LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 488, 22 April 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual report of tho Fire Brigade will be. presented. at to-night's' meeting of the City Council. .'-.-'■(. '.-* : ;. Selwyn Centenary services will be held at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral to-rhorrow evening, at 8 o'clock. Citizens are invited by the Mayor to observe to-morrow, St. George's Day,/as a holiday. A deputation will wait upon the Minister for Roads (Hon! A. W. Hogg) this morning in connection with the Manawatu Gorge Road. The deputation will be introduced by Mr. D. Buick, ,M.P." The tender of Mr. A. Mercer, of C-hakune, has been accepted for the" lcaso of tho railway bookstall at that centre. Tho stall at Ohakuno is part of tho station , building, provision having been made for a bay window tor the display of literature. The memory of the late Mr. R. G. Deans, of Canterbury, ono of tho best known and most highly esteemed of Now Zealand Rugby footballers, and formerly a member of tho famous "All Blackß," is to be perpetuated by rounding a Deans Memorial Scholarship at the Christchurch Boys' High School, and also by a memorial tablet, to bo placed in the school. The Canterbury Rugby Union has donated £25 to tho memorial fund, and the mattor will shortly bo considered by tho Wellington and other, district unions.

-i;.ltr.ia- , Bliattd. , tliat"two ladies havo consented to allow themselves to be nominated for seats on :: tho;Lower Hutt School Committee;,: : :v;v;'!' ;.Oh.*:Saturday morning, at. 11 o'clock, there' ;.will '.bo. o'ii. view, in the. Wellington .'School yard, a working range for .instruction ,in miniaturo rifle shooting, '..V'Last .'night's .meeting of the Accountant' 'Students'. Society was devoted to tho discussion of subjects arising from'the "question box." : In tho absenco of, Mr. D..T. ...Stuart; Mr. E. W. Hunt..presided... ..... .'■Tho'. Loyal Antipodean.. Lodge, .1.0.0. F.,. Milli.-, met last evening; Bro. Hird, N.G., presiding., >The .secretary presented ;his .quarterly■'' balance-sheet, snowing a stateof iunds.-as. follows:—Sick and funeral fund,''£14,866..65. lid.; management fund, £633.: : 2s. ; 2.d..;.distress-fund, £46 10s. 5d.: surplus account, • £1250; 188.'. 9d.; ' a grand i-total' 0f.,£16,797 3s. Dd. .'.'■'' '■''■■. : ■ Cabinet has authorised the expenditure of the following amounts: —Kawakawa-Graham-town. railway; ■ £3000; Stratford-Ongaruo railway, £5000; North Island Main Trunk railway, £10,000; Helensvillo North railway, £3000;:'" Gisborne-Rotorua railway, £4000; Midland, railway, £2000: Cabinet accepted tenders for bridges on the Blcnheim-Waipara railway, police stations at Chatham' Islands, Rotorua, and Pongarba, post offices at Ngaruawahia and. Aslihurst, and drainage at Lyttelton Gaol, and also authorised tho purchase of land at Dunedin for a St. Helens Hospital. ' . The latest rumour concerning economy in State administration comes from" Timaru, where a statement has-been circulated to tho effect <that the smaller education districts are to bo morged in the larger: and more important areas, thus effecting a reduction in tlie number of boards, and also that rating powers are to be granted, with a view to making the districts self-support-ing. The Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, when asked by a representative of _ The. Dominion whether any steps were being taken in that direction, replied that no proposals of that nature had been made. The Bible-in-schools question is coining into prominence again in connection., with the forthcoming elections of: school committees. Mr. S. Pearson, of/Wellington; has been inquiring as to'the spread of scriptural instruction _ in'the schools in Hawko's* Bay, and' has received a letter from tho Rev. Alex. Whyto, of Havelock North, .who: says:—"The Nelson system, in. school hours, one day a week, is in operation at Napier, Hastings, Taradale, Clivo, Waipawa, Dannevirko, and, I -believe,' also - Mahora, and Mangaterete.".. ■ The daily system,, before school hours, is employed at Pukahu, Petane, Maraokakaho, and Havelock. The teachers' are wholly sympathetic." > 'Mr. Herbert Seaton, one of tho candidates for the ,City Council, thus v replies to the secretary of the. Council of Churches on the question of Sunday concerts':—"l anr in' -receipt of your favour under date April 16 (received, this morning), and ! . in reply beg to. state that I am not in favour /of the flown Hall being exploited by travelling, concert companies on' the Sabbath for gain; I am, however, of opinion., that, uiider proper control of .the City. Council and a .strict censorship, of submitted' programmes by an expert musical critic, organ recitals,- saored concerts by .military and other bands, and orchestral societies should not be barred, and that while admission should be free, collections' are undoubtedly necessary, to support and augment the funds of a section of tho community who aro always the first to' offer their services free in, the; cause of charity."- , • At the annual meeting of the Marton Chamber of Commerce recently, Mr. Edward Nowman, M.P., remarked, in the course of a speecty, • that:'he anticipated ,a desperate fight for the freehold when the question was ventilated and believed the policy in favour of the freehold with small areas would be .the: accepted policy of .the Government of the day.,'.; To'.,'. achieve this, it was almost necessary' to have a freehold party in the House.: They had a large number of farmers in Parliament; but what was'the : good if on such an important question they dill not. vote,'together ? . .They should .sink party differences when the freehold question came beforo tho : House These were' his viows, and he was going to :bo faithful to them. He had already, seen a number of members, and there was -unanimity", among: them with regard to the freehold and other main planks of the Farmers' Union platform. !

As the. result of Lieutenant,. Shackleton's lecture in.the, Town Hall.recently, the Victoria College "Students'. Gymnasium Fund has benefited) by! the substantial addition of £250, the net proceeds of the entertainment. At the ; monthly meeting of the Victoria Collego Council last evening, members expressed .thoniselves'as; being Highly gratified L with Lieutenant;. Shackleton' s! .■ i practical interest in the students, and on the.motion of Mr. Ji:? D. Hell, it was decided to forward a letter of thanks to that officer. ! Speaking .to .'his .motion, Mj\ ■ Bell "remarked''that Lieutenant Shackleton, who had previously assisted kindred' institutions, had ■• specially inquired into tho needs of the .Victoria .College students,.; and the lecture had! resulted in' &, splendid contribution to their requirements. 'He (the' speaker)' thought ' that it might be possible to.procure from Lieutenant .Shackleton.a. few.polar exhibits for. the students, and suggested, that inquiry bo mado as to' whether that could be dono. - The suggestion, was adopted. ' : '. ';. '"..';■■■