LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8031, 8 June 1904, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

m Christchurch Domestic Helps' Union, Wrhich was formed, some time ago, has now Ipraoikally collapsed. . /The Victoria, from Sydney, arrived at - Wellington this morning. Her qriails "will fcrobably reaoh Ohristchureh early to-anor- ');:' tow. ' ' ■ " . ■ . The Waimangu gcysar was rest/ul on four : Jfiys only last month. The biggest " shots " }'■■: jicourred on May 7 and May 10, and went to : .Jb height df about a thousand feet. ■- . the Wellington Divorce Court to-day ■ the Chiflf Justice granted a decree nisi in '"' ihe case of Douglas y. Douglas, on the wife's petition, on. the ground of desertion. Dr. Pidgeon, of tihe Pacific cable steamer who has been appointed Government ftedicfti ofßosjr at the Chatham Islands, will v "probably also act as Stipendiary Matgis- = :-.;\ Irate. ■■•.:■•. ." ' \ ; Last night a resident of Hawera was knocked down by two men at his own gate v ; topoa returning home. His wife heard a souffle and,, rushing out, the pair, decamped. ¥t is GhongKt'that robbery wag intended. Up to date 1019 factories have b^fo registered at the local office of the Labour Depa.rtewnt. Last year the total number registered wee 1091. but it is anticipated that < "when the lists are completed this year's number will be considerably larger. " ■■ . Private letters received in Napier (the . ' %t Hfwke'B Bay Herald" ' states) "indicate ; that the system of free grants of land in I . portions of ;Nort<h-west Canada is likely soon t<> be restricted in view of the very large influx of people to the Dominion in' search ■■-*. of farms. • A t«legram from New Plymouth states ifcat the chipping (services which were disorganised through severe weather have now ; |«en resumed. The Wainui arrived from Onehunga this monring. The Rotoiti will Jea-ve for ihe north to-nighl;. The Kai Ora , 3eft '■for Onehunga this morning with some pi the delayed passengers.. A visitor^ to any of the New Zealand cities is invariably told that he has come 'to the one place of all others where feminine beauty has reached the limit of excellence. In Auckland, however, there are Citiaens who hold different views. Dr Bake"tosll, of that town, in a letter to the Auck . . land " Star," a say» : "No reasoning avails .jwitix women; fashion is their only law; ■'„ ... 'not ©ren^the preservation of their youth and bfcufy haa any influence over them. Soxi may parade Queen Street at all times r . «f the day, and yoii will not see one beauti- , ful girl in a hundred. I have lived in all quarters of the globe, and in Australia, but' howhere did I ev*r &c& such extremely plain jonng women as in New Zealand." Daring his absence from Wellington (s&ys the "Post"), the Acting-Minister of PubJib Works (Hon J. M'Gowan) paid a, visit of inspection to Uie North ' Island railway works, both at the northern and southern .ends. Mr M*Qowan was very pleased with the class of work that is b9ing done, but he js of opinion that Ihe time occupied in completing the line to Auckland will be very much longer, at the present rate of opera- ' tions, than is generally supposed. The engkieering difficulties are, he says, very considerable, and it would require a very largely increased rate of expenditure to push ; the work, on any faster than it is at present. Mr M'Gowan' gained a veiy favourable im- . 'pression of the manner in which the cooperative, labourers do their work. ' . Notices have been sent to the North {Janteroury Education Board in: regard to alterations in dales fixed for the civil service junior examination and examination^ for junior national scholarships, ana free places in secondary schools. The next civil service junior examination will be held' in ' Deoember next, beginning about the lath <lay. of the month, and applications will be Received at the office of the InspectorBoneral of Sohools lip to September 30, or, a late fee of £1 in addition to the 1 ordinary fee, up te October 15. The other examination will also be held in December, beginning about the middle of the month. CahdidaW applications to be examined /: must be forwarded by their teachers to the JiMjjector-General of Sohooh? at Wellington .«d as to be delivered at his office not later than September 30. > ' V .vA-iegularliOndon trick was played on a jltoedin pawnbroker last <week (says the IPimedin n Star "). Whilst taikinst with a fzieni in the shop just closing for jthe ni^ht a man ran in and asked a loan of .4s on some tnnaipery-lopking vases which he prodnoed. The pawnbroker «aid " No." «nd went on taJking. The customer turned away, i>ut whilst going out of the door iseemed to make up his mind for a sacrifice. and, producing a good umbrella, remarked . . >^o the man m charge. "Hert you are— l must have the money— rteke my umbrella* *op." The pawnbroker, with haK an eye, saw ihat tfhere was now ample security against *he advance, and without breaking his y*rn j^ie handed over the 4s, and placed the jpledjges on tie shelf. And wh«n the inter- • was orer and the friend was ■preparjin^ .to depart they jna4« the diisooverj; that .*he customeT had perfected: his bargain Tjy jpledging the friend's unArella. v . ipjjia of great importance thafr those peoIfjle wiho economise should know that tie greatest clearing of the day -will commentie istfe* fA anKTMtg's :oa J^ida V morninji Jiext. : ji-^ . ... ~_ . '2578