LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1483, 4 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Postal authorities advise that the s.s. Marama, which sailed from Sydney at noon on July 1, for Auckland, lias on. board an Australian mail, also a small English mail via Suez. Tho Wellington portion is due td arrive hero by Main Trunk on Saturday next, July l>.

Most of the members of Kersand's American Minstrels aro proficient oxponents of the national game—baseball. Armoured with huge padded gloves, a trio of tho visitors indulged in Halt" an hour's catching practico at tjie back of the Opera House yesterday afternoon, and attracted a largo concourse of-interested people. "Why tho gloves?" asked a cricketer among the onlookers. 'Tho question was quite apropos, for although the ball was thrown pretty hard, it was the stylo of catch that no cricketer would be expected to inis-s with liis hare hands. The. company may give an exhibition game of baseball in Wellington before thev leave. 'Such a display at the hands of'experts would attract considerable attention.

The Minister for Railways considers that lio is ■ not warranted in providing a dining car on the Napier-Wellington express, as .when tho experiment was formerly tried, the financial' returns from tho car wcro very poor, and the cost of haulage was increased. Mr. Myers replied in'tliKe terms yesterday to a question by Mr. Hunter, member for Waipawa.

Mr. Wilford was informed yesterday by the Minister for Railways that it is considered that there is no immediate necessity for the duplication of the rail-way-lino between the Lower Hutt and tho Upper Hutt. Tho existing single line is capable of dealing with all tho present and prospective business for some time to come, and, in view of the largo number of urgent works that must bo undertaken in various parts of the .Dominion in connection with the working of railways, the Minister states that he' cannot at the present juncture authorise any expenditure.

Tho Hon. T. Mackenzie dealt in tho House of Representatives yesterday with a suggestion by Mr. Okey (member for Taranaki) that space for Jiew Zealand shippers should be reserved on the subsidised steamers of the Vancouver torVice. The Primo Minister said that tho Government was fully awaro that Mew Zealand exporters desired a moro liberal provision of refrigerating spaco on tho steamers in question.. It had been negotiating with the Union Company for somo time past, and it was' 'expected that the company would agreo to a more favourable arrangement miring the re-' maining years of the contract than was .possiblo last season.

At tho Moiint pook Police Court yesterday, before Mr. V. Janseu, J.P., Felix Drant was convicted and discharged for insobriety. A. first-offender was similarly dealt with. Dr. Newman. (Wellington East) asked tlio Minister for Public Works yesterday whether be would have a report made as to tho cost of a' tunnel from tho Hutt Road to Tawa Flat, and also the cost of matin; a railway from Parcroata to Packakariki, in order to obtain a. level railway line from Wellington to tho Manawatu. The Minister replied': These are two very largo questions, and the matter will receive the careful consideration of the Government. In auswer to a question by Mr. Herdman in the House of Representatives yesterday, tho Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister for Justice)' stated that the fine of .£IOO which the Wellington Tramway Union was ordered to pay in connection with tho recent tramways strike in Wellington, had been paid. The Government considers that sufficient evidence for tho purposes c: tho Cost of Living Commission will bo obtainable in tho four centres, but if this is found to bo not so, Mr. Laurenson stated yesterday, in reply to a question by Mr. Pearco,'' stops will bo takon to tecuro wider information. Tho Hon. G. W. Russell stated in Parliament on Tuesday evening that threefourths of tlio representatives who attended tho recent conference which rejected the lato Local Government Bill were supporters of Mr. Massey. Tho Leader of tho Opposition heartily agreed.