LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 958, 27 October 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that American aud English mails via Vancouver are duo at Sydney on October 31, and at Auckland on' November-'6. The Wellingtoiv portion should como. forward by Main Trunk on Monday, November 7.

Some days ago Mt. Bnchanan asked the Government whether they would amend tho definition of "rateable value," in the Rating Act, 1908, so that small grazing runs may be rated on. the same basis as other .leaseholds from the Crown? He stated that tho result of the present..system was that small grazing runs were rated at a ridiculously low level as compared : to adjoining lands of an exactly similar character, and many local bodies were therefore, unable to maintain their roads in good order. Replying yesterday,' tho Minister for La'nds said that the question of placing small grazing runs on tho samo basis or..value for rating pur-, poses as adjoining freehold or,. Crown leasehold lands was one of considerable difficulty, especially in mining districts, but the matter was engaging the attention of the. Government.

• The Minister for Works states that a careful search has been made by means of excavations for documents and historical records alleged to have been buried under the ruins which were formerly the-cellars-of the old Parliament Buildings, but' no documents of _ any value have been found under tho ruins.-

The Mayor's ; suggestion,. anent running freight cars to Kilbimie, will be laid before the Tramways Committee -of. the; City Council at'its meeting.on Monday, next. The tentative proposal is that two special cars should be constructed for tho worfc. It is not ; intended, that very woighty goods should be carried, the,main, idea being to lighten the freight upon household supplies and small articles.of common-necessity. This,.the Mayor cbnsiders, will mean a considerable saving in ■expense to residents of the suburbs affected. ;

Good solid progress is being made by Messrs. J. and A. Wilson with the erection of the' new General ■ Post Office. ': The walls of Tonga Bay: granite are how well above the line, of the first floor, and a good general idea can be obtained, of the architectural character of the great building. One of the most recent works lias been the placing in position over the main entrance in Featherston Street of the .heavy ornamental corbels, which are to support a balcouetto, on which, it is proposed to erect 'four statues—symbolical' figures of some kiild or other; Simultaneously with .raising of, the walls, a maze of interior walls of brick are being; con'striicted, mid high above them the massive steel girders < and stanchions are being erected' to form the framework'- of ,tho big-building that is being reared where, in the beginning of things ,in Wellington, sailing vessels rode more or.less securely at anchor..'

' The Wellington Homing Pigeon Society, flew two races last week (both from To Kuiti), one on Wednesday-:and one on Saturday, with'the'following results:—. Wednesday .race—Mr. ; .F. Williams's b, c. hen (1424 yards, por minute), lj Mr. J. Itolton's No. 3G5.(128 yards), 2; Mr. E'. Griifiths's No. 120 (1277 yards), 3; Mr. K. Croskery's No. 55 (1270 yards), i; Mr.' W. Bailey's' No. 479 (1275 yards).' Saturday roce.-Mr. J. H. Clark's No. 6 (862 yards), 1;' Mr. J. Bolton's ■ No. 49 (861 Yards) 2; Mr. E. Williams's No. 10 (800 yards), 3; Mr. E. GriffithsV No. 57 (859 yards), 4; Mr. W. Bailey's No. '? ; (856 yards), 5. -,•-.'■

On the motion of Mr.' J. W. Macdpnald, solicitor.to the Publics Trust Office,, the Supreme Court has granted to the Public Trustee probate of the wills of the following persons:—John James Murphy, late of Auckland, master mariner; James Grove, late of Marton, settler; Caroline Griffiths, late of Christchurch, widow; Domingo Silva, late of Great Barrier, settler; Rasmus Madsen, or Mason, late of Boss, miner; Andrew Dowgray, late piGrauity, miner. Orders .-■.to-.- administer were also granted in the'estates of Michael Clarence Sinclair, late of Waipukarau, labourer; Elizabeth Hutchison, or Hutcheson, late of Christchurch, spinster.;

The first, meeting of the creditors in the'bankrupt estate of Neil Wm. Breen,labourer, or Waimii-o-mata, convened at the office of the Official Assignee (Mr. A.' Simpson), for yesterday morning, had'to be adjourned till October 28, at 2.30 p.m., owing to the unavoidable, absence of the bankrupt. Three creditors were represented. The liabilities to unsecured creditors in the estate total .£sl 10s.-5d,, and to the secured creditors (half interest), .£165 16s.- The half interest in. thu estimated value of securities (held by the Government Advances to . Settlers ' Do-' partment) is set down at leaviug a surplus to contra'of- .£3l; 4s. The estimated surplus in the estate is therefore JB7 13s. 7d. On the credit side is a sum of .£25 cash in hand, and furniture valued at something under i! 25. . Plus the. contra from '. the securities 45.), the total assets are =£59 4s.

Tlie other day Mr. Luke, M.P. for Wellington Suburbs, .drew the attention of the Government' to' the desirableness of all-harbour'boards, upon which there is Government representation, encouraging our local industries in connection with their requirements. He .expressed the opinion that a definite representation should bo made to the Gisborne Harbour Board, expressing the regret of the Government that the board should send out of the Dominion for a casting to replace one broken on the board's dredge Maui, when one could have been manufactured at a reasonable cost and with quick dispatch in the Dominion. The broken casting could have been replaced at any local shop in four or five days at a cost of about dC6O or £70. In the course of his reply to the question. in the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister stated that this matter was solely under tho control of harbour boards, and any ■representations on tho lines indicated should be niado by the manufacturers' associations to the' respective harbour boards.

Tlie proposal, approved by he Harbour Board as its meeting yesterday, to widen "the Queen's Wharf,.docs not apply to the wharf itself, but to tho main approach. At present the approach is widened in the middle to afford space for one or the harbour board's cranes; Tho structure, for its whole length, is to bo made as wido as it now is whoro tho crane stands. It is anticipated that a valuable area of additional storage space will be gained when the work is completed. ;

Mrs. Rolleston, Hair Physician and Toilet Specialist, has returned. Appointments may lie booked for the latest and most scientific nair and Face Treatment.', Electrolysis, clc. English, American, and Continental experience. 1 Willis Street, Wellington. 'Phono 1599.— A.4vt,