LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Customs revenue collectod at ■Wellington yesterday amounted to £2274.45. Tho Waipawa Rifio Volunteers havo been admitted to tho Reserve—to be attached to tho Third Battalion Wellington Riflo Volunteors. ) , A meeting of tho Cooks' and Waiters' Union will be held to-night, to consider tho situation arising out of tho disputo before tho Arbitration Court.' "Light and Truth" has forwarded the sum of £5 to tho Treasury by way of conscience money in respect to claims paid for lost goods by tho Railway Department. On Monday next, the Telegraph Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and fro.-n 7 p.m. to midnight. Tho telephone exchange will bo open continuously, and there will bo the midnight cable service as usual. Sitting in committee yesterday afternoon the Harbour Board considered four fresh tenders for contract No. 124—tho fcrro-con-crete wharf at Clyde Quay. On resuming in open meeting the report, of the committee was adopted, the secretary being authorised to. accept the lowest tender, if found to be in order. A goods' train from the Upper Hutt and a coal waggon belonging to Mr. Janor, coaldealer, of the Lower Hutt, met at the level crossing near tho Hutt station at about 10.40 a.m. yesterday, with serious consequences to the cart. Both the driver and horse escaped injury. The accident delayed the down Wairarapa train at Haywards' for a quarter of an hour. v Tho City Council has decided that the proposed new recreation ground at Duppa Street, owing to the unequal level of tho sections, shall be made as two independent grounds, one of large capacity, to bo set, aside as an up-to-date cricket ground, tho other to .be used for general purposes, to meet the local requirements and purposes of recreation'. At last night's.meeting of the City Council, members on local bodies were clectad as follows:—Wellington Benevolent Institu-

tion, Councillor Smith; Hospital Board, Councillors Godber, Luke, Murdoch, and Smith; Charitable Aid Board, Councillors Cohen, M'Larcn,' Murdoch, and Morrah;

Wellington Hospital Trustees, Councillor Hales.

Nineteen applications were received yesterday for the lease of four workmen's homes in Coromandel Street. A ballot will be taken at the District Lands Office, Wellington; on November 19. The lease is for a period of fifty years, with right of renewal for a further term of fifty years, or option of acquiring tho freehold. The houses 'are of the usual typo, except that the size has been increased to six rooms.

It takes a lot to surprise some people. One of this type mado -his appearance in tho Compensation Court yesterday. He was claiming compensation for land taken.by tho ' Manawatu Railway Company/ and under cross-examination was asked if he " would be surprised'to learn" certain circumstances. ''Oh, no; I'm never surprised,at anything," ho replied, cheerfully. "Aren't you ? Well you surprised tho company when you put in your claim," retorted counsel;"'"' ,On November 20, at 10.30 a.m., the Board of Conciliation will, at the Chamber of Commerce, investigate the dispute between the Wellington Merchant Service Guild Industrial; Union of Workers and the following employers:—Union S.S. Company, Ltd.,; Johnston and Co., Ltd., Charles Scager, W. and G. Turnbull and Co., and Levin and Co. The Guild asks that the minimum wages be made £15 and £12 per month for first and second mates respectively, and that fourteen days' leavo of absence on full pay. bo granted annually to masters, first and second mates. The Secretary of the Wellington District Volunteer Rifle Association (Mr. S. J. Bolton) reports that .the number of entries for the Association's annual "shoot" en November 11', is highly satisfactory. ; The event is attracting competitors from Feeding, Eketahuna, and , the surrounding districts. Riflemen from Wellington will travel per special train, leaving Wellington at 7 a.m., and leaving Trentham for Wellington at 5.30 p.m. ' .• The Greymouth branch of tho Wharf Labourers' Union has wired to Mr. D. M'Laren, Secretary to tho Union, strongly protesting agaiiwt the repeal of Clause 3 of the Workors' Compensation Act 1904. The clause specifies, that compensation in respect of wages lost shall bo computed -.n the basis of tho ordinary weekly wage laid down by the award, and not on tho average earnings as specified in tho original Act, and which will obtain if Clause 3 is repealed. "It took us three years' agitation to gjt this particular clause inserted," observed Mr. M'Laren.

Tho Chief Librarian is desirous to make a trip abroad. At tho meeting of the Council last night, tho Libraries Committeo reported that they had received an application from the Chief Librarian for of absenco in order to attend the next Congress of the American Library Association, to be held in America. The Librarian had undertaken; to make suitablo arrangements for the carrying on of the work of the libraries during his absence. The Committee recommended that tho applicatiou b> granted, tho leave commencing as from May, 1908. In moving the adoption of the report, Councillor M'Laren emphasisod tfio advantages that would accrue to tho city from the information the Librarian would acquire Ho also pointed out that the Librarian was willing to forego a certain increase in salary that had been duo. Councillor Fletcher seconded. Tho recommendation was adopted. I Mr. W. T. Young, secretary of tho Wellington branch of tho Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, states that the extraordinary notice sent by tho Union to tho steamship owners has been followed by an official communication to all owners informing them that if any work should bo done in port on Saturday noxt (King's Birthday), it will be incumbent upon thorn to pay overtime for the same in terms of tho current award of tho Arbitration Court. Mr. Young further states that his Union takes very strong exception to tho inferences to bo drawn from Mr. Justice Sims' quotation of section 86 of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and assorts that his Union will exhaust every means in its power to have tho award administered by tho Court. Ho points out that section VI from that Act empowers tho Governor in Council to dismiss from office any momber of tho Court who is- guilty of inciting oither party to an award to commit a breach of the same. s

Mrs. Ethol R. Do Costa, LL.B. (nco Miia Ethel E. Benjamin of Dunodin), after practis. lug for 6omo years in that city, has commenced practice as a barrister and solicitor in No. 0 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Featherston Streets, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has the distinction of being tho only lady practising at tho Bar.in the Dominion. Intending clients can depend on prompt and carofe? 'Utontiou at Mrs. De Costa's hands.

Chimnoys on fire wore responsible for the fire brigade being called out at 3.45 p.m. and 7.10 p.m. yesterday. The will of Mr. Harry Drummond provides for a bequest of £100 for the St. John's Young Men's Biblo Class, with which institution ho was connected for sixteen years. . "To consider re-organisation of staff and appointments, consequent on retirement of Mr. Ferguson." That was an interesting item on the Order Paper of the Harbour Board yesterday, but the matter was not sottlod. Tho Board went into Committee, and on resuming no mention of tho matter was made in the report of tho work done. The reporters were informed on enquiry that tho question had not been dealt with. Although it has been known for some time that'an English Rugby Football team would be visiting New Zealand next year, little has been heard of the scheme for some tinia. past. Negotiations have been going on be- ' tween the Now Zealand and English Unions for a considerable time, and it is now ii--no'unced that tho Englishmen will leave Homo early in April. They will play 18 matches in New Zealand in June, July, and August, and will leave for Home during the last-mentioned month. From present indications tho visiting team will be a strong one. Notice had been given by Mr. Shirtcliffe to move, at yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board, tho following motion:-—" That in view of tho inadequacy of the present wharf and shed accommodation to cope with the rapidly-increasing import trado of the port, tho provision of increased accommodation bo treated as an urgent work, and the Engineer take steps to havo the widening of the outer tee of the Queen's Wharf and the erection thereon of two-storied sheds, as re-. commended by him in his report of; May. 31, 1906, put in hand at tho earliest possible, date." Consideration or the matter was postponed, however. On fine Sundays and holidays quit© a number of tired citizens sail away to Rons Bay to (visit friends or make merry within • sound, of tho glad sea waves. So far,' so good. But when the time comes for saying good-bye, thero are usually , clustering crowds waiting on tho shore to take a lingoring, last farewell., . This habit has annoyed tho Harbour Ferries, Limited,.and

it wrote to the Harbour Board yesterday, suggesting: the desirability of ithe -Board; authorising the wharfinger to exclude the public from the wharf at' Rona Bay on Sunday evenings and all other times when a largo number of the travelling public desired to return from town. If that, were done, considerable inconvenience would be prevented ■ and'•' the despatch of the ferry steamer facilitated. On ' the Chairman's' suggestion the matter was referred to a.] sub-committee to consider and report. The question of taking over tho roads.ia; the Highland Park- Estate was discussed at tho City Council meeting last night. ,Tho Outlying Districts Committee reported that tho roads were being formed in accordance with the conditions laid down bv the Onslow Borough Council, but in an unsatisfactory manner. It was recommend id that the sections be taken over by the Coun-' cil, but that tho rights of way be not taken over until I,they .were formed or an amount' deposited ,to com'plefo the formation. In the course of discussion, Councillor Fisher said the Council had taken over Onslow Borough and would have to take over all | its obligations. Some .councillors,,considered,..it; was not fair that the Council should spend' money in improving land that was to be put up for sale. The point was emphasised by others that faith must bo kept with Onslow Borough Council. Eventually it : was resolved that the roads be taken over on tho Trustees' compliance with ;,the requirements of the City Engineer.: