LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1220, 31 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In Parliament yesterday Mr. Luke nfked tho Minister for Internal Affairs whether he would take tlio necessary steps to effectually deal with tho impasse (hat has resulted from the judgment of Commissioner Hasolden, who was appointed a Commissioner to determine tho legal and equitable conditions between the 'Wellington City Council and tho Karori Borough Council in reference to the, receding of Northland from the Karori Borough Council ami its liability in connection therewith? The Minister replied that the Commissioner's report was made after a full inquiry, at which both parties were represented, and it is doubtful whether further inquiry would bo either proper or desirable, but no action will b<? taken ill tlio matter without duo notice to the parties concerned.

The erection of Alfred Drury's fine statue of the late Queen Victoria on the new site in the Kent Terrace reserve will l>o completed by Mr. AV. J. Helyer at the end of the week. The st.itue will face tho north, and will look straight down tho centre path of the reserve. The inscription: "Victoria Kejina A Imperntrix, 1337-1901," will be tho panel on the northern face of the pedestal; the "Arts" panel will be on the western side; the "Industries" on the east; and the signing of tho Treaty of Waitangi on tho southern side.

Two little children, a boy of four years and a girl of 31 months, were committed to the Welling"!on Recciviii? Home by Mr. W. G. llkldell, S.M.. yesterday. Tho children's parent is in indigent circumstances. The mother was ordered to pay ss. a week towards their support.

Mr. Henry E. White, architect, of Wellington, will prepare the plans of the new theatre to bo erected by Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, in Queen Street, Auckland.

Tho tender of Mts.srs. Trevor Bros, has been accepted for tho erection of a block of buildings for Mr. T. G. Macnrthy, next the Whit? Swan Hotel in Cuba Street. The buildings are to be erected in reinforced concrete three .stories high. Mr. J. M. Dawson is the architect.

Mr. Henry E. White, structural engineer, of Wellington, has just completed (lie construction of a big tunnel for iho Duncdin City Council in connection with the Waipori water-power electrical works. Tim tunnel, which pierces a ridge of hard rock about 18 miles from Dunedin is approximately about a milo in length, and has taken two years to build. The tunnel is 7ft. by 7ft., and in soft patchy ground the walls aud roof had lo be built in concrete 12 inches in thickness-, but for tho greater part the tunnel traversed hard rock, in the piercing of which a world's record for rock-drill mining is said to iinve been established. This is the manipulation of the drills by compressed air, which method will be. adopted by Mr. White in boring nil the strel girders and stanchions (for rivets) in connection with the erection of the new His • Majesty's Theatre in Courtenay Plncc. The cost of the big Waipori tunnel was just on JCIB,OOO.

The fortnightly meeting of the Sydney Street and Northland Primitive Methodist Mutual Improvement Society was held on Tuesday night in the Sydney Street Primitive 'Methodist Schoolroom. There was a. good attendance of members. The subject for the evening was a lecture on. ''Electricity," by Mr. M. Cable, who spared no pains to make tho subject interesting and instructive. The lecturer explained his statement ny_ means of illustrations. At the conclusion a hearty vote of thanks- was accorded Mr. Cable for the trouble he had gone to. The next meeting of the society will (ako the form of an "elocutionary competition.

Parliament has, so far, made no provision for tho erection of a new ]x>st oltice at Kaiwarra. Provision was made on last year's Estimates to the extent of JQSIO for the purchase of a site, which lias already bee.n acquired. The Post-master-General told Mr. Luke yesterday that until ways and means are provided ho is unable to say when a building will be put in hand.

Replying to Mr. Hogan, Hio Minister for Agriculture stated yesterday that arrangements arc now complete for making Wanganui a grading port. It will not bo necessary, it is added, for a grader to spend the whole of his time at AYaiigar nni meanwhile. It is proposed to send an officer when required.

The Acting-Minister for Defence (Hon. G. Fowlds), replying to a question put by Mr. Fisher in Parliament, said his attention had been drawn to a newspaper report of "an insult offered to the men of His Majesty's Navyby the patrons or proprietors of the skating rinks in Auckland." He had no official information on the matter, but will cnuso inquiries to bo made.

"I know a man who gets a thousand a year for managing a grocer's shop," declared Mr. J. Vigor Brown in Parliament last evening. "He gets what?" vociferated Mr. Hardy. "A thousand a year, , ' repeated Mr. Brown. "Can you give me a show?" inquired Mr. Ilardy eagerly. "I don't say tho member for Selwyn would get a thousand a year," said Mr. Brown. "I could earn it, and you never could," retorted Mr. Hardy..

In connection with the efforts that are being made to obtain the necessary funds to erect a statue of the late Edward Gibbon Wakedeld in Wellington, Mr. Allen is to ask whether the Government is prepared to subsidise contributions. Sir Joseph Ward was recently reported in a London paper to be sympathetic'towards the proposal.

I'ho Education Committee of tho House, of Representatives has commented to take evidence on the subject of university reform. It will give every opportunity to witnesses desirous of discussing the question to represent their views to the committee.

At the Mount Cook Police Court yes-" tcrdfty, before Mr. T. S. Lambert, J.P., Annie Maud Sales pleaded guilty to drunkenness, this being her fourteenth conviction. She was fined 205., with tho alternative of four days' imprisonment. Ada Edwards, an nld offender (who had just spent u year in gaol), pleaded guilty to insobriety. She was fined 10s. or 48 hours' detention.

Between 30 and 40 people responded to an invitation extended to "residents of Thorndon" to attend a meeting at tho Marino Institute's Hall last evening for the purpose of discussing various aspects of the case against compulsory military training, as presented by Messrs. G. Dee (tho chairman of the meeting), W. Scott Bedford, and J. Aldis, who delivered short addresses in condemnation of tho new Defence scheme generally, and of tho penal clauses and methods of appointing officers in particular. Mr. Bedford claimed that the recent Christchureh byelection was a victory for the opponents of the principle of compulsory military training, inasmuch as tho successful candidate, Mr. Isitt, had declared himself to be opposed to , (he compulsory provisions of the Act, and the Christciiurch'

"l'rcss" had warned the electors that the return of 51 r. Isitt would be tantamount to a blow at tho new Defence scheme. Tho proceedings concluded with a resolution of protest against the present system.

Embalmed in llansurd (Vol. ISI, p. r>l.l) is a statement miulu on Tuesday of last work by Mr. W. 11. Field, M.1 , ., which should not Ik? left in obscurity. A Bill in which he was was to bo po<tixiiK'd, anil Mr. Millar suggested postponement until the Friday. Mr. Field objected, and sniil: ".In any case, there will not be much time to deal with it on Friday; the I'rime Minister comes back oji that day, the town will bo uioro or less en fete 1 ■