LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1214, 24 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. A. L. Herdman, M.P., Reform candidate, will nddress the electors of Northland and district at the Methodist Schoolroom, Northland, on Monday evening nest at 8 o'clock. A little picture of the immediate future was granted in Parliament lust evening by tho member for Avon (Mr. G. W. Russell). "The Ruapchii is rapidly nearing our shore?," ho said, "and in "a very few tljiys the spirit of calm peace and amiability which, during the past two or three weeks, has reigned ovsv this august Chamber, will disappear. Then the fun will beceone fast and furious, and we shall be engaged probably upon even more important matters than the licensing of land agents." A rather shrswd proposition in regard to acclimatisation rangers was made just before yesterday's conference of the Dominion's societies finished. It was proposed by Mr. Southoy (of Tauranga) that the Acclimatisation Conference should kcop in its employ ' about tcu rangers, who would be sent to tho different districts where it was well known that poaching was prevalent, but where convictions were difficult to obtain , . "What's the good of the local ranger?" asked Mr. Southey, "lie has too many sisters, and cousins, and aunts, not to mention brothers, uncle?, and nephews in (he district, and when he is coming along the word is passed, and there is ndthing happening when the ranger arrives. If a stranger wore sent along, the case would bo wry different, and ho would obtain convictions where the local ranger never could, however conscientious ho might be." Mr. Southey said it was a bis subject, which reaEy concorned the ranger system, and he would bring it up at the ner.t annual conference. A Ministerial reply to a eiuestion iu tho House of Representatives states that electors whose names are removed from the roll of one electorate to that of another, on ncconut of the alteration of boundaries, will be notified by the Registrar of tho name of the electorate to which they have been transferred. The Harbour Board last evening deferred consideration of the question of increases in the salaries of its employees until tho nest monthly meeting of the board. Increased accommodation is to bo proyidod for Hie Customs clerks at tho wharf. At present they are located at tho C Shed, but another story is to be added to the I Shed by the Harbmir Board, and they will 'have part of that at their disposal. The cost of tho alterations, it was stated at tho Harbour Board meeting last evening, will be .£950. Messrs. Hill and Barton, Limited, agents for Daphne Ijulter, adviso that they are removing from their present premises in Cornhill Street to temporary promises situated in Marion Street, almost opposite the Te Aro Post Office..

"Why tin's enthusiasm for tho destruction of hawks and shags, iiiul no mention of stoats and weasels," said Mr. J. P. OT?ogan at tho finnnnl Acclimatisation Societies' Conference yesterday. "Alt our beautiful native birds, which we all wish so much to protect are being absolutely destroyed by stoats and weasels, and here is a body of practical men. representing all the acclimatisation societies, waxing themselves into warm indignation over shags, which do not do a tenth of the damage that stoats and vessels do." Mr. Ptllnrtl (Marlborough) said they all recognised that it would bo a good thing to get rid of tho stoats and weasels, but, the question ivas, how ivew they to do iff

The Acting-Postmaster-Goneral stated, ia reply to a question by jlr. Wiii'ord, that inquiries arc beins made into the question of erecting a post office at Eastbourne.

"Au addition to the strength of the police stationed at Wellington South has Ix'cn promised, and an additional constable will be sent there aa early as nossible."—Ministerial replj to a. question in Parliament by JXr. Luke.

The Acting Postmastor-Gcneral is to be asked by Jlr. Luko whether, having regard to tho unsuitable and inconvenient temporary accommodation now provided for Ihc carrying out of tho post and.telegraph services at. Kaivnrra, he will give instructions for the erection of tho proposed new building forthwith.

The Minister for Agriculture is to bo asked by Mr. Hogan whether arrangements are complete for making the port of Wanganui a grading port, and for appointing si Government grader of dairy produce in time for the opening of the forthcoming season.

A meeting ot Pnlmutanui residents who aro dissatisfied with the new electoral boundaries was held on Tuesday. A petition wa.s framed in favour of reverting to tho old boundaries.

A foreigner who was a witness in the Magistrate's Court yesterday was allied if ho would swear a certain thing. "Vat!-" ho asked. "Will you swear it?" "Yes; I vil svear anything," he answered.

A concert on the Jloeraki uii this trip from Sydney to Wellington lealised about £i>, in fuHheranco of tho New Zealand Shipwrecked Mariners' Fund. Mr. Baker, American Consul at llobart, presided.

The Waipawa County, said Mr. A. K. Jull (chairman of tho county), at the Counties Conference yesterday, had erected 75 miles of telephones, at a cost of XISSO. There wore certain disabilities under the present Loans to Local Bodies Act, in regard to the responsibilities local bodies were able to take in respect to rural (vlc-phonc-s. It was advisable, he continued, that the Connty Councils should control tho erection of tho telephones from the very outset, because as tho wires became, more numerous, increasing provision had to be made for carrying them. The c"n-fr-renco pas.'id a resolution ask ins that tho Act bo amended to oncblo local authorities to Taise loans for tho erection of those rural lines, and to provido for, tho collection of a renanife rate from subscribers, to provido for intoivst and the maintenance of the lines.