the annual re-union, one of the members, who assorted that he knew what he was talking about, suggested that mutton birds would provide a “delicacy not to be sneezed at.’" The June issue of the “M.L.A. Chronicle,” which is the 200th monthly number that has been published, is to hand. It contains a large amount or matter dealing with the recent annual and quinquennial meetings of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, and has on the front page a portrait of Mr Robert Harwood Gibson, manager of the association for Victoria and Tasmania.

Dealing with the fall in the price of flax, and the effect of this on the industry in Southland, the “Winton Record” says: —The infatuation which in recent years seemed to seize a number of those who got the impression that flaxmilling was an easy way to fortune, is now cooled, and they are regretting their purchases of green leaf at the exorbitant royalties prevalent during the last two years. Meantime there is ©very likelihood of the bulk of the mills closing down for the winter months. In fact some of the shrewdest operators contemplate closing down indefinitely, unless a marked improvement in price is forthcoming. The fact that the State of Georgia has recently decided to abolish the pillory calls attention not merely to that State having been the last in the American Union to do away with this relic of barbarism, but to the length o f time it has taken a civilised community to realise its- duty in this regard. What contributed to its abolition in Great Britain not far from a century ago was not merely its brutality, but its frequent effect in turning its occupants into popular heroes. Defoe’s famous “Hymn to the Pillory” did much to shake the old belief in its efficacy; aad when a London bookeelletr, early ia the reign of George 111., was placed in the pillory in New Palace Yard for having reprinted Wilkes’s “North Briton,” he was greeted with the loud acclamations of more than ten thousand spectators, and holding a branch of laurel in his hand for the hour of his exposure, he had the satisfaction of seeing a collection made for him awong the crowd, realising oyer £3OO. And when the Ministry which instigated the infamous prosecution of Lord Cochrane did not dare to allow to he carried out that portion of the sentence which included the pillory, lest the London crowd should canonise him, the end of the barbarism was brought very near—to be abolished in 1815 for all crimes save perjury, to be used for the last time in 1830, and to be finally done away with in 1837.

in presiding over the fourth annual dinner at London of the Liberal League. Lord Rosebery said:—l referred the other day to colonial policy, and I will supplement what I then said by stating that I hope and believe—l be'ieve as much as I hope—that when this new Government comes in it will make not its second, nor its third, nor its fourth business, but its very first business, and be animated throughout by that spirit, to bring the Liberal party o :ce mere into close and intimate relations with every part of the .Empire. I am never reluctant to apply unwelcome truths. I am afraid that friends think I am too prone to apply them. It would he useless to ignore the fact that the Liberal party in past years, not altogether owing to its own fault, has got out of some sympathy in relation to the colonies—the outer Britains. (No, no.) I am very glad to hear that “No. no,” but I should he glad to have that negative substantiated. Considering that all the parties in the outer Britains are essentially Liberal —(cheers) —whether they be called Liberals or not. it is a subject for melancholy consideration, and it is subject also for ardent hope in connection with the impending Liberal Government, that the closeness of the tie which, should exist between Liberals in the Mother Country and Liberals in the children, countries is not as close as it ought to be. (Hear, hear.) I hope that those who may have to form the new Government will, not flag for a moment, in season and out of season, in re-estabhshing • the connection between the Liberal party at home and our fellow-subjects in the colonies. (Cheers.)

Mr Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, states that the Bay of Islands oyster beds, which have been closed for some time, are coming on very well. They are not yet in a fit state to pick from owing to the very large quantity of immature oysters. During the coming session of Parliament a bill will be introduced to enable the Wellington Corporation to declare all or any of the private streets and private ways mentioned in the schedule to the bill to be public streets of the city. Copies of the bill are' deposited in the Magistrate’s Court and the City Council offices.

Messrs Thomas Borthwick and Sons have accepted the tender of the General Electric Company, New York and London, for all motors and electric work in connection with the new freezing works at Hastings, which are now in course of erection from the plans and under the supervision of Mr J. C. Maddison, F.R.1.8.A., Wellington. The representative of the Electric Company in New Zealand is Mr F. Welch, of Wellington.

The battleship New Zealand -wont through her gunnery trials at Portsmouth last month, and passed through the tests very satisfactorily in all respects save one. This was in connection with the firing of the big 12-incli guns in the after barbette. When these were discharged the first time the crew wondered what had happened. So' great was the concussion that the men were more or less stunned, the furniture in the ward-room was pitched about in all directions, the stove riven from its moorings and crockery galore Speaking at the meeting of the Wellington ('No. 1) branch of the -Liberal and Labour Federation last week, the Attorney-General (the Hon Colonel Pitt) said that Liberals generally did not care mucb about large sums being spent on military matters, but they had had an example in what had happened in the present Russo-Japanese war from which they might take a lesson. The military expenditure, _ he was sure, could be reduced, and still a force maintained equal to the necessities of the colony. That being so, he thought wo could afford to make an additional grant in favour of the upkeep of the Australian squadron ; because we must recognise that if New Zealand was to be defended, it must be by the British fleet; and unless Britain held command of the sea her supremacy would be prejudiced as much as Japan’s would have been if Rozhdestvensky bad been able to defeat Togo at the last encounter.

The Scenery Preservation Commission is at present holding sittings in the Parliamentary Buildings. There were present on Friday Messrs S. Percy Smith (chairman), W. W. Smith, J. W. A. Merchant, and H. J. Matthews. Mr Tunuiarangi will attend to-day. The Commission sat at Invercargill in the middle of March, and since then some of the Commissioners have been travelling about through Southland, Otago, and Canterbury visiting places which have been suggested as desirable to he reserved for scenic purposes. The purpose of the present meeting is to eonskler these spots, and put into proper form the recommendations it is intended to make for the' consideration of the Government. There are a great many places to be considered all over the colony, and the Commission will probably he sitting in Wellington for some little time. After transacting this work it will break up for the winter, owing to the expense and delay of travelling in winter. Operations w.ll he resumed in the spring. The Commission has practically finished with Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Auckland, and Taranaki, although applications and suggestions are constantly cropping up which demand inspection and consideration, Any persons having suggestions to make to the Commission will be cordially welcomed.

In the Otago Education' Board’s report for 1904. which is iust issued, the inspectors of the Board have the following remarks on the subject of the dearth of young teachers for the public schools of the colony:—“Medicine and law, commerce and manufactures are competing all too successfully for our capable young men. There is no profession of higher importance to the State than that of public school teacher; there is no investment of the working man’s share of taxation safer or more profitable than the amount expended on his children’s education; but, when the parent sees the place of the capable, successful teacher taken by one without a certificate of even the lowest grade, he naturally questions whether his rulers are alive to the value of education, and are giving him a fair equivalent for his share of taxation. It is true that the State is now making provision for the education and training of teachers: hut it is evident that more than this is necessary to induce the requisite number of capable young men to enter and ronlain in the pirefeVision. Among the much-needed inducements we place better working conditions, higher remuneration, and a superannuation scheme that will bring appreciably nearer to the aspiring teacher the few prizes of the service, as well as provide for retirement in his old age.”

Mr Bryant’s farm of over a thousand acres, at Ohariu V alley, is under offer to the Government. It is on this land that the proposed tunnel from Orofton would debouch.

The trouble about the early closing olause of the Shops and Offices Act seems to be confined to Wellington. Advices reoeived from different sources show that in the other large centres, particularly in Auckland, the act is being faithfully observed without causing friction.

The cost of a fire brigade motor, such as Superintendent Hugo has spoken so highly of, would be about £9OO. This includes provision for chemical apparatus for fire suppression, a chest capable of holding a thousand yards of hose, and other gear needed for the prompt suppression of fires. Superintendent Hugo is of opinion that such a firemotor would be an economical investment for the city of Wellington. The Chief Justice left for Blenheim last week. He expects to be absent from Wellington nmil Saturday tin 17th inst. He will proceed to the Wairarapa on the 19th inst., to hear the compensation claim of Ida Isabel Bkiwi'll against the Minister of Lands. The claimant seeks £2600 for fifty acres of land, being portion of the Tawaha estate, acquired by the Government under the Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900, as well as for loss arising from disturbance. It is expected that the hearing of the claim will last two or three days. A meeting of the committee appointed by the conference of local bodies and those interested in providing sanatoria for consumptives in the Wellington district was held last week in the Town Hall, to make recommendations regarding the allocation of 1. £2500 subscribed for the purpose l , and the Government subsidy, which wil' make the total £5500. Mr John Smith, acting-chairman of the Hospital Trustees, presided. There were present— Drs Collins, Martin, Newman, Valintine, Messrs Luke, Godber, Kirk, and Nodin©. The question of enlarging the accommodation to be provided a Otaki, so as to provide for increasing the accommodation there to thirty beds, and of acquiring, say, twenty-five acres of land there, as well as of providing shelters for ten patients at Wellington, tvas discussed. After consk! ©cable discussion, it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Mr R. ■ Kirk, seconded Dr Collins, “Thn + this committee authorises the Wellington District Hospital Board to complete the sanatorium at Otaki with thirty shelters, lighting, and water supply, and to augment as far as necessary the £2500 of the Board’s funds available, to an amount .not exceeding £2500, without further vote; and that it be suggested to the V. ©. iington Hospital Trustees that estimates be at once obtained, and plans submitted, for ten shelters and necessary accommodation in Wellington/’

Visitors to Otaki in connection with the sitting of the Native Trusts Commission had an opportunity last week of inspecting tire church which was built entirely by. Maoris something like fifty year© ago, and also of viewing the monument erected to the memory of Te Rauparaha—the marble statue, which, it is said, sadly misrepresents the features of that redoubtable fighting chief—and, lastly, his grave. The church—many times described—is unique. Its exterior differs little in appearance from the style of architecture which has been generally adopted in the construction of Anglican churches in outlying districts in Nerv Zealand and in Australia. There is the same pointed Elizabethan roof, and similar windows, with the same diamond-shaped panes. But the ulterior is quite a departure. The lofty roof-tree is supported by three huge totara columns, which at infinite labour were transported from far-distant forests by the willing labour of hundreds of natives at the instance of their chiefs, who had then ad on ted Christianity. The walls from the floor rio-ht to the high-reaching angles of the roof are lined and ornamented with beautifully even supplejack canes, hound together with white stained strips of vinos, crossed and re-crossed in true native fashion, hut carry big nothing of barbarism in the design. The main panels of tho walls are composed of planks of hand-wrought totara, possibly 30ft long by 3ft wide, and about 14in thick. The furniture of the building now includes an American organ — probably a recent addition. The pews, wTi’ch cover a considerable area of the floor-space, are well made of clear kauri pine. Indeed, the building speaks eloquently of the fact that when it was erected the Maoris had at heart the ohiects for which it was intended. The huge white pole standing across the way from the church near the statue of Te Rauparaha conveys little to the mind of the European. It hears a number of dates, beginning at the bottom with 1840 and running upwards to late years, hut their significance seems to have been forgotten. The grave of Te Rauparaha is in a■ very neglected condition. It is with difficulty that it can be found, although there is a slate headstone. His last resting-place appears to have been forgotten, although his name is still held in veneration, not unmixed with awe, by the natnes o the district-