LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19910, 8 October 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Grcytown nurseryman had the bad foi nine to have a thousand tomato plants destroyed by the frost last week.

Telephone exchange subscribers are reminded that to-day (Wednesday), is the last day for payment of subscription.

At the annual meeting of the Nelson District Fruit Growers' Association it was decided to tako steps to inaugurate a national apple show on the lines of American fruit shows, to be held annually in different centres. A committee was appointed to communicate with the associations and deal with preliminary arrangements.

A wireless .inessnge received in Wellington yesterday by the secretary of tho. General Post Office from the postmaster at the Chathams states that a lifebelt inscribed "O.T.S. Port .lackson, Aberdeen." was picked up at Awapitiki on the 28th September. The. belt was •apparently new, and it is surmised thrtt it belonged to the training shin Port Jackson, which runs between England a'ul Australia.

A member of Parliament, speaking to an "Ashburton Guardian" representative, stated that the Government seemin "-ly intended exercising its right under the Legislature Act with regard to members' salaries. Under this Act the Government has the right to deduct £2 p»r day for every day a member is absent without leave. Had the rule been allied in ono case, that of a .prominent member of tho Opposition the deduction of £2 per day would have come lo n larger amount than the payment for tV> period the member was present, and thus h~ would be brought in. debt to ti-!<> Treasury.

Poultrw is in demand on. the Main Tvunk^linje. A-t a sale atjMjatapuita tfie: other day, Wljite Leghorns brought ss. 6'J. each,' Brown Leghorns 4s. 6d. each, and barn-door • fowls 2s. Gd. each.

Rumoui-has it, according to tho "Manawatu Daily Times,." that in connection with the formation of a new district under a D.T. Mai-ager at Ohakiine several stations at present in the Wellington district are to recognise Wanganui as headquarters in the near future.

The following pupils of the Queen's t Park School passed the proficiency ex- ! amination of the Royal Life Saving'So- j cicty last season, and are thus qualified i for'the Borough Council's concession; of a free ticket at the Corporation Bath ; for one season: —Marjory A. Taylor, Eileer Dustin, Edgar Hodson, Ronald Bates. Joan li'iggie, Alison Mary Payne, i Dorothy Eice. In connection with the drawing of the Garrison Band art union, which takes place at the Drill Hall this evening at 8.30, the band will assemble at 7.4.5 sharp, and play selections in I the vicinity of the Drill Hall, and j will 'also play inside the Hall until f the drawing takes place. There will ; be no charge made, nor any collection ! taken up, but art union tickets will be sold up till 8 o'clock. When a person reaches the "Devil's Elbow," he has attained /rather a dangerous situation (writes our travelling reporter.) It is hardly likely, however, that any living being has had even ia cursory glimpse of his Satanic Majesty's arm, yet there is a turn in the Wiangantri: road near Turakina that is supposed to resemble the dreaded limb so much that it ha§ been immortalised for all time, and is known, as the Devil's Elbow. According to all accounts, this piece of road fully justifies the uneuphonious name given to it. At the meeting of the Marton Chamber of Commerse held on Monday evening, Mr Gomez drew attention to the condition of the .road, and it was decided to communicate with the Riangitkei County Council on the matter. Defendant during the hearing of an application for a separation order by 'jis wife at Auckland: —"By Jove, she gets it on to me. Last Sunday I was I-iitting up a tank-stand, and when 1" v,ens inside to gfct (something*—biifr! Ci-incs a. candlestick and hits me on the back of the neck. Next time. 1 went in—biff! comes a vase—a big one, full of flowers and water. "You ——," fche yells at me, "I'll do for you. I'm leaving this place, and you'll have to mark me first!" Yes, I struck her, but she flew at my throat. It was more cf a push than a blow." Plaintiff accused her husabnd of drinking habits. She said he was divorced when she nvii-ried him, and that he had since told her he liked the first wife best. ' Consequently she would not go back to ' him. The Magistrate, who hud vainly * endeavoured to "pour oil on the trcubli cd waters," adjourned tho case for a i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H f^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 1 At the Magistrate's Uour^yTsuTErr '-' n :.u:iing Mr. W. Kerr, S.M., gaw-Ms i, icscrvod judgment in the case in which i Airs. Gibson (Mr. Mackay) sued tljo Wanganui Education Board (Mr. Marshall) for £9 lls. Bd.j a month's salary '' ; as an assistant teacher at Utiku. Mrs. - iC'ihs'jii (then Miss Aairs) had resigned i ih-T position on December 17tb lapt, p -[.-.tn!g that the resignation would ttfko cfi'cci, as from the 31st January. His .Worship non-suited the case on pie ground that no proof of resignation Vvas produced in Court. He quoted .section f iVi n!: the Education Act, which provides th.v all teachers must give one month's notice in writing to the secretary of ■ i!ift Board and to the chairman <>i - i-110 committee. The same provision.'was f'nmd in the Wanganui Education ! Board's regulations, section 28. Tho l language of the Act was more imperious than that of the regulations. Thorn ? was no proof at the hearing of the s case that proper notice had been given. e> The Legislature must have h;id. goosl f reasons for making the provision rogard- , ing notice as it has. His Worship .said he must uplold the non-suit point.

The Foxton Borough Council has been running moving pictures for nearly three years, believing with some, of the highest legal luminaries of the Dominion, that the words "amusement and instruction" contained in section 299 of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1908," would include such pictures. This the- Chief Justice does not hold with. ?:id he states tint the running of cinematograph pictures is illegal. At last night's meeting of the Wanganui Boroujr.li Council a request was received ,isi-ing that the Council write to the Hon. the Minister for Internal Affairs requesting that he insert ?. clause in the Bill, making it legal for the future for municipalities to run moving pictures if they want to. To illustrate the paying nature of moving pictures, figures were given showing that October, 1911 T to April Ist. 1913, the gross t:,k.ngs amounted to £782 18s., and disbursements £380 Is. 3d., leaving a net profit of £402 16s. 9d. The Mayor paid that he was quite in favour of municipalising anything which was in the interests* nf the people ii' they agreed to run it. The Council decided to aerree uitb the request, and to ask Mr. Veiteh for his support.

TJic opossum industry is the latest to come under notice, the matter havins; been taken up in the Manawatu. The trade in opossum skins has become :i fairly extensive one, and the matter was referred to at the monthly meeting oi' the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce by Mr. Johnston, who ex-p-ef-sed the opinion that a large amount cf back country in the Wellington province vvas specially suitable for the opossum industry. 'Skins, he said., were worth up to £1 each, and be considerede that in time quite a valuable industry could be worked up. He moved as 'olkiWs: —" Seeing the value of opossum rkins, and ihat the opossums arc absolutely protected in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and all Crown I.M-ds in Tasmania, the Palmerston Acclimatisation Society and the Govern-lrc-'it be asked to encourage the stock.ncr of all native bnsh in the Wellington district, with opossums; that killing only rtHowerl during the winter months when skins are valuable; that a cepv of tlv> resolution be sent to the ATlimatisation Society, the Master for Tnternal Affairs, the Premier and Member for the District," In reply to n query +be mover said that orolvTrds tVn'not suffer from the animals. They Ah] not leave tnn bnsli and mid orc-t'liai-cls. The motion was carried.

Mx, O' Connor, organiser of the New Kfe'aland Government's National Providfeut Fund, who has been in Wanganui for several days engaged in extending the operations of his Department, has bad splendid success in enlisting the interest of all classes, and reports that the outlook for the fund is first class. Mr. O'Connor has appointed Mr. C. t*. Mayo, of the local telegraph staff, as Wanganui district agent for the fund, i nder whose energetic guidance it should show good progress Cr. Aldetfton asked the -Mayor at last night's meeting of the Borough Council who was the authority to appeal to in cases of persons misusing public property. He stated that on Sunday last a number of young men were kicking & ball about among the beds and shrubs in the Moutoa Gardens. Cr. Wray said that a similar occurrence' had taken place on the previous Sunday, when a boisterous crowd of youths were playing tennis on the "■rounds. It was impossible for anyone to enjoy quiet. The matter was referred to a. committee, who will have power to take action if necessary.

When a rebate of rates was asked for in connection with a vacant and old building in the Avenue, at the Borough Council meeting last evening, comment was made on the insanitary state of the premises. Referring to old buildings generally, Cr. Harkness said he would like to see an inspection made of all the buildings and verandahs m the town. He had heard complaints about faulty spouting of some of the shops in the Avenue. Some of the verandahs, he said, were in a disgraceful state. He moved in the direction that the attention of the borough inspector be called to the matter. Cr. Alderton seconded and asked whether the Council did not possess power to compel shopkeepers to keep their verandahs clean. He hiad seen some marvellous collections of rubbish accumulated on the verandah tops. The motion was Carried.

In view of the expansion of Wanganui and the proposals to extend the tramway service past the Aramoho bridge, to St. John's^ Hill, and Wanganui East, a. move is being made in the direction of forming a District Tramway Board. The question has occupied the attention of a number of citizens for some time past but it was first public'y5 discussed last night, when the Gonville - Castleeliff Tramway Board paid attention to it. The idea is to form a Tramway Board to control the whole of the Wanganuii service on simjjjar lines to those observed by the Christchurch Tramway Board. The tramway district would elect its members. The district Board would, it is contend-

Ed, do away with the dual control, as at present in vogue, and place the service oiti ia. more satisfactory footing. Messrs Bignell, McLean and WebbJoiip? ■wr'rp appointed a committee to nV*\v up recommendations and submit thorn ta n conference of the Board and the Bnrouirh Council.

i It is-retHX't-.d that the Opposition are ft a king steps with a view to selecting a .•candidate" Ho contest the Palmerston t-ea-t at the next election. We a.re informed that two prominent residents were in turn approached, but business arrangements prevented either from acceding to the request,. So far, it is stated, no definite decision has been Larrived1 at as to who shall represent Jthe party in the election. In the meantime an effort is being made to induce Opposition anebers of Parliament to fiddress & meeting in Palmerston with a. view to strengthening the following <sf the party in this town. It is stated that Mr W. H. Hawkins, formerly of Pahiatua. will be & candidate for the New Plymouth seat at the next election in the Opposition interests. The iame of Dr Thomas McKibbin, Hastings, is being mentioned as a probable candidate for the Hawke'sßay seat at tjie next general election in the Opposition interests. As mentioned in the "Chronicle" on several occasions lately, the establish- ■ nScMifc of a inotor-'bus service between Mat ton ;tnd the Junction has received consideration The matter was : .r-r discussed at the monthly meet- ■<; tm» Marton Chamber of Com- . n. on Monday night (writes our tray- ■■'.[■".■. reporter), when Mr. Cameron ■nioned that a..number of residents iif.d taken the matter up, and there was every probability of tho enterprise 'icing undertaken. He considered that ihe service when established would be a great boon to Marton, as well as to tho outlying districts, as the proposed company intended it to be far-reaching. When Mr. Cameron stated that a company was proposed, his remarks had releivnce to a meeting; held at Coronai ion Hall, also on Monday evening, to consider tho proposal. A number of business men were present, and a committee was lappointeci.to inspect several .systems now in use, and also to obtain all necessary information.

Or Luxford's appeal to the Borough Council a fortnight ago on behalf of tho borough employees was in vain. Cr. Luxford's proposal was as follows: lhat £'2O be donated to the borough employees' ,sick benefit society, .and that any employee on tho borough staff who, through illness, cannot attend for a week or longer such employee be granted equivalent to at least one week s wages, provided that the engineer is satisfied that the case is a genuine one. The matter was referred to the Finance Committee, which reported at last evening's meeting of the Council that the question was one to be discussed in full Council. When the matter came up last evening, the Mayor stated that bo grant the donation would mean a tag on the balance sheet, as it would not be a, legal payment. The Town Clerk said that he had spoken to the borough solicitor and the audit inspector, who was at present in Wanganui, on the matter. Continuing, the Clerk explained that the money could only come out of the one per cent allowed on the rates for unauthorised expenditure. Out of the sum allowed in that percentage, equalling from £140 to £160, £70 was contributed to the band, the Surf Bathin"- Club was subsidised, and the expenses paid for the Governor's visit. If the money were granted the Audit Department would take exception to it and tag the balance sheet. Every care would have to be taken by the Council not to exceed the amount allowed for unauthorised expenditure. Tho Council therefore turned the proposal

down

The question of bandsmeu travelling free over the tram way; * 'Jines fro' :; j the band 'concerts at Oastlecliff' "was discussed by the Gonville-Castlecliff Tramway Board last night. It was decided to write to the Borough Council asking them to allow bandsmen in uniform to travel free.

The Borough Council was confronted last night with a number of applications from various ratepayers for extensions of drainage and water along unbroken streets. Loan money had not been provided for the extensions, and the Council lacked the necessary funds to grant the applications forthwith. The requests were referred to the Work& Committee for consideration and report.

Adequate provision will be made for the entertainment of residents at Castlecliff during the summer. At last night's meeting of the Gonville-Castle-cliff Tramway Board a. committee was set up to confer with both bands'with regard to arranging for band concerts at Castlecliff. ;It was also decided that inquiries be made as to cost of swings, maypoles, boat swings, and see-saws at the Board's kiosk grounds.