LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1369, 21 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The flag of the Wellington Harbour Board was flown yesterday in honour of it being the thirty-second anniversary of the board—dated from its first meeting.

The United Press Association is to hold its annual meeting at Ciycymouth next week. Mr. Henry Brett; proprietor of the "Auckland Star," is at present in Wellington, en route to the West Coast.

"The council hopes that the club's influence may be felt in the direction of beautifying the city and its surroundings" (says the annual report of the Arts Club). "There is," the report continues, "a Reserves Committee of the City Council, which has beautifying as one of its aims, and it is hoped that an arrangement may be come to whereby a special committee of the club may * co-operate with ihe Reserves Committee."

Mr, J. Vigor Brown is to ask the Minister for Railways whether he will at once give instructions to have plans prepared for a now railway station at Napier, to meet the increased volume of traffic which, it is anticipated, will result from the construction of the East Coast railway.

Mr. Harris (Waiteniata) gave notico in Parliament yesterday afternoon to ask the Minister for Railways if ho would agree to run two daily express trains on the Main Trunk railway between Wellington and Auckland.

Mr. Witty stated in Parliament yesterday that he would ask the Minister for Railways to place a crossing-keeper at tho Styx railway crossing (Christchtirch), which was recently the scene of a distressing double fatality, when a motor-car collided with a train.

In a Lenten pastoral, the Anglican Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Crossley) states: —"The Bishop and tho Standing Committee are making a big venture for the men of Auckland. Every day at luncheon hour in the Chamber of Commerce (most kindly and generously lent to us) there will bo a 30 minutes' service. Picked men are coming to speak to yon. Men from every parish, anil of every'type and age nro tho people who are invited. They are asked to bring a friend along with them. Business employers are respectfully besought to grant facilities for clerks and apprentices to come. And everyone is bogged to come not once or twice, but where possible right through tho course."

The vines of Mr. Wilkinson, of Oriental Bay, are-in excellent bearing this yea,r. The output of these gardens—which'date from the days of Wellington's youthrank among the finest hothouse grapes grown in the district.

Mr. P. Hnlly will sit with a Conciliation Council this morning at 10 o'clock to investigate the plumbers' dispute.