LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In answer to a question as to how things wore working in connection with tho wireless, plant on Hie E. 11.5. Aorangi, tlio operator (Mr. Berry) informed a reporter that he lias been unable to get anything in tli6 way of satisfactory results from the machine all tho way down from the Pacific Coast. This, he states, is owing to some defects in the receiving part of the instrument. The mechanism of the sending apparatus has been working splendidly, and messages have been sent out continuously for a number of hours at a time, but, of course, owing to the defect referred to above, return messages did not come to hand. The only "distance" message received was when the vessel was twelve hours out from 'Frisco. Yesterday the instrument was being tested and; repaired, and, when the G.P.O. station was "called up" and answered, tire machine appeared to ba working satisfactorily. A sitting in Chambers will bo' held at 10.30 this morning by the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout. After the Chamber sitting, his Honour will hear the originating summons case Hammond v. A'Court, in Ha'nco. A somewhat remarkable instance of overcrowding on a tramcar was quoted by Councillor M'Clelland at the meeting < of the Miramar Borough ' Council last evening. "On tho 10.26 p.m. car to Miramar on Monday, January 23," he said, "the conductor collected 136 fares." "Dear me'," commented Councillor M'Leod. It is anticipated that the Karori extension tramway line will be. carried as far as , the Borough Council Chambers, a distance of 53 chains.from the starting point at the present terminus, within a fortnight or three weeks. Both permanent way and overhead lines are approaching completion over the distance stated. Tn-elvo Chinese arrived at Wellington by the Aorangi yesterday, and have booked passages through to Australia by the Manuka, which kaves here this afternoon. Included in the/number were four males, two of whom were accompanied by their wives, and four children. A number of local Chinamen have also booked passages to the East by the Manuka to-day. "It is \ very gratifying to bo able to state," said tho Mayor of Miramar at tho Borough Council meeting last evening, "that there arc practically no' empty houses in the Borough of Miramar sit the present, time. Everything looks vory pro-, mising," continued Mr. Brodie, "and. with the works ahead of the borough there is every indication of a busy and prosperous time. We are practically only starting our main works* and it is only a matter of it' week or two when houses will bo required, so that wo have a Tory good future ahead of us for the winter months. We have had a cold time of it, and suffered like other suburban boroughs, but the recovery has been much more rapid than in tho ca;o of other boroughs."

Tho Oily Engineer is to renort at the next meeting of the council upon a suggested scheme of improvements to the municipal reserve at Lyall Bay. Amended regulations are published in Inst night's Gazette relating to New Zealand State-Guaranteed Advances Act, 1909 (Advances to Local Bodies). . " i.-tß«gnl,fttioneunder, the Tramways Act, 1911), directing "the sitting or"' tho "Appeal Board, are Gazetted. ■ An Apnvil Board is to" be appointed'in. each tramway district (the districts comprise, roughly, each of the four cities and Wanganui and Inrercargi.il), Tho board is.to consist of one representative appointed by tho employers and one by the'employees, and the Senior Magistrate of the 'district. The boards are to hear appeals relating to ■ punishments,' and , the withdrawing of promotions.. A special meeting, of' the Onslow Borough Council was held,,last night, to. consider the report of the • committeeappointed 'to" deal with the petition"... of property-owners oh altering the boundary betw'een the Khandallah and. JCaiwarr.a Wards by transferring certain, sections from Kaiwarra to Khandallah. The Deputy-Mayor (Mr. B. Lynneberg) presided. It was resolved that all the properties 'of tho petitioners ' (chiefly the Moss Davis subdivision) be included in the Khandallah Ward. Councillor Stafford wished to have certain' sections on tho sea Side of Jubilee Eoad als-D transferred to Khandallah, but it was decided that they should all remain in tho Kaiwarra Ward. St. Thomas's Horticultural Show was again held yesterday afternoon and evening and proved a- source of ■ interest to very many people. -'' '. . ■ The Castlecliff-Gonville,Tramway Company accepted the following tenders last night:—For rails, fish-plates, and dogs, Messrs. Briscoe and Co., Wellington, .£6073 65.. Cd.; for points and crossings, Messrs. Richardson, Blair, and M'Cabe, .£i(M3 ss. Gd.; for 14,000- sleepers, Messrs. J. W. Wallace and Co., "Wellington, at ss. sd. each. '

At AVnngnnui yesterday (says n Press Association telegram) a stable was raided by the police, and a man was' arrested on a charge of keeping a common gaminghouse. . He will also be' charged with frequenting a street "for tho purpose of betting. This is the first action taken by the,local police under the new Gaming Act.

We understand, says the "Otago Daily Time?," that an efi'oi't will be made to establish one or two milk-testing ussaciations among the dairy farmers of the South Island at tho beginning of next season, on tho saino lines as those in existence in the North Island. As a means of demonstrating the actual value of dairy herds from n production point of view these associations, which are in existence in most parts of tho world where the dairying industry is conducted on thoroughly scientific and progressive lines, are admitted to have highly beneficial results, and to bo invaluable to the dairy farmer, and if their contemplated establishment in the South Island is successful, the dairying industry there should benefit considerably. ' At present there are four of these milk-testing associations among the dairy farmers of the Korth Island, one being in tho Wellington province, two in the Taranaki province, and ono in the Waikato district. Tho total membership of the four associations is 95, and the number of cows in tho herds owned by these 95 members is 3641.