LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Wimmera, which left Sydney at noon on April 26 for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail and also n small English mail, via Suez. The Wellington portion should reach hero on Monday next.

•The shooting season opens in the Wellington district on Monday. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society notifies that grey duck, teal, and native pigeons may he shot from the opening of the season until July 31. Pukcko may only !>o shot in a specially gazetted district near Foxtnn. Cock pheasants, Californian quail, and hares may be shot on payment of a license fee of £1. Hares may not be shot without a license in that part ,of the district lying to the .southward of a line commencing at Paekakariki and running to the summit of the Rimutaka Range and thence to the sea at Whareama.

A Dunedin tram-conductor was incapacitated last month by coming in contact with a long pin in a lady's hat in a car, whereby his eye narrowly escaped injury, and the City Council has agreed to' pay him full pay (£2 165.) and doctor's expenses (£1 10s.} • during the period he was absent from duty. The suggestion was made that a by-law might yet bo necessary to prohibit the use of these hatpins in tramcars.

That traditions die hard in the Maori race was strongly in evidence when tho body of Freeman, the victim of tho Puhipuhi murder, was found (writes the Wliaugarei correspondent of the Auckland "Star"). In tho morning tho searchers had brought a vehicle as near as possible to the spot, and when the police would have deposited the body in the vehicle the Maoris protested, saying it would make it "tabu," and no one would ever use it again, so the journey was ■ continued by Maori litter. Again, at Whakapara. when it was found that there was no train back to Whangarei, it was suggested to place the body in the railway goods shod to await the morning train, but the Maoris said that if that were done they would use the shed no more, as it would be "tabu. It was then decided to push on to Hikurangi to catch the late train if possible. This 1 was accomplished after an arduous expedition. ~ - • •

The other day about a dozen Wairarapa passengers :-l>y tho midday train bound for'AlicUl'a'iid - -were stranded inPalmerston, with a twenty-four hours wait-before them, before they could proceed on their journey to.the northern citr. The position arose as follows :—The Napier-Wellington express was delayed at Ashliurst for an hour, owing to an accident to one of her cylinders, and did not arrive at Palmerston till 3.30, an hour after schedule time. In consequence tho tablet arrangement held up tho Wairarapa train at Woodvillo till tho express had left Ashhurst. The Main Trunk train was a few minutes late, but would not wait for the Masterton "express," and both trains passed on tho move at the Junction of tho two lines at Terraco End.

The Telephone Exchange Cricket Club held its first annual smoke concert in Mawson's rooms, Cuba Street, last evening. About 70 members and their friends attended.' Tho usual list of toasts was honoured. -A capital programme of songs and instrumental items was well received. Occupants of No. 46 Haining Street wore suddenly disturbed last night by the entrance of Sergeant Rutledgeand Constable M'Kelvey. This sudden entrance was followed by tho arrest of a Chinese named Loo Youg, who will have to faco a charge of smoking opium. Somo smokers' paraphernalia was also seized. Sixty assisted immigrants are landing in New Zealand from London from R.M.S. Rotoma on Monday morning. Of the number fifty-three aro domestic servants, six aro wives_ rejoining their husbands, and one is a farm labourer. The Wellington Land Board yesterday decided to approve, on the usual conditions, the transfer of Section 41, Mangawcka Village Settlement, from Mrs. F. M. A. Tansey to Mr. W. Walker. The board, in committee, also discussed the valuation to bo placed on five sections in part of tho Awarua Block, which it was proposed to dispose of at an early date. The Makara section of the Karori extension tramline will bo ready for traffic about a fortnight hence. Slight alterations in the time-table departures of cars from the Botanical Gardens take effect from Mav 1. These alterations will hold good when the Karori cars are running over the new Makara section. The City Council has accepted tho tender of Messrs. Lawrence and Hansen for the supply of electrical sundries during the ensuing year. Unsuccessful tenderers were: Messrs. Turnbull and Jones, Cedcrholm and Tollcy, T. Ballinger and Co., and A. and T. Burt. This is the first contract' to bo signed of twenty-two which have been' let for the provision of annual supplies.

A tender for tho lease of tho concert hall at the Coronation Industrial Exhibition has been accepted from a London firm which is now playing in Melbourne. The secretary of the exhibition (Mr. H. F. Allen) has received a letter from tho private secretary to his Excellency tho Governor, stating that his Excellency will accept the position of patron of the exhibition. In his reply conveying the thanks of the committee. Mr. Allen has asked his Excellency if ho and Lady Islington will bo able to attend the opening of tho exhibition on May 24.

The Christchurr.h Technical College Board has submitted a suggestion to the Wellington Technical School Donrd that the latter should co-opcrato in impressing upon the Government the desirability, in tho coming session of Parliament of so modifying tho Conciliation and Arbitration Act that it may be within the power of tho Court to make such awards as would regulate, the technical education of apprentices. In a recent judgment delivered in Auckland, Mr. Justice Cooper held that at present the Court had no such power. Tho matter came before the Wellington Board at its meeting last evening, but consideration was deferred.

The now Harbour Board will elect its chairman and appoint committees on Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Mr. Robert Fletohcr will most probably be' tho only member nominated for tho chairmanship,.