LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1417, 18 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will deliver judgment at 10 a.m. to-day in the Mahupuku land case, nil application for the voiding of a lease.

A speaker at the Manaia banquet last week had a sly tilt at Scotsmen in general, and the Aberdonian in particular. He related the following anecdote of an Englishman, Irishman, and a Scotsman, who were being enrolled as policemen. Each was asked if, in case of a number of men on tho Street being uproarious while 110 was on duty, lie would use his baton. The Irishman said he wiuld, while the Englishman would whistle for assistance; but tho Scotsman said, "Nn, na; I wad no' use it." "Well, ivhat wad -ye <lo?" "Aweel, if they were Aberdonians, a wad tnk off ma helmet and gang roond for a subscription. That wad scatter them quick."—"Hawera Star."

"Regarding the Hutt Road," said Mr, P. Holdsworth, Mayor of Onslow, at the Onslow Council meeting last night, "wo are still where we were. We have never beet asked to pay anything, but I think that when it does como wo will be staggered. ... I think wo will have a pretty big bill to foot."

Several Onslow Borough Councillors expressed tho opinion at their meeting last night that the Postal Department should be asked to crect n post office at lUinndallah. One councillor considered that the claims of Ngaio were entitled to first consideration. However, the subject was dropped without anything being done. Tho matter drew from one member of the council a remark that from a business point of view it seemed a waste of money to erect a .£2OOO post office at Kunvarni; ho thought (hat the cost was too great.

Tho movement for incorporating tho township of Otaki as a borough having come to naught, residents have petitioned tile Government to tako tho neceswirv steps for tho promotion of a Town Board. Tho Minister for Internnl Affairs (tho lion. G. W. Kussell) stated last night that the proper machinery was being set in motion for giving eifeet to the request, but in view of tho possible enactment of the Local Government Bill in the near future, it was not unlikely that-tho local aspirations of Otaki would fail to reach fruition in the manner indicated. Tho Bill, it may be mentioned, proposes to abolish town boards.

Speaking of the city water works at Brooklyn last evening, the Acting-Mayor (Mr. John. Smith) said that they had a vast wall at Karori (the dam) which they had not been able to fill with water owing to insufficient rainfall, and they had Wainui, whore they had more than sufficient. The trouble in connection with Wninui was that the pipe had been too small to carry the immense amount of water used in the city. Mr. Morton, the City Engineer, in whom they had groat faith, had decided that another pijie was needed from the tunnel (in the Wninui hill) and not from tlio reservoir, The loan for that work hnd been raised, and tho work was now being done. That pipo would not be tapped—it would lead direct to the new reservoir near tho Bell Road, which would enablo them to do without further works for 30 years, ami would give a better pressure on the sido of the hills than ever before. If a further supply was needed in years to como they could cut n tunnel through to the Orongorongo stream, and get enough to supply the city for all time. At its meeting last evening tho newlyformed Society of Architects further considered tho draft constitution of the new body, and n sub-committee was set up to amplify it in one or two directions. At the next meeting tho new draft, will be presented for consideration, and confirmation, nnd tho officers for tlio first year will be elccted. In tho meantime active steps are to be taken to establish branches of the society in other centres in New Zealand.

An enterprising undertaking lias been started in this city by the Express Messenger Service, 39 Johnston Street, where by ringing up telephone 2382, smart, up-to-date boy messengers will be available to collect or deliver small parcels, letters, or run messages at a very small charge. Thero is no delay at all. Expresses and motor-cars can be obtained immediately in a similar way. This should prove a boon in the city.*