News of the Dominion.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 24, 14 June 1911, Page 4

News of the Dominion.

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER. The Industrial Exhibition. 61 f LI’HOUGH Wellington's ludu-s- -/ I trial Exhibition cannot be de- * J scribed exactly as the biggest, brightest, and best affair of the sort yet held iu New Zealand —despite the Commissioner's complacent cable to that effect to His Majesty the King—it is nevertheless a very creditable display of our New Zealand trade goods, and it increases in interest with repeated visits. The Committee have had to exereise economy in fitting up the big buildings, consequently bare bricks and galvanised iron are rather too obtrusive. But if the Exhibition is not decorative, it at any rate is useful. Some people have described it as "a huge bazaar,’’ and naturally the shop element predominates. But on the upper floor one gets away from shops, and there is certainly a great deal to see and admire in the Government Departmental courts and the technical schools and art sections. A particularly interesting exhibit is that arranged by the Rev. D. C. Bates, head of the Government Weather Buream This is a collection of instruments used in working meteorological observations, amongst them an ingenious device for recording sunshine. The Agricultural Department has an exhibit worth seeing, covering pretty well all the produets of New Zealand's soil; there is a particularly good display of flax manufactures, showing every stage in the industry from the green leaf up to the finished coil of rope. Some very elever work by New Zealand’s youngsters was shown in the series of boys devoted to the technical schools; judging from the examples of wood-carving and carpentering, and metal-working and designing shown here there is no lack of mechanical constructive t’alent amongst our colonial youths. Some of the drawings—there are hundreds of them—are well worthy of praise. The demonstrations of scientific cookery. of home nursing, of laundry work, held nightly, are of particular interest to the ladies, who throng to watch these useful object lessons. The demonstrations of wireless telegraphy are also interesting. and are so clearly explained as to be very readily comprehended by the great Wellington public. Up to-date about fifty thousand people have visited the Exhibition. “ Tickets ” for Sea-cooks. At last sea-cooks are to be certificated; and just about time, too. Under the new Shipping and Seamen’s Aet every British foreign-going ship of not less than a thousand tons gross leaving a New Zealand port must carry a certificated cook able to prove one month’s service at sea in some capacity. - Our Marine Department doesn’t propose to examine cooks, but cooks wanting certificates must obtain them from the technical schools. The new idea hardly goes far enough, for there is not a single New Zealand or inter colonial sailing vessel to which it will apply, and surely the digestive organs of the sailors on those hookers need some consideration. Nevertheless it covers most of the deep-sea ships, sail and steam, trading in and out of our ports. The gentleman who makes the duff will have to look to his pots and pans now. and if the technical schools will only bar fifty per cent, of the pea-soup-spoilers they will be doing the seafarer a good turn. Bad food is bad enough on board ship, but it is worse still to have good food spoiled by some deadbeat, whose only chance of getting a berth is to call himself a sea-cook. The Isles of Regeneration. There has been some correspondence in the local papers touching those Salvation Army inebriate homes. Rotoroa and Pakatoa Islands, up in the Hauraki Gulf. Unlucky chronic “drunks” describe them as prisons. Open-air prisons. certainly, but the men and women who are sent there to serve their one or two years’ sentences eannot escape, except by swimming, and if they do perform the Hinemoa feat and get away they are pretty certain to be recaptured. A newspaper correspondent, signing himself “A V ictim.” pertinently asks whether it is a “fair thing’’ that a mon should be punished with a year’s iuipria-

onment for merely getting drunk. If it is simply a punishment, it seems rather out of proportion to the crime. Then, if it is a reformatory, as it is claimed, we ought to know something definite as to the results of the incarceration.

Waikato Winter Show. The fifth annual Waikato Winter Show was opened on June sth by Mr. Greenslade. M.P.. who was supported on the platform by Mr. Bennett (the President >. Mr. Young (the Mayor of Hamilton), Mr. Jennings (the Member for Taumarunui), Mr. Clifton tthe Director of Experimental Earms), and many members of the Committees. The speeches, of course, were mainly congratulatory, but from one we gathered that the entries at the first show totalled 975; in this, the fifth show, the entries had increased to 2.600. a matter for sincere congratulation. The most important class was undoubtedly the one for butter suitable for export, open to dairy factories all over the Dominion. A most imposing silver Coronation Challenge Cup had been presented by Messrs. Lovell and Christinas for this elass, valued at 100 guineas. Particular care was taken in the judging of the boxes, which had to be sent to the cool store iu Auckland for a certain time. The winner was the Taieri-Peninsula Milk Supply Co., with 93 points; Cheltenham Dairy Co., second, with 921 points; Bunnythorpe Dairy Co., third, with 91J points. As usual, the exhibit of roots was very large, most enormous turnips, swedes, mangolds, etc., being shown. The Rotorua Meat- Co., which last year won the silver cup, was again first, winning the handsome gold watch presented by Messrs. Laurie and Co. for the best swedes grown under field conditions. The Department of Agriculture had a particularly good display from the various experimental farms. These cover quite a wide range, from colonial wines to lovely dessert apples, and from grain to grasses and weeds. The Ruakura Farm shows 120 varieties of potatoes, labelled, to show the various yields. Another interesting exhibit was the Farmers’ Bay by Mr. J. Banks, of Leigh. No less than' 315 different articles were shown, all being produced on one farm of 120 acres 40 miles North of Auckland. This seemed to inelude everything one could think of. There were 22 different woods, 19 varieties of grain and grass seeds. Then the woman’s side of farm life was well shown—eakes. jams, jellies, 16 varieties of preserved fruits, candles, honey, potted meat. etc. It seems a pity that this interesting feature was not better contested. The exhibit of apples was very good. Mr. MeLiver, of the Thames, winning all the first prizes, amounting to a little over £lO and silver medal of the Royal Horticultural Society, England.

In the horticultural section Miss Searanke and Mr. Richardson (a Parnell exhibitor) divided the prizes for potplants among Jhem, the perennial balsams of the latter making a good show. Mrs. Biggs had a specially fine collection of cut flowers, comprising bouvardias, begonias. salvia, marigolds, eosma, African daisy, heath, chrysanthemum, azalea, stocks, and roses, really a wonderful exhibit. considering the dry season experienced.

The table decorations, which were held on two days of the show, proved very attractive. The first prize was taken on one day by Mrs. Wilson, with a bold decorative scheme in autumn tints and foliage, and on the second day Mrs. Biggs carried the honours with a very dainty arrangement of cream and yellow abutilons, with feathery grass and maidenhair. The third prize. Mrs. T. Jolly’s table, was also very artistic, being deeorated in mauve everlasting sweet peas and periwinkle, with maidenhair. The prize for 12 varieties of garden vegetables, carrying with it the bronze medal of the Royal Horticultural Society, was won by a Waikato resident —Mr. W. Run ciman.

The classes for cooking did not appear to be very well contested, excepting that for scones, made with a certain baking powder, for which there were 48 entries, the fortunate winner proving to be Miss Watt, who thus won the dinnet set offered. The scholar’s classes were well filled —l9 entries in one class and 35 in an-

other—showing the children had done their duty bravely, some of the writing, brushwork and sewing being particularly good. The. prize essay was woa by Frances Jolly, of the Hamilton Girls’ School. The display of fancy needlework was very interesting, and some really artmtie work was shown.. The elass calling for greatest competition was for tlie prettiest table centre (22 entries), the first-prize one ( Mrs. E. C. Banks) winning with a dainty white chiffon embroidered article. During the week there were various special attractions. The cadet corps of the district competed on Wednesday, Hamilton East No. 1 winning, thus gaining the Howden Cup for the third time, and a silver medal for each boy. beside money prizes. The National Physique. General Godley, Commandant' of the New Zealand forces, had something interesting to say last week, relative to the physique of young New Zealanders—a topic of considerable controversy throughout the Dominion at the present time. Asked by a “.Star” representative for his opinion. General Godley said that he had been rather surprised at the trend of reeent criticism on this subject. Sines his arrival he had toured pretty well every part of the Dominion, and had had ample opportunity of judging the physique of the youth of this country. All that he could say was that he was very favourably impressed indeed, and saw no reason at all for any concern about the physical development of young New Zealanders. At times, of course, as was only to be expected, he had met cases where physical exercise was required to set up a youth lacking development. In this connection he did not mean that he advocated the use of dumb-bells and clubs, but rather the adoption of the Swedish system of physical training. Generally speaking, however, the young men in New Zealand would, in his opinion, compare very favourably with those of any other country in the world from the point of view of physique. Cabinet Approves Death Sentence. The Executive Council on Saturdaydecided that the death sentence on Tahi Xaka should be carried out. On April 20th Kaka was arrested at Kaikohe on a charge of having murdered a gumdigger named John Freeman. Freeman had been missing from his whare ’at Puhipuhi. near Whangarei, since April 5. and at the time of the disappearance he was in possession of a considerable sum of money. Kaka was the last man seen in Freeman’s company, and subsequently had been spending money freely. The body of the murdered man was found in a deep gorge to which the prisoner directed the police. Accused had made certain statements from which it appears that he demanded money from Freeman, and wanted to fight. Freeman made a sweep at Kaka with his gum spear, but missed him. and stumbled, whereupon Kaka hit him a violent blow on the head with a broom handle, and as the old man attempted to defend himself Kaka struck him again, smashing the base of his skull. Kaka then, it is alleged, abstracted the sum of ,£4O odd from Freeman’s pocket, and proceeded to spend money lavishly, which led to suspicion and to his arrest. All through the trial both in the lower and higher courts, Kaka’s demeanour was that of an utterly callous individual. At the Supreme Court the accused answered “ Not Guilty” in clear and good English when the charge was read over to him, and he did not show any sign of being affected by the seriousness of,the crime with which he was charged. He looked intelligent enough, and has a pleasant countenance for a native, with nakedly boyish features, a heavy shock of black eurly hair parted in the centre, and a body not yet developed. He was well dressed, and wore a white collar and light waistcoat. On his general bearing one would hesitate about regarding him as an active participant, single-handed to boot, in such a grim tragedy as that which it was alleged he had committed in the wild desolate country around Puhipuhi. Neither when the jury’s verdict was announced nor when prisoner was asked if he had anything to say why the sentence of death should be passed upon him, did Kaka show the slightest trace of feeling, and remained silent and unmoved. Assuming the black cap. his Honor solemnly pronounced death in tho statutory form; “You shall be taken to the

gallows, and there hnng by the necte till you are dead.’’ “ Very bad business,” somewhat casually remarked the condemned youth to his attendants when he got below. “Yes, very bad for you,” was the rejoinder. ” When will you hang me!” further inquired the prisoner, and when it was explained to hint that the recommendation of mercy had yet to be considered, and might possibly result in the death sentence being commuted, Kaka showed signs of animation and surprise, in place of the silent indifference that he exhibited throughout the trial.

When Kaka was informed that the extreme sentence would be carried into effect, his cool demeanour did not alter in the slightest. He received the news with the calm indifference characteristic

of his attitude during the progress of the ease at the Supreme Court. The last occasion on which a man was hanged in Mt. Eden Gaol was 18 year® ago, when Scott paid the death penalty iu connection with the Waitakerei murder.

Their Fewer end Peril. HON. DR. FINDLAY’S AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS. The Hou. Dr. Findlay (Attorney-Gen-eral and Minister of Justice), who is accompanying the Prime Minister on his English visit, was able to renew his acquaintance with Canada and the United States during the journey to England, and he has given the benefit of his impressions to his colleague, the Hon. George Fowlds. From this exceedingly interesting letter we have been able to make extracts which deal vividly with subjects of world wide Importance. “You will observe that we are crossing the Atlantic in the R.M.s. Lusitania, of 32,000 tons register and something over 08,000 horse power,” writes Dr. Findlay. ‘‘What strikes me most is the strange congeries of nationalities on board. There seems to be about a dozen foreign tongues spoken almost- as much as one’s own. These people, however, but merely represent modern America. Forty-nine different tongues are now spoken in New York. America still accepts whatever likes to come, so long as it has a few dollars in its pocket and cannot be regarded as physically or menially defective. The influx still goes on, and the best estimates made by experts looking into the future make it clear that within forty years more than seventy-five per cent of the whole population of the United States will either !be foreign-born or of foreign extraction. Of course, it is impossible to predict ■what effect this is going to have in producing a new type, but that it must profoundly modify the Anglo-Saxon type is perfectly clear. It has, as I have observed already, done so. Its chief significance for us is that it impairs that racial sympathy with the Anglo-Saxon nation which we are disposed to attribute in too great a degree to America of to-day. One of the questions which every British subject feels to be a Vital one is: What is the national attitude (as regards friendliness) of America to our Empire? No question is harder to answer, and on some of my visits to the States, when I have met members and descendants of old families, like the late H. D. Lloyd, I have been disposed to think that there was a living and spontaneous friendliness on the part of the American people for those of our nation. “It is the view of- the better class that is most frequently expressed in the leading journals, but the true measure of a national feeling on such a matter as this is not what the best class think, but what is the regard of the bulk of •the people—the general attitude of the man in the street? Now, it cannot for a moment be denied that the feelings of ■America have grown more friendly towards us. When I recall the bitterness I saw there eighteen years ago, there ■was abundant room for some such change; but I am satisfied that, we in iNew Zealand over-estimated the friendliness of the great bulk of the American people towards the Empire. We think too much of the fact that the two nations speak the same tongue; we talk loosely of their inheriting the same traditions. overlooking the fact that foreigners form a considerable majority of the whole population throughout the country. A very

large majority in all the centres have not our traditions, either from their language or their history, but on the contrary have to a large extent inherited national dislikes and racial antipathies to the British nation.

“Of course it is impossible to deny, even in this year of the Christian era, that national hatred throughout the world is more common than national affection, and national jealousy commoner than either. America’s regard for us has improved largely because her jealousy has decreased. She has already twice the population of the United Kingdom, and she has outstripped us in many directions in which we deemed ourselves matchless. Everywhere one hears in the United States a self-com-placent tone of pitying superiority towards our Motherland. I was told by several shrewd men who are more than usually friendly to our Empire that the British had struck their ‘twelve o’clock,’ and that America must soon leave her far in the rear as a progressive and manufacturing nation. “You will remember that reciprocity between the States and Canada is just now the question of the hour. Upon it the people of Canada are greatly divided, although there seems to be little doubt that both countries will adopt the proposed treaty. This aims at ultimately establishing free trade for the (principal raw products and some of the manufactures of each country. Behind the proposed reciprocity tariff many Canadians have raised the bogey of annexation, or, at least, of the merger of Canada into her greater neighbour. What both Canada and the States fear is, no trouble on the eastern, but on the western, coast. There is a genuine and growing apprehension of trouble with Japan and China. There are already 140.000 Japanese and 80.000 Chinamen in the United States; and a very large number of both nationalities in Canada.

“Are you aware that the States have, partly by legislation, and partly by treaty arrangement, shut out both Chinese and Japanese immigration, but with the growth of Japan’s sea power, and with the possible combination of China and Japan, there is in the minds of many of the leading men, both in Canada and America, a genuine apprehension of trouble from the East? It is felt by many of the leading Americans that, in view of this peril, it is in the highest degree desirable that a British dominion like that of Canada should be united with the States in strong protective action against this possible invasion.

A closer alliance between Canada and the States in the proposed reciprocal treaty would help to bring America and England closer together. Canada—the greatest daughter of the Empire—should become the closer friend of America, and so help to bring, perhaps, only in the far future, the Great Western Eng-lish-speaking people into one union with ourselves, to secure the peace of the world. “The Canadian future is difficult to foretell. She has trodden in the footsteps of her great neighbour. A continuous and immense volume of foreign immigration is now pouring into Canada. No doubt a large factor of her present immigration is British, but the foreign element is larger. Still Canada opens her gates even more widely than the

States to this element. Already in her large cities a great foreign element is found. In Winnipeg there are in onequarter of this centre 40,000 foreigners, and, as you are aware, the foreign element in Montreal is larger still. It seemed to me that Canada, too, will one day have less Anglo-Saxon than foreign stock within her borders. The influence of this stock upon Imperial solidity and loyalty may already be sees in the French element of Canada to day. 1 have travelled Canada from east to west, and have stayed in various centres on two occasions since the Boer War, and one cannot help questioning whether the loyalty of Canada to the Motherland has the same strong, genuine spontaneousness which marks the loyalty of New Zealand. The Canadians are proud of our Empire, and of their association with it, but they are certainly not British people in the full degree which New Zealanders are. So sagacious a man as Bryce, the British Ambassador, declares that within the limit of existing lives America may have three hundred millions of people, Canada may have one hundred million, and if the two nations, totalling four hundred million souls, stand together, with all the power their wealth, intelligence, and vigour imply, their ability to promote and secure some means of universal arbitration in place of war will be incalculable. One thing is clear that the Americans are, and will lie. wholly on the side of peace. They hate the aggressive military spirit of the Germans, and believe that our empire stands for peace. But this is a long way from feeling inclined to join us in any struggle to maintain peace.” Judges and Commissions. Speaking at a gathering of the Women’s Social and Political League in Wellington, the Hon. G. Fowlds referred to the recent attacks made by Opposition speakers on the Supreme Court Bench. When expressing any opinion on the question whether it was desirable that Supreme Court Judges should be appointed to special commissions and paid for the extra judicial work done thereon, Opposition members had attempted to make it appear that this sort of proceedings was a new and wicked innovation on the part of the present Government. For instance, in connection with the revision of the statutes,'a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand had been appointed on a similar commission,, and had received payment for services rendered in connection therewith. The appointment and payment were made with the approval of two different Governments—the Grey and the Hall Governments—and the payments were passed by two different Parliaments, and as far as was known, no accusation of impropriety had been made against either of the Governments concerned. He claimed

that in such work as revision of the statutes it was essential that the highest judicial mind in the country should be at the service of the Government. That it should be held that such service done in the Judge’s time should not be paid for was quite in keeping with the inclination to “sweat,” which the Opposition and its class had shown in the past Considering the importance of the native land question and the confused state into which tile native land law had got, it was equally important that the services of the highest judicial authority should be available to bring about a satisfactory settlement of the difficulty. He ventured the opinion that if the report of the Native Land Commission had been in favour of the wholesale alienation of native lauds to all and sundry without regard to native interests, the action of the Government in appointing the Chief Justice on that Commission would have lieeu hailed a* a manifestation of wisdom.

Flights in Mew ZealaxL Th, French Cowl at Aneklaad. M Faul. Ms ret. - ha- romped a SeMet from the xxiete hiten-atknale d’AviaiiOS. wh*h ha- its headquarters al Ostend. 13 trierenve to a proposed tour ef Australasia by its certificated aviator. M. Ret* <* zi.. who. ji April last. broke th* Itan.—L record for altitude and duratioa. M. Coz*- p-—~ the high—t te—ttnuwiiab from the Aeroa Club of Belgium. the Ostend Aero Club, the officials of the loutrai Aviation Week. ami others. He be- made successful flights iu several European courtnes. and fee's confident of equal success m Australasia. The Soeteie Internationale d'Aviatjon is anxious to find some sporting society, stub. or other body of persons who would be willing to guarantee the expenses of the enterprise to a certain extent. The letter dee- not mention the -;.m required. bat presumably it will depend on the -upper- received in Australia. Panirulars of the machine tisni are n* * furm-hed, but it is stated that if sufficient support is forthcoming the tour will be commenced in Septemler next.

A leading member of the Aero Club of X-w Zealand, w let fekec his opinron of f t p?sa.. tG-a a ’“tai" representative tnar the v.uo w—«i r*- glad to encourage any -elseme w -retv the people of the Dominion wc-C.i interested in aviation. He could not -ay. however. that it would be wi’.sag to advau-ce any large sum as a guarantee. Hammond. the New- Zealand aviator, was at present in the JX-minioß. -• y be arranged that ho : attire date. The wbcde questi-rn would t■ * - *...- r- vt e-s:-itig ot *. - . acd a definite course of A Torrential Downpour. «is vcslsea by s iiow>p.:*:ir c: ralr. n of six 2 trcpietl v <3»e ” .1* par: ..* Qifra waII a rAer whi r. boiled r . - - - - _ -- - sin-.e -r-Ai'y rr. .j. se: down *■? f _ ■ * - _ > : - - - - ■ _ - - • c - - - — _ t - P estr - - .i t-, iterwav with r. . teres than ■■ but when *■ ■ - - i - . - . hostilities continued ar an ever merrier rille. rne ’• - • - ■- shape the sthez way for th. se ■. —e .i-. - -— down < t — ; town was argent, and the idle and weiFvaatag- *. -**-- socr. aid a st-..-e •:» ieasiy added to tie entertaixmest. ~ Grown san at firs; to make little h its a -toss tie water-irowned aspiaite. * poesi’oiy trader w'-me d.xs n---:.;n that bv keet a* cee toot nt the air the other woojfia'; get wet. but w?.ea one mfarvanlie ket re-t gutter, s'-itoe-:. and spread-eau'-i a the - - _• x -- < mad and . laaghtex went nr : a r.t-a. .si .at. asd tie vtier fcr’ters straightway took warning and waded into .t with Sue aaawden. Dainty vadies : . s.ed rp tigit skirts as bits as tie wnveuaE-ies wcikd perm.;, and took to the water '.he d*..<- of anotler order. *»1 soon the amphibian exercise grew too gw*e-al to draw -<.sia>;; unless s- e - 'j--.-*-- wigi - --'-v 3 _-w■- -' - » i---v L .. i - -- -’ ■ • eye*. .t oat.aje,! for nearly haif-aa-bour. while eeilars were fiooded and dißao* wa« perpetrated bv the ■■■Sir, ous war-rs wherever opportunity ..ff-Tel. But ».. soon as rte nia eeased. »hick did a* though turned off short at tie fwvt.; tfe fcedei street’ was <mekly relieved of its wet- Liud. tae fawtnaths Joak-mg like a sea -i re rippled by the t.de as the waters -sbesds-'i. Within s quart er of ax hoar of the eesaatk-a cf the rain, the h»i of the food was iatc ch* itwpr aad tke cf Z .Ik* CltV • G W**? JkZready busy wit h d> vel aai broox on it*- 1 ~ .--f - it whi<A \a-l eolleeted ia many places along the thor«a>bfaa&

Hallways and Irricatiea. The Hon. R. MtKenxe (Mimeter of* Pwbiie Works*, who came on to Chrwtchureh from a tour of South c'aaterbury and Vtagr last week, kid a reporter that be aad to-a impmssed by the prosperous air of the country ia Otago, and «—ally in Southland. Prcopc-.-ts for the winter were good, and the farmers ail seemed to be in good heart. He added that progress was being steadily maintalDed on the Catlis and Lawrem-e-Beaumoni radway works, while in Central Otago the Minister aspected ths country which the Government is abv at to irrigate, ani was very favourably imbv it. “The Government has decided,- be sa.J. “to start a large irrigation scheme in the Ida Valley, a work that will take water to atMMik acres. Two snrreyors and their staffs are now engaged in Dying out pians for reservoirs an! heating water races, and the work, which will cost about Ji sc»X»>.». s-T.wild be in tali swing by next sumw-er ~ Cm hi- way north the Minister stayed at Waimate. and in-peeted the Douglas estate, at the back of the Waihso Downs, which has ieen acquired by the Government for Gose settlement. Mr. McKenzie describes the btoek as being rk-n agricultural lani. and it will he balloted for within the next fortnight. The Homestead block comprises 500 acres, and the rest will be subdivided into Kocks of from IW t ? fifwf acres. Speaking of railway construction, the Minister said that go. d ptogress was Teing made, and the F-int Elizabeth line was almost completed. He had taken a n-imlw-r of men off that section, an-i they had been transferred to the Midland line at <a-s. ns Nefeon, and to Waiats. He hai given Lastraeiivns that married men. If they wished. - -i he riven proferenee at Waiaa. as tK climate at Cass did not suit women and Ailiren. A Surprise Visit. 71- - ..’ . -■ - . ■ were aste'anded on Saturday when the Chief < -ty Inspector stepped into their ofiiee ’ . ' . * - - was .--.*. 1 -v.-i;h mi.ate a t-.-etdir.ad.2ase. - -.- : . i - - . - . : were -tt-i;.iate. Tae ee.lege is c-n grea.-i that r e was part of Hagler Park, and - - ’--I - . -- - str; tai-- .■'. - . - - i t r htsi I -.: the area ia the city, but now they have '- -1 autwitted - t .- merest a .. let.-. A v-t v - - . . - .-* ■•; -- r. ft ia a tit-ia- ba a gazette n : ; : ltrs a t - - r_ The 1 - * f the N rth 1. ... 1 ■ . : 1 ’ - . -■ - 7 . western houndaiy . ag’.t :. ran a ra RoHesuwwweßne : . • r - - 1 Haa Park fr r. t e ity. I_t tire c-fiker t ; Tt-v a; riae ascst r..--.«s trcaohly work—l ;n it old schedule in which A-ta . —*.- —t - al i r-tr —at the m:te 3t-:dem Holies: n-avenue. and 'earing cat the naa_e of- tie street altogether, he has ... - - toandary f. 1. --s the .: a: -t of the Avon, and the Gardens. the Ma-se tn: an-i Christ’s College have he r. i-r.-oxii, into ~.e city. Tae Mayor to-day received i letter from a medk-al man statlag that tie provision for escape from the dormitories of the eo-legs -.■---oses was not adequate, and he prompt■y ordered inquiries to be made. Bishop -T-ilixs. who is warden of the eeUeee, an: the Bursa: of the Institulien. Mr. tv G Brittan both say that they are *tr>--ng-?y :rr-;--e*i to ine-r-rr-tratioa in the elty. ani M: Brittain has refused to admit the city’s right of control. So far as fire escape- are concerned, he states the college is except;:nalay we 3 equipped- In th- headmaster's honse, t r.tamina 31 boys, th-re is a complete and efficient alarm It is tested eecasi-*s-aHy. and the la-f rime a surprise alarm was given at 11 e’etoek at night, the t-ai’ding was rieand in a mmnte and three-quarters. The people interested wIU take imue ilate steps to nave the gazette notice reetlfie-i. and the eity will no: -caffe r. ae.»oae ef the property it has ferfiriteuriy required is subject to ratee.Blaxe in WelHrng-tan. About I e’eleck on Monday morning cue rt the t -ege*t tin*-* eKperiewecd in Wellington for a eonsiderahle time broke <mt in the building of the Government r*Bway maintenance elect rival .ietartmewf. A few minute* after the alarm had been given the whole baiMinz whs in ftamen. Seeing no chance of mviag this bmilding

the Fire Brigade directed their main efforts to prevent aiiioining buildings to the north (the Easson butter bex factory from catching aiight. Fortunately there was no wind, and the box factory was saved. The b ;’' *.*-,- occupied by the elc-trieal department was gutted. They had in han-1 all the electrical appS*n>*es for decorations in cenneetien with the Coronation. The Government held their own insurance risk.

The damage to the railway stores is **titsat«d at betweew and fIOAM*. The contents of Eason's premises are insured for £s<w> 5n th* Lnidon ami Laneaand £333 mack-oerTj in the