LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1109, 24 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

lnc Maheno, with mails aboard from Australia, England via Suez, and England and America via Vancouver, did not arrive at Auckland in time to connect with the Main Trunk express, which left iast evening. The Wellington and southern portion of the mails mentioned will not arrive here, therefore, until to-morrow-afternoon. The Maheno'passed Cape Maria van Diemen yesterday morning at lialfpast six and Cape Brett at 1 p.m. Late last evening the Postmaster at Auckland advised the local office,, by telephone, that tho Maheno had failed to connect with the mail train. "I have recently interviewed .Mr. Baillie, of the City Council's library, with reference to a plan to utilise the books of the children's branch of tho Librarv," says Mr. W. T. Grundy in his annual report to tiio householders of the Clyde tjuay School district. "Mr. Baillie "informs me that the committee of the library is very anxious to bring these books within tho reach of the children of the public schools, and 1 would suggest that a sub-committee of the School Committee' be empowered to interview and make such arrangements with tho Library Committee as may bo deemed necessary. Tho teaching staff of tho school will very cheerfully do whatever is necessary in taking care of the books lent." On Tuesday morning a deputation from the Patea Harbour Hoard will wait on the Minister for ltailways (the Hon. J, A. Millar) to lay before liim certain matters regarding the management of the I'iitea wharves.

Parties of men were sent last week by the local Labour Bureau to Tauinarunui and Ohakune for road works, and to tho G-isbornc-Motu railway works. Another party will be dispatched to-day to road work at Mangaweka.

The executive of the National League has drawn up a policy which will come up for ratification by the General Committee at.a meeting to be held next week, Resolutions will be submitted on the questions of Sunday observance, liquor, gambling, and Socialism. The executive is opposed to any unreasonable restrictions being placed upon reasonable Sunday recreation; it is opposed to national prohibition, and to local option, and in favour of the hotels being conducted under strict supervision; it is opposed to any further restrictions on tho means at present enjoyed by adults of gambling, and is definitely against the abolition of the totalizator; the executive is also antiSocialistic.

"The relation between the public and university libraries" was the topic of the paper prepared by Mr. J. P. Grossmann at the recent Libraries Conference, and the writer particularly emphasised the point that the two institutions could advanlagoously work in co-operation. The. lack of efficient libraries as adjuncts to universities in New Zealand was deplored, and it was suggested that io the universities should be relegated the duty of providing technical and specialised works, and to public libraries the duly of gathering in literature of a more general and miscellaneous character, so that a scheme could be evolved for closer relationship and reciprocity !>etweeii the two institution:; to avoid a wasteful system, prevent overlapping, and save space, lime, and money. Jlr. Grossmanu declared that governing bodies of universities had neglected their privileges and responsibilities. In a subsequent discussion the Auckland University J.brary came in for especial criticism. Tim conference chairman (.Mr. T. W. Leys) agreed with (ho tenor of the paper. Jlr. Grossmanifs condemnation of university libraries, bo said, was not Ino sweeping, so far as the Auckland University was concerned. There in twenty-eight years they hnd succeeded in getting together a chaotic collection of about 6000 books without even a shelf-list, and without any decent catalogue.

Sergeant Rutledge and Constable M'Kclvie, of the Mount Cook police,. raided a house in Cuba Street Inst night, and seized a quantity af liquor^

At a meeting hold in the Courtcnny Place Congregational Schoolroom, a committee of aver forty electors was set up tn conduct a No-l.iceiise campaign in the Wellington East electorate between the present limp and the dale of Hi* general election. An address was delivered at the meeting by the Rev. ,1. Dawson, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, in the course of which lie explained the provisions in the amendments to the Electoral Act of last .ses.-ion, which are calculated to prevent abuses in connection with the taking of the local option poll. The I'ev. J. ,1. North was elected choirman of the committee. Mr. W. B. Strong secretary, and Mr. R. A. Parton treasurer. So far the candidates announced tor the Wellington East seat aiT: Dr. Newman (ex-Mayor), Messrs. D. M'Laren, i'\ G. Bolton, and K. A. Atkinson. On Saturday night a fire wos discovered in a buardinghouse, 188 Lambton Quay, owned by Mr. James .few. It appears that a candle in a room in v.iiich two men were sleeping was left, burning, and ignited a wimioiv-eurtain. The fire was discovered and extinguished before much damage had been done, and without the aid of the Fire Brigade. The whole of the damage only amounted to about JC2. A party of returning deer-stalkers from tho wilds of Otago report a remarkable occurrence that met their gaze. TJiey found a large buck stag hung up to a bush by one of its antlers. Judging from tli3 surrounding indications it had been there several, days, and in its efforts to free itself had twisted the bush into thick plaits. The party secured a photograph of the animal, and then startled him. With a terrific jump he broke the antler and bounded away in record time. Shortly after the party found another stag situated precisely in the same way, but he was dead, and had probably been so for ton days. It is not an uncommon experience for deer-stalking parties, to find skeletons* of two stags with their antlers locked together, caused through fighting, but it is stated to be unique to find two deer hung up, both on the same day. All entries for the Cash Prize Competitions in Wellington Bradshaw must reach the Bradshaw Office not later than 5 p.m., Tuesday. The Bradshaw is obtainable from newsagents for. one penny.*