LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4331, 15 April 1901, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mr R. Hannah left on Saturday for Sydney, on "route to the Old Country.

His Excellency the Governor was a passenger to Lyttelton by the Eotorna on Saturday night. The General Post Office will be illuminated on the occasion of the Royal visit to Wellington. The Midland Railway Coinmiasion will resume Its sittings this morning, when evidence will be taken.

Engravers and die-sinkers in Wellington are just now extremely busy with the preparation of official stamps and seals to replace those used during the previous reigu.

The erection of the telephone line from Muritai to Peuoarrow Head lias been finished. It is intended to arrange to have the line made available for public use.

The following additional subscriptions have been received at the City Council offices for the Queen’s Statue .Fund : Yorkshire Society, £10; further subscriptions from the Education Department, £2 2s. The total amount received 'inw £lsOl 2s 7d—half the sum required. Tiie time for sending in designs for the invitation cards for official ceremonies in connection with the Royal visit to Now Zealand, cities closed on Saturday. Dr Fell, Mr A. D. Riley and Mr H. S. Warded have been appointed a board to judge the designs submitted.

It is’ claimed that.faults in the telephone wires in Wellington have now been reduced to - a. minimum. The work of renewal is earned on steadi l '- and on a liberal scale. During the last two months no less than £7OO worth of telephone cables has been erected in this city by way of renewals. Tho extension of telephone communication in country districts is proceeding apace. A line from Alfredton to Ponguroa, taking in Waterfalls, Pori and Rakaunui, has been finished. Other new- lines which will shortly be in use are those from Fordell to Mangamahn. from Strathmore to Whangamoinona, from Otakeho to Auro, and from Pa- ; tangata to Waipawa, all in the southern part- of this island.

Tho Ladies’ Handicap Doubles, the remaining match in the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association.’* tournament, was decided on Saturday. Mrs Holmes and Miiss Barron (Thorndon Club), receiving 18, beat Mrs Baxter (Thorndon) and Miss Harman (Christ-, church), receiving 18, by 54 points to 52, and won the match. The prizes were trophies presented by Messrs H. M. Gore and W. E. Pearson. Some of the men selected in the north for the Federal Contingent were in Wellington on Saturday, on their way to Christchurch, where tho work of training will be carried out. At the Commonwealth inauguration celebrations in Sydney at New Year time, Victoria had a contingent whose minimum height was sft lOin. It is thought that New Zealand’s contingent of men Oft and over in height will form a notable contribution to the coming military display in Melbourne.

An admirable programme for the winter session has been drawn up by the Wesleyan Literary and Debating Society, comprising lectures, evenings with various authors, essay reading, debates etc. The lectures are to be as follows: —“Art,” Mr R. Parker; “Science,” Mr J. W. Poynton; “Literature,” Mr T. W. Rowe; “ History,” Sir Robert Stout; “Tiie Middle Ages,” Mr J. W. Joynt. The society has a large membership, and is in a very flourishing condition generally.

Tho annual report of St. Thomas's Club shows that, the club has made, great strides during tho year. Tho election of officers at tho annual meeting resulted as follows:—President, Messrs Walters, Rawnsley, J. W. Davis and A. Atkinson; lion secretary and librarian, Mr King; treasurer, Mr Francis ; committee, Messrs T. S. Powell, Roberts, Cornwall, G. Hoy, Callaghan, Croskory anil T. Johnston. The club is open lev three nights iu the week during tlio nine months of the year, and for two nights during the remaining three months.

Members of the New Zealand Parliament and the Consuls for foreign countries have received invitations to attend the opening of the Commonwealth Parliament at- Melbourne. The invitation is conveyed on a large 'card, the printing and ornamentation having apparently been done by the Victorian GovernmentPrinter. It is to be hoped that the official invitations to the Royal functions in New Zealand will be more artistic and characteristic of the colony than those emanating from Melbourne. The design is practically incomprehensible, and the printing poor in the extreme. Tho invitation card at first glanc e . looks like a poor imitation of those certificates. for good attendance distributed ;at the close of the year in our public . schools.

Five renewals of ohl age pensions and two new pensions were granted by the Stipendiary Magistrate on Saturday.

A special meeting of the Wellington City Council will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m., to amend and confirm the district electors’ list.

On the conclusion of bankruptcy business in the Supreme Court to-day, cases under the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Act will lie dealt with. Entries for all examinations under the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Mu-ic elose on the Ist proximo. The theory examinations will he Meld on June Ist, and the practical examinations in November.

Dr Closs, of Dunedin has completed his tour of the colony m the interests of the proposed Masonic Orphanage. The project, he states, was everywhere favourably received, and he thinks the matter will he carried to a .successful issue.

Acting on instructions of his client Edmond Bouvy, Mr Wilford has issued a writ against the Comte de Courte, French Consul for New Zealand, claiming £6OOO damages for false imprison-ment,-damage to character, and for the abuse of authority. The case arises out of recent proceedings which led to the plaintiff being sent to New Caledonia at the instigation of the defendant.

With reference to the public discussion in regard to the work of the City Valuer, Mr James Ames stated on Saturday to a representative of the "New Zealand Times” that it was quite incorrect to assert that he had valued the Kcllmrno estate. He was asked to give evidence in reference to the estate before the Assessment Court, and did so when granted permission by the Council.

Tiie Imperial Government has granted a pension of £6O a year to the widow of Lieutenant W. J. Berry, of the Third New Zealand Contingent, and £l2 10s a year to each of his two children. Lieutenant Berry, who came from Napier, died at Johannesburg last June, and the pensions. are to date from his death. A similar amount has been guaranteed by the New Zealand Government, this making the total amount £l7O a year.

At a preliminary meeting held at St. Patrick’s Hall yesterday, presided over by the Rev Father O’Shea, it was decided to hold a “social” on May 15th in aid of tiie funds of file Sisters of Mercy and of the Home for Incurables, which has recently been enlarged by the acquisition of two neighbouring cottages. A general meeting of those willing to help twill be held on Sunday next, when it is hoped there will be a good attendance. The Fire Brigade received a call.at 0.27 last evening from the fire-box at Veitch and Allan’s corner, Cuba street. A lire had, ft appears, broken out at No. 13, Walter street, in a four-roomed cottage occupied and owned by Mrs Annie Scott. The contents of a bedroom were -slightly damaged by fire and water. The (ire had its origin in some children playing with' matches. The building was insured in tiie Commercial Union for £l5O and the contents, in the same office, for £SO.

The committee of the Canterbury Society of Wellington, encouraged by the .success of the meeting held recently, has decided to hold an “extra meeting” at the Troeadero on Thursday," Mav 2nd. This will provide an opportunity for exCanterliury residents, who have not already joined the Society, to do so, and at the same time to spend a pleasant evening. Messrs Roland Boot and H. McCartlell having been entrusted with tne preparation of the programme, something very enjoyable may be looked forward to.

As the Kumara races were in full swing on Monday (says the “ Grey River Argus ” of the 10th instant), a cab was seen driving on to the course, and as the occupants alighted, one could hear cries of “ Oh, it is Mr and Mrs Seddon!” Crowds rushed to meet them, and hearty handshakes and cheers continued until Mr and Mrs Seddon had renewed the acquaintance of their many friends. The Premier’s visit was a complete surprise, andl the Kumara people were wild with delight that “their Premier ” had visited their race meeting. A- Christchurch visitor remarked, “My word, the people of the Coast just worship Seddon ; a heartier reception could not have been accorded to tbe King.” The training of pupil teachers is undertaken in a more systematic manner at Home than in New Zealand. As Mr Watson pointed out in his paper, read before the Educational Institute on Saturday, a pupil teacher at Home must pass an entrance examination, and at the end of three months’ probation, if a satisfactory report is not received, ha is given another term of probation for three months at another school. If at the end of that period the report is still unfavourable, he loses his employment. Reports of the work of the pupil teachers are made nt the end of each twelve months by tho headmasters and the pupil-teacher instructors, and any teacher whose report is not satisfactory must go.

About ten o’clock last night the Fire Brigade was alarmed from the box at the Basin Reserve, and turned out immediately. On the brigade’s arrival at the Reserve no one was there, but tbe glass of the alarm had been broken and a false alarm sounded. There is no punisment for tampering with the signals under the present by-laws, and the parties, if caught, can only be proceeded against for giving a false alarm, for which the penalty is not of an exemplary nature. In Australia- the penalty for a first offence of this character is a fine of £5 er three months’ imprisonment, and for a second offence two years without the option of a fine. The offering of a reward for information leading to the arrest of the offender might have a salutary effect in this city. Mrs Ada Foye, of Denver, gave a seance at the New Century Hall last night, under the auspices of the local Association of Spiritualists. Tho hall was crowded to the doors, and many persons could not bo admitted. That Mrs Foye is a lady of uncommon force

of character and the possessor of truly astonishing powers, the most sceptical in the hall last night had to readily admit. In her interesting epitome of tho history of spiritualism; she traced its manifestations from the earliest to modern times with great skill and oratorical ability. The “ Spiritual Christianity ” of which Mrs Foye is such an eloquent teacher is apparently intensely practical. The doctrine is attractive, and founded on the Golden Rule. Its acceptance, she said, would make the world better, happier and wiser. After sneaking for more than an hour. Mrs' Foye proceeded to give some manifesto-, lions of the spiritual presence. Many nreseut wrote the names of deceased friends on slips of paper, which were handed up, and in some cases they received answers. Mrs Foye gave her audience the impression that she was truly inspired, and in actual communiI cation with the unseen world. The j ‘Tappings’’ by which the spirits com- ! municated with, the medium (Mrs Foye), J were distinctly audible, andi some im-. ‘ prossive scenes took place. The next .<eance will take place on Tuesday | night. |

The tender of Messrs Scott Bros., Christchurch, has been accepted for tenders for the Toi Toi bridge, above the Mangaweka viaduct. Garden robbing appears to be very prevalent at present. Mr W. F. Shortt, who lives in Woolcombe street, on returning recently from a few days’ absence in the country, found that his garden had been despoiled of vegetables and flowers. Mr Shortt is in possession of the names of the culprits, but for the sake of their parents refrains from taking proceedings.