LOCAL. AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5557, 7 April 1905, Page 4

LOCAL. AND GENERAL.

An entirely unfounded allegation was put forward yesterday that this journal had grossly misrepresented Mr J. Hutcheson’s remarks at his open-air meeting on Wednesday evening. Our representative who attended the meeting, and who is an experienced Parliamentary reporter, is positive that Mr Hutcheson uttered the words in the terms and sense in which they were published. Mr Hutcheson spoke in tones - which gave no hint of any intended jocular moaning such as has been alleged. The very violence and vulgarity of the adjectives he used support this view of the case. We assert most unequivocally that the insinuation that misrepresentation of the utterance was resorted to in this office in order to damage the candidate in the minds of the. electors is without the remotest foundation in fact. The charge against us has palpably been brought to cover 'up Mr Hutcheson’s blundering tactics and “break the fall” of his rejection by the electors. , The amount received in rents for the Town Hall up to April 3rd was £398 15s 6d. The City Council has decided to instruct its officers to take steps to have the whole of the by-laws consolidated, incorporating the by-laws of the old Melrose borough. A nuisance has been created by the practice of persons training dogs, particularly greyhounds, on the IBasin Reserve. The City Council has now decided to strictly enforce the bydaw against the practice. r . A coincidence in connection with the polling yesterday is that a mock ballot was held at the Terrace School (which Mr Fisher attended when a hoy), and the result of the voting, participated in by boys only, was as follows:—Fisher, 49: Hutcheson, 10: Izard, 9. Councillor Devine asked at last night’s meeting of the City Council that the concrete steps at such places as Upper Dixon street, Plimraer’s steps, and Mason’s steps should be regularly hosed and swept. The Mayor- promised that the matter would receive attention. In the official “Hand-book for Australia,” recently issued, are twelve pages of information on New Zealand, and in addition there are six full-page process photographs of New Zealand scenic views—the only in the volume This is the first occasion in which New Zealand has been given space in an Australian, (not Austral-hand-book.

A donation of £2 2s has been handed to the Fire Brigade by Mr George Win- , der, in recognition of the"services of the brigade in suppressing an outbreak, of fire recently at his Victoria street store. The recruiting committee of > the newly-formed Garrison Artillery Oorpa will meet at the Buckle street depot this evening for tiro purpose of enrolling recruits and transacting other important business in connection with the formation of the corps. The Inspector of Vehicles will be at, the Corporation offices next week to inspect vehicles for which licenses for* the current year arc. required. Carts and expresses are to bo dealt with on * Monday and Tuesday, and cabs and other vehicles on Thursday. The Citv Council last evening granted an applicalion of Mr F. G. A, Stuckey and .others for permission to erect a bathing-shed at West Beach, Island Bay, provided it is erected according to plan approved by-tlrc City Engineer* and maintained and painted by the owners periodically, as required by tho City, Engineer. A copy of tho anniversary March issue of the “Australasian Leather Trades Review,” published in Sydney, has reached us. Tho number deals with many matters affecting the leather trade, including histories of the tanning industry, many of the largest firms engaged in it, and so forth. The numerous illustrations helo to render tho mm - * her very attractive. / The second of the series of Professor Macmillan Brown’s instructive articles on “Primitive Man” will be published in our issue of to-morrow (Saturday). Tbe sub-title of this instalment is “The Meaning of tbe Cola-sal Stone Record,’' and the matter-is of engrossing interest, as going to prove largo migrations of people of the Caucasian race” to Polynesia in pro-historic times. Yesterday a movement was set nn foot to eroct a monument to tboi memory of tiro late Mr George Fisher, M.H.R.. Tho -project has been taken up by the deceased gentleman’s admirers and friends, and the object in, view is likely to be speedily attained. As .soon as preliminary details are arranged, a committee will bo sot up te take the matter in band.

The annual meeting of the Victoria College Hockey Club was held last) night, Mr R. Been' presiding. The report, and balance-sheet was "adopted, and a now constitution was confirmed. Tile following officers were elected fori the ensuing year:—Patron, his Excellency the Governor; 1 president, Sir Robert Stout: vice-presidents, all t.ho professors and lecturers; club captain, R. Eeere; hon secretary and treasurer, O. R. Prouso; auditor, B. 0. Smith In the course of remarks made at Oamaru on the subject of Now Zealand butter. Mr John Holmes pointed out that “Newcastlo-on-Tyne has been used to buying its butter put up in casks, and has no uso for it in any other shape. Why should wo not cater foi‘ their custom ? Goodness only knows, but the fact remians that wo don’tConservative Newcastle, sticks ; to its casks, and we to our boxes, and the result is that Newcastle loses our butter and wo their trade!” % meeting of the Wellington Convalescent Home Trustees was held yesterday. Present Mesdames Brandon; (who was voted to the chair during Mrs W. Moorhouse’s absence), Grady, Williams, Miss Coates, Mrs Barron (treasurer), and Mrs Pearce (hon. secretary). The matron reported that nine patients: had been admitted during the month, and eleven discharged. The following gifts were acknowledged with thanks:—Mrs Kirkcaldie and Burne, fruit: Mra Rothoram, flowers; Mesdames Harding, Snaddon, and Moorhouse, magazine:' and illustrated papers. Yesterday Mr Justice Cooper heard! argument or. legal points reserved in. the case of Heighten and others v. Bailey and others, of Fell cl) tig. The action arose in connection with the letting of certain timber-cutting rights by plaintiffs in the Mangawelcn district. The suit was brought to recover tha value of certain timber alleged to have been removed and an injunction to restrain defendants from continuing to cut timber on a certain excluded area. Hr J. G- Findlay and Mr Stout appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr Prior, with Mr Myers for the defendants. At tha conclusion of argument, judgment wa» reserved. A bazaar is to bo held in St. John’s; Schoolroom, tHixon street, to-day and to-morrow, to raise funds toward® liquidating the building debts of tha Presbyterian churches at Wadestown and Khandallah. : The Ladies’ Sewing Guilds of the respective congregations have been busy for the'past year, with the result that the various stalls will contain a good variety of articles both useful and ornamental. The bazaar will ho opened at 2.30 o’clock this afternoon by his Worship the TvXayor. Side-showa of various kinds have been, arranged, and each evening there will he exhibitions of club-swinging and a number of musical items. The Right Hon R.. J. Seddon will take the chair.to-night at Captain Scott Harden’s pictorial entertainment on the Russo-Japanese avar, at the" Town Hall. Captain Harden has invited the cadets of the town, and the boys will march down in uniform under their officers. An invitation has also been extended to the hospital staff and to the bluejackets of H.M.S. Challenger and H.M.S. Phoebe. For the first time, pictures of the war in the Far Bast will bo described by one who was present at some of the great battles, and the public will be able to hear the causes of the Russian defeats and the fall of Port Arthur. Cautai’n Scott Harden, it must be remembered, ran the blockade and spent some days' inside the fortress during the siege, and can speak of many events from personal observation. Mr John Holmes, of Wellington, who is now in the South Inland pursuing his crusade in connection with the flar and butter-exporting industries, stated to a reporter of the “Oamaru Mail” on Tuesday last that other countries aro awako to the importance of the flax trade, and will filch it from us if they can. Queensland, for instance, is cultivating the sisal plant, and, if successful. will be a formidable competitor with our flax. Then Victorian' farmers have actually taken from New Zealand plants and seed with a view to developing them in their own colony! Mr Holmes considers the time has come when most of the waste lands of the colony should bo planted with the best qualities of New Zealand flax- Many of our larger pro-perty-owner' are planting areas of up to 200 and 300 acres. In Manawatu as much as 40 tons to the acre have been cut, and as the crop reproduces itself in three years, it can be e|en what an enormous, thing it is. The “Mail,” in commenting on the interview, says that flax can be profitably grown even on the heights of the South Island,

Tho “Daily News’’ Newspaper Company, Ashburton, lias decided to go into liquidation. Tho annual meeting of the \Voilington Patent Slip Company will bo held in tin*- X.tlional Mutual Buildings next Thursday. Tho annual £IOO match of the Marlborough Gun Club was firod off at Blenheim in good weather. Out; of twelve shootisfs five tied, these being A. Bore, Broderick Hamilton Redwood. H. Oheosoman and J. Graham. 'J took £ls each and shot ofl for £lO, H. C/hcescman winning. Tho traffic was oxtrcmoly busy in Willis street yesterday afternoon, especially near the polling-booth of Lovien, Sballcj’a.ss and Co. s mart; and ono of the numerous band of cyclists iviio rode through tho thoroughfare about. 5 o’clock narrowly oh wiped serious injury Ho did not look whoro ho tvas going and as a result collided with Iho horses harnessed to a cah in which Mr G. JL Izard was sealed- Tho cab was coming in the opposite direction, and tho cyclist was knocked down; but (bo driver of the cab, Mr J. Lane, pulled up in time to save him from tbo horses’ feet, and he scrambled up unhurt. For some reason or other the -sweeping of Iho city streets during; the last few days has been carried out in a most slipshod manner. Kent terrace has been almost completely ignored by tho brOoin-hojs, and in a hrem.a clouds of dust and other objectionable matter fill tho air. Tho City Council bust night decided to purchase two sweeping-ma-chines, which, it it to bo hoped, will bo bettor able to cope with tho work. Councillor Luke asked if tho Engineer •would bo instructed to place on the estimates sufficient money to allow of tho proper scavenging of tho streets, iho Mayor replied that tho purchase of tbo sweepers wars an earnest of tbo Counoil’s intentions to do tho thing properly. More than halt the people of 'Wellington were in tho -stroots Last night, and about eight o’clock they wedged Hiomsolves into masses round the newspaper offices, whore the results of tho election were being posted. Below the big board, framed with, brilliant electric lights, in the front of tho “Now Zealand Times” office, tho crowd spread Up and down Lambton quay and back into Grey street. Following tho protaxlonco of years, tbo candidates spoke from - tho balcony fronting tho street, and expressed their thanks to the people. A hurriedly-constructed platform had been erected in front of our owning contemporary’s building, from whore, sorely' pressed for space, the candidates also addressed the crowd. Tenders are wanted for building an light-roomed residence at Keiburno. The D.I.C. business promises will bo »pen to-morrow till 9.30 p.na. Messrs Alcuck and Co., billiard-table manufacturers, have supplemented their staff of experts, and arc now prepared to make old tables play as fast as new by fitting them with '‘lmperial > low mshions. Bargains in Inverness and Carnarvon capes are advertised hy Messrs Warnook and Adkin. An important sale of sections and houses at Petone will he hold by Messrs Radford and Go. to-morrow evening, at their rooms, Petone. Details of tho twelve lots to be offered appear on page 8. The goodwill of the Hawera brewery is for sale. The Loan and Mercantile Agency Company inserts entries for next Thursday’s stock sale at Palmerston North. Particulars are advertised of salvage and other stock, comprising crockerytvare, fancy goods, jewellery, etc., to he sold at Messrs Syley, Meeoh and Co/s rooms this afternoon. Tho secretary of the Women’s Protection Society will attend at the rooms, Willis street, at times specified in our advertising columns. Mr 11. Hopkins, Otaki, has a good sheep farm for sale. E. Hannah and Co., call special attention to their stock of Eugby and association football boots.