LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1414, 15 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cabinet has decided that the Ministerial residence in Molesworth Street shall be occupied by the I'rinio Minister (the lion. T. Mackenzie); "Awnrua," shortly to be vacated by Sir Joseph Ward, by the Hon. A. M. Myers; and the Tinakori Road residence (lately occupied by the Hon. J. A. Millar) by the Hon. G. Laurenson. There was a whisper of winter in the oir yesterday. The wind blew chill from a dome of (lull, grey clouds banked along the southern aspect. This occasionally shook out a light shower of rain, anil threatened gloomily to do worse the whole day. On the whole, Wellington has experienced a wretched sumniei—uae of the worst on record—and if the approaching winter behaves itself, it may easily challenge comparison with the vanishing summer. The mission steamer John Williams is to arrive in Wellington on Saturday morning, May 4, en routt from Melbourne to the Islands. The liev. Mr. Motley is on board, und probably ;ome missionaries. Local Sunday school children are to visit the ship on the dav of her arrival. On tile following Monday there will probably be a public meeting, which will be held in the Tcrrace Congregal.irlial '"'liurcli. The vessel makes (wo (rip* every year to the Island-:, am! carrier a native crew. Late on Monday evening. May 11, the vos-el is to leave i'or the Islands, via .Napier. The members of the Land Purchase Hoard, accompanied by Mr. T. X. Hrodriek, Commissioner for Crown Lauds, wnio touring in the South Cnntorbury tlM.ritd InM wtrli iimn-etinir a number of csUtw vhiuU mo nuilcr oiler to Uiow.

According in a telegram received from Auckland ins) evening, the Victoria, from Sydney, witli the iiml Australian in 11 ils nn hoard, whs not expected to arrive at in-kin mi until -I o'clock this morning. thus missing tlio connection with till' Main Trunk triiin. The Wellington portion of (lie moils .should, therefore, in-live on Tuesday iifternoon.

Tlio "conscientious objections" of some .vounjf men to registration under the Defend* Alt, cannot he very deep-seated in some cases. One youth wu-s recently brought before the Court and was lined for refusing to register or Inke the oath. It became necessary to truce him for the collection of the tine, and utter milking inquiries the polio* discovered that he hud joined the X.ivy! It is stilted that the iiniount of the line was paid hv the naval autliorilies, win will doubtless debit it against his pay.—Christehiireh "I'i-ess."

In connection with- the recent correspondence which has appeared regarding (lie la-t voyage ;if the Athenie to Xinv Zealand, it is stilted that a petition, signed by a large number of passengers, has been forwarded to the Hoard of Trade, London, setting forth certain grievances, principally against, the accom.nodatiim and food supply of the third-class passengers. It is expected (says the "Otago J)aily Times") that more will be heard of the matter nfter the Athenie returns to Eonilon.

Two children, n boy and n girl, were proceeding home from the West Christcliureh school, when they saw something wliito in a creek. Curiosity impelled them to lisli it out, a'lld tile reward for their pains was a violent explosion, and they were burnt severely on the neck and clothes-. What tlio' explosive was is not definitely known, but it was probably u lump of phosphorus.—"Press."

An instance of "the law's delay" has come under the notice of the Christchurch "Press." A well-known company ill that city, whose financial standing is beyond question, sued a Wellington firm for an account. The ease was set down for hearing on Thursday, but on inquiry at tlio Court there it was found that the summons had not been served, but had been returned by the. Wellington bailiff because the 2s. to which ho was entitled for mileage had not been prepaid. The plaintiff company had not been notified that any mileage was payable, the first intimation they had being when they attended the Court for the hearing. Thus they .will have to wait another three weeks for their action to come on. The "Press" adds: "We know of no place but Wellington where this senseless rcd-tapism is practised."

The iss.io of "Votes for Women," the organ of the Women's Suffrage Union, for March 5, which reached us ("Otago Daily Times") by the Vancouver mail, is a curious-looking production. On the first page, in heavy black letters, under the heading "Significant," is tho following announcement:—"Tho editors vlw arc responsible for Votes for Women in the absence of Mr. anil Mrs. I'ethrick Lawrence"—both under remand, without bail, on a charge of conspiring to commit dam. ago to property—"beg to inform their readers that tho blank spaces in this week's issue do not represent lack of in. teresting matter for publication, but mark the suppression by the printers of articles, comments, and historical facts considered by them to be inflammatory matter." Among the matter which tho printers were not prepared to take the risk of circulating was the leading article for the week. The heading of this, "A Challenge!" is printed, and the signature, "Christabol Paiikhm'st," is alsn regarded as safe for publication, but between the heading and the signature are a column and a half of blank space. Eight blank of varying size in other parts of tho publica-

ion give it an uncommon appearance. A man named M'Kay was arrested oi

warrant, in Nelson, and brought back to Wellington on Saturday. He will bo charged to-day in the Magistrate's Court with theft of .CIS, which it will be alleged that he received from, the Wellington Coal Workers' Picnic Committee on terms requiring him to account for the samo to the committee.

The efforts which have been mndo by he astronomical section of the Philoso-

phical Society promise soon to bo crowned with success. Tenders arc now being called for the erection of a building consisting of an anteroom and au observing room, each over 12 feet square, the latter surmounted by a revolving dome. The sin. Cooke refractor, mounted cquatorially, is to be installed here. Provision will be made as soon as funds allow for the installation in another building of

tile Gill, reflecting telescope presented to the society by Mrs. Parsons. A number of generous donations to the building fund have been received and further ones will be very welcome, as driving docks for the telescopes and other in-

struments are needed to complcto (he equipment. The building is to be erected oil the high ground between tho Kelbnrno Kiosk and the present Government Timo Observatory. In case any should ask why two observatories are needed in Wellington, it may 1)® pointed out that they will servo entirely different purposes. The time observatory is designed and equipped for scientific meridian work only. The society's ono will enable those who take a general interest

in astronomieai subjects to study the sun, the moon, the planets, nebulae, comets, star clusters, and other wonders of the heavens.