LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4588, 17 February 1902, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A sitting of the Divorce Court will be held this morning before the Chief Justice. The Inspector of Prisons arrived from Lyttelton by the steamer Rotomuhaua yesterday. The members of the Arbitration Court left for Nelson by the steamer Rotoiti yesterday. - Cabinet has approved of the payment of the sum of £IOOO voted last session for the erection of a new hospital at Picton. A conference of delegates representing the various millers’ unions is to bo held in Wellington at Easter to consider the question of wages. The police have been informed from Pahiatua that a man named William Mills was found dead in his whare at Coonoor. The Sanitation Committee of the Melrose Borough Council is recommending that residents near the Island Bay crock be called upon to cease throwing refuse into the stream. This morning the Commission appointed to inquire into the charges brought against a warder in charge of prisoners engaged on outdoor work at the Point Halswell Prison will begiu its sittings. The enthusiastic ovation which followed the victory of Cannio duel over Cruciform in the Champion Plato was a feature of Saturday’s racing in connection with the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting. . TJie tender of Messrs George Fraser and Sons, the well-known Auckland ironmasters, has been accepted for the alterations to the Government steamer Hinemoa. The vessel left on Saturday for Auckland, where the work is to be proceeded with at once. Mr Silas Spragg, chief of the “Hansard” staff, has made arrangements for the examination of the candidates for employment as shorthand reporters ill the law Courts, under the Shorthand Reporters Act of 1900. The examination in Wellington, where there are six candidates, wiU.be held this week, and Mr Spragg will then visit Christchurch and Dunedin for the same purpose. At Saturday’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, a charge of vagrancy against Thomas O’Connor was adjourned till Friday, on the application of Mr Wiiford, who appeared for the defendant, Alexander Henderson was fined 10s for drunkenness, with the option or 48 hours’ imprisonment. A remission of arrears due by James Ashby for the maintenance of his child ill an industrial home was granted on the score or poverty. The Union Steam Ship Company has, free of charge, placed its fine steamer Takapuna at the disposal of the committee of the Wellington Sailors’ Rest for the annual moonlight excursion in aid,of the funds of the institution. The steamer will leave the Queen’s Wharf at 8 o’clock on Wednesday evening. Jupp’s Band will accompany the excursion. As the Rest is much in need of funds to carry on its good work, it 1* hoped that the excursion will be liberally patronised. The deputation which interviewed the Hon W. C. Walker on Saturday discussed with him the question of the treatment of the members of friendly, societies as out-patients of the hospital. A resolution having been passed by the Wellington branch of the Medical Association recommending that persons who had already made provision for medical attendance by payment to clubs should not be treated as oUt-patients, the Trustees passed a regulation accordingly, with the proviso, however, that should members of friendly societies wish to consult Dr Ewart, they should be allowed to do so on producing a note to that effect from their club doctor. This rule was objected to by the Government, the Hon W. C. Walker tin-T that the Government could not see** why members of friendly societies riiouid not be entitled to the same benefits, as regards outdoor hospital treatment, as ordinary persons, and asking for the views of the Trustees in the matter. This question was discussed by the Minister and members of the deputation, Mr Luke and others pointing out that the Trustees had not up to the present refused to treat anyone as an out-patient who was not able to pay for medical aid, but they had to guard the interests of the ratepayers. Finally, at the request of the Minister, the Trustees agreed to let him have their views in writing, and he, on his part, promised to bring the matter before Cabinet,

Tbo Hutt Road Com mission was ongauod on Saturday in completing the taking of evidence. On Wednesday the addresses of counsel will bo delivered. Detective Mar.sack, of Christchurch, lias been transferred to Napier, and will fao succeeded at Christchurch by 1 lamclotho.s Constable Ward, of Palmerston North. An official message from Perth states: "Cable Company adviso Mauritius section now O.K. All homeward may now bo sent this way— European and African.” In consequence of unfavourable weather in the morning, the Port Nicholson Yacht Club’s picnic, which was to have been hold at Alabina Bay on Saturday, was postponed. Dr H. Grattan Guinness, the wellknown medical missionary, will lecture at the Skating Rink on Thursday and Friday evenings on his experiences in Central Africa and on the head waters of tho Amazon. Our Auckland correspondent telegraphed yesterday;—Air Humphrey Berkeley has not yet left for Wellington. Ho ‘will go South on Monday via the West Coast. Ho takes with him the Fijian petition to tho King, a summary of which I recently wired the “limes. A lire broko out about half past ten o’clock last night in an unoccupiou bedroom in tbo Esplanade Hotel. Fortunately, it was discovered early, and extinguished before it got beyond the room in which it started. Tho damage dono would not exceed live pounds. A deputation consisting of members of tho Wellington Hospital Trustees interview cd the Hon W. C. Walker on Saturday in regard to the for the Homo for Incurables to bo built with tho mon£y raised at tho bazaar bold in Wellington during tho visit of tho Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. It was suggested that tho Government shou d give as a site an aero of ground un Ridditoicl street, adjoining the Hospital, and the Trustees stated that, if necessary, they would give in exchange thrce-quartcis of an aero in Salamanca road. Mr Walker promised to bring the matter before Cabinet.

Our Dimocliii correspondent telegraphs that tlio Kev Janies Gibb, moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly, has returned from a visit to Vancouvoi and San Francisco, whither ho went in quest of health. Mr Gibb says that from personal intercourse with other people ho was assured that now the Vancouver lino bad como under the management of tho l-nion Steam Ship Company there was a feeling in Canada and on tho Vancouver route that the reputation of tho company would bring about a change for tho better. The health of the reverend gentleman has considerably benefited by tho change of air and scene. Tho Dairy Commissioner returned from Invercargill yesterday, whero ho has boon attending a conference on the grading system, which was attended by delegates from thirteen dairy factories. Mr Kinsolla was able to bring homo to directors the necessity for proper casing, binding of ease ends by wiro or hoopiron, and proper impressed brands. Grader Thornton assisted tho Commissioner. A meeting was also hold with reference to. tho Government grading and stamping of choose. Somo Sonth- / ern ohocso factory directors consider (hat tho Government marking practically fixes tho price, and they, therefore, object to it. It is satisfactory to know that the Dairy Commissioner was successful in convincing these opponents of the system that their objections wore trivial when compared to the many valuable advantages it possessed. “Standing on a Melbourne wharf a few weeks ago I saw a gang of men planing the brands off New Zealand butter boxes, while others followed with a stencil for imprinting thereon the words, ‘Finest Victorian nutter.’ ” Such was the significant remark made by a South African merchant, who recently visited this colony, to Mr C. It. Boattio, .secretary of the National Dairy Association. This is, however, only one peculiarity of the Australian trader. Time is not very far distant when Now Zealand producers refused to ship to Sydney on consignment—tho butter had to be bought outright or there was no sale. Mr Thornton, Government Dairy Produce Grader in the South Island, is fully alfve to the importance of doing something to checkmate tho wily Australian dealer, and suggests marking the boxes with an un-inked impressed brand on tho inside 1 . ' The idea is an admirable one, and there is absolutely nothing to ho said against it, oven on the score of expense.

The awards in tlic furniture trade dispute and in the painters’ dispute settling the conditions of labour in Wellington. Napier, Wanganui, Palmerston North and the Wairarapa, have boon duly lodged in the Court with the Clerk of Awards The award in the tinplate and metal workers’ dispute, settling the conditions of labour in WelImgton, Napier, Wanganui and Palmerston North, has also been lodged. All these awards will come into operation on the 24th instant and are for a period of two years. The award in the timber trade dispute will not bo delivered until the Court has heard the pending Southland dispute, the hearing of which, is to tako place on the Ist March. The Court has already heard the Auckland district timber dispute, and the award in this dispute will bo delivered at the same time. The award in the iron moulders’ dispute in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland is held over pending the hearing of the dispute in Dmu edin. As it is stated, however, that the Dunedin employers have come to some settlement with the union, these awards will bo shortly delivered. It is understood that no official intimation of such settlement has been communicated to the Court. The award in the cooks and stewards’ dispute will, it is understood, bo shortly delivered, the balance of the evidence to bo submitted to the Court having only been received by the President just before the Court’s departure for the North, and sorte delay having in consequence been caused. The award in the bookbinders’ dispute will bo shortly lodged with the Clerk of Awards. The Court will sit at Nelson to-day. and then proceed to Westport and Gvoymonth. and from there to Invercargill, sitting at Invercargill on the Ist March. All_ business pending in the Auckland district up to tho Ist January of this year has now been disposed of by the Court. Per their sale of stock at Waipukurau to-morrow Messrs Williams and Kettle have an entry of 12.000 ewes, wethers, lambs and rams and fifty cattle. This is a good opportunity lor breeders and eraziefs to pick up some first-class stock.

Messrs Macdonald, Wilson and Co. Notify in onr auction columns that the superior household furniture, pianos, etc., to bo sold on Wednesday next, commencing at 10.30 o’clock, at Mr Judah Myers’s residence, Clifton terrace, will be on view to-day and to-morrow afternoons from 2 to 5 o’clock. Catalogues can be had on application to the auctioneers. The. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. will sell 3.10 bullocks at Palmerston North on the 27th in«t.

To-day at 2 p.m. Messrs J. 11. Baffinne and Co.’ will hold a highly important sale by public auction at their rooms, i;eatherstou street, when, by instructions from the owner, they will sell 6+ magnificent freehold building sites containing i aero amt upwards situated at Trcnthaui, adjoining tho rifle range, and railway station, as shown on lithograph plans circulated by tho auctioneers. Tho land is in a dry and healthy position, being a level tcraco 22ft above the river fiat. It has an excellent climate and is well known to sportsmen as being unsurpassed for fishing and shooting, while the fact that the rifle range and military training ground adjoin the sections considerably enhance their value. Exceptionally liberal terms of payment have been arranged whereby a purchaser erecting a residence may allow 75 per cent, of the purchase money to remain on montgago for three years at a per cent. The sale will afford an exceptional opportunity to the business community of acquiring villa sites within easy distance of Wellington, and yet presenting all the advantages if the country.

Air .1. W. AI. Harrison, the well-known gymnastic instructor, announces elsewhere that ho has secured suitable premises tor bis new gymnasium. While on his recent visit to Australia lie improved his knowledge of remedial exercises and treatment for lab: ral spinal curvature. Air Harrison also went through special courses of the fSi.Mlow system, widen he win icaeli in a practical manner as a feature of the instruction iu his new school of physical culture.

Air W. F. Shortt will sell at his rooms to-day, commencing at noon, salvage stock of soaps, brushware, cutlery, violins, leather ware, fancy goods, etc., from D. Benjamin and Co.’s warehouse. Air AVilliam Turnbull calls for tenders for the erection of a slaughterhouse and concrete reservoir at ICaiwarra; for additions to St. Peter's Church, AV'illis street; and for the erection of new premises for Air F. Grady, Willis street. Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Aorcncy Company will sell stock at Palmerston North on Thursday. The Defence Department calls for tenders for medical stores for the Ninth Contingent.