LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 486, 20 April 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities advise'.that- the Manuka, which left Sydney on Saturday, for Wellington, has on board, a large Australian mail, which is duo. hero early to-morrow morning.. . : y, • ■ -• Detectives Connolly and Abbott arrested a middle-aged yesterday afternoon on a charge of criminal assault near, the Karori Tunnel oh' Saturday night. A meeting was held at Wereroa Hall on Saturday night to consider tho name to be given the' new post office at Wereroa. Mr; J. M'Leavey, chairman of the Horowhenua County Council presided, and . about 100' were present. A lively discussion ensued as to whether the/ namo should bo'Wereroa or Levin South, but tho meeting evonturtlly deeided in favour of Wereroa. 1 N ' '. The Timber Commission will proceed from Greymoutli to Wellington this week, but no meetings will be held here", at present. Tho members will go on to Taihapo and take evidence there on April 26. 'Then the-mills in the .Waimarino district' will* be , inspected, after Which meetings will'be held at Auckland. ... Alter inspecting the mills in that district the commission, will. : return to Welj lington, '■ hold meetings, slid prepare : its rejert. ';!■ , J| . ' v

;It will be quite nine.'months before the Manawatu lino can be properly equipped tb cope with tho heavy traffic winch will follow the 'contemplated diversion of traffic from tho, Wairarapa lino north of Masterton. Tho appliances, rolling - stockj station' organisation, and; siding lines have to be' thoroughly revised and ; very much extended. It vis anticipated that everything will be ready before the summer tripping season sets in.' V:

Winter is : one of the severest.'tests „of i"a now railway lino. In reply to a question by a Dominion reporter; as to. whether tho running time of .the' North Island Main Trunk trains was to bo shortened, the • General Manager of the New Zealand Railways said that nothing would; be done in,that direction until the 1 new line had stood the test of winter. ' Slips and other adverse circumstances associated.with the ''settling, down" of a now railway were, anticipated.-, , v .•

Tho tender,of Messrs.; Campbell and* Burko has been accepted -by Mr. J. . S. >• Swan, architect, on-'; behalf of F. Cooper, Ltd.,;.seed merchants, for tho'erection -of a warehouse of fivo stories and basement,-: at tho cftrner of Willis and Mercer Streets.; The, section has a frontage of 90-feet .to Mercer Street and 28 feet to ;Willis Street; . The Willis Street frontage' will be utilised for tho firm's Wellington business; the ground floor frontage to Mercer. Street will; bo' fitted;up; with two 6hops for letting. The first arid second flats will probably be' subdivided into suites of offices, etc., .while .tli'o two top stories, and basement will accommodate. their extensive wholesale and ,' country.business; It is intended to liatfb -a, flat roof, with"orie or two modern conservatories erected thereon. Tho roof will command an uninterrupted view, of the harbour. '-.-Tho building .'will be .fitted up with electric lifts and'all;tho latest improvements. The contract; price is about £9000. Mr. Swan is the. architect; and has drawA a very pleasing: structure,' which is to bo of red pressed brick. ; -

:TKo old-timd oercmbuies that used .to mark tlio. crossing of; thoi equator have not altogether passed into, oblivion. On the'.voyage of the Arawa from London,. Neptuno. made his appearance on St. Patrick's Day—a very green Neptune—arid presented " iirs-t-timo overswith certificates, which read as follows: —" Thei Ro.val Equitorial Court of His Aquatic 'Majesty King Neptune : (R.M.S. 1 'Arawa, Captain H. ; Clayden): To all whom it may concern. • Know, yb all' 'men'.by these presents that I, Neptuno, King of th?' High beas, have bestowed tie freedom of my watery dominions upon , having j.been presented to. my .Court, duly qualified and'proved himself worthy 'of: niy favours and privileges, .and the secrets. confided in him. Take notice that the hanie' herein'described has been duly registered in the annals'of my most, ancient and royal Court.' In testimony thereof I' hereby offer my" hand and seal. Datum hoc 17th March, , Anno Don!., ,1909. Neptuno,-Rex." In; addition to Neptune's visit three entertainments were given; during the voyago, the programme consisting of musical items, tableaux vivants, and : 'tho fare© "Ici On Parlo Francais.," in which' tlio characters, were assumed by Miss L. M. Tanner, Mrs. E. C. Lang, Miss L. D. M. M'Gillivray, .Dr. -VW. H. Lecj Mr. 35. Reg. Cookson,; and Mr. W. G. Lyon. ";Mr. •I. Graham'acted as stage manager.' . % When Messrs. Tuck and . Braithwaite bought tho steamer Charles Edward and the scow TJruroa respectively, some time ago (says the Wanganui ''Chronicle" of yesterday), opinions varied : as to whether; either of these vessels would be salved., It seems, however, ithat both ventures have ■ proved unsuccessful.' One final attempt,' we understand, will be..made to shift the Charles Edward by the aid of, large, pontoons, it being impossible now to pump her dry,' owingto the great number of leaks ixi : her. All the pumping'gear on deck hasrbcen removed, and .if Wiis attempt does not prove "successful, ' there will. bo nothing olso for the purchasers' to _do but to shift her with ! dynamite. Owing to the ■ position in which she at'present lies, tho river channel'is gradually .being deflected. to tho southward, thus making at ri- difficult matter, especially for sailing vessels, to .negotiate; it. : As 'to. the Ururoa, a .visit paid to her yesterday found that great havoo has been done in the vessel's internal economy by tho mizzen-mast (which fell' some days ago),- in conjunction with tho heavy seas. All tho decking'round about it right to the stern has been broken away, leaving a gaping hole, into which the .seas; are broaking. Merely tho stays of the two' remaining masts; are .keeping the.' remains of tlio vessel together.,. As much as possible of the masts, spars, winches, etc., if being salved* but after the next spring tides .aro ovsr there will bo little to see of this once : fine scow but scattered wreckage.

Messrs. Divan Bros, have received a cablegram ".from London, on behalf of an English company, offering to purchaso the rights of Falvey's' patent "reversing turbine." Mr. Falvcy, of Wellington, the inventor, of the reversible turbine, which was patented in this city some tjmc ago, was sent Home to London at tlio end of last year to conduct experiments and , trials .in, regard to the working of the turbine. The syndicate which was formed in Wellington to hiuidle thb patent have accepted; the English company's offer, and a cablegram was • sent to London last'week to that effect.' The local syndicate has sold, on terms that they 'retain a part interest in the patent in conjunction with the English company. ' A great feature of the turbino is its reversible action; tho patent is novel, a great improvement in turbine engines, and if a success in England no doubt tlio local syndicate will bo riolily rewarded for its enterprise. ' ,

Teas grown in different localities have different characteristics, and even tlio tea from any particular gardon is not tlio enhio in two succcsslvo seasons. Climatic changes, differences of soil, exorciso influences, 'and it is in the art of tlio tea blcndor to bring together the different teas and by combination to'product a particular flavour. Crescent Blond Tea is a choice combination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and tlio flavour novor varies. All storekeepers, 2s. nor lb. ■

The second quarter at tho Wellington Technical School will commenco on Thursday i next. Mails which left Wellington on March 12, per s.b. Riverina, and connected at Sydney, with the Brindisi mail, per R.M.S. Moldavia, ; arrived in London on the night of April 10, '< duo date.- *. In consequence of the closing of Wanganui Gaol, the prisoners incarcerated thero are to be transferred to New Plymouth and Auckland. No word (says the "Chronicle") has yet- been recoivod as to tho destination of ; the gaolerund warders. In reply to a telegram sent by tho; Halcombo school children touching the, gift of a Dreadnought, Sir Joseph Ward has sent a message as follows* —"1 am very pleased to receive your telegram, and thank you all for your congratulations on. the Government's offer of ; a -battleship ,to the' British Navy. Kindest wishes .to you all." "Where'is the fire?" inquired' some people living in tho vicinity of tho wharf who had risen from their beds early this' morning to inquire into what they thought to bo a smell of burning wood. On making in-' vestigations thoy found' that it was only somo smouldering tow and flax on tho.Toclaimed ground, past the King's Wharf. Permits.have been issued by tho municipal authorities for buildings: in tho city of an estimated value of £15,000. : The returns for tlio next fortnight will show a largo increase, as the plans'of projected works valued ,at £84,000 are at present being considered. Of this latter sum, nearly half is represented by the cost of the Union .Steam Ship Company's new'offices. In Friday's issue a cablegram from Perth stated that the Commercial Travellers' Conference had carried a resolution recommending tho Uunedin, Association to. affiliate-'with the associations; at Auckland and Wellington. The cablegram (says tlio "Otago Daily Times") has ; little meaning to members. of, 1 tho Dunedin Association', and until; further information comes to hand regarding tho conference proceedings it is impossible for any of tho local people to explain the resolution. "It is opposed jto our ideas on the said Mr. James Brown, "and opposed to the whole spirit and tone sof the! communications which have lately been received. When we get a copy, of, the proceed; 'iiigs I think it will bear-a different complexion." The New Zealand Association is not represented at the conference. A great publio meeting is to bo held in Auckland on May 23, in connection with the Selwyn Centenary. His Excellency tho Governor has consented to lay tho foundation stone of the Patteson wing at . St. John's College in the afternoon, and at night there is to he a public meeting in the Choral Hall, when speeches will be made by tho Governor, } also by the Hon. Dr. Findlay' (Minister for Justice), Mr. Justice Cooper, Mr. J. H. IJp- ; ton and the Anglican Bishop of Auckland. ;• Services aro to bo held in Licnfield Cathedral on April 23 and 25, and it'is probable there will be similar services in St. Paul's, Loni don. Tlie offertory at theso cgntenaiy dele- ' brations is to b© divided between the 'Selwyn. • College. Cambridge, .and..the Patteson wing 0 at St. John's College, ,Tamaki. . Tho Welling--1 ton colobrations will take place on. April 23 1 and 25. . , •