LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1331, 8 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wimmera, with English and Australian mails, arrived at Auckland from Sydney at 5 o'clock last evening. The Wellington portion of her mails will arrive by the Main Trunk express this afternoon.

Tho tourist season at the Waitomo Caves this year has so far 'been particularly busy. The Government hostel has been full nightly for some time past. The bookings from now until Easter are much above the average, and a record season is anticipated. A noticeable feature with regard to the visitors is the largo number of Australians journeying to see tho sights. The now cave, Aranuj, which was opened last March, is attracting admiration.

At a • meeting held in Brisbane • last week a society was formed of Russian settlers in Queensland. The organisation is culled the Russian Nationalists' Liberation Society.. Delegates wero elected to the society, which will'consider a course of action in matters for which the society has been constituted. Not only is it desired to perpetuate and foster under the freedom of tho State itnd Commonwealth Governments the liest cus ; toms and most elevating traditions of tho race, but it -is understood tho foremost principle is to give .assistance to those who, by reason of their political predilections, have come under the ban of the Muscovite authorities, inul are desirous of reaching tho friendly shelter of Australia's shores.

It is understood that the training season for the various units of the new citizen army. will commence, on Monday next, January 15.

A)i exmnplo of how town sections have been changing hands during the past nine months was manifested (says the To Kuiti correspondent of the Auckland "Herald" of Friday lust), when the town clerk finished the compilation of tho electoral roll to be used in connection with n loan proposal of JtTDJ'i for an electric lighting installation at an early date. The last roll was compiled in April, and since then transfers to the'extent of IGO had to bo made on the new one. Sections were often turned over several times before the final transfers were made. There is at present a lull in the sale of town property, but ..vendors are hopeful that the market will brighten as soon as people have settled down after tho holiday season. Some progress may be made this evening towards a settlement of the dispute whirfi has arisen between tho Harbour Ferries Company and its employees. The mailer is to" be considered at a. meeting of the company's directors, and also, it is understood, at a meeting convened under (ho auspices of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. "Free secondary education i? now dafinitely a part, "of the Governnien tprogramme," said the Rev. C. .1. Prescott, principal of the Xcwington (.Yew South Wales) College, in a speech in Sydney last week. "We make no protest against'thai, but we think it is only fair for the public to remember that for many years almost the entire onus 'was thrown upon iidh(lovernmenl enterprise. It would hardlyi be expected Hint we. could think that (hero was no place left for us in the educational world, ami that wc were called upon to abdicate. We frankly accept the Government proposals, and yet feel that we still have a place. -The work' (lone for iifl, (10, or 70 years by the existing secondary schools is to be found in the lives and characters of numerous prominent citizens, and many who are not. j prominent, but yet admittedly useful. There is no reason why there should not exist friendly co-operation, seeing that the avowed object of both classes of schools is the same, liul for the sake of our pa.-t labour? wc think we are entitled •to kindly consideration, if for no other reason*"-

An amusing incident was witnessed re ccntly at Abcrdaro, near Cessnock, 2spw South Wales, in wliit-li u couple of ncwclmni Scotchmen had n l)it of Au>lrali;iii experience that they are not likely to i'ui-Tt, nor are those who witnessed li. savs the Sydney "Evening News." The newcomers were taking » f|iiict stroll in coiupnuv, when an emu—a lame bird, owned bv u resident of the town-ap-proached' them rapidly. They hail never seen an emu before, anil were evidently not fuvoiirablv impressed. They made oIV at a smart run in Jho direction of n small gum tree, with the bird in pursuit. Jl gained on them at every step, and when Ihev reached the tree was only a lew paces behind. The Scotchmen dodged round the tree, and the, enm followed, being evidentlv intent upon making their nwiunintance. ' The men were not having anv, and. at last, (hey .swarmed up (he tree. That settled the emu, and after gazing at the bashful Scotchmen in u surprised manner, he quietly walked nway with a disappointed air. So that if taptain Scott "gets there" in lus southern excursion he will probably find the proverbial Scotchman pretty near the top of the pole if there are any emus about.

Sergeant Kutlcdgo and Constable JNvelvie hist evening raided a house in t.nuzneo Street and seized 120 bottles ot liquor. The proprietor of this assortment will be inkecl to explain matters in tlio Magistrate's Court this morning.