LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1075, 14 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mails which left Auckland oil February 15, and connected at Suva with the Vancouver mails, per H.M.S. Moana, arrived in Vancouver ou Friday morning, March 10. "Half tho lawsuits that come before the Courts are due to the carelessness of business men." This remark was made by the Chief Justice yesterday, when pointing out that on= of the parties to a case before him should have put a certain arrangement fully aud definitely into writing. An aero-message, received at Welliugton from R.M.S. Maitai, at 10 o'clock on Saturday evening, stated that a passenger, imagining that he was proceeding on board the steamer for Suva, boarded tho Maitai just prior to the vessel casting off from the wharf at Auckland for Rarotonga, Papeete, and San Francisco. Somo time later ho discovered his mistake, and immediately tho Maitai was stopped, and a launch was whistled for. Soon the flurried rcassonger was transferred to the tender! and tho Maitai proceeded on her voyage. At tho time of sending the message, Mr. Gabriel, tho wireless operator, stated that the vessel was about 120 miles on her' journey, and was experiencing fair weather. The distance which tho message must have travelled to reach Wellington, would bo about 390 miles in a direct line. Only 88 Upper. Hutt ratepayers out of a total number of COO odd evinced sufficient interest in the proposal, to borrow <£GOO, wherewith to build municipal offices for the Town Board, to go to the poll on Saturday last. Thirty-seven voted for tho proposal, and 47 against it, the remainder ot the votes cast being informal. Tho proposal was therefore rejected by 10 votes. The Vestry of St. Matthew's Parish, Maxtorton, has awarded the first prizo to Mr. Win. Honlker, jnn., of Nelson, for the design for a new church. The second prizo goes- to Mr. George Eobb, of Hankey Street, Wellington. Mr. H. Baker, J.P., presided at the sitting of the Mount Cook Police Court yesterday morning. For drunkenness, Hugh Mayne was fined 55., in default 2i hours imprisonment. For the same offence Thomas M'Loughlin, Axel Cardell, Edward Waters, and four first offenders on bail, who failed to appear, were each fined Ifls., with tho option of -18 hours' imprisonment. John Mansfield, who was also charged with drunkenness, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, and Peter Chalmers was fined 405., with the option of seven days' detention. A meeting was held at Brooklyn last evening , of about forty residents who favour the candidature of the Labour "ticket" at the forthcoming municipal election. Mr Bates presided. Four of tho Labour candidates, Messrs. A. H. Hindmarsh. E. J. Carey, M. J. Rc-ardon, and T. hinith, attended tho meeting. A committee of twenty-five members was set up which will divide into small parties and cam ass (he districts of Vogoltmvn. Mitchelltown, and Brooklyn, in the Labour interest. The undermentioned nominations have, been received for offices in the Wellington Trades Council.' An election will take place at tho annual, meeting on Thursday next Messrs. W. T. Young, M. J. Reardon, and P. L. Muir; vicepresident, Messrs. W. C. Noot, J. Hutchesnn, W. Tees, and E. Kennedy; treasurer , Mr... W.''Cooper;,, secretary, Mr. F. Reyling; minute secretary, Mr. J. Kay; trustees, Jlcssrsi'-T. Smith, M. J. K'oardon, D. Donovan, and E. Kennedy;-Manage-ment Committee, Messrs. \V. Naughton, .11. Reynolds, \T. C. Noot, G. Blatherwick, W. Tees, J. Hutcheson, E. J. Carey, and 3. Law; auditor, Messrs. R Ford and H. Bolton. Four delegates are also to be elected to attend the. Trades and Labour Councils' Conference, to bo held in Christchuvch at Easter, and the following nominations have been ' received :-Mcssrs. W. T. Young, J. Hntcheson, M. J. Reardon, 12. .T. Carey, W C Noot, D. M'Laren,- P, Hare, P. 'L. Muir, h. Kennedy, T. Eagle, and J ." Law. Messrs. P. R.' Baillie and Co. have contracted to supply the City Council with 200 steel tyres for the tramways department at ■ a price of MRO. Unaccepted tenders were those of Messrs. S. Brown and Co. (£i\6), Dobbio and Co.. Adelaide (.£450), Tiirnbull and Jones W442 Ids.), F. Holmes (,£460), H. S. Kins (jM67, alternative tender £US), R. W. Cameron (,£480), Richardson, Blair,' and M'Cabe UM80). The reason advanced for accepting a tender other than the lowest is that the tyres offered by Messrs. Baillio and Co. arc of a manufacture approved by' tho corporation. After years of agitation, Allen Street, which the fruit and produce markets face, is being asphalted. Years ago this thoroughfare, usually a traffic-congested quarter, was a veritable miagmiro during tho winter months, but of late there has been little to complain of, save the dust. The street, is beint; given a bedding of tarred metal, on which is bein.T spread three or four inches of good asphalt. The 1011 convention of the Wellington Provincial Christian Endeavour Union will commence to-day, and continue till Friday. Tho Arbitration Court is now sitting at Kelson. The members vrill return to Wellington to-morrow, and leave for Napier on Thursday. The Saturday half-holiday petition, circulated under the auspices of the local Trades Council, now bears 4395 signatures. Fifty or sixty lists are still to como in, and it is estimated that tho total signatures will number at least 5000. The petition will bs closed on Friday evening, and the officers of tho council will formally present it a few days later. It is recognised that tho work will not end with the presentation of the. petition, and every effort will bo made prior to tho referendum poll in April to beat up support for the Saturday half-holiday movement. ■ The Town Clerk wishes attontion drawn to the fact that the supplementary electoral roll closes finally on March 28.