LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3784, 5 July 1899, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' At the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning one first offender was fined os, or in default seven days’ imprisonment Tho Fab.’an Dramatic Company has made an offer to Mr Bainhridge, M.A., for tho production of his romantic threeact drama, “Esna.” Tho second annual bah of the Wellington Licensed Victuallers’ Association has been arranged to take place at the Choral Hall on Monday, 31st inst. The sixth annual Otago reunion will he hold in tho Choral Hall on Monday 17th July. Ex-residents of Otago whose names have not been submitted to the committee arc requested to forward “ heir names to the hon secretary (Mr A. bimpson) before the 13th instant. A meeting of Now South AValcs, Victorian, Queensland and South Australian Naval Commandants will be held at Melbourne at the end of the month to consider the question of the formation of an Australian reserve and other matters in connection with the naval defence of the Australian'colonies. ■ln “Synodisms” in yesterday’s issue Von. Archdeacon Stock was quoted as “the only clergyman to quote Biblical maxims in opposition to the admission ,cf women to tho franchise for the election of vestrymen.” This was an error. It was Ven. Archdeacon Pancohrt -who was the opponent of woman’s suffrage on the Biblical authority. At tho end of last month the percentage reductions of -the salaries of Victorian Civil servants, which have Keen in operation for the past seven years, ceased, thus bringing to a close the severe policy of retrenchment necessitated by the state of the public finances. It is estimated that about £750,000 has been saved by these percentage reductions. , Attention is drawn by an announcement in our advertising columns to the fact that a now'and special feature of the “New Zealand Mail” is “a picturesque, and satirical chronicle of men, manners, and matters in the House,” under the title of “The Talking Shop, Day by Day,” by “Jingle Junior.” Tho report, which is non-partisan, will be .- of special interest to country readers who have not an opportunity of attending tho debates.

The ladies of Loyal Sister Wallis Lodge held a “social” in their lodgeroom last night. Many gentleman friends attended and helped in the- entertainment. A long and interesting programme was rendered, in whicli instrumental items were given- by Miss Powell and Messrs Lindsay, Calton, Bird and Norris. Songs wercsnng by Bro. Boharrell, and several recitations were contributed by Miss Ackroycl, Bro. Will and Mr Day. Several ’beautiful, tableaux wore presented -by members of the lodge, and an amusing “ bone solo ” was played by Bro. Hindley. A substantial supper was served. An invention, termed the Douglas automatic tidal water-motor, for making use of the motive power of tho tides, has been placed in the hands of Mr A. D. Douglas, of Auckland, and provisional protection is now being applied for throughout tho world. _ The machine is designed to work automatically with the rise and fall of the tide, and it is claimed that it will act without any other assistance. When placed in tho sea, a tidal river, or , creek, it may bo used for generating electricity for power and lighting, and for driving machinery in factories and workshops. - By a mice plague in the Wimmera (Victoria) last month, great damage was done to the hay and wheat stocks. A farmer at Devon North killed upon an average 1000 mice a day. In one night alone 1500 were killed by the agency of poisoned flour. Another farmer removed twenty bags of wheat, and killed 1535 mice. A Kowell farmer for weeks past poisoned in his dwelling-li’onse an average of 150 mice a night. The paper on the walls of the rooms was completely riddled by the pest. Even in Horsham the plague was giving much trouble, many householders being at ’their wits’ end to know how to cope -with it.

A box of'fish has been sent by tbc Napier Fish, Distributing Company to this office, and its contents have been sampled by various members of the literary and commercial staffs. The fish, which arrived in perfect condition, despite the long journey by train, consisted of soles and flounders in bundles containing from four to six, these being intended to bo retailed at eighteenpence a bundle. Cooked, the fish proved most delicious, according to the unanimous judgment of those who tasted them. With cheaper railway rates, there can be no doubt that Napier fish .would be in much greater demand than they now arc in Wellington. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning Mr Haselden, S.M.. gave judgment for plaintiffs in the following undefended cases:—Stewart Timber and Glass Company v. W. Dick, £l2 15s Id ; Empire Loan Company v. C. W. Langstone, £6 19s 8d: Empire Loan Company v. R. W, Mouat, £9 18s; J. J. K. Powell y. L. Johnson and Company, £ll 16s : Kirkcaldie and Stains v. Edgar Watt, £8 Os 8d ; George Bradley v. Charles Sebree. £3 11s. The following judgment summonses were then taken: —In the case of 1.. Diamante v. J. L. Kimball, claim £8 11s, defendant was ordered .to pay 10s a week. In the case of J. J. K. Powell v. William Tulford. £9 3s. the defendant was ordered to pay the amount forthwith. or 'll default seven da vs’ imprisonment. In the case J. J. K. Powell v. William Rice and .W.;.Short,. £l2 ,6s 4d, judgment was given for plaintiff.

The smart little third-class yacht Hippie was lifted out of the water by the Harbour Board’s ten-ton crane yesterday and trollied along to the shed, where she, in common with other yachts, will be laid up during the winter months.

A witness who appeared before the Arbitration Court yesterday declared that lie considered work in Wellington was harder than anywhere else in the colony. It was not working, it was sweating. Men had to work more like machines than human beings, and at high pressure all day. We have again to acknowledge the receipt of Messrs Harcourt and Co’s monthly “Register and Property Investors’ Guide,” which is now of so much interest to investors in all kinds of freehold and leasehold properties in all parts of the colonies, and copies of which will hi forwarded free to any address on application.

Ycstrday afternoon Mr W. H. Quick, as chairman of. the Conciliation Board, tiled a declaration with the Clerk of Awards to the effect that the Board had been unable to bring about conciliation in the dispute between the Seamen’s Union and the local shipowners. It is understood that the shipowners will now refer the matter to the Arbitration Court for settlement.

The forthcoming show of the Wellington Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society is evidently going to be a success. Up till ten o’clock last night just on seven hundred entries had been received for the exhibition, which is to take place on the 13th, 14th and loth July in the Garrison Hall. The committee is sparing no pains to make this show even more successful than any of its predecessors. An attractive feature will be the musical programme of the Garrison Band, which has been engaged not only to play at the hall, but will parade from Cuba street every evening that the exhibition is being hold.

There was a large attendance at the South Wellington State School Bazaar yesterday afternoon and evening. The younger members of the community were especially prominent. In the evening a well-selected programme was performed. Misses Billman and McLean played a pretty pianoforte duct “ Westward Ho” for which they were encored. Mr V. Sears contributed a song, “My Love for Thee,” by a colonial composer, Mr T. Mincher, of the steamer Takapuna. The members of the Girls’ Class at.the Newtown Gymnasium gave an Indian club performance. Other items were a mandolin and piano duet by Misses Hazelwood and Rowe and a flute solo, ‘ Romance,” by Mr H. L. M. Atcherley. The Rev Tdrisyn Jones, M.A., the accredited lecturer of the British Israel Association, will arrive to-morrow by the Rotoiti, and will be able to give only one lecture, he having to leave for Sydney the following day (Friday). The subject of the lecture is occupying the attention of persons of all ranks in Great Britain, the colonies, and America. The executive of the British Israel Association includes’among its members 'men of eminence in clerical, military and business circles, as may be seen by referring to the circulars that have been distributed throughout the city. In consequence of the widespread inter =st being shown in the . rev. gentleman’s visit, the lecture will be hold at die Opera House to-morrow (Thursday) at 7.30 p.m., and riot at the Rcchabite Hall, as has been previously announced.

The Wellington Hospital Trustees met yesterday in the City Council •Chambers. There were present—The Hon F. H. Fraser (chairman), Messrs C. W. Brown, C. M. Luke, R. C. Kirk, G. Webb and C. E; Willeston. A letter was read from the resident doctor, notifying the resignation of Sister Mabel (Miss Brown) who has been appointed matron of the Masterton Hospital. The letter also recomihended the promotion of Nurse Chamberlain to the position of head nurse. A statement showed that there were in the Hospital at,.the present time 136 patients, including 15 children. A letter was read from the Rev W. Ballachey, asking that the Anglican Church should have the same privileges as to religious services in the new. chapel at the Hospital as they had enjoyed uuring the time services had been held in a room in the Hospital. It was decided to reply that, while the Trustees recognised that the present arrangements were working satisfactorily, and there was no intention to alter them, they could not give an assurance binding them to adnere to any definite scheme, except that they could be relied upon to give such opportunities for religious services as would bo just to all sections of the church.

A cable message the other day spoke ot tne success of the Victorian exhibits at the Greater Britain Exhibition at Earl’s Court. On this subject a London correspondent writes : —Victoria; which makes distinctly the most notable display of the exhibition, has several fine halls, in one of which she displays a notable collection of wools and interesting exhibits connected with woolgrowing. Another hall is devoted to the gold-mining industry, and attracts much attention. A third displays all the 'excellence of the Victorian State school system, and has upon its walls pictures by Victorian artists, and fine samples of the work of Victorian photographers. A magnificent fruit trophy catches the eye of the visitor in the entrance hall, and an inscription informs him that all those cases of fruit are renewed every week from the supplies coming forward in refrigerated chambers. The fruit is also for sale at certain specified addresses, and it looks so tempting that T verily believe a large number of London householders will make a note of the address. A very fine display is made of Victorian wines, which are sold at 6d per large glass, in a handsome kiosk. There are handsome trophies of butter, leather, ploughs and Victorian timbers. The following defended cases were adjudicated upon by Mr Haselden, S.M.. in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday: Geo. Shaw v. S. Philp, claim £l6 13s, judgment for the plaintiff with £2 Gs costs ; Langstono Sheen Medicine Company v. Hans Conrodsen, claim £3O, plaintiff nonsuited with £1 12s id costs ; Michael David v. Aincon Toatfec, claim £1 12s 2d, plaintiff nonsuited. In the last case Mr Haselden said he could not say which side was telling the truth, and therefore ordered each side to pay its own costs.. In the civil action Commercial Agency v. Pope, Mr Hysehlon gave his reserved judgment. The defendant had ordered the Wellington volume of a work entitled. ‘‘The Cycloptedia of New Zealand,” but on reading the first part he was dissatisfied with it, •■ncTaccordingly returned it with the cancellation of his order and forfeiture of his deposit (21s). His Worship said in his judgment:—“Tho publishing company take an order by. fraud, they receive one fourth the contract price, they deliver something outside the real subject of the contract, and because; that something is not returned in exactly the same state in which it was delivered, they claim that the defendant is bound to fulfil the contract to take the real subject and pay the price! This contention is repugnant to common sense, and common justice. The publishing company has been overpaid for the ‘free copy’ Uho sample sent to defendant), and I do not think they are entitled to recover in this action.” Judgment, with costs, was accordingly given for the defendant.. -Mr Toung appeared for the .plaintiffs, aud Mr Cooper for the defendant.'

In consequence of the inclemency of the weather, the meeting of the We’lington Philosophical Society, whicn was to have been held last night, was postponed for a week.

The last picture thrown on the screen at Mr John Holmes’s lecture lasc nigiit was one of Her Majesty the Queen, and the large audience, which had listened attentively to the lecture, rose at the invitation of Mr Holmes and sang the National Anthem. A vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Mr S. Brown, president of the Industrial Association, who presided, was carried amidst applause.

Tljp Wharf Labourers’ Union held an enthusiastic meeting last night. The revised rules were discussed and adopted with alterations recommended In the committee. A resolution was passed fixing the night of meeting a? Wednesday instead of Thursday. Mr J. Withers was elected as an additional trustee. The matter of appointing a paid secretary was discussed and deferred till next meeting. The secretary reported that the union now embraced ”o(J members. At a meeting of the Hospital Trustees yesterday a letter was received from the Secretary to the Labour Department stating that he had reason to believe that the (laundresses at the institution'are working extremely long horns—sometimes from 8 a.ni. to 8 p.ra. The Trustees would, ho thought, admit tiiat 12 hours’ daily work (part of which consists in carrying heavy baskets of wot clothes up a steep hill) is improper for women. He has ruled the laundry at the Hospital to bo a factory, but 1m does not wish to compel the Trustees to icgistcr it as such if it can be avoided, and he suggests that the best thing for the Trustees to do in order to obviate tho necessity for Government inspection is lor them to give him an assurance that in future l tho eight hours’ day for the women in question will be adhered to. The chairman explained that none of the women worked 42 hours a week, and some of them only 37 hours. Tho Trustees decided that the chairman should interview the Secretary of tho Labour Department on the subject.