LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13332, 22 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Delegates from the various Labour Unions and the Labour Party met in Dustin’s Rooms last evening, and discussed the advisability of selecting and supporting Labour candidates for the Borough Council elections, a general discussion, it was decided to receive nominations at a meeting to be held to-morrow night. In another column the Beautifying Sosiety is asking those willing to help in the management of the Hipaugo Park excursion to meet at the Council Chambers on Friday night at 7.30. Ladies are particularly invited to attend. The steamer has been given free of charge,' so all proceeds go to the Beautifying Society-About .£3O will be spent on improving Hipango Park as a picnicking ground. The trustees of the Kaitoke Public Hail met on Saturday evening to consider tenders for the erection of the new hall, and accepted that of Messrs Woolston and Hewetson (£3OB 14s). The hall will have a splendid dancing floor, 40ft by 30ft, and full, provision has been made for supper and dressing-rooms and other conveniences. The settlers are responding liberally to the appeal for subscriptions to build the hall, which will bo situated at the junction of the Concord and No. 1 Lines.

The latest additions to the Telephone Exchange are No. 142, Mr G. Caiman’s residence, 9 Keith Street, and No. 735, Mr Arthur G. Winstonc, prescriptive chemist, Victoria Avenue,

The Trades and Labour Council of Wcllington will present a petition to the Mayor to-day for a poll on the question of the weekly half-holiday, with a view to having Saturday adopted. Over 7000 persons have signed the petition, which is considerably in excess of the number required by law to ensure a poll.' In reply to a _deputation at Gisborne, the Hon. R. McKenzie said that he would advise the deputation not to proceed with a road through the native lands until permission was obtained, as it might be stopped He considered native lands should be loaded for roads, or else pay a rate, the Minister expressed himself as greatly pleased with the district, but considered ■t should be carrying fifty times as many settlers. He advised the deputation to get tue Hon. Jas. Carroll and Sir Joseph ward to visit the district. In regard to the duty on steel, he advised the deputation to do as the Government did. and import raw material and work it up, as duty was only on the finished article.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children at Christchurch, Mr G. Laurcnthat some time ago one of the prisoners in Lyttelton Gaol complained bitterly against the Salvation Army being allowed to play hymns around the gaol The prisoner was asked the nature of his objection, and said that he had no animus against hymns as hymns nor against the Salvation Army ns a religious organisation. What he objected to was the hymns chosen. He asked indignantly if it was a fair thing that the prisoners, watched by large and brutal warders with carbines in their hands, T b r. seremldcd with'the strains of While Gentle Angels Guard Thy Bed,” and further complained that the Army sang a hymn to the tune of “Home, Sweet Home.

At the Timaru Hospital Board yesterday, highly caustic comment was made regarding the manner in which the Board ivas being treated by the Inspector-Gene-ral over regulations for a consumptive sanatorium for South Canterbury and Ashburton The two Boards, under the provision of the statute expressly provided, entered into an agreement to establish and maintain a sanatorium near Fairlic, and Dr. Valentine approved. Regulations were drawn up, but gazetting was delayed by the Department, A new Act was passed, and the Department says Boards must proceed de novo. The Board to-day decided not to do so, but, if necessary', subject to the approval of Ashburton, apply to the Supremo Court for a mandamus directing that the regulations be gazetted. Similar comment is made regarding the Inspector-General’s conditional approval of plans submitted.

The following motion was carried unanimously at a meeting of the Napier Harbour Board yesterday:—“ That, in order that doubts as to the origin of the sand bar referred to by Messrs Maxwell, Williams, and Mason’s report, and in Mr Geo. Nelson’s harbour proposals, should be cleared up, and-iu order that the likelihood or otherwise of any channel dredged through such sand bar being wholly obliterated in heavy weather being given a series of practical tests, the Board considers it desirable to charter a suitable dredge for three or six months for the purpose of dredging out a sufficient channel to show what effect heavy weather l or floods would have upon it; and that the secretary be instructed to obtain all information by next meeting as to the terms upon which a . dredge can be obtained in the Dominion, and how soon.”

11l connection with the registration of barmaids, a point of some interest has been raised by a correspondent, who asks whether the period of service necessary to qualify for registration has all to be spent in New Zealand He is of opinion that, as the section stands, it allows a woman to come across from, say, Sydney or Melbourne, and apply for registration without fear of refusal so long as within the twelve months preceding 'November 21st last she has been employed in a bar for a continuous period of at least three months. As far as can be seen, he says, there is absolutely nothing to confine qualifying service to the Dominion. The point was referred to the officers of the Labour Department by a New Zealand Times representative. They said that,, as it had not previously been brought under their notice, they were not prepared to say what force was in it. If, however, it arose in connection with any application, legal advice would have to be taken.

The Governor of the Dominion of (say) Maritima, an island territory in (say) the Terrific Ocean, resigned his post a few months ago, and in due course the Home authorities appointed a new Governor. The new- Governor’s lady was a woman of originality and humour, and possessed brains above the usual feminine average. Consequently when, after a brief sojourn in the capital city (say) Welldun, she found its hant ton to be a society of awful snobs, she was, we are informed, not long in devising an amusing means of expressing her supreme contempt for them. A gubernatorial dinner party was held, to which some of the cream of Wolldnn’s society wore invited. Lady Blank, as hostess led the way to the dining room, and sat down with her gloves on. The toadies in her wake, following her every movement, were somewhat surprised to see her ladyship begin to drink her soup without baring her bands. But of course they followed suit, those who had already removed their gloves furtively scrambling back into them. They watched ladyship narrowly when the fish appeared, but with an absolutely expressionless face she went on calmly eating with gloved hands, and the servile train again followed suit. With the next course a gleam of amusement appeared in her ladyship’s eyes, which soon deepened into a broad smile. The “very naiccst” had by this time an inkling that they were being made fun of, but they were not sure. They all grew hot and red, but their dreadful snobbery would not let them do anything that the Governor’s wife did not do, so they continued to keep their gloves on. Her ladyship kept her hands covered to the bitter end, her smile and laugh becoming more and more pronounced, till even the miserably-uncomfort-able people around the table could not, but realise that they had ben taught a badlvneeded lesson. Now the snobocracy of Welldun tremble whenever they see the faintest ghost of a smile on Lady Blank s face, or if they see her even speak to one of her household. They have a lurking fear that she is making game of them again, and the knowledge that they deserve it does not make them any more comfortable. But the strangest part is that the habit of toadying is so strong in them that even yet they cannot drop it.

The Wanganui Trotting Club’s race meeting opens to-morrow on the rawcourse, and will be continued on Friday. The trustees of the Wanganui Collegiate - School have presented the chapel to the parish, and it has been decided to rc-crcct it in Wanganui East. The body of the boy Hartwell who was drowned in the Waitotara River on Sun. day, was found at mid-day to-day. An inquest will be held to-morrow. The Weather Bureau reports as follows; —Westerly moderate to strong winds, squally and probably veering to southerly after sixteen hours. Expect unsettled and cloudy weather; rain probable; glass fall slowly, but rise after sixteen hours; tides and sea increasing; tides good; sea heavy. We understand that Mr T. Allison has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Wanganui Collegiate School, {o fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr Wheeler. The appointment of Mr Allison, who is an Old Boy, has given great satisfaction to the members of thc 'Old Boys’ Association. A Maori wedding at Maropiu was delayed owing to a swarm of bees having taken possession of the church. Efforts were made to get the bees out, but as the method was slow, and the bride and bridegroom were nervous, and desired to get the service over, it was deemed,' necessary to burn sulphur. The effect was prompt. The Maoris feel very proud of the fact that a compatriot of theirs is at the head of the Dominion just now. "Py korry,” said a patriarch at Pariliaka on Saturday, “Hemi Karra, he ti pig rangitira—he petter ti pakeha or ti Maori; he ti Premier. Kapai he come Pariliaka. He pigger rangitira Te Whiti or Tohu. Kapai Herpi Karra!” And then the venerable warrior let himself go and startled the visitors by uttering a war whoop. Those who desire to have a vote at the municipal elections next month might take notice ; that the roll will close this day % week, and,-applications must therefore bo put in without loss of time. Those who are indifferent on tlie matter will probably not bother their heads about it. There are almost 2000 who have so far not troubled, showing a very regrettable amount of apathy. A painful accident happened this morning to Mr W. J. Brown, who is the subject of controversy in connection with the incident at the Cafitlecliff breakwater on Saturday evening. Mr Brown was employ, ed on the town bridge, and this morning while a bucket of hot tar was being lowered to him it struck against a projection and a portion of the contents fell on his head and face. Efforts were made to wipe off the burning fluid and ease the pain by the use of oil, and in the meantime medical assistance was sought and afterwards rendered. Mr Brown’s face was badly burned, and he is progressing as favourably as circumstances will permit. Taumaruiiui was visited by a bn'rglar during the visit of Wirth’s Circus to that township, when there was more money than usual about. Mr Wirth had .£3OO in his possession and placed it in the hands of the proprietor of Meredith House for safe keeping. It was placed in a safe, and luckily so, for it wps subsequently found that the bouse had been ransacked at night, evidently by somebody who expected to find a substantial sum of money. One visitor at the house, Mr J. W. Ellis, on awakening, found that his clothes had been spirited away, and hastening in night attire to the landlord made known his loss. Search followed, and, Mr Ellis discovered his missing garments in an adjacent allotment, but bis gold, jvatch was missing, and also XlO in cash. . A meeting of the Neville Thornton committee was held last evening, i when an offer by the Garrison Band to .provide a sacred Concert was accepted witji thanks, and the matter of a suitable dqfie was left with the secretary to arrange,' ' An offer was also received from Messrs Fuller and Sous to provide a programme. of films, machine, and operator. The (committee accepted the offer, and decided' to inaugurate a grand benefit performance for Friday, April 7. Tickets arc to' be printed, and a prize of a handsome fountain pen to bo given to the person bringing in the largest returns for the sale of same. These tickets will be procurable from the secretary at the Chronicle office on or after Friday next. The first part of the programme will consist of a concert, provided by local amateurs, and the second of animated pictures.

Mr W. E. Crome. the head of the Crome Company, now appearing at the Opera House, is no stranger to Wanganui, though it is over 20 years since he was last here. He was then a member of the famous Lynch Bellringers, whose name was almost a household word, and that the experience then gained has stood Mr Crome in good stead is evident from the delightful company of artists which he is now travelling vvitji. After leaving the Lynches Mr Crome went to England for a few years’ course of musical study, and on his return to the colonics was appoint d organist at Perth Cathedral, West Australia, where he was also conductor of the Liedeftafel and other musical societies. After some years in Perth the "road" again called, and Mr Crome has travelled over various parts of the world with his company. Mr Crome, who previously paid more than one visit to Wanganui, has in the last two days renewed' many old acquaintances, and he is full of very interesting reminiscence of old limes. It is a well-known fact that the legislative enactments of New Zealand have been hold up as examples worthy of emulation by much Ihrger and older countries, and it is no small compliment to the Dominion that its example of progressive Democratic legislation has been followed in quite a number of places. But it may not be generally known that Wanganui is heralded in England as a town which sets a high example to the cities of the Old Land in the way of street improvement and Iwantifying generally. Such is the case, however. A subscriber forwards us a copy of the liotherham Advertiser, a journal published in Yorkshire, England, which, in the course of a leading article, quotes what the Wanganui Beautification Society is doing in far-away New Zealand, and laments the fact that Rotherham people are not hopeful or ambitious enough to see their streets present the appearance and possess the aroma of the avenues of a rose garden. A sad fatality resulting from a baby girl getting hold of a pill box and swallowing several tabloids intended tor an adult, is reported from Grasmere, Invercargill. At the inquest, Agnes Yates Webb, mother of the deceased, stated that On the 2nd inst. she found Doris (who was 12 months old) playing in the boys’ bedroom with the pill box,- the pills being missing. She noticed the child looked ill, and witness picked her up, when she twitched. She told her husband she thought the child was poisoned, and he left for thq nurse, Mrs Cunningham, also for the doctor, to whom he telephoned from Mr ToddV house. They then put deceased into » "bath and rolled her in a blanket. Tho doctor arrived in about a q uarter ,of a» hour, and in thp meantime they had given the child salt and water to make hey vomit, which she did a little. Witness had no idea the pill* were poisonous. There were fourteen or fifteen in the box. The pill# and box belonged to’ Jack Aldridge, who was living in the house at the -time. The jury returned a verdict of death. by■ misadventure, and added no blame attached to anybody.

An old lady has expressed surprise at learning that King George is a philatelist. Hitherto, she explains, she had thought hia Majesty belonged to the Church of England. . Mr W. Kerr, S.M., presided at the S.M. Court this morning. A maintenance case was heard and adjourned, and two prohibitkm orders were issued, one by consent, and the other on the application of the police. - An Australian stock owner, questioned as to how the New Zealanders who took horses over to Australia would fare at the markets, said, “Well, you don’t want to send ns many light horses, but don’t be afraid of sending draughts. I don’t mean to say that light horses will not sell well. They may; but the heavies are what are wanted in anything like big numbers over tbrre. The market fluctuates somewhat, &nd industrial disturbances have a bad effect on it. The New Zealand draughts are oni-the whole slightly better than our ordinary draughts, and the pick of New Zealand’s heavy horses, I believe, are superior to Australia’s best. If a horse offered by auction looks rather good, and is a New Zealander, the latter fact is always stated by the auctioneer.”