LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5118, 10 November 1903, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlia recant performance of “Pinafore” by tlio New Plymouth Amateur Operatic Society resulted in a profit of £2O. A proposal to establish a co-operative fish company in Auckland was mado at ,u recoub mooting of Urn Fishermen's Union in that city, and a committee teas appointed to inako inquiries on llm iuhjcct. Tliis morning tlio Court of Appeal will deliver judgment in the cases of tho King v. Jliddiford, tiio King v, Shand, City Council v. Staples, Smith v. Btrauchan and others, Wellington Harbour Board v. Young, and Salisbury v. I’caro. A .movement is on foot to form a Civil Service Club in Wellington. A largo number of Civil servants have already signified tlieir intention of joining the club, and it is anticipated the club will bo started with a largo membership. Tho Hawera paper announces that Air ’A. A. Fanthain. who is well known throughout tho colony as a breeder of Block, has decided to sell his lino stud Df jmrobrod cattle and sheep. Ho has been in indifferent health for some time, and can no longer give (ho attention to his stock which their value and importance demand. j The largest export of poultry and eggs yet shipped from Mar I ! borough was sent li.way from Blenheim to Wellington last week —it.'/.a pairs of fowls, 20 pairs of ducks, six pairs of turkeys, ami about too dozen eggs. It is hoped by those interested that this will he the beginning of a profitable export trade. A short sitting of tho Magistrate's Court, to deal with police casco, was held at nine o’clock yesterday morning. Harry Phipps, twice previously convicted of drunkenness, was fined 20s, in default seven days’ imprisonment. David Btoodman, for a similar offence, was fined 10s, in default threo days’ imprisonment. Daniel Mahoney, charged with drunkenness and being an idle and disorderly person, was remanded for a week. Two noisy noysterers, Charles Henry Howell and Dennis Yore, were brought before tho Court on several charges. Howell was fined ss, or fortyeight hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness, and 2Gs, or seven days’, for resisting a constable. Yore was also fined ss, of forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, lor drunkenness. In addition lie was ordered to pay a fine of £2 and Gs costs for lising obscene language, and £l, or seven days’ imprisonment, for assaulting a countable. Referring to published statements ro the excessive costs pub forward by labour unions in lawsuits against employers,“Justice” writes: —In tho first place, it is impossible for tho worker's to overcharge, because if an employer has any reason to believe ho is being robbed by the scale of costs put forward, bo gets them reviewed by tho Judge. In the recent case of tho Carpenters’ Union noainst a woll-known employer, the costs amounted to £ll Os 6d. In tjiis particular instance tho employer is many pounds to tho good by committing tbo breach of tho award, lb simply amounts to tliis—Employers rob their employees by not paying thorn their hard-earned wages according to tho award; they know they will be found out eventually, but what care they? Tho fines aro small, irnd tho gain to tho employer’s pocket incalculable; and as long os tho fines made by the Jiudgo are only nominal, breaches will exist.

Captain Poarso (proprietor of the '‘Australian Pnstoralists’ Review”) lias Written a remarkable letter to tho “Buenos Ayres Standard.” Tho lottor contains statements to the effect that Australia is on tho verge of industrial and financial ruin. Tho school system there is said to have been a groat source of trouble because tho people havo “become so well educated that they know too much to do any work.” Tho papers bristlo with accounts of robberies with violence and other crimes which go unpunished; indeed, it would seem, according to Captain Pearso, that tho ordinary citizen in the Commonwealth is safo only when armed to the teeth. Again, Australia’s cattle and sheep trade has fallen to nothing, and tho country ia not producing anything to speak of. Those and more remarks all very much elaborated apparently wore written and published with a view to showing that Australia was a very fine place to bo out of. Mr T. M. Drummond, Greytown North, writes:—The report on the Carterton show, as given in the “New Zealand Times” of the 6th instant, lio mention is made of classes in Plymouth Hocks, Hondans and Orpingtons. Master Willoughby Drummond is not mentioned as a prize-taker, whereus ia Andalusians lie took first with a bird which has now secured first at tho last four shows (and, in tho opinion of somo experts, the best bird in the show) and first in Hondans, Langshans, Plymouth Hocks and Golden Wyanilottes. Out of sixteen exhibits fifteen took prizes—a result not easily beaten. I may here state that Willoughby, a member for the last four years of tho above-mentioned show society, was this year tho cause of establishing a juvenile membership, consequently, if those small things are not studied tho lociecy will suffer, for instance, last year a newspaper gave the winner for most points in poultry 53, Willoughby second with 45, whereas Willoughby leered 72 points and won a gold medal, the second prize-taker 64 and the third 62. Re voting machines, Mr E. W. Arnold, junr., writes: —Seeing and hearing that a great deal is being made out of tho supposed irregularities at tho last general election, the following facts may bo of interest. From the latest information regarding voting machines, it is doubtful if there is auy device whereby crime at tho voting place can bo thwarted. It was to prevent tho dishonest counting of votes that tho New York State law in 1896 permitted tho employment of voting machines. Tho city authorities purchased a sufficient number for all precincts under a contract provided thaic they should not bo paid for until they were demonstrated, beyond doubt, to be successful. Owing to the largo number of mishaps, tho trial was unsatisfactory, and the machines Were returned to the manufacturers,who mode an assignment, and closed their business. Tho same year Worcester. Massachusetts, tried a new apparatus, which was equally unsuccessful, Tho lame year a third invention was tried at Hornollsrillo, Now York, with bettor results, so that tho Associated Press, seven and a half minutes after tho ballots were closed, gave tho complete returns. This machine has since been used generally throughout the State of New York, and has been adopted by outside cities and States as well. Though fairly a success, wo in New Zealand can afford to wait, and ere another election comes mav havo one of tho most perfected systems in the world. America, with all her advancement in regard to these matters, lias not yet got a real, jip-to-dato system, so wo need not find fault with the past' hut seek out a remedy for tho future.

An inquest touching the death of a patient was held at Porirua Asylum yesterday by tho District Coroner (Mr Jos. Ashcroft). Deceased, who was sixtytwo years of age, was only admitted to tiio asylum four days ago, and v.'as at that time in a moribund condition. A verdict of death from chronic brain, disease combined with jiaralysis was returned. Messis Yorcx. Barker ami Finlay are offering special di-count inducements to purchasers oi bicycles up to the 2iut inst. A new advertisement is published in another column. Tho reduced prices of various articles of drax>ery household linr-n, etc., at Messrs Wai-nock ami Adkin’s establishment a f o published in our advertising columns, together with ordinary prices, so that readers may see at a glance the amount of reduction in price. Messrs Gorton and Son will hold a salo of horses at Bedding to-morrow. A special entry by Messrs iiocken Bros is advertised. Messr.-i Macdonald, Wilson and Co- direct special attention to'tho sale by auction on Thursday next, at 2.110 o'clock, of a valuable corner residential property in Tfiormlon. The house contains eight rooms, with every convenience, avid has land with a frontage of 3711 to Tinakori road by a depth of 10011. I' nil details appear In our auction columns. Two valuable section.- at Muritai, each about 40it by SOUft. aro also advertised for Thursday's sale. The linn also navel the for private sale lor fourteen days a -number of choice sections ranging -in area from two to lour acres oacn in Otaki, situate close to tho railway -station there. Plans and details cau bo nad on application.