LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1401, 29 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Winimera, which loft Sydney at noon 011 the.27th insi. for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, also an English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion is due to arrive here by Main Trunk 011 Monday next.

Between IiOO and 2000 appeals have been sent in against the Public Service Classification recently carried out by the Classification Board. It is stated that somo of the officers ask for promotions, or increases in salary, which were granted subsequent to the appeals being lodged. Other appeals are based-on a failure to grasp the distinction that the Classification Board classified not men, but positions. The board will not proceed to consider the appeals in bond until the new Minister for interna! Affairs has taken office. 80 far 110 appointment has been made to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Hugh l'ollen, but if is anticipated that his successor in oliice, ill 1 . Jas. Hislop, will be appointed.

A Tress Association telegram from Palmerston North states that .T. Jeromson, grcsu keeper at tho Manawatu golf links, whose disappearance had been reported to the police, has wired from Auckland to his parents here: "Am quito well; letter to follow."

The annual meeting of the Wairau Valley Goldminiiig Company was held last evening, Mr. W. A. Choto in tho chair. The annual report and balancesheet (already published) were read and adopted. Messrs. W. A. Choto, D. Hobcrtsoii, J. A. Baron, 0. Young, J. Wright, and K. Slonu were re-elccted directors.

Tho Easter holidays in connection with tho State schools in tho Wellington Educational district will bo from Thursday afternoon, April 4, until Wednesday morning, April 10. Tho Stato school term holidays of ono week will commence on -May 27.

To-day will sec the departure of tho Japanese exploration ship Kainan Maru for Japan. It was not decided yesterday whether she wil lgo by way of in'side tho Barrier lieef and the Queensland coast, or keep to the open «>a between the Solomon and New Pommern Islands, passing tho Ladronos and tho Bonin Grin]) on the way. Lieut. Shiraso and the scionlific members of the party, leave by tho Moeraki for Sydney this a£ ternoon, en routo for Tokio*.

A young man named George Allen was arrasted by Detective Andrews 011 Masterton racocour«3 yesterday (telegraphs our special correspondent at jiastcrton), on a charge of forging; and uttering a cheque for .£5 on a Wellington tradesman about fifteen months ago. He will be remanded.

A meeting of supporters of military training -was held last night in the Town Hall. Colonel Hume presided. It was solved that tho meeting Towards with pleasure the declaration of Sir Joseph Ward at; Trcntham that one of the first duties ot New Zealanders was to bo in a position to defend their oountry. It was resolved, also, that the services rendered by the press should be commended, and thai' the mooting appreciated the work done by the officers and men of the force.

iatrick Logue, a single man, employed as a fireman on the s.s. Mapourika, was picked up iu an unconscious condition in laranaki Street last evening, and removed to .the hospital.

Wellington is to have still another picture theatre Mr. W. T. London, of Sydney brother of Mr. F. London, of \\ cllingtioii, has decided to erect a theatre on a section lie owns in Old Customhouse Quay, to be called tho Peopio's Picture J-alace. Iho new theatre, which' will have a gallery, is to seat about 600 people, and will be comfortably equipped, and as nearly five-proof as possible. The entrance will 1)0 from a ten-feet corridor opening on to Manners Street. Tho building is to cost about ,£12,000. ■ Mr Lonalso aC( l uirod tho building in H lllis Street at present occupied by Mr. 1 rank Sliaw.

Sydney is being deluged with novel advertising schemes. The latest to be announced comes from J. I). Williams, of picture fame. He is offering ,£SOO (0 the. first Australian girl to marrv one of his leUow-Americnns on tho staff of J D Williams, Ltd. The photographs of tlui staff are being published daily in the Sydney "Sun."

As the result of a suggestion thrown out by the Mayor at a function held in Ekotahunn on Saturday evening, the first Scandinavian emigrants who settled in tho Forty Jfile Bush, which includes the district from ICopuaraiiga to Woodville, have decided to hold an annual reunion to celfbrato their landing in N'ew Zealand, which occurred on April 11, IS7O.

'flip Now Zealand Association of Nurserymen arc (o hold n conference in Auckland on April 10. A circular letter i-tatps:—'"The executive believe the lime lias arrived when a determined effort should lie made to limit the varieties of fruit> planted to n few of the very licit fhnl will meet the rerjiiiromoiits of the trade. and suit the various foils and conditions under which they ore mown. and to this rnd aj-ks your ai<j. IVill you kindlv till in tho enclosed foruip, piving nil the iufnfmntinn you cad. a.nd utatiuK Tour reuofts biiofljj and return the sauo.

The body of Mrs. Sheong liewi, a Chines? lady connected with the Chineso Consul's household, who died a few days ago, has been ambalnied, and will be sent lorn'.ird 10 China 011 Thursday week. The deceased lady was only 21 years old.

The Tramway Rami is to give a concert at Xewlown Park 011 Sunday afternoon, and the proceeds of a collodion, which is to be taken up, are to go towards the purchase of a mate for tho leopard, which was acquired by tho "Zoo" in December last. The present leopard—a male—is a very fine animal, and, though it lacks a mate,, has shown 110 inclination to droop in mptivily. It is now about twelve months old, and has almost attained the maximum stature of its'kind. Leopards arrive at full maturity when they arc from eighteen', months to two years old.

Tho first of (his vrnr's of tho Wellington Uraneh of.tho New Zealand Society cf Accountants was held in Godtier s I'-Mim-, Cuba Street, last night. .Mr. K. A\ ilberfo.-s, chairman of tho branch, presided, and between 40 and 50 members were present. The chairman explained at the outset that tho meetings wero being called to bring members together socially "nil for (he reading of papers. Tho lecturers at Inst night's meeting were; ill 1 . Gerald Fib.gerald, F.P.A. (New Zealand), Trustees and Mortgages"; Mr, J. C. l'ort, i'.R.A., "Consignments"; and llr. A. W. Sexton, "Compulations of Instalments with Interest/' The lectures wero lollowed by a short discussion of an interesting nature, after which, refreshments wero served, and tho remainder of (ho evening was devoted to social intercourse. On the motion of Mr. Kellow, seconded by .Mr. Fussell, a hearty voto of thanks was accorded tho lecturers.

A notice in the Gazette states that red deer may bo taken or shot in the Wairoa, Muhia, ami Rotorua acclimatisation districts between April 10 and SO (both davs inclusive).

The death rate in the four centres during February was low. The vital statistics for that month were:—Dtmediu, !,'!4 births, 39 deaths (0.G2 deaths' per 1000 of population); Christchurch, 133 births, 33 deaths (0.51); Wellington, 147 births, lIS deaths (0.5+); Auckland, 103 births, 51 deaths (0.61). The total births in tho four chief cities and their suburban boroughs amounted to 552, against 602 in January— a decrease of SO. The deaths in February were 161—a decrease of 77 ns compared with last month. Of the total deaths, males contributed 80, females 78. Tw;enty-nine of the deaths wero of children under five years of age, being 17.GS per cent, of the whole number; 24 of these wero under one year of age.

Arrangements have been made with the municipal tramways authorities for a special car to travel's'? the whole of tho city lines with tho visiting Australian pressmen this morning. The special car containing tho party is to set out at 0.30 a.m. Most of tho party lcavo for the south this evening.

Mr. Wm. Davidson, the local representative of tlio executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute, has received advice that the Minister for Education lms caused to be suspended till next year tho regulations (gazetted on February 1G) affecting the examination of teachers.

The Union Steam Ship Company's s.s. Taviuni berthed at the l'etono Wharf yesterday, in order to ship <i cargo of 2500 sheep, for the Christehurch markets, from Mr. A. M'Kenzie's station in the Wairarapa.