LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 62

LOCAL & GENERAL.

At tho Christohuroh Magistrate's Court on the 17th an apprentice at Addington Workshops was charged with having disobeyed tho orders of the foreman. The youth was engaged chipping brasses, and had placed a board in front of him to prevent chips from flying about. The foreman ordered him to remove the board, but ho declined.The Magistrate said the case should not have come before the court, and ought to have been dealt with by the department. The law on the subject, which had been standing since 1865, was very drastic. Under it an offender could be ordered to be placed in. solitary confinement for a period not exceeding seven days. The Magistrate added that the law ought to be revised. In the House of Representatives yesterday Mr Davey referred to the case. He asked if the Mi nosier of Railways knew anything about tho- case. Mr Millar stated: that he had not heard about the case until it had been brought under his notice by Mr Davey. He would have inquiries made with a view to ascertaining who was responsible for the lad being brought before the court. At a largely attended meeting of the settlers in Hawea Flat on the 10th October, and presided over by Mr J. M'Carthy, the following resolutions were passed:—" (1) That this meeting heartily approves of the soheone to bring a party of delegates from the Dunedin Chamiber of Commerce, the newly-elected members of Parliament, 'Ministers, the press, and members of the Otago Central Railway League, to visit this district after the elections, in the interests of the Otago Central railway, and that Mr Moritzson be informed that provision will be made to entertain the visitors and show them round the district. A committee has been appointed to oarry out arrangements in connection with the visit. (2) That this meeting is of opinion that the . electors of the City of Dunedin and Otago Central should demand a pledge from every parliamentary candidate that he will, if returned, see that a more vigorous policy is carried out in the construction of the Otago Central railways than has obtained during the past few years." The Nelson Mail states : —" As inquiries have been made with regard to the position of the Pitt memorial fund, the secretary (Captain R. W. Stiles) reports that the matter of commencing the work has been hung up pending- a reply from the Government regarding approval of a band rotunda as recommended by the subscribers. A reply has now been received from the Government which states that Cabinet has approved of a pound-for-pound subsidy up to £3OO, provided the plan, which is asked for. is satisfactory. The case in which James Allen Sinclair and others sued the Western Taieri Drainage Board for the sum of £495, being £l5O for land taken (five acres) and £345 in respect of injury done to land through the construction of the contour channel at Maungatua, reached finality last week, when the president of the Assessment Court (Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) gave judgment for the claimants for £305 in full settlement of all their demands, and, in addition, the respondents wore mulcted in the sum of £45 in respect of the plaintiffs' costs and expenses. After reading his judgment the president and the assessor for the claimants (Mr J. O. Stephens) left their seats, the former gentleman being on the lower step leading from the bench and Mr Stephens on the floor, but the assessor for the respondents (Mr W. Nicolson) remained on the bench, and attempted to read out a dissenting judgment in the case. Both the president and members of the Bar exclaimed, " But the court is adjourned," and the protesting assessor then stepped down and handed his judgment to the reporters for publication. Mr F. L. Hadfield, the pioneer missionary of the Churches of Christ in New Zealand', who is in the Dominion on furlough from the South African Mission of these churches, gave a lantern lecture in the Tabernacle on tho 18th inst. He lectured on "Ingome," the new station which it is purposed to establish on his return to South Africa, and which is right in the heart of the native reserve, Belingwl. The station is reached by rail from Bulawayo, and then by a waggon journey of some 70 miles. This is a tedious and difficult journey, oyer wild and sandy country. The rate of progress is slow, and at the fastest

only 12 miles could be covered in a day. Mr Hadfield related many of the hardships and' difficulties which the missionaries had to endure, and tne danger of wild beasts fever was also spoken of. The new station would cost £SOO to establish. Tho erection of the new orphanage which is to bo established at Anderson's ' Bay by the Presbyterian Social Service 1 Association is to be commenced almost immediately. The handsome donation of £6OOO recently made by Mr R. Glendining has enabled the association to give its scheme a practical turn at a much earlier date than was anticipated. The committee has now practically approved of the plans. These have been drawn up by Messrs Mason and Wales, and provide for a building of a very substantial design. The building will be a two-storeyed one of brick, and will comprise a. central, or administrative, block and two wings. The administrative block will contain the dining room for the staff, office, sewing room, stock room, kitchen, etc, also a small 'hospital ward. In the centre of the main building there will be a common dining room 44ft by 20ft. Each of the wings will have sleeping and other accommodation for 30 children, the total number of boys and girls to be provided for at the orphanage being 60. The building will be 116 ft in length and about 100 ft deep, and in front, facing the harbour, will be a balcony extending for about half its length. The new orphanage will be for the accommodation of girls of any age and boys under 10. ■ The present orphanage at Grant's Braes will be converted into a home for boys over 10 years of age who are attending school. On leaving this institution, if placed at a trade in the city, they will take up their quarters at the Clyde street home, or they will be sent into the country to learn farming, and in either oase will be under the direct control of Mr Axelsen, the agent of the Presbyterian, Social Service Association. Mr Axelsen states that his great ambition for the future is to replace the present small wooden building in Clyde street with a new up-to-date structure as the headquarters of the association and as a larger boarding establishment for the boys who are learning trades in the city and who are under hi 3 supervision. The site of the new orphanage to be built at Anderson's Bay is near tho Karitane Home, and comprises 10 acres. The sum of £IOOO, which is being raised by the young people of the Presbyterian Church, will be devoted to clearing off of all liability in respect of the land on which the orphanage will stand. The profit and loss accounts of the various trading departments of the Duned'in City Corporation for the half-year ended September 30 last have now been submitted by the City Treasurer. (Mr H. H. Henderson) to the Finance Committee of the City Council. The figures, as compared with the corresponding period of last year, show the following results: —Gas department, 1911—£6063 6s sd, 1910—£5195 2s Od; water department, 1911—£6897 7s sd, 1910—£5527 10s 4d; tramways department, 1911 —£1110, 1910—£1223 2s lid ; electric power and lighting department, 1911—£1419 13s lOd, 1910— £IOBS 5s 9d. Totals, 1911—£15,490 7s Bd. 1910—£13,032 Is. It will be seen from the above that there is an increased profit for the past six months over the corresponding six months of 1910 to the amount of £2458 6s Bd, and that in only one department, namely tramways, is there a falling off, which, considering the concessions in fares made during the past year, was not unexpected. In view of the tendency in the Dominion to gradually raise the standard of admission into the .University, Mr D. Wishart draws our attention to the following paragraph appearing in the September number of the The Clinic, which seems to indicate that tho present tendency in some parts at least of America is. in the very opposite direction. The paragraph reads: " One of the most important steps in educational progress has recently been taken toy the Harvard University in the academic department. For years, beginning in the writer's time and continuing to the present day, Harvard 1 has been the leader in advancing the requirements for admission to its undergraduate department. So difficult became these requirements that a year longer has been needed for fitting a boy to enter Harvard than for entrance to other colleges. The result was as might be expected, namely, the development of a class of highly trained boys from selected families, largey localised in Massachusetts. Within the past year Harvard has entirely changed its tactics. Instead of a rigorous entrance examination it now requires only four subjects, and accepts the certificates of accredited schools for all the rest. The result of this will be, of course, to make Harvard more cosmopolitan, and to attract the boys from the west as well as from the east."

The fastidious householder who cultivates an epicurean taste in fruits (says the Auckland Star) may now titilate his palate with the luscious strawberry, for the word has been passed that strawberries are "in," so far as the consumer is conoerned. It is, however, probable that anticipation of the gustatory delights of former years will bo somewhat disappointed, as in colour, size, and flavour the berries scarcely attain the standard of past seasons. To meet this depreciation vendors are putting the fruit on at 2s to 2s 6d per ib, which is rather below the usual opening price, and scarcely satisfactory to growers. The limited quantity of the fruit on the market is due to the recent spell of dry weather, which was, from the growers' standpoint, an untimely visitation, as regular moisture is a neoea-

sary condition for the proper ripening and growth of this particular berry.

" I would imprison a man who sold a dead lobster." said Mr John Batchelor before the Food Commission at Sydney last week. " I would not give him the option of a fine. My experience is that a dead lobster has more ptomaine poison in it than any other food." Members of the commission would doubtless have been careful in future to make sure that the lobsters they bought for Saturday evening- suppers had been alive when sold to the fishmonger, but they were reassured by the witness declaring that in all his experience he had never known a dead lobster to be sold in the Commonwealth markets. As a matter of fact, he said, inspectors watched the sale, and if a dead lobster was brought along the insp.ector threw it down and put his foot on it.

A Wellington record in regard to providing situations for women was made last month by iho Labour Department (says the Post). Eighty -on© females were placed. Applications from employers numbered 183, while 102 applications were received farom employees. The bulk of the employees (68) came from the North Island. Seven were from Great Britain, four from the South Island, and the remainder from other parts. Eighty-four engagements were distributed among 26 chairwomen; two seamstresses received eight engagements ; and 17 women workers were previously assisted this year.

English papers to hand contain the special correspondence columns conducted by various members of the Sheffield Choir on their visit to New Zealand. There is strong evidence in the articles, which deal mostly with New Zealand scenery, that the choir's visit was a very hurried one, and in many cases there is displayed a careless ignorance of the subjects dealt with. A special correspondent of a Sheffield papar states that " there are only two sleeping oars in the whole of New Zearland." In all sincerity the same writer says: "It is- very strange to see all the cattle in the fields wearing coats, but as they are outside all the year round the covering is an absolute necessity." In another portion of the article the writer says: "In Auckland we saw .a specimen of a very horrid native bird called a rea" (presumably a kea), " for every dead body of which the Government offers a reward of £4."

Irr his report on the pastoral and agricultural statistics for 1910, the Queensland Government Statistician remarks that camels are used to a considerable extent in connection with transport irr the far west. There are 656 returned as being in the State at the end of last year. The number so returned for 1909 was 334, an inorease on the former year of 322. As to ostriches, h© observes that as lucerne is the most suitable food for this valuable bird, and this fodder crop is so readily grown over a large portion of Queensland, it is strange that more attention has not been paid to the breeding and rearing of this plumage producer. There are 28 ostriches returned as in Queensland at the end of 1909. This number shows no increase for la6t year, when 28 also were recorded.

At the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the scarcity of artisans, sitting at Perth, Mr W. B. Shaw, civil engineer, stated that building and: works in the metropolitan district were being delayed and deferred through the inadequacy of mechanics. . Buildings to cost £500,000 weire in course of erection, and during next year others costing £1,703,000 were projected, in addition to railway works costing £1,441,000. Reckoning other publio undertakings £4,000,000 worth of works was projected for the year. Mr W. Leibe, contractor, said he employed on an average 60 mechanics. His building contracts had been delayed through the scarcity of men. One £BOOO contract took double the stipulated time to complete from this cause. He had been obliged to refuse a £4OOO job through lack of men and had been unable to secure bricklayers at 12s, and stone-cutters at 13s to 14s a day. He had applied to the union for oarperuters; the minimum wage was 12s, but a good man would get £4 a week.

It seems that, despite the assurances of the Marconi operators on the various oversea steamers visiting Australia of the rescission of the order issued by the Marconi Company, directing them not to accept messages from ships fitted with. the Telefunken system, except in cases of emergency or danger, Telefunken steamers are still being ignored (says the Age). The latest instance is that of the new steamer Argyllshire, of the Federal-Houlder-Shire Lino, which arrived last week at Melbourne from Melbourne. The operator on tho Argyllshire stated that on the voyage out a passenger desired to send a telegram to the steamer Rotorua, off Las Palmas, for transmission to her relatives in New Zealand. The operator on the Rotorua (a Marconi ship) refused to take the message, stating that his orders were not to have any communication with Telefunken ships. The Argyllshire spoke H.M.S. Hermes at a distance of 950 miles from South Africa. In the course of her illustrated lecture on Palestine last week Miss Anderson Hughes said she was often a3fced if the Jews were going back to Palestine. Her reply was that they were going back in thousands and tens of thousands. Twelve years ago the Sultan, fearing this movement, would' not allow more than 3000 Jews to live in Jerusalem, but now the Young

Turks were in power, and they were rather sympathetic than otherwise to the Zionist movement. Already there were 65,000 or 75,000 Jews in Jerusalem, and they formed more than half of the population. The Turkish military system,, however, which compelled all young men over 21 to servo three years in the army, caused all tho young Jews, to leave the country before they reached that age. Another hindrance to the Zionist movement was the law forbidding any but Turkish subjects to hold land in Palestine. As no devout Jew would consent to become a Turkish subject, they had to be content to live there as tenants. His Excellency the Governor (Lord Islington) has intimated that he will have pleasure in visiting the Summer Show of the Otago A. and P. Society on the second day, Thursday, November 30.

The conference between the representatives of the Merchant Service Guild and the Union Steam Ship Company and other companies was continued on Wednesday afternoon, and the position at present in regard to the dispute is that certain proposals are now to be submitted to the guild. These proposals will be laid before the guild by Captain Watson, its representative to the council, who left for Wellington by the second express on Thursday, after the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr P. Hally, had been informed by the : parties as to the position. We understand the real point at issue is tho payment of overtime to officers, and that the representatives of the companies have now conceded certain points in this direction.

At the next meeting of the New Zealand Pharmacy Board (saya a Press Association telegram from Wellington) the president (Mr F. Castle) will move that inquiry be made into the case of a chemist at Waihi, reported as being connected with illegally selling liquor, with a view to considering whether the board shall make application to the Gevernor-in-Council to have the name of the chemist removed from the register of pharmaceutical chemists, as provided under section 24 of the Pharmacy Act.

At last week's meeting of the West Harbour Borough Council Cr Barker drew attention to a case in which it was stated that a lad who had been sent to the Hospital for the purpose of having a piece of glass located had been charged 3 guineas for the X Ray photographs taken for that purpose, and the council thereupon decided to instruct the town clerk to write to the Hospital authorities for further information on the matter. We are now informed that Cr Barker was misled over the charge, and that the boy was only asked' to pay the sum of 10s 6d. During the past four weeks the Labour Department at Dunedin has despatched 40 men to railway construction works. The majority of them were placed 1 on the Catlins line, half-a-dozen on the LawrenceRoxburgh, and a few on the Midland line, at Cass. In addition 37 men have during the same period' been provided with private employment in Dunedin and country. At the present time the Department has vacancies on the Catlins line for. 12 men who are accustomed to rock work.

The Milton Borough Council has adopted a resolution supporting the Tuapeka County Council's protest against the increasing levies made by hospital and charitable aid boards, and also the suggestion that the cost of maintaining institutions for the treatment of tubercular diseases should be borne Entirely by the Government.

Speaking at last week's meeting of the Charitable Aid Board Mr Myers said that the people of Tapanui would doubtless be delighted to hear that tenders were l> be called on the first of next month for the erection of the Tapanui Hospital. There was a pleasant interlude in last week's proceedings at ' the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, when a large bevy of nurses from the Punedin Hospital attended the board's rooms to witness the presentation to Nurses Wilkie, Brown, and Rae of the Fraser medals won by them for proficiency in practical nursing. The presentation was made by the chairman of the board (Mr J. H. Walker), who said that tha medals had been instituted with the idea of keeping alive the memory of Miss Fraser, who had so long been matron of the Hospital. The imedals would 1 be prized not alone for their intrinsic val\ae, but on account of the associations connected with them. The recipients, said 1 Mr Walker, had emerged from the very stiff examination with credit, and such waa the excellence of their work that the committee had asked the board to donate three medals instead of one as had been intended.

The eawmilling industry in Otago and Southland is reported to be exceedingly brisk at the present time. Mr T. O'Byrne, secretary of the Southland Sawmill Workers' Union, speaking to a Daily Times reporter on Friday, stated that more activity is being displayed among the different mills in Southland and in the Cailins district at present than has been the case for the past 18 yearo. In Otago and Southland there are between 70 and 80 mills at work, and employment is being provided for considerably over 1000 men In the Ratlins district several new mills have recently started beyond Houipapa, and a Southland company has just taken up about 4000 acres of bush in the some locality, and will shortly place two mills in compiission there. There are' none mills in operation at Catling, and they are all work-

ing full time, orders for timber coming to hand very freely. There is a decided scarcity of practical sawmill hands, a fact which has to a large extent been caused by a continuous exodus of men to the West Coast and the North Island, where better conditions are offering. At the meeting of the Otago Trades Council on Thursday evening a resolution was passed emphatically protesting against any privately-controlled railway being constructed in tho Dominion. The secretary was instructed to forward' a copy of the resolution to the Prime Minister.

The flaxmilling ii dustry in Otago and Southland, which a few weeks ago presented a somewhat doleful outlook, has now taken a more hopeful turn, although there is still very considerable room for improvement. At present there aire about nine mills in operation in different localities, as Against 35 at this time last year. An advance of 20s per ton in the price of Manila, hemp on the I/ondon market has induced some of the millowners to commence operations, and it is anticipated that other mills will be in coram issioi within the next week' or two. The market in respect of New Zealand hemp has not undergone any advance, but it bears a much firmer tone, and on the strength of that and an expected early- rise the mills referred to above have, been started.

It was recently suggested that a sawmill should be established by the members of the Southland Sawmill Workers' Union, and'it is quite probable that this may be a mill, financed and managed solely by given effect to in the near future, and that members of itbs union, will be started either in Southland or in the Catlins district. The position taken up by the union is that men who have been hampered by lack of capital and others who lave had no experience whatever of the industry have made a complete success in the sawmilling trade, and that ithere was therefore no reason why the union, the members of which have had a life-iong experience of sawmilling, should not else- be able to profitably engage in it. Already wide promises of financial support have been received from within the union.

The Primitive Methodist Synod for the Otago and Southland district concluded its sittings at Invercavgill on Thursday night. The Rev. G. Knowles Smith was unanimously elected chairman of the district, and the Rev. E. Bandy secretary. The various reports submitted showed an increase in all departments of the Church, including an addition of 75 members for the year. The attendances at the public meetings were large, and fhe Mayor (Mr W. A. Ott) presided over the principal of these. The next metting of the Synod will be held at Kew, South Dunedin. The head of the Dunedin Branch of the Women's Employment Bureau reports in the current number of the Journal of the Department of Labour as follows:—"During tho period ended 20th of September 99 applications from employers requiring assistants have been registered, and 33 froim ■workers seeking employment, 27 of whom were placed, five being married and 22 single women. In addition to the number placed in work, four persons who hau been previously assisted applied, and were again found employment." Our Wellington correspondent states that the petition of W. J. Cattan and 132 others (of West Taieri) opposing ifche proposed amendments to the Taieri Drainage Act, giving the Draina/re Board power to borrow for any purpose without taking a poll, has been referred to the Government for consideration.

The benefits of the Government Railways Superannuation Fund are to be further increased (says our Wellington correspondent) by certain clauses in the Government Railways Act Amendment Bill. Temporary officers appointed to the permanent staff in the future are to be entitled to contribute to the Government Railways Superannuation Fund as from the commencement of the fund (January, 1903), or from the commencement of their service, or in the alternative from the date of their permanent appointment. The present retiring allowance is one-sixtieth part of the annual -rate of pay for every year of ; service, and the bill proposes to add the words "and for every fraction of a year he shall receive a proportionate part of one-sixtieth of hie annual rate of pay." While there was no ostentatious demonstration on Saturday in recognition of it being the anniversary of Nelson's great naval victory over the combined fleets of France and Spain off Trafalgar there were not wanting signs that the great naval event, fought with such vast consequences to the British Emipre, was not forgotten. Most of the places of business in the city had hoisted bunting in honour of the occasion, and at the Triangle was displayed the famous message which Nelson caused to be run up on board the Victory. The unfortunate rr.an Sanders, who disappeared early on the Moeraki's last trip from Melbourne, has been identified as a resident of Wellington. His luggage was addressed " L. A. Sanders, 267 Cuba street, Wellington," where it has been elicited that his wife resides. The missing man. had bought a single steerage ticket to Wellington. The purser collected the tickets while the vessel was steaming down the Yarra, and Sanders'© ticket "was then given up. Next morning the steward made the round of the ship delivering check tickets to the passengers, but fie failed to find Sanders, and the latter's bunk had the appearance of not having been slept in. There is a bare possibility that ho had gone ashore at Hobart and missed tie steamer,

but this is improbable. The foregoing particulars have emanated from the- Invercargill office of the Union Steam Ship Company, and were communicated to a Southland News reporter.

A Press Association telegram states that the Appeal Court has granted final leave to appeal to the Privy Council in the case of Massey v. the Ne'V Zealand Times.

During last week 32 persons were admitted to the Dunedin Hospital, and 39 discharged, the total number of patients remaining at the close of the week being 141, as against 151 at the close of the previous week. During the past week three persons died in the institution, their names being Joseph Webb, Henry Nesbit, and Ed'rio Patterson

The speakers at the no-license open-air meeting at the Octagon on Saturday were the Rev. W. Slade and Miss Anderson Hughes. The latter described what she said used to happen at ICarangahake and Waikine f in the Ohinemuri electorate. There in the license days, when the monthly pay day came on any day in the week, the money was, she said, always kept till Saturday at noon. Payment on Saturday gave the men a day and a-half to get over their drinking bout. Ever since no-license the (men had been paid on the very day the money was due and they were all back at work next day. Miss Hughes was persistently interrupted by two or" three persons in the crowd, whom the. no-license secretary declared to be the same set that always came to disturb the meetings. Referring to the matter on Sunday afternoon, at th© Garrison Hall, Miss Hughes said that she had once had a similar experience at a place called Cambridge. The man afterwards got converted in Dr Henry's mission, and confessed that he got £3 from the Liquor party to make it impossibk for her to be heard, and that three publicans caoie to the meeting to see that he earned his money. " They behaved like gentlemen," said the man, " but it was their money that was paying me to behave in a w.ay that I am very much ashamed of now."

The suggested amalgamation of Maori Hill with the city is entertained with hostility in some quarters. At a meeting held in the Council Chambers on Thursday evening a large and influential committee (28 in number, with power to add thereto), including several who signed the petition, was appointed to actively oppose the proposed amalgamation. The carrying of the proposal would entail the abolition of rating on unimproved value in Maori Hill. Figures were adduced to show that consequently union with Dunedin would mean a very substantial increase in rates to the bulk of the Maori Hill property-owners. The movement is, for the reasons adduced, to be vigorously opposed.

In commencing hie lecture on "The Moral Aspect of th 3 Labour Movement" in St. Paul's Cathedral on Sunday, Dean Fitchett stated that the service "was held at the invitation of the Trades and Labour Council, arid they had been, very glad to get that invitation. A letter had been handed in at the vestry, he said, asking whether there would be a discussion at the close of his address, but he thought that the hour and place were unsuitable. If, however, the leaders of the Labour movement desired a public or private conference with the leaders of religion, Archdeacon Gould would be glad to arrange for one any week evening, and he himself would be glad to take part. The Waihemo County Council is blessed with a cattle ranger who is either a muchmaligned man or else one who allows Lis zeal to overrun his discretion. Some of the ratepayers say that he is the latter, while others say even worse. Several letters were received at Saturday's meeting of the council complaining cf his .methods, and on© settler appeared in person at the council meeting to register his protest. He said that on one occasion the ranger took from a lad some oows which he was driving from the sa'eyard to the paddock, and a fortnight ago he put his dogs into a paddock and drove a heifer out, and thence to the pound. " The man's not in his reason," he concluded. The council, however, has evidently great faith in its servant, and it resolved* that his action be upheld.

It was reported at the annual meeting of the Governors of the Veterane' Homo. Wellington, last week that amongst those still in the institution is a naval veteran, who fought at the siege of Acre, was wounded through the body at the Gate Pa, in the Maori war, and is 93 years of age; also, a Crimean veteran who, whilst in the Scots Greys, was in the Balaclava Charge, and wounded. War decorations worn by the resident veterans are: Siege of Acre (1840) 1; Turkish-Syria, 1; Crimea, 6; Indian Mutiny, 5; New Zealand. 30; Asha.nti (1874); 1; Afghanistan, 1; Egypt, 1; Khedive Star, 1. Three of the veterans have long service medals, and) two have medals for meritorious service

The No-licenso party in Auckland has recently had a watch kept to obtain figures of the Saturday night attendances in tho city hotels. Mr W. J. Macdermott (secretary of tho No-license Council) communicates to the Star the appended report of a census of tho number of persons coming out of 34 hotels in the city on Saturday before last: —"The watches took up their positions at 9 o'clock in the evening, in a heavy downpour of rain, and remained until closing time. They "report that in that hour 9682 persons came out of tho 34 hotels; 1300 wore, more or less under the influence of liquor; and 235 were decidedly drunK. About two-thirds .of the men were under 30 years of age; 1762 were apparently

under 25 years. Wliewicr the wet night or the recent agitation regarding wom-sn drinking had a restraining effect or not, only 191 women -were reported, which is below the number recorded on the last occasion. Of these, 115 came from three hotels."

The otherwise harmonious enjoyment of the Labour Day Association's annual gathering at Outran) on Monday was marred by a scene of semi-drunken rowdyism. on the part of a number of irresponsible boys and young men. Notwithstanding that the majority -wore apparently under the age at which it is legal for them to be served with liquor, several of them returned to the sports ground late in the afternoon in a state bordering on intoxication. Horseplay led to violence, and several more or less serious fotic encounters resulted, the language of the participants being the reverse of edif3'ing. A crowd quickly collected, and for a, few minutes surged and jostled- about, regardless of the property or personal safety of a number of women and children picnicking in the shelter of the trees. The arrival of a sergeant of police and a constable put a timely end to the disgraceful affair, one or two of the worst offenders being unceremoniously hustled from the ground. No share of the blame for the occurrence can be laid at the door of the sporte officials, who used every endeavour to pour oil on the troubled waters.

The supply of milk received at the Waikouaiti Dairy Factory is, so far, very small—only two vats being in use. At a meeting of directors of the company held on Thursday last Mr George Fry was elected chairman for the current year, and it was decided to pay out for milk, as from the beginning of the present season, at the rate of 13d per lb of butter-fat until further notice.

In connection with the proposal now before the ratepayers of the Borough of Waikouaiti to raise a loan of £9OOO for water supply purposes a special meeting of the council was held last week for the purpose of considering what system of rating it would be advisable to -adopt. It was thought that if the interest required were raised by levying a special rate over the whole borough it would mean a somewhat heavy tax on the farming lands, and the council ultimately decided that it would be more equitable to increa.se the present general rate of |d, making it ljd in the pound (capital values) over the whole borough, and, in addition, to levy water supply rates, as authorised by " The Municipal Corporations Act, 1908," upon all lands and buildings situated within 100 yards from any part of the proposed waterworks. It is believed that by this system of rating the required amount will be raised to meet the interest on the loan. As considerable interest is being taken in the present proposal there is likely to be a good poll on "Wednesday. There are 301 ratepayers on the roll, and a wife is entitled to a vote upon her husband's -qualification, and vice versa.'

Our Wellington correspondent informs us that Mr Scott has given notice to ask the Minister of Public Works for what purpose it is proposed to use the water from the Last Chance water, race, recently purchased by the Government, and if for irrigation in what locality—Bald Hill Flat, Conroy's Gully, or Earnscleugh ?

What is described as an " Open free of debt " campaign is being instituted on behalf of the Young Men's Christian Association of Dunedin with the object of securing by the Bth of November the promise of eubEcriptions to the amount of £SOOO, this sum being, it is estimated, necessary to admit of the. association's new premkes being opened and fully equipped free of indebtedness.

Biahop Orossley had something to say on the subject of dogs visiting places of worship in the course of his charge to the Auckland Diocesan Synod on Friday. He said that perhaps he was more disconcerted than he need be, but he had found dogs in all kinds of buildings, from the cathedral downwards. He pointed out that in some old churches at Home there was a very interesting ecclesiastical appliance duly entered upon the Church Terrier—not the canine terrier, of course. It was called a dog catcher, made in the form of a sort of double tongs. It was the duty of the churchwarden to pursue intruding dogs therewith, grip them round the neck, and thus deprive church dog-fanciers of their companions in God's house. " I think, upon the whole, a more up-to-date and simple remedy," suggested .the bishop, " would be the provision of a light wire door, easily fixed, at little oost, which would not obstruct the air and yet would keep dogs in their proper place—outside. I imagine most churchwardens would really prefer this to the agile and somewhat venturesome Sunday exercise with a dog-catcher." A communication has been addressed.by Mr G. P. Donnelly, Hawke's Bay, to the Prime Minister, urging that what forest growth is still left on the Ruahine Ranges should be preserved from destruction. There is a consensus of opinion among those who have studied the subject that the denudation of forest areats materially alters climatic conditions. The rainfall has diminished, and floods and droughts are more in evidence than when the country was covered with forest. The land near the summit of the Ruahine Ranges is not required for purposes of closer settlement, as for that purpose the higher elevations would not prove either suitable or profitable. The Ruahine Range is one of the principal watersheds in the North Island, and it is considered essential that what remains of the once fairly abundant tree

growth near its summit should not be further diminished.

The Auckland Herald reports that a ssam of coal varying from 7ft 6in to lift 3in in thickness has been located in country between the limestone rocks and Hikurangi Swamp, in the Northern Coal Company's fields. The coal is reported to be of excellent quality. For the past 18 months tho company's diamond drills have been at work testing the vicinity of the new seam of coal, and this discovery is the .result of the- company's efforts. The nearest portion, of the coal-bearing a-rea lies within seven chains of the Government railway, and the seam can be easily opened up, as at that point the coal is only 105 ft in depth. The discovery will be" brought under the notice of shareh-' Jers of the company at th* annual meeting next week.