LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 994, 8 December 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is understood that a number of changes in the police force arc contemplated by the Justice Department. Asked yesterday if he could givo any indication of the changes, the Minister for,. Justice (the Hon. Dr. Findlny)'-'remarked , that nothing would be given' out before ho returned from his northern trip, which begins on Monday next, and will .extend over about two weeks. ." Tho Manuka, which arrived from Sydney direct yesterday morning, had included in'her passengers twelve Chinese, who were all returning to New Zealand nftei- a holiday trip.to their native land. One of the party, a. youth, left New Zealand, his birthplace, four years ago. In conversation v with one of the number a Dominion representative! learned that tho Americans in the province of Canton are buying up all tho available shares of-fered'in-connection.'with the copper, gold and ironmongery industries in that part of tho. country. Tho Chincso referred to, Ah Lop by name, holds the opinion that his native land will become tho greatest commercial country .in. the world, for, says .he,.. "We have the Americans in everything they can' get ..hold of, and they nro a people with 'plenty 50' in them." .■!.•' The Wellington .Town Hall no longer affords sufficient accommodation for tho municipal stuff, and tho City Engineer, ■Mr. W.-JI. Morton,, has been asked', to prepare plans for the erection of a building on a section at the rear of the Town Hall. Possibly a social hall for tho staff may be included in the bnildinfj. Tho new. list of Justices of tho Peace has not yet been .considered by Cabinet. The list, however, is ready to bo dealt with as soon as opportunity - presents itself in tho midst' of heavy work which Ministers are now engaged on. Next' year mew classes in architecture are to be formed in the Technical School. A 'special board,' consisting of a city architect, representatives of'workers in the building trade, masters.of tho Technical Board, and the director of the school, is to be appointed to conduct examinations and arrange classes. A similar arrangement, Mr. Ija Trobe stated, had already. been successfully made in connection with plumbing and electrical engineering classes. These special boards had exercised a good influence, on the work, and it was hoped that in the , case of the classes now proposed, the same thing would occur. . . ,

Mr. Maughan. Barnett, the city organ-, ist, is arranging .a' municipal concert and organ recital to be given in the Town Hall on Monday evening, December 20.

Referring yesterday to his scheme for dealing with contagious diseases, of which a good deal was during the last ssssion of Parliament, tho Hon. Dr. Findlay said that lie,' hoped to get a committee set up early next session to ■hear the evidence of medical practitioners and receive reports from the polico and gaol officers. Evidence Would also probably be forthcoming from tho schools of the Dominion, as well as reports from abroad. The principal object of. the re?, ports would be to establish the extent of tho evil. Experts would bo asked to discuss tho proposals which he (Dr. Findlay) has already made. . "I am not strongly wedded to every part of the firoposals I have made," said Dr. Finday. "I nm prepared to modify tho proposals if modification will make them more serviceable or more workable." Tho whole of yesterday was occupied in tho Supreme Court by the divorco suit Evans v. Evans, proceedings being taken in camera. The hearing of evidence was concluded'shortly before 5 p.m., and the case was further adjourned until this morning, when counsel's addresses will bo heard. In the event of .the case being finished, in reasonable time, it will bo followed by the case involving a rent claim, Jas. Alexander Hannah v. Chas. Nodine, Speaking .last evening at tho meeting called for the presentation of prizes earned during the year by students at the Technical School, Mr. W. S. La Trobe (director) said he desired to register a protest against the- practice of sending children' under - fifteen years of age to evening classes. They should attend day classes. Children under 15 who worked all day were not in a fit condition to spend two'nights a. week imbibing instruction in English and arithmetic, and then lill out the remainder of tho week with technical classes. Tho speaker desired to impress' on parents the importance of sending children to day classes for two. years before sending them to learn a trade. Children should not be consigned to a temporary occupation during the most impressionable years of life, but should be -enabled "to fit themselves for their future work. * The Industrial- Association applied to tho Harbour Board yesterday for permission to connect the U and J Sheds (of which it has been granted the use for exhibition purposes) by a covered way. The chairman of the board stated that tho construction of the passago would not entail any interference with traffic. The secretary was instructed to write to the association granting tho permission desired. A wireless communication has been Teceived stating that the Union Company's steamer Aorangi will arrive here from San Francisco, via Tahiti and Karotonga, at i o'clock this morning. Sho is tho first steamer to make tho 'Frisco-Welling? ton connection in the new service. Last evening the Feilding Choral Society rendered the oratorio "Elijah" to a crowded house, with Mr. John Pronso as Elijah.—Press Association. For the best and most modorn Hair and Complexion Treatment, Mrs. Rollcston, who has just returned from England and America, is recommended. Highest diploma for removing superfluous hair Vibro-massagc, Hairdressmg, Shampooiuit and Clipping, i Willis Street (over 1 Carroll's,). Xal. ÜBD.-AdYt,

At a meeting of tho Johnsonville Town Board, held on Tuesday evening, the special order making a special rate of Id. in tlio pound for a term of thirty-six years, to provide interest and sinking fund on the water supply nnd drainage loan of ,£13,500, was confirmed. It was resolved to inform the Upper Hutt Town Board that Johnsonville had not sufficient interest in the Hutt hydro-electric scheme to join with a deputation to the Government on the subject. A long discussion took place as to the legality of the late board's agreement with Mr. R. Bould for a water catchment area. Tho matter was adjourned for a fortnight, Mr. T. F. Martin having advised that tho board is not bound by tho agreement. Something definite in regard to tho new police regulations is expected early in the new' year. Tho regulations are ready for printing, but it is probable that before the final step is taken the Minister for Justice (Hie Hon. Dr. Findlay) will ask the senior police inspectors of the Dominion to come to Wellington and go through the regulations with him. "The whole of the regulations are new. They have been entirely recast," said Dr. Findlay yesterday to a representative of Tire Dominion. "They should," he added, "be of great use to tho police throughout New Zealand in tho administration of their duties." This year and last year classes have been conducted at tho Technical School in domestic economy for girls, and in woodwork and ironwork for boys. It was found, Mr. La Trobo stated last evening, that the best work was done by those who underwent a dual course, girls who took both commercial instruction and domestic economy, and boys who combined a commercial courso with .instruction in woodwork or ironwork. This plan of extended instruction had an additional advantage in the case of girls, for while the commercial course prepared a young girl for tho few years she expected to spend in business, the domestic training prepared her for all the rest of her life. Boys of the training ship Amokura who underwent the course of instruction at the Technical School this year were unreservedly praised by Jir. La Trobo' last evening. The boys, ho stated, attended the school for extra instruction during a period of four months preceding their departure on a summer cruise. The captain of the training ship was very pleased at the progress tho boys made while attending classes, and the school authorities ware favourably impressed both by their behaviour nnd tho work they performed. ' Later the boys were accorded high praise by Mr. D. Robertson (chairman of the Technical Education Board) for their demeanour on on occasion when they lunched with the. board in the school cookery department. Both tho Minister for Labour' and the Attorney-General have agreed that as the law stands hotel, bars must not be opened on Monday, December 26, the day set apart for the celebration of .the Christmas holiday. This will make two close days in succession—a most. unusual happening even in New Zealand.. A slight llutter was caused'last evening by someone reading into the law- that theatrical performances could not be. given on the evening in question. There are no grounds for supposing this to be tho case. ■ A Waihi correspondent states: "Considerable misunderstanding has existed here regarding the advances to workers. Under tho, new conditions provided in the Amendment Act a local applicant for an advance has just received the following, reply from the Prime, Minister;— 'On. inquiry, I have ascertained that the Board of Advances Office does not care to lend any further sums of money on Waihi properties until satisfied that the life of the mines, on which, of course, the town and district depend, will equal the term of the loans.' Tho annual picnic of' the Technical School, held at Day's Bay on Tuesday, proved in every way a complete success, and was very greatly enjoyed by those who participated. Practically tho whole day section of the school journeyed across the harbour, together with instructors and friends of instructors and students. A number of running and swimming races were organised, and gave rise to keen competition. Prizes for tho successful competitors in these events'"'"wore.', presented nt the annual distribution of school prizes last evening. At the Tramway Conference, which opens here to-day, the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford) will preside. It is anticipated. that' the deliberations of tho conference Will occupy about two days. As the sittings are to be in camera, details' of business are not. available, but the principal task of . representatives will bo to arrive at a uniform courso of action to be adopted, by their, various municipalities in meeting the demands of the Dominion Tramwaymen's Federation. In addition to tho Wellington delegates (the Mayor- and Councillors Frost and Smith),. Messrs, S. Richardson and M. Cnble will attend the conference in an advisory capacity^