LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 6052, 9 November 1906, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the debate on the Loan Bill in the closing days of last session the Colonial Treasurer announced that £900,000 of the £1,000,000 authorised to be raised under the,bill had been secured in the colony, and without going to tho London market for any portion of it. Tho rate of interest was not more than 4 per cent (the bill empowered the Treasurer to go up to ii per cent.). We leara that £250,000 of tho loan has been taken up by the Citizens’ Life Assurance Company, Limited. During tbe last fifteen months this company has invested over £1,000,000 in New Zealand Government and municipal securities, showing the confidence tho directors have in the stability o£ tho colour.

The civil sittings of the Wellington Supreme Court will commence on the 26th inst.

At the Wellington observatory the rainfall recorded from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. yesterday totalled 1.10 inches. The Government surveyors have been at, work for some time on the Olrig estate, comprising about 13,000 acres, Hawke’s Bay (situated, some fifteen miles from Hastings), which was acquired by the Government from Messrs Smith Bros, ftp- close settlement. Tbe property will he thrown open for public selection in January next. Two Tokomaru residents named Arthur Bloomfield and Thomas Brown were each fined £4, pins costs £1 3s 6d, at Palmerston North yesterday for having killed trout by exploding dynamite in the Tokomaru stream on October I4th. Brown pleadod guilty, and Bloomfield not guilty. The information was laid by an Acclimatisation Society official. Thomas Brieriey appeared at the Magistrate’s Court before Dr A. McArthur, S.M., yesterday morning to answer a charge of having forged a cheque for £22 6s 6d at Wellington on Jime Ist, and uttered the same to Charles Starr. Chief-Detective McGrath asked for a remand until the 12tb test. The application was granted, bail being allowed the defendant, himself in £SO and two sureties of £SO each.

in Chambers yesterday his Honor Mr Justice Cooper granted prohate to the Public Trustee in the deceased estates of James Adams, of Thames, schoolmaster, and Thomas Meredith Smith, of Stratford, farmer. Probate was granted to the executors in the estates of Mary Ann Lowndes and James Wilkinson,' of Wellington, shcepfarraer (deceased). Letters of ' administration were issued in re Andrew Clarke, of Wellington, gas-worker. Sitting in Chambers yesterday morning, Mr Justice Cooper had before him tho case of Mary M. Gibbons v. Tasman Arthur Gibbons (in divorce). This w'as a summons calling on the respondent to show cause why he should not pay arream of maintenance. Respondent was ordered to pay the sum of £7 on or before November 15th next. The question of costs was reserved, and also the question as to penalty if the order made yesterday is disobeyed. MrJackson appeared for petitioner. Mdlle. Brustlein, the daughter of a Swiss deputy, took her place on ,the Magistrates’ bench at Zurich on September 13th, and in company v/ith her male colleagues tried several cases, which, with the exception of two, were not of a serious nature. This is the first time a w-oman has sat on the Bench in Switzerland, and Millie. Urustlein’s friends and admirers crowded the Comt. She was consulted on several points, and the verdicts, it was remarked. were rather lenient, especially in tho cases oif women..

The Wellington Accountant Students' Society, which has now a membership of over one hundred, completed the fourth year of its existence on October 31st. It is now by the society Xo form a library of works of reference and text-books dealing with_ accountancy', commercial law, and kindred subjects of special interest to young men engaged in business pursuits. W ith this object in view, city firms are being approached for assistance, and it is anticipated that a ready response will be met with, seeing that access to such a library will raise the standard of members’ work, and enhance its value to their employers. A well dressed young man named Arthur Oakey was brought up at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, charged with having stolen the sum of .£l3, funds belonging to the Omeo Shire Council, which is situated iu the State of Victoria. Acting-Detective Williams stated that when ho arrested the accuses ho said “I’m glad it’s over in a. way, for I have been iu dreadful susire'nse.” He also admitted that tho total amount of his defalcations was £44. Another young man, Henry Phillips, was presented on a charge of having embezzled £lB 18s 9d, funds the property of the Independent Order- of Oddfellows in Melbourne. The accused had admitted his identity. Both prisoners were handed over to tho custody of a constable of the Victorian police for removal to Melbourne.

Dr A. McArthur, S.M., was occupied for a considerable portion of yesterday afternoon with the teivil action between James Cotterill, cab proprietor, for whom Mr Blair appeared, and the Municipal Council of Wellington, which was represented by Mr Broun and Mr O'Shea. Plaintiff claimed £SO damages. His case was that on the 21st of July last he was driving in Taranaki street when a tram-car collided with his cab, with the result that he was injured, and tho horse, cab, and harness seriously damaged. He declared that tho accident was due to the mjotorman having failed to ring his bell or to apply the brakes as he should have done. The defence was a plea of not guilty and of contributory negligence on the part of tho plaintiff. His Worship having heard the evidence and counsel in argument, reserved judgment until next Thursday. Delay has been caused in regard to the erection of workers’ homes on the Government land in Coromandel street, Wellington, owing to the City Council not ,yet liaving pasoed tho specifications submitted by tho Government Hoad Engineer, Mr Robinson, for the proposed street formation. The Minister of Labour gave tho necessary authority for the formation of tho streets some time ago, and the specifications have been before tho City Council for at least two months. There is room for eight dwellings on the Coromandel street' property, tho houses on which • it will be possible to let at a cheaper rental than those at Petone, as there has been no original outlay in buying the land, which was the case at Petone. Probably the new houses will not run into a higher rental than eight shillings a week, and, in view of the Minister’s statement that the tendency in regard to these dwellings had been to make them too elaborate, tho Coromandel street cottages will be erected to better i'llu: the requirements of city workers. There are row four , workers’ dwellings in occupation at Petone; four applications have j list, been granted, and some others are now before the Land Board for consideration. Tne completion of the unfinished cottages has been delayed by the bad weather experienced lately, the high winds (bringing up great clouds of sand from the* beach), having interfered with , the painting work.

A young girl of respectable appearance named Martha Shefford was brought before Dr A. McArthur, S.M., yesterday morning on a charge of having stolen a bicycle valued at £5, the property of William Miller, of the Lower Hutt. It turned out that the girl, who is not yet seventeen years of age, left her home st Waimate tome months ago. She made her way down to Timaru. where she hired a bicycle. Unaccompanied she rode the machine all the way to Christchurch, whore she sold iti. With the proceeds she came on to Wellington. On the 2nd instant, she wont to tho Lower Hutt, when she called upon tho informant, and having given the name of “Miss Darlington” she hired a bicycle from him. She , rode up to Featherston. over the Rimutakas, and the following day proceeded to Mastertou, where she stayed at a boarding-house. She said she had no money, and endeavoured to sell tike bicycle in order to get enough, as ehe said, to go. to Sydney. -.The keeper of tho boarding-hoiise gave information to the iiolioe, and the girl was arrested on a charge of having, no lawful means of support. This charge was preferred against her at Mastertou, but it- was subsequently withdrawn, ’• as she promised to go to the Salvation Army Home. She went to the Home, and remained there until yesterday morning, when she was re-arrested and charged with stealing the bicycle. Dr McArthur entered !a conviction, and ordered her to come up for sentence when called upon, on the understanding that she either returned to Waimate or remained in the Homo.

Henry Adolf Rump was presented at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Dr McArthur, S.M., on a charge of having stolen a watch valued at £l2, the property of Florence Mary Studhohne. It was explained by OhiefDetective McGrath that Rump came from Melbourne to Wellington about two year’s ago, and commenced business as a. jeweller and watchmaker. ’ The informant took her watch to him to have it repaired, and on the following day ho took it to a pawn office, and pledged it for £3. Some four 01 five weeks ago, the accused relinquished his watchmaking business and proceeded to Auckland, where he got work at his trade. Miss Studholm© had asked the accused for her watch, on many occasions, hut he always put her off. He admitted that bo had pawned four other watches which belonged to customers. A complaint had been received only from one person, who said ho gave tne accused two watches, but the police had not succeeded in tracing them. Mr Toogood, who appeared for the accused, stated lihat when Rump gave up his business ho handed over about seventy articles to another watchmaker to carry out repairs which he had undertaken. He had pawned the watch in question .because ho was in financial difficulties, and had every intention of r edeeming it_ as soon as he was able to do so. His employer in Auckland had wired that he would continue to employ Rump if he was given another chance. There was nothing hut the present charge known against him. Dr .McArthur said, as the man had an opportunity of going to work, ho would far rather giro him that chance than send him to gqol. He hoped this would bo a lesson to the accused. Rump was convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on condition that he redeemed the' watch within one month.

To-day, the King’s' Birthday, a full holiday will be ibserved. Tho outlook last night for pleasure-seekers was not bright in regard to the weather. Tho attractions for holiday-makers arc not numerous. Special harbour trips to Day’s Bay, Soatoun, and Karaka Bay are announced, the ferry steamers being fixed to leave at convenient hours during the day. J upp’s band will play at Bellevue Gardens, which are looking at their best at this time of the year.

Residents of Brooklyn and the Are street district are complaining of the inconvenience caused by tho alterations in tho tram service’s used by them. Under tho now arrangement, now in force, the trains on these routes run no further citywards than Manners street, except, during tho lunch and tea hours. Anyone travelling on the cars during tho other parts of tho day has to change at that point and often has to wait some time for a. tram to carry him to his destination. The Council loses many a penny owing” to this change in the two services,, some people preferring to walk rather than wait at Manners street after _ having once loft their own car. _ Inquiries by a "Times” reporter elicited the fact that at present the Council is only experimenting, and that the results will bo watched. The times of the cars will be fitted in eventually so as to obviate inconvenience caused by unnecessarily long waits at the changingplace. As to the loss of revenue referred to, it is pointed out in reply that the saving in wages and wear and tear is expected, to more than make up for that.

The Minister of Mines speaks' favourably of the Mines Department’s exhibit at the Christchurch Exhibition. “I thinK, however,” he remarked to a “Times” reporter yesterday, “that the display would, have been very much more effective had it not'been .spread over such a wide area, and had it been confined to one court. Thus one finds the laboratory, coal mine, and geological and mining exhibits all separated. Wo could have made a very fine show had the whole of the exhibits boon kept undergone roof, say, like the Canadian court. It was, however, the desire of the late Premier that Westland snould have a separate court, and, naturally, its mining exhibits are in tho Westland court, whilst the Auckland. mining exhibits are also separate. This, of course, does not make such a comprehensive representation as would bo the case if Now Zealand, for instance, showed its mining products in an exhibition held elsewhere. Tho model coal-mine, with chives, trucks, etc., and tho model of a screening plant, are in full working order in tho Exhibition grounds. The geological information that visitors can , obtain through the department’s exhibit is very complete. A model working coalmine, with electrical power, has just arrived, and is, being constructed by Mr Hardi'e (brother of Mr Keir-Hardie). Mr McGowan, with others, regrets that no official catalogue has been issued in connection with the Exhibition as a guide to,visitors. Dr McArthur, S.M., yesterday gave judgment for plaintiffs in the following civil cases for the amounts stated:— Stewart Timber, Glass and Hardware Co., Ltd., v. Thomas Morrison, £2l Is Bd, costs £1 3s; same v, Osmond Butler, trading ae Osmond Butler Timber Co., £l7. costs -£1 Is; Janies McFarland v. James Kennedy, £3, costs JSI 8s; Dresden Piano Co. v. Henry Hilton, £2 9s, costs 10s; same v. George Maginness, £9 12s Bd, costs £1 17s 6d; Patrick Mackiu v. Henry Guppy, £2, costs 10s; Laery and Co-, Ltd., v. Robert Smith, £1 11s Gd, costs 8s; W. J, Gaudin and Sou v. Marie S. .Black, Ai 2s 9d, costs ss; Mark Kebbell v. George Howe, psssession of tenement on or before the 15th instant and £1 15s, costs 11a; Robert James Boyd y/. Alexander Malcomb, 10s 6d, costs ss. In the judgment summons case of Emma M, Greville v. Maurice D. Gillon, tho debt being £lO 7s, the debtor was ordered to pay a balance of £1 13a forthwith, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment, the warrant to bo suspended till the 22nd instant. " Louis Lloyd Moore, who was indebted to Messrs Veitcli and Allan in the sum of £lO Is Gd, was ordered to pay the amount forthwith, .' in default one month’s imprisonment, warrant to be suspended till November 22nd. A similar order was made in the case -of Edwin Lewis Isaac v. William Richardson, m which the debt was AJ3S 14s. No orders were made in'the cases James Erasmus Ounliffe v. Henry Josiah Oakley, tho debt being £3 19s lid, and Lucy H. Penlington v. Henry Archibald Callaghan, a debt of £4 15s 6d. ■ ' The arguments that liaye so frequently been adduced in support of tho contention that a course of instruction is the art of-\“first aid to the wounded” should bo undergone by every member of the community could surely have no better practical endorsement than was provided in Wellington yesterday after-, noon. A son of Sir W. Sheridan, of tho Native Lauds Court branch, of the Department of Justice, while engaged in his ordinary avocations as a student of engineering in the Department of Railways, met with an accident about noon. Ho was handling some pieces of metal, when one heavy bar fell, striking him on the head, and inflicting a nasty out, and so severe a concussion resulted that young Sheridan fell unconscious. He was removed to a shop on Thorndon quay, where his injuries wore attended to. no doubt in a, kindly but unquestionably in an extremely rough and ready manner. Dressings were applied,, but it appears that their application was so unscientific that tie hemorrhage was not checked. Mr Sheridan proceeded to walk towards his home, but when on Wellington terrace tho bleeding recommenced and So profusely that those who were with him at once carried him into Dr 'Cahill’s surgery. It happened that the doctor was at home, and his treatment came not a moment too soon. Ho found that the blow had inflicted a wound on the .right temple, and had also severed a small, artery, from which the flow of blood was very copious. It only required a few seconds to staunch the hemorrhage, hut the patient had lost so much blood on his way up the Terrace that when he went into the surgery he was in a fainting condition, and. before the minor operation—for suen it was—was performed, he fainted again. The accident occurred at about noon, hut it ’ was not until nearly three o’clock that tho young man received the attentions of a medical practitioner. The doctor says that if the blow had been inflicted a very short distance from the exact place where it chanced to fall, the patient must of necessity have died from loss of blood long before he got medical attention. And yet it was a simple thing for anyone who had knowledge of “first aid” methods to deal with. Merely the pressure of a finger on tho artery, and tlie consequently necessary dressings. All the same, the surgery was practi cally flooded with bicod, and when young Sheridan was sent to his residence he was as weak, as an infant, although he had passed beyond the critical condition.

Forty-eight deceased: persons’ estates woro placed in tho hands of tho Public Trustee during tile mouth of October, for management. The net revenue from the Wellington city tramways for the four weeks ending October 30th exceeded the estimate (.•-■.690) by £231, the total. being £2831.

Wo have received from Raphael Tuck and Sons, Ltd., of London, a eeleot ion of tho firm’s Christmas cards, which are us usual of artistic design and beautifully printed. Tho now scale of gratuities paid by tlie Government on mails carried by sea is as follows:—Letters for delivery, beyond New Zealand, per pound, 2s;, printed matter tor delivery beyond New Zealand, per ton, £1 10s; bags and packages containing miiil-mntter for delivery within New Zealand, each, 1» •Id. This amended scale came iutio operation on the Ist instant.

The Mayor,, Hon. T. W. Hislop, is convening a public meting for Monday*, afternoon next, at the Town Hall, to moot the Rev E. W. Matthews, -secretary of the British and Foreign Sailors’ Society, _ London. The Rev Matthews, who is now in charge of tho “Victory” stall at the Exhibition, is to present to the city a bust of Lord Nelson, carved . from the timbers of Ins flagship, tho Victory. “Will your Honor deal with th« question of costs?” asked counsel in the Arbitration Court yesterday, when a decision in a case of breach of award was given in his favour. “Parliament has done that forms,”, replied the President with a smile, that showed what was meant. ■ The President explained that no qosts were allowed' against tho Inspectors, who prosecute in these cases on behalf of the Labour Department. Mr W. O. Kensington, Under-Secre. tary for Lands, leaves for Proton tomorrow, for the purpose of inspecting seme properties in tho Marlborough province. Mr Barron, chairman, of tms Land Purcliaso Board, also goes to Nel- . son to-morrow, on "a similar mission. Recently a deputation from Marlborough waited upon tlie Minister ot Lands and urged him to acquire somo more properties in that province, their complaint being that all the young men were leaving the district through being unable to get on the land, whilst the old folks and the girls remained. We have boon requested to state in connection with tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society’s recent prosecution of a worm-fisher on n restricted stream that the society’s counsel, Mr Gray, stated in Court that defendant persisted in using the worm, notwithstanding warnings; that lie was warned firstly by two anglers, and secondly by the ranger, and stated he would continue fishing, mth worm, and did so. If this is true, there was apparently no ignorance, but defiance; hence the prosecution. The fine imposed, £2,. is, it seems, the minimum fine the law allows. It is 'contended that ignorance is no defence when tho prohibitory regulation is printed on the back of every license. Tho gale of Wednesday was the most disagreeable experienced in tlie city fop somo time. Tho unpleasantness culminated yesterday in exceptionally V heavy rain, which cor tinned unabated until rate in the afternoon. So severe was (the downpour that the water channels on Lambton quay became blocked, and at two o’clock there was. 1 a miniature lake in front of tho Government Buildings. Tho pressure was subsequently relieved by Corporation employees making room for tho speedy escape of the flood waiters. The gales during the week had so completely dried up everything that the rainfall was very welcome. Strange to relate, amidst it all, smoke still continued to issue .from the debris of the recent fire.

Negotiations are still proceeding between tho Land Purchase Board and tho executors of .the late Mr W. Rathbone in respect to the acquirement of the Abbotsford- estate, Waipawa (Hawke’s Bay) for ’ close settlement. The To Oliu block, Norsewood, which is being acquired, comprises about 7000 acres. It is situated along tho route of the Seventy-Mile Bush, and suitable for small farming and dairying. North, and South of the block are”, several dairy factories and creameries. ■ Several other properties recommended fop, purchase by the Board are now under consideration of the Government. ■

That portion, of the,. Willis street widening scheme affecting the Jacob Joseph estate block, between Grace’s and Chews lane, is still hung up. Tho City Council Iras noli gone into the question of compensation with the owners, the City Valuer having been busy with ether matters, . especially with tho Pahiatua leases (City Council endowments), which are expiring. Regarding the property belonging to the Heath estate, between Mercer and Manners streets, the Council has not seen, its way to accept it at the price suggested by the owners. Whether the latter and the Corporation can get nearer to one another as. to terms is not known yet. Everything lias been done in tho direction of valuation ot the estate, leases, etc., and it is under consideration now whether it Would be worth while for the city to ftiake an offer so that tho street - widening may be completed.

The tightening of red-tape bands somewhere in the Defence Department is causing n good deal of feeling among members of the Wellington Naval Artillery. This arises from the department’s refusal to do more than provide a gun carriage for the,funeral of the late gunner, Wi. Hare, an old member of the company. It was stated that nothing more than this could be done, as, although the deceased had been connected with the Navals for over twenty years, he was posted ti the reserve a few months ago through failing health. The department would not allow its horses to be used for drawing the gun carriage, though it is stated they wore not 1 being used for any other Work at the time. The members ot the Navals decided that their late comrade should go to liis last resting-place with all the honours they, could accord him, and provided horses at their own expense, D Battery sending drivers. The Garrison Band was also engaged by the Navals.

Tho Haversham Grange, which was recently abandoned at sea owing to a disastrous fire, was an old Australian trader, but for a considerable time past had been employed in the transport service, conveying Russian soldiers back to their country from the Far Bast. The Haversham Grange hut recently completed her work For the Russian Government, and at the time disaster overtook her whs on her way from New York with a cargo of general merchandise for Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. She was a vessel of 7557 tons gross, and was built in 1898 by Furness, "Withy, and Co., of West Hartlepool. Originally the Hav. ersham Grange was known ai the Rapidan, and was designed for the western ocean trade. During the Goer war she was.employed as a transport, and had a long career in that capacity. She w; s not built for great speed, but was capable of twelve knolri, and usually averaged about ten knots. She arrived on her maiden visit to Sydney from New York on January 25th, 1004.

Tho Palmerston North Borough Connoil decided last night to apply to Mr Carnegie for £IO,OOO for a library. Tho Yorkshire Society invites members to attend tho funeral of tho late Mr C. E Briggs, which will move from his Into residence, Cambridge terrace, this afternoon, at 2 o’clock.

Entries for tho Wanganui Agricultural show to ho hold next week constitute a record for the colony. Live stock entries total 2010, arid homo industries section 1109.

Sittings of tho Supremo Court in Wellington during 1907 will commence on the following dates For criminal rasos, February 4th, May, 13th, August 12th November ,18th; for civil actions, February lltli, May 20th, August 19th, November 25th. Divorce causes may ho taken at any'of tho civil sittings, and Banco businosn every Wednesday at 10 a.m., unless tho Judges are otherwise engaged.

Tho thirty-third anniversary of the establishment of tho Well'ing’ion Shipwrights’ Society was commemorated by a smoko concert lipid at Soarlc’s rooms, Cuba street, last evening. There wore upwards of sixty gnosis present. ( Tho chair was occupied by Mr Coffey, who for many years Ims taken a deep interest in all matters affecting tho Booio'ty. It may bore ho remarked that tho members of the AVcllington Shipwrights’ Society claim that they wore absolutely tho lirdt of all Trades Lmoil SocitfMOS in this colony. Furthermore they fiSsGft —and hitherto nothing has boon shown to the contrary—that they olono are 'the only trades society m regard to which no industrial dispute has as yet arisen. Tho proceedings hwt evening wore of a purely social character. No sot speeches were delivered ; an excellent repatst 'partaken of, and subsequently an interesting musical programme was gone through.

Tho woeklv meeting of the Trades nnd Labour 'Council held last evening was presided over by Mr A. H. Cooper, president. A letter was received from Mr 10. Watt, suggesting that a co-oporativo society should bo formed to enable workers to obtain their clothing at a more reasonable price than that obtaining at present. It teas decided to thank Mr Watt for his suggestion. A letter was received from the president of tho Boot and Shoo Operatives’ Union, Staffordshire. England, asking for an expression of opinion as to whether tho Conciliation and Arbitration Act had resulted in any benefit to the workers of tho colony. It was decided to set up a committee to draw up a report on tho matter, the report to bo submitted to the next meeting of tho Council, and, if adoptnd, to bo forwarded to the other. Councils, and, if approved, to bo sent to England. A letter was received from the Canterbury Council asking for co-operation in scouring the appointment of the presidents of tho Councils as Justices of tho Pence. It was decided to support tho proposal.