LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3639, 13 January 1899, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A very readable supplement will be issued to-morrow morning with the '• Times,” which will include two stories written by Mr H. B. Vogel, entitled " Mugger, C.8./' and " Torpedoed.” Besides these, there will he Echoes of tho Week, Sporting Notes, Dramatic News and an article on Imperial politics. The Mariposa's colonial mails of December 24 arrived at San Francisco on January 11, the due date. The sitting of the Native Land Court, which was to have taken place at Greytown North on the 17th instant, has been adjourned till further notice. The organ given awoy by the Dresden Piano Company to purchasers of pianos or organs during last month goes to Mr Richardson, of Stratford, farmer. At a committee meeting of the Wellington Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society, held last night, it-was decided to hold the annual meeting on the,26th inst. At a meeting of contributors to the Ladies’ Christian • Association yesterday afternoon Mesdamos , jfitzGerald and AAnderson, the retiring trustees, wore reelected, Tlie annual meeting of contributors of tbe Wellington Hospital was to have been held yesterday afternoon to elect a trustee, but. as there was not a quorum present, it was adjourned , for a fortnight. Mr J. Danks is the retiring trustee.

At a meeting of contributors to the Home for the Aged Needy, held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, Mr J; G. W. Aitken in the chair, the retiring - trustees, Messrs J. A. Smith and i. Dunks, were re-elected without opposition.

The annual meeting of contributors to tho funds pf the Wellington Benevolent Institution was held yesterday to elect a trustee in place of Mr T. W. McKenzie, Messrs D. Robertson and McKenzie were nominated; and on a vote being taken Mr Robertson was elected. . The charge of criminal assault on a ghrl at Masterton preferred against a young ump named Robert Douglas was on Wednesday adjourned until Monday next. The accused w.o# brought down to tho Terrace Gaol, where hg will remain till the date fixed for the preliminary hearing.

From Messrs Zohrab and Co., agents for Mr Peter Dawson,, the celebrated distiller of Scotch whisky, we acknowledge reffHPt of an.; elegantly got-up calendar, diary and blotter combined, which calls in the aid of poetry and art to advertise tbe virtues of Dawson's -Jjqueur. Mr Eyre Kenny, S.M., yesterday granted to Mr Thomas A. Keegan a license to carry oh a registry office. Wo understand Mr Keegan is acting as manager for tbe_ Associated Hotelkeepers' , Labour Exchange, which is intended to supply a long-felt w a>jt among hotelkeepers in the supply of servant* for hotels.

- Before the ttatiyo Appellate Court yesterday, when Judges ManteY and Butler occupied the Bench, Mr H. D. Dell applied for a final order in regard to the late Major Kemp's title in connection with Horowbenua Block XIV.' After consideration, the application was granted, the order to f/jjcp effect from the 14th April, 1898. 19 has been fixed as tho date of the annual dinner of the Yorkshire Society. The 'annual picnic had been fixed for Anniversary Doy’G)j| ?& T > “ ut “ has been decided, on account of some ot the members having made other holiday arrangements, to postpone the picnic till Easter Monday, the nearest holiday followj*S> - : V . 'The nawning of a quantity of goods, which were subsequently traced as belong-, ing to Messrs Stewart nnd Co., Courtenay, place, was reported reqenti y fp ghiet-Ue-tective Campbell. From inquiries made. Detective Campbell'last night arrested a former employee of the firm, named John: Day, on a charge of stealing the goods. Day will be charged with the offence at the Magistrate’s Court this morning.

Miniripra keep up the pleasant custom of sending /Chi-mtiuas and New Year greetings. The card insuyd by the Premier for ISuS 99 is embellished p group portrait of the ’ .Cabinet/ and also wjtb a photo-engraving of Mr Seddon standing by the side of the late Sir George Grey, who is acated. The Hon John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, has also-sent a very handsome card, the leading features of whiofe are aii illustration of a surveyor at work an<l p beautiful view of Lake Wnil.arcmqaua.

The report of Mr 15. Oewiid. accountant iu the Official Assignee’s office, on the ■ bankrupt estate of Andrew Moran, storekeeper, states that “the result of the investigation into the accounts is very unsatisfactory." After Various comments, the rcpoit .concludes: —"It will be seen that cither the bankrupt had on JE4851 2s 3d, goods . purchased Uhi§' amount is undisputed, and is in alf proijab/ljty larger), a gross profit of only .£560 ,6s, or about 114 per cent., or that there is a deficiency to be explained equivalent to the difference between .this and what would be estimated as the average gross profit in a business of tjii# ifijld/

Tbe contributors pf th,e Convalescent Home met in the City Council Chambers vosterday afternoon, when tim rctifing 'trustee, Mrs Joseph, who occupied the chair, was . re-elected without opposition. Tin’ report stated that the Homehadbeen largely patronised during the past year, and the 'nihnng'ejnpnt J?ad . been good in every respect. ' The matron, Mrs Rutter, was complimented pn the satisfactory way in which she discharged her duties. Regret was expressed at the absence pf Mrs Bristow (who has left for Hojne), she having ever taken a lively interest in the management and maintenance of the in-, stitution. . j The Government has received a circular issued by the Board of Customs setting forth the modified practice now obtaining in the United Kingdom in regard to the treatment of goods passing through that country in transit for re-exportation, consequent upon the recent report of the Select Committee of the House of Com-, mons on the Merchandise Marks Acts. In' transmitting the circular, Mr Chamberlain says:—"lt will be observed that the suggestion is made that the colonial authorities should satisfy'themselves that goods bearing marks indicating British origin vrljich arrive in a vessel which has cleared from a British' port are really of British production bv rappqfacture, and are hot foreign goods-whicji Lafe merely passed through the United Kingdom?*-" V Some time since Messrs Baker Bros., estate agents, invited competitive' designs for cheques to be used by the firm, it being a condition that the ‘designs.must be characteristic fy' Nyw Zealand/ and -contain pictures oj ae6ii.es, ijhylrating the business carried on’by the firin', Tjiere were in all 20 designs sent iu; the competitors hailing from -Wellington, Wahganui.Chri'stchTireb, Invercargill, Dunedin, Ashburton, ; Westland, Auckland and Napier. ' The judges; gir Robert Stout and MrT. de J. Clerh, architect, awarded the ‘first prize to the Zealand!.* /Printing, l Company .Christchurch, the second'to Mt J. W. Rough, Invercargill, and the third to'Miss 13/ M; Cheeseman. AlieTdhnd. Mr fi."Edgar, GUfljstchufch, would hare heap awarded a prize, only he failed to comply With 'the conditions. The designs are of' considerable merit, and will he on view in Megsrs Baker Bj-og/ windows fof q day op tW9-

Eleven marriages were dissolved last year by the Wellington Supreme Court, as against six in 1897.

Dr Van Slyke has been appointed eye, ear, nose and throat specialist to Court Sir George Grey. The next examination of surveyors, under the Land Act, 1892, jvill be held on the 7th March.

A copy of the Dentists’ Register of New Zealand and one of the register of medical practitioners are published in this week’s “ Gazette." The Court Pride of Foxton, No. 8385, lias been registered as a branch of the Auckland District Ancient Order of Foresters' Friendly Society. Wo have to thank the Secretary of the Post Office for a copy of the " Ocean Mail Time-tables for 1899," a very complete and compendious booklet, neatly bound in leather, and with its information clearly set forth.

Nominations for a City Councillor to represent the Thorndon Ward (to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Joseph Myers’ defection) close before noon on the 25th inal. The polling is to take place at the Sydney street Schoolroom on February 6lh. The s.s Euahine is reported to have arrived at Monte Video on Wednesday, and it was confidently expected that a message would have been received by the Police Department yesterday from Sergeant Wright proclaiming the identity o’f the man arrested on board the Maori, and supposed to be Joseph Myers, wanted in Wellington on charges of forgery. However, no message had been received up to midnight, but it is expected that a cable will be received from the sergeant during the course of to-day. A correspondent, who professes to represent twenty readers of the "Times," writes to say that they have heard with great regret of the proposed transference of Mr H. Eyre Kenny, S.M., from Wellington. They regard this as the outcome of prejudice caused by a clique of the Magistrate's opponents. They say they have always found him most courteous, able and conscientious as a public official, and should the proposed transference be seriously contemplated they, as a section of the Wellington public, will do their utmost to oppose it. “Hands Across the Sea” is,the appropriate motto at the top of a handsome Christmas card forwarded from the companionship of the “New York Herald," at the Paris office, “ to their fellow-crafts-men of the ' New Zealand Times.’" The central design is a beautiful photo-engrav-ing of the Arc de Triomphe, with portion of the gay French capital in the background. Needless to say. our office reciprocates the fraternal spirit which prompted the, sending of this greeting for brethren in trade, now doubly linked because of the Anglo-American friendship. The number of candidates for the four

professorial chairs of the Victoria College University was 177, made up separately as follows:—Classics, 511-47 of whose applications came through the Agent-General’s office and 12 from the colonies; Chemistry and Physics, 31—24 from the Agent-Gene-ral and seven from the colonies; Mathematics, 50-40 from the Agent-General and 10 from the colonies; English Language and Literature, 37—24 from the AgentGeneral and 13 from the colonies. Each chair carries a salary of .£7OO per annum, with a five years’ engagement. The successful candidates have been notified by cable of their appointment. The weekly meeing of the Wellington Trades Council was held last night, Mr K. •McKenzie in the chair. The ordinary business of the Council was suspended to enable the Hon J. Eigg to deliver an address on municipal reform, dealing more especially with the recent extension of the municipal franchise. Mr Eigg explained the. provisions of the Act, and urged on the Council the necessity of taking steps to get on the roll all those entitled to the franchise. This must be done from the Ist to 14th April, as, according to Mr Eigg’s interpretation of the Act, the roll for the year, must be compiled between those dates, otherwise the householder would be disqualified for the year. The hon gentleman strongly urged on the Council d more progtessive municipal policy, arid said thp first step in this direction should be the municipalisation of the tramway and electric lighting systems of the city. After an animated debate a hearty vote of thanks was accopded to Mr Eigg for his address. Mr A. A. Brice, of the firm of Messrs A. A Brice : and Co., wholesale merchants. Broker! Hill, New South Wales, is at present in this city. Mr Brice’s mission is to ascertain if his firm can secure from this colony a regular supply of tip-top produce. They have been taking a considerable quantity of our butter, but found it not up to the mark (" not within 2d or 3d a pound of best Victorianand Mr Brice, is here to inquire why this is. Wisely, he has placed himself in touch with the Agricultural' Department, and yesterday he made the discovery that the butter which he has been getting was not graded. To-day he will observe for himself the grading operations going on in Wellington, and will then set oqt to New Plymouth, calling in at some of the factories en route, to ascertain where the very best butter is to be obtained. Broken Hill has about 30,000 in* habitants, and there are about 20,000 in the districts round about. The bulk are labouring men (chiefly miners), but they want the best of everything, aqd it is the business of the Messrs Brice to see that they get it. If we have anything: else in the way of produce guaranteed good and in 'regular supply they are prepared to do business. \

Ta Arc House is making a specialty of its tea room, which remains open from 11.8 D a.m. to 6.80 p.m. daily. Customers weary with shopping can obtain a refreshing cup of tea with confectionery in this well-appointed' apartment at most reasonable P "t will be seen by an advertisement elsewhere that Mr George Winder, ironmonger, is disposing of a quantity of fencing wire, Dover stoves and other linos. It appears his imports lately have boon very heavy, and to avoid taking out any further insuranno onjjls stock he decided to sell several lines at reduced prices to clear. ■■■'■. , Messrs Parr and Coleridge itjvito tenders lor painting, papethanging and giasing a residence at the Lower Hutt. Ta Aro House is at present holding an immense clearing sale, during which goods in all depart* ments will be sold at slaughtering prices. A special line of 1000 pairs of curtains will be placed on the tables to-day, while in the clothing department an all-round reduction of from 20 to 40 per cent, has The Onslow Borough Council gives notice that 10 per cent, will bo added' to unpaid.rates on and after the Sl'st inst. Mr Henry A. Evans, mining and general oom; mission agent, resumes business on Jjluesday next.;