LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 848, 21 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A number of Government advertisements relating to tenders, etc., will ho found in our advertising columns to-day. Theso advertisements, in accordance with our custom, aro published at our own cost ill order that our readers shall not be penalised by the boycott of Tim Dominion by the AVard Administration in the matter of State advertising. Tha postal authorities advise that the TJlimaroa, which left Sydney oil Saturday last, is'bringing an Australian mail for tho Dominion. She is duo to reach Wellington 011 Wednesday morning. The Government has received no advico from Lord Crewe in regard to the shipment of New Zealand mutton to New York, which was tho subject of a dispatch sent by the Secretary of State for tho Colonies to the Federal Government. It is surmised that tho meat, though doubtless drawn from J<«w Zealand, was shipped to New York by an Australian firm. The following tenders were received by the Wellington Harbour Board for contract No. 161, for supply anil delivery of hardwoods:—Messrs. .1. W. Wallace and Co. (accepted), J23536 12s. Id.; and Messrs. ■Richal'dson, Blair, and JfC'abe, Ltd. (declined), iCSSOD Ms. o!d. Tho engineer's estimato was ,£3600. , Sneak thieves have apparently exploited tho annual show of the Wellington' Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Society, held Inst week, with some success. 011 the evening of the second day, when the public had dispersed at closing time, it was discovered that two valuable canaries and a gamo bantam had- been stdlen from their cages. One of the Canaries was the property of Mr. .7. A. Stringer, of Nelson, a well-known fancier, and this other belonged to a Wellington resident. The bantam was tho property of Messrs. Wearing Brothers, of Nelson. Mr. Stringer lias been particularly uufortiinato in his experience at shows, having had a valuable canary stolen at the recent Christchurch show. Under sub-section 2 of section, 106 of tho Legislature Act, IMS, unsuccessful candidate polling less than one-fourth of the total number of votes received by tho successful candidate forfeit their deposits of ,£lO. In connection with the recent by-election for Auckland East, Messrs. liichardson, Hill, and M'Knight, not having polled the required number of votes, therefore forfeit their deposits, and tho amounts will be paid into tho Consolidated Fund. Tho areas of Native land in the Waikato and JCing Country districts which are under offer to the Government are being inspected by the Lanil I'urehaeb Department, and it is understood that negotiations aro proceeding satisfactorily. The various alterations and repairs in connection with Parliament llouso are being hurried on. As has been mentioned before, the big kitchen in which tho HaJisard staff were "housed" last session is to be used again for tho purposes of ,a kitchen. Accommodation for tho Ilausaril staff is being provided 011 the top iloor. This session the official report of the proceedings will be taken 011 tlio Hoot of tho House. Further efforts aro being made to improve the lighting of the House by the construction of some sky-liglits' in the new portion of tho Chamber, in placo of tho windows on that side, which aro to be converted into I dead-lights. It was stated last session that it was intended to shift the Speaker's chair to one of the ends of'the Chamber, but, it is understood, nothing will be done in that direction this year. A movement is 011 foot at Wairoa (says our Napier correspondent) in favour of separation from Napier as regards the administration' of hospital and charitablo aid. A petition for presentation .to Parliament is being got up, and a strong deputation will also be sent to Wellington to support it. The cemetery bank wliicji abuts 011 to Upper Sydney Street is not in an altogether safe condition just now. On Friday night, after heavy rain, a section of tho bank slid awnv over the fenct and across tho asphalt: footpath, which it covered to a depth of three or four feet. Mdlle. Antonia Dolores, who takes a great interest in the future of the F,Uwood Trio, will bo present at their Farewell Concert at the Town Hall to-night.* Shampooing, Clipping, llairdrewins. Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment o[ Falling Hair, and Dandruff. Combines made " up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Kolleston (over Carroll's), li WiUU Street. .'Phono 1599.—Advt,

Tho secretary of tho General Post Office has received Hid following telegram from the Chief Postmaster at Wanganui: -l'osliuaster at Waiouru reports as folluws: "Oiving lo heavy fall of snow, coach with mails from Tokaanu uuablo to get through on Friday. Contractor tuujil not got outward mail through on Saturday. Sending mails by rail via I'otorua to-day. Road likely to be blocked for few days." A meeting -of those interested ill the formation of a new defence riflo club in Wellington was held at the Garrison Hall last evening, Mr. Jackson, sen., presiding. There was a small attendance, only seven being present, and in view of that circumstance certain important matters connected with tho establishment of the club were held over for consideration at a meeting which is to be held at tho Garrison Hall oil Monday evening next. It was agreed, at a recent conference at Auckland, to urge the deepening of Hie Waikalo Ttivcr from Mercer to the sea, in the interests of both drainage and navigation, jlr. \V. F. Massey, M.F., explained that last session, at his request, the Government had appointed Jlr. AY. BreakeU to inquire into this question, llr. llassey said ho had seen a synopsis of this report, ;\n<l tho engineer was of opinion that it was possible to deepen tho river. He was of opinion that the bed of tho river bad silted up considerably in the last 50 years. The deepening could be accomplished by groynes, and confining the stream to a width of, say, tlrree chains. There was plenty of swamp land along the Waikato, and if it wcro possible to thus drain i't, it would, instead of being worth five shillings an acre, fetch as many pounds. Then, of course, navigation would be improved, and tho much-talked-o'f canal from the Waikato and the Jlamikau also had a bearing on tho question. . The last of the poplar trees which at one time formed a picturesque avenue of Gisbornc's main thoroughfare are all to bo removed, being considered destructive to the roads. Likewise a fine row of plane trees in Peel Street loading to the railway station will have to be chopped down in order to give place to the tramways. This decision was arrived at after the visit of Jlr. Holmes (Eitgineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Bepartment) to Gisborne recently. A deputation, representing tho Palmerstou North branch of the New Zealand Locomotive Engineers', Drivers', and Cleaners' Association waited upon Mr. J. Vigor JJrown, M.P., yesterday (says our Napier correspondent) to place certain, matters before him in connection with their association. The deputation desired official recognition, apart from the Amalgamated Society of llaihvay Servants. Mr. Brown went 1 fully into the matter, and stated that, when the matter camo before Parliament, liu would give it his fullest attention. Mr. Brown also expressed tho opinion that they would not have tho slightest difficulty in obtaining recognition l'or their association. The latest Departmental returns give tho following totals of artisans and labourers employed under the Public Works Department on co-operative works in New Zealand:—Railways, 3G02; roads. M-20; total, 5028. Stratford-Ongarue railway, 503; Kawakawa-Grnhamtown, 4GO; North Auckland, 408; Gishorne-Rotorua, 339; Blenheim-Waipara, 175; Midland (all sections), 4tß; Westport-Tnangahua, 63; Ngahcre-Blackhall, Go; Greyinouth-Point Elizabeth, 31G; Lawrence-Roxburgh, 89; Catlins, 113 j buildings, 2GO. Roads: North Auckland, 178; Auckland, 194; Gisbornc, 31; Taranaki, 53!); Wellington, 15G; Marlborough, 20; Nelson, 32;-West-port, 35; Westland, 128; Canterbury, GG; Otago, '14. In regard to Nativo land transactions which have taken place in the past Jlr. Kaihau expressed tho opinion at tlio lfuntly Native Conference that lawyers and interpreters had reaped large fees Which could be saved if the Government appointed an educated, trustworthy, and reliable Native agent, who should super-, vise all negotiations for the sale or lease' of Nativo lands held by from one ofrneT to II). No leajvfs or sales should (ho continued) be sanctioned by the land boards unless sanctioned for confirmation by such officials. • Among other officials necessary for the efficient working of tho scl'.it:no would bo an agricultural expert, a health inspector, and a technical instructor.

A deputation will wait upon tho Hon. B. M'Kow.ie, Minister for Mines, on Saturday morning with reference to matters connected with tlio Taupiri coal mines. Tho Laws Revision Committee of tho Northern Bawling Association has been doing a good deal of work in the direction uf revising the rules of late, and it is understood that the committee will, at a . very early date, recommend amongst other alterations that the whole of'the clubs belonging to the association should be fixed up into centres. The 'committee. It is staled, nave altered the wlioio of tho old constitution, about the only part remaining being the name. A member of tho Revision Committee, speaking at last night's meeting of tho Victoria Bowling Club, stated that tho laws of the game were being drafted in a very much better style than before. Tho Huntly School Chapel, Marton, have just received a handsome east window of three lights from Messrs. Percy Bacon an<l Bros., London, through Messrs Onyon, Seater, and Co., the Dominion representatives. The subject is the "Nativity of our Lord and Magi," ami tha cost ninety guineas. Messrs. Atkins and Bacon, architects, Welling•oii, were the designers. Tho Chief Justice will preside •at a sitting of the Supreme Court in Chambers at 10.30 o'clock this morning, and will also deliver reserved judgments in the cases of Nathaniel Miller v. William George Lamb (a Crown appeal from Masterton brought for tho purpose of deciding whether New Zealand wine may bo legally sold in No-License arias); and Staples and Company v. Hodgins (regarding the lease of tho Shamrock Hotel). The Court will also hear the divorce ■petition. Glover v. Glover. Later, at a sitting in Banco, legal .argument will be heard on preliminary points connected with the iron ore case of. Joseph Howard Witheford, ex-M.P., v. the Public Trust-so (as executor of the will of tho late 'Sir Alfred Cadman), Daniel Berry, Allan Maguire, and Hamilton Gilmer. This action, involves 'a claim for .£-19,500. The subject for ■ this year's essay (for school members of tho Navy League) competition is "What Naval Disaster \A 7 ould Mean to the Empire and to New Zealand in Particular." The arrangement of details is left in tho hands of the individual headmasters; and it is desired that the names of the writers of the pick of the essays (say, 10 per cent, of the total number written by members) should be handed in not later than October T next. The award of tho Arbitration Court in the cooks' and waiters' dispute has not yet l>een received in Wellington, and tho officials of the union do not expect it until the end of the wcok at tho earliest. There has been some talk of a further conference between tho parties and it Is suggested that the employers' and workers' representatives on the Court might be in attendance, but no proposal in the matter lias been definitely made. An interesting ceremonv will take place on board the Amokura this afternoon. It will be remembered that some time ago the Timarn branch of tho Navy Leaguq offered a gold medal for open competition among the boys on the training shin. Tho form of the competition was left to tlie master, who decided that the medal should be awarded to tho boy who was most expert in signalling—morse, flag, lamp, and semaphore. Master G. A.' R. Hurley (of Wellington) proved to be th® winner. This afternoon the. Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Marine) will present him with tho medal. Tho Wellington City Council gives notice that it proposes at the ordinary meeting to 1)0 held at the Town Hall, Wellington, on Thursday, July 11, to make and levy rates for tho period 1 commencing on April 1, 1010, and ending on March 31, 1011. Full particulars will bo i'ound on page 2 of this issue. A Press Association telegram from N'apier stale.-; that in the telegraphed version »!' Mr. M'Carthy's explanation on the subject of hotel goodwills (published in yesterday's issue), the rent, given as "from to .CO a week," should appear as "per month." Mr. John Prouse, who is but too seldom heard in public nowadays, has kindly consented to sing Schubert's "Tho Wanderer" at tho Ellwood Trio's farewell concert at the Town Hall to-night.*