LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4407, 13 July 1901, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The revised regulations for the entry of engineer students in the British Navy and for students in naval construction are gazetted this week. Among the members of Harbour Boards whose appointments ar e gazetted are the following: —-New Plymouth Harbour Board, Messrs Richard Price, Levi Sarten and Joe Ward; Patoa Harbour Board, Mr Harold E. Deane. Dr Mason, Superintendent of the Health Department, has assented, if the necessity arises, to scarlatina cases being treated at the Plague Hospital. The accommodation of the fever ward of the Wellington Hospital i s being somewhat taxed just now. The following appointments appear in this week’s “Gazette”:—John Dewar, to be a draughting cadet in the Department of Lands and Survey; George Grosbie Schmidt, to be a shorthand writer and typist in the Public Works Department.

Thirty-eight years ago yesterday—-on the 12th July, 1863—the British troops, under Lieutenant-General Sir Duncan Cameron, K.C.8., crossed over into the Waikato country. On the same day a convoy was attacked on the Great South road between Shepherd’s Bush and Martin’s Farm. Three men of the 18th 'Royal Irish were killed and several wounded. The convoy was commanded by Captain J. T. Ring, of the Royal Irish < who was mortally wounded at Orakan, and Colour-Sergeant Thomas Macmillan, of t.h« regiment.

The Venerable Archdeacon Devoy will be welcomed hqme at a "social'’ to be hold in tho Skating Rink on Wednesday next

Notice ha-, been given in th© Anglican Svtiod of a motion ■ that tno thocese of Wellington be its own insurer of its buildings.

The .-‘.o-euninhittd funds of tn© X’orirua College Trust nmox.utfd at the gist of March. 1001. to £Bi-!o, according io a repoi’t presented to the Anglican ••synod. An appeal from a recent judgment delivered by l Judye Bathuinpn the Na. tiv© Validation Court at Gisborne in the matter of tho Tahora Block, will be heard by the Court of Appeal next week.

Messrs James F. McConaghy and George G. Duddley, of Majoribanks street, Wellington, have invented an improved non refithibio bottle, for which complete specifications have been accepted by th© Registrar of Patents. At Mount Cook Police Court yesterday, before Mr Eyres. J.P., Fanny Cook and Patrick McGuire, charged with drunkenness, were each fined kOs, with the alternative of seven days’ hard labour. E. Emery was fined 6s for drunkenness.

Tho Napier Fire Brigade, at the request of the New Zealand Fire Brigade.-;’ Association, has decided to contribute i o. wards a fund to give the London slum children n day’s outing in the country, the day to be known as “ New Zealand Fix-omen’s Day.”

Mrs Waiiis has issued invitations to an “At Home” in the Anglican Schoolroom, Sydney street, this afternoon, to meet the members of Synod. The Countess of RanfmTy has invited the members of Synod and others to a reception at Government House on Tuesday afternoon from three to fivo o’clock.

The membex-s of the Wellington Conciliation Board have returned from Mas. lerton, whore they have been engaged in taking country evidence in the letterpress and lithographic priutex-s’ dispute. Tho Boax-d will resume its sitting iix rhe dispute on Monday at 10.30 a.m., i\'lnm Messrs Hornsby and Willis will give evidence on behalf of country employers. Tho Clyde quay branch of the Liberal and Labour Federation of New Zealand will- entertain Sir Joseph Ward at a “social” in the Foresters’ Hall, Tory street, on the 19th inst., when an address will be presented. Tho Premier and several members of the House of Representatives are expected to be present.

A writ claiming £SOO damages for libel was issued in the Supreme Court yesterday by Mr Wilford against the Auckland “Observer,” at the instance of a policeman, the action being based upon remarks made by the paper with reference to tho plaintiff’s doings when su-pox-inteuding seme of the arrangements for the reception of the Duke of Cornwall at Rotorua. Tlxe Public Trustee has filed elections to administer the estates of the Lite Annie Mitchell, of Wellington, and the late Captain John A. Harvey, “of Ottoshoop, in the colony of South Africa.” The estates of tho followixxg deceased persons have been placed in the hands of the Public Trustee during the month of June:—Thomas McGuire, Stratford; and George W. Roberts, Wirokino. The ladies who were unable to obtain tickets for the recent series _ of ambulance lectures under the auspices of the St. John Ambulance Association, will have tho opportunity of joining an afternoon “first aid” class, which is to open about a fortnight honcc. The lecturer will be Dr W. —axter Gow. A limited number of tickets will be obtainable from Messrs TV hi too in be and Tombs. At the rei-installation of "Watt’s watergas at Balolutha. last night Mr John McNeil, the ex-Mayor, formally opened the works by turning the gas on tf» a larccn incandescent street lamp of 200-candlo-power. The works, which have been entirely rebuilt by Mr Watt for a private syndicate, are of a very superior character. All the machinery is . up-to-date, and the best that ingenuity can devise.

The Supreme Court yesterday reserved judgment in the Taranaki licensing eas e of Gaukrodger v. Stanford and O’Driscoll. The full bench of Judges heard argument in the case between W. C. Fitz Gerald, of Wellington, chemist, claimant, and the Kelburne and Karori Tramway Company, Limited, respondent. Dr Findlay appeared for the claim* ant, and Mr Martin, with him Mr Izard for the respondent. This was a special case stated by the Supreme Court, as president of the Compensation Court .constituted under the High Levels Tramway Act, 1898, and the Public Works Act,, 1894, to determine Mr Fitz Gerald’s claim for compensation on account of land belonging to him injuriously affected by the exercise of the powers conferred by the Acts upon the company. The questions of law for the decision of the Supreme Court are the following: (1) Is the claimant entitled to recover from the respondent company any compensation for the damage, or any part of it, alleged in tho statement of the claimant’s case to have been done to his pioperty by the exercise by the company of the powers conferred upon it by tho Acts mentioned? (2) Assuming that no actual physical damage has been done to the claimant’s land by the respondent, company’s exercise of the powers conferred upon it by the Acts mentioned, is the claimant entitled to recover any compensation from the company ? Argument will b e continued on Monday.

A meeting of the Roseneath Ratepayers’ Association was held last night Mr J. Wisharfc presided. Correspondence which had passed between the City Engineer and the association, and also between the association and the Melrose Borough Council was read relative to th© road which it was proposed to make over the quarry in tho vicinity of Roseneath. The chairman combated the contention of the City Council that the quarry was required for metal. Ho said there was not a load of good metal in the whole quarry. The City Council, he said, seemed to be bent upon taking Roseneath into the city, and vet it proposed to allow it to bo afflicted with such an eyesorp as the quarfy. and to run it back until the reserve behind was spoiled. How the Council proposed to run tho tram-line to Roseneath unless it allowed the road to he made puzzled him. Mr Highefc thought that in view of the lack of interest shown by Rosoneath property-owners in th© matter tho best course to take would be to leave matters in abeyance for a year or two. If property-owners found their values going down they plight by that time in fuse a littl 6 more life into their action. H*e thought the City Council’s Greater Wellington scheme was '“bluff.” Unless the Council first gave Roseneath Hie road he would oppose absorption tooth and nail. If they went into the city now he was of opinion that it would be five years before Roseneath got any benefit from the Council. The affairs of the association were next discussed, and a committee consisting of Messrs Wishart, Kirkland, Scott and Highet was appointed to financially canvass residents of the suburb on behalf of the association. It was also decided that a deputation from the society wait upon the City Council at its next meeting to make a final appeal for the road across the tup of Roseneath quarry.

Messrs E. Hannah and Co. attribute the success J of their sale at the Cash Boot Market to the real honest deductions in prices of all lines. Mr R. Martin, stain glass window manufacturer, of Manners street, has just completed a staircase-angle window in five panels fer Mr H. T. Lowry, a Hawke’s Bay xmnhokU’r. Tile window is devoted to the illustration of scenes in an English Itiinting field. In a characteristic bit of hunting country the housxds, in the first pair of panels, are ■seen in “full cry” on a iiot sc e ut. The picture is an extremely animated one. in the central panel occurs a handsome design in which figure trophies and appurtenances of the hunting field. The third set. of panels are devoted to “the kill,” in which the “Whip” is seen driving the hounds off Reynard’s mangled remains until he has cut off the brush for presentation to the first lady in at tb e death. New- Zealand is being kept prominently before the people of the Old Laud jagt now by a variety of enthusiastic newspaper con-espondents, professional and other-wise, who vie one with, the other in praising our climate, our hospitality and our people. The latest instance of enthusiastic approx al ' which has been brought under our notice is an article in the “Dundee Advertiser,” written by one of the Imperial troops who camo here in February last. The wntar points out that more towns were visited in New Zealand by the Imperial troops than in the whole of Australia put together. He says in reference to the “billeting out” experience at Dunedin that “the troops received such hospitality as never was, and may never be again.” The article concludes thus : “There is every indication that the land will be not only one of, the fairest of the King’s dominions, but one also of the most prosperous.”

In connection with the meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science to be held in Hobart in January next, under the presidency of Captain Hutton, F.R.S., we ar e informed by the hon secretary for New Zealand (Mr Gooi’go M. Thomson, of Dunedin), that the arrangements for the meeting are in a state. The list of presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries of the numerous sections is practically complete, and includes the names of eminent scientific men from all parts of Australasia. The social si tle of tho meeting is already an assured success, numerous garden parties, popular lectures and excursions having been arranged. The Union Company and the Huddart-Parker Company will give a reduction on their fares of 20 per cent, to all members of tho association desirous of attending tho meeting, and the Tasmanian railways will give returxx tickets at single rates. It is behoved that th*»neeting will ba a great success. The following meeting, to take place in January, 1904, is to bo held in Dunedin.