LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13500, 9 October 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Radio Office advises that the UHmaroa and Moana will probably be within wireless range to-night.

The Department of Public Health has prepared a scheme for tho medical inspection of school children. It is intended that dental examination shall be a feature of the system.

At a meeting of the executive of the T. 11. Taylor Memorial Fund, held on Tuesday, the treasurer reported that he had received ,£1:18:1 to date. It was decided (o definitely close the fund on October 20.

The Timaru A. and P. A«rciation has decided to support the Manawatu 8o cioty’s proposal that part of the totabsator tax should be used as subsidies w Agricultural Associations to encourage horse-breeding. That pineapples can be grown and rip uiei in New Plymouth has been proved by a icsident, who has succeeded in maturing line fruit. His plant was grown under glass, of course, from the top ol an imported pineapple. Before Mr W. Kerr, S.M., sitting in his jurisdiction as Registrar of the .Supremo Court at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, Imlay George llayly Saunders, land agent, of Wanganui, was, on the application of tho Public Trustee (for whom Mr C. K. Maekay appeared) adjudged a bankrupt.

An analysis of the stomach of Mr H. Wilson’s little daughter, whose sudden death at Gonvillc was reported some time ago, reveals tho presence of some irritant poison, probably arsenic. How the deadly substance came into the child’s possession is at present unknown. An inquest will bo hold in due course.

The tPowclka hunt has extended to Greymoiith. On Tuesday night a vessel which had arrived during tho day Irom Lyttelton was searched for tiie escaped convict, but no evidence was forthcoming that Powelka had ever been near the ship. The police, it is stated, acted on advice received from Lyttelton. Messrs J. B. Murray, C. E. Maekay, and W. G. Bassett, representing the Harbour Board, and Messrs A. Burnett and I< vcgrove, representing the Chamber <f (tmmorco, leave for Wellington to-morrnv to give evidence before the Local Bills Committee of the House of Representatives in. support of the Wanganui Harbour Loan Bill.

A particularly vindictive Nemesis seems to dog the'‘fishing launch Cliallcngcr, which recently experienced an engine breakdown while some miles off the bar. She went out over the bar on Saturday last, and yesterday afternoon returned to town iii tow of the Monarch. The ongincroom was again the seat of the trouble. Fortunately the weather was fine, and the sea smooth.

The situation in respect of unemployed in Dunedin (according to the Otago Daily Times) lias been by no means satisfactorily dealt with. A meeting of unemployed called by the secretary of the (lenoral Labourers’ Union on Tuesday morning was attended by 50 men, many of whom have families dependent on them. There is at the present time no work in sight which will absorb even a small proportion of this number. A Dunedin paper states that there is every prospect of the local building trade being brisk for some time to come. In addition to several large jobs now in hand, there are ar number of others to be started within thfc next few months, all of thorn being situated practically in the centre of the city, and it is estimated that eight or nine of those will run into well over •£150,000. It is said that a record "amount in buildings will be spent in Dunedin this yo;\e.

Seven hundred and eight marriage dcrtilicatcs have been issued by the Registrar at Christchurch during the nine months ended September 30, and 151 marriages have been celebrated by the Registrar during the same period, no fewer than four taking place on one afternoon last month. No bolter year for the “marriage business” has been experienced since the International Exhibition gave the market an exceptional “boom.” Addressing the Ilutt electors, a candi date remarked; “I notice some of you women arc hero without your husbands. \Vliea you go home say: ‘Daddy, give him a chance; give Richard Short a chance.' (Laughter.) And I notice some of you men I>oro without your wives. It’s funny how men like to go about of a night without Inch- wives. Now, when you go home to-night, you say: ‘Now mummy—< roars of laughter)—give Dick a chance!’ (Applause.) Give me one Parliament, and if I am no good at the end of three voars, crush me like a banana.” (Loud laughter.) A private wire received in town to-day states that, up to tiip present, no settlnincut of the dispute between the owners and the mates of costal vessels has ‘been arrived at. A conference between the parties was in progress in Wellington on Saturday and, judging by to-day a information, the owners do not seem inclined to accede to the officers’ demands, in a nutshell, the position is that the mates arc asking for 2s (id per hour overtime; at present they receive no remuneration whatever for extra time. In conversation with a “Herald” reporter to-day, an officer who lias left his ship said that a man before the mast was paid Is 3d an hour for overtime, while the officer who was on duty at the sametime, and who had all the responsibility, got nothing. “As things staijd at present,” he concluded, “an ordinary seaman on a coastal steamer draws, on an average, as big a cheque as a second mate. It’s not reasonable.”

Sorao New Plymouth small boys struck out in a now line of adventure a few days ;mo One of them visited the livcry-stablo keener, and asked him how much ho would charge for the hire of a gie for an afternoon, the bov explaining that hw mother wished to take an invalid sister lor'a drive. A price was given, and the hoy "left. On Saturday he returned to the stable, concluded the bargain, and drove a wav in the gig. lint instead of driving home he picked un two more little boys, relations of his, in a hack street, and the three proceeded to drive into the country. Two of them are eleven years old, and the third is nine. When the driver tried to see what pace the horse was capaolo of, the steed went round a corner so fast that the driver was shot out, and the horse bolted, coming back towards town with two very frightened little hoys in it. The elder of the two grew fearful of an accident, so he threw the smaller boy out, and jumped out himself. Finally the animal’s pace slackened, and it cantered back to tbe stables without accident. None of tho boys were injurcu, but what happened to them when they returned home has not yet been disclosed.

, The latest addition to the Telephone Exchange is No. 782, John Avery, Ltd., . merchants, Taupo Quay. ' Telephone Exchange subscribers are reminded that to-morrow (Tuesday) is the last day for payment of subscriptions. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr W. Kerr, S.M., a young man was remanded till Wednesday for the theft of a sum of £4 from a fellow-lodger. In Wanganui, at 10.30 a.m. to-day, the thermometer registered 58 and the barometer 30.38. A light easterly breeze was blowing, and the bar and sea were perfectly smooth. The Weather Bureau reports as follows: —Land and- sea breezes, easterly moderate prevailing; indications for fair weather; glass little movement, but fall after 24 hours; tides moderate; sea moderate

The wiping out of Bulls races was referred to in the report submitted to the Manawatu County Council at its last meeting by the tramway manager. Fares for the month of September amounted to £4 9s' 7d —in the previous year specials run for the races brought in AlO 13s Id.

The Gisborne Chamber of Commerce is moving in the direction of getting Home steamers to come direct to the port. The Chamber suggests that three companies dealing with the exports of Poverty Bay should join in putting one vessel per month on. the berth to carry direct shipments for Gisborne port.

We venture to affirm, says a Dunedin paper, that the time has arrived when Dunedin should follow the example of progressive cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, - Sheffield, and scores of other places in the Old Land, which have demonstrated that municipal bowling greens and even golf links are as necessary parts of civic activity as baths and bands and parks. The open-air concert given by the City Band yesterday afternoon attracted a large number of people to Queen’s Park. The performance was a very creditable one, the playing being most favourably commented on. There is no doubt that the band are improving with every performance, and . Conductor Buckley is to be congratulated on the alteration which he has brought about. Next Sunday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, the band will repeat the programme at Wanganui East, when no doubt the residents of that locality will show their appreciation by a large attendance.

A travelling salesman died very suddenly in Western Australia. His relatives telegraphed a florist to make a wreath; the ribbon to bo extra wide, with the inscription “Rost in Peace” on both sides, and, if there was room, they were to add: . “We shall meet in Heaven.” The florist was out of town at the time, so the new; assistant carried out the work. It was a startling floral piece which was sept to the funeral, the ribbon being extra wide, and bearing the following inscription:—“ Rest in Peace on both sides, and if there is room, we shall meet in Heaven.

An effort is being made in Wellington to induce the residents of the breezy city to take more interest in tree-planting. The Post in an article on the subject says:— Unfortunately Wellington is lagging behind other cities and towns in New Zealand. Nelson has a very energetic Beautifying Society, and so have Wanganui and Christchurch. Port Chalmers, Eeilding, Palmerston, and other towns are now heartily in the tree movement. It is notable, too, that the people with the greatest wealth of trees are those who yearn most for more.”

.In the course of his annual address, the chairman of the Greymoutli Harbour •Board said; “The Harbour Board has now completed the preliminary work of repairs to plant, machinery, and railway lines, «nd hag eventually settled difficulties of land appropriation and titles. Active prosecution of the lagoon docks scheme is now under way, and as soon as the dredge can he let into the lagoon, operations for the construction of a sheltered basin to accommodate three “K” tvpe of steamers will be commenced, and at the same time the northern mole will be repaired and extended. The new dock will be equipped with the most modern cranes, which will greatly facilitate the handling and despatch of an increasing volume of timber and coal. In this connection I would mention that an application we made to the Government for an extension of the present wharf 350 ft further down stream, that is, down to the lagoon outlet, did not meet with the Minister’s approval, and this important work haa been delayed pending further representations being made, with the result that doublehanking of steamers has had to be resorted to, with consequent delays and unnecessary risks to shipping."

The Rev. J. A. Luxford. in the course of his sermon 'at Trinity Church last night, addressed the young men present on the subject of compulsory military training. He said it was a perversion of fact that tlie legislation on the subject was teaching our young men to break the Sixth Commandment. The spirit of murder included hatred and revenge. There was a great difference in killing a man in battle and killing him from motives of anger or greed. The wbrds of Christ, “Resist not evil,” were spoken of individuals, and do not refer to what has been called “corporate action for the repression of wrong.” Addressing the young men directly. ho concluded his sermon with this opportune advice, “Don’t you rebel against this compulsory training! The legislation is not designed to cause you to delight in war for war’s sake. It has a beneficent design, teaching you to love your country and your Empire, reminding you that you belong to a nation that has done more for civilisation than any other modern people, a nation that has planted more colonies, rescued jnore slaves, than any other in the world’s history, a nation with a passion for liberty and a genius for righteous government. You ought to be proud of her history. You are being called upon to help to protect that nation, and to contribute towards the maintenance of the influence of the Empire. You should respond willingly. While the work of moral, social, and material progress is being continued by your fathers and your seniors, it is your duty to say, ‘We arc ready and willing to go into training, so that if, in the future, our country or our Empire be threatened by an envious or covetous Power, or a cry come to our nation from the oppressed for deliverance, we shall be prepared to take part in the sacred work of national defence or world-wide beneficence.’ If it be right to defend your country, surely it is right to be prepared for that duty should occasion arise.”

The .chairman of the Manawatu County Council stated yesterday that annual meetings of Councils were a farce, The original idea was that ratepayers should take part in the proceedings, but they never did. As the date on which the annual meeting is to be' held would prove very inconvenient for many members of the Council, it was decided to hold the next meeting on October 31st. For some time past a company in Japan has been engaged in exploiting the use of volcano ash in combination with Portland cement mortar. This combination is said to be particularly valuable in the construction of works submerged in salt water. It is claimed that the cement thus formed possesses, greater tensile strength and is denser than ordinary Portland cement. It is also more resistant to the' percolation of water.

Cook County, on the North Island East Coast, is a good sample of New Zealand as the "Great Loan Land.” The balancesheet of the County Council, recently published as reqxdred by law, contains particulars of no less than 60 loans, though a number of them have now been transferred to a newly split-off county. The expenditure of 11 Government grants had also to be accounted for. Thirty-three ,of the loans arc for sums loss than .£loo. Timaru Herald.

Victoria’s initial effort in the importation of domestics has not proved altogether satisfactory (says the Daily Telegraph). Reports state that two of the party came on board at Adclaid somewhat under the influence of drink, and, in addition, there were one or two whoso diction was pretty coarse. Some of the contingent are nut experienced domestic helps, and their references arc not all satisfactory. They were written for by friends or relatives more than by employers or responsible persons. The Victorian Minister for Lands stated recently that, iu future, references would have to be given by clergymen or other responsible persons before applicants could bo accepted. The aftermath of the recent big strikes at Home is now being felt in Auckland. Large supplies of goods ordered mainly for sale in the spring season have failed to arrive owing to the disorganisation caused, by labour troubles, and in consequence many firms have been seriously inconvenienced. In some cases the delays in shipment seem to have occurred very unexpectedly, because invoices have arrived by boats that should have carried the goods therein set out. A representative of a large drapery establishment told a reporter that his firm would lose several hundreds of pounds in consequence of the striKc, and he had no doubt that others would ho affected in the same manner. 1

Considerable conjecture has. been aroused among those ■ interested in the study of deep-sea fish over a catch of several fish of a strange species which was made about 40 miles off the Otago Heads last week. Some of the fish, one of which turned the scale at 381b, were on exhibition in the local fish shops, and occasioned a great deal of curiosity. Dr. Benham has pronounced the fish to he sea bream. The fish, which are said to be not entirely strange to southern waters, having been caught there several years ago, are common to many European waters, also to the East Indies. The sea bream is allied to the fresh water or carp bream, which is found in many European lakes and rivers, and which affords good sport to the angler, though coarse and insipid as food. A Federal bounty is being sought for the establishment of a new industry, that of extracting tin and steel from tin clippings. With the development of the meat and fruit canning industries in Australia the quantity of tin clippings exported to Germany lias grown to 3500 tons a year, and it is desired by a syndicate to establish a. factory in Sydney for their treatment. Recently Mr W. Stallman, representing those interested, told the Minister of Customs that bounty would materially assist in the establishment of the factory. He suggested £2 per ton on material used. Mr Tudor asked that particulars as to the capital involved, the number of employees required, and the wages to be paid should ho sent to him.'

The never-ending hunt for smuggled opium adds a sparkling interest to the lives of Customs officers, says a Melbourne journal. Rich finds are always turning up in unexpected places, and, in spite of large expenditure and much official anxiety, the barred drug pours into the country. The Minister of Customs was apprised recently of one of the most curious of opium finds. Two parcels of religious pamphlets, printed jin Chinese characters and addressed to a leading Chinese firm in Cairns, Queensland, were over-carried by the Postal Department to Sydney. Prying officials digging deep into them, were rewarded with the discovery of charred opium, ready for smoking, buried in cavities scooped in the middle of the parcels. The present shearing season has produced some fine records in Queensland, whore shearing has developed into a fineart, and the man who can shear the greatest number of sheep in a working day holds a much higher place in the public esteem than that allotted to a runner who covers 100 yards in “evens,” or even to the latest “white hope.” Where sheep are concerned, Queensland is a country of big figures. In the Longreach district a few weeks ago Warbreccan station completed its annual task of clipping some 1430 bales of wool from the backs of 85,000 sheep. On one occasion 28 men shore 4462 sheep, an average of 159|, working 35 minutes short of the’ full day. The leading tallies were 229, 208, 207, and 205. At Afton Downs nearly 100,090 sheep were shorn, and at Corona Station 85,000. Some fine tallies were registered at Alice Downs, no fewer than 12 men shearing over 200 sheep each in a day. The best tallies were 257.. 247, 224, and 223, and the 28 men employed averaged 181 sheep for the day.