LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1071, 9 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is the intention of the Hon. .T. Carroll, Minister in charge of the Cook Islands, to send an officer to the Islands to investigate certain matters there. Owing to the absence of tho Prime Minister and another member of the Cabinet Mr. Carroll will be unablo to go himself. The Government Printing Office completed the work arising out of last session a month or two ago with the exception of the jast volume of Hansard with which an index is incorporated. The Horowhenua Prospectors' Association has received a letter from the Minister for which states regarding the association's application for assistance towards the cost of conducting prospecting operations for gold and other minerals in the I'ararua Ranges, that the Solicitor-General has advised him that there was power to grant a subsidy for the proposed work, even though the' area was not within a mining district. He was prepared to assist the association bv granting a subsidy in terms of the regulations under tho Mining Act, at the rate of per man per week for five men for three months. At the end of that period he would be glad to be furnished with n report as to the work undertaken by the prospectors, and if there appeared to be good ground for continuing tho subsidy the matter would receive favourable consideration. Mr. Christopher Smith, the well-known draper, is the owner of a large block of land in Cuba Street. It is intended to erect a substantial 1 throe-story brick warehouse an this unoccupied svaco at tho rear of the Cuba Street premises, and plans have been prepared to that end by Mr. J. Charleswortli, architccl., The first general meeting nf the National League will be lield in Messrs. \V. H. Turnbull and Co.'s rooms 011 Wed-lit-sday, March 15, when addresses on the aims and objects of tho leiigue will be given, and an psecutire council elected,

The ease of Flowers v. the Wharf Labourers' Union will be taken by Mr. Jus tice (V/ippr at 10 a.m. to-day.

Characteristic description of Sydney as recounted in a private letter received by yesterday's mail—"Sydney is booming with a hang—l never have seen such a difference. Jjnlr.ur is unobtainable ami everywhere is congosled—Hie town is like li huge mining camp. Flare-up lamps, open-air auctions, shooting galleries, continuous picture shows by the dozen. There is apparently money to burn. The country is great—-you can't open the gato for the grass—in fact, the goose hangs high and everybody is looking avoirdupoisy in the pocket."

The monoplane made by Mr. Schaef, the well-known photographer, which was given a trial at the old Ilntt Racecourse some months ago, was in a much-im-proved form, given a further irial at Lyall Bay on Monday evening, when it is said to have ou one (light risen to a height of 15 feet, and down 100 yards. The machine, which is fashioned on the Blcriot model, is fitted with a very fine little 25-30,h.p. four-cylinder engine which has been locally made by Mr. Percy Fisher. Mr. Schaef deserves success for his persistence and well-directed ingenuity and may yet be seen soaring over Wellington from the ocean sands beyond the hill.