LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8309, 6 May 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Land Commission sat at Mau_K gaturoto yesterday. The settlers am' the new Bickerstaffe Estate and several freeholders spoke strongly in favour* of optional tenure. Mr G. Laurenson, MfH.R., will address his constituents of Opawa, Heathcote, Hillsborough and St Martin's in the Opawa district schoolroom on Friday, May 12. _ There was a clean, sheet' at the Magistrate's Court this morning. It is a considerable time since the phenomenon of "no business" was/Witnessed in Christchurch. At a meeting of the Christohurch - branch of the New' Zealand Socialist Party, Mr Phillips gave an address on the struggle for existence. A lively debate followed. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Phillips for his address.. Mr Baynon was also accorded a vote of thanks for the evidence he gave before the Land Commission. Further mutilations of newspapers have occurred in the PubUc Library, notably-in the ladies' reading-room. Those who use that department of the library seem to have a special, and perhaps a natural, liking for fashionplates, many of which are clumsily cut out. The "Ladies' Field" _ee_t« to be the journal that attracts 'most: of these people. General Booth had a. crowded audience and a -aost enthusiastic reception air: Auckland last night, when he aeliYered an address on " The Past, Rresent and Future of the Salvation Army." The Hon E. Mitehelson (ex-Mayor) presided, and a^ large number of leading citizens occupied seats on the platform, including Mr Arthur M, Myerfc, tie '•* I newlj-elected Mayor. Something new and interesting to musical people is contained in Milner and Thompson's advertisement ott page 1 5 in this issue. \ v

The close season for seals has been extended to June 30, 1906. This morning a _nan was arrested at Lyttelton by Acting-Detective Connell on a charge of having deserted from H.M.S. Challenger. A conference- of the Judges of the Native Land Court will be held in Wellington next week. The Native Minister will preside. Notice was given by Councillor Ballinger at Thursday night's meeting of the Wellington City Council that at the next meeting he would move : — " That the city engineer be instructed to make borings or do such other things that may be necessary to ascertain if it is possible to take the tramway through the Basin Reserve by means of a subway." A troupe of ten Poverty Bay Maoris will leave next week by the steamer Turakina for England. Mrs Howie (Princess Te Rangipai) is to sing before the King shortly, and has asked for the . Natives tb be sent to give hakas on the occasion. TheY Natives will be absent for twelve months. It is understood that tbe Government will defray their expenses. ; John M'Aneny, the old man who was admitted toHhe Hospital last .evening suffering from the effects of slight accidental poisoning, was discharged this morning as quite recovered. i Through the breaking of 6ome harness, Mr John Owens and his daughter, Mrs Welsh, were thrown from a trap near St Michael's Church last evening, and considerably bruised and shaken. The Tramways Committee of th^ Wellington City Council is to consider the question of the use of advertisements on the back of tram tickets. The Town Clerk stated on Thursday night that tickots were being used now at the rate of one million a month, and cost; the Council £850 per annum. He ( had been offered £500 P^r annum for the right to use the tickets for advertising -purposes. Councillor Godber und others, thought the city should derive revenue from such a source. * A petition is being circulated throughout the Nelson province praying for the appointment of a resident nomologist. It has been felt for some time that the f ruit-growing industry in Nelson has not been receiving the atitention from the one Government Pomologist for the South Island to which, from its importance! as a fruit centre, [t is entitled. It is urged that the establishment of the industry on oorqmer- . cjjil lines is only in its infancy, and it Is at such a time that the advice -of a thoroughly practical instructor is of the greatest benefit. A curious evidence of the wide area over Which earthquakes operate is furnished by the happenings on Mn J. St Clair's property at Lake Whangajpe, near Glen Murray (says the Auckland "Star"). There is a boiling spring on the property, which prior to the recent series of earthquakes gave forth about three-quarters of a million gallons of water a day-^-not a very large spring, but big enough to supply a bath constructed alongside it for the use of neighbouring fanners. During the time that the earthquakes were happening at Rotorua, and about two days after the quake in India, there was a heavy eruption of the boiling water in tbe spring. It is situated a considerable distance, f rora any abode, and therefore was not heard, but the whole appearance of the Bpring has been, changed. The aperture has been widened to such an extent that four or five million gallons of water boils' forth every day. The cool pond adjoining, in which the neighbours used to bathe, is now absorbed as part of the big bubbling spring. There must have been a terrific outburst of steam and hot .water — probably a momentary geyser — which shot up for a considerable height, scalding the trees around to their tops. Thus the outburst must have been over 70ft high. No other damage appears to have been done.