LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1058, 22 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Ulimaroa, which failed from Sydney nt 2 p.m. on February 18, has on board an Australian mail. She is due to arrive here this (Wednesday) morning. Several members of the Harbour Board who were the. guests of the chairman (Mr. It'obt. Fletcher) at the harbour excursion yesterday were of opinion that tho tiino had arrived when the board should get a faster and more «f to-dato harbour steamer than the Uta. The Uta is fitted with tm oil engine, and only does about six or seven knots an hour. It is argued that a new and lowerful steamer or oil launch, of moderate dimensions, would pay for herself in the time saved in getting to and from the vessels it has to attend when the pilot's services aro. required. Tho new room in which the wireless operations are conducted is just below the clock in tho General Post Office tower. Tho change from Nathan's Buildings became necessary, as it is a reinforced concrete building, and both in sending or receiving tha reinforcement absorbed a certain amount of energy, which would have otherwise been of value. There is only one fly in the ointment with regard to the new wireless quarters, and that is the booming of the bells overhead. The contract was signed yesterday under which Messrs. J. Duthie and Co. undertake to supply to the City Council tho pipes and fittings required for the duplication of the Wainui water-main. The contract price is .£48,331 3s. 2d. Unaccepted tenders were those of Briscoe and Co. (JC53.105 17s. id.), A. D. Eiley and Co. (i65,7G0), and Francis ' Holmes (.£i",937 6s. 9d.) The latter tender did not cover port and Custome charges or local transport. The following tenders, for steel pipes, were rejected pursuant to, th 3 advice of tho city engineer, who had carefully considered the relative merits of steel and cast-iron pipes, and had recommended that the latter material should he selected:—A. D. Riley and Co. (.£15,408). Stewart and Lloyds, local agent. J. H'Lellan (£46,473 Bs. Gd.), Spiral and Lock Bar Steel Pine Co., of Wanganu'i (£75,431 35.). A very interesting lecture was delivered last evening by Mr. \f. S. La Trobo before the astronomical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society. The lecture was given in the society's room in the museum buildings. The subject was t£e mechanism of astronomical , instruments, and the lecturer dealt with the fundamental problems the makers of these instruments had to face, and how they solved them. Mr. La Trobo dealt mainly with tho equatorial telescope, and the driving clocks, and also with tho astro--romical clocks. His lecture was illustrated with lantern slides. At the conclusion ho was accorded a hearty vote of thanks; Mr. ,C. P. Powles was in tho chair. The attendance was large. The Colonial Tinware Company have contracted to supply tho City Council with one dozen cast-iron electrical cooking stoves at a prica of .£3l Us. Unsuccessful tenderers were Murphy and Soiis (£U 25.), C. Martin (£74 10s.), Scott Bros. (X9O). A fire occurred in a six-roomed house, No. 45 Epuui Street, shortly before 11 o'clock last night, but was quickly suppressed by the Fire Brigade, the damage being practically confined fo one room, which suffered seriously. - l On the motion of Mr. J. W. Macdonald, solicitor.to the Public Trust Office, the Supreme Court yesterday granted to tho Public Trustee, probate of the wills of tho following deceased persons:—Flora M'Lcod, of Opunake, widow j Elizabeth Eastorbrook, of Prebbleton, widow; Qeorgo Chapman, of Nelson, Mental Hospital superintendent;-■ William Frederick Parsons," of Lower Hutt, builder; Marianne Allen Tasker, of Brooklyn, married woman. Orders to administer were alsi granted to the Public Trustee in respect of tho estates of tho following rr-David Henry, of Wellington, civil servant; Ah-i Chong, of Grey town, shopkeeper: John Ralph Davies, of Naumai, blacksmith'; :• Dobsoh, bltfcksWlth , " Samuel Moore, of Wellington, clerk; John' Voice,: of Templeton. enrponter; and Chr.) - lofte Sarah Cash, of Helensville, board-, inghouEO-kceper. The committee of the Wellington Society for the Prevention of Cruelty ,to Animals acknowledges receipt of the following donations to the funds: —Messrs. Young and Tripe, and Findlay. Dalziell and Co., 10s. 6d. each: Rev. Dr. Gibt), Rev. A. M. Johnson. Jfiss M'l.ean,;Mesdames Underwood, Pcutt. Cleland, and J. V. Firth, and the City Printing Co., Ss. each: Mrs. G: Tiller, 2s. BA>, "Friend." 5v (ici.; "Rnto.,V £\; P. Spencer, 45.; C. It,. Smith. 105..; total, £6 9s. ■_■ ... -, ~. '-At the ordinary meeting of the 'City Coiincih to be held on Thursday next, the special order passed at a meeting ,of the council on January 2G altering the names, of certain streets in the city will 'ba brought up for confirmation. The Board of Arbitrators in the Patea shipping trouble—Messrs. J. W. Poynton (referee), Wn\.' Pryor (employers' representative)— held a preliminary conference yesterday afternoon. This morning the board'will proceed to Patea. It is expected that the business will be concluded by Friday, when the members of the board will return to town.