LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1382, 7 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pas=engers by the special race train, which left l'nfmer.stou North for Dauiievirkc yesterday, were not at all impressed with the 'up-to-date methods of the J>fp.irtiiient. The distance is only 3."> mile?, but the special took exactly 2 hours 35 minutes to arrive at its destination. Coming home, matters were much worse. The train was diie to leave the racecourse at 5.411 p.m., and at this hour a large crowd gathered to board it. The rain was coming down steadily and as there was no shelter some hundreds of passengers were compelled to hang about and await the arrival of the tram which did not get under way until twenty minutes after the advertised time of departure. Good progress Was made to I'apatitwa, a little side station three, miles from Woodville, but here tho special was hung up for 2"> minutes to cross a slow train that presumably was running late. Another long delay took place at Woodville, and I'almerston Xorth was eventually reached at 8.20 p.m., so that once, again the 35 miles took 2 hours 20 minutes to accomplish. A somewhat obscure paragraph in the annual report presented by ils committee to the Wellington College Old Boys' Association last evtning, reads as follows;—"In conclusion, we heartily wish Jlr. I'irth, who, together with 'Mrs. Firth, left at the end of January for a year's travel, an enjoyable trip, and a safe return to the sphere, from which his genial personality will be sn much missed." One cx-cnllegian, when he came across the. paragraph, wondered audibly what sphere .Mr. and Mrs. Firth had gone to, and added a hope that they might return safely to this sphere. Another Old Boy demanded to Ire told whether Mr. and Mrs. Firth had gone to Mars or Venus. Eventually the association decided to set down its good wishes in perfectly plain Kiiglish and forward them to the college , principal and his wife. The first sod of a section of (he East Coast railivay, extending south from Wnihi, is to be turned on Monday afternoon next, probably by Sir ioseph Ward. When this section is under way, work will be in progress simultaneously on five sections of tho East Coast railway. The permanent way is being laid south from Gisborue, north from Copier, and south from Tauranga. A section of the line. 23 miles long, from Gisborno north to Waikohu, lias nlrenly been completed and opened, and constr'uclion is proceeding actively north of Waikohu. At a rough estimate, it is considered that tho completion of the lino from A'apier to Gisborne alone will take at leas!, ten years more, and the period in which the whole of the lino will be completed is still a matter of mero conjecture. Tho weekly session of the Pioneer Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held in the Rechabite Chambers, Manners Street. Bro. Atkinson, C.T., presided. There was a fair attendance of members, and several visitors were present. The programme, for tho evening wns juvenile night. Prizes were awarded the following: Singing, Bro. Beale 1, Sisters M. MncAulay 2, Kita Harris I!; recitation, Sisters V. Adams I, D. Coop 2, Rigalsford 3, M. MncAulay 4, Lawton .">. Bro. W. Knox and Sister Kita Harris were awarded special prizes. U <i meeting of tho Xew Zealand Land Values League held last night, Mr. P. .1. O'Kegan presiding, the following resolution was carried unanimously: "lhat this league, whilst condemning the Government's proposal to increase the land tax exemption as virtually amounting to tho repeal of the land tax altogether, notes with pleasure that the Labour members havo taken a firm stand upon tho land question and trusts that the now Cabinet, in conjunction with the representations of Labour, will strenuously oppose any attempt to go back upon tho principles of land value taxation. Further, that this league, believing that tho best way to benefit the workers is to reduce tho cost of living, considers that the Customs taxes on the necessaries of life should be reduced, and that the revenue so remitted should be made up from the unimproved valuo of land, thereby releasing land from the hands of monopolists and lowering houserents." Mr. David Nathan lias donated five guineas to tho Firemen's Recreation Fund, in recognition of the services rendered by the brigade during a fire at his residence, in Aurora Terrace, last Tuesday.