NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The following vessels are expected to be within wireless r.auge of Wellington this evening:—Eotorua, Warn moo, Aorangi, Tahiti, Victoria, Ulimaroa, Wimmera, Mamari, Zealandio, and Maunganui. . On and after Monday, next the revised timetable on all sections of ■ the city and suburban tramways will come into force. About seven hundred invitations have been issued for a short lecture to be delivered by Captain J. K. Davis, of Dr Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic expedition, in tho Town Hall on Tuesday evening, when 4000 feet of cinematograph pictures, illustrating the work of the expedition, will be shown, as well as other films of an educative character. On Thursday the Aorangi, en route from Sydney to Wellington, passed a considerable school of whales at a distance of about 150 miles from Farewell Bpit. There wore about forty cetaceans visible, gambolling at some distance away from the steamer's track. Some of them appeared to be fairly large, though the school was rather too far away to permit of ascertaining their species. Arbor Day will be celebrated to-day, and if the weather bo favorable the tree-planting function arranged on tho Town Belt, near Victoria College, will take place at 2.30 p.m. Every citizen interested in this work is invited to attend. About a hundred trees will be planted. The Mayor and councillors will be in attendance. Yesterday the Mayor v Mt D. McLaren) at the invitation of the Mayor of Miramar (Mr H. N. McLeod) made a tour of inspection among Miramar reserves, and also obtained tho ladvice of Mr Gandy (Government Tourist Department) with regard to planting at the Lyall Bay reserve, owned by the city. On Thursday evening the first "social” of St. Paul’s Boys’ Club, recently formed in connection with St. Paul’s Church, was held, the members being entertained at tea. An open concert followed. Tho programme included songs bv Misses Farmer and Minifie and Messrs Tunley and Fanner, a piccolo solo by Mr Minifie, and recitations by Messrs Oswin, Gotten! and Atkinson. The accompanists _ were Misses Warren, Farmer, and Minifie. The chairman (the Rev. A. M. Johnson) and Professor Easterfield spoke on the aims and objects of the club. Master Hays did some clever acrobatic feats, white the Y.M.C.A. minstrels provided an amusing half hour with songs and jokes. The evening was conducted by a, committee consisting of Messrs Plant, Melville, Oswin, Warren, and Godfrey, 1

Entries for the Auckland Competitions Society’s festival close to-day with the secretary. Mr Scott Colville, Empire Buildings, Auckland. The pictures recently lent by the Wellington Academy of Fino Arte to Mas> tortou have been returned to tho gallery, which will be open to-morrow as usual. .U the City Men’s Brotherhood tomorrow afternoon, in tho New Theatre, tho Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.C.. wiH give an address. Jn the evening Mr G. E. Jackson, of the Grubb Mission Party, will conduct the service. Wo are asked to state that tho nam» Ballinger Bros., Ltd., appearing in our Magistrate's Court report yesterday is ia no way connected with the firm of Ballinger Bros., Waring Taylor street, Weilington. William John Bell, a carrier, was proceeded against at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday for failing to keep a wages and overtime book. Defendant explained that bo did not know that ho had to keep the record. Ho was ordered to pay court costs 7s. In connection with the burglary on tbs premises of F. Cooper, Ltd., on Wednesday evening, for which John. Albert Corbett was arrested, Detectives Lewis and Andreas yesterday took into custody a young man, Albert Stockbridge, on a charge of being concerned in the affair. Lovers of wrestling will find good entertainment to-nignt at the Bijou theatre. Ted Lnnauze, heavyweight champion, will meet Donald Beeday, of H.M.B. Pioneer, for a match of .£25, and trouts will take place between men. belonging to tho warship. Mr Gordon Smith, of Pahiatua, will bo referee. On account of tho Antarctic lecturs which takes place in the Town Hall next Tuesday evening, to which the Mayor and city councillors hate been invited, the special council meeting arranged fer that night to deal with tramway reorganisation has been postponed until the following Thursday evening. “A pen is a most barbarous instrument to put into tho hands of a young child, to my way of thinking," remarked tho Inspector-General of Schools, Mr G. Hog. ben, in his evidence before the' Education Commission yesterday. "A soft pencil for use on paper or chalk for writing on the wall is very much to be ’ preferred." Next Wednesday a meeting will be 'held in the large Town Hall in- connection with the Melanesian Mission. Unusual interest attaches to the meeting as the speakers are new to Wellington. They are to be Bishop Wood, tho new Bishop of Melanesia, Bishop Crossley (Auckland), and two of tho Melanesian missionarics.. The Primate and the Bishop of Welling, ton .will also bo present. There will b» no charge for admission. A deputation consisting of Messrs W. Irving (chairman of the Inangahua County Council) and Q. Mclnroo (councillor) waited on tho Minister of Bailways (Hon. W. H. Herries) yesterday to> request that tho Government construct protective works for tho traffic and railway bridges across tho big Grey river. Tho river was encroaching on the north sido and carrying away the approach to the traffic bridge, and it would carry away the approach to tho railway bridge also. Another request was that concession:; be giyen on tho railways for tho bring, iug of coal from Koefton to Hokitika, and Groymouth, where it could bo sold for (household purposes (for which it was admirably adapted), and from whence it. could be shipped away. The Minister promised to consider tho requests and i to obtain a report from tho officers of I tho department, Tho questions of ownership and responsibility concerning the stranded whale, near Lyall Bay, have been dis. cussed from various points of view; That it would be of great commercial value appears to be doubted- by some, who believe that tho profit of exploitation, would be scarcely commensurate with tho expenses of working. Whales of the ‘‘right" species—to which this monster is said to belong—have previously bean stranded at various ports of the New' Zealand coast and yielded handsome profit to their claimants. However this ;whala would appear to be on land over which the Harbour Board has jurisdiction. The board exorcises control of the coast within three miles of Barrett's reef, and the point where the whalo is stranded ia well within this limit It is said that the leviathan lie* partly on high and partly on. low-water beach. Neither thj city council nor the Marine Department wish to assert any proprietary right. Two men yesterday made application to the town clerk for permission to appropriate tho carcase and were referred > to the Marino Department. The Secrelary (Mr Allportj informed tho inch they could have the whale. ■ It is believed that the two men intend to cut the monster to pieces, and sell life blubber and manure to manufacturers; The former would bo useful in candle-making. It ia possible that some ambergris may bs found on the beach. Meanwhile tho whale promises to be a week-end attrao lion, and doubtless, will be visited by crowds to-morrow if the weather is fine. The stench of putrescence should, however, prevent overcrowding at close quarters. ..- „