LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 959, 28 October 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Adams Island, the southernmost of the Auckland group, has been declared a permanent .reserve for the preservation of native fauna, and flora. The island has an area of 25,000 acres.

An almost tropical deluge,of rain commenoed in the city during the early hours of yesterday morning, and continued well on into the afternoon. Tho city received a thorough drenching, but withstood the storm well, the street sewers proving equal to the demands made on their capacity, excepting those in the lower part of Lambton Quay, where the road was flooded for a considerable distance, as the water flowing from the higher levels was unable fo find an outlet'owing to the , 'drains in the neighbourhood of the Government Buildings being backed up by an exceptionally high tide. \ No damage was done, however, and, on the tide subsiding, the water quickly flowed away. ... ,». ; .

Eeferring to a question asked a few days ago by Mr. Poole, the Minister for Marine yesterday informed the House that he had received intimation that in future New Zealand survey certificates would be recognised in the United States.

Conscience lately directed some person unknown to forward the sum of 3s. to the Railway Department. The amount is acknowledged in the current Gazette.

The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has' notified the Auckland Harbour Board that, under tho new San Francisco moil contract, steamers enraged therein are exempt .from harbour dues. The news was received at Tuesday's meeting of the board without comment. ■ ■ ■ i ■

Un.der powers conferred by Section 53 of the Workers' Compensation Aot, 1908, an Ordcr-in-Council has been issued deolaring that relatives of ' a .deceased worker, residing in the United Kingdom, Queensland, or Western Australia, shall have the same rights and remedies under the Workers' Compensation Act as if resident in Now Zealand.

The Junior Cadet Corps of tho Auckland district have been formed into eleven battalions, which are gazetted undor date October 2G. : ■ '

It is slated (writes tlio Huntly correspondent of the "Now. Zealand Herald") that a seam o[ coal nearly. 30ft. (hroiitrli has been struck oil the, property of Mr. James Dully, at Ohinowai, where boring operations havo been proceeding for some time. The neighbouring lond-ownors intend to eiploit ■ tlwiv grouud.

A Gazette notioc, issued last owning, alters tlio rato of inland postage, on magazines registered in the Dominion, from a. penny for each 1C otmces to one half-penny for each copy not exceeding Boz., and one halfpenny for every additional Sdz. or fraction thereof. The alteration takes effect as from yesterday. On 'Monday evening, during the. 'voyage of the AVarrimuo from Sydney to Wellington, a concert was held on board. Mr. Richards was chairman and, among others, tlio Norman Concert Party contributed to an excellent programme. The chief item during the course of the evening was a short lecture by Captain B. Scott. The sum of £i was collected, and this will be handed over to the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

Ninety-iivc assisted passengers are due to arrive at Wellington by the Araws, on Tuesday next from London. Of the number 73 are adults and 22 ore children. Occupations enumerated are farmers, farm labourers, and domestics. Several women are coming to the Dominion to rejoin their husbands. The immigrants are bringing capital varying from 4525 to <£150 por capita.

The pictures of the Academy Free Art Gallery, which were removed for the annual exhibition, have now been rehung. The gallery will be open on Saturday afternoon next, and thereafter on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday afternoons. Several additions have been made to the collection. ■

The Uruguayan Administration advises that, by order of the Government, telegrams exchanged with Uruguay'are subject to censorship. The Northern TransAtlantic Compauy advise that telegrams for Nicaragua and Costa Rica are no longer subject to censorship. , .

A gratifying tribute to tho increasing self-reliance of the Maoris in regard to Church work was paid by Canon Ma'cMurray in somo remarks on the Maori Mission Fund at the Anglican Synod of the Diocese of Auckland. "The l Maoris," he said, "are year by year doing more and more for themselves, and it will' not bo many_ years before the Maori Mission will not be much of a burden upon the European section of tho Church. We want to cultivate the Maoris to a sense of their responsibilities, . and of tho fact that they ought not to live entirely upon their pakeha brethren. The Maori clergy are becoming very fully seized of the necessity of impressing this principle upon their people." Ho added that there were very lew wealthy, Maoris in the Auckland diocese, and that, a great many of the Natives were dependent upon gumdigging, but they ■ were assisting in the Mission' Fund much more than.ever they, had dono in past years.

. The Prime Minister is being asked. by Sir W. J. Steward whether,,he will make provision on the Supplementary Estimates for the usual gratuities to the parliamentary messengers and' orderlies,. and whether, in doing so, he will haVe regard, to the exceptional duration and frequent long sittings of the/ present. session.

■ The Wellington Hospital and , Charitable Aid Board has accepted the tender of Messrs. George and George.for the furnishing of the Infectious Diseases Hospital. 'The tender of Mr. T. S. Whitton, for the supply of milk to tie hospital, has also been accepted. . :

His Excellency the Governor has signified liis intention to be present ati the official opening, on Wednesday, November 23, of' the new Infectious Diseases Hospital in Wellington.. ■',

. Eegiiktions (received from his Majesty's Secretary of State for ;the Colonies) respecting examinations for-the. Civil Service, for clerkships (Class I) in.-the Home Civil Service and for Eastern eadetships, are published in the current Gazette for general .information. . Candidate's , who may "desire to enter the competitions for tho Home and' colonial , services are -notified that they should apply, about Easter next, to the Secretary, Civil Service Commission, London' W., for the prescribed forms of application. . ; ">..;■

By an, Order-in-Council just, issued,' it is made permissible to destroy the originate of inland ..telegrams, and , cable messages after the expiration' of three months and .twelve, months respectively, from tho date on which they are handed in for transmission. Hitherto originals of: inland telegrams. have been kept f.qr ; siix months, and originals'of cable messages for three years. .•'■■ ."•■■■ ' ;"■ :• ''-