LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14017, 25 June 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It has been reported that lambing has already started in the Waimata valley. Poverty Bay.

The King and Queen celebrated the Prince of Wales’ birthday by attending a special performance, Madame Melba and Signor Caruso singing in “La Boheme.” A London cable states that two hundred cases of Captain Scott’s collections have reached the Natural Historv Museum. There is particular interest in a box of fossils found on the sledge which Captain Scott marked at the Pole, knowing it would become hidden in the snow. “Sport will always take a great place in the life of our young men,” said Mr E. K. Satchel!, president of the Young Men’s Christian Association, of Sydney, in an address last week. “I have no sympathy with the namby pamby young men, who have no time for indulging in sport,” ho continued. He himself had played tenuis and other games. He remembered aniging in the church choir on Sundays showing plainly the marks of the previous day’s football match. During all the years that he had been connected with the Y.M.C.A. he had always done his best to do what he could to help and further the sporting side of the Association’s nlork. “I don’t say that this is the highest and noblest side of the work,” he added. “Far from it. But the body calls out just the same as the mental side calls out, and our Association has always considered the physical as well as the mental side.”. The employment of a number of Russian miners at, the Richmond Main colliery in the northern district of New South Wales, m not looked upon favourably by the Coh hery Employees’ Federation, and the attention of the State Minister for Mines (Mic. Edden) was called to the circumstances a few days ago in a 'letter from the association, which complained that the immigrant miners were working for 6s per shift instead of 8s on surface work, and 9s per shift instead of 11s per shift underground. The allegation was also made that there was danger in working alongside these men, who did not know a word of English. Mr Edden stated that he; had caused inquiry to be made into the matter, and had now received a report from Insncctor Tennant, to the effect that he could not say that there vyas any danger to the men themselves, ndr were they a menace to those working with them. Mr. Atkinson, the chief inspector, however, made the recommendation that the 'colliery .rules be printed in Bussian for the benefit of the foreign workmen. BogaHing. the wanes allegation, Mr Edden said that matter had been re'erred to th» Bennrtmont of Labour nnd "Industry, and inquiry was being made. .

this morning, before Mr Kerr, S.M., P. Cole applied for a. guardianship order, in her favour, giving her the guardianship of her two sous, both under 16 years of ago. Mr Brown appeared- for T lie applicant, and stated that the parties concerned were separated by order of the Court. After hearing formal evidence, his Worship granted the application. Because ho had been .served with a summons, a maori named Neil Wilson was alleged to have assaulted a taxi driver, named Mainwaring, and after using obsene language tp him hit him a violent blow in the face. This took place about Juno 2, and the native made his appearance before Mr Kerr S.M. at the Police Court this morning on a charge of assault. Ho pleaded’ guilty and was fiuod £2 with costs amounting to Jil 15s or in default 14 days imprisonment. Time was given in which to pay.

Li spite of the fact that for something like five weeks the Patca works were practically shut down owing' to the slaughtermen's strike, the Patca Farmers’ Cooperative Freezing Company have had a record season, a.'d with four months yet to go they have exceeded the records of any previous year. For the eight months ending May 31, of the present year, the total of the stock nut through the works’ was:—Cattle 5144, sheep 45,100, calves 653. During tho twelve months ending October, 1012, the total stock slaughtered was:—Cattle 4799, sheep 15,125, calves 632.—Patca Press. Mr Louis Cohen, tho conductor of the "Geisha,” writes to us saying that as the chorus and ensemble, singing has met with such appreciation from tho audiences, tho credit for that is entirely due to Mrs C. J. Wray. The. chorus has been trained exclusively by her. Of this she has made an artistic success. The tone of the chorus and the attack and point, which they mate is admirable. Only those who have been engaged in the preparation of the Geisha are aware of tho extent to which Mrs Wray’s untiring efforts have contributed to whatever success has been achieved.

In January last we mentioned the fact that we had been shown some very fine wimples of wool grown by Mr D. Herlihy from a Lincoln-Romney cross of sheep bred by himself. To-day Mr Herlihy showed us the report and valuation of the wool referred to in January. The report is from Messrs Thomas and Cook, brokers for the National Bank, and it reads as follows:—“ Greasy crossbred, ,46‘s quality, medium length, fairly light iu grease; value lid to 111(1.’’ Forty-sixes, otherwise .known as crossbred fine; is a standard of' wool that ■ will • always command, a good; shlq. • .Mr Herlihy haVdcinonrirated tho’ value of the cross with Lincoln, ewes and, Romney 1 rams, and his example is worthy of. emulation, particularly in : view of ;the increasing demand for pur staple article .of produce, which will necessarily follow, if the American tariff is taken off, - and ho is to be congratulated; on* the quality, of wool his slieep liave, produced. ■ Tho unemployed question, has given rise to some anxiety in Australia of late, and the latest official reports on the subject are not of a very encouraging character. At'the end of-March last returns wore received from 451' trades unions, possessing a total membership of 237,216', and it was shown' that 15,234 of that number were out of work. On a percentage basis the figures represented a slight .ncrease over those, of the final quarter of last year. The. present percentage of 6,4, however, is tho highest since 1906, when it-was 6.7. The lowest year since that date was 1911, when the percentage reached 4.7, but in the following year it jumped to 5.5. The increase of last quarter occurred mainly in tho building and timber and wood trades, .and in tho mining the States chiefly affected being New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Tho building industry has been particularly affected, 9.1 per cent, of tho members of the unions connected with it being unable to find occupation. Miners and quarrymen come next in misfortune, and food, drink,' and tobacco employees were third on. tho list, their proportion of unemployment being 7.7, as against the former’s 8.1. The printing trade appears to be in a fairly flourishing condition, but land transporters are the best off of all, with a percentage of only 2.1 of their number unable to gain a livelihood at their calling. Of the total amount of unemployed 84.3 per cent, was set down as due to “lack of week,” 12.5 per cent, to "sickness and accidents,’.’ and 3.2 to “other causes." • Mr Burcham Clamp, the well-known Sydney architect, who returned last week from a tour of the world, visited all tho principal American cities, for the purpose of studying the latest and most up-to-date methods of building construction. “I was very much impressed,” he said, to a Telegraph reporter, “with the steelconstructed buildings, tho amount of space they provide, tho rapidity with which the buildings are erected, and the strength of the structures. The Woodworth building, which is 55 storeys high, roaches 780 ft, into tho air. But really it is a misnomer to call this a 55-storeyed building, as the main structure is only 30 storeys, the other portion being iu the form of a tower, which rises the extra height. Still, the 30-storeyed portion is 350 ft. .high. The architectural treatment the building has received is magnificent. I found the Ame■ricans quite up-to-date. The use of steel is general. 'Unit is different to Sydney, which seems to be the only place in the world ■ behind iu this respect. The benefits •derived from «tho use of steel in constructional work is to bp, seen in tho mammoth say scraper—the Woodworth Buildings—which has wads only 30in in thickness. If a building of 20’ storeys was being put up in Sydney it would be necessary, under the present out-of-date building regulations, to have walls Oft thick. So you will sec that not only is the steel wall a great saving in material, but iu frontages, and in a locality like Hie heart of Sydney that is a very important item, especially where land is worth about .61,000 perfect. ' /

“There seems to be an impression in the minds of numerous people who have not read anything on tin? subject that Alaska is a region of fearful cold, that the lot of the miners is one of great hardship; and that the country is quite uninteresting. That is not so” (says Mr Max Von Bernowitz, in a letter to his brother, in Wellington). “The winters are cold, and during that period several mining districts cannot be reached by boat, but work is carried on in many places, getting ready for the spring and summer. The summers are warm, and splendid vegetables, etc., are grown. There is plenty of timber growing in nearly every mining camp. The towns of Cordova, Dawson; Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, Knik, Nome, bkagway, Whitehorse, and others are provided with many modern conveniences, including electric light, telephones, water, and wireless installations. In the winter the population decreases by about 40 per cent. There are 4G5 miles of railway in Alaska. The total trade in 1912 was 72,471,000 dollars. The Yukon is. of Croat navigable value to both the Canadians and Americans. The Copper River canon is almost as fine as thc.Grjud Caavon of Colorado Fiver, in Arizona., hein* 'OO mile-1 long, from 4000 to 7000 feet deep, and from 2£ no 4 miles wide.”

The latest'additions to the Telephone Exchange' is- Np. 378, Mr Imlay Saunders, Guardian Assurance, Coy., Bidgway St. ' A first offender for insobriety was odpvictcd and discharged by Mr Kerr, S.Mat the Police Court this morning. . Members of the vaifihuK cadet companW taking part in the Hawera Military Tournament will fall in’ lit the. Drill Hall at 6.15 sharp to-morrow morning., Borough workmen are at present engaged in tarring the footpath along the ijiver Bank Road at Aramoho, cousiclerntion for .which The Aramoho residents will ho grateful for. . ,e ' Replying to. Lord Sydenham regarding the unrestricted entrance of timc-exdirm soldiers Jnto Australia and New Zealand. Lord Emmott said the British Government was, not prepared to make represeritatious to the colonial Governments on the subject.

Steady progress is being made with jfhe erection of the Dublin . Stsept bridge, 'file first span’ from tlio’ Wanganui East aids ,w practically completed, footway placed in position. The second (ri«ui is almost ready to, bo.,placed >.» poeitidn, while good progress is being made With the construction of the cylinders, ’ oil of which are above high water. At a largely attended" No-liconse demonstration at Wellington last night the chief 'speakers: were; Messrs H. T4. 1 Bedford and H. H.' Cornish (Dunedin). It was announced that a strong fight would bo put up at next election to secure the return of candidates supporting a reduction of the three-filths majority. A. pledge not to support any candidate wl\o will not do his utmost to remove or reduce the three-fifths , majority is being circulated. :

A native named Noil Wilson appeared before Mr W. Kerr, S.M. at the Police Court this morning to answer a charge of using obscene language in a public place. Mr A. Hogg appeared for him and pleaded guilty. It sefcms from the police statement that Wilson went to the taxi stand on the. afternoon of the 27th ultimo, and asked to be driven to Kauan-e-aroa for ISs but the driver wanted 30s. This did npt ; satisfy the Maori,, who indulged in the language complained of. It was pointed out that defendant was under the influence of liquor at the time, but this was not hold as an excuse. In giving judgment, his Worship took into consideration tho fact that defendant did not, sufficiently realise the infamous character of a language he used, coupled with the faet that he was a first offender, a"d fined him ..£5 with, costs .amounting to ■£2, or' in default one month's .imprisonment with hard' labpiir.■'Tiiho’wcfs ‘given iu which to pay. '

Rome imposing statisticsof,> tho Jciiiomatograph industry . are' supplied by\;th« German official 'returns recently “publish, ed. • Germany , is nbtj Ihe chief producer of kinematograph films, because more are imported than are exported from ' Germany. - .During the last .financial, year thirty-seven- million yirds' of film were imported, while only twojitv-twq million yank were exported. ’ The chief impdrfot’ of films to Germany, is, Eiigluiid, followed at considerable.' disfapee -bv France,, Italy, and Dpnmark. The real figure fqr Kjjg—land is considerably, less, because most of the American films, pass through Lnn r don and are counted as. English. -OfGerman .export six and a-hiilf millipH yards wept to France and pearly five a-half millions td Italy. The• immi>nsi& amount of work entailed nnon the German censorship of films is almost incredible. According to'tho official' returns durjtis June alone 154,000 yards of film (87| miles’) wore examined by tho censor; and in July 173,000 yards >9B miles). It jit difficult to estimate tho average cost of manufacturing . a film, -nays, 4he report, because flic managers grimly oxagorati the fees paid to tho artists acting for the purpose of advertisement. However, it is a matter of common knowledge that M, Max Linder, “tho Pilm King” proclaims that he has received .£40,000 itt three years as “kincmatograph stage manager’’ for a’ famous French firm. The same house produces sixty miles of film every week at a cost of -64000, which produce a revenue of -6320 weekly, or Tfli--000 a year. i