LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'I lie Fire . Brigades’ Conference at Cliristcfcurcll was attended by over sixiy delegates, a record number.

The Rev. John Collio, MA. (Prcshytcriiiu Church cf Otago and .Southland; is gazetted an officiating minister under die .Marriage Act.

A notice of intention to lake land in Wellington City for tho purpose ot erecting an "extension of the Wellington Post Dilieo appears in this week’s -Gazette.”

Letters of naturalisation hare been issued to eleven persons resident in the colony, including Lothair Hugo Langvad ami John Vincent lo Houuc, both of Wellington.

Nearly 15,000 acres in the -Mangapoiko block, Nuhaka North Survey District, lias been, set apart for settlement, and also a block of 4200 acres in the Nuhaka and Nuhaka North districts. An area of 1030 acres in the Langdale settlement has also been set apart for leasing as a small grazing run. The man Jeremiah McCarthy, who is at present serving a long sentence in Lyttelton Gaol, will bo charged at the Police Court at Waimate to-day with the murder of a swagger named Sullivan, who was found dead on tho road near Waihao, South Canterbury, over tour years ago.

Tho following aro among tho appointments appearing in this week’s •‘Gazette”:—Francis H. D. Bell, to be Consul for Denmark at VV cllington ; Jas. llobertson, to be a clerical cadet in tho Lands and Survey Department ; Arthur Wells, to he clerk of the Wellington Lunatic Asylum. Advantage is being taken of the low state of the, Rangitikei River to float down 10,000 railway sleepers and 3000 posts a distance of forty miles to the -Vlahohino Viaduct, where a boom has been constructed actions the river. The work is expected to employ twontythreo men for a. fortnight. The City Engineer (.Mr Rnunthwaite) has reported to the Tramway Committee of tho City Council on tho matter of his investigations' into tramway matters. It is anticipated that tho report of tho Tramway Committee on tho reorganisation of tho .sendee will be presented at the next meeting of tho Council. Tho “Otago Daily Times” says that hut for the scarcity of labour the Heriot railway extension work would bo put in hand by the Public Works Department. As tho harvest is likely to bo general in Otago in a few days, given fine weather, tho prospect of securing men for the work is scarcely likely to be improved.

Included in the arrivals in the colonv for the month of January, which totalled 0105, wove 1816 from New South Wales. 643 from Victoria, 186 from the United Kingdom, 163 from Cape Colony, 158 from Tasmania, 57 from the United States of America, and 27 from tho Friendly Islands. The departures included 883 to New South Wales, 560 for Capo Colony, 329 for Victoria, 63 for the United Kingdom, 57 for Tasmania, 37 for the United States, 23 for the Cook Islands, and 8 for the Friendly Islands.

Mr L. Stowo writes as follow's ;—I noticed in your issue of last Saturday a ! paragraph referring to a bronze-leaved | flax. It is, I believe, rare, the original plant having been found somewhere near Gisborne. I obtained the seed I I had from an offshoot growing in the Napier district. Of some fifty plants raised only a small percentage were bronze, and varied a good deal in intensity of colour, some approaching crimson brown whilst others were of a lighter colour, and in any showing no trace of colour beyond that of ordinary flax. ” j The following subscriptions have boon mado to the Queen’s Statue Fund:Staff and pupils of tho Girls’ High School, £6 Is (id; D., £1; Mrs Brandon, £3; Miss Brandon and Miss Annie Brandon, £1 each; Sake of Basket, Is 6d ; per Mrs Eden—W. H. Green, £1 Is; J.M.W., ss; H. E. Tuckoy, IDs ; A. Pyemont, 10s ; J. H. Reynolds, os; Officers of Colonial Secretary’s Office, £4 8s; Officers Magistrate’s Office, £1 17s 6d ; Officors’Nativo Land Purchase Department, £1 3s ; E. Mason, £1; Employees of Mr J. Andrews, £2 3s.

Tho “Evening Star” says that the fact that one foundry firm’ in Dunedin has dismissed thirty hands is conclusive proof of the increasing slackness in tho dredge-building boom. When the dredging boom was at its height men flocked from all parts of New Zealand in .search of wiork at tho new industry, and their services found ready acceptance. _ It is said there is now plenty of work in hand in tho foundries to keep regular bauds employed for some months ahead, and when the winter season approaches, and the dredges get fairly to work, business is expected to improve.

Dr McArtnur, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiffs yesterday in the following cases:—Laery and Co. v. Arthur B. Thomas, £33 7s. 9d, costs £2 14s; Omdurraan Gold Dredging Company v. Walter Garner, £l6 ss, costs £1 10s 6d; Wellington City Council v. Manikna Puketapu, 15s 9d, costs 17s; same v. Louisa Tippler, £l2 18s 9d, costs £1 6s. In the case of A. Sample v. Wm. E. Tyson, a chum for £3 rent, alleged to bo due by Tyson as guarantor for a relation, judgment was given for oes, which amount the defendant admitted that he owed. Mr Dunn appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Hindmarsh for tho defendant. Dr A. Bnohler claimed £3 16s, which he alleged had been wrongfully retained bv V/. E. Sainsbury, the defendant. The defendant bad let a house for the plaintiff at £1 5s per week, and had retained four weeks instead of one week’s rental. Mr Hindmarsh appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Lucldo for the defendant. Tho hitter stated that the money was retained to defray expenses which ha bad incurred on the plaintiff’s behalf, but the plaintiff said .that any services rendered by the defendant beyond letting thd house were rendered on behalf of bis 1 wife. After hearing evidence, Dr McArthur supported this view, and gave judgment for tho amount claimed, with costs (£1 12s).

A now - warehouse has been designed for Levin and Co., Limited, which, for size and architectural appearance, will compare favourably with any structure in tho city. ‘ The site of the building is on the vacant piece of ground directly opposite the Ferry Wharf. Customhouse quay. The warehouse will bo erected front plans prepared by Mr James Hislop, of Dunedin. Tho building will bo four stories high, and will have frontages to Waring Taylor street (IB4ft), I'cathcrston street (100 ft), and Customhouse quay (SSft), the lastnamed thoroughfare having the main entrance. The ground floor will ho given over to public and private offices, and will contain, besides, a motor-house for the supply of power to I he two electric lifts (passenger and freight) with which the warehouse is to bo fitted. Part of the first floor will also bo taken up with offices, and tho remainder will bo vised as a store and bond, the latter portion, being fitted with an intermediate floor. Tho second floor will bo set apart for tho storage of goods, and tho third floor will he used as a wool store. Tho design provides for tho most modern systems of beating, lighting and ventilation, with other conveniences. Tenders will shortly bo called for the erection of tho building.

The appointment of Mr Thos G. Lilico. M.R.G.V.S., to no a temporary veterinary surgeon to the Government is gazetted. Tho request of the Melro-e Borough Council, that a few lamps be placed on Bell road, was referred to the Lighting Committee of the City Council last night.

Five tenders have been received from English firms for engines for tho sewerage pumping station, and the (,'itj Council lias referred them to the Engineer for report. Air L. M. Grace yesterday again took up the lease of 33,780 acres of land known as the Okahukara Block, near Mount Tongariro, for three years, at an annual rental of .£6B 19s lOd.

In response to the application of the St. Patrick’s Day Demonstration Committee, tho City Council decided last evening to request the .mayor to declare Saturday, ICth ‘March, a. public holiday. Tho Department of Agriculture has informed tho City Council that new regulations have come into force, by which tho Council itself will in future have to take over tho inspection of retail milk shops.

Rain fell during twelve days of the month just past, the total registered being 2.65 inches, in comparison with 2 inches in. February last year. The average February rainfall for thirty vears is 3.5 inches.

Competitors in the drawn linen work, lace work, netting and knitting competitions at the bazaar in connection with tho Home for Incurables arc request, ed to scud in their names to Airs Samuels, Alolesworth street. (

Dining a sitting cf the Federation Commission, the Hon. J. Roberts. C.M.G., stated that tho records showed that in 1880, when tho population of tho colony was 271,000 loss than in 1900 there were 500 more births than in tho latter year.

Attention is drawn to the closing date for the entries for the theory and practical examinations of the Associated Board of the Rural Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. and to the change in the regulations in year’s syllabus.

It was intimated at the meeting of tho Board of Governors of the Wellington College and the Girls’ High School jresterda’y •'that the Board had a credit balance of £BIO Vs 2d. In addition to this there is -a sura of £667 2s 6d due for fees and rentals. The installation of the interlocking system at the Wellington Railway Station approaches completion, under the .supervision of Air Wynne, the expert who was brought from Scotland to supervise the work. The busy' Westport statimi will bo the next to have vhe new system installed. The following are the vital statistics of Wellington lor February, as compared with those for tho corresponding month of last year:—Births, 110 (105); deaths, 50 (33); marriages, 51 (48). It may be of interest to note that the number of births in Wellington in 188 S exceeded that of last year. _ A letter was read from Mr R. G. Knight at the City Council meeting last night, asking if the Council intended making tho land near his place at Island Bay a dumping-ground for manure;, and if so, would the Council kindly senu along a dozen fly-papers for the “fly nursery.” The -Ma-vor explained that- the land on which the manure was placed was two acres in extent, and trial it was being dug into the soil.

Two applications were before tho City Council last evening from bands for permission to play in the Basin Reserve on Sunday next. The- Garrison Band wished to be allowed to play and take up a collection in aid of the widow and family of the lato J. Russell. Jupp’s Band requested a similar privilege for its own benefit. Locking at tho charitable object which the Garrison Band 'had in view, the Council decided to give it the preference.

The Federation Commission concluded its git-tings in Wellington yesterday afternoon. The members will proceed to Auckland this morning, and will open a sitting there on Monday morning. So far the Commission has taken the evidence of 128 witnesses, of whom seventy-six were against federation, thirty-throe in favour, and nineteen (including public officers) wore indefinite.

Feeling is running high at Wanganui because of the receipt of an intimation from the- Wellington Garrison Band that owing to the difficulty experienced in getting its players’ leave of absence, it had decided to' withdraw from the contests at that place. The “Herald’’ actually devotes a leading article to the subject, and after roundly abusing the Wellington baud, accuses it of being afraid to meet a local band which has lately been sleoplessly practising. It was pointed out that the committee had altered tho date of the contest to suit the Wellington band. A deputation from the Cab Proprietors.’ Union waited upon the City Council last evening, and urged that clause 4 of tho Public Works Report of 31st January, stipulating that the numbers of the cabs be placed inside the vehicles, be rescinded. The president of the union UVLr W. Ritson) and the secretary’ (Mr J. Turnbull) appeared in support of that object, and urged that there would bo very little use in. putting numbers inside carriages, as they could net be read at night, and that in cabs with collapsible roofs there was no place on which to write the number. It was further urged that to place a number on the lamp-glass would tend to destroy its usefulness. The deputation thought it was quite sufficient if the number were placed on the front side of the cab. Councillor Anderson insisted that it was necessary that the number should bo placed inside the • vehicle, so that a passenger might bo able to readily road it, and thus identify the owner in the event of an over-charge being made. The inspector said ho thought the number should be placed on tie lamp, but not inside the cab. On the motion of Councillor Smith, it -was resolved to strike out the clause of the reuort referred to.

The troubles ot the Wilford Village Settlers in the neighbourhood of Feihling occupied the Land Board yesterday for about a couple of hours. During the past six years there lias been quite a, scramble between two or three settlers over half a dozen sections representing altogether about forty acres. A familv named Looney took up six acres, and two 'brothers named Jobson obtained five acres bach. Three sections, containing in all twenty-three acres, becoming forfeited, the Jobsons and the Loonovs in tmi applied for them. Acting on'a report of the Crown Lands Danger, the Board, with the authority of the Minister, conveyed the sections to the Jobsons. Tho latter noiv complain that matters have been made so sultry that they wish to quit the locality, and the Board was askeiT to transfer some of their sections to a youiig lady, who stated, however, that she would not he a resident. One of the Jobsons, who 5,s supporting a disabled brother, strongly urged the transfer, but some of the members of tho Board, held that the Looney family should have the preference in case of further transfers. It was finally decided that tho Commissioner should visit the settlement, and try to arrange the difficulty.

The number of oankrupteies in the month just past was three. There was a similar number of adjudications in February. 1900.

i The reports of the Crown Lands Ranger respecting a number of settle- • monts in the Rangitikei district show that sixty-fivo settlers out of seveutyrix selectors arc complying with the residential and improvement conditions, fho'report is considered very satisfactory by the Land Board. Tin? statement of affairs of Thomas Chapman, of Porirua, carpenter, a bankrupt, was filed with the Official Assignee yesterday. From this it appears chat the bankrupt’s liabilities amount to £lO7 3.s 9d and’ his assets to £4, leaving a deficiency of £lO3 3s 9(1 in the estate. The principal city creditors are: —Messrs Vcitch and Allan, £lO 10s (id ; Warded Bros., £8 19s; AVairarapa Farmers’ Association, £5 Is 6d; and Hunt, £6 15s. Over £2O of the oaakrupt’s liabilities was incurred in doctors’ bills, ipread over five practitioners. The first meeting of creditors will be held on ire 6th inst. When tho Board of Conciliation made its recommendation m the saddlers’ industrial dispute, which was fought out net ween tne union arm th roe city master saddlers, a. clause was inserted giving the union a month in which to bring the country employers in the Wellington industrial district into line. That time has now elapsed, and the Board has fixed the 11th inst. as tho date on which it will iiear the case as between the country master saddlers and the union. ine three city firms mentioned will also probably appear be-

fore the Board, a difficulty haring arisen between them and the union as to

compliance with the Board’s recommen. d at ions.

A dork named Edward Pierard appeared! before Dr McArthur, S.AI., at the Alagistratc’s Court yesterday morning on a charge of indecently assaulting a female. The hearing of the case ivas adjourned tiff Monday. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £SO and the defendant’s own bond of £SO. A charge of theft of £1 10s lid, the money of

fienry Gray, brought against Andrew Anderson, was dismissed, His Worship

holt 1 -in'g that the evidence was not clear enough to justify si conviction. For drunkenness, si first offender was fined 7s, another was remanded for medical treatment, and a third ' was ordered to pay 15s to -defray medical expenses incurred on his behalf. The time within which notice could be given by the employers in the timber yards and sawmills industrial dispute of their intention, of carrying their case to the Arbitration Ugurt has expired. Notice of such intention, however, has been given in the proper place by the city owners of timber-yards. The country sawmillers, with a few exceptions, have remained inactive. The question consequently arises as to what is Hie position oT the country sawmillers who have not given The required notice. Are they hound by the Board’s recommendations P If none of the parties had moved, all .would have been bound by the Conciliation Board’s decision. Are those who remained passive bound by the recommendation, or is the action of a- portion of the employers’ side in seeding -an award of the Court to bind the whole? It is maintained that, the new Act contains a. power by which that result is achieved automatically, but as the question has never arisen heretofore there is as yet no decision on the point.

Some forfeited land in the McKenzie Settlement alongside the railway line at Manganiaire, a few miles north of Eketahuna, was sub-divided some time ago into a, number of sections ranging from sixteen to forty-two acres. The soil is of first-class Quality,well-watered, close to a railway station, and in the neighbourhood of creameries and dairy factories. At the request of certain vil•age settlers occupying a few acres m the locality, tho land, however, has been' looked up with a. view to an alteration of the Land Act enabling them to apply for the sooifous. The Land Board now recognises that the pressure for homes on tho part of landless people, the value of the sections for dairy farms and the possible delay that may occur in getting the law altered, renders it inexpedient that the laud should be held much longer against occupation. It intends to obtain information as to tne prospect of the powers of villagers being enlarged, and should this appear problematical or remote, the land) will be offered’ for occupation in the usual way.