LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3329, 11 January 1898, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On our back page will be found a report of the Magistrate’s Court proceedings and letters to the Editor,

In to-morrow’s Supplement will be found a large • quantity of interesting reading matter, • including a special article on “ Picturesque Marlborough,” short stories, entitled " The Absentee Landlord” and *' A Bush Ball” ; “ With Paper-kuifa and Pen,” by “ 0.W.,” and p ietry culled from vaiious sources.

Constable Hammond yesterday arrested a m n named James Flaherty on.a charge of assaulting a Chiuaman. We understand that five publicans are to be summoned by the po'ice for Sundiy trading as a result of visits by the officials on ? nuday last.

The New Zealand Farmers* Dairy Union has shipped by the Dclpbic for London 14 tO boxes butter, making a total of 712 S boxes sent so far this season by the Union. The milk supply for December, 1597, to the various creameries of the New Zealand Farmers’ l>airy Union is 471,280Jgallons, an increase of 50 per cent, on the supply for December, 1890.

Orders issued to the Manawatu Mounted Rifles for a training camp, 13th to 20th inst., have been cancelled by the Defence Department, as a camp will be held at Wanganui from 14th to 19th February.

A charge of being a rogue and a vagabond was yesterday preferred against a man named William Crowe, who was arrested by Detective Broberg. The accused is to be brought before the Magistrate’s Court this morning.

The contractor fer the new schoolroom of St. Mark’s, Mr E. Gray, has al nost completed the work of excavating for the foundations of the building, which is to occupy a site in front of the church, in Sussex square.

The handicaps for the mile fl it race which was added by the committee of the Natives* Association appear in this issue. The acceptances for all events al the sports close on Monday next, at the rooms, 21, Willis street.

Marram grass is about to be largely planted at New Brighton to check if possible the encroachment of the sand. Quantities of this grass sown on thousand dunes at Ocean Beach, near Dunedin, are likely to do good work in the way of reclamation.

The Masterton people are considering the advisability of celebrating the Agricultural and Pastoral Show and opening of the new Town Hall by keeping Up a carnival week, and a public meeting is to be held to consider proposals with that end in view. The programme for the Wellington Amateur Swimming Club’s aquatic carnival, which is to be held at the Queen’s Wharf on Anniversary Day, includes 50yda Maiden Handicap, 100yds .Provincial Championship, 7oyda Handicap (Ladies* Bracelet), 60yds Anniversary Handicap, and several smaller events. An orchardist at Kyneton, Victoria, has a simple method of entrapping the codlin moth. Procure one of the common sticky fly-papers, and tie it round a lantern with a lighted candle inside, and at night hang the lamp up among the fruit trees. The light attracts the moths, and they get stuck on the paper.

Councillor Devine has given notice that he will move at the next meeting of the City Council, “ That, having regard to the continued dry season and the great diminution of water in the reservoirs, the City Surveyor be empowered at any time, on giving 48 hours’ public notice, to discontinue the ‘ extraordinary ’ water supply.” During the 24 hours ended 9.30 a.m. yesterday, the wind. gauge recorded a horizontal movement of 620 miles, or an average velocity of nearly 24 miles an hour. The actual velocity was greater, as the north-west gale did not rage during the whole period. Yesterday the wind had changed to southerly, and the weather was beautifully fine. The statement of affairs in the estate of Robert John Kingan, of the Lower Hutt, trainer, a bankrupt, filed in the office of the OSioial Assignee yesterday, shows liabilities to the amount of £l4B 19s 3d. The largest creditors are W. Atyes, Christchurch, bookmaker, £3O, and B. Poole, Peilding, settler, £47 Is. All the creditors are unsecured; The debtor's assets are set down as nil. At last night’s meeting of the Loyal Britannia Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.H., Bro. H. S. Snell was installed N.G., Bro. Parker, V.G., and Bro. Longmore, 6.M. The members of the District Executive paid an official visit, and were received with the customary honours. The delegates for the district meeting, which is to be held on the 10th February at Masterton, will probably bo appointed at next lodge meeting. In connection with the Christmas Number of the New Zealand Maij,, which has had a phenomenal sale all over the colony, we may mention that the photographs reproduced of the arrival and reception of His Ex. oellenoy the Governor and Lady Kanfurly; also of the reception of the Bight Hon the Premier, were taken by Mr Christensen, of this city. As the process blocks show, Mr Christenson is one of the most successful of our local amateur photographers. An influential deputation of -city men waited upon Mr Nicholas Eeid yesterday afternoon and presented him with a requisition signed by a large number of payers of harbour duos, asking him to allow himself to be nominated as a member of the Wellington Harbour Hoard, iu succession to Captain Bose. Mr Eeid, in reply, said, personally, ha had not wished to take part in public life, but ho could not refuse the candidature in the face of such a requisition. He would therefore accede to their request. About 60 nominations have been received by Mr W. H. Tisdall lor the Annual Open Handicap of the Wellington Provincial Gun Club, to take place at the olub’s grounds at Petona on Tuesday, 25th iu 3 t. This number constitutes a record. The entries have come from all parts of the colony. A record stake, 120 eovs, is to be offered, allotted as folio vs i —First prize, £7O ; second, .£2O; third, £ls ; fourth, £10; fifth, £5. The handicaps are to bo declared on Thursday, by Mr Hector, and the acceptances close on the 2lst inst.

Sir Thomas Wemyas Eeid, writing on his visit to Russia, sayslt was only slowly that what I saw enabled me to realise the truth about Moaojw—the truth that it is no city of the dead, no relie of mediaeval times, but the living capital and centra of a mighty nation, which, though it may wall itself in against western ideas and manners, has an overflewirif ii o of its own, and an energy which it is expending freely in a tnousaud different directions. Tho-e who seek to realise what Russia really is, and what enormous potentialities of growth and development she poasesses'wiiihin herself, must goto Moscow.

The majority of the solicitors pr\otieing in Wellington di i nob re-open tbtir offieea, after the holidays, till yesterday. According to a resolution of the council of tbe Law So dety the offiqes of all bolldto s in the city were to be closed from the 2ith ©.cumber t.jL the Bth instant, inclasirQ, It is understood, however, tint fc vo or throe of the larger Qriqs, while not opposing the resolution, r© erve<j to them elves the right to oppn their offices last week,'on.the grou id it w -uld be highly ino mvaniont to qortam "f their clieuta to teep them closed, They according y opened their offices to tin public a w«ek earlier than the anjority of the profession. Court Lady Glasgow, Wo. 8201, A.0.P., mot l*st evening in the Foresters’ Util, Lambtnn quty, O.R. Sistc-r TJ. Bull presid-i-.g. The newly-elected officer* were duly installed in thoir re-pe*;tive offices, and a hearty vote of thanks, accompanied by the Forebters’ Fire, was given to the retiring officers. P.C.R. Si-ter Bull was presented with a F.O.tt. certificate ami nook ribbon, and b*>r name placed on the heepect Boxrd ot the Ojurt. the presentation boi ’g mile by Secretary Sister Aston, The quarterly and annual balance-sheets -as read were unanimously adapted, as was aUo the auditors* report by Senior Auditor Sister Fulton.

Hudson’s Su prise Pirty repeat-jd thdr excellent programme of SitnrcUy night at the 1? xchaago Hall last night. when encores we*o again numeronp. Mr Hud on’s negro sketches, the Jaugbterr.makingof Air Watkins, the sorjers of Miss Lillian Stanbridee, Miss. Violet £1 iott| and Mr Wallace King, the singing and dancing, of Miss Ida Ro slyo, c Mias Amy Thornton and Mr Kearns, the jjgglingfeats of M. Altro, and the must ml sk- tch by Messrs Watkins and Shirwin, were all well received. The company appears for only two nights raw©, and tho**> who have not witnessed the clever entertainment übou'd not fail to do so. A complete change of programme is announojßd for to-night, when a speciality will be introduced in the shape of a grand finale, u The grouping of the colours.”

'*©'Prs T. Honayne (General Manager of Railways), T. K Donme (Tr ffi.i Manager of IheWeilington-Napier section) ani Petorkin (Locomotive Kngineer) paW a visit to Cross* Creek yesterday, and inspected the w>rks in progress there, which include a very large new engine shod and extended water se vie now shunting sidings, and coal stages. Tbey also examined the wage>sh?ets, and enquired as to whether the hands had any compUinta to make in regard to excessive overtime or otherwise ; and although tbey we e in consultation with a large number ot men in all of the service, they informed a represehtaiiye of The Times last night that in not one case was dissatisfaction expressed. On the contrary,. those interrogated stated that they were satisfied with their treatment, and eoQie intimated tlvit they were asto iehed when tbey in the newspapers certain exaggerated statement'! as fcp the treatment of the “ Himutaka oilley Slaves.**' Tbs wage i-beets, too, disclosed nothing which would justify the sensational articles which were published iu the JYairarapa DiHi Times. In consequence of the heavy traffic, some of the men had been obliged to work overtim**, but no single case of hardship could be ascertained.

We have got out of the little village ata l e, and it is not c editable to the chief city of New Zealand to have the footpaths in some of its principal streets only half-pared * So said the Mayor at the meeting of the Public Works Committee last night, ia the course of discussion on an offer by Mr R. o‘Connor and other property-owners in Vivian street to bear half the coat of fl vgging . the footpath on the north side of that street from Tory to Taranaki streets. Mr Blair also agreed, with a councillor who held that ratepayers should not be called upon to pay a proportion of the cost of paving footpaths. Testimony was borne by councilors to the pro-gre-s of Vivian street, and to’he enterprise of Mr O’Connor in erecting 12 more shops in that thoroughfare. It was decided to make a recommendation to the City Council that 'ths offer of Mr O’Connor and his neighbours pHonM be accepted and the engineer authorised to put ‘the work ia hand as soon as he has the necessary material. It will be necessary to take up soffie asphalt," but this, it w** ed, baV been *sbw- Poroy-r 10 yeara. and required attention as it was v#»fy rough Councillor Fpaaer urg»-d that, more than one man should be empl y d in the making of flags. The engine r said that before that could be done a larger workshop would be required.

| Two of the Wairarapa rivers wore ii. 1 heavy flood yesterday owing to rain on the I hills.

An eel waighingJllb, captured by a Maori in the Waipoua river, has been on exhibition in llasterton.

Constables Eyan and Murphy were railed on last night to quell a disturbance on the steamer Otarama, which they did most effectually.

A special meeting of tlie Oity Council is to be held on Monday next to consider the Wellington City Empowering Act with reference to urgent works. ■

It is inspiriting in these days of drought to hear of a champion wheat crop. The Masterton Daily Times speaks of one belonging to Mr Judd, of Manaia, the straw of which is 7ft high!

A cyclists’ encampment —a phase of cycling which is popular in other countries—has been introduced into New Z aland. due Dunedin Club lately carried out the idea, and it proved to be very successful. At r- special meeting of the Wellington City Council held last night, a special order was passed for the acquisition of land for widening Old Customhouse street. The land is to be" taken under the Public Works Act. At Mount Cook Police Sta'.ion yesterday morning, Mr IV. Hildreth, J.P., presiding, two first offenders were discharged with a caution, and Hannah Morris, an old offender, was fined 40s, or seven days’ imprisonment.

Councillor Anderson has given notice of motion for the next meeting of the City Council, “ That the Government be reminded of their promise to form and flag the footpath on the completion of the Government Printng Office.” A draft of the consolidation of the city by-laws has been put into print. It was decided at the meeting of the Public Works Committee of the City Counoil last night that the consolidation should be circulated and referred to the By-laws Committee.

The infantry corps who are now encamped for training at Newtown Park are entering thoroughly into the work. From rere.lle yesterday morning, at 4.30, the men wore kept busy t il breakfast time, and in the evening spent an equally serviceable time in various military mance ivrea.

At Suva on Christmas Evo a band of Tongans kept up tho old English custom of oarol-singing. The troupe consisted of four female and six male voices, and, it is said, it would have been hard to find a bettor band of singers. They all had trained voices and thoroughly understood their parts. The usual • morning and afternoon trips to Day’s Bay will he made by the Duchess tomorrow, as per time-table published in another column. It should be observed that the morning trip starts at 9.30 instead of 10 o’clock, and tho last trip from the Bay will be 6 instead of 5 p.m.

When returning from Tawa Flat on Saturday Dr Horne, who is acting as locum lenens for Dr Boss at Petone, met with an accident, his trap capsizing. The doctor had one finger broken and one dislocated. Had the accident happened n few yards further on, the probability is that the doctor and his groom would have been thrown over an embankment to the extent of 30ft. A tube in the boiler of the engine of the Wellington-Napier train burst yesterday morning at Feitherston. The goods train was standing close by at the time, and the engine was taken from that and attachedto the passenger train, which proceeded on its way without delay. Great punctuality has been observed in the running of the through trains during the past few days. Messrs A. H. Barnett and S. Stafford, of this city, returned from an extended bicycle tour on Saturday. They wont to Auckland by the West Coast, taking steamer from New Plymouth to Onchunga, and rode back via Botorua and Napier. Mr MoKellar accompanied them for the greater part of the journey. The wheelmen found the baths at Botorua of great benefit for sunburns. The Public Works Committee decided last night to recommend the City Council to consent to the assignment of Cohen’s goldmining lease at Karori to Messrs James Atkinson Fryer. John Hindsmarsh, jun., and E. H. Williams, of Napier. Councillor Fraser remarked that ho believed that in three months’ time they would know all about this mine, as thq tunnel was being worked at from both ends. The half-yearly meeting of the Wellington Working Men’s Club was held last evening. The election of officers for the half-year resulted as follows: President. Mr F. Jennings; treasurer, Mr J. Atkinson j auditor, Mr Buokland; committee, Messrs B. Carmichael, T. Woodger, D. Skinner and Llewellyn. There is a dispute about the election of president, and litiga'ion is talked of.

The influenza epidemic is responsible for abnormal increases iu the sink pay of friendly societies -in Wellington. The Loyal Britannia Lodge of Oddfellows last night vot sick pay for 15 cases tor one ward in tue city alone, Cook Ward, irrespective of eight or nine oases of other sickness throughout the city. In one juvenile lodge of Oddfellows there has been more money voted for influenza patients in the past six months than in any twelve months of the past seven years. ~

The Wellington Butchers’ Employees* Association intend making their annual picnic a great success. There was a very large attendance at the meeting last night, 66 being present. Mr H. McArtney occupied the chair. Messrs Charles Duncan and Borthwiok were added to the committee. Further ■arrangements wore made in connection with -the proposed outing, which is to be held on the 23rd February next. The locality has not yet been fixed, but we understand that it will be somewhere in the Halt district. A report by the City Surveyor on the proposed Te Afo baths was laid before the Public Works Committee of the City Council at its meeting last night. Too site chosen by the Surveyor is 160 yards from Mrs Meeoh’s baths, and about 10 chains eastward of the originally-selected site. As designed the baths are to be 180 ft by 290 ft, and to enclose a superficial area of 43,500 ft, or two and a halt times the area of the Thorndon baths. Ths Mayor pointed out that the site chosen by the Surveyor would be overlooked by a considerable number of houses. On the motion of Councillor Devine it was decided to recommend the Council to approve of the proposed site, and to obtain the consent of the Harbour Board. The half-yearly meeting of the Poneke Lodge- of Druids was held in the Masonic Lodge last night, when the installation of officers was conducted by D.P. Bro. J. Fietoher. Bro. A. Wolfe was elected D.A.D., and Bro. H. Wynyard was re-eleoted secretary for the seventh time. The other’officers chosen were as follow: —Treasurer, Bro. Foote; I.G , Bro. J. Whisker; 0.G., Bro. Murphy; V.D , Bro. J. Sharpe; A..D.8., Bros. J. Crichton and G. Martin; Y.A.8., Bros J Gardiner and S. Bright; M.S., Bro. J. Packard. Bro. Flanagan and F.everal other visiting members were accorded the customary honours. Two members were initiated and one proposed. The death levy unler the district rules was fixed at £55. The evening ended in harmony.

Attention Is called to Mr O. Smith’s new advertisement, in which be quotes ladies' blouses and shirts at particularly low prices, Messrs Francis .Sidey and Co. sell household furniture and effects this afternoon at their rooms.

Messrs A, G. Tains and Co. soil Mr Coupland’s furniture and effects on the premises Hawkestone street, on Friday, At 1 o’clock to-day Messrs George Thomas and Co. will conduct an unreserved sale of household furniture, garden requisites, &c., at the residence of Mr T. H. Burnett, Lower Hutt, adjoining Lady Buckley’s late residence, close to the Kailway Station.* Intending buyers from Wellington should leave by the 12 o’clock train from the Thorndon Station. ■