CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6623, 12 September 1908, Page 8

CURRENT TOPICS.

the business op parliament. Ths Public Works Statement te to be delivered by the Hon. W. Hall-Jones on Tuesday week, and next day the Premier will make a statement of the business the Government proposes to ask Parliament to complete this session. A motion tabled by the Premier yesterday indicates that on and after September 21st the House will ait on Monday evenings for transaction of Government business only. SPOT CASH. The lino of -6100 which tho Arbitration Court imposed upon tho Wellington Operative Bakers’ Industrial Union of Workers in connection with the recent strike has boon paid. At about 10.30 yesterday morning tho president of the union, Mr Harlnnd, accompanied by two or three of his henchmen, visited the Labour Department >nd handed over the money, spot cash. Whether a tarpaulin muster was necessary to make up the amount has not transpired, but there was four pounds’ worth of silver and 90 sovereigns. The receipt for the money was issued to the president of the Bakers’ Union. CONTINENTAL METHODS. The question involved in the new proposition made in connection with the Second Ballot Bill is not merely the freedom of the press. It is tho freedom of speech, tho freedom of argument, the privijege of candid-ires, the right of the public. It is usually assumed that our modern tendencies are towards greater freedom and wider liberty, but if we were not blinded by growing habit we should see that there is a most pernicious tendency towards tho adoption not merely of Continental methods of election, but

towards Continental methods of suppress freedom of speech, of tho press, am\ of discussion. — ,r Nov; Zealand Herald.” TO SALVAGE THR WOOLLAHRA. A salvaging expedition, headed by Mr C. ILieso, of DayV Hay, and Mr A. M. Gow. of Harroll's Hotel, will leave Wellington early to-morrow morning, if the weather is favourable, for the scone of the wrecked barque Woollahra, The vtt>scl was lost four miles south-east of Cape Tcnnvhiti on July 14th, 1897. Tlu salvagers are in quest of about sixty* five tons of milts and a boiler which tin* vessel was taking to Kuipara. Either the tug Duco or tbe Pilot will take tho party to the scene of the wreck, over which there is about 14ft of water at low tide. The scow Kona will be towed round to the wreck, and it is intended to attempt to lift the mils into the scow. Liver F. Dixon has boon engaged for thf work in tho wreck, and, in addition to his attendants, five men will bo taken to assist in the operations. There are forty tons of mils (COIb to the yard) ami twenty-five tons of tramrnils. Th« lifting of the boiler will probably prov* the hardest part of the undertaking.

GOOD WORK BY AMOKUEA BOYS. The Amokurn boys acquitted themselves very creditably on Thursday afternoon, when the training ship brokeaway from her moorings. When Commander Hooper gave a hurried order to stand by the anchor, tho boys ran U\ their posts, and dropped (lie twentythree hundredweight anchor before the vessel had drifted three hundred yards. Tho boys paid-out about forty-five fathoms of cable, and the Amokiira J « runaway was checked. When tho Duco went to tow ilie Amokurn back to her moorings, although a gang of men came out to render assistance in mi;*,ing tho Amokura’s anchor, the boys managed tho job without aid. They manned the windlass, as there was no steam up, and Commander Hooper eulogises tho capital way the. lade did the work. Tlu Amokura tested her moorings about two month*? ago by going lull speed astern on them, the usual system adopted, and they resisted the strain. The old moor» ings will be discarded, and fresh moo* ings will be laid.

HEWS NOTES

The Newtown Brass Band will play at Newtown Bark to-morrow afternoon. Woodrow’s hat® are said to resist eonair, rain, mid dust. , JI.M.S. Encounter will not leave Wellington for Nelson until Holiday morning, Tho postponement of willing is in consequence of delay in tho arrival of a oolhc-r with bunker coal. The Council of Defence has authorised tho issue to defence cadets of regulation haversacks. Hitherto boys at camps have either supplied their own haversacks or have carried their rations in any way that appeared best to themselves. At a special meeting of the Miramar Borough Council yesterday morning, the Mayor, Mr C. J. Crawford, presiding, a motion was passed formally confirming the sale of debentures totalling J 85600 to the A.M.P. Society in connection with tlie borough’s road improvement loan. Hie Honor Mr Justice Cooper will sit in Chambers at 10.30 o’clock this morning, and will also deliver his reserved judgments in tho coses of McLean and Archibald v. the Wellington Corporatoiu and Barber and Co. v. £ho Felonq Borough Council. In the evening Jiia Honor will leave for Hokitika, via Christchurch,

While working in the hold of tho Wnrrimoo at the Queen’s Wharf yesterday eomo cargo fell on the head and shoulders of J. Miller, who was knocked down and dazed. Ho was lifted into a wharf office, whore he recovered without medical aid. Dr Henry examined Miller and found no bonce broken.

It is stated that actions for alleged libel and alleged, perjury are likely to arise out of tho case De Laval v. Searl; also that the Mayor of Palmerston is taking action against Palmerston and Wellington booksellers in connection with allegations contained in. a Wellington publication, A Christchurch resident is' proceeding against the same journal for -CIOOO damages. Tho Premier informed tho Mayors o( Wanganui (Mr C. E. Mackay) and Wanganui East (Mr J. Jones), who approached him yesterday in regard to tho proposed new traffic bridge over tho Wanganui river that ho would be glad to consider tho suggestion that, an. engineer snould be sent to report on tho best site for tho bridge and tho cost of tho structure. As tho ordinary allocation for pnblio worts had now been made, he was unablo to entertain any proposal for a Govern, ment grant towards the cost of tho bridge this year.

Wednesday and Thursday, the Z3rd and 24th inst., are the dates fixed by tho Hutt Valley Horticultural. Society for their opening flower show. The (society s schedule for the season includes tbo prize-lists for tho four exhibitions to bo given during the next twelve months, A strong working committee has boon formed, and no effort will bo spared to make the opening show as successful as past exhibitions have been. Entry forms and scheduiai may ho obtained from Mr Johnson, Lower Butt. At a, mooting of tho Wellington C’ontro of the Now Zealand Amateur Athlotio Association held last evening it was decided that a deputation wait upon tho Wellington Rugby Union and ask for permission for athletes to train on the Athletic Park. This coarse was adopted because the park is to he held by tho union for,a number of years.. The opinion was expressed that liberal treatment; should bo extended to the centre by tho Rugby Union. Messrs Coffey. Pollock, and Larkin were instructed to carry out the wishes of the meeting. The account given in these columns; the other day of the wholesale slaughter of pigeons was discussed in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Eli initiated the debate, producing a letter from the Minister of Lands, which covered a Crown land ranger’s report that five thousand pigeons had been shot (apparently on Crown lands in tho Eaetihi district) and sent to Wellington. Mr Ell suggested that these beautiful birds, should be protected. Mr Hogg said pigeons were not shot for food, but slaughtered in the name of sport. Messrs Stevens, Davoy, A. L. D. Eraser, and Massey also urged protection for these birds. Mr Remington (who represents the district) thought an export of five thousand pigeons from tho Waiinanuo forest would have no appreciable effect on their numbers.

The Victoria College Debating Society will hold the fourth annual competition for the Plunket tn/rtal in the Concert Chamber of the Torn Hall till* evening, at 8 o’clock. Hie Excellency the Governor will be unable to be present, and, the Hon. the Minister for Education will present the medal to the winner. The competition consists of speeches by eight members of the society, each speaking for twelve minutes on some man or woman of note in history to be selected by himself. Tho speakers and enbjenfs for this evening are as follows;—MV M. H. Oram, 8.A., Queen Victoria; Mr D. 8, Smith, John Hampden: Mr C. H, Taylor, Robert Louis Stevenson; Mr J. Maeom the Earl of Chatham; Mr .T. M. Hoghen. General Wolfe; Mr E. Armit, Edmund Burke; Mr A. M. Snick. Napoleon, Buonaparte; and Mr 11. L. Evans, 8.A., William tho Third. The public are cordially invited to be present at the com. petition. No charge is made for admin sion.