LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 530, 10 June 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Application for a decree absolute, in the divorce suit, Ryan v. Ryan, will be heard in the Supremo Court on June 17. It is understood that a number of clcrks in the Wellington office of the Tourist Department received notice yesterday- that their services were being dispensed with under tho retrenchment scheme.

The men of York nssombled in foroe at Godber's rooms last evening, when a very enjoyable social time was spent, Mr. T. H. Hustwick being in tho chair. Mr. Halliwell contributed a budge t of Yorkshire neWB. Four new members were elected.

A little child,. Reginald Hockway, two years of age, whoso father is a cabinetmaker residing at 85 Adelaide Road, was admitted to the Hospital yesterday evening, suffering from rather severe burns about the body, groin, and legs. The injuries are supposed to havo been received through tho child's clothes catching fire.

. Our Otaki correspondent states that a man named Cooper is reported to have Jeft'Paraparatimu a month ago with the intention of securing a boat from Island Bay. It is stated that tho boat was secured, and that Cooper left by sea on tho return trip, As nothing has since been, heard of him, it is feared that ho has been drowned. •"

It was announced by Mr. H. Baldwin, chairman of the Hutt Park Committee, at last night's meeting that the : golf links at tho Hutt Park will bo open to'the public on Saturday next at a charge of one shilling per head per day. Mr. T. Macaskill mentioned that this is tho first public golf links in New Zealand. Already applications havo boon made for tho use of the ground. .

Tho tender of Messrs. Meyer and Illingworth has been accopted for the predion of tho new Wesleyan Methodist Church, to be built on a spacious section in Cleveland Street, Brooklyn. The plans, drawn by Mr. Jas.'Bennie, provide for a neat little building in Gothic style, having a frontage of 30ft. by a depth of 50ft., and seating accommodation for 200 people. The contract price is about £800. •

■Wearing picturesque head-gear after the manner of tlie country of their birth, four Swiss dairy folk commanded passing attention on the wharf yesterday morning when they landed from the 'Moeraki. The new arrivals are stated to be lon their way . to Taranaki to engage in tlie dairying industry. Three Danes, a German, and a Frenchman also arrived by tho Moeraki to swell the ranks of foreigners who have been attracted to "God's Own Country." '

The monthly meeting of the Wellington Accountant Student Society was held in the Chamber of Commerce last ovening, the, president (Mr. D. T. Stuart, IM.A.j N.Z.) being in tho chair.' A lecture was given by Mr. John S. Barton, F.1.A., N.Z., on "Trustees and Executors," and the lecturer was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The lecture is to bo printed in, tho transactions of the society. There , was a large attendance of members.

. "Capping day" in connection with tho Victoria College, has beon set down for Thursday,' June 24. >' Tho oeremony will take place in the Concert Chamber of tno Town Hiall at 3 p.m., and in the evening "tho world and its wife" is to be entertained in the same hall by a dramatio "olassic." specially written for the occasion, entitled' "Shackloton Out-shacked." On tno following evening a students' social will be hold in the Conceit Ohamber. • '.

Tho cms of proof, in claims fqr reduction in valuation, heard in tho Assessment Court, is upon the objector, Tfho, must tender evidence other than his own personal opinion, declared Dr, M'Arthur when hearing objections at a sitting of the Court which was held yesterday. It'dppsafsd'tb Ma 1 that some objcctors, acting on the principle'of "splitting the difference," opened tlieir moutis sufficiently .wide, to allow of a possible compromise in' the hasis of their own private opinion. "They ask for a £100, hoping to got £50,"

A sitting of the Assessment Court was held yesterday by Dr. A. M'Arthur, and with; him, as assessors, Messrs. John Oudby, J.P., of Lower Hutt, and J. W. Braithwaite, of Johnsonville. Mr. J. P. Simeon tendered forty-five objections to valuations made by ! the Government valuer, with respect to the various subdivisions" of his properties in the Johnsonville Town District. As the rosult of the hearing, 16 sections on the Main Eoad wore reducod i from an average estimate of £3 par foot to £2 17s. 6d. per foot. Tho remainder of the valuations were sustained. The building operations in connection with the Municipal Crematorium, at the Karori Cemetery, are expected to bo completed within a month.. They are so far ■ forward now that a start will be made, next week to erect fcho furnace, which is being supplied by the Carbon Oxide Company of London, at a cost of £510. Before any steps can be token in the direction of oremation, the City Council will luive to get the Government to draw up regulations for the'general guidance of municipalities undertaking the work of cremation, which regulations will have, in due . course, to be gazetted. So far, no scale of fees has been adopted.

There js a ■ prospect of an early settlement of the difficulties which have been met with in connection with the sotting back of that block of city-owned land on the northern side of Chow's Lane, in Willis Street The greater part of this block is held under a long lease by Mr. Geo. Goodall, restaurateur, with whom negotiations (as to a price for the determination of his lease) were in progress somo time before the Hon. T. W. Hislop left .office. These have now been renewed. Mr. GoodaU originally asked £700, then : £600, for the balance of his lease (between sis and seven years}, but is inclined to meet the council,on reasonable terms, whilst the council may bo inclined to slightly increase its original offer of £400. When this block is set back to the new street line, Willis Street will be widened out to its breadth, from the King's Chambers to a point at the southern end of the Hotel Windsor. '