LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1365, 16 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The foundation stone of the new Pi-es-Ijyteriau Orphanage at Berhainpore will lie laid at 3.30 p.m. on Saturday next, tebriiary 24. His Excellency the Governor has consented to perforin the ceremony. The annual visit of inspection by Citv Councillors and officials to the YVaunii waterworks, which was to have been muiie to-day, has been postponed until Monday. The patients now in the hospitals at Nawlown under the control of the Wellington Hospital and. Charitable Aid Bwd number i"ri. as against 240 at this time last year. They are distributed as follow:—General Hospital, IG7; Victoria M; Jjcdilon, 17; I'ever, 11; and Children"s, IS. During January 15 patients were admitted and 1G discharged from ilie Otaki Hospital. Them were yesterday six males and two females under treatment. In tho Otaki Sanatorium for Consumptives 15 were admitted and Iβ discharged during (he past lnon'li. There were at present under treatment in that institution twelve males and eleven females.

A few weeks ago Detective Hammond left Wellington for Melbourne with a warrant for the arrest of Henry James Baker on a eh-.irgc of wife de.-ertion. I3aker was before the Court in Melbourne on Feb. rnary 2, and there his solicitor made an oiler to contribute .CI a week towards his wife's support. The matter was ordered to stand suspended for three months, in order to ascertain if Baker makes the payments .suggested.

When tho question of builders supply, lng the civic authorities with plans of buildings to he erected was raised at tho Onslow Borough Council last evening, the engineer remarked; "The architect prepares the plan, and then the council calls upon the builder to supply a copy of the plan. It is not a fair thing at nil." Tho engineer thought that the architect ought to supply the copy.

Mr. X. D. Bunting, secretary to tho Hairarapa District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, has been appointed to act as secretary to the movement to suitably recognise the gift of an incurable home fo the 'Uairarana by Mr. W C Buchanan, JI.T. The executive which visited Masterlon o:i Wednesday in connection, with tho matter have'arranged for alt local bodies to bo circularised asking them to appoint delegates to attend a meeting at Masterton on March G (o go thoroughly jitto the matter.

„A" juteresthig demonstration of the Ajax patent fire-extinguisher was given behind the Opera House yesterday afternoon. A series of packing-cases' placed end on made up a pile some 12 to Hft. high, one side being open and smeared inside with tar. Petrol was then thrown over the pile, and the whole ignited. In about twenty seconds the whole pile was a seething mass ot flames from (op to bottom, and into this mass the Wellington agent for the Ajax patent threw the cement-like powder, nnd in five seconds the blaze was extinguished. The powder was thrown into the bottom of the pile, ami the gas thus formed rose and put out the /lames above. The Ajax powder on tins demonstration certainly does what the advertisements claims it will do. It is also inexpensive.

According to the dispatch from Downing Street, published in this week's liazottc, the- title of "honourable" is given not only to the Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, but to the High and Supreme Courts of Australia, South Africa, and Newfoundland. Sir James Preuder'ast ex-Chief Justice of Neiy Zealand, will also bear tho title.

The return of (he number of votes recorded at the National Prohibition poll, token on December 7, are set out in detail in the current week's Gazette.

The order forbidding money orders and postal correspondence being forwarded to the International Investment Co., of Auckland and Wellington; Messrs. Win. Noton, of Auckland, and .Mr. Kobt. Noton, of Wellington, has been removed* bv notici! in the Gazette.

A notice in this week's Gazette announces that certain species of birds indigenous to New Zealand arc not to be deemed to be protected. These include the k«\, hawks of all species, and tie black, white-throated and sea shags.

"There is," says the "Labour Journal," "an ever-increasing demand for domestic workers. High wages are offered, but girls are unwilling to accept Unvaried duties and long hours expected of them. They are not willing to go for lower wages where a second maid would be kept or ;i charwoman employed. Maids for tho country at high wages" are almost impossible to get. Factory hands aro also urgently sought after at good wages and under good working conditions. The overseas boats Tainui and Kuapehu were met as usual, and advice ami information were given. Fov; applications were made to the Department bv immigrants, and, considering tho number arriving, it is astonishing what becomes of them all."

Discussing the acceptance of hereditary honours by colonial politicians, the Loudon "Daily News" .says:—"The colonies are divided in their attitude. Canada and South Africa did not mind peerages and baronetcies, while Australasia has a- very dtlinite objection to them, as Sir Joseph Ward learned to his cost. Sir Joseph's defeat at the recent election wa» largely due to his act-cntancc of a baronetcy. It. is commonly said that the Knglislimau dearly lovas ;> lord; but Australia and New Zealand are the most purely English of (he Dominions. They are not partly French lilve Canada, or parllv Dutch like South Africa."

The mental bo=pitnl building at 'I'okaiiui. in the Kins Country, for which a contract has just, bsen lot (says flip "X-ow Zealand Herald"), will form the jji-tlimin-ary part of a comprelieiiiive .sciieme in connection will) mental patients. The principle that i= being followed is that of a nnmlx'r ot sm.ill delarh?d buildings instead of one large building. This plan ivill, il is i'oush'.i-tdil, enable clr.ssi'iciitions to bo carried out on practical lines and moke it po?>i!)lo to add to (he necommadiition for any particular pla<!s of patients willunit any trouble or di>nrrana;emeiit. Il is not inleiKled that Ibis institution -hall tiikp the place of iiny of Uin existiiitt 111Ei 1 liosnilals. It will rather l>e nn ■•i.v:.rflott- -, lni-pilal for all dnw?. , «f nulionls from all the olher iii4iiulioi\s. who linvp no relatives, or whn are nol regularly visilod by friends, will !>!■ iiinnnsst fli<i=e .'onl lo Tokaniii. whirli will, nf <vf)ur«p. for some years l>p iinsuilablf for palienl« who frrqupully nreivo. visit?. The lmildins? that nre now alwut lo l>l rm'lod will be n laile and a hfllf from tli"T«'piilii station, and thev will ,irrnmnjnrlntr oVmnt tm pa fir n Is. This M»\ area on tlie wtato is about SMO acres.