LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8316, 15 May 1905, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

■■ ♦ T- ■ ." •■ - The Registrar of the district Courtffit Naseby dismissed the creditors' petition to have John Ewing, of 'Sfc Bathan's, declared a bankrupt. The matter is likely to go before the Supreme Court. ; Dr Woblmann, the Government balneblogist, says that it is hoped that tenders will be called for some newbaths at Rotor ua. Waimangu, he says % is dead for the present, and the aooom* modation house near-by is accordingly; not patronised. The recent earthquake, so far as is known, did not produce any new springs. ' At >ac Christchurch Magnetic Observatory the readings at 9.80 a.m. today were: — Barometer 29.872, and rising; maximum temperature during the preceding twenty-four hours 54.7, minimum during the same period 30.8; wet bulb 46, dry bulb 46, humidity per cent 93,, maximum temperature in the sun 97, 'minimum thermometer, on the grass. 26.6. Cloud (0-10) 1. wind was north-east, and the rainfall had been nil. ' Supplies of butter for the Home, market, with the close of the dairying season, have greatly decreased since the end of Maroh, and the bulk of the shipments sent to port are how being stored. The Corinthic only took 4252 boxes butter and .3376 cases cheese, and the Tongariro 1100 boxen butter and 4658 cases cheese. The Turakina's shipment on Thursday, about the last of the season, comprised 935 boxes butter from Patea and 667 boxes from New Plymouth, with ,2602 cases cheese from various parts of the colony. The hurricane season has now passed away, without any harm being experienced at Raratonga, Atui, Mitiaro, or Mauko, although the islands of Atiutaki, Mannae and Mangaia have suffered severely (writes the Raratonga correspondent of the Fiji " Times '^. Bananas will be plentiful this year, as also oranges, but the limes will be ' poor. It is a matter of congratulation to us that the maggot fly is disappearing. Oranges this year appear to have thoroughly recovered from the pest, and the trees now look healthy < and strong. It looks like old days to see the large quantities of fruit now being carted down daily to the Union Company's shed for, shipment. In anticipation of expeoted larger shipments the Union Company has erected another large receiving shed, adjoining its wharf, at the 1 Avarua Harbour. The sea training of " the Australian Naval Brigade was thoroughly appreciated by all those who participated in it (says the "Sydney Telegraph"), although on some of the trips there were: one or two men who growled at the hard work. On one occasion a. crew were being exercised on the big gun, and were given orders to ohange round. With a view to seeing that they knew 1 their posts, the instructor asked eaeW man his number. The crew in the evolution had become thoroughly mixed upr/ and the first man asked 'gave his number as "one." " No," said the instructor, "you're three." Then to the next man, "What are you." Th« r^ply was " No, 4. sir." In the sharp ringing tones, which characterises tha naval instructor, came the words, " No/ you blockhead, you're 5. And now you three— what arc you?" The "reply— if' not expected, was none the less candid — "I'm a blooming fool for eve* taking the trip on, sir." Stung, doubtless, by' the numeroui attacks that have from time to time been made on the growing colonial habit of leaning up against a tree and sending to Mr Carnegie whenever th<» occasion arises for raising money for any publio work, the' parishioners/ of All Saints, Foxton, have decided, after a fierce internal combat, not to asle tne famous library ■ dispenser for sow* money for the new organ fund. ;Th« lpoal paper describes' the proceedings ■ which culminated in this heroic jfo*. ' cision. It was at the annual meeting of parishioners, and the proposal to ; approach Mr Carnegie was duly made, and formally moved by the vioar, A blushing, nervous-looking young scribbler, says the "Herald," rose in his wrath and denounced the idea. The motion, however, was carried by six votes to one, and then the mover decided to ask the ladies to vote. Thi« ' resulted in 'the odds against the proposal being reduced from nine tt) seven, and then the mover capitulated because the meeting was .' not unanir . mous. The self-reliant people of Fexton are rejoicing that they will not become an object of scorn to the world for seeking Mr Carnegie's bounty. The desirableness of a uniform Australian Commonwealth stamp to take the place of the six different State sets now in use has been impressed on the sucoessive Pastmasters-General- The obstacle to what sterns a simple change is the separate keeping of aocounts under the bookkeeping system, and no way out has yet been discovered. The attention of the CommohwWth Postmaster-Gene-ral was directed to the question the other day by a deputation. It was pointed out that, in view of the possible early termination, of the bookkeeping period, the Postmaster-General might profitably take the . matter in hand* • The deputation thought that while df> signs could be obtained in Au«tralit» better work of this kind might reaaoa* ably be expeoted from England, and th« L , opinion was also expressed that the uniform stamp, when introduced, should be steel engraved. Stamps now in use in Australia were printed, although the steel engraving .had been introduced with great satisfaction into New Zealand. At the Sydney Post Office there was a plant which would d<» the engraving of all' the stamps needed by the Commonwealth. The. Postmaster* General said he iulty sympathwed w*tb the desire for~» universal stamp. Th« matter was now under the considers tion of the Cabinet, and he keped that the difficulties to such a laudable $rs> ject would be removed^

The City Council will meet this evening. The additions that have been made to the Avonside Church will be opened by Bishop Jitlius on Thursday afternoon. The annual meeting for the purpose of conferring degrees and presenting j diplomas will take place at Canterbury College on June 27, June 12, not June 6, is the date fixed, lor meetings of householders in school districts in North Canterbury where Committees were hot elected on the •tatutory date. The time for receiving claims for enrolment in connection with the annual election of members of the Canterbury College Board of Governors will close ft v 5 p.m. on Monday next. Mr C. Kitson, of the School of Art, fs making very good progress with the statue of the. late Mr John Grigg, which will be placed in Baring Square, Ashburton. The pedestal is practically finished, and the figure is now being carved. It will be a few months before the work is completed. " On and after June 1, the meetings of the Canterbury Land Board will be held at the .Land Office, at Christchurch, at JO a.m. on, the. first Thursday in each month, instead of fortnightly. All correspondence and, matters to be . placed before the Board must be lodged in the Land Office not later than the Tuesday preceding the meeting, and the game notice must be given in regard to interviews with, the Board. ■'"In charging the grand jury this morning at- the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Cooper said that two of the witnesses wno "would be called to appear before the grand jury were children under twelve years or age. It would- not be necessary for the Jury to place them on oath, the Aot providing that children - . under twelve years of age need' not be sworn. Ir the jury thought that they could understand the nature of an oath, there Vas nothing against their being - sworn. A man at the Magistrate's Court this morning, who said that he was Appearing in person to contest a claim brought against him, made some amusing imitations of the stereotyped style of questioning adopted by certain solicitors. "Would you be surprised," he said to the plaintiff as he jingled 'some coins in his trousers pockets, t( if I went into "the box and swore that vac second account was never rendered to. me?" "I would not believe you," the witness calmly replied, "because my 1 partner told me that he went to ?ou, and you cursed and swore at him." !he defendant proceeded to put some \ more queries prefaced by " Would you be surprised P" till. Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., interrupted the amateur lawyer. "What's the Use of asking him questions when he says that he does not know," remarked his Worship, and the cross-examiner subsided. Mr Justice Cooper adopted a very 6c.ccessful means of clearing the Supreme Court this morning during the bearing of a serious charge. "I notice a lot of young men and youths in the Court," said his i^onor, and I think it is very improper for young men and youths to listen to such a case as that about to be heard." His Honor paused » moment, but no one moved, and he remarked, " Apparently none of them has the 'decency to leave." Then, speaking in?, a loud voice, his Honor .said, " All you young men in the gal- . lery and down below, if you expert to havo any character for, decency, you will leave thejCoitrt while the hearing of this case proceeds." A clearance followed immediately, and when the Crown' Prosecutor called his first witness there were only three spectators, all men of mature years, in the gallery, while the 'floor of the Court held _only two persons who were not.on business connected with the sessions.