LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1263, 19 October 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Monday, October 23, being Labour Day, there will be one full city ami suburban delivery only made by letter-curriers, which, will clo.'-e at Chief Post Oliico, Wellington, at 7.15 a.m. The earth's daylight is due to bo interfered with next Sunday by ono of . tJie ivext-door planets getting in the way. Scientists calculate fhut tho people in various parts of Southern Asia, in a line from the Aral Sea to the South of China, and of tho Pacific lslnnds between lower jNew Guinea and tho Chinese coast, will l>e put completely in the shade for tho timo being. .So lar as New Zealand and Australia are concerned, there will bo but a'very slight cutting off of the solar beam, and Auckland's share of the phenomenon (says an exchange) is nut flown at thirteen minutes of dimim-lied light, between 5.22 p.m. and 5.85 p.m. It is a handy time for a partial eclipse, when people are ordinarily out of licit and respectably garbed, and doubtless youthful Galileos will be fully equipped with candle-blacked astronomical instrumeuls wherewith to malco observations that should stimulate the tea-table talk, even if it should add not to tho sum of human knowledge.

111 tlio House of Representatives yesterday llr. Glover championed tho cliiim of old soldiers to some recognition from the country. "I am reluctantly compelled," was Mr. Glover's opening phraso, but he shoved no trace of reluctance as 110 went on. "Ilcre," he exclaimed dramatically, as he hold aloft a photo, "is tlio man who pained the colours. (Laughter and cheers.) I slir.il have great pleasure in presenting this photo to the Speaker. . . . Let the l'rime Minister come down and do something for these old pioneers. . . . Seo their colours standing there," exclaimed Mr. Glover, again holding up the photo, "you can sso them now. (Laughter, applause, and cheers.) I am fully conscious of Hie fact," concluded Mr. Glover, "that not one member of tlio Rouse would irat bo justified in requesting that something should be done for these old soldiers." Then Mr. Glover, while members applauded, carried out Jus promise of giving tho photo to the Speaker. Tlno latter received it, and stood it on the front of 'his desk, facing outwards.

As an indention of tho acute demand for building tradesmen in Sydney, Mr. Mitchell, of the lirm of MitcheTt ami King, contractors, of Sydney, formorlv of Wellington, informed a Wellington resident that during the six months tlic.v had been in Sydney they had not looked at a plan, though there was any quantity of work offering'. Tlio reason "for this was that it was almost a matter of impossibility to get men. Mr. Mitchell said that many contractors with work in hand were dragging along as best they could, but nearly all of them were hehiiid time. Recently a commission was set; up by tlio New South Wales Government to inquire into tlio shortage of labour. In its report it stated that at least another 1000 tradesmen were required to meet the pressure. The position appears to bo just as bad in Victoria. A couple of weeks ago a provincial town council called for tenders for the erection of n Town Hall, but not a solitary tender was received.

The new port of the Victorian Year Book, just ibsusd by tho .Government Statist, contains interesting informalicn relating to birlhs, deaths, and marriages in Victoria and elsewhere. The number of marriages in 1910—10,240—was the highest evrr recorded in Victoria, and exceeded the number for the previous year by 809. The rate—7.B3—was the highest experienced during the past twenty years. After allowing for the increase in population, 8028 more persons wero married in tho past five years than in tho period 1901-1905. The ages of Ihe bridegrooms ranged from 1G to 99 year?, and those of the brides from 15 to over SO. Only about 11 per ccnt. of the total marriages in Victoria aro celebrated by lay registrars. The births Inst year numbered 31,4.17, of which 1759, or 5.G per cent., were illegitimate. Tho birth rote. 24.20 per 1030, is tho lowest rate recorded, The deaths numbered H.73G in 1910, and the death rate was 11.31. These figures are slightly below the average for the preec-d----in;,r five years. The mortality of ehildren under one year was, for legitimate infants 11.9, and for illegitimate infants 21.3 per 100 births, as compared with rates of 10.4 and 21.1 in England and Wales. The great improvement which has taken place in the conditions alfocting infant life is shown by the fact lliat of 20,000 children barn 12J1 more survived the .age of five in the years 1901-1910 than in the period 1881-90.' Territorials will be interested in n statement by tho United States Gazette that a modification in tho rules of marching is contemplated in connection with the British scTvices. ' It is proposed to relieve soldiers from the necessity of keeping step, allowing them to inarch as tlicv please in that respect, maintains "fours," however. . "A trial of the 'go-as-yoit-pkafo style' is to be a feature of this yoar's manoeuvres, and," says tho Gazette, "we think it is a sensible measure, for it must bo patent to all thinking men that to pnt a man who is only Bft. 2in. by the side of another who stands ft. in Ills stockings, a.nd expect them to march for 30 miles in unison of step is ridiculous. That there aro points for the keeping-step theory, we readily admit, but when there is no band, tho roads are utioven, and men are tired, tho unison of step is a tax on mind and strength that could bo avoided, and, as tho main object is to secure a high collective result With tho minimum of fatigue, it appears to be wrong."

Tlio prospects for the coming tourist Ronton in New Zealand aro considered to bo griglit by Auckland tourist _ agents. The weather so far lias been particularly fine, says thn "New Zealand llornltl," and there are already a fair number of visitors in the Dominion. In about a month's time the season will start properly, and as theTO aro 110 counter-attractions of any noto in other parts of tlio world, incoming vessels are" bound to linyejow; list's. Anticipating a big influx, the larger city hotels aro making provision tor extra accommodation, and '11 snnl'iorn towns similar provision is being mado. A resident of Canterbury, who was in [jondon during the great strike, writes:— "It was 110 great inconvcnienca to people well off. The hotels, clubs, etc., did not raise tohir pi-ices, anil gave you the usual meals. lee ran short. Insh we got in London, and even in Watos. Fislr was brought each day by motr to the hotel. With Hie P'Jor people things were different. l'ricw went up, and shops in the poor quarter were run right out and could not get supplies. It was nearly becoming vory serious, and very little would liavo turned it into free fijrliling in many parts. People found it dillieult lo sleep in the hotels near Ilvde Park on tlio night that tliev marchcd 15,000 troops into London. It will lake a_ long time to settle down, and tlio loss is going lo bu very great."