LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1143, 2 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"If you can stop auctioneers selling new furniture you will deserve a monument ns high as the Eiffel Tower," remarked one of the assessors in the furniture trade dispute during a discussion on the. point whether certain auctioneers should bo made parties to the' award.

The City Council spent an arduous time last evening, and even so a considerable amount of business had to stand over. Consideration of tho trouble with the Orange Lodge, the reception of a suburban deputation which came to protest against the enactment of the air-spaeo by-law, and a discussion upon the, pro; posal to increase tho wages of labourers; occupied the council until nearly ten o'clock. Routino business was then attacked and transacted at speed. Shortly after eleven o'clock .'the council went into committee. It emerged just in timo to adjourn before the hour of midnight: struck. Seven important resolutions standing on the Order Paper were held over. Appreciation was expressed at a meeting of the Furniture Trade Union on Wednesday evening of the services rendered to the union by tho secretary, Mr. D. Moriarty, in defending tho case of the union before the ■ Minister for Labour. The meeting also stated emphatically that there was no personal fend between Mr. Moriarty and (he Labour Department, but that the union took' all responsibility for his action, and that My. Moriarty had merely carried out hisr instructions. On the recommendation of the Reserves Committee tho City Council last evening granted an application for permission to hold a torchlight military "tattoo" on the Basin Reserve on the night of Coronation Day, on condition thnt no guns or vehicles are taken on tho Reserve, and also that the charge for admission should not exceed Gd. for adults and 3d. for children. The Council of tho Wellington Citizens' League met yesterday- morning for the purpose of framing a constitution and rules which will place the league on a permanent basis. Rules were drafted and approved and these are to bo circulated among the members for their consideration. A general meeting of tho league is to be held in the Chamber of Commerce on July 4. At that meeting permanent officers will be appointed and thereafter matters of public interest will receivo tho attention of tho league. "At present our firm is under no fewer than eleven awards and I object to being joined as a. party to this award." Sucli was the remark of a local builder, etc., when applying for exemption from being cited as a party to the furniture trade dispute. Tho Arbitration Court will sit in Wellington city on Tuesday, Juno 27. It is understood that tho Court will sit again in Wellington city, and in tho country districts also in September next. During tho fortnight ending May IC, 32 applications were made to the City Council for permission to extend, alter, or erect buildings, and in 28 instances permits were issued after examination and approval of plans. The estimated value of the work was as follows:—City district, JE5552; Melrose, ,£2382; total, X 7934. The Financo Committee, reported to tho City Council last night that it had again considered tho question of charging the Wellington Hnrbour-Board tho sum of .6109 11s. 3d., being one-quarter tho cost of tho elections, alid had decided to adhero to its previous recommendation. Councillor R. Fletcher, who is also chairman of the Harbour Board, repented his objections to the proposed charge, but received very little support from his fellow councillors. The clause was adopted. The Reserves Committee reported to tho City Council last evening that it had issued instructions to Hie City Engineer to prepare a plan of the- Town Belt, showing the various sections, tho stato of tho gorso on such sections, and the particulars of the lenses; and also a report as to tho suitable areas that could, with moderate expenditure, lie turned into recreation areas. The committee stated that it had also instructed (ho City Engineer to prepare a plan of the "Zoo' , for tho use of the committee, showing, as far as possible, the contour of the country' and the location of tho various exhibits. The By-Laws Committee reported to the City Council last evening that it had written to the representatives of the lessee of the Opera House, suggesting tho advisability of opening the iloors immediately the queue of waiting patrons has reached Cuba Street, in order to minimise traffic obstruction. Our Masterton correspondent states that the local area officer estimates that there are 30ft young men in that district who have failed to register. Tho periodical sittings of the NativeLaud Court were opened in the Parliamentary Library Building ye.itonlay hy Judge Ciili'edder, with Mr. Hare I'nrata as clerk anil interpreter. A number of successions and transfers wei'e dealt with. Tho business lo bo laken in Wellington is expected to occupy the Court until .lune 28, when it will adjourn to Olaki. There are 168 cases in the list for the Wellington sittings.

Tho City Council last evening consented ' to the erection of a new thcatio at Courtenay Place for Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, iu accordance with plans submitted, subject to the alterations recommended by the City Engineer. The tender of S. Brown, Ltd., for the supply of trolley wire was accepted by the City Council last night. The tender of Enoch Tonks was accepted for the removal of clay in Nairn Street. The Electrical and City Engineers have been instructed to report fully on the scheme for the extension of the tramway from the Kelburne and ICarori Company s line at Kelburne, to join the Karori Borough line, near the tunnel. The Jliivor stated last night in reply to Councillor Shirtclin'e that the council had an unofficial authority to proceed with tho tramway extension from Willis Sheet to the Post Ollice, nnd'thc work would bo started very shortly. Owing to the largo amount of work at Palmerston North his Honour, Mr. Justice Chapman, has been compelled to postpone the Blenheim Supreme Court sittings until Monday, June 19. His Honour intends to leave for Nelson in time to open tho sittings there on Juno 12. Mr. Justice Chapman will then return to Blenheim to hold the sittings, as stated, on June 10, after which he will proceed to Napier, where the sittings will commence on June 27. Tho Door of Hope Rescue Home for Women, at Auckland, has been declared to be a reformatory home, under the Reformatory Institutions Act, 1909. Some person unknown has forwarded 7s. conscience money to the Railway Department, C'hristchurch. The Fire Brigade received a call at half-past 10 o'clock last night to the Progress Supply Company"* shop, oil Lambton Quay, where a small fire on one of the shelves was extinguished after trifling damage had been done. Tho By-Laws Committee reported to the, City Council last evening (hat they had no recommendation to make regarding the matter of "overcrowding in private houses," referred to at the last meeting of the' council in connection with the sanitary inspector's annual report. Councillor Fletcher moved that the clause bo referred buck. Mr. M'Lorcn said the committee was apparently inclined to cover over a good deal that was dark with a "splodge" of white-wash. There was a great deal of overcrowding in tho city at the present time, and such a clause as this simply made it appear that the council ignored existing troubles that had to be dealt with some day or other. Councillor M'Kenzie thought that it was no use attempting to deal with sanitation until the rates had been lowered. On a division the clause was referred • back by eight votes to seven. When, tho City Council camo out of committee last evening, the Mayor announced that it had been decided to invite applications to-day, to close on Tuesday week next at noon, for tho position of secretary to the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton). The salary to be offered is <£250, and the necessary qualifications will bo stated by the engineer.