LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1230, 12 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities ( <idviso that the s.s. Manuka, which left Sydney at noon oil September 0, has on board an Australian mail. She is due to arrive in Wellington to-morrow morning. The engineer's department of the Wellington Harbour Board is at present engaged on the plans for the extension of tlio Taranaki Street Wharf,... and the staging which is to connect that structure with the Jorvois Qn.iv staging. This staging is to be eroded along the waterfront immediately in front of the Wellington Navals', Star Boating Club's, and Wellington Rowing Club's slirds, at a height sufficient to allow tho free use of the skids balow the staging. As the w'ork is to commence with the extension of the Taranaki Street Wharf it is hardly likely that the rowing community will be interfered with at all during the coming season. AVhile the work of lowering the Queen's Statue from its position at Jorvois Quay was a comparatively easy one, tho task of destroying the concrete foundation has proved a most ardjious one. In order to be qni'o sure of a solid bottom, no less than 4ft. of concrete was sunk into tho ground at the fool of tho Queen's Wharf —enough to have hold a weight ton times that of tho statue and its pedestal. That the work was _ sound is testified to by the men who, with hammer and crowbar, havo been howing nway at tho granitcliko substanco for the .past fortnight. There is still a few days' work before tho whole' of the concrete is removed—then a fresh lot will havo to be laid down as a bed for tho wood-blocking of (ho Post Office Triangle. N A meeting of the local committee in charge of the Taylor Memorial Fund was held yesterday afternoon in the Mayor's i;oom at the Town Hall. The Hon. C. M. Luke occupied the chair. Reports of collectors aud correspondence was dealt with. Tho secretary was instructed to consult Mr. lsitt. M.P., with referenco to the work of the General Committee "in Christchurch. It was decided to ascertain from the General Committee when it was intended to close all the lists, and then another meeting will be called. In tho meantime persons in charge of lists are asked to report to tho local secretary, ill-. J). M'Laren, M.P. Tlio report of tlio executive of the Wellington Scottish Society, to bo presented at ' the half-yearly meeting mi Wednesday night, states that tlio number of financial members has risen from eight, in May, 1!)10, to 130. "Tlio members have in most cases generously backed up the efforts of the ofiice-btarcrs by their attendance at the various functions," says the report, "but our income is small, and tho greatest care has to bo taken with regard to the all important matter of finance. Members will easily understand that the functions must be self-supporting, and this object can only lie attained by each and all striving to fill the hall upon the various occasions that thes; pleasant gatherings are held. Tho real object in view, viz., the attainment of a club-room and reading-room can only Iw achieved with money, and our only sources of revenue are subscriptions and profits from the various functions held. There is a cash balance in hand of about ,£22. The amount of clerical work during the seventeen months the executive has been in office, has been very great. It was performed by Mr. W. Allan, to whom the executive recommends the payment of a bonus of .£5 55." The weeklv meeting of tho Wesley Literary and Debating Society was held in the Wesley Class-rooin, Taranaki Street, last evening. Mr. W. E. Fuller, vice-president. presided. A debate took place oil the following: "In tho event .of war between any of the great Powers, would anv benefit accrue to tho nation or nations who won?" .Mr. G. F. Gapper took the affirmative and Mr. E. Cuming tile negative. At the close of the debate the question was put to the meeting, and the majority of the members decided in favour of ihe negative. Next Monday Maeterlinck's play, "Tho Blue Bird" will be read and discussed. Mr. W. T. Young. Labour candidate for the Wellington 'Central seat, met a number of his supporters in (he schoolroom at llitehelltown last evening. Measures were taken to promote Jlr, Young's candidature at the coming general election.

The Hon. M'Keiizio. ns Minister for Public Works, having signified his pleasure that, the work of duplicating the Wainui water-mains inav now bo proceeded with, a start will be made with the pipe-laying—Hie whole work is estimated at iSn.OOO—in the course of a few days. It will be several months before the work is completed. The fortnightly meeting of tlio I'otono Borough C'ouneii was held last evening, there l)!-i 11 d present :--The Mayor (Mr. W. M'Kwan), ami Councillors List, Wakeham, Brocklebank, Cnx, Burnidgo, I'ruplnan, Lodder, and Piper. The agenda paper was very light, and mainly concerned with routine business. The application of Mr. ]•'. Flowers for the n«o of the Rocreation Ground on October 2',) for the Ilutt Valley firemen's annual competition was granted.