LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 479, 12 April 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Maheno, with an English and Australian mail on board, arrived in Auckland from Sydney yesterday afternoon. Tho southern portion of her mails will arrive in Wellington this afternoon.

A telegram from Messrs. Reynolds and Company, Auckland, states that Francis Birtles, the Australian cyclist, left for Wellington, via Now Plymouth, at half-past one o'clock on Saturday afternoon. It is interesting to learn that during the present so-called depression in trade a syndicate has been formedsin Wellington by Mr. Frank Hodgson to take over the patent rights of Messrs. Touvello and Bellingliam in their patent ferro-concreto schemo for building purposes. It is claimed to bo the very best method of ferro-concreto work, doing away with tlio expen'sivo boxing system.

The Roman Catholic students who are taking part in the university tournament held a gathering at Muritai yesterday, where Mass was celebrated at 11.30 a.m., and the students were entertained at lunch by the Very Kev. Father Keogh, rector of St. Patrick's Collego

On a recent Sunday (says the Nelson "Colonist") a large shoal of whales—t-o the number of fully fifty—entered the West Wanganui inlet, and disported themselves in its waters for about six hours, eventually going out with the receding tide. This interesting and unusual visit was witnessed by several residents of tho locality. It is estimated that the average length of tho. whales was not less than 30 foot.

The Minister for Education (tho Hon. Geo. Fowldn) says that tho of Auckland havo nover "taken the interest in higher education which they should have. They were, lie added, not as keen as tho people of other places, and Auckland's secondary schools were not filled so well. However, ho thought that tho university would bo better attended if there was a better building, to which end he would bo glad to assist.

A complaint from, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals regarding the road near llappj Valley was considered at tho last meeting of Makara County Council. The society urged that a cruel task was imposed oil horses drawing loads along this portion of the road, and requested tho council to undertake its improvement. The council decided to reply that road formation, if put down at tho present time, would simply be washed away.

The roll strength of tho Wellington Navals, according to the annual report, is 110, an increase of 30 for tho year. During the holidays last Easter the forts were manned continuously, and the corps had the honour of carrying out the first night-firing practice in New Zealand with big guns. The general efficiency of all ranks has been maintained throughout the year, anjl th -1 results of the Challengo Shield examination.:; showed a higher percentage (96.2) of r.:arks for efficiency than last year (90).

The World's Sixth Sunday School Convention, at which it is expected that Now Zealand will be represented, will bo hold iii Washington from May 19 to 24. It is probable that this will bo the greatest missionary Sunday school gathering the world has over known. Tho World's Sunday School Association (President, tho Iter. R 13. Meyer) is interdenominational, in character, and by co-operating with missionary organisations and otherwise it seeks to extend the work and increase tho efficiency of Sunday schools, especially in those regions of tho world most m need of holp. It seeks to do this in threo ways: First, by focussing tho attention of tho Church upon tho Sunday school as its most valuable asset and by promoting a deeper interest in tho work of foreign missions on the part of Sunday , schools in tho homo field. Second, by co-operating with missionaries and local and national Sunday school associations in mission fields, assisting tliem in their efforts to sccute Sunday school literature, and calling their attention to improved methods of Sunday school work. Third, hv sending expert Sunday school workers as far as its means will permit io mission fields to assist in oH'ccting national and local Sunday school associations.

A man m tho Auckland Police Court on Saturday morning expressed tho opinion that Auckland was very poorly olf in the matter of accommodation for men who were looking for work about tho streets. 31 r. Kettle, the presiding magistrate, said lie quite agreed that it would bo a very good '.liing indeed if thoro could be some, place wliero men out of work could go and he found when they were wanted. His Worship went on to say that lie would make one more effort to see it' something could not lio done to accomplish such n desirable tiling.

Tens grown i in different localities have different characteristics, nml even the tea from any particular (jarilen is nut the same in two successive seasons. Climatic changes, differences n[ soil, exercise influences, and it is ill the art of the tea blender to briiiß lo;;et)icr tho different teas and by combination to produce a particular flavour. Crescent Uleud Tea is a elioico combination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and the flavour never varies. All storekeepers, 2s. IK.

Tlio present of a carpet for the oratory of Archbishop Bedwood on the occasion of his Grace's seventieth hirtlulay was from the Sisters of Mercy, Hill Street.

As tlio result of complaints from the Uov. I). C. Bates as to the way in which the beasts and birds arc being cared for at the Zoo, the JJatlis and City .Reserves Committee of the City Conneil lias been making inquiries concerning the management of the gardens. 11 r. W. C. Qninnell, veterinary surgeon, lias been. instructed to investigate matters, and when his report is presented at an early date the committee hope to come to some decision and make, recommendations to tlio City Council accordingly.

Councillor Ballinger, a member of the Tramway Committee of the City Council, calls attention to a statement reported to havo been made by Mr. Bolton at nis meeting at Island Bay on Thursday night iii reference to the depreciation fund in connection with the tramways, and that Mr. Bolton was evidently speaking without a full knowledgo of the facts. Mr. Bolton said that Mr. Ferguson, lato engineer to the Harbour Board, advocated writing off five per cent., whereas the City Council's depreciation was only 2J per cent. Councillor Ballinger says the difference between the two bodies was that the Harbour Board charged all repairs and maintenance against depreciation, while the council charged these items against revenue thus the board's real depreciation only came to 3.9 per cent.

Tliero might have been bigger audiences (though even that is doubtful), but the receipts for "The Merry Widow" on Saturday oxcecdod by £'20 any record hitherto heid by any Williamson company. Yet there was no overcrowding to complain of. When it was announced that tlio prices of admission during the season of tho Royal Comic Opera Company were to be Cs., 45., and 2s. many were of opinion that a mistake was being made, and it would recoil against the manargement. Such peoplo do not think far enough, for if tho greater number of the companies that visit Wellington charge os. <as tho top price, surely such a high-class attraction as tlio Royal Comic Opera Company as at present constituted is worth a little moro. The argument that too much js being charged will hardly be supported by tho packed audience present oil _ Saturday ovoning, and tlio booking for this week is exceedingly heavy.

Th<s death of tlio giraffe on tho Marama 011 the night preceding her arrival at Sydney was tho subject of very general regret 011 the part of tho passengers. It appears from tho statement made as to the cause of the loss by one of Wirtli Bros.' managers that the animal was affeqted by tho motion of the steamer, and seemed decidedly unhappy. II was standing up at tho time, and being unablo to keep its feet fell down and sprawled about its cage. It could not recover itself, and, as Messrs. Wirth's man expressed himself, "it was a timorous and nerveless animal, and after a minute's struggling it simply hroko its heart." "This is an unlucky trip for us," ho subsequently remarked, "as tho Polar hear died on the first night out from Auckland, and we had to throw him overboard. Tlio giraffe cost us £1000, so you can seo wo aro having a bad time of it"" The giraffes was taken 011 to Sydney, and will bo stuffed and sent to Melbourne, where it will bo placed in Wirtli s museum of animals that havo died.

A common blundor mado by visitors to Duncdin is to step into the police station under the impression that it is a well-known teinperanco boarding establishment situated a fow yards farther on. On Friday evening (savs tho "Otago Daily Times") a very re-spectable-looking old gentleman confidently stepped into the station building, and proceeding alone ono of the passages knocked at the police inspector's offico door, and received the customarv polite invitation to "como 111. The look of surprise, not to say consternation, that camo over the face of the visitor when it dawned 011 him that ho was 111 tho police station was highly amusing, and ho abruptly stammered: "I beg your pardon; 1 thought this was a boarding-house! So it is," dryly remarked the inspector; but 1 think it is not quite tho kind of lodgings you are looking for. You will find them further 011" and tho abashed visitor thereupon hurriedly rotii L ed, ; *th'lrtliing thoughts which failed to find nil, utterance.

Mr. J. C. Williamson's energetic emissaries" havo been at considerable pains to put the Opera House in order in honour of the opening in Wellington of tho Royal Comic Opera Company, which mado such an impression 011 a packed audienco on Saturday evening. Tho foyor of the Manners Street playhouse lends itself to artistic adornment not incompatible with comfort, but the chance has not been accepted up to the present. Now, however, the bare,'cold area of linoleum between tho head of the dress circle stairway and the ladies' disrobing room and tlio inner cntvanco to tho dress circlo has been richly carpeted in palo blue velvet pile runner, which has also been laid down the aisles and round tho back corridor of tho dress circle. Handsomo frames of photographs of Mr. Williamson's various companies cover the walls of tlio foyer, or are placed for convenient inspection 011 art tho whole constituting a photographic gallery of rare theatrical interest. A few nicely-up-holstered settees would tend to_ make the foyer of tho Opera House what it should bo —a comfortable lounge for both sexes. ,