LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1097, 8 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

••p-ro ;: ..,:.,Tva Some time ago tlio Tramway Conference retired from the public view. It has been retiring ill a determined way ever since. The' "retirement" was tlio immediate result of a dispute over the production of a "key" necessary to the understanding of a roster brought forward by the Tramway Union. It is stated that, about a fortnight ago, the union offered to submit its treasured "key" .to the. inspection of a tramway sub-committee of the City Council, on condition tliat a member of tlio union should bo present at the inspection. Tlio proviso was intended to ensure that the key should not be copied. Apparently the council has not yet replied to tho offer.. The Minister for Marine (tho .Hon. J. A. Millar) has informed Mr. T. Wilford, who is acting as counsel for Captain Attwood in his application for a rehearing in ' tho Elingamito case, that thero is 110 power to grant a rehearing without the authority of Parliament. Tho Minister is to be urged to introduce a Bill next session. In connection with the visit of the Irish delegates to New Zealand, Mr. Martin Kennedy cabled to tho party at Cape Town asking that the number of' meetings originally mapped out by the delegates—twelve—bo extended to thirty-five, that being the number held on the occasion of the previous visit of lrisli delegates to New Zealand—Messrs. Devlin and Donovan. In reply, Mr. Kennedy has received tho message: "Thanks—the moro tho bettor." An originating summons under tho Declaiatory Judgments Act to decide certain questions between Win. Henry Smith, proprietor of the "Manawatu Times" newspaper, and Ernest Denis Hoben, journalist, lessee of. the paper, will be dealt with in the, Supreme Court this morning by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Tlio lack of a school of navigation in Auckland was commented upon by Mr. Georgo George, director of the Auckland Technical College, at a recent meeting of tlii Auckland Board of Education. Mr. George said that such schools wore to be found in many seaports of tho world. The importance of Auckland an a poit would be greatly increased by its becoming a naval base, and it seemed that the Technical Collego could hardly be considered complete unless a school of navigation was established in connection with it. He thought the Harbour Board would be willing to contribute towards tho maintenance of such a school. In future 110 froo passes will bo issued to rifle teams travelling on the railways for tho purpose of holding competitions. ' 'This restriction will hot apply to riflemen travelling for ordinary purposes, such as class-firing; nor wiil it affect tho privileges now accorded to riflemen journeying to ■Trentham for week-end practice 011 Saturday afternoons. , 1 . A special meeting of tho Board of Governors of Wellington College and Girls' High School was held yesterday to overtake some of the routino business which-was crowded out of the usual monthly meeting, which was held last week. Matters dealt with included consideration of increases- of salaries to members of the teaching staffs of the colleges. A meeting is to be held at Miramar this afternoon with the objcct of selecting Labour candidates to contest seats at - the approaching borough elections. A movement is also afoot to establish a branch of the Now Zealand Labour party in Miramar. Lieut.-Colonel Birkenshaw, the Provincial Compandor of the Salvation Army, is announced to lead on all day to-morrow at tho Constablo Street Hall, Wellington South. General Booth's cighty-second birthday will bo celebrated on Monday, when the Colonel wiil deliver an address on "General Booth, tho Mail of the Age," Mr. R. A. Wright. >1.1'., presiding. Yesterday Detective Abbott arrested a man who will appear at the Magistrate's Court this morning charged with theft of an overcoat at Wellington on March 17. i

The public are reminded of the reception to be tendered to Mr. Hugh J. Ward, by the citizens of Wellington, in tho big Town Hall, at 4.30 p.m. on .Monday. The proceedings will consist of a short concert programme, and presentations to Mr. Ward and tho members of his company. All Wellington is invited free of charge. Tho Young Men's Bible Class Union and Institute of the . Presbyterian Church of New Zealanfl will hold their Easter camp at lielmont. The camp will commence on Friday, April 14, and will linish on tho following Tuesday. A very interesting paper on "Manual Training in Public Schools" was read before the New Zealand Institute last evening hy Mr. Howell, instructor for the Wellington Centro in woodwork. Mr. Howell gave a comprehensive account of the progress made in this class of instruction, and tho methods now employed in tho various grades. A letter was received at the meeting of the Teachers' Institute last evening from Miss Freeman, a member, containing a suggestion that the May holiday should be deferred till the Coronation, and have tho extra days that would probably. bo granted then added to the usual verm-end week. It was decided to leave the matter in the han'ds of tho president and secretary with power to act. Oil Easter Monday, April 17, the favourite ferry steamer Maori will leave tho Queen's Wharf at 8 h.m. on an excursion to Picton and back. The fare is live, shillings, and children will bo carried half-price. The April number of tho Wellington Bradshaw is now obtainable from all news agents. Price, one penny. This handy little book contains all time-tables, mail, fcrvices, and a host of useful information.'"'