LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1059, 23 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

.Work at the Tauherinikau camp - (says our Featherston correspondent) goes on quietly, but nono ' tho less vigorously. The casual visitor is impressed with the thoroughness timl the systematic manner in which the various training operations are carried out. Captain SpencerSmith, of. the Royal Artillery, ami StafTOlficer to the Commandant, is temporarily attached to the camp, and Is directing the course of instruction in mounted work. Tho grounds aro admirably suited for this purpose, and the different niove» meats nre interesting to watch. As thero are only about 40 horses in camp, it is not possible to have all the men mounted at one time,-and they are accordingly taken out in relays.

A paragraph which originated, we believe, in tho "Inangahua Times," and which was copied in The Dominion and various other papers, gave particulars of tho alleged death duties charged in the estate of a Keefton miner. The particulars of the charges made, wo are informed, aro quite incorrect. Instead of charges of various kinds, including £S !>>, 2d. stamp duty, the most that could 1) C charged is stated to be .£2 12s. Od. Onr contemporary appears to-have possessed a fertile imagination. Mr. Justice. Chapman returned from Blenheim last evening. Tho civil regions of the Supreme Court will bo, resumed at 10.30 this morning. ' . , • • •

An orange yellow sapphire has just been obtained from tho gem field at Anakie, in Queensland, which is said to he one of thf finest stones of its class ever unearthed in Australia. After boins cut and polished it is tho size of a shilling, ami weighs 43 carats. It has a wonderful depth and brilliancy of eolourins:, which is not surpassed by the inc:<t glittering diamonds. A suggestion has been made that the ston?, computed to ' he worth about .C 750, should be presented to the Queen ns n C'oroiialion gift, from Queensland. Detective CaCsells yesterday arrested a voung man, who will appear before the Magistrate this morning, charged with tliVthcft I'f a rifle, value;! at XI 155., the properly Of tho New Zealand Government. Jlr. O. M- I'raser, of Hamilton (says an exchange), has received notification from the (Jovernment of the acceptance of his tenders for two largo works, viz., the bridge over the Waikato at Huntly (£18,580 lis.), and combined road and railway bridgf' at Otnmntea, on thf>' hom Auckland 'railway' (£20,841), •

Tho annual meeting of_ the Victoria College Graduates' Association was held last evening. The annual report ol'.tli? 1 committee, which was read ami adopted, stated that the membership of the association had increased during the past year front Sil to 102. Tho finances of tha association were stated by the committee to !>?, so Tar as tho outlook was concerned, "as hopeful as a Colonial Treasurer could wish on the eve of a gtneral election," th« deficit of the previous year, £7 3s. ljd., bavin? been converted to a surplus of 6s. 9d. Certain resolutions on tho subject of University reform are separately reviewed in another column. The officers for the ensuing year arc ns fallow:—President.. .Mr. R. Eiehel-l.-aunin, jr.A.; secretary and treasurer, Mi'.? M. E. Hals?, 8.A.: committee. Miss Tennent, M.A.. and Messrs. 11. H. Ostler, 1.L.8., H. K. Evans, 8.A., LL.B., and G. Jieid, B.C'om.

The amount of Messrs. Watt Bros.' tender, accepted bv the Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board for the construction of the Children's Hospital, is .£II,BOO. Mr. Percy Smith and Br. Newman for some time* past have been working at the origin of the Maori. The former believed that the race came from India. During his stay in England. Dr. Newman visited many museums in pursuit of his subject, and met many learned men. lie also read a paper before tho British Association, 'and at tho Anthropological Society. In India and Java ho prosecuted research, and met learned men there also. Ho found many tilings confirmatory of the view that tho Maoris came from India. He hopes shortly to publish a book on tho subject. Many accents must yesterday have puzzled the Customs officials who hear the language tests of newly-arriving foreigners. Six distinct nationalities were represented among the passengers on tho Ulimaroa. All succeeded in gaining admission to 'the country.

A large number of inquiries have been made from the Director of the National Provident Fund, Mr. It. E. Hayes, and it is expected that when the Act bccomes operative next week there will be considerable applications to join. The measure, it is claimed, extends to all qualified persons tho benefits of superannuation. The qualifications are: Residence in New Zealand, ago between 1G and 45 years, and an income not in excesS of 41200 a year. No medical examination is required. In every contingency the full contributions arc returnable. Tho maternity provision, which enables a sum of -£G to be obtained, is one feature of the fund which promises to greatly popularise it, states the Director.