LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 47, 19 November 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The new Wellington Post Office, which is to cost about £70,000, and of which tho plans aro tew in course of preparation, will bo one of tho largest and most expensive buildings ovor erected in the Dominion. Tho now Public Trust building, now in course of erection, and to cost £40,780, has been described as tho biggest' building contract ever lot in Wellington. Soon that will have to take second 1 place. Tho new Post Office will not bo specially ornate, but it will be large and very durablo. It will bo both fire-proof and earthquake-proof, as far as those qualities aro attainable. It will bo more fire-proof than the presont Customs building, which was made unusually safe in this respect. Tho Structure will bo of stono and steel, and will contain very little wood indoed. The material for the floors has not been decided upon, but it will probably bo concrete. . -

Those interested in shipping expect to see the Union Company's new turbine flyor, the Maori, lower tho rccord from Lyttelton to Wellington on her initial run from tho South to-night.

Smoke-jackets had to.bo used by the firemen in subduing the outbreak in the Kitson Light Company's premises in the Colonial Mutual Society's building early yesterday morning. The building is insured for £11,000 in the Atlas Office (subject to reinsurances), and the Kitson's stock was covered by a risk of £850 held by the Commercial Union Assurance Company.

"I am seventy-six years of age," said a gentleman summoned as a grand juryman yesterday as an excuso for being excused from serving. " Well, you are certainly over sixty on your appoarance," said' His Honour, Mr. Justice Cooper. "Being over sixty you cannot be called upon to sorve. You had hotter seo that your name is removed from tho jury list I"

A special meeting of the Wellington City Council will be held on Thursday evening to pass a special order accepting surrenders of leases of sections 120, 121, parts 123 and 124, 136 and 135, Lambton reclaimed land, City of Wellington, (held by Messrs. Fuller and Sons), and granting new leases for the balance of the existing term with perpetual right of renewal for successive periods of fourteen years.

The owner of a poultry • yard in Upper Cuba Street met with a surprise on visiting his run on Sunday last. Dead poultry was strewn all over the yard, and on a tally boing taken it was found that there were fifty dead ducks and thirty dead fowls. Up to tho present no reason has been given for the decease of the poultry, but it is suspected that they were poisoned. It is probable that more will he heard of the matter within the course of the noxt few days. The possible destruction of timber in the Day's Bay bush exercised the thoughts of tho Committoe of tho Scenery Preservation Society at a meoting held yesterday afternoon. It was decided, after a long discussion, to obtain signatures to a petition which, it is hoped, to present to the City Council on Thursday, asking the Government to acquire tho bush for a notional park. Mr. William Brown, head of the produce firm of Laory and Co., has returned from a business visit to Nelson. In convors&tion with a Dominion reporter ho stated that ho did not visit many of the orchards personally this year, but orchardists ho did meot appeared to be very sanguine as to tho promise of tho season. At one orchard ho visited a speciality was mado of apricotgrowing, and there was overy prospect of a magnificent crop. Tho first crop of peas wore vory poor owing to tho backward season—so poor that in many instances they had been ploughod, and in others tho second erop was almost as forward as tha S?st. I-iater crops of peas promiso to fee hoavy. "They aro not growing anything like tho quantity of tomatoes that wore grown last year," says Mr. Brown. "They were a glut in tho markot, and both in Hastings and Nelson wore allowed to rot on tho ground—not worth picking—as thoy would not pay railago or stoamor froights. It seems a pity that good stuff should go to waste," ho continued, " for do you know wo could not buy enough tomato sauco to fulfil ordors last year? Both tho Firmloy and Nelson factorios had to refuso tomatoes, yet wo could not got enough sauco. Ono would think thoro was an opening for more factories, but I understand scarcity of labour or tho high prico of labour prevents anything being dono." Mrs. Ethol R. Do Costa, LL.B. (neo Miss Ethel R. Bonjarain, of Dnnedin), after practising for some years in thai city, has cominonceil practico as a barrister and solicitor in No C Nathan's Buildings, corner Groy and Fcatheiston Streots, Wellington. Mrs. Do Costa has tho distinction of boing tho only lady practising at tho Bar in tho Dominion. Intending plionts onn riopond on prompt and oaroful attention at Mrs. Do Costa's hands.

Tho Customs revenue collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £1954 25.,9 d. Tho Fire Brigado turned out soon after 9 a.in. yesterday to a call from Tasman Streot, which proved to be a false alarm. The Wellington Techuical School is to adjourn for the midsummer vacation on December lli The Post Office authorities advise that tho Wimmera, with a Sydney mail on board, left Sydnuy on Saturday, and is expected to roach here at out noon to-morrow. Tho Grocers' Assistants Union will hold a meeting to-night at tho Trades Hall to further discuss tho working conditions of tho trade in general. It is proposed to apply for a new award. < A fireman on the steamer' Huia named George Moore had his log broken at the ankle yesterday whilst engaged in loading cargo. Moore was removed to the Hospital in an ambulance waggon. At St. Hilda's Church, Island Bay, Bishop Wallis administered the rite of confirmation last evening to nine male and four female candidates, presented by the Rev. W Fancourt. As the result of a brawl in Victoria Street yesterday afternoon, two men, named David Morris and William Power, wore arrested on a charge of assaulting William Murray. It is stated that Murray was severely knocked about.

A question was asked at last night's meeting of the Seddon Memorial Committee as to whether all those who. had allowed their names to be placed on the General Committeo had subscribed to tho fund. Tho secretary replied that a great many who were on the Committee had never attended a meeting, and had not subscribed anything. A suggestion was thrown out that the names of those of tho Committee who had not subscribed should bo published.

Flammarion's comet has probably by this time almost bean forgotten, 110 public mention having been mado of the visitor since its disappearance consequent upon its near approach to the sun. In the fifth annual' roport of the Wanganui Observatory, just published, however, it is stated that a search for the comct will shortly be mado when it has diawn away somewhat from the sun, but owing to its great distance and consequent faintnoss it will be a difficult object to see in the ovening twilight.

A telegraph messenger named Vornon Wallace, 13 years of ago, residing with his parents at No. 13 Scarborough Terrace, met with an accident whilst riding along Jervois Quay on a waggon about 5 p.m. yesterday. Another wajfgon was following tho ono tho boy was riding on, and the lad .was thrown J to tho ground through ono of the horses tripping on the wood blocks. He was trodden on by one of the horses attached to tho back cart. The lad was attended to by a doctor, who announced that no bones were broken, and ordored the removal of the boy to his home. A number of Congrogationalists in Masterton are desirous of having a church of that denomination, .and ways and means aro likoly to bo soon considered for gratifying their desire. Tho matter depends to some extent on the support that may, be. reckoned on from Congrogationalists in Masterton wiio aro at present attending other churches. As these'in many, cases have becomo members, they are unwilling for tho most part to leave their new folds till thoy are quito certain that tho new, church will be successfully and finally established, so that between their natural hesitation and tho denomination's necessary prudence the position offers some points of difficulty.' Meanwhile weekly Congregational services have been commenced in tho Y.M.C.A., Rooms, Masterton, and the service last Sunday was conducted by the Ror. J. Macdonald Aspland, of Wellington, who returned to the city yesterday.

Many peoplo who aro complaining about the price of foodstuffs would have had more cause to growl had they lived in Nelson fifty years agof Tho Nelson " Colonibt" has just completed fifty years' existence, and the staff has been turning back to the first issues to recall matters of interest half a century ago. The following prices of provisions obtained in Nelson' in October, 1853: —Flour, fine, £26 per ton, seconds, £23 per ton; wheat, 9s. to 10s. per bushel ; broad, ,Is. 2d. per four-pound loaf; beef, 6d. to lOd. per pound; mutton, same prices; veal, Bd. to lOd. per pound; pork, 7d. to 9d. per pound; fresh butter, Is. 2d. per pound; eggs, Is. 2d. per dozen; cheese, Is. to Is. 3d. per pound; lard, Is. 2d. per pound; bacon, Is. 4d. per pound; ham, Is. 6d. per pound; home-made candles, 9d. per pound; fowls, ss. to ss. 6d. per pair; turkeys, 9s. to lis. each;. potatoes, Bs. per cwt.; pollard, 6s. per 100 pounds; cabbages, 4d. each. /

The new Union Bank, to be erected on that commanding city site where Lambton Quay j and Featherston Street converge, is to be a struct ire of some architectural importance. 1 The building will be a solid edifice of three stories, with a frontage of 70ft. Gin. to Lambton sjuay, 62ft. Bin. to the south, and 54ft. to Featherston Street; and, in addition to the three stories, there will be a mazzanino floor. There will be two entrances' for tho public—one from Lambton Quay • and the other from Featherston Street. A fine feature about tho building will be a handsome and spacious banking chamber 64ft. by 56ft., and 24ft. in height, ornamented with artistically-dccorated walls and ceiling. For tho lower six feet the construction will be of granite, and the rest of tho elevation will bo finished in Portland cement after tho Corinthian stylo. Besides the banking chamber there will be ample offico accommodation on the ground floor. Tho first floor will bo monopolised by offices, and the top floor will be fitted especially for the inspectorial dopart-.-sisnt of tho bank. There will be four strongrooms of a solid character, and tho main stairway will be laid down in rod Peterhead granite, with a handsome balustrade of hammered iron. Alternative tenders will bo called, one for a combination of steel and concrete on the lower story, and brick and stool for the romaindor, and the other for a straight-out forro-concroto structure. It is exported that' tendore will bo received by Christmas, and that the building will bo commenced early in tho now year. Tho now bank will tako twenty months to erect. A fashionably attired woman needs a perfectly cut corset, artistically moulded to the "Iniman form." C.~ Adams and Co., 35 Cnba Street, have a most up-to-date corset department, and a lady export is always in attendance for the purposo of "fitting." C. Adams and Co. aro agents for the Messenger Corset Manufacturers. Tour measure is taken by an expert, fitted and mado to your order within a week. Inspection invited. C 644 If you aro contemplating removing, the first thing" you should do is obtain a quotation from J. ICoir, 12 Featherston Streot. He has had many years' experience in this class of work, and is in a position to pack, store, and removo any description of furniture. Ho also clears goods through Customs, and despatches packages and parcels to any address in tho world. TelopUono, No. 1180. CS6G

The yacht Nancy Stair got into difficulties off Ward Island on Sunday through her mainSoil cairying away. The crew put tho anchors down, but they would not hold, and the boat had to be beached. She was towed off yesterday afternoon, and brought into the harbour by tho tug Pilot. Ward Island is tho havon of shelter for a good many storm-tossed boats at various times. Only last week tho yacht Petrel brought off some boys who had been marooned on the island for nearly two days. Thore is no water on tho island, and yachtsmen aro of opinion that a small store of water should be kopt there.

The Wellington Catholic Club Literary an 1 Debating Socioty closed its 1907 session last night, when an impromptu spocch competition was held. Tho subjects were selected from the syllabus used during tho session, and were allotted by ballot to tho various competitors. Mr. J. J. Dome, who acted as judge, placcd the competitors in the following orderL. T. Reichel, 46 marks (possible 50); A. C. Bretherton, 44; T. Withorington, 43; T. Boyce, 40; G. Dee, 32 j and. H F. Jackson, 31. At the close of the competition, tho Rev. Father Kimbell (president) presented Mr. Reichel with tho two gold medals which he had won during the session, and also presented Mr. C. J. Pfass with the diploma for oratory awarded to him by the executive of the Federated Catholic Clubs of New Zoaland. There was a large attendance of members and friends, Mr, A. H. Case.? occupying the chair.