LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 887, 5 August 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. ,—(, Tho postal authorities adviso that the Victoria, which sailed from Sydney for Auckland 031 August 3, has on board an English and Australian mail. Tho Wellington portion should reach here by the Main Trunk express on Monday next. It is difficult to please everybody, and nowhere is this more patent than in tho arrangement of a tramway or railway time-table. At its meeting last evening, tho Miramar Borough Council had before it a letter from Mr. J, H. Farquhar, who wrote complaining of the inconvenience arising from the new car time-table as scheduled for the evening service. There was, ho said, no car between 8.25 p.m. and 10.0 p.m.; the first was too early, and the second too late, and he suggested that the 80-minutes service start with the 6.25 p.ni. car instead of the 7.G p.m. car, which was not needed. It would then bo possible to get a car at iI.G p.m. The same complaint was made with reference, to the Sunday evening cars, the 7.46 car being too early, and the 9.G p.m. car too late. The matter was referred to the Tramways Committee/ A custom of one or two of his predecessors was pleasantly revived by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.) when-he invited the City Councillors, the principal officers of the Corporation, and a few other gentlemen to dine with him at the Grand Hotel last evening. Those present included: Councillors K. Fletcher, T. Uallingcr, i. J. Dev'ino, F. Cohen, J. Frost, T. Carruichael, J. Trevor, W. H. Morrah, D. M'Laren, M.P., A. Jtl. llindmarah, A. It. Atkinson, and J. E. Fitzgerald, Messrs. J. E. Palmer (Town Clerk), J. O'Shea (City Solicitor), Stuart Richardson (City Electrical Engineer), C. . Collins (City Treasurer), J. Maughan Barnett (City Organist), A. F. Harding (the Mayor's secretary), and P. .Levi. Messrs. D. Kenny, A. W. Newton, J. F. Carr, J. Dykes,' Ernest H. I'arkes, and lioland'T. Robertson added materially to tho pleasures of the occasion with musical and other items. The Post Office authorities state that the public are responding heartily to the invitation to provide letter-boxes in their house doors. Uniformed- letter-carriers' are making the canvass, and the Department wishes it to be understood that it will not be responsible for' any money paid to any person who is not in uniform. A remarkable argument was udduced'by Mr. S. W. Shaw at tho Auctioneers' Con-; ference yesterday in advocating that auctioneers should be empowered to appoint substitute*. In country districts, ho said, auctioneers were frequently invited to attend "sales of work" and other entertain-' ments, and to conduct petty sales fpr the benefit of the particular object in view. This sometimes involved a long drive and maeh los? of time, but they had to go or run tho lislt of offending clients. Now and again complaints have been made about the congestion which occurs in the vestibule of the .General Post Office, occasioned by tho number of peoplo who congregate there to read the weather, shipping, and mail notices. At times tho congestion is such that people wishing to post letters are detained for several minutes, on account of some of the notices being erected near the letterboxes. This is all to be altered. It has been decided to erect the notice-boards on the outer walls of the Post Office on either side of the entrance steps, leaving tho vestibule clear for those having business in the post or telegraph offices' and those who wish to mail letters, newspapers,' or parcels. It is intended that the notice-boards shall' be illuminated after dark with electric, lights, fitted within the glass-fronted cases containing the. boards in order that the notices may bo read at any time through the night. Tho new arrangement will mean that tho newspaper stalls will have to move on a few yards on either side of the main entrance. Another improvement which has been effected is a rearrangement of the interior fittings of the public office of tho Post Office. Instead of one straight counter traversing ■ the ■ entire length of tha office, a counter has been elected across the office at the. end opposite the entrance, which apartment is being used for the registration branch. It is also intended to suspend letters (indicating'the section of mails so initialled awaiting claimant's) on a brass rod running- along the main counter, as a guide to the public as to which particular spot at which inquiries should bo made. It has been pointed out to us that nn impression may bo gathered from some remarks in our columns that Mr. A. E.. Kernot's resignation of his connection with tho Australian Alliance Assurance Company embraces the whole of the insurance department of tho firm. This is not so. Mr. Koruot. as heretofore, acts as attorney and general manager of the Norwich and London Accident Insurance Association, and the Norwich Union Mutual Life Society, and now also becomes associated as a director with the Norwiulf Union Fire Office, which is a sister office of tho two others. The Auctioneers' Conference yesterday considered a suggestion that auctioneers should be required to obtain by examination a certificate of competency. The proposal was thrown out after brief consideration. In connection with tho Anglican Genoral Mission a choir is now being formed under the direction of Mr. Parker, organist and choirmaster of St. Paul's, who has undertaken tho' responsibility for the music at theVmission in the Town Hall during the last week in September. It is proposed to hold united practices in the' city churches in turn, commencing with St. Paul' 3 on Tuesday next, at 8 p.m. Tho latest addition to tho Wellington Museum is a collection of very fine shells which was placed on exhibition at the meeting ui tnu Philosophical Society 611 Wednesday evening. On the motion of Mr.'J. W. Macdonald, solicitor to tho Public Trust Office, the Supreme, Court has granled to Inn | Public Trustee probato oi the wills of tho following deceased persons:—John Conroy, of iiarori, labourer; Joseph Wood, of Dunedin, solicitor; '3ohn iiestall, oi Palmerston North, retired fruit-grower; John Mutter, ot Southbridge, shepherd; Emma Mary Morico Greville, of Wellington, widow; Alexander Pryde. of Nireaha, timber merchant; Thomas Eixon, of Christchurch, tailor; Maria Sill, of Leamiugtou, married woman; William Plunkett-Cole, of Levin, school teacher. Orders were granted to administer the estates of Emily Conolly, of.Reiuuera, married woman, and Tiuiothy Moriarty, of Hawcra, iariner, and to sell the lands of Isaac Smith, of Auckland, settler, and George' Thomson, of Napier, farmer. The Public Trustee was also given authority to borrow JE7SO on the security of the real estate of Patrick Bourkc, of Whenuakura, farmer, for the purpose ot erecting buildings and effecting other necessary improvements on the lands of tho testator. A laugh, which the person who caused It did not seem to appreciate, was provoked at the meeting ot the Philosophical Society on Wednesday night, when "Uniicrsity Kcform" was being discussed. Dr.' fiorghetti. suggested converting tho colleges into institutions of some lesser standing, and establishing one big central university. "The present staffy of the universities," he went on, "would be a fit staff to take over the works of the secondary schools." (Laughter.) "Perhaps I have said something which is not in keeping with the. matter," said Ji. liorghetti, looking around. , In addition to two new Priest baths which are to be added to tho new bath building nt Eotorua, at a cost of .£690, it is contemplated that a sum will be placed on the Estimates this year for ladies' dressing-rooms and an additional bath at Whakarewarcwa. In answer to Mr. C. I. Dasent's letter in yesterday's issue, touching the proposed municipal orchestra, Mr. Maughan' barnett desires us to state that tho passage quoted by Mr. Dasent from his reply to Mr. Lewis's letter referred to tho committee,of the Orchestral Society, and should have read to the effect that Mr. Lowis diil nut stile that he was authorised by the committee of this (i.0., the Orchestral) Society to make a protest. Mr. Dasent- evidently thought that Mr. Barnett was referring to the committee of the Musical Union. The accidental substitution of tho word "his" for "this" in our report of the proceedings at tho City Council meeting apparently gave rise to Mr. Dasent's misapprehension. Shampooing, Clipping, Bail-dressing, Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of 'Falling Hair,- and Dandruff. Combings mado up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Kollestou (over Carroll's), i • Willis Street. Thone 1599.—Advt.

The G. 3 p.m. Wellington-Seatoun car from Larabton Station has been altered to 6.11 p.m., and the 1.6 p.m. car from Wellington has been scheduled to run through to • Seatoun. At the Supreme Court this morning, Mr. Justice Cooper will hold a sitting in Chambers. Taumarunul 19 proclaimed by Gazette notice "to be a place wherein 0 Magistrate's Court shall be held." A notice in this week's Gazetto proclaims that any alteration made in the limits or boundaries of any of the Supreme Court districts of Wellington, Wcstland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland shnll not take effect in respect to thu industrial districts of Wellington, Canterbury, Westland, Otago, or Southland. The city tramways engineer has been asked by tho -Miramar Tramways Committee to arrange for a concession ticket between Courtenay Place and the city boundary, and also for a minimum faro during rush hours. A temporary waiting shed is to be erected on the Miramar tramway line at the junction, at a cost not exceeding [ £12 10s. A party of members of the Palmerston North Savage Club is to pay a fraternal visit to the Wellington Savage Club tomorrow evening. A booking record was established at Auckland yesterday (says our special correspondent) when the plans of "Aladdin" were opened. The queue of people continued in operation from 5 a.m. till this afternoon, and the whole of the dress circle and reserved stalls were booked up for the first week. An announcement in District Orders states that recruits are not to be permitted in the ranks, except at church parades, but are to be'trained separately on parade, but special recruit drills will count towards capitation. In future all officers who nave not previously served will be required on joining to undergo a recruit's course of drill and musketry. Those appointed from the ranks or with the rank of lieutenant will be tested as to their fitness, and, if necessary, will be required to undergo a coursii of regimental instruction. Permission has been granted the undermentioned squadrons to hold their annual training camps as under:—Huramua Mounted Rifles, July 2—9; Hawke's Bay Mounted Eiflcs, July 10-17; Feilding Mounted Eiflos, July 13—20; Alexandra Mounted KiHes, July 11-20. . Cabinet has now decided that the investigation of old soldiers' claims, How being proceeded with by stipendiary magistrates, is to includo the reopening of tho question of the issue of the New Zealand_ war medals to Maori war veterans, in each case applied 101. Questioned yesterday with regard to the objections that have been expressed against the very detailed inquiry forms issued to business firms by the Department in connection with tho coming census, the Minister for Labour (the Hon. J. A. Millar) stated yesterday that a copy of these inquiries had been first supplied to the Employers' Federation of New Zealand. After consideration, that body made representations that the returns desired were rather too exacting in some respects. The inquiry form was accordingly amended '. by the Department, and again submitted to the federation. This time it was approved. "I have the secretary's letter of approval in my .office now," declared tho Minister, "and in view of the fact that the Employers' Federation had no fault to find with the nature of the inquiries business people are now asked to supply, I see no reason for taking any further action in' the matter."