LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 987, 30 November 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, The postal authorities advise, that the s.s. Warrimoo, which left Sydney at 2 p.m. on the 26th instant, has on board an Australian mail. Sho should reach here to-day, , ■

A slight shock of earthquake was felt in Wellington at 9.20 a.m. yesterday. ■ ■

On Monday night a young lady, a passenger arriving at Thorndon station, entrusted three packages of luggago to a carrier, and gave an address at winch they were to have been delivered. Evidently a wrong address was given, for the luggage was refused admittance. It was afterwards deposited by the carrier at tho Lambton Quay rjolico station, but strangely enough nothing has yet been heard of tho owner. Small businesses carried on by two or three people in partnership, or by families, will bo considerably affected by a clause- in the latest amendment to tho Shops and Offices Act. Section 13 provides that one person shall be registered as the occupier of a shop, and that any other persons engaged in the businoss, with the exception of tho wifo or husband of tho occupier, shall be regarded as shop assistants, and therefore subject to the provisions relating to early closing hours. This alteration in tho law .will have a far-reaching effect in Wellington,' where many small shops, finding occupation for more than two persons, but ostensibly employing no assistants, are at present habitually kept open later than tho regulation hour for closing. Under tho new Licensing Act the closing hours of hotels is fixed at ten o'clock. Inquiries made by a Dominion representative go to show that the now law will not affect, districts where eleven o'clock closing obtains until after tho next licensing poll. A special meeting of the Harbour Board will bo held on December 7' for tho purpose of adopting and passing tho additional by-law regarding coalhulks. ■ . It is Renerally thought that them is some risk of scars after tho removal of superfluous hairs by electrolysis but when porfonned by a skilful operator thoro-is no danger, and very little pain ' is caused. MRS. EOLLESTON'S nrac tice and. study has been so complete that recently in America she was awarded a first-class dinloma. ladies are attended personally by her, and may feel assured tho work will be-skilfully performed 4 Willis Street (over Carrolfs). Tel' 1539.—Advt ■■■■•• . ■.

■ It was reported some timo ago that [Mr. Peter Bowling, the, New South I Wales strike leader, who arrives in Wellington to-day, by the Warrimoo' from Sydney, would not bo accorded an- official welcome by the local Trades and Labour Council. This report was confirmed on inquiry at tho Trades Hall yesterday. "Wo will extend a welcome to Mr. Bowling as a trades unionist," said Mr. E. J. Carey, president of tho Trades Council, "because of our recognition of tho work that he has done in tho trades union movement in New south Wales. • We differ, of course, from Mr. Bowling in regard to his method and tactics."

To-day being St. Andrew's Day, the City Corporation offices will bo closed.

An agreement has been drawn up between tho Potone Borough Council and tho Wellington Rugby Union, in connection with tho lease of the Potorie ltecreation Grounds for football matches. Of tho four football grounds at Petone, the union has been granted the use of three. One of the conditions imposed is that the council reserves the right to debar matches being played when tho grounds are not considered to ba in a fit state for tho game. This provision is rendered necessary in view of the fact that, since last season, No. 1 ground has been levelled and .returfed. At a meeting of the council on Monday night a councillor was authorised to sign the agreement and affix the seal.

Concrete work at the new Solomon's Knob dam' was completed about ten days ago, but- a good deal of plastering still remains to be carried out. Stone is being crushed which will be placed on the roads in the immediate neighbourhood of the reservoir, among others the road now traversed by the service tram-line. ! The work of clearing the site of tho reservoir is actively proceeding, and the same remark applies to the completion of the valve towers. It is expected that tho reservoir will he completed in every particular by about tho end of the year, although tho work of clearing the site may possibly occupy a little longer time. Councillors Frost and' Smith, with Mr. 11. Cable, assistant tramways engineer, journeyed to Christchnrch on Monday evening. On behalf of the Mayor the party is to interview South Island municipalities owning tramways m connection with the conference to be held at Wellington on December 8. It is anticipated that the delegation will bo absent on its mission for a period of four or five days.. Councillors Frost and Smith, with the Mayor, are- the delegates appointed to represent . the Wellington Corporation at the forthcoming conference.' Particulars as to' the exact purpose of their nresent journey are for tho moment withheld. Included in the business to be transacted at tho meeting of the City. Council to bo held to-morrow evening will be the confirmation of the passed at a special meeting held on November 3, re £100,000 Wainui main duplication, reticulation, etc., loan. In tho Wairarapa number of The-Do-minion, published on Saturday last, the portrait of Mr. Masters, one of the founders of Masterton, was inadvertently inserted as that of Mr. Angus M Master, another esteemed pioneer, but a-different person altogether. At a meeting of the Butchers' Union held last evening the prizes won at the recent picnic were presented by the president, Mr. E. Parkin. ' The trophies were donated by local business firms. Other business of a formal character was dealt with. ■

The fortnightly meeting of the Society for Prevention, of Cruelty to Animals, held yesterday afternoon, was presided over by Mr. J. S. Jameson, and eight other members attended. The inspector's report detailed '.a number of cases;of alleged Vi criielty to horses. Tho appointing 'an additional collector was held over in the meantime. .The following is the list of subscriptions '■ received: —Mrs. Joseph Joseph, Messrs. J. Stott, aii'd F. Ferity,' 10s.. each; Mrs. Rogers, 65.; Messrs. Kirk, D. M. Douglas, Lawrence, ,and Hanson, Equitable Building Society, and, "A Friend," ss. each. Other smaller amounts, £1 25.; total, £4 3s.

A well-attended meeting of night porters employed iu Wellington liotels was held in the office of the local Cooks' and TYaiters' Union yesterday. Only two night porters employed in Wellington absent. . The meeting was called to give night porters who are unable, on account of.the exigencies of their employment, to attend evening meet ings, an opportunity of commenting on the conditions provided for them in the latest amendment to the Shops and Offices Act. Section 6 of the- new Act provides that, subject to the provisions of the next section, every night porter shall be granted, m lieu of a weekly half-holiday, a whole holiday once a fortnight. The next section is the muchdebated Section 7, which in effect makes it permissible, where employer and employee are mutually agreed on> the point, to substitute for the fortnightly holiday a holiday of one week once a quarter. . The meeting expres-sed , its appreciation of Mr; E. J. Carey's efforts to improvo the Bill, and individual members expressed themselves as delighted at tho prospect of a regular holiday. Nothing definite was done in the matter of deciding whether the fortnightly or term holiday should be insisted upon. It was left to individual members to make tho choice for themselves.