LOCAL. AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 4

LOCAL. AND GENERAL.

Tho members of the Scenery Preservation Commision have concluded their investigations at Napier, and left yesterday for Gisborne.

A solid silver cup has been presented to the Wellington Coursing Club by Mr J. H. Price to be competed for next Friday at Trentham.

We have received the May number of “ Cook’s Australasian Travellers’ Gazette,” which contains the concluding portion of tho article on the St. Louis Exhibition and a variety of other useful information.

The May issue of “ The Sciudian,” the organ of the Napier Boys’ High School is to hand. This neat little magazine is well conducted, and both as regards reading matter and illustrations it holds a high place among publications of the kind.

Copies of tho “Navy League Journal” for April are now being distributed among tho members of the Wellington branch. Associates will, however, not have to wait long for their copies—an additional supply having been ordered some weeks back.

The natives of tho Wairarapa district axe to hold a farewell meeting ,t Papawai on the 9th prox., in connection with Lord Rnnfurly’s departure from the colony. A largo number of invitations to the gathering are being issued to Wellington and Wairarapa residents.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Cooper concluded the hearing of the claim ird counter-claim between Henry Fielder, upholsterer, Manners street, and the Vi olhugton Working Men’s Club. Evidence for the defendants n T as giv-m by Thomas Foster, Thomas Uriclge, William C. Nook and Fred William Fielder. Judgment wms reserved. . The railway service on the Wanganui line, which had been interrupted by the recent severe weather, was restored yesterday. Through passengers from Auckland, who had been delayed at Wanganui, were able to reach Wellington last night. The mail train lost about half an hour between Wanganui and -Marten yesterday, but passengers by the Manawatu line for Wellington, reached their destination a few minutes after the schedule time. > The case of Shelton v. Muir and others, a claim for £3OO commission, was again before the Supremo Court yesterday. Before closing plaintiff’s case, Mr A. Gray applied to amend the claim, by adding an alternative count for damages. Mr Treadwell, for the defendants, opposed tho application. The amendment was allowed, the terms to be submitted to the Court for approval. On Mr Treadwell’s application, the further hearing was adjourned to a date to be fixed, ojving to the illness of one of the witnesses.

Three farmers residing in or near the Rimutaka survey district were yesterday fined £2 each, and costs, for failing to clear sweetbriar and gorse off their properties. None of the defendants appeared in person to answer the charges, and the case for the prosecution consisted of a statement by one of the department’s inspectors regarding the “ weedy ” state of the land. Subsequently it was stated that two of the defendants had found their way to the Supreme Court, and had there been waiting for the case to be called! Daniel Lamont, sixty-seven years of age, who resided with one of his two sons at 27a, Tory street, died suddenly between 11 p.m. on Thursday and an early hour yesterday morning. Deceased had a fit last Tuesday, and had been confined to his bed. On awaking yesterday morning the deceased’s son, who slept with him, found that his father had expired during the night. Deceased was a gardener by trade, but had, not been working lately. An inquiry into the death was held by Mr James Ashcroft, District Coroner, yesterday afternoon, when the jury brought in a verdict (in accordance with medical testimony) that death was caused through heart failure.

Reference to the case stated; for decision by the Supreme Court in’ the case of J. J. Pilkington and the Wellington Land Board (involving a question of land tenure and residence conditions) was made yesterday at the Board’s meeting. The Commissioner of Crown Lands having reported that tho Court bad upheld the Board’s contention that Mr Pilkington, as a co-lossea of a section, was not entitled to exemption because of his partner's death, wont on to say that Mr Pilkington had written, asking to bo allowed to address the Board before it finally adjudicated on the matter. After discussion, the Board resolved to advise Mr Pilkington, “That it would not, of course, be competent for Mr Pilkington to reopen tho question already decided by the Court, but that the matter would he held over until next meeting."

It has been decided by , the Government that the Government Buildings in Wellington, Government House, Parliament Buildings and the General Post Office are to be illuminated in honour of his Excellency Lord Plunket upon his arrival-in Wellington. The details of the reception of the new Governor upon his landing are, of course, in the hands of the civic authorities, and the Government, in order to assist as far as it can, has decided to call out the volunteers and Garrison Band to take part in the reception. The Mayor will invite the citizens to observe the day as a holiday. The Hinemoa, with the members of the Ministry on board, is to meet the Gothic outside Wellington harbour, and Lord Plunket will tranship to the Hinemoa, and enter the port on board the Government steamer. An , address of welcome from the citizens will he presented at Queen’s Wharf by the Mayor of Wellington. A committee of the City Council is now preparing this address, and an address of farewell to Lord Banfurly. who is to leave Wellington on June 20th, the day on which Lord Plunket will probably arrive here. Mr G. L. Stewart, secretary to the Education Board, explains that it was in the year 1902 that Wellington was lowest in the attendance averages a! ihe schools throughout the district. In 1903, the North Canterbury attendance was slightly below Wellington, but both compared unfavourably with other educational districts. The figures quoted (and printed) for 1303 were furnished him by the Education Department. Mi Stewart was asked to pick out two city schools at Wellington and Dunedin, isee how they compared. During the quarter ending, March 31st, 1901, the Clyde quays shcoo! had an average attendance of 87.0 per cent., and the Terrace school 85.4 per cent. Against thi the Oaversham school, Dunedin, uad an attendance duriiig the same period tf 93.8 per cent., and the High - street school, Dunedin, 93.7 per cent. These figures provide ample justification for the stand Air Stewart has taken on the question of truancy. There is only one truancy officer for the whole of Otago district, and the efficient manner in which he carries out his duties is said to be proved by the returns.

I \ , Mr Justice Coopin'* will hold a sitting in Chambers this mourning. The Minister for Agriculture will open the Manawatu and w est Coast A. and P. Winter Show on Ju no 21st. Tho inspector’s report furnished in response to an application from the residents of Longbusb for a school was adopted at the meetin g of the Education Board. This was to the effect that the site offered for tho school was unsuitable-

Mr W. H. P. Barber intends io make an effort to secure the establishment of a ’bus service between Duppa street and Island Bay, in connection with the new tramway system, and sat next meeting of tho City Council Is-, to move that a report bo obtained on the subject.

A meeting of members of the No. 1 Co-operative Building Society of Wellington was held last evening, to decide by ballot a loan appropriation. Mr F. Kitto, chairman, presided'. The first number drawn was 83, held by a member holding two shares, who gave notice to forego. The second nu.’ucer drawn was 397, the member, holding; one share, becoming entitled to a loan ot\£loo free of interest. . 1

Tho two commissioners appointed by the Government to allocate tie extpensei of repairs to road and railway bridges oa between local bodies were in O-amvuru this week, says the “North Otago , Times,” and had several witnesses from Kurow and Sandhurst examined at tho Courthouse. The Waitaki County Council declined to appear before the Commissioners, as the Council considers the’Bailway Department had no right or power to withhold part of the subsidy voted to it by Parliament. A’ correspondent says the Government had enumerators night and day stationed oa tho bridge at Kurow for the last four weeks, asking all passengers where they hailed from—Otago or Canterbury.

Mr O. 11. 0. Robieson. Acting-Super* intendent for tho Tourist Department, has received a letter from Mr A. G. Plato, a well-known Tasmanian artist, who toured tho colony a few weeks ago. Air Plate says he was charmed with the magnificent lake and mountain scenery of Central Otago. The walk between the head of Lake Ta Anau and Milford Sound he describes as the finest in the world. Mr Plata states that the lake district has an assured future, as it offers to the landscape painter an inexhaustible wealth of subject. A recent exhibition, given by the writer in the National Art Gallery, Hobart, included two fine canvases depicting Milford Sound.

A communication from the Uuder-Sec-retary to the Public Works Department was received by the Wellington Land Board late yesterday afternoon, making application that an area of three thousand six hundred acres in Waimarino Forest be set aside for the purpose of obtaining a supply of timber for sleepers to be used in constructing and maintaining the North Island Main Trunk railway line. The plan submit--tod to the Board showed a long narrow, strip contiguous to the railway line. The Board expressed the opinion that it would be better to alter the boundaries so as to avoid cutting off part of the block from access to the railway. The Commissioner of Crown Lands was requested to arrange an alteration of the boundary, and pending,this consideration of the request was deferred until next meeting. .

In a private letter received by the San Francisco mail, Mr T. E. Donno (who is representing the New Zealand Government at the St. Louis Exposition) states that he arrived at,St. Louis on the 29th ult., after four days’ railway journey from San Francisco, no stoppage, night or day, being for more than ten minutes. Ho states,that the Americans run many high-class railways, but the accident rate is very high. The day before he wrote, there had been a smashup at a place twenty miles away, in which seven people were killed and fifty injured. The signal system, Mr Donna considers, is far from what it should be. There is no block system, and only a partial staff system (as practised in New Zealand) is in operation. Mr Donne, who arrived in time for the opening ceremony at St. Louis, describes the Ex. position as a magnificent show covering over 1200 acres of ground. A few months ago the ladies of a certain Government department in Wellington were bombarded by circular! from a company in Sydney. The company offered “a handsome piece of jewellery to anyone ordering or disposing of ten shillings worth of its perfumery. 1 ' The ladies decided to test the offer, and a few of them clubbed together and sent for the ten shillings’ worth of perfumery. The scent came to hand and a postoffice order for the amount was remitted. Months alter this the “handsome piece of jewellery” was received, and, needless to say, it was far from being what was represented. Now comes the serious part of the affair. One of the ladies has received a letter from a collection agency, threatening legal proceedings if the ten shillings for the “small lot of violet perfume ordered” was not paid for at once. Of course the post-office order for the amount can bo traced, and payment for the perfume proved. But haw many girls, excited by the offer of jewellery, have been deceived into paying twice by similar communications? Wm. H. Turnbull and Co., in this issue, advertise an extensive list of valuable city properties which are to be offered at auction in the firm’s auction room. No. 3, Panama street, on Thursday, 9th June. The properties to b« submitted include a block of land,situated on the Victoria street frontage, clos* to the Te Aro railway station and immediately opposite the new wharf site; a warehouse or factory site in Stout street (opposite the Supreme Court); and also that centrally situated block oi vacant land in Customhouse quay, adjoining the new premises of the Australasian Widows Fund Life Assurance Society, now being constructed, with that portion of the same land having frontage to Victoria street.

The Miramar Ferry Company, Ltd., advertises its time-table for Seatoun today.

Applications are invited for a married couple as master and matron of the Hawke's Bay Old People's Home. Pitcaithly and Co., Glasgow Wharf, an prepared to supply Hutt River shingU in any quantities at lowest rates. Sidey, Meech and Co. will sell at 1-30 p.m. to-day household furniture and effects of all descriptions.

The Dresden Piano Company has oa sale pianos by the world’s best maker*. W. A. iloir, formerly of Christchurch, is requested to communicate with E. J. Large, purser E.M.S. Corinthio. The Wellington Gitv Council will bold a sale of unclaimed dtps at the Destructor yards, at 3 p.m. to-day.

A list is inserted of firms whose pro mises will be closed for business this afternoon.

Mary McDonald, formerly of Inver, ness-shire, Scotland, or her children, will hear of something of advantage on communicating with Doyle. Pickon and Kerr, solicitors, Melbourne. Hie fifth Yankee Hustle Sale will be continued to-day. Hareourt and Co. will hold a land solo at Johnsonville on Tuesday, Jun» 14th.

The advantages of using the new Crescent blend of tea are set forth in thu issue.

If. Margules, eyesight and spectacle specialist, inserts testimonial*.