LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5981, 18 August 1906, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Royal Commission on fires on wool-ships yesterday heard some important evidence, that of Captain Moffatt, of the s.s. Mamari, and Professor Eaaterfield, of Victoria College, being particularly interesting. The latter suggested to the Commission, if it wanted to get at the seat of the trouble," to authorise a series of experiments by chemical experts, who would study the question under conditions which would enable them to find out the actual causa of these fires. When such inquiries were set up at Home, the Commissions wore guided by experiments made by those in a position to speak with authority. The Commission would, of course, have to hear the cost, but this seemed to him the only real method by which they could arrive at any satisfactory result. It was shown that such experiments, following out exactly similar conditions as would arise in. the shipment of damp Wool or flax to tho London market, would extend over some time, and, aa the Commissioners have to'report within a stated period, they, while anxious that the experiments should ho made, desire to have the results as speedily as possible. : Professor Easterfiold hinted that the expense entailed might amount to about £SOO. The Commissioners fell in with his suggestion, and the professor is to submit proposals (with 'estimate of cost) for sotting up a committee of chemical exports to investigate. When his yeport is to bane, tile Commissioners will decide whether they will recommend the Government to give effect to the suggestion for tho appointment of a committee of experts. , ' Tho fourth anniversary of the Young PHon’s Christian Association is to Ibo held in the large Town Hall on Thursday, September 20th. There will _be “an international tea meeting,” which Will refloat the world-wide growth of the Y.M.O.A. A crowded mooting of ladies was held yesterday (at the rooms to make arrangements for the colohrar tious. 1 According to Hr ■ Frank Bnllen, whaling off the .New Zealand coast fell off not because the wholes were all killed, but because substitutes for oil came into use—for lighting; gas, kerosene, and electricity; and for lubricants (sperm oil !»■ a perfect lubricant) other petroleum products.. Thoro ought to bo plenty of whales about now; for they have not been disturbed tor tho last twenty or fivo-and-twenty years. ,

Tho difficulty of taxidermal treatment of fish was referred to ly Dr Bonham at the Otago Institute (Dunedin), on Tuesday evening. The disappointing feature, ho said, was that, after being stuffed, fish lost the colours of life, and burned brown. Painting the fish was therefore being tried, and some creditable "got up” specimens wore shown; Taken altogether. Dr Bonham's remarks seem to imply that tho taxidermist of the future will require to bo an artist also. The eleventh annual dinner of the Yorkshire Society is fixed for Monday, September 3rd, at Godher’s rooms, Cuba street. This year’s gathering promises to bo as pleasant as any of its predecessors. Amongst those who have promised to attend are his Excellency the Governor, .the Bishop of Wellington, and Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Massey, M.H.E., and other members of the Legislature have been invited, and tho Hon. Sir John Hall is expected from Christchurch.

At tho last meeting of tho Stratford County Council a Whangamomona ratepayer wrote stating that ho had been sued for rates, and had. htd to pay £S 2s mileage on tho summons, which had been served by the mailman. He thought this charge was excessive, and inflicted'a grave hardship on the settlers in the haok-hlooks. Mr MoOutchan said a'short time ago several summonses had;'gone out to Whangamctmona, and mileage had to be paid on each; In one case it amounted to £2 10s. One shilling per mile was not an excessive charge for serving, one summons, hut when the man served a number in tho same locality, he certainly got excessively paid for the work done. The Council decided to make representations to the Minister of Justice on tho subject. Tho Eastbourne Borough Council is in a fix over the system of rating for the present year. A few days ago the ratepayers of the borough expressed their approval, of rating on the unimproved value. It might be supposed that the mere routine of statutory advertisements and a notice in the "Gazr etto’ ’ would have concreted the scheme, but unfortunately the Rating on Unimproved Values Act provides that “If such adopting proposal is carried, then, from and after the thirty-firth day of March succeeding the gazetting of the chairman’s notice of the result of the ‘poll, all rates made and levied by the local authority of tho district . . . shall be made and levied on the unimproved value under this act.” So that though the system of rating has been approved by tho ratepayers, the rate cannot be struck on the unimproved value until after March . 31st, 1907. It was decided at the last inerting of tho Council to write to the Colonial Secretary’s Department with tho object of ascertaining if there were any means whereby tho Council could rate on the unimproved value this, year, as it will mean a serious duplication pi work if the alternative rating system—on the capital value—has to bo adopted this year, and tho change has to 1m made to the unimproved value: system in 1907. A reply is expected from the department prior to the next meeting of the Council,

Sales of butter for export at lid per pound, f.0.b., Wellington, have been reported during tho past few weeks. This is tho price obtained by tho Glen Oroua Dairy Company. The company is paying out Is per pound for tho July supply of butter fat. A remark made by a witness in the! Compensation Court yesterday to the effect that the extension of the tramways had vastly enhanced the value of the land that was under consideration* evoked from tho Chief Justice the statement that ho could luirdly' understand how it was that everybody seemed to seek proximity to tho tramways nowadays; it almost eoemed ns if before many generations had passed the human, race would have almost forgotten the use of its legs and lost the power of locomotion.

Following the decision of the Finames Committee of the City Council a start has been made with the erection of a fence round the upper, or southern, half of Kent terrace' reserve. Tho fonoo will consist of plain total's, posts and wire, which is estimated will bo as safe a barricade against any form of vandalism as the more elaborate and costly fence proposed by the Reserves' Committee. The time has arrived—in other places, at any rate—when tho public'appreciates efforts to beautify a city, and whoa everybody should constitute himself a special constable in tho interests of the flowers and shrubs planted for tho benefit of all. In Christchurch, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney; Adelaide, and Ballarat, nothing more substantial than, post and] wire fences have been adopted for the, protection of city reserves, and in. many cities of America the gardens of private citizens abutting on busy there oughfaros, and having no fences at all, are seldom if ever violated. Mr Qlenjj the hoad-gardoner, is now busy on tho Kent terrace reserve, and has already planted a few chains of hedging inside, the feneo line. A year or two should soa tho reserve one of tho beauty spota of Wellington.

Tho sequel to the shooting escapade' on the Town Belt on the sth inst., when Albert Berry, whilst sitting in his yard, narrowly missed being hit by a bullet, was hoard by Mr W. GK Rid* dell; S.M., in his private room yesterday. Five boys, all of respectable parentage, wore charged with disoharg,, mg firearms on the date named. They pleaded guilty, ; Sub-Inspector OTkmo, van said the lads were firing at a kerosene tin with a toy pistol. It was possibly thoughtlessness on their port,. His Worship admonished the boys, pointing out that, there had boon it great number of accidents through these toy-pistols. ' If they wore not more careful in the future, or if they; came before the Court again on jji similar charge, they would receive a birching, as well as any other punislu ment that might be inflicted.' Ho die* charged the boys, in the hope that their experience might be n warning to them. The suh-mspootor said the > information was laid under the Police Offences Act. Ho would like to point out, however, that there was a city by-law under which it wbb unlawful to discharge firearms anywhere in the oity without a permit from the Council. This would entail a severer penalty upon offenders, . v

The results of the Scripture examination held in July by the 'Wellingtort Sunday School Union are now available* The examiners were Miss Bely or, Mart A. R. Atkinson, Mrs G. W. DarvaJL Kiev. J. Gibson Smith, and Mr W. T, Glasgow. Six hundred and thirty-foui! scholars from sixty-four schools ooml>eted, and of those 1 138 gained prizes and first-class certificates, 189 gained second-class certificates, and 170 thirds class certificates, while 147 failed to obtain the 45 per cent, of marks needful to secure the third-class certificate. Tha scholars wore divided into sTs grades, according to ago; 75 per cent, of marks and over gained a prize and firat-olnsS qortifioato, 60 and under 75 nor cent. 3 second-class certificate, and 45 and under 60 per cent, a third-class certificate, Miss Helycr, Mrs Atkinson, and Mu Glasgow-, who have acted as examiners in previous years; consider that tha scholars show decided improvement this year. The first prize, in Grade I. was won by Isabella Turnbull, Taranaki street Methodist, 81 marks; Grade H. ( Mary C. Olaohan, St. John’s, Willis street, 92; Grade HI., Ethel M. Duff, Potono iPresbyterian, 98;' Grade IV., Jessie Tolley, Kent Terrace Presbyterian, 93; Grade V., Eurfryn Evans, Constable street Congregational, 94. In Grade VI. three scholars wore equal —Dora Johnstone, St. John’s, Willia street; Millaa Thompson, Mastertou Presbyterian; and Frederick R. Bailey, Waipukurau Presbyterian, all 97. Lady Plnnkct has consented to present tbd prizes at a mooting to be hold in Wesley Church on the 31st inst. The remarkable success of the largely attended lecture delivered under the auspices of the City Council's Libraries Committee by Dr. Mason (Chief Health Officer), printed, in full on page 9. of this issue, calks attention to the high educative value of these lectures and the benefit their' establishment has conferred on the community. The first of these winter courses of lectured was given over four years ago, this being the fifth yean- of their existence. Starting in a small way, their sheer rnwiil has won them a high place in 'piiblio esteem. Everyone knows how difficult it is to arouse in people enthusiasm in intellectual, scientific, or literary subjects treated on the platform. A prophet has little honour in his own country, and a local lecturer, who may have to speak to empty benches, would, if adorned with a name and repute from somewhere else, drew crowded houses. To make a course of local lectures popular it is necessary to give value, not in fits and starts, but all the time; how well the Libraries Committee had succeeded is shown by the audience that mot in the Concert Chamber (Town Hall) this week", and by the general vitality of the institution. That the library id a proper nucleus of of series; of lectures is shown by thciif genera] success in connection with libraries in, America. Until this yeah tho committee has catered, chiefly M Newtown people by the Newtown library series, but now there is a ooatea for Newtown (in St. Thomas’s school* room, Riddiford street) and another; ■for the city in'the Concert Chamber, Six lectures of the,Newtown series remain to hie delivered, but Dr. Mason’s was the Imft but one on the city list. Dr. Mason’s immediate predecessors Were men of such standing as Mr W, Gray, M.A. (Principal of the Training College) and Professor Kirk; his successor wjll be Dr, 8011, Director of the Geological Survey, v/ho will deliver art address on 'August 29th on “the Hudson’s Bay Country,” If any special opportunities occur, such as visits from distinguished outsiders, lectures may be arranged more or less impromptu during the summer. Tho Libraries Committee and its Cpicf Librarian ate to, be congratulated on this gpnuino forward movement. It is to be hoppd that the ' committee, : will not tarnbfii an otherwise good reputation by allowing tho question of a now city libw"' to slumber..

The cadob movement in Now Zealand started in 1002 with 4120 cadets, 'today there arc twenty-nino battalions, Ivith a totfal strength of 14,500. Arrangements have boon made by the Department of Agriculture to can*y out experiments at the Woraroa State farm for the purpose of ascertaining the best method of controlling potato blights.

Tho exports from Fiji nmreW in value from £226.538 m 1880 to in 1906. Sugar inoreaecd Horn to £539,504, copra from £loß,oßo to £135,891, an<l groon fruit from £jioJ to £28,995.

Tlio second bulletin issued by tho Agricultural Statistician (Mr _ 1* . U. Iljorring) dealing with tho agricultural and pastoral figures of tho period 1897 to 1906 haa betm republished ih pocket .form, and is now available. Lord Plunkot Ims accepted an invitation to attend tho garrison officers’ ball, which Is to bo held in tho Sydney street schoolroom on Friday next. Tho Oivd Sorvioo Rifles, who will form his Excellency’s guard of honour, will parauo for tho first time on that occasion in the now scarlet uniform of tho Wellington Battalion. i

Tho Now Plymouth Petroleum Corapany, whoso shares wero oyer-applied for in Dunedin, and arc now in demand at £1 premium, lias appointed Mr A. J. Way its consulting engineer. After his projected visit to Sydney, on behalf of another oil concern, Mr Way 'will proceed to the United to procure boring plant for tho New 1 lymouth Petroleum Company.

The secretary of tho Wellington Bricklayers’ Union draws attention to a typographical error in our report of tho industrial dispute between that union and the employers. We printed that tho union claimed a minimum wage of la 6d per hour for journeymen, whereas the demand is that the minimum wage should be 1b 8d per hour an advance of ono penny on tho rate now rilling.

Sister Isabel Sinclair, of the Tory street Mission in connection -with Wenjoy Church, wishes to correct a slight inaccuracy in tlio report of her remarks at the meeting held on Thursday afternoon. Siio was reported to have said that at the temperance meetings on Saturday evenings "sometimes thirty or forty drunkards from tho public-house right opposite would wander in,” Sho did nob thus stigmatise one particular public-house, hut said V that "some” of the thirty or forty were from the houcto over the way. Tho Post and Telegraph Bifleny last evening paraded for inspection _in signalling by tho officer commanding tho district, Colonel Webb. Having been examined in tho setting up and aligning of the instruments, tho company was divided into eight squads for sending and receiving messages by semaphore, flag, and heliograph. One squad was stationed at Kolburno, and another on Mount Victoria, from which points messugcfl woro BQThb 'bo iho Drillshotl. Ono section formed two terminal and a transmitting station and a semaphore message was sent through. . • Tho second annual “ social ” of the staff o'f the City Council was hold in tho Concert Chamber at tKe Town Hall last night. The hall and first floor corridor were rich in decorations, a glittering electric aroh at tho head of the mam stairway being particularly effective, ino stairway and oorridor wore carpeted and 'Appropriately furnished. Among the guests were his Worship the Mayor and Mrs Hralop, nearly every member of the Council, and the head of every department of the municipal service. -Between the dances, songs, instrumental selections, recitations, etc., were given by Mimes Cohen, E. Oarmiohael, Hugo, ■and Mrs Grabham, Mosers W. D. By° n , Brown, Hockley, A. 3. Paterson, Murdoch, and Grabham. The City Engineer has received a communication from Heenan and Froudo, ltd., of Manchester, the contractors for the now Corporation destructor, giving full details of the erection they are to supply, with a plan showing tho distribution of the weights of the works for the Council's guidance in putting in tho foundations. As th.© /weight of the machinery, furnaces, and necessary buildings is considerable, the foundations are to consist ot huge piles of reinforced concrete to bo sunk 35ft below the level of the ground. The site for the new destructor is near the drainage-shed, abutting on to the dock reserve, and is being located so as not to interfere with the working of the existing destructor during the time n>f its successor’s,erection, and when the former is cleared away, if that is decided upon, this arrangement will give the maximum amount ot yard space 'at Ihe Corporation’s reserve at Clyde quay. It has not yet been decided whether the present chimney-stack will suffice for tho new destructor. The officer commanding tho Wellington district has issued a district order lor a field day of all arme at Miramar oil Saturday, September Ist. The general idea is that a foreign fleet has landed a force (blue) on the Miramar peninsula, and tho Wellington garrison to mobilised to oppose it. The attacking force, which will bo commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Collins, will consist of the First Wellington Eiflo Battalion of four hundred men. It wiU parade at tho central Driltohed, and proceed to tho Miramar jetty by the Huoo. Tie defending force, which will be commanded by Mlajor Brandon, will comprise three guns of tho P Battery, a squadron of tho Herotaunga Mounted Bdfes, tho Field Hospital and Bearer Corps. Wellington and St. Patrick’s College Cadets. Peteno, Upper Hutt, and Karori Rifle dubs, and Garrison Band. It will parade at the Buckle street Driltohed, and proceed to take up ita position tm the high ground southcost of Newtown. Park, and overlooking Lyoll Bay. Blank cartridges will be used. Tho Commandant, General will witness tho operations. Tho question of right-testing in regard to men employed on tho railways was brought up in the New Smith Wake Parliament a few evenings ago. It was complained that the men were subjected to testa for much more visual koonnees than tho most exacting conditions of railway work could by any means ever require. The system adopted in New South Wales is apparently what is called the “wool-test,” and it was stated that tho candidates for appointment had to determine tho different gradations of colour between several samples of wool. The actual signal colours in use are but four, yet this test required that tho men should ba able to distinguish half-a-dozeiS different shades of half-a-dozen different colours inf wool jJaced in a heap before them. An instance was quoted in which a man who failed in his test had cone to an eye specialist who certified Slot hto eye-right was normal and that there was not the slightest indication of colour blindness, and, in consequence of this examination by a qualified medical man, tho railway official was reinstated in his position in tho service. Tho Legislative Assembly debated tho matter for about four hours but no decision was arrived at.

With tho completion of the proposed agreement between tho Wellington City Council and Mr G. H. liaylis, tho question of a good lino of road from Island Bay to the point on tho Island Bay sido of Ohiro Bay will apparently bo sot at rest. Tho Council had road rights right along thecoast, but there was a dispute at a point where it was alleged the sea had encroached, causing a small shallow bay near Mr Baylis’s quarry. Tho Council claimed that it was still entitled to an 80ft strip of land inside this. bay. The prosent agreement provides that a part of tho bay shall ho filled in, and that the road shall ho carried straight across instead of round it; Mr Haydn to supply tho stone for a rubble retammgwall and material for filling, the Council to do tho work. The result will ho to provide a road 80ft wide, metalled for a width of 33ft. On the agreement being concluded, the Council will remove the caveat against Mr Baylis’s title, which caveat has, it seems, been standing since the days of the Melrose Borough Council. Ohiro Bay is the hay at the bottom of Happy Valley. Despite the present laok of reading, and even in winter time, the walk from Brooklyn down Happy Valley and round to Island Bay has become a popular one with both sexes, especially since Brooklyn and Island Bay are both served by tramway. Responding to the toast of the Education Board at tho cadet officers’ dinner last night, Mr R. Leo (chairman of Ihe Boiu'd) said that when, h<j was in 'England and on the Continent lately ho had found that Now Zealand was well in advance of oilier countries in regard to the cadet movement. Though there were good cadet corps- at Homo, they wero only few, whereas in this colony very groat strides had been made in tho movement. Lord Roberts was a strong advocate of tho cadet system, but i was not well baokod-up by the people of England. O'no respect in which he (Mr Lee) thought our system was a little deficient was that the cadets were not eupplied with enough rifles. The chairman (Major Foster), in proposing tho toast of tho “Now Zealand Cadets,” made a strong plea for a sane system in connection with tho cadets. They wanted instructors in musketry, and drill inatructors. If they had these the cadet movement would not be ephemeral. He ■favoured 'an intermediate stage whereby cadets, after leaving school, could he properly trained for tho volunteer force. Lieutenant-Colonel Loveday agreed with Major Foster. He announced that ho had now got permission to obtain duly qualified instructors. A cadet order w'as about to he issued to officers commanding battalions asking how many officers wished to go in for proper training. On receipt of replies a non-commissioned officer would be appointed to give ‘ the desired instruction. As to officers getting commissions. he hod to see the Minister tor Education next day, and was going to submit to him a bill he Mid drafted at tho late Mr Sodden’s suggestion giving sTatus to the officers. LieutenantColonel Loveday added that matters in connection with the proposed visit ot cadets to the Christchurch Exhibition were simply awaiting the approval ot Cabinet, which he hoped would be tortncoming. He mentioned also that no had in hand a scheme to provide every cadet corps'in the colony with a miniature range of its own and Morris tubes.

The windows of B. Hannah and Co. have caused some commotion during the past ten days. Tho attraction wim a pair of boots which have been standing in a deep basin of water for ten days, in order to test the waterproof quality of the leather of which they were made. Tho boots were taken out in tho presence of numerous customers, and were found to be as dry os when they were put in tho basin. As will he noticed in advertisement, It. Hannah and Go. guarantee waterproof boots. , Mr E. Reynolds, of E. Reynolds and Co., has returned to Wellington, after inspecting the company’s branches. Tho head office of the Dr McLaughlin Company ait Sydney will in future transact business with New Zealand direct, the New Zealand office having closed automatically, in consequence of effluxion of time.

No oars will run via Jervoto quay after 2 p.m. to-day or to-morrow. Kirkoaldie and Steins. Ltd., notify that their winter sale closes to-day. A number of farm properties are advertised for sale by Mr W. G. Hutchison, Imperial Chambers.. Mr Edward Collie, furniture manufacturer, Biddiford street, has an advertisement in another column. Messrs Boas Bros., Marton, have6B7o acres of sheep country for sale.

Messrs Nolan, Tonk[ and Co. will sell Taranaki dairy farms at Manaia on September 4th.

Messrs' Sidey, Meech and Co. will hold a sale of properties at their rooms on August 31st. A property fronting Webb and Hopper streets to to be sold by Messrs Baker Bros, on September 19th. Messrs O’Donnell and Brown, opticians. Manners street, have an advertisement in anqther column. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., will sell stock at Johnsonville on Tuesday, at Palmerston on Thursday, and at Levin on Friday. A clerk and engineer to wanted for tho Waimarino County Council. The Christchurch Drainage Board invites tenders for iron pipes, eto. The Yorkshire Society will hold its annual dinner on September 3rd. Miss Violet Warburton’s dancing classes are postponed till next week. Mr -P. de J. dere invitee tenders for the erection of a chancel and organ chamber for the Blenheim Anglican Church. Messrs J. H. Bethuno and Co. will soil by auction at No. 1, Park terrace, next Wednesday, by instructions from Mr Montague lining, who is leaving tho colony, the whole of bis household furniture, comprising contents of drawingroom. diningroom, kitchen, hall, and five bedrooms. Catalogues can be obtained from the auctioneers, and the furniture will bo on view on Tuesday afternoon. On Friday next the firm will hold a clearing sale of a cab proprietor's plant, at No. 55, Ingestre street, by instructions from the administratrix in. the estate of the late J. J. Smith, comprising two landaus, gig, six horses, six sets, double harness, extra collars, saddle and bridle, carpenters’ tools, and sundries.

Lex den L. Pocock'a drawing "The Butterfly,’’ or "The Promise of Life” has been an attraction during tho week at the exhibition of oil paintings and water-colour drawings at the old Commercial Travellers’ Club. Hunter street. Among other new drawings which have been added to tho collection are some landscapes by E. A. B. Marshall, several examples from the brush of Walter S. Stacey (vice-president of the Dudley Gallery), pictures by bis son W. Sydney Stacey, who received honourable mention at the Slade School, and had a picture in this year’s academy, some choice drawings by F. J. Alderldgo, and some minor works by Pocock and others. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., will hold a clearing sale of dairy stock at Upper Hutt on tho 28th inst. on behalf of Mr W. B. Qorrie. On September 4th they will sell dairy stock, etc., at Upper Hutt on account of Mrs M. A. Wilkins.

Mr H. E. Leighton will sell nursery stock at Lower Hutt next Saturday.

Applications are invited for the position of engineer to the Southland County Council. The salary to .£325 per annum, with expenses paid.