LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1384, 9 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At tho meeting of the Miramar Borough Council on Thursday ovoiihi", the borough engineer (Mr. \V. 11. Bennett) submitted Ins report on a pedestrian tunnel through the lull from the Miramar tramway l(-r----miniiH to the Knraka bay lioad. The tunnel would he seventeen chains long (1120 feet), making the total distance from the tramway terminus to the wharf HI chains. The cost of an inilined tunnel, sft. wide liy 711. in height, would be iibmit JSlSflri, and, if lined with 14-inch brickwork, wuuld cost XXM. In tho lined tunnel nearly double the amount of excavation would be necessary, but the advantages of having it lined would outweigh the cost. The co>t of h'giiting the tunnel would be about JtOO per annum. In (lie above estimates, the sum of JciW has been allowed lor tho cost of taking the land. The annual chnrgo for interest, lighting, and upkeep was estimated at -C-80 aor annum. The report was adopted. Tho draughts championship of New Zealand will be plnyed in Wellington during tho Easter holidays, commencing on Good Friday (April 5). Tho tournament will bo conducted under the auspices of the Wellington Working Men s Club. A golden goblet, accompanied by a diploma which sets forth that the gift commemorates New Zealand's generosity. on the occasion of tho bad failure of the crops in several districts of Japan during l!) 08, has been forwarded to the Primo Minister through the Japanese Embassy in London. New Zealand, it will l>o remembered, contributed <tIOOO to the Japanese famine relief fund. Tho goblet is to be placed in the Dominion Museum. Mr. Fitzpatriclc, secretary of tho National Builders' and Inspectors' Association, in an articlo on "Fire Protection," says that the losses in the United States by fire in tho year 1911 was:—Three theatres, 3 public-houses, 12 churches, 10 schools, 2 hospitals, 2 asylums, 2 collegia, 6 apartment houses, 2G hotels, 3 Department stores, 2 gaols, 140 flat-houses, and 1600 dwellinss.

"Thcro is such a rush of shipping in the port of Sydney at the present time (says the "Sunday Sun" of February 29) that tho discharged cargo from the numerous ehips arriving has accumulated on the wharves, and thero is chaos everywhere along tho waterfront. Sheds and wharves aro piled high with cargo of all descriptions, or freight which cannot be got away, as it is said that there are insufficient carters in Sydney to cope with tho rush. There are nearly sixty oversea vessels in port to-day, quite exclusive of the great lleet of intei-Statn and coastal vessels, and steamers and sailers are arriving in numbers daily. Tho Brisbane strike lias, of course, interfered with tho dispatch of many ships, and several vessels have had to bo withdrawn from tho inter-State service, owing to tho refusal of the wharf labourers and coal lumpers to work them. 'YVliarf labourers, 100, are scarce. Tho arrival and dispatch of so many vessels has demanded the employment of the whole of the labour available. One big steamer at Circular Quay was working with only one gang yesterday instead of four, and thero was a shortage in other quarters. The steamer Schlesien was hard hit by tho Brisbane strike. She carried about 700 tons of rails all Hie way from Germany for the Queensland Government, but could not get rid of her cargo at Brisbane. When she arrived buck nt Sydney yesterday the rails were still aboard, and as far as is known now sho will have to cany them back to Germany. Hails arc heavy and dangerous freight to handle, and requiro skilled wharf labourers lo discharge them, so that the Schlesien is in an awkward plight." A "Fellow Bordorer" sends the following item of Hawick news from the Kelso "Chronicle" of January 5, 1912: '"Coals for the poor.' Mr. James Glenny Wilson, of Bulls, Now Zealand, whoso thoughts at the festive season always turn to tho Homeland, has again sent money to the relief of the poor of his native town, increasing his contribution this year to the handsome sum of 22 guineas. By adding this to their own quota, the Parish Council has been ablo to distribute as many as 833 bags of coals, which have como as a most acceptable gift to many grateful recipients." The following tenders have been accepted by the Public Works Department: Qlenhopo station buildings (Midland railway), JEWOI, S. W. Gulbraith, Nelson; Government Buildings, , New Plymouth, .£339!), Messrs. Coleman and Sons, New Plymouth; Blacluvater Bridge (BraeburnMurchison Bond), JMSB, and Mangles River Bridge, ,£312, Messrs. Downie Bros., Murchison. A slight error occurred in a paragraph published yesterday in reference to the commencement of tho Waipa. Company's lino from Tc Akatero to Ngaruawahia. The contractors for the work are Messrs. M'Loan and Co., and not Messrs. Jl'Lean and Sons. , A Methodist clergyman, in tho course of a conversation with an Auckland "Star" representative on tho charge of heterodoxy discussed by Methodist Conference, said that many ministers welcomed tho prospect of having the matter of heterodoxy thoroughly ventilated, and rejoiced at the fact that the alleged "heretic" had been fully exonerated by tho finding of tho committee. It infant that tho ministers would be able to placo a broader interpretation on the creed that they had adopted, and that, no matter how broad-minded a man might be in his views, lie would bo quito justified in preaching them if it wero shown without a shadow 'of doubt that ho was an honest and sincere follower of tho Founder of Christianity. Prior to tlio Maunganui's departure from Wellington for Sydney last evening, tie wharf in the vicinity of the vessel was crowded with people. Some of tho crowd vera down to seo friends oft, and some simply out of curiosity. The Maunganui was a full ship as far as her passenger accommodation was concerned, and many intending passengers were disappointed. As a matter of fact, people had booked weeks ago, and lato comers were unable to obtain tickets. It is estimated that thero must have been considerably over 1000 people on the wharf as the vessel moved off on her voyage acrosa the Tasinan Sea. In a recent' letter to the London Headquarters Mr. Cecil Palmer, tho local hon. secretary of the Navy Leaguo, remarked upon tile fact that as a rule far mori interest was being taken in the Navy and tho Navy League by the Now Zealand boys and girls than by tho adult members of the community. The London secretary, in referring to this, and tho fact that "so many people have the idea that the league can subsist on air and enthusiasm," says: "Tho following little incident may interest you: The assistant secretary (Lieutenant Ellis) was recently invited to deliver a lecture in Wiltshire and, when ho arrived at tho village, he found that tho whole of tho enthusiasm which had been raised on the Navy was entirely due to the splendid efforts being made by two email boys, aged 12 and U respectively, who have been enthusiastic members of ono of our school branches in the North of England eince its inception. There is a moral from this: If all British boys wore as enthusiastio as theso two, it would not be long before the Navy League wae a very much greater body than it is. Of course we know that tho younger generation of New Zealand nro, as a general rule, far more enthusiastic about Imperial affairs than their brothers (and sisters) at Home; but it is extremely refreshing to find a caso such as I mention tt you."