LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1374, 27 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Warrimoo, which sailed from Sydney at noon 011 February 24, has on board an Australian mail, duo to reach hero tomorrow.

The Public Works Department has accepted the tender of Mr. John M'Williams, of Wellington, for the construction of a tunnel, which is to run from bake Coleridge, through an adjoining hill, to 111? linkaia Kiver. Tho contract: price is ,1.'53,i72, and the work is lo bo completed by August l(i, 1913. The tunnel will play an important part in connection wil.h the harnessing of Lake Coleridge for hydro-electrical purposes. Tho length of the tunnel will be. about 0110 mile, and its internal dimensions will be approximately eight feet, by eight feet. It is to be cut through solid rook, and lined internally with concrete. It is to have a gradient of 1 in a 1000, and will convey the water of the lake to the intake of'steel-pipe lines, which will connect tho tunnel at its outer end with the powerhouse.

Mr. P. D. Davis, J.r., of the Upper Hutt, recently wrote to the Under-Scere-tary for Justice (Mr. F. Woldegrave) outlining the facts in a case recently before (lie Magistrate's Court, in the corn-so of which ho had been "lectured" by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M. In reply, Mr. Waldegrave wrote:—"So far as I nm concerned, .1 have always held the view that any citizen of New" Zealand is entitled to interview me in my otiicial capacity, and to lay before ino any grievanco lie may have, and I can see no impropriety in the fact that you waited upon mo in connection Willi the proceedings at. tho Upper lliitt which! led to the Court cases referred to. /You are at liberty to mako any use yen please of this letter."

The conference of mine-owners of New Zealand, aunouueed to lake place in Wellington this week, will be held at 10 a.m. in the Employers' Association's rooms on Friday next.

It is eight years since the contractors handed over the Town Unll to tho City Council, and, as a visitor to the civic pile yesterday remarked, "it looks it." The remark was born of the exceedingly grubby state of tho white plaster walls of the main entrance to the building and the vestibule, leading to tho ball itself. The pristine purity of the white cement facing to tho plastered' walls has long sinco disappeared, and on all sides aro tho accumulated smudges of eight years, particularly witliiu five or.six feet of the tiled floor. The Concert Chamber, too, shows tho besmirching hand of time, and would be materially improved in appearance by a coat of paint. A clctin city lias been the aim of our City Council for several years past—a clean Town Hall might bo included in the civic programme.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland, on Friday, a solemn retjnieni muss was celebrated for the repose of the soul of the late Right Rev. Dr. Lenihan, in commemoration of the second anniversary of his death, Tho sanctuary was draped in the late prelate's colours, while the catafalque was draped in mourning, and upon it rested tile late Bishop's mitrn. The servieo at (he catafalque was most impressive, and was conducted hy Father Wright, who was surrounded* by (lie priests. Tho "Libera" was sung by Fathers Edge, Smiers, and Onuoud in the organ gallery. Mr. Harry Hiscoc-ks presided at tho organ. At the conclusion of the service the congregation stood with bowed heads as the solemn tones of the "Dead March" in "Saul" pealed forth from the organ..

By tho steamer Zealandia, which readied Sydney on February 18, Dr. and Mrs. Fatten, of New York, who are procee'ding to New Guinea on a seieiftiiic expedition, wero passengers. Dr. fatten stated that his chief object in going to New Guinea, was lo gather cmbryological and anatomical material for tho study of tho evolution of certain groups of animals. He had set out on (his expedition on his own initiative, but would work under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, and llio Museum of Natural History of Now York. l!y means of tho material he anticipated bcin" able to collect ho would con-duct-research work on his return to New York. He was particularly interested in tho eggs of the liautalis, a bird, tho history of which had never been worked out, and the development of which wns unknown. It. was a species which, with the exception of the present and only representative, was entirely extinct, lie would spend several months in tho island, and hoped, during tho time, to collect quite a lot of material.

"Twelve complaints liavo been received and considered by the council," says the annual report of tho Wellington District Law Society. "Of these, five, though properly referred to the council, did not amount to nets of misconduct, three were | dismissed with expressions of tho counI oil's view, nml the other two are still in hand. Two c:ihds of a frivolous and vexatious nature were dismissed without calling upon the solicitors complained against. Neglect to account for money formed the grounds of another complaint The action of the council, however, brought, about a, settlement:. In the case, of one solicitor imprisoned for theft, the council olilained an order striking his name olf the roll. Complaints against two Bolieitors were deemed sufficiently serious to lie plaeed in the hands of the council's solicitor. Tn both cases rules nisi have been obtained to strike the names of the alleged offenders oil' the roll. Motions to make them absolute will be heard at the next sittinss of the Court of Appeal." The intention of laiv holidays occupied the attention of the Wellington I.nw Socielv dnrini the year. A note in the annual report says:—"A sub-committee, comprising the president and Messrs. K. Stafford nnd M. I.uckie, was appointed to ntjain revise Ihe schedule of law holidays observed in the city and report In the council. The report, which was adopted by the council without amendment, reinstated St. Ocorse's, St. Andrew's., and St. Patrick's Hays on the list. but eliminated limpire I>;iy and days on which Ihe Mayor may invite citizen-:' to observe iiolid.iv. It wis further dceiiled that the annual cricket and tootli.-i 11 matches (if played) must be played on tome e.\iitinj holiday,"-