CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

NEW NEW ZEALANDEKS. Just tliiree hundred and eighty passengers arrived in the Dominion on Saturday morning by the New Zealand Mapping Company's large new liner Ruahuio, after a most pleasant and comfortable trip. There were thirty-eight patsctmgers in the first saloon, forty-two in the second, and 300 in the steerage. Of those the largest number of bookings wcre.ior Auckland, which is the declared destination of 9S. For Wellington the boc-k----ino-s numbered S 3, those for other ports being:—Lvttolton 53, ' Tort Chalmers 40, Greymouth 17, AVangahui 1-1, Timaru and Bluff 13 each, Napier 12, with a few for Nelson, Westport, Gisborne, Oamaru and New Plymouth. The assisted among tho immigrants numbered 106, including 27 inen, 47 women, and 32 young children. Thirty-nine wore nominated in New Zealand, and the balance, 67. were approved by the High Commissioner in London. Anions tho assisted passengers were twenty-tlueo domestic servants, threo housekeepers, one cook, twenty-one farmers and three farm labourers, the women also including eleven wives who have come out to rejoin their husbands. The capital brought ranged from .£3OO to £2. Among the other third-class passengers were a good number looking for work of various kinds They included quite a number ot farm hands, a few carpenters and madiino fitters, with representatives ot various other callings.

THE TRAINING .DP OFFICERS.

A movement is on foot to establish chairs of military science at the four university colleges in Now Zealand. Matters have so • far . advanced that it is hoped by those who are interesting themselves in the project that the Victoria College Professorial Board (among others) will have formulated a proposal on the subject to submit to tho Senate Ut its coining meeting. It is urged in favour of tho proposal that the dependence for success upon its officers of an armed force is so complete as to place it aa a question of principle beyond dispute, whilst the change of policy involved by recent legislation makes the provision of adequate means of home training for officers and the establishment of a sound school of military thought doubly desirable.

"WHISKY CASK ABSCONDS. Tho Wellington wharves-are acquiring some notoriety for strange incidents, and tho latest happening is puzzling the authorities not a little. On Saturday morning a quarter-cask of whisky was seen floating under the Queen's wharf and was duly hauled out of the water. Tho bond marks were noted, aaid one of the Harbour Board officials set out on the scent to find where it came from. He dteeovored that it had bean delivered to the premises of Pearson and Co., wine and spirit merchants, Customhouse quay. The manager recognised tho marks, but said the cask was snugly stowed in tho store. To his surprise, however, a search discovered tho fact that the whisky was missing. It transpired that during Friday morning the cask had been placed near tho open door of tho store. How the whisky was taken away, weighing as it does somewhere about' 2501 b. and by what means it found its way back to the whoirf and into the harbour, is a problem not yet solved. The liquor is valued at about .£4O. It as facetiously suggested that there is double wharfage to .pay on tho stolen cask. " ■ r ' ANGLICAN CHURCH LIFE AT HOME. One of the things which particularly impressed the Vicar of. Wades town, the : Kev. T. G. Kay, during his repent visit I to England, was tho vigour of the Anglican Church life. He told a "New Zealand Times" reporter, on Saturday that ho had been very much struck with the very large attendances at the churches, not only those at which ho preached, but also'thoss which he visited during the six. months he was at Home. The very large proportion of men worshippers was also remarkable. As far as he had been ablo to judge, there was a very keen interest among church people-now on all social questions, ritualism apparently being relegated to tho background as a contentious matter. Altogether his experiences were totally opposed to the idea that there was any decline of interest in religious matters in England. In the course of many addresses to branches of the Church ol Lagland 'Men's Society, he found that the liveliest interest was taken in New Zealand and its doings, this, probably being the result of the .prominence given to the Dominion in connection with tho Dreadnought offer and the visit of Sir Joseph Ward to the Defence Conference. Mr Kay said ho was much struck at the admiration expressed for Sir Joseph Ward as an Imperial statesman, THE JUDGES. ' Mr Justice Denniston's leave com. mences on February 9th, and he will be absent from New Zealand for twelve months. His duties will be shared by the other Judges, Mr Justice Sim taking the Timaru sittings of the Supreme Court in. addition, to his duties as President of the Arbitration Court and relieving his colleagues wherever possible. There is some difficulty in making arrangements for the heavy business at the next criminal and civil sittings in Auckland. The Attorney-General (Hon. Dr. Findlay) states that he is endeavouring to find some means of relieving Mr Justice Edwards of some of the weight of work always found at Auckland. NEWS NOTES : . The Australian mails which loft Sydney last Wednesday by the Wimmera for Auckland arrived at the northern port at 4.45 p.m. yesterday. The southern portion of tho mail left Auckland at. 9.16 o'clock last evening by the 'Main Trunk express, and should arrive at Wellington at 4.30 p.m. to-day. Experiences of excursionists by the wrecked steamer Waikare are described from a woman's point of view in our "Notes for Women," on page 7 of this j paper. The story is illustrated with some interesting snapshots. An agency of the Government Life Insurance Department will be opened at I tho Mangatainoka Post Office next Mon-1 day. ■ ■ I A fine display of blooms will be made at the Rose and Carnation Club's summer show, to ha held next Wednesday in .the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. Entries close to-day.

Bowlers' Hats, Shoes, and Trousers at Bowlers' prices, at Kirkcaldie and Stains. Ltd. i

Tho "Timaru Herald." hears on pood authority that the Hermitage has been so full ior some time past that many would-be visitors to Mount Cook novo been compelled to put oil' their visit because there was not room for them. At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Operative Bakers' Union of Workers, it was unanimously resolved: "That this union give threo months' notice to the Wellington Trades and Labour Ccuncil to disaffiliate from the Council."

Mrs Jessie Young, a resident of Mitchelltown, was, on the application of tho liolice, admitted to tho hospital on Saturday suffering from the effects of phosphorous poisoning. She was reported Inst night as doing fairly well.

The Government training Buip Amokura has resumed her usual active appearance, all the boys having returned from their summer holidays. The vessel is to leave Wellington next Monday on her first training cruise this year.

The smart passage of tho new liner ltu'nhine from London to Wellington in 40 days, 4 hours 8 minutes (actual stcain,ing time) was eclipsed by the Shaw, Savill and Albion liner Gothic. The latter vessel arrived at Wellington on November 24th, 1834, after covering tho distance in 37 days 9 hours 20 minutes (actual steaming time). Captain Brecn, of the .Delphic, was at that time chief oliics?r of the Gothic. While on his recent visit to Great Britain, the Itev. T, G. Kay went over to Ireland, and was painfully impressed with the changes wrought there sinca his last visit twelve years ago. "It struck me lis a decaying country," he told a "New Zealand Times" reporter on Saturday. "I could not help noticing the eviuences of tlnit on every side, and also the poverty and hopelessness written on the faces of the people." The Feilding A. and P. Association is offering- .£3O and a challenge cup 1 in tho open hunters' and a total of .£9B for competitors at the show to take places on February Ist 2nd. The prize money has been considerably increased in tho homo industries section. Good cooks should note this and send for u schedule before the 14th inst., when entries close.

The Union Steam Ship Company's training shin Dartford is still at Newcastle as a consequence of the coal miners' strike. For Bomi* time a Belgian training ship and the Whito Star Line's training ship Mersey were also at Now. castle with the Dartford, and the boy» from the two British ships attended service at tho cathedral at the invitation of the bishop. The Dartford boys aro having plenty of practice in swimmingand boating, and they receive daily instruction from tho captain and chief officer.

An exceptionally heavy rush set in at Wellington on Saturday for passages by the Arahura for Pieton, Nelson and West Coast ports. \ Shortly before 2 p.m. the Customs officials applied the closure, giving as a reason that tho vessel had on board her full complement allowed by her passenger permit. A number of disappointed people were stopped at tho gangway, and some tools passage by one of the small coastal steamors for Nelson to catch the Arahura nt that port, the latter vessel calling -at Pieton on tho way, -

The output of Auckland butter factories for tho fortnight ended Friday totalled about 600 tons. The quantity to bo skipped Home for the fortnight is 19)003 boxes, or 490 tons—a falling off as compared with the previous fortnight, when 512 tons were shipped. For the season from October Ist to January 7th the total export h'as been 3189 ton 3, as compared with 2273 tons for the corresponding period of last season, and the increase thereforo represents a big money gain to dairy farmers.

"New Zealand is a great, country, said Kr Peck, of New York, who was one of the passengers by the ill-fated Waikare, "and as an instance of their advertising, I may mention that there were five Americans and twenty-fivo Britishers on board who came to tho Dominion for this particular Sounds trip." Ho said ho was a frequent traveller, and on his present trip alone had been to Honolulu, Canada, Japan, China. Philippines and Australia. Auckland Harbour, he said, was one of the_ finest things he had seen, and the trip up Otago Harbour between Dunedm and Port Chalmers was also beautiful. Ha was charmed with all the scenery that; no had seen.

The dangerous nature of Davis street crossing, Thorndon, lias one© more demonstrupsd on Saturday morning. Mr ■ T. J. Loighton, of Johusonville, had called at tho A. and P. Pood Company's factory a feiv yards from th© crossing, and was then proceeding' to drive his pony and cart towards the reclamation. When the vehicle -was on the main Hue, un engine whistle caused him to pull up in alarm, and. the cart had just backed a. few feet when a train from the direction of Petouo ran into the nony. Tho : animal's nock was broken, and the shafts snuppod off, the train not being able to ■ pull■ up until it had goae about forty yards beyond the crossing. Mr Leightonvescaped unharmed, but he Sub. tnined a loss' of' £2O by the death of th« pony and the damage to trap and' hurness.

Mr I>., McLaren, M.P., at Hastings on Friday, conferred with.local residents on the question of organising, a party -with a definite political programme, outside the House. Mr McLaren Useerts that, at present, there ia >no definite programme, and the people are living politically from bond to mouth, so he ia touring the country, with the object of awakening': the. ■ .electors to'. this fact, and to form branches of an organisation which, will adopt a precise liad intelligible platform. "This is my'first Bcseion. in Parliament,'' said Mr McLaren, _ and what struck me as most humorous in the proceedings was the great amount ot trouble taken by speakers to define tiic difference between tho Government and the- Opposition,/-' It has been arranged that Mr McLaren will return to Hastings shortly, when ho will deliver addresses on "Tho Need for Political Organisation" and "Tho Land Question."

Ihe already- heavy bookings at tin various hotels have been considerably added to as a result of tho invasion oi bowlers for tho North' Island tournabut the city's ; resources have proved equal to the occasion. The visitors aro disposed, in part as follows: Occidental: Stratford two rinks, Auckland one rink, Pihama one rinfc, Manaia one rink, ■ Feilding one rink, Palmerston two rinka. Empire s Wavcrley two rinks, Patea one rink, Wanganui one rink, also individual players from Auckland and elsewhere. New Zealander: Carlton three rinks, Mount Eden one. rink, Grey Lynn one rink, Pon, sonby one rink, besides .several from Auckland city. Six from Hawera ar« staying at the Commercial, whilst others are at the Grand, Masonic arid City Buffet. Amongst those who have selected the Arcadia for domicile are four rinks from Patea and one from Picton. The Hotel Bristol is entertaining players from Eltham, Gisborne, Turauganui, Greenmeadows and Napier. Maitai and Pahiatua players to tho number of twenty aro staying at the Windsor, whilst several Aucklanders are at th* Trocadero.

Persons who intend visiting Eotorua during the current season will be interested to know that ample accommodation is available at Dwyer's Hotel Metropoie. The tariff is 6s a day. '

' The Lux Light Company wish it knowg that the Lux Incandescent Keroseol Gas Lamps give the Cheapest and Most Brilliant Light on . Earth. See Te Aro House, Batas and Lees', Waidell Bros.', Leydon and Co., Caterer and Carey, E. Pcarce and Co., li. Hannah and Co., Petone Workshops (where Lux replaced the latest devices in lighting). Houso Lamps 23? 6d. Lamps up to 2000 candlepower. 35, 37, 39, Old Customhou6€ street (back of Opera House),. Wellington. •