LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1086, 27 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Maheno, with English mails via Suez, English and American maite via Vancouver, and Australian mails, arrived at Auckland from Sydney at 11 a.m. yesterday. The Wellington portions of the mails will arrive here by this afternoon's Main Trunk express.

Mr. T. M. "Wiiford, M.P., has received the following letter from the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways:—"With reference to the representations made by you on behalf of the residents using the Moiling railway station urging that certain trains which now run past that staton should stop there, I have the honour to inform you that on and after Monday, April 3, when the new time-table for the Wairarapa line comes into force, tho following trains will stop regularly at Welling:—7.2 a.m. Te Aro to Upper Hntt; 1.10 p.m., Wellington to Upper Hutt (Saturdays only); 10.23 a.m., Te Aro to Upper Hutt (Sundays only); and 4.57 p.m., Upper Hutt to Te Aro (Sundays only)." This .concedes all that Mr. Wilford asked for.

The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. P. Hally, has fixed April 4 upon which to hear the industrial dispute between tho Merchiint Service Guild and the Maoriland Shipping Company and others.

Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., has granted the use of a site on a picturesque portuyi of his Ngarara farm at Waikanae for' tho Easter encampment of the Wellington Y.M.C.A. It is expected that there 'will be 200 boys in camp.

At the Mount Cook Police Court on Saturday, before Mr. T. S. Lambert, J.P., Patrick Bice pleaded guilty to being drunk, and was fined 10.?., or 48 hours' imprisonment. A first offender, similarly charged, who had been bailed out, anil did not appear, was fined'the amount of his bail, with tho usual alternative. John Collins, for insobriety, was fined 55., or 24 hours' imprisonment. Grace King and ■Mary Louise Scott each pleaded guilty to over-indulgence in intoxicants, and wero given another chance, being convicted and discharged. Another inebriate, a, nrst offender, was convicted and discharged.

A of ratepayers ami residents of Cos.eltowu will wait on (ho Education Board to-morrow in reference to the erection .of a school in their district. Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P., will introduce the do putation,-,and Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.; , iVftlso 1 expected to be present. Those taking part' in the deputation will meet at the Public Library at 2.30 p.m.

The "Otago Daily Times" understands that at a recent meeting of holders of bottle licenses in Dunedin, it was decided to take advice on the question as to whether thoy could be legally deprived of their licenses.

Esls continue to prove a nuisance through their interference with the Kumara water supply. Last week (says a local journal) we referred to tho number of eels coming through the town mains. No fewer than four connections were b'ecked with these fish. Last evening two blockages occurred, and in each instance an eel ' of six pounds was taken out of tho water-pipes.

The idea, which will be novel to many, of securing Government grants to assist the work of the Young Men's Christian Association was put forward by Mr. P. H. Sargood, at the laying of the founda-tion-stone- of the new building in Dunctlin on Friday. In these times of Stateaided education, thought was bestowed, lie said; upon the strong claims of the Y.M.C.A. to considerable financial support from the Government. Already one country had richly endowed tho movement, and he wished their friend Mr. Fowlds to take special note of that point. Ho went on to suggest that New Zealand should set apart a land endowment to be placed under strong management, autl to bo used in training our young men, capitation, grants being givcu according to the membership of tho various Y.M.C.A.'s. Such an endowment would, to his mind, be a small matter compared to tho enormous good that woiild arise to the community from wellequipped and well-conducted Y.M.C.A.'s. —"Otago Daily Times."

Local builders nud representatives of Wellington brick-making firms mot in conference on Saturday, with a view to arriving at some arrangement respecting n trade price for bricks. As was reported on Saturday,, tho builders are dissatisfied with the existing position. The price of bricks has risen 12s. per thousand during the past sis months, and no trade allowance is made to builders who buy bricks in large.quantities. The conference on Saturday was of an amicable nature, and the tone of negotiations, so far as they went, is regarded as satisfactory. In tlie absence of certain necessary data, it was found impossible to arrive at an immediate understanding, but, when the information required has been obtained, the conference will resume. It is hoped that a settlement satisfactory to the parties concerned will then be arrived at.

The Mayor of Lawrence (Mr. James Robertson) writes to the. Duneclin "Star": "The celebration of the jubilee of the early Otago goldfields, which will bo started on May 20, has brought to light close upon 300 of the old pioneer miners' band, and many have, replied that if spared in health they will put in an appearance. Tho finance committee are. meeting with some very generous donors, who recognise the important part which the old pioneer miners played in tha past, and the various members of the organisation are now playing their part to make, the scheme nn unqualified success. Excursion fares have been secured, and this must assist in bringing together a. large _ assemblage from every part of the Dominion."

Nominations for positions on the general committee oC tho National League closed at noon on Saturday. Tho secre-tary (Mr. J. A. Bruce) states that a ballot will be necessary, as tho, nominations received are considerably in excess of tho number required. Tlic election will take place tonight nt Messrs. Turnlmll and C'o.'s auction room, Panama Street. Only those on tho roll will bu entitled to vote.

A Maori wedding at Maropiu, north of Auckland, last week was delayed owing to a swarm of bees having taken possession of tho church. Efforts were made to get Iho Wvr. out. but n>; vhc method was slow, and Ihu bride and bridegroom were nervous and desired In g<>t the service over, it waft deemed necessary to burn sulphur. The effect was prompt.' Tho surplus money from the Wellington Jubilee celebrations held in IS9O (some .-£250, which was earmarked for the imrchfl'so of pictures, books, autographs, etc.. relating to the first settler!- at' Wellington) has now accumulated in the Tost Office Pavings Bank to £1.10. It i.s likely that a movement will be inado shortly to utilise the money in the manner which was originally intended, making the purchases the nucleus of n special "pioneer section" iu tlio Wellington Free Public Library