LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8912, 25 April 1907, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Edwin's weather forecast, at noon to-day, is as fol- • " Southerly strong winds to Mm I glass rise; tides high; sea ooztrain probable, and weather valuable meteorological instruwhioh formed part of the British exhibit at th© Inter naExhibition have been, secured by Government, and will be to Melbourne forthwith. Br G. Laurenson, M.H.R., has been with the Hon. J. A. Minister of Marine, with regard on the Harbour Boards ConHnation Bill and has received a reply Hk the Minister to the effect that he to put the Bill through Parlian*are esauon.

The Union Steamship Company has received advice, that, owing to the large number of passengers offering for the June steamer to Vancouver, it has been decided to replace the Miowera by the Moana, which will sail from Sydney on June 10 for Vancouver, via Brisbane, Fiji and Honolulu. ' "

In a case brought by the Railway Department at Auckland against Henry Greenwood, a boy charged with attempting to drive over a level crossing near Kingsland when an engine was approaching, the Magistrate said the crossing was very dangerous, but held that the defendant had not exercised due care. He had, however, been sufficiently punished by injuries sustained in the accident, and no fine would be imposed.

Through his son, Mr Leslie Harris (Dunedin), Mr Wolf Harris, of London, has presented to the Canterbury Society of Arts a cheque for £200. The cheque represents tne purchase money for the picture " The Wizard's Garden," by G. D. Leslie, which was se>cured by the Society from the British art collection at the Exhibition. The Society has thanked Mr Harris for his valuable gift, and elected him a life member or tne Society.

A new telephone transmitter has bee.n patented by Mr M. Moloney, electrical mechanician to the Telegraph Department at Christchurch, and has beeu very favourably commented upon. It is possible to whisper into the transmitter and be heard distinctly at the other end, and the slightest sound made into it is distinctly audible. This is achieved by an arrangement of eight carbon pencils radiating from a centre pillar, each section being equivalent to the transmitter of an ordinary telephone. The transmitter, which is claimed to be as perfect at long as at short distances, is now on trial at Wellington. Yesterday Mr Moloney received a communication from the Post-niaster-General of the Commonwealth, stating that if he would forward samples the instrument would be subjected to a test and reported upon.

A series of resolutions passed at the Taranaki Local Bodies' Conference relative to the Native land rating and kindred matters was brought before the Acting r Premier toniay by a deputation. Mr Mall-Jones, in reply, said the Native land rating and noxious weeds questions were of importance, and he believed the Native Land Commission was approaching a stage when it would deal with both matters. It was very certain that they could not go oil allowing noxious weeds to grow arid spread over the Native lands or. other lands, or allow Native lands to escape without paying something towards the upkeep of roads. The noxious weeds question would have to be dealt with promptly, and if there was no power to make we Natives do the work, it would have to be done by the Government and the cost borne by the land and not by the general taxpayer. As regards the roading question, he realised the disadvantage to the country of having roads running alongside miles of Native lands which paid nothing at all. Such lands should bear their share of the cost, and if the rates were not immediately recoverable they would have to consider the question of amending the law. "We are determined," the Act-ing-Premier added " that this has got to be brought to an end and the land made reproductive and made to bear it 6, burden of the cost." He hoped these matters would be the subject of recommendations by the Native Lands Commission.