SOCIETY ON DITS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XI, 10 September 1898, Page 345

SOCIETY ON DITS.

That Mr Seddon thinks it would be wise for Parliament to give the Government power to purchase and the means of puchasiug specimens that were of scientific interest and rare value to the colony —such as the Notomis Mantelli (takaha), that rare bird of which a specimen was lately found in the South Island. That an interesting little ecr iuouy was witnesses, in the yards of Messrs C. anil W. Bailey, Auckland, on Saturday morning, when the new oil engine launch, built by these gentlemen for the Auckland Naval Artillery Volunteers, was launched. A great number of spectators, many of them ladies, were present , and the little vessel was christened the ‘Alert’ by the Countess of Seafield, whose young son, the Hon. Trevor Grant, is one of the lieutenants of the Naval Company. The Countess then delivered a short speech. Captain Commandant Le Roy and Mr Malcolm Niecol, Chairman of the Harbour Board, also spoke, and cheers were given for the builders, engineers, and the Countess of Seafield. The ‘Alert.' which is a very smart looking little vessel, can hold 80 men. and, at. her preliminary trial on Saturday afternoon, registered a speed of 10 knots an hour.

That Waikato farmers favour the introduction of bats and toads to combat the insect pests which so handicap agricultural pursuits.

That the northern districts are going to combine with the view of getting themselves worthily represented at the Auckland Exhibition. Several of the local bodies have already voted sums of money for the purpose.

That Mr Tom Taylor seems to have a very poor opinion of the body to which he belongs, since he declares that the New Zealand Parliament is the most effete organisation in the colony, and that the struggle going on in Parliament is merely for party supremacy, not for the interests of the country. That Auckland volunteers thoroughly appreciate the prompt generosity of the Auckland Gas Company, who have lost no time in fulfilling their promise to gratuitously erect lamps on the allotment at the rear of the Drill Hall.

That the Engineers of New Zealand, both men and employers, are highly indignant with Mr A. Morrison, M.H.R.. for stating that not twentyfive of New Zealand trained engineers could hold their own in English shops, and they have called upon Mr Morrison to withdraw his statement, which he refuses to do.

That it is not improbable that Devonport may rejoice as soon as Auckland, or sooner, in a system of electric trams within the borough and extending to Lake Takapuna. An application for permission to supply Devonport with electric trams and also with electric light has been received by the Council and referred to a committee.

That floating coral is so very seldom encountered that it is interesting to learn that a monster block, floating like pumice, has drifted on to the quarantine island, Fiji, and has been promptly secured.

That the heated discussion between the Nelson Education Board and its town schools committee on the ever disputable point of giving religious instruction in schools, seems no nearer a conclusion now than it was when it first, started. That the collection of extinct birds of the Chatham Islands in the gallery of the New Zealand room of the Christchurch Museum has now been almost completed by the recent, addition of a skeleton of the extinct crow of the Chatham Islands—a bird as large as the European raven. That at a meeting of the Women's Reform League, held in Auckland last week, a resolution ‘That in view of the alarming increasing gambling spirit of the community and its attendant evils the city members l>e requested to support the Restraint of Wagering Bill now liefore Parliament' was moved by Mrs Johnston, seconded by Mrs Robb, and passed by the meeting.

That Auckland volunteers have lieen complaining of the long delay in commencing the work of repairs and improvements at the Mount Eden Rifle Range, ami the consequent, inconvenient. extension of time during which the rifle range will lie unavailable for shooting practice.

That the Wellington Tree Planting and Scenery Preservation Society have lodged a claim with the City Council of Wellington to have refunded the sum of £36 6s, which the society expended in fencing and planting a reserve in Salamanca Hoad, which the Council are now leasing for building purposes, thus upsetting the work of the society.

That the Wellington Education Board have determined to adopt the system of military drill. All other forms of drill, excepting that with clubs and wands, are to be discontinued.

That a Canterbury fanner who recently went shooting managed to bag lot hares within four hours. The feat seems worthy of Baron Munchausen, but one must not be too sceptical. That Dr. Denny, at a recent meeting of the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society, suggested how important it was from a scientific point of view that the tuatara lizard should be taken care of, since it was only to be found in one or two islands north of New Zealand, and was the only existent representative of a very ancient family. That they are proposing to form a New Zealand Association of Caledonian Societies, which should adopt uniform rules for all the Caledonian Societies of New Zealand, and should hold a championship meeting either in Wellington or Dunedin. That the Board of Trade inquiry at Westminster, London, into the cause of the loss of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s s.s. Mataura has resulted in the exoneration of the captain (Captain Milward) from blame, and the confirmation of the theory that the vessel had struck on an uncharted rock in the Magellan Strait.

That Mr Gustave C. Henley, a gentleman who was connected with the World’s Fair, at Chicago, came across from America by the Mariposa last week, and when in Auckland visited the Exhibition buildings and approved of the general design of the Exhibition and the plan upon which the various works are being executed.

That the New Zealand Tablet have been able to collect the comparatively large sum of £BOO for the relief of distress in the South of Ireland.

That the fiat has gone forth that hares in Canterbury are to be accounted vermin in the future, and the Acclimatisation Society are to recommend the Colonial Secretary to allow the poor puss to be shot without a license during the season. It is expected that hare under various forms will figure largely in Canterbury table menus.

That. Sumner (Christchurch) ~is somewhat of an anomaly among New Zealand boroughs, for it has no bank overdraft. That a number of the members of Parliament and their wives are contemplating an excursion to the Marlborough Sounds, in the Government steamer ‘Tutanekai.’ at the end of this month. If undertaken, the trip should prove a most enjoyable one, as the scenery in some parts of the Sounds is very fine. That when the alterations at the Central Mission Hall. Albert-street. Auckland, are completed, the hall will have sitting accommodation for about. 600 people. Messrs Mitchell and Watt, architects, have accepted the tender of Mr Hirst, builder, for the execution of the work.

That at the annual meeting of the Star Boating Club in Wellington last week, it was decided to present the late President of the Club. Mr Edward Pearce, who has occupied the position for 16 years, with an address, prior to his departure for England, in recognition of the many valuable services rendered by him to the Club during the past 22 years. That an industry for making potash by a special treatment, of the ashes of the rata tree has been started in th.Halcombe (Manawatu) district, and it is expected that it will prove scceessful, seeing that the rata contains the largest percentage of potash of any of the New Zealand woods yet experimented upon.

That garden robberies have become most unpleasantly rife in Wellingion lately, one unfortunate resident having the whole of a large bed of very choice narcissi and other spring bulbs stolen, as soon as they were in full bloom.

That the Hawera Chamber of Commerce have sent out a circular to the various other Chambers of Commerce suggesting that the Department should be asked to alter lh.«t r« gi la-

tion which levies extra postage on letters Jxisted on mail trams and thus puts a quite uncalled for tux on business people. That Mr A. R. Atkinson lately delivered a very telling and most amusing speech to the Wellington Citizens’ Union on the subject of the Old Age Pensions Bill, in which speech he showed how Mr Wm. Sykes, of Hounsditch, London, burglar by profession, could qualify himself for one of these pensions with the least inconvenience to himself, and the least amount of disturbance of the long-established fek r.'ous habits which may be regarded as second nature to the gentleman in question.

That thieves of a peculiarly despicnbl ■ order stem to have got loose in tire Hastings District, for th? Church o; I'ng’and there was recently raided by them at night and a quantity of sacramental wine carried off.

That it would be really satisfactory to know what can account for the extraordinary differences that sometimes exist in the sums asked for by tenderers for the execution of some simple piece of work, which would seem to allord no scope for expensive elaborations. A Christchurch lawn tennis club the other day called for tenders for levelling some ground for tennis purposes, and the highest among the tenderers sent in was £lO2, while the lowest—the one accepted—w:is £ I 10/. Does the difference between these two sums merely show the difference between the amount of conscience respectively possessed by the Iwo tenderers?

That the Government have been throwing out vague threats of applying the cloture if the Opposition will persist n their obstructing methods. That lovers and cultivators of chrysanthemums will be interested in learning that Mr Thomas Wells, of Cambridge. has just received a consignment of chrysanthemums from England, that have arrived in perfect order, no less than 39 out of 41 being alive. Of this number 31 are believed to be new to the colonies. Only a few days ago Mr W. F. Buckland, of Cambridge, received a consignment of new varieties from the Old Country, so that Cambridge has now, undoubtedly, the largest number of new varieties in the Southern Hemisphere. That a lecture which promises to be of a very interesting nature, entitled, ‘English Life and Shakespeare’s Days,’ will be delivered on Thursday evening next, Sth inst., by Professor Egerton, M.A., in St. Sepulchre’s parish hall, Burleigh-street, Auckland. The lecture will be illustrated by limelight slides and musical selections.

That Auckland members might do well for their constituencies if they took a leaf out of the book of Otago members and brought pressure to bear on the Government by declaring that if the claims of their province in railway matters were not satisfied they would know the reason why, a threat suggesting to Government Ministers visions of a whole province’s members marching in a solid phalanx to vote with the Opposition. That the Waitohi (Picton) Debating Society has decided by a good majority that bachelors must be'taxed. That the Musical Linion Concert at the Tuam-street Hall, Christchurch, on Thursday night certainly did not pourtray the ‘light side of nature.’ There was a very large audience, but 1 think they took it like a dose and tried not to make a wry face. The ‘Martyr of Antioch’ was the work produced, and was not as fascinating as many things given by this popular society. The soloists were Mrs Revell, Miss Davie, M essrs M. Gardiner, Keys and Carew. It had the distinct advantage of being over by 10 p.m.

That at a meeting of the Home Industries Committee of the Auckland Exhibition, held on Friday, it was decided that a living whist and chess tournament should be given during the Exhibition, and the following ladies were appointed a sub-committee to go into the question of the cost of dresses and report to the Committee at next meeting:—Mesdames Nelson, Devore, Kent and St. Clair.

That Mrs W. D. Webster, of New Plymouth, gave a very pleasant children's party, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., at her residence.

That while reading a paper on the ‘Volcanoes of the Pacific’ before the Wellington Philosophical Society recently, Mr Coleman Philips used two small bottles containing specimens of red and l»ack scoria dust from Falcon ii .I. in the South Seas, to illustrate his lecture. These specimens of

scoria now possess a most unique interest, as they are the only fragments of the island in existence above water, as the officers of H.M.s. Porpoise bring the news of the total disappearance of Falcon Island beneath the sea.

That the Roman Catholic Synod is to be held in Wellington in January next, at St. Patrick’s College. All the Roman Catholic Bishops of New Zealand are to be in Wellington, in order to attend it, and the annual retreat of the Catholic priests will be held there at the same time.

That Captain Kenny, M.L.C., ‘The Rocks,’ Queen Charlotte Sound, has been in Marlborough lately inquiring officially into several complaints made by Sound settlers, about gates, on the tracks made about the Sounds. Sheep are getting mixed up, and cattle are taking advantage of the new roads to visit their neighbour’s pastures.

That H.M.s. Tauranga left Wellington for Auckland and Rarotonga on Saturday last, the Captain and officers having, as usual, been most hospitable to their many friends while the warship was in port. That influenza has taken a really good hold in Picton, and most families have received a visit from the unwelcome intruder.

That the dance which was given by Mrs Moore-Jones, of Remuera, Auckland, on the occasion of the breakingup of her school for the term holidays, was a very successful affair, and was much enjoyed by all present. That it is very pleasant to learn that the Auckland District Manchester Unity Oddfellows has resolved to endow three cots in the new Children’s Hospital. It certainly looks as if the Children’s Hospital will be generously befriended. That Hawera is to be in fete to welcome the Governor when he visits the town next week, and that it intends to entertain him at a ball. That the many friends of Mr Charles C. Choyce, eldest son of Mr Choyce, of the firm of Messrs Milne and Choyce, of Auckland, will be very pleased to learn how well he is getting on with his medical studies at the Edinburgh University. He has gained the medal for practical materia medica, besides winning three first class and two second class honours in other subjects. That the momentous question of what, are you going to wear? is the problem exercising the social world in Wellington at present, in view of the near approach of the Fancy Dress Ball at Government House. Many are obtaining gowns from England and Melbourne for the event, which will be of course, the event of the session socially, and the invitations have not been restricted to Wellington, as guests have been invited from all parts of New Zealand.

That a deputation of Auckland members have recently been urging the claims of the neglected North—the claim most prominently set forth, in this case, being the vigorous pushing on of the extension of the Kaipara railway line—upon the Minister for Public Works, Mr Hall-Jones. That a very handsome spirit stand was presented to Mr W. Wylie, the officer in charge of the Wellington Telephone Exchange, on Wednesdaylast, as a small token of goodwill and regard, from the office staff in Wellington, on the occasion of his transference to Auckland. During the afternoon Mr and Mrs Wylie entertained all the staff who could obtain liberty from the Exchange, at an ‘At Home’ at Ross’ beautiful gardens, at the Lower Hutt, the afternoon being thoroughly enjoyed by all present. Mr and Mrs Wylie left by the Elingamite for Auckland on Thursday, carrying with them the good wishes of a very large circle of friends in Wellington.