NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8367, 1 March 1913, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

In connection -with the recent sugar trust case the Trades and Labour Council instructed their committee on Thursday evening to ascertain whether the tines had been paid. The Wimmera, which left Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday, has on board an Australian mail, also a mail from United Kingdom via Suez. The Wellington portion is due here by the Main Trunk express on Monday. The Forestry Commission sat again at Parliament Buildings yesterday, and resolved to adhere to their previous decision to commence active operations at Invercargill on Monday. No further evidence was received. The Commissioners left for Invercargill last night, proceeding straight through. - A public meeting is advertised to Do held in the Town Hall on Wednesday, 19th hast., to celebrate the centenary of Dr David Livingstone, missionary, traveller, and philanthropist, who was bom at Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on March 19th, 1813, and, bavin" devoted his life to pioneer work in°Central Africa, died there on May Ist, 1873.

At a special meeting of tie Onslow Borough Council on I'nursday night a resolution was passed appro ring of a proposal to establish a water supply system for the greater portion of the borough, except Kaiwarra, which already has a supply from the city catchment area. A scheme will be submitted to the ratepayers for a loan of -£IB,OOO to carry out the necessary work, and in the event of the loan being refused, the ratepayers are to .be asked to sanction the expenditure of a further sum of £IOOO to provide the balance of the compensation required for the catchment area.

At Te Aro Baths to-day the Post Office Swimming Club will hold the final 1 event in their competition for the Rhodes Bowl. At present, H. Lit tie stands for the trophy, with Geddia and Duthie sharing second place. The Hon. B. H. Rhodes, Post-master-General, and departmental beads will be present. The distance for the event, which is to start at 12.30, is 220 yards. Arrangement* are well advanced for the Easter tournament, the trophy being a cup present ed by the Postmaster-General for com petition among the four postal cen tres.

Regarding the Defence _ Act the following circular was received by the Wellington College Board of Governors at their meeting yesterday from the Assistant-General Inspector of Schools: “As among the large number of boys who obtain free places and scholarships granted from the funds of the State, there are probably /some to bo round who decline to,or fail to carry out the obligations imposed upon them under the Defence Act, I have, by the direction of the Minister of Education, to intimate that in the opinion of the department the conduct of a free pupil should not be held to be satisfactory if the requirements of the defence regulations arc not observed, and to request accordingly that in future m the periodical reports upon the holders of free places and scholarships this a matter will receive the necessary consideration among the conditions of tenure to bo fulfilled.” The board decided to approve of the circular. Overseas visitors to the Tourist Bureau during the week included the foifollowing: C. W. Banks. Singapore; Anna M. Congdon, Chicago, U.S.A.; John McGeown, Kansas, U.S.A.; W. N. Pringle, Johnstown, U.S.A.: R. J Durance, Toronto; Miss G. L. Baker, Tunbridge Wells, Eng.; W. H. and Mrs Kidston, Helensburgh, Scotland; D. B. Tinker. Halifax, Eng.; Mr and Mrs Harold M. Moore, Belfast,, Ireland; Rika Yaz Dias. Holland; H. Jackson, New York; F. McCrea, Gloucester- W. H. Chamberlain, California, U.S.A.; Mr and Mrs Heyburn, London; Mr and Mrs H. V. Dixon, Hunter’s Hill, Sydney; F. E f and C. H. W. White, Adelaide; Dome Wiese, Adelaide; J. J. Curtis, J. A. Cooney, 11. Murphy, Ganmain, N .S.W.; jfi. P. Gill Adelaide; E. C. Cox. Tasmania; Cecil T. Crouch, East Melbourne; F. Beridge, Sydney; R. E. Robertson, Deepwater, N.S.W.; Alfred Bass, Sydney, E. R. Missel], Sydney: E. G. Donkin, Lake Cowal, N.S.W.;B. Youngman, Brisbane; M. Stewart, Melbourne; A. H. Barbour, Brisbane; P. W. Fielder, Melbourne.

At the "Unity rally” to ho held tomorrow night a resolution will bo .sub” mitted favouring the proposed basis of unity.

A meeting of ratepayers in the Tar*, dale (Hawke’s Bay) Town Board district carried » resolution in favour of the system of rating on unimproved values.

During February 161 births wore registered in Wellington, aganst 155 for the corresponding month last year. Marriages numbered 7? (against 74) and deaths 61 (against 43).

The Wellington Trades and Labour Council cn Thursday evening instructed bheir committee to tako in hand the matter of requesting the Covernment to give effect to the findings of the Cost of Living Commission. Captain G. G. Smith, Royal Nayal Registrar, has received advice from tno Naval Registrar-General that tho thirdclass protected cruiser Pyrames, which is to succeed tho New Ze.il and Naval Reserve drillship Pioneer will arrive in New Zealand waters about the middle of April. Further advices as to the movements of the Pyramus will be announced in due time.

It was reported from Taihape on Wednesday that Ngauruhoe was very active on Tuesday night, a . great volume of illuminated smoke issuing from tho crater, making a grand and awe-inspiring sight. The eruption was only of short and tha mountain was quiet at 8 o’clock tho following morning. There were several minor eruptions later in the day» but the mountain is now in its normal state again.

A novel sight in Wellington streets yesterday afternoon attracted the attention of many passers-by. Toby, the educated baboon now appearing at the Theatre Royal, was vigorously collecting from all and sundry on behalf of the lioness at the Zoo. Tho baboon was dressed in the height of .fashion, and appeared to appreciate his novel employment. He is understood to have signified his entire approval of the scheme by which tho lioness is, to be retained. The collection-box will be handed to the town clerk to-day.

Mr E. W. Holmes, Engineer in Chief to the Public Works Department, who has just returned from Otira, reported that the work of construction was proceeding satisfactorily under the supervision of the • department. Ho made an inspection of the works, and the next step in connection with the new contract is the preparation ,of specifications. Upon these the department is now busily engaged and they will be submitted at an early date for the approval of Cabinet, the actual calling of tenders will follow, soon after.

The Wellington entries for the Easter festival of the Napier Competitions Society include the following: —Vocal solos i E* L. Lees, bliss It. Wyatt, Mi«a Z. Casey. Drawingroom entertainment: Miss Betty Purdon and party. Comedietta: N. Aitken and party, J. C. Bell and Miss Purdon. Story without words: N. Aitken, J. C. Bell and Miss Betty Purdon. Elocution : Cecil Haines, L. Power. Sightreading : J". O. Bell, N. Aitken, E. L, Lees, Miss Betty Pardon, Miss J. Petrie. Monologues and recitals: N. Aitken, J. C. Bell, Miss Betty Purdon, Miss J. Petrie.

Some time ago the secretary of th® Dunedin Expansion League (Mr G. N. G. Arber) communicated with Lord Liverpool with reference to the establishment of a vioo-regal residence ’ in Dunedin, and quoted the precedents of Lord Onslow and Lord Banfurly. The following reply was received : —“I am directed by the Governor to thank you for your letter of the 16th inst., and at the same time to inform you that the subject referred to therein will receive due consideration, lam to add that his Excellency certainly hopes to visit Dunedin, as he has the happiest possible recollections of his first introduction to that city.”

During the past few days (saya the “Lyttelton Times”) Mr Wright, one of the scientific staff of the Antarctic expedition, has been busy at the local magnetic observatory making preparations to swing a pendulum in order to determine the force of gravity. This work is necessary in order that comparison may be ma.de with similar records obtained in the Antarctic and elsewhere. The Telegraph Department has made the necessary connections, and done what wiring is necessary. Arrangements have been made with the Government Astronomer, in Wellington, to make observations, to ensure absolute accuracy in the determination of time, but should unfavourable weather hinder him, the time will be determined locally, by means of a transit.

“I have no hesitation whatever in saying that the ordinary working man is not required to keep books showing his receipts and expenditure," remarked Mr Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court, Auckland, on Wednesday, when discussing the section of the Bankruptcy Act which sets forth that a man must keep such books of account as are usual and proper in the business carried on by him. “The man who works day by day or week by week for wages,” he added, "cannot be held to be in business.” _ Speaking in regard to a case of a painter, who simply took up small sub-contracts, and sold practically only his own labour, his Honor said that, assuming he was required to keep a ledger and a cash-book, a jury would have to determine what standard of book-keeping would have to be complied with. As far as his Honor could say such a man was obliged simply to keep such a record of his transactions as would enable the official assignee, without unreasonable difficulty, to ascertain the position during the three years prior to bankruptcy.

The public will read without any concern for the victims that have failed and the victims that have passed the results of the recent teachers’ examinations, but the following extract from the paper in Human Physiology for tho Class D certificate may (says the “Lyttelton Times”) strike a chord of sympathy in the hearts of some of those kindly folk who have gone through a similar ordeal: Make a drawing showing what you would see on sawing longitudinally through tho thighbone of any mammal. By what means have you determined the proportion of organic to inorganic matter in the bone ? State precisely what you observed when examining the liver of a pig or other mammal. Discuss briefly the functions of the liver. Describe the external appearance of the eyeball of a bullock_ or any other mammal, omitting mention of the several mnscloa. Mention, in order, the steps taken by you in dissecting the eyeball. How would you proceed in order to lay bare in the case, say, of a rabbit,(a) the sciatic nerve, (b) the sub-maxillary gland, (c) the spinal cord, (d) the tendon of Achilles i It would bo interesting to see how the Minister of Education and his colleagues would fare even with the assistance of Dr Pomare if these questions were set before them after a long session, in some respects as exacting M a teacher’s December term.

A Press Association message reports that f.ho Ruahino, with a largo number otf passengers from London, left Hobart yesterday for Wellington, bhe ia duo hero on Tuesday. "A Press Association message states that the members of the Kmpire Trade Commission arrived in Christchurch from E'uncdin last evening. The Commission will hold its first sitting in Christchurch to-day.

During February, says a Press Association telegram, 1433 persons arrived at the port of Auckland, and 1173 departed'. A gain of 890 m population has been secured during the tv.o months of this year.

At Bllonheim yesterday, in the Su : premo Cb-urt, in divorce, a decree nisi was granted in Charles Bollmgshaw v. Lydia Rollingshaw and James McAlpine, husband’s petition, on the ground oli adultery. The Tai unaki Oil Wells, Ltd., is in commnnioi vtion with the Empire Trade Commission with the object of inducing that body to visit the laranaki oilfields. On Thursday a wire was reoeivsd from tl is Commission to the eliect that it was endeavouring to visit New Plymouth, and, if successful, would notify the company of the date later on. A general meeting of the newlyformed Cash Athletic and Cycling Club is called for next Tuesday evening at the Trocader d, to elect office-bearers and comm ittees. Beg. . Walker (South African sprint champion) and Arthur Post la (Australian sprint champion, who arrives in Wellington on Tuesday) will attend the meeting to arrange terms; for competing at the cVqVs forthcoming sports meeting to bo hold at

In order to j provide a suite of rooms at the Customs' buildings for the Hon. F M B Fish or, the whole of the hM.d office staff of the Department of Agriculture, inc luding the Government biologist, are s hifting their quarters to the Union 1 Steamship Company s buildings. Half the Wellington staff of the department will in future be located there, ai id the half will remain at the Ci istoms buildings.

Referring to a message published on February 26th ct incoming the Umted Labour party anti the formation of a new Labour party in Auckland, the jecretary of the United Labour party officially repudiates! the contents of the resolutions passed. at that meeting. Ho states that this old Labour party to non est, having' been merged mto the United Labour- party last Easter by the unanimous vote of ail the delegates. The party has exactly the same constitution, the secretary states, ■now as it then had, and no dissatisfaction exists in the new’ o: rgamsation. ihe party, as such, has liaken no action as alleged in oppositio n to the defence scheme. ■