NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8363, 25 February 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The mails which left . Wellington pet Moeraki and connected with the Naples mails per R.M.S. - Orsova arrived in London on the 23rd mst. A special meeting of the City Council has been called for Thursday after., noon next to dispose of the business which was so abruptly interrupted last Thursday night. This include* consideration of the baths and city reserves committee’s report, and reports of the by-laws, fire brigade, street and outlying districts committees. There are also four deferred notices of motion by Councillor Tregear, two by Councillor McKenzie, and one by Councillor Barber to bo discussed. Representatives of the Trades fini Labour Council were very active; on Saturday afternoon in getting further names to the petition asking for a poll on the Saturday half-holiday question. •' A writing table was placed at the Dixon-Cuba street inter-section, and there 950 citizens signed their names to the petition, while 700 enrolments for the municipal rolls were made. Only about 1000 more names are required for the, petition to ensure a poll, and as the promoters have until March 26th next in which to secure additional signatures, the poll is regarded as a certainty. Another vigorous campaign will be conducted next Saturday afternoon. The Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Acting* Minister of Defence, stated yesterday in reply to a question by a “Times" reporter that the question of organisation of the expeditionary force was at present under consideration. The in-, tentkm of the Government, it is understood, is to formulate some schema .of organisation in advance for contingents that would constitute the expeditionary force, serving on a voluntary basis for military operations ia other parts of the British dominions. Such a scheme would have regard to the formation and numerical strength of the expedition, the proportions of infantry and cavalry, and equipment, ■with a view to harmonious co-opera-tion, in case of necessity, from the point of view of Imperial unity. Instead of leaving these arrangements to haphazard working, as was done in the case of the South African war, the military authorities of 1 the, Dominion would be in a position to dispatch these voluntary troops in accordance with a systematic and .pre-arranged (scheme. Sir Rider Haggard, one of the Empire Trade Commissioners, speaking at the civic welcome given to the Commissioners at Melbourne, said that already the commissioners had become conscious of the greatness of Australia, this enormous continent as .big as Europe, and this continent which he Doped would one day be the home of a vast nation. What Australia needed was intelligent advertisement —so that the advantages of settlement within it could bo effectively brought home to many tens of thousands of the dess fortunate populations of the British Isles. He hoped that that would be done, so that the vast areas of this great continent might be settled.. He had just keen to India, and had seen most of tho Empire, and coming from India and seeing tho vastness of Australia, ho could in some measure realise the extent and tho might of this Empire. There was no fairer jewel’ in the Imperial Crown than Australia. He referred to the Empire as something worth living for, something worth dying for. (Cheers.)

Tho Taranaki autumn show opens at' Now Plymouth to-morrow. To date 977 gas and water Conner:- 1 tions havo been made with tho Lower Hutt mail*, - and 725 permits have boon issued for drainage and sanitary connections. On tho recommendation of tho works committee of tho Hutt Borough Council it was resolved last nigiit to cau tho attention of tho police to tho damage that is being done in tho borough by larrikins. Tho fire brigade received a call to Wade street .Extension, ’VVadostown, shortly after 9 o’clock yesterday morning, a flro having occurred in a tivoroomed bouse owned and occupied by Mr Charles B. Joplin. The brigade on arrival found they had no hope of saving tho b (Hiding, which, together with its contents, was entirely destroyed. The house was insured in the State office for £360, and the furniture in the _United for £2OO. The outbreak ia supposed to have been caused by spaks from the washhouse falling on some clothes. An appeal for assistance to clear away some troublesome gorse which has grown on tho ground attached to, the Home of Compassion at Island Bay is made by Mother Mary Aubert, and volunteers willing to lend a hand in the work are requested to assemble at the homo at 2 p.m. oh Saturday. The growth has seriously interfered with the feeding of cows supplying milk to the home, and there are ton acres to bo cleared. Already Mother Aubert has had to dispose of several of the animals, and others may to go unless tho ground is cleared, it is probable that the city corporation will assist with tho loan of a number of gmObers and other implements. Un a similar occasion two years ago, Lora Plunket gave active assistance m clearing away some gorse which had then become a nuisance. Ballanoo now stands disconsolate at the north-eastern comer of Parliament grounds, near Hill street, and from his pedestal surveys an overchanging colour scheme iff the grounds. Some tender young flowers have been disposed in neat symmetrical beds on the Charlotte street side, and gardeners are busily turning over tho soil in that vicinity, preparatory to the sowing of grass. Heaps of old bricks and mortar, concrete and red-brick walls in the foundations, clay banks, grassy mounds, . new-formed _ gravel walks and a broad sweeping drive, with dean red-brick gutters, excavations and brick-laying, are parts of tho present picture, but everything is in a state of transition. About forty men are employed on tho grounds, and the foundations will not be completed for a few weeks yet. Borne of the chambers need much excavation, and a snbmerged stream at the foot of HIU street has been troublesome. After rain, too, water collects in the chambers. The young grass is looking very fresh and healthy, and good progress is being made with the low brick wall that will surround the whole site. The Government has agreed, at the request of the Oily Council, to vest an area of 6500 acres of forest reserve at Wainni-o-mata, in the council, for water-supply purposes. The city thus secures a permanent addition to tho area which it already possesses in that locality for ensuring continuously an adequate and pure water supply. “This decision has,” says the Mayor, “given mo considerable pleasure, because it is a matter of great-importance, in view of the growth, of our city, ■ that wo should have the whole of the watershed surrounding the source of the water supply. I behove that the time will soon come,” added the Mayor, * “when we will have -to make provision for bringing In a further supply of water from Orongo-rongo. IVnen I visited Wainui-o-mata the other day with members of tho City Council, the city engineer pointed out how the work of bringing the additional supply from Orongo-rongo could best be earned out. Of course, such an extra supply is not required at the present time, but it is well that" we should look some years ahead in regard to the very important matter of having tho most perfect and up-to-date water-supply system that we can secure.” Mr F. T. Moore, of Jdhnsonville, has received advice from Sydney that the preliminary formalities in connection with tho introduction to New Zealand of the vacuum process of preserving meat, fish, and other alimentary products are complete. This process is remarkably simple and inexpensive. The meat is placed in a circular air-tight chamber, with a cone-shaped top, and tho vacuum ia crested by transforming the air in the preserving chamber into a volatile gas which is withdrawn through a valve in the top of the dome. When the, necessary vacuum is obtained chlorine gas (salt gas) is injected into the chamber, and in less than eight hours the meat is processed and can be kept in the open air for three months without deterioration. It is the intention of the owners of this process to supply the necessary plant at cost and charge a royalty on each 1001 b of meat treated. As the total cost of treating the meat will not be greater than one-eighth of a penny per lb, including payment of royalty, and the advantages secured prevent taint or decay without in the slightest degree affecting the taste of the meat, the inventors are confident their system will soon be universally adopted _ for both local and export trade in this Dominion., Mr Moore anticipates that this now system will greatly* increase the value of meat for export, because tho process makes the product undistinguisbable from killed, which, is not the case with freezing. Stops are being taken by a strong committee recently formed in London to promote an Empire fund for Donald Dinnio, the famous athlete, who in the evening of life—he is now seventysix years of age—finds himself, through sheer misfortune, very badly off. The promoters write: “A generation ago the name of Donald Dinnie was a household word, not in Scotland only, but throughout the world of athletics. Ho was the greatest all-round champion we have over known. There was .scarcely any branch of athletics in which ho did not excel, and bis strength feats were phenomenal. Wher over Scotsmen are to be found —in other words, from the North to the South Pole —has name will never cease to be honoured for the lustre his prowess has shed upon that ‘Land of brown heath and shaggy wood’ from whence so many heroes havo gone forth conquering and to conquer. We do not wish to wait until he is no longer with, us, we desire that in his lifetime he shall realise how much and how sincerely wo honour him.” It is hoped by united efforts to raise a sum of money sufficient to ensure Donald Dinnie’a comfort and happiness for tho remainder of his days. Subscriptions may be sent direct to the hon. treasurer, Mr It. W. Cameron, 397, Queen’s road. New Cross Hate, STE._ or to tho London and Soutn Western Bank, New, Cross branch, SB. (London).

Tho postal authorities advise that the; Ulimaroa, which sailed from Sydney on; the 22nd instant, has on boardan Australian mail. She is due in Wclling!ton on Wednesday next. Tho following vessels are , bo within wireless range of Wellington! this evening; Manuka, Victoria, Atua„ ‘Ulimaroa, Star of Moana, Maheno, and Aorangi. Tho Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board recently invited architects to prepare designs in competition for the Old People’s Homo to bo erected there. The assessor has now placed Messrs Clere and Busby, of Wellington, first, and Messrs Penty and Lawrence second. New regulations governing the Post and Telegraph Service were approved at a'meeting of tho Executive Council yesterday, and will P( ob ,^ bly ,, be gazetted this week. Mr W. B. Morris, secretary to the department, informed a “Times” representative that the new compilation did not differ in any material respect from the old regulations. Slight alterations had been made to incorporate various regulations which had been made from time to time during the last two years, at intervals of which the whole regulations were in a sense codified and reissued. Except in certain ummportant details, there was virtually nothing new. There are 248 solicitors practising in the Wellington district, one less than last year. Twenty-one of those practising in. the district last year have ceased to practise, left the district, or died, while 20 others havo commenced practice. This change reduces the number practising in the city by four (123,) while the country towns of tho district gain three in number (126). The. number of practitioners m tho Dominion at tho end of 1912 was 963, an increase of 46 over last year's returns. The number shown to be practising in tho respective districts, and the increase or decrease shown for the year are as follows (the figures in brackets are the numbers for 19110 ; Auckland 214 (226), Hamilton 42, Canterbury 127 (128), Gisborne 23 (20), Hawke’s Bay 51 (52), Marlborough 12 (11), Nelson 21 (18), Otago 104 (106), Southland 36 (33), Taranaki 62 7533, Wellington 248 (249), Westland ■23 (22), North Island 640 (600), South Island 323 (318). Hamilton was included in the Auckland district last year. The President-elect of the United States, Dr Woodrow Wilson, spoke ax. a banquet in Chicago recently, attended by Swifts, Amours, Holds, McCormicks —in fact, most of the great merchant princes of the Middle West. His hearers were mainly political opponents, but he delivered another of his unflinching addresses which are loaning the country to anticipate that a new era is about to dawn in the New World. “The future of the United States,” he began, “does not depend upon its Government, but upon the honesty of its business men. Perfectly honest men are now at a disadvantage in America, because business methods in general are not to bo trusted, That is unjust to you; it is unjust to everybody. You have got to clear yourselves before the jury of the general body of your fellow citizens, and when the atmosphere of suspicion has been dissipated tho Government will como to a normal relation with the American people. That job is yours, not mine; for yon are conducting tho business of the country. I'm not. For instance, there is reason to believe from things said under oath that there ‘ are inner circles and outer circles of credit; that there are regions of chilly exclusion and regions of warm exclusion. I am not indicting the banking methods of this country. Our banking system does not need to- be indicted; it is convicted. Credit must be put at the disposal of everybody upon equal terms. And, above all this, the business of the United States must be set absolutely free of every feature of the monopoly.” The last sentence was received in chilly silence, and Dr Wilson added, “I’m disappointed that you do not applaud that sentiment, for we shall have to accomplish "it, it necessary, by duress —the worst way in which to bring about any reform.”