LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that tho Mahono, which left Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday, • has on board English and Australian mails, also an American mail, via Vancouver, which should reach per Main Trunk express on Monday next.

A Wellington resident who recently visited Kawhia reports that the harbour there is teeming with fish. Flounders and sebnapper aro especially plentiful, and ho suggests that stops should bo taken to obtain regular supplies for tho Wellington market, which for somo time has been rather bare of fish. Settlement at Kawhia is progressing, despito the fact that largo areas of fertile land, owned by Natives, ara still locked up. • Several Wellington residents have- taken up land in the district, and two others are negotiating, for the purchase of properties

there. In the opinion of tho gentleman who has just come back from Kawhia, the time is ripe for the establishment of a steamer service between Wellington and Kawhia. Rather like Mark Twain: One of tho members of the Feilding Borough Council (says our local correspondent) mentions a. now and somewhat caustic way of noting time. When referring at the meeting of the council on Thursday evening to a certain piece of road engineering, ho I said: "When? Well, it happened three or four engineers ago." For many local bodies the task of deciding the merits of a case which happened "three or four engineers ago" must be, to put it gently, an ordeal. The fishing trawler Phantom returned to Wellington yesterday morning after her first essay in Cloudy Bay. The catch was not a very heavy one, but it is not taken as a fair indication of what the trawl is worth. It is understood that some weeks will elapse before the commission which has been appointed to inspect suitable areas for military training ca'mpe in both islands'will be able to submit its report. During the past week the commission visited various spots in the North Island, but nothing definite will be arrived at until after it has paid a return visit to some of the localities. The commission leaves by Monday night's boat to inspect various likely spots for the South Island camp, which it is believed will eventually be situated in Canterbury. . . . Last ovening, at tlie Alexandra Barracks, a smoke- concert was held to celebrate the victory of the Artillery team in tho Wednesday cricket championship contest. The'chair was occupied by Major J. Hume, R.N.Z.A., who congratulated tho team on its- meritorious win. The chief toast of the evening vas "Tho Winners of' the Wednesday Cricket Contest," "which was proposed in happy terms by Mr. Cusack, secre-. tary of tho Wednesday Cricket Association, and was responded to by the 'captain of the team. Bombardier Joyce. "Kindred Sports" was proposed by Gunner Weybourne, and responded to by Sergt. Taylor. Items were contributed by Colonel Campbell, Major Hume, Messrs. Sommervillo, Twphill, Hobmau, A. Kennedy, A. W. Newton, Jacobs, Miller, Stewart, D. Kenny, J. Dykes, L. King, Woods, and Gunner Mackay. The catering was a ■ feature of the littlo function. It is understood that the fire insurance underwriters have agreed that their experts in the four cities shall meet in Wellington to go into tho points brought forward by tho ,City Council in support of a simpler and cheaper method of installing electri clight, and after conferring with the city electrical engineers will make recommendations to the executive of the Underwriters , '

Association. This suggests that the evidence brought to hear-by the council at the recent insurance conference .

did not fail to make some impression on the underwriters, and it is natural that they should desiro to hear expert opinions independent of • those of the council's officers. It will probably be some weeks before a final decision is ■reached, but it is believed that some of the more progressive insurance men are strongly in favour of altering the rules in the manner' proposed. by the City Council. . .

Tho special commission set up to investigate the'adjustment of accounts between the Wellington City Council and the.Karori Borough Council with respect to. the' severance of the Northland _ district of the Karori Borough, and its inclusion within' the city boundary, resumed its sittings yesterday, Mr. W. R. Haselden, S.M., presiding. During further argument on the question of general it was admitted by counsel for tho Karori Borough- Council (Hon. T. AV. Hislop) . that these might ■ be. sot down at £1240, not 13s. 6d..as previously..contended,,,but as a sotH>ff against: this' was an; amount of. £277, claimed with respect to the loan account. Counsel for the city corporation (Mr. O'Sh«a) argued that that could not be so, as the loan, account, had been closed. Ultimately it was agreed to adjourn the proceedings for a week, and in the meantime the commissioner would sketch out a report sotting out points for discussion. It is'probable that the whole question will subsequently be referred tp the Supreme., Court for final decision. \

On the application, of Mr. J. W. Macdonald, solicitor for the Public Trust Office, the Supreme Court on April' 22. granted probate of the following wins:—Thomas Henry Robinson, of Makara,' fanner; Alfred James Shaw, of Putururu, farmer; Wm. Houghton, of Wellington, bank inspector; Neil Wm. Campbell, of Westport, carpenter; William J)aw, of Brunnerton, coalminer; and orders to administer the following estates: Lydia Barrett, of Wellington/ spinster,' and Isaac Smith, of Auckland, carpenter. .

Mr. Justice Chapman will hold a sitting in Banco this morning, and there will also be a sitting of the Bankruptcy Court. ■'.'■..

' Anarchistic troubles have become so frequent in tho Argentine Republic that the Government announces that it has put into force an ' old clause of tho 'Immigration Act, prohibiting the landing in the country of- Anarchist and Socialist agitators. The warning has. been' sent to shipping companies whose vessels trade to the Argentine, with the injunction to make all the inquiries possible into the characters of those wishing to book passages to the country. The proclamation also advises people to bring with them credentials as to character to obviate any unpleasantness on arrival. .

The Warrimoo, which left. for Sydney yesterday evening, took 222 passengers, 102 being in the saloon and 120 steerage. .

"The following members of Huntervillo Mounted Rifles have passed the examination for qualifying certificates for the rank of- corporal:—D. Weston, W. J. Daubin, S. E. Peed, F. Laird, D. D; M'Lean, P. , Munro, and J. OJ. Howie. . , "

A rally of boy scouts in uniform is announced for next Wednesday night at the Y.M.C.A. Assembly Hall, Willis Street, at 7 o'clock, where Dr. Henry will give a.short address on the subject, "How to Become a FirstKilass Scout." Scont-masters are asked to impress .upon scouts who desire to attend the necessity of their being present promptly at 7 p.m., as Dr. Henry's time is limited on account of his service at the Town Hall at 8 o'clock the samo evening.

.Thore is at present on view, in the window of Mr. Henry Baker, Manners S'troct, a set of 31. magnificent class A '"contesting model" band instruments of tho highest grade, manufactured by Joseph Higham and Co., of Manchester. TJiu instruments, which tri. finished in triple silver plato and boautifully engraved, have' been specially imported by tho firm's New Zealand agent (Mr. J. W. Copithonie, of Vivian Street) lor tho Central Mission Band.

An order lias been received by the Labour Department for a large number of carpenters for Tokdmarn Bay, whore a big freezing works contract is in progress, but local men are somewhat disinclined to accept the work, owing to tho fact that.the employer will not pay the transport expenses. The work is expected to last from six to seven months. The Department telegraphed guaranteeing twelyo good workmen for tho job, providing tho omployor would pay the fares, but the offer was not accepted by the contractor. ' It is expected, however, that the difficulty will shortly be got over by an agreement between the contractor and the Department.

The latest protest in connection with the takiing away of the ninepence capitation grant from education boards came from Dunedin. In regard to this matter, the Hon. G. Fowltls (Minister for Education) states that there are no fresh developments on the point so far as tho Government is concerned.

In connection with the census of April next, the Labour Department is about to Benl out notices to factories and shops, giving particulars of tho' information required by the Depaa-t----ment next year, partly for the Census Department and partly for the Labour Department. The information' required for tho census will iuclude the date of commencing operations, the character of the organisation and of the industry, the value of land, machinery, and so on, working and other expenses during the year, quantity and value of goods manufactured, and horse-power employed or supplied- to other establishments. The information to be used by tho Labour Department will refer particularly to the nature of the industry, and the number of employees, with their hours and wages. Tho noUces.will be sent out early to enable manufacturers to have their wages and other books kept throughout the year in a manner that will ■ facilitate the correct filling in of the forms. • . ■■

The question of the publication of matters contained in confidential: reports- came before the 'Hospital Board yesterday. Mr. Fitzgerald drew attention fo a.report marked "confidential," which contained the statement that Dr. Hardwick-Smith had been appointed as general medical superintendent under tho Board. Mr. Fitzgerald said that he had read of this appointment some time ago in the newspapers, and ho asked the chairman who supplied the press with tho information; if it was right that it should bo snpplied; and, if so, whether tho report was rightly labelled "confidential.",. The chairman (Mr. J., G. W. Aitken) said he thought that it was rvery wrong of somebody to give _ the information to the press before it came before the board. "He could not believe that any member of the board would do such a thing, and ho was satisfied that the information had not come from the secretary. . - .-. •■;

N Tbe number of entries received for the competitions of the Christchurch Literary and Musical Competitions Society, which commence at His Majesty's Theatre on May 17, is.(says the "Press") exceedingly satisfactory. The fact that they come from every part of the Dominion' is also a of ■■ the widespread' interest felt in these competitions. It is somewhat when it is remembered that a _church choir so remote as Greymonth. is competing—that only one entry should have been received for the church choir competition. A substantial prize is offered, and considering the number of choirs here, it was expected that three or four at least would enter from Chrisbohurch. The competitions are timed to last ten days. Mr. •C. N. Baeyortz is the jndge of tbe vocal and elocutionary items; Mr. Maughan Barnett of the' instrumental competitions; and Mrs. Montague, jfor. many years accompanist for the iDun£din competitions, is the official accompanist.