Local and General.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11733, 10 September 1902, Page 4

Local and General.

The doors open at the Museum bulb show to-day a.t 2.30 p.m. There is a magnificent collection of spring flowers. District Judge Kettle left yesterday for Palmerston North to preside at the District Courb sittings, comanencing there today. Mrs Ennis and family desire, through our columns, to publicly thank all those who so kindly manifested their sympathy on the occasion of their recent mentThe Management Committee of Christ Church Club will meet on, Monday next at 8 p.m. Entries will be received up to Saturday, 13th, for the euchre tourney. Members are reminded that the cricket meeting will be held on Thursday, at 8 p.m. Cricket practice will be held on the Racecourse on Saturday, 13th, at 2.45 p.m. Entries will be received at the club room for the draughts, tourney on the 15th. A Dunedin wire says that at the inquest on the boy Hugh William Kito, 11 years of age, the evidence showed that deceased, with others, was iplaying with railway trucks. One was on tlie gas works siding and one on the main line. As- the boys were pushing the latter it was evident it would! strike tlhe other truck, which was projecting, from the siding, and' the deceased, who wa* the son of an engine driver, attempted to push the truck further on the sidfhg to avoid a collision, and was jaanfoed between the tracks. The jury returnied1 a verdict of accidental death, adding a rider calling the attention of the authorities to the necessity fW taking such precautions in future as would prevent similar accidents, lit was explainled by the railway authorities that their duty ended when t&ey gave the trucks to the Ooroporation at tike siding. WADE'S WORM FlGS—the Wonderful Worm Worrier*—are •Iwava Wbftir*. Is.

The Girls' High School, Wellington, will reopen for the third term on Tuesday, 16th September. The lady principal will be in attendance to receive new pupils on 15th September, from. 10 a.m till 1 p.m. A notification on the subject appears in another column of this issue.

All the New Zealand contingents for South Africa were christened before their departure, and their names were more or less appropriate, but it has been reserved for the Tenth and last to be re-christened on its return. The name given to the North Island Battalion is "Seddon's Picnic Party.'.

Miss Evelyn Price last evening received the following telegram from Sir Joseph sWard in connection with the annual presentation of (prizes and certificate* of Trinity College, London: "Re your letter, 2nd September, would it be possible for you to make the date 15th October, instead of 15bh September? Kindly I'et me know. (Signed) J. G. Ward." The presentation will therefore take place on October 15 in St. Pauli's Hall.

Some time ago the Dunedin Patriotic Committee communicated with the AgentGeneral forwarding a list of cases in. which assistance had been given to members of contingents back from South Africa, and suggesting that he might approach the Lord Mayor to ascertain if any refund was probable from the £0,000 which had been forwardied from Otago fior English patriotic funds, so that) funds might be available for future cases. Letters have been received from Mr. Reeves enclosing correspondence with the Lord Mayor, and with a letter draft for £1000 from Lloyd's patriotic fund, to be devoted to members of contingents permanently disabled. From one of the letters enclosed it appears that as the result of the representations made by Mr. James Mills, when in England in May, .1901, the trustees of the Lloyds' patriotic fund made a preliminary grant of £600 to New Zealand, which was forwardSed to the Agent-Gen-eral, and by him sent on to the New Zealand Government. A request was then made for a list of New Zealanders disabled, and a statement of the expenditure of the £600 grant, with indication tlhat a further grant would be made if required. According to the secretary's letter, forwarded by Mr. Reeves no list or state,ment asked for has been furnished.

At a meeting of the Council of Builders at Auckland on Monday the following resorutijoffrsl were carried?:— The Council represents to the Government the disadvantages builders and contractors labour under in not having a first lien on the work of contracts. For that, this Council respectfully urges the Government' to alter and amend' the Contractors! 5 Lien Act's last paragraph of clause 12, tic* read! as follows: "On all contracts under £2000 an employer shall retain one-fourth of the money payable under contract until', the expiration of 31 days after completion of the works:, and on all contracts exceeding £2000 the amount to be kept back be ten pci 1 cent." That the clause requiring bondsmen on Government jobs be deleted. That in future tenders be opened where delivered', and that present schedules 6e abolished. That a clause be inserted in the general conditions of contracts that none but competent men be employed as clerk of works.

We have received a pamphlet containing the report of a speech, made before the Nelson Chamber by Mr: J. Tinline on the subject of "Arterial Railways and Inland Communication." Mr Tinline says that, considering the present state of the Government's finances, and the number of railways in course of construction, he sees little prospect of a railway being made much further north than Hanmer Springs for many years, an dhe hopes that his plain statement of facts will have some influence in preventing the Government from committing itself to the adoption of any particular line until more consideration has been given to the .claims of Nelson, Marlborough, and the West Coast, which should be connected with the great system of railways in the south. He thinks the Nelson people have every right to call on the Government to make a good coach road between Motupiko* and Hanmer Springs by the central route. Ho says that the road should become very popular with tourists, as the valley through which it would pass and the Rainbow Gorge are exceedingly beautiful, while the Olarencfe and Acheron Rivers* are among the best streams for trout in the colony. If the road were made, it wouW be possible to get from Nelson to Hanmer in two days.

A great, though well-deserved, compliment (writes our London correspondent) is to be paid New Zealand by the Imperial Government. A battleship is to be named aiter the colony. And, in fact, it is probable that two warships will directly or indirectly be so named. Some little time ago, when the subject of Imperial Defence was before the House of Commons, Sir Chautea Dilke, referring to the intention that warships were to be nambed after Canada and Australia, drew attention to the fact that "New Zealand, which had made enormous sacrifices both of men and money was not covered by either name," and said that "New Zealand should certainly not be forgotten." Other influences worked upon the Imperial authorities from a different direction, and recently Mr Seddon had an interview with the Board of Admiralty. As a result of these combined influences, the board has decided to name one of the battleships, to be laid down this year, the "New Zealand." This vessel will: be of the same class as the "King Edward V 11.," a sister ship, indeed. In addition to this, another of the warships' Included in the naval programme will probably be called the "Maori."

A repprfc of the sermon delivered by the Rev. Arthur Dewdney on Sunday evening last, on "Christ: Teacher or Saviour?" will appear in our Saturday's sup^, plement.

A wfeU attended missionary meeting was held last night in SedgebrooK. Church, at which the Rev. R. Robinson delivered an interesting address1. The missionary meeting wiM be held in tha Dublin street Church to-ni,ght at 7.30, the speakers being the Revs. J. Cocker and R. Robinson.

The Orchestrail' Club's second concert of the- season will be given in the Opera House on Thursday night. The follow:----ing are the instrumental pieces to be performed: Auber's standard operatic overture, "La Serine." "Surprise Symphony," by Haydn, classed aa the favourite of his compositions. "San Toy," by Sydney Jones, being a selection from that opera, tha latest London rage, and which has nob yet been performed in New Zealand. "Two Spanish Dances,' 5 being the two most papular compositions of Moszkowski. " A march, "Eleopatian," by Sousi, one of the most modern of this composer's writing. A violin solo will be performed by Mr. Gilby. Four vocal items will be interspersed during the evening, and are in the capable care of Mr. Sll'ade, a distinguished amateur basso from " tho South, and Miss Delves. The concert promises to be one of the club's best efforts, and! the committee request that honorary members will please take their seats early. The concert begins at 8 o'clock.

The Highlanders held their last social of the season in the Fir© Brigade Hall last night, and liad a really good muster of friends andl members, among the visitors being Staff Sergeant-Major Peacock and Staff Armourer Sergeant Hunter and a large number of honorary members of the corps. A fine programme hadl been prepared for the first (soeiaS) portion of the evening. The proceedings opened with a reel by Vol. Braid andi Pipiers Sutherland iapd Mclntyre, the other contributors being Misses Thomson and Lador, and Messrs. Andrews, Lodor, Gilbey, Northing1, Martin, and Swan. Piper Sutherland! also danced a shantreus. The accompanists were Miss Gilbey and Sergeant Craig (piano), and1 Pipe-Major MeTavish. After refreshaments had been handed"" round, the hall was cleared for dancing, which was kepti^ un till an early hour, thus ending! an e"hjoyable night's entertainment. About 40 couples graced the floor.

The Berlin Church Synod some time ago caused great sensation by openly discussing the growing depravity of the Berlin youih of both sexes. It seems that although, -churches are being multiplied in the capital, the ChurcU is fast losing its influence on the people, and especially on the rising generation, a fact which the delegates at the synod prefer to ascribe primarily to extraneous influences. The Socialists are blamed for educating their children to disdain authority and piety, and mothers are taken to task for being indifferent to the dangers run by their daughters. The Roman Catholic .clergy are described a» keeping a sharp lookout on children of mixed marriages. The universal practice is condemned of parents keeping their children out late at night in restaurants. Finally, the startling statement is made that one marriage out of every 12 contracted in Berlin is followed by divorce. The synod ultimately passed a series of resolutions callin? the attention of the secular authorities to the danger to public morality occasioned by low-class variety theatres and music halls, which are increasing at an alarming rate all over Berlin. A resolution was also passedl urging the police to close all restaurants and public-houses during church time on Sunday mornings; but this has created such a storm of protest from the publicans that it will no doubt prove quite futile. l *

Circumstantial rumours are current (writes Mr H. W. Lucy, in the Sydney Herald) touching the conditions under which the Marquis of Salisbury severed his •long lafadj dSstingujish'ed (connection with State affairs. It is said ho submitted to the Kipg a list of Coronation honours, which promp% came back to him with many alterations, scored in his Majesty's own hand. Amongst the late Premier's suggestions was the proposal that two eminent solicitors, one long connected with the Bank of England, should be knighted. This was crossed out. and under the headin™ solicitors was substituted the name of a well-known practitioner, long a personal friend of his Majesty's, deservedly popular in all relations of life. It is, however, a short time since, on the initda"tive: of the King, this gentleman -was knighted. In the Coronation Gazette he will be found advanced to the position of a baronet. According to the gossip of the hour this was the last straw that broke the back of Lord Salisbury's loyal resolution to remain at his post till the Coronation was actually accomplished. He forwith tendered his resignation, and it was promptly accepted. This is the story told in'political circles. It may be purely imaginative j it is certainly persistent.

With- the current number, a copy of which we have received, "-The New Zealand Illustrated Magazine" closes the third yea* of ita publication. The number is fJull of interesting matter, including "In the Public Eye/ under which heading are photos and notices of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Hon. W. J. Steward, the late Mr. Andreas Keitsohek, Dr. Mason, and the late Mr. J. L. Wilson, and Mrs. Cbwie, widow of the late Bishop Cqwie. The fourth instalment of tho serial story, "In Search of a Forune" is given. In acKfition there is an article on "Letter Writing," by Etfwaid Kempe; another on "Education in its Relation to Citizenship," by Georg* Fowlds, M.H.R., and fully adopted in America. It is termed the School City. An hour or two now and then is* devoted to teaching children their duties as c?tifcens. A Mayor and Council are a;p,poiUVi.l froni amongst them, and ii ia their d'u^y to make laws and preserve order ii» school and play. "Kapitaua: A Stoigr of the Bean Rock," by Archdeacon Walsh; 'A South Sen Kaya-Drinking," by J. Cowan; 'Gasman's Ship," by Quilp :.N; "Whe'.e A*en Never Tread—The Nameless Giants of Milford," by Ernest D'Esterre r "Dreamland,^ by Thos. J. Pemberton; "Woman and Her Dominion," by M. A. Coleman; and other stories. "The Old 'Un" by Ned Redd, a bush character sketch, and "The Spell of the Sea,""by Maiy H. Poynter, which deals with hered-. ity.. "My Lady's Bower" contains the usual amount of interesting matter, a photo, and notice of Miss Marcihant, of Dunedin, and some good reproductions of photos taken by lady amateurs. The usual monthly instalments of "Literary Chat," "Round the World," and "The Picture Gallery" anlake this number, which closes the" third year of publication, a specially attractive one.