LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 938, 4 October 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Recently two Wellington boys, who were employed by a well-known shipping firm, wore reported as missing in Sydney. Word has come to hand that one of them, at least, is safe and well, he having communicated with his parents, stating that ho was employed on a large sheep station in New South Wales.

The adjourned quarterly licensing meeting for the Wellington Licensing district will be held at the Magistrate s Court at noon to-morrow,

The better understanding between Labour and the Church (in this instance the Presbyterian ChuTch) is to be cemented closer' on Sunday nest (the Sunday before Labour Day), .when, in aitwrdancD with a recommendation,of the Presbyterian General' Assembly, the clergy of that Church will preach labour sermons. , ■ "'.■'

The next case to be taken by the Court of Appeal, which will continue its sittings to-day, is that of Ellis v. Kassmussen. Other cases to be taken during the present sittings-are: John Mullan v. Ashburtou Licensing Committee; Alexander Hatrick v. Emma Sophia Nicol; Christchurcn City Council v. Bollard and another; Law Practitioners . Aot and re John James Patterson.

The Christchuro.h Woolbrokers' Association has ' decided, in the interests- of. wool-growers, to limit the number of lots offered at the December and January sales. For this purpose single and. twobale lots will bo grouped' as far as possible, and all two-bale lots not grouped will be treated as "star lots." .

The new building to be . erected in Duhedin for the Methodist Central Mission will be of novel design, and the first of its kind in the..Dominion. The auditorium is to be in the shape of an octagon, capable of seating ICOO persons. The preacher or speaker will be placed about 30ft., from the wall, , and having the people all around him; will be able to make' himself heard with ease.' ■■' . ... ' ' .-•■".- --.-...-.".'.! ■ ..

. A special meeting of the Eastbourne •Borough Council-is to be held at Eona Bay on Fridaj next to consider, matters affecting the water supply, drainage,.and .ferry v service. •.!■■;.■.■»''-'■' ■ .

The Karori Eifle Club will open its 1910-11 season on Saturday next, October 8, when a match will be .held-between, teams selected by the. president ■■ anS deputy-president respectively. ' The train leaves Lambton Station at .1.50 p.m. Members who ire entitled to the free grant of 120 rounds may obtain same at i the. club room,. .Buckle Street,'- tomorrow, evening,: between .7 and .8.15 O'clOCk.y.; .; ' '*■':'■.'/■'■ ". --'I ~',-■ ,;'.'.' The tenders "which are being called for the erection of three seven-story warehouses' for' Messrs...Arthur .Yatei and Co., the ■well-known; seedsmen, •■■ mark (says the "Star") .an. epoch in the , history of builcling in Auckland.,-In'the construction of; these . buildings ,the' method which is universal in America in erecting. the , famous , sky-scrapers will be employed for. the. first.-time in .Auckland. ■ In this method, the steel ; girders' •and .'stanchions- are .the main Supports,, and the walls,.-, technically, called •'. 'cur-' ,tain walls," are.simply shells compared to the: ordinary wails, the whole of the weight being taken by-.the girders and "stanchions. ,1-ri-faot, in- of the wall's in -brick* or other .material, 'is often begun from the top, instead of the bottom; as is the; case- where walls support the> structure as, it irises. ' : The' construction , is of steel;:protected .with concrete,' and curtain/walls of -brick; All the floors, will 'be, fire-proof,. and the roof is to bo flat, giving a. large'.useful surface, -which' will be used by the:.firm for mariy-of the purposes-of-a yard. The three frontages, bold, but plain, wilTcon-sist-mainly of glass, to. admit the maximum amount of light; It ,is expected thatthe cost will'run into some ,Mr. T. W.- May is the: architect. ■ , ■ ,\.

' The ■ ,Waikato-Maniapoto -. Maori Land Board,, at;its recent: sitting , at Tβ Kuiti lasting a week, confirmed dealings by sale or lease in Native- lands,.amounting'-to'■ 23,555 acres: This area comprises ■7025. acres sold,. ; and 16,528, acres leased; .all in the King Country. The ■ board's precedent consent: (says; ourrespondent) enabling the applicant to proceed with the , colleotionof ; signatures was granted ; in. ..respect of: 5189 acres, prising 2363: acres.;, by: way., of .-.sale,-'and 2826 acres by way of lease./ \'^'..{' [■ -'■''■ r'"The'' City' Engineer has; : reported, to' : the Mayor that -all ..matters, .in. connection. With tie duplication of the Wainui, water-? main are well in hand, and an announcement Will shortly.'be made as'td;.the date on'which the work is to-be commenced.-

.'.One' of. the finest. diamonds in Australasia is 'at present- in the: possessi6h of. Mr.: HislOp, local manager- for "Stewart;; , Daweon and Co. ', It is ,a. flawless bluewhite stone of. a\little; over;.,ten..carats;' superbly. (Sut on both faces and. gloriously; radiant: .with, flashing; fire.:in ; a;/dozen, sointillatihg' hues. ~ The. diamond, .whichis,; from'.' the. mines of' Jagersfontein; -'. Was but , in '■■■ Antwerp,; and is one .df'.a pair, the other being in America'., Mr. Hislop values the'stone atiiSUOO.'^ud' says there"' is none like it in this;part of/.the world , . . The:gem, which has'the diameter of. a' fourpenny piece; is fascinating'., to; look upon, and is beautiful, enough to .be the kernel of a. romance. Such .'jewels are: rare indeed in Now. Zealand. Questioned' as to the possibility, of there .Mng: buyers for such valuable gems In'Neiv Zealand, Mr; Hislop said 'that: there, : were occasional, buyers of 'valuable, diamonds , ! in ■,; this country,' some ..buying • them., as an,investment. ..A stone.;such as the one under notice'wus kept for"o'.;tinie,t''ftnd,' if not,sold, was' sent, on- to. one ~or'other,of the firm's, houses.!'. v . - : .0,.; .'■';■ ;:; '■;:'"■

, According to 4. tetegrant ;: from ■;,:,tie "Standard's" correspondent, at Cronstadt. (states ■.."Fairplay"), the Russian -VBaltio fleet, recognising that'in: tihie.of war.'it would be'impossible to trust the Finnish pilots, is now. dispensing .'.with.them .entirely, and getting, to know .the waters, of the, .Einiiish arohipelago> on its _own account, at the same time : revising, ■'■': the charts. The threat -of the .Finnish-pilots to: resign is: not taken, seriously in lliissia, as this action would: simply Result in closing the Finnish ports to foreign vesreeult' which, it is ;statedi would - not.hurt Russia while it: would, paralyse Finnish, trade. : ;. ; '~'■:.:>; '■.:■'.■■■:•' .. ; v