LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1057, 21 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

AVo are authorised to state that in future the Governor's visitors' book will bo kept in (lie front hall at Government House, instead of at tho gate lodge, ns heretofore, and that it will bo available for visitors to register their names during their Excellencies' absence from AVellington. Mr. H. S. Wardcll, president of tho N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts, has received notification from the- Government that tho sum of -CSDO placed on tho Supplementary Estimates last year as n subsidy to the funds of the acadomy has been paid into the bank. In connection with this .vote it is understood that at a meeting of tho council of the academy hold recently, a special committee was appointed to go thoroughly into the matter and decido as to tho best method of disposing-of the grant. ' ■ The first blow in tho political battle looming ahead (says our I'ulincrston correspondent) may bo said to have been struck, as a meeting of Mr, D. Buick's supporters has been convened for next Saturday evening. It is further stated Hint a requisition is in course of signature asking Mr. If. M'Nab to contest tho seat. Tho regulations which are: to govern Iho registration of barmaids have not vet -emerged from tho hands of tho Government Printer, though their issue is now dailv anticipated. Officials of the Labour "Department, questioned yesterday, mentioned Hint a mistaken impression had gained currency i'f.tX any barmaids employed in Hint capacity for three months prior to tho final dato of application for registration, in Jnno next, would be entitled to bo registered. This is not tho actual nosilion. Only those barmaids will bo eligible for registration who hrfvo been employed for a period of not less limn three months (luring tho twelvo months preceding November 21, 1910. Several arrests woro effected yesterday by members of the local detective force. lii he morning Detective Cnssclls arrested a young ninii, who will bo charged this morning with the tlioft of u rifle, valued at J!3, the properly of tho St. Vincent Cadets. Detectives Kemp and Hammond arresled a woman on a charge of receiving hats, tho allegation being Hint she knew them to have been stolen. The iiats were lost sonic time ago from n 'luggage carrier's van. Detectives Lewis and Andrews arrested a carrier last evening on a charge of theft of ,I' 2 from n letter.' which- it is alleged Mr. Cody, of tho Defence Office, gave him to'post < ~-~- f riend ia Kslson>

The nimual conference of the !sew Zealand Libraries' Association is to be held at Easter this year, Auckland being the meeting nlace. It may bo remembered that last year the association was initiated by the holding of a conference at Dtineijin. After this year the meetings will be biennial. At a meeting held on Saturday last, the Kccess Library Com-mittre-of the Parliamentary Library decided that Mr. Charles Wilson, tho Chief Librarian, should at'cml the Auckland Conference as its delegate. Mr. Wilton will read a paper on "The Selection and ' Purchase cf Second-hand Hooks." Mr. Herbert Baillic, Chief Municipal Librarian, who will bo one of the delegates from the Municipal Free Public Library, will read n pancr on "The Selection and Choice of Periodicals," and other napers will deal with such subjects us the classification, cataloguing, and care of library books. It is probable that .the conference of 1913 will be held in Wellington. A proposal that is n little the worse for wear will bo revived at the meeting of the City Council on Thursday evening next, when Councillor Fitzgerald will move: "That this council is of opinion that tho lime has arrived .when immediate steps should bo taken for the establishment of a municipal market." Tho Tramway Conference will riot resumo this ovemng, as was intended when it adjourned last week. The exchange of the union roster and the City Corporation's spare list proposals has not yet bsen effected, and, as each party desires a little timo to consider the proposals submitted to it by tho other, thero will necessarily be a certain delay before the delegates again moot in conference. Probably the meeting will not be held until tho early part of next week. This delay was agreed unon yesterday, when tho Mayor (Mr. Tl M. Wilford, M.l'.) con T ferrcd with members of tho union executive, includini; Mr. D. Dalton (president), and Mr. A. Sutherland (secretary), i A faro of one penny will be charged for tho conveyance of passengers over tho completed section' of the Karori extension tramline, which is to ho opened for traffic, probably, during tho present week. No settlement satisfactory to the local bodies concerned has yot been arrived at in the matter of meeting the cost of tho new Hutt Road. Tho .Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford, SI.PA on behalf of the City Council, as the chief controlling authority for tho road, intends to bring under the notice of the Government tho desirability of declaring tho Hutt highway a Dominion road. Mr. Wilford contends that it irf.a main arterial road, which tho Government would be justilied in constructing, as it has constructed the Great North Road, near Auckland. The Government would be asked -to bear the cost of constructing the road, then hand it over to the control of tho local bodies, including those of the Wairarana, with provision for a • proportional contribution for its upkeep. The first meeting this year of the Clyde Quay School Committee was held at the school last evening. The roll showed a total of 700 scholars, making an increase of 30 on last vear's roll. The average attendance at present is 653. .The committee congratulated Mr. Grundy on his appointment as inspector of schools during the absence of Mr. J. S. Tennant, M.A. It was decided to have a rifle range erected for theuso of the cadets. A community may have too much; of ,\ goo dthiug, even of fine weather, and there will be a general feeling of gratification at the change in tho meteorological cmditions which took place yesterday av ttruoon, after several weeks' dry weather. l?ain commenced to f<d! about 3 p.m. veslerday, merely a transient shower, but between 5 p.m. and C p.m. all uncertainty was set aside by a steady downpour of (iiiiet rain from the south, which continiied to fall until a late Lour last night'. Much benefit should accrue in Wellington and district from the timely downfall. •