LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4527, 2 December 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Pctono Homing Club Hold a races from Blenheim on Saturday, the result being;—J. Crooks’s Yawkur, velocity 817yds, 1; J. Abrahall’s Advance, velocity 830yds, 2; W. Brown’s Irish Wake, 831yds, 3. The Wellington City Corporation has given notice to tho Clerk of Awards of its application under section 21 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 1901, to have the grooms’ and conductors’ dispute referred to the 'Arbitration Court.

Amongst the passengers by the Eakaia, which has arrived at Port Chalmers, are the Iter B. and Mrs Coffey, of St. Mark’s parish, who have been for a seven months’ trip to the Old Country. Tho parishioners intend to welcome them at a “social,” which will be held in tho schoolroom on Thursday evening.

Tho Surveyors’ Board has considered the results of tho recent examinations. Out of the thirteen candidates who presented themselves, the following seven passed:—A. W. Creagh, Auckland ; 1C H. Jordan, Tauranga; 3VI. F. Haszard, Waihi; H. T. Mitchell, Auckland; H. M. Kensington, Now Plymouth; G. Cuthbortson, Invercargill; B. C. Basstian, Invercargill. ‘ Tho recently-announced changes in the Bands and Survey Department will take effect on January Ist. Mr J. W. A. Merchant, now Chief Surveyor for Wellington, will then assume tho Sur-veyor-Generalship. Mr James McKerrow will retire from the public service, and will bo succeeded as head of tho Laud Purchase branch by Mr A. Barron, the present Under-Secrotary for Lands. Tho Labour Department has just sent up to Masterton a batch of hard-up men from the South Island, who are to be put on road work at Stronvar, says the Masterton “Times.” How far this district can be made a dumping ground for tho unemployed men of the colony is open to question. Next winter wb may have a good many unemployed of our own to provide for, and as wages arc going up and employment is coming down, tho Government may have a difficulty in adjusting things. Sending men to Masterton will bo like sending coals to Newcastle; and it must be regarded merely as a temporary experiment.

Judgment was given by Mr Justice Edwards in the Supremo Court on Saturday in the case between Lord Arthur William Hill, of London, and James Richard Upton, of Loudon, solicitor, plaintiffs, and Lady Olivia Caroline Amelia Bentinck, wife of Henry Cavendish Bentinck (commonly called Lord Henry Bentinck), of Eaton place, Middlesex, M.P., defendant. The Earl of Bective died entitled to laud and estates in England and certain lands in Now Zealand. During his lifetime he had been tenant in tail to the whole of them. He executed a disentailing deed, purporting to disentail all the land to which he was tenant in tail. That deep was filed in the Court of Chancery in England, and had the effect of disentailing the English land. The Question was whether the filing of the deed in the Court of Chancery would give it effect in New Zealand. or whether it was necessary that it should have_been filed in the Supreme Court of this colony. His Honor, following a decision given by Mr Justice Williams about seventeen years ago, held that in order to disentail the New Zealand land the deed should have been filed in the Supreme Court here. Mr Justice Edwards further held that as that had not been done, the entail continued so far as the New Zealand land was concerned at the date of the Earl of Bective’s death, and that the defendant (Lady Bentinck) had, therefore, become entitled as tenant in tail on his death. Mr Stafford appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Martin Chapman for the defendant.

An earthquake was felt in 'Wellington city at (5.14 last night.

Tho Government offices, banks and insurance offices were closed on Saturday '.St. Andrew’s Day). An incipient firo occurred yesterday afternoon in Newtown. The Eire Brigade turned out and suppressed tho flames.

Tho delegates of local bodies will meet at the City Council Chambers this afternoon to elect trustees for tho Wellington Hospital. Considerable additions, at a cost of about 11200, are to bo made to Nelson College. It is intended to complete tho southern wing. Forty-one hives of boos, said to form the largest consignment of its kind over carried by the New Zealand Hallway Department, wore taken by rail from Ontram to Oamarn the other day.

The Director for Technical Inst ruction of the Wellington Education Board is inviting applications for tho position of instructor in bookkeeping and assistantinstructor in machine construction and drawing. Tho Arbitration Court is to sit at Napier on Tuesday. The Court will then proceed to Auckland, being duo there on December 17th. It is expected that the letterpress machinists' ana typographical disputes will bo hoard iu Wellington about tho end of January or the beginning of February. Mr Ay son, the Inspector of Fisheries, has returned from Hakatcramoa, where ho has boon putting in the remainder of a consignment of 500,000 ova of tho “sock-cyo” or blue back salmon of Canada, which lately readied this colony in charge of Mr G. H. Lambson. A portion of the consignment has been sent to tho temporary hatchery at Lake Ohau.

. The Ciiicf Health Officer has received further advics confirming tho reported case of leprosy at Palmerston South. Tho victim, a Chinaman, is suffering from the disease in its early stage. Ho has been isloatcd at a place about two miles distant from any other habitation. It is considered that tho precautions are sufficiently stringent to make it unnecessary for any alarm to bo folt by people resident in tho district. Tho following matrimonial suits appear on tho list of cases for trial in the Divorce Court;—Annie Woodman v. Thomas Woodman; Charles Oslbcrg v. Anno Ostberg; Clarice Burns v. John Burns; Sarah Jano Adams v. William Henry Adams; Robert Hunt v. Agnes Constance Hunt and another; Eleanor Bloxham v. Henry Davoy Bloxham; Olivo Gertrude Bassett v. William George Bassett; Jean Beitli McDonald v. Henry Edwin McDonald; McMillan v. McMillian; Annie Ruth Crawford v. William George Crawford. Tho prizes won at St Patrick’s College sports were presented at tho college yesterday afternoon. Among the visitors were Lady Ward, representatives of tho clergy and friends of tho college students. Tho Rev Father Keogh read out tho names of the successful prizewinners, and tho trophies wore presented by Lady AVard. During tho afternoon selections wore rendered at intervals by tho orchestra under Mr Trowell. At tho conclusion of the proceedings, tho visitors were entertained at afternoon tea by the college fathers. Tho criminal sittings of tho Supremo Court will open to-day before Mr Justice Edwards. The following cases appear on the calendarAVilliam Draper, breaking and entering (t wo charges); Porcival Krrold Whittall, breaking and entering; Edward Wilson, assaulting a constable, escaping from legal custody and breaking and entering; Frederick Gorrie, alias Minchin, theft (two charges); Patrick Campbell, assault; AVilliam Doyle, theft; Marian Scott, theft; Leonard Pocock, forgery; Frank King, theft- Sidney Harrison, alias Harry Hills, indecent assault and assault with intent to commit rape; Robert Collier, wounding a cow; Lewis Maslin Naylor and Henry AValtcr Biddle, forgery; Frank M. Clark, theft ; Paul Cheqnello, assault; Arthur Robert Pollock, cattlostealing.

A ruling of importance under tlio Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 1901, has been given by the President of the Arbitration Court. Section 21 of tho Act reads as follows:—“Either party to an industrial dispute which has been referred to a Board of Conciliation may, previous to the hearing of such dispute by the Board, file with the clerk an application in writing requiring the dispute Co bo referred to tho Court of Arbitration, and that Courbn shall have jurisdiction to settle and determine such dispute in tho same manner as if such dispute had been referred to tho Court under tho provisions of section 58 of the principal Act.” Mr Justice Cooper has held as follows:—“The words ‘either party ’ in section 21 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1901, mean tho collective body of employers where a number of employers are cited, and tho signature of each employer cited is necessary before the matter can be referred to the Court.”

Two fine specimens of the king penguin were secured while the Discovery was at Macquarie Island, and these were placed on board the ship m a hutch erected for them on the deck. Those birds will bo left behind at Lyttelton. About forty penguins were killed, and the bodies preserved, in order that they might bo stuffed and forwarded to tho headquarters of the expedition in London. From there they will probably bo sent on to the British Museum. Several specimens of tho Macquarie rail, a small bird indigenous to those islands, were secured by Mr Hodgson. There is (says the Christchurch “Press”) only one specimen of this bird in all Europe, so that those obtained by Mr Hodgson, which he is sending Home in response to a request Strom the Hon Walter Rothschild, will be very acceptable. Mr Hodgson states that the birds are quite common at tho Macquarie Islands, and very tame, allowing him to get within ton feet of them.

The Rev Father James Tymons, brother of the Rev Father Tymons, of Palmerston North, was ordained priest at the 10.30 o’clock Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart yesterday. Archbishop Redwood, who celebrated, conducted the service, the Ven Archdeacon Devoy and the Very Rev Dr Kennedy being the assistant priests. The Rev Emile Talon, who is to work in the South Sea Islands mission, was raised to the sub-deaconship. After the Mass the newly-ordained priest, Father Tymons, gave his blessing to the congregation. the first to receive it being Mr and Mrs Tymons, of Greymoutb, his parents. He chanted vespers, and gave the Benediction in the evening, when the Archbishop also preached a sermon on the dignity of the priesthood. As an offertory piece a solo “ Abide With Me,” was sung by Miss White, and the “Tantum Ergo” was Rossi’s, sung by Mrs Kelly, Miss White and Messrs Carr and McManaway. Father Tymons is to celebrate his first Mass this morning, at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Ho is an ex-stndent of St. Patrick’s College, and spent five years at Meance Seminary. The Rev E. Talon is also a Meanee student.

Tin- anniversary services in connectin'! with St. John’s Presbyterian (’lini'ch were heh! yesterday, there being large congregations both morning ;u"l evening. 'Die l{ev J. Gibson Smith, of Invert'argil), preached at each service. Jn the afternoon a special service was held for the Sunday .school pupils.