LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 844, 16 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho mails which left Auckland on May Jl by the s.s. Navua and connected at Suva with the Vancouver mail, per the E.M.S. Manuka, arrived in London on the night of Juno 13. It is hoped that the work of repairing the break in the Wainui water main •will bo finished to-day. Tho city engineer (Mr. W. Morton) after'a visit of inspection to the place where the break occurred informed a Dominion representative yesterday that he hoped tile Waiiiui supply would be available to-day for the city's needs. Under the conditions that existed before the maritime strike, according to Mr. W. T. Young, secretary of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, seamen would have received £1 Is. each for certain Sunday overtime work, in respect of which they- aro now entitled, under their new view of Clause 31 of the Seamen's Award, to no more than Bs. each. According io the contention of the Union Steam Ship Company, as put forward in tho Arbitration Court yesterday, they aro entitled to still less. It is understood (writes our Masterton correspondent) that Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. T. Mackenzie have expressed their willingness to visit Mastorton at an early date. Tho question of establishing a State coal depot in tho town will doubtless bo nno of the subjects upon which tho Ministers will bo approached. On tho motion of Mr. J. W. Macdonald, solicitor to the Public Trust Office, the Supremo Court yesterday granted probate of the wills of the following:—Andrew Lang, settler, of Karamu; Herbert Hannam, commercial traveller, of Springfield; Alexander Grant, farmer, of Lower Shotover; John Gaukrodger, settler, of Foxhill; and Patrick Michael Doolcy, labourer, of Ohakune. An order to administer tho estate of Ada Mary Tillitsou Pike, widow, of London, was also granted. The regulations relating to Maori Land Boards under the Native Land Act of last year appear in a supplement to tho Gazctto issued yesterday. At the meeting of Cabinet yesterday,authorities in connection with the State mines to the extent of .£-11,045 were approved, whilst roads votes to the amount of were passed. Tho Government decided yesterday to establish a State coal depot on its property at Thonidon, near the Railway Wharf. The tram car which has been converted into a palace car by the Tramways Department- was inspected ami passtd by the Public Works Department yesterday, and is to be placed in commission on tho Brooklyn line immediately. The monthly meeting of (ho Executive Committee of the Brooklyn Municipal Electors' Association was attended by Messrs. J. C. Brown, Barr, Almao, Gellert, Hopkirk, Lange, and the secretary. Mr. Hopkirk reported that a deputation from the association had waited upon the Tramways Committee in relation (o a further acceleration of the tram service to Brooklyn; also that tram coupons bo sold by conductors provided the cost therefor bo submitted in the exact amount. The reply was that both matters would receive consideration. Mr. Almao was appointed to acquire data in connection with tho suggestion that baths be constructed for the district. Members of the Navy League, senior and junior, have been allotted a special place on the wharf on tho arrival of Lord Islington, in order that they may participate in tho welcome to the new Governor. Many of the junior members of the league aro also cadets and as such will march in the procession, but arrangements aro being made for the others also to do the same. A number of Johnsonville residents who work in the city, and who cease work at noon on Saturdays aro inconvenienced through having to wait until 1.20 p.m. for a train home. Representations have been made by Mr, J. P. Luke, M.1 , ., to the Minister for Railways (the Hon. .T. A. Millar), who writes in /cply that "owing to the running of the'Wcl-lington-Auckland express at 12.15 p.m. an additional train could not bo provided until 12.30 p.m., and the train could not return to Wellington in time to work tho present 1.20 p.m. service. It would, therefore, be necessary to provide an entirely separate service i'or only a small portion of passengers, who at present are served by the 1.20 p.m. train, and the latter would still require to be a two-cngino (rain. In the circumstances, I regret that, after giving tho matter every consideration I cannot see my way to accede to your request'at the present time, but your representations will be borne in mind when any future rearrangement of the time-table is under consideration."

A Palmerston lady has had a peculiar experience with a needlo (writes our local correspondent). When she was twelve years of age, she ran a needle into tho first finger of her left hand. It broke off, and the pi«:o was not extracted until yesterday, nineteen years after, when over a quarter oi an inch of needle was drawn out of the end of the finger. Except that occasionally the finger was a little sore, no inconvenience was experienced by having the length of needle embedded in the digit. '

Tho question of tho advisableness of imposing a licenso fee for tho shooting of native game was (writes onr correspondent) raised at a meeting of the Council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society on Tuesday evening by Sir. W. H. Hazard. Ho pointed out that the societies were at considerable expense in protecting native game during the close season, and that if a fee were charged the revenue thus obtained would enable the protection of game to be carried out more effectively. He suggested a fee of 10s. for native game and that the £1 license shall include tho right to shoot both imported and native game. Ho did not think tiiat this would bo objected to by sportsmen, and the other members present appeared to be inclined to the same opinion. The president (Mr. E. \V. Payton) stated, however, that when the suggestion was brought up at one of tho annual conferences it was not favourably received. A sub-comniitteo was appointed to further consider the subject and report to a special meeting.

"In the event of a company not being successfully floated, who 'pays tho piper'?" The question was submitted to Mr. T. Young at the Wellington Accountant Students' Society meeting last night. "That is a problem that I have been trying to solve," said Mr. Young. Ho went on to explain that he had had some experience of the matter. He had been trying to iloat a company that refused to Iloat and now he was endeavouring to find someone who would pay. (Laughter.)

It has been arranged that upon the arrival of the Uliniaroa from Sydney next Wednesday the Primo Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and other members of the Ministry will go out in the Government steamer to meet the Governor-Elect (Lord Islington). Tho Mayor and councillors will be introduced to his Excellency upon landing. Lord Islington will bo sworn in by the Acting-Governor (Sir Robert Stout) later in the day. A public recep-' tion to the uew Governor will take place at tho old Parliament Buildings in the afternoon.

When interviewed by the Auckland "Herald's" Huntly representative on Sunday evening, Mr. Henare Kaihau, M.1 , ., who is the strongest pillar of tho Kingito party, stated that ho had repeatedly told his constituents that it was absolutely useless for a small section of the Maori race to entertain the idea of taking a petition to the Homo Government. If such a -proposal were entertained, and they had a grievance to complain of, tho co-operation of tho whole ofthe people would bo necessary to give it any weight in the eyes of the English people. They had four members in the House and Malnita in the Legislative Council, who recognised no grievance of any importance, and if they could we nothing to complain, of ho did not seo how a very small number of chiefs could do any good by going Home, unless one or two of them' wanted a cheap trip.

Mr. T. JL Wilford, M.I 1 ., wlio as Mavor of tho city was recently upitointud president of the local branch of tho Navy League, has given a donation of two guineas to tho funds of that organisation.

Tho meeting which was In have been held at Island llay Inst night, at the instance of Mr. IT. A. Jtncltny, for tho purpose of forming a residents', ratepayers', and focial association or club, was postponed on account of the stormy woftther.