LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1484, 5 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. 'F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., has received the following letter from the Minister for Defence (the Hon. A. SI. Myers):— "I have tho honour to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of (he Bth inst, suggesting that a detachment of Imperial Troops, together with a British rifle team, be invited to visii the Dominion, in conjunction with tho visit of the battleship New Zealand. In reply thereto, I beg to inform you that this proposal was considered by Cabinet on July 2, and it was decided that no action ba taken." Xgawakaknpe and Xgawakakuiic A were two names that promised to occur frecf.iently during the argument of a ease in the Court of Appeal yesterday, and in order to simplify matters, Mr. H. D. Bell, ICC, suggested that 112 .-.liniild refer to tha names as Block and Block A. "It is scarcely ncwssaTy, Mr. Hell," remarked Mr. Justice Edwards; "the name is quito familiar in this Court, and I should eay that it has been for the last twenty years." "Yes, I know, your Ilonour, but it dcpsn't roll easily from my longuc," was Mr. Bell's rejoinder, and after somo further remarks it was/ agreed that the names should bo referred to as suggested by counsel.

On May 2-1 the Wellington branch of the Overseas Club sent the following cable message to his ilajpsty the King, congratulating him on Empire Dayi "Loyal to his Majesty, from tho Wellington branch." By yesterday's English mail, Captain W..deft. Barclay (local secretary) received a copy of the "Daily Mail" Overseas Edition, containing the King's acknowledgment. It appeared in the followhf form:—"Buckingham Palace, Jfay 24, 11)12. 1 have laid before the King and Queea the telegrams which you were good enough to forward from brandies of Hie Overseas Club in various parts of the Empire, conveyinc congratulations to their Jfajssties on Empire Day, and I am desired to thank you for the same His Majesty was much gratified with the sentiments to which they givo expression. (Signed) Stnmfordham."

.The Minister for Internal Affairs, (the Hoii. G. W. Russell) gave notice in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday that ho would move to set up a committee to be known as "the Dominion Historical Committee," It is to have power to confer wiJi any similar committee set up by the Legislative Council, bnd to add to its membership such persons outride Parliament as may be deemed eligible. The work of the committee will bo to supervise the collection of literature, manuscripts, maps, and other articles bearing on the early history of the Dominion, and to report from time to time. Mr. Russell proposes that flic committee should consist of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Speaker, Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Mas«ey, tho chairman of ths Library Committee, and Sir Jns. Cm-roll.

During the course of le?al argument in the Court of Appeal yesterday, Mr. Justice Edwards referred to, the fact that in a certain judgment the Privy Council had styled the Chief Judge of the Jfative Land Court "Chief Justice," »nd another Judso "Mr. Justice." Mr. H. D. Bell, ICC, pointed out to his Honour that the New Zealand newspapers wero just as bad,* as they had made similar mistakes. Mr. Justice Edwards said ho was aware of that, and had. taken exception to it.

An old architectural landmark of midWellington is about to disappear to make room for a much more pretentious structure. This is tho Manners Street (Te Aro) branch premises of the Bank of New Zealand. A start was made yesterday to transfer the interior fittings of the building to the bank's temporary quarters in the Bruzmer Buildings, in Lower Cuba Street, and on Monday next Messrs. Campbell and Bourko will start to demolish the old building. The present building—a one-story brick structure—was creeled by the late Mr. Samuel Brown from tho plans of the lato Mr. Thomas Turnbull, in the year 1876. Mr. J. ,T. Kwslake, at present* foreman of the corporation works, was foreman on the job. In the fire which destroyed tho Wellington Opera Hoiuo in 1579, the interior of the h.\vik building was gutted, hut structurally itwas uninjured. It was restored under the direction of Messrs. T. Turnbull and Co., who nre&ho architects for the new bank building, a description of which has already been published. The oldest employee of tho bank associated with the present building is ths messenger, Mr. C. Johnson, who has , occupied tho position for 29 years.

"Conscience moiiey" to the, awouut of ,£2 135., left at the Diinedin branch of the Valuation Department, is acknowledged by the Secretory to the Treasury. It was left by some person unknown "for land tax assessment."

The agreement mado last January between the Wellington branch of the Federated Seamen's Union and the Wcllingtoii Shipowners' Federation camo ini,o operation on .luly 1. TJlis agreement, it will ba remembered, provided for an eight-hour day for seamen, so that if they have to work their eisht hours in port, and thereafter aro culled upon to take their watch of four hours (at sea), overtime has to bo paid for the time s-o served. A conference was held between representatives of the federation and union yesterday, when several minor points in connection with the werkins of the now Durremrnt wero discussed and auiicablv settled.

■,In this week's Gazette the. Government gives notice of its intention to acquire, under the Public Works Act, two pieces of, land at thu corner of Bowen Street and Lnmbt'fiii Quay (commonly known a? Quintoii's Corner) for Ilia purpose of street widening. The areas of tin , land (I»th contained in Sections Ml) are l.i) perches nntl 1i.5 perchts.

The lime for the preparalion of thn roils for the County of Kketniiuna hn« been nxtemJMl to -Tul'.v 111.. They aro to bn open lor iu?pcclion from August 7 lo 21.

Xn hou.'ehold i= complol? without a bnttlo of "Ciirap Olf^r. ,, Uie o uevsr. Jailliip, cYc.r-vca.dj , dtamlbs;,-A.dvt ul

According lo a proclamation in tin's week's Gazette, (ho valley of the Franz Just'f Glacier, in th 3 Alps, is for the I'htiiro to be' a sanctuary for nalivo mid imparted game.

As only fourteen of Hie twenty cadets B*. present undergoing (Mining at Trentlir.m are to prncml to Cnnadn," a final elimination will be made next Saturday

.Mr. Thomas Quinlan, who is havin" a full measure oi' success with ],i s gr aml opera company in Melbourne, hopes to persuado Ki S n«r Caruso ta visit Aiislralia. u<, says that Caruso dees not bother about Covent Garden engagements, as he makes moro than j>lo.ooo a rear out of bi.s gramaphonc records. The prcsnerous tenor was in Paris on May IC. He* cams from .New York to sins; with the 'Monte Carlo Company at the Paris Opora Hon=? for the benefit of the families of deceased aviators. It is announced that ho in-ti-iuls taking three months' re.-t. near l'lorcncj. going after Unit lo Germany ?n4 I:"" }r\' a " d PCTliaus-, also, early in 1013, to -Monro Carlo. Mr. Ouinlan i« tlio great tenor's English manager. lie says that: Australians may hear Caruso within the next two y?ars, Legislation will be introduced in Parliament to validate (he action of the Government ia granting permission for the interment of the late Sir John Logan Campbell mi Maun-akiekie (Auckland). Replying to Mr. Glover (Auckland Central) yesterday afternoon, the Minister for Internal Aflairs sh'od that the One Tree Hill l.oard had been askijd to forward particulars for the schedule to be affixed to tlio liill, and as soon as this information was given, the measure would be prepared. The Wellington District Suburbs Rifle Uul) has petitioned Parliament, asking for a refund of £G paid as duty in the early part of this year upon a cup won by tho club in the "Daily Mail" Empire challenge competition. A larger cup won by lhr> e!ub for one yrar was admitted duty free, but as the smaller cup was won outright, duty was demanded upon it, and paid whoa it entered the country in January last The petition was presented by Mr. W. H. D. 8011. Tlio balance-sheet of (he Public Trust Office for the year which ended on March 31, 1912, shows that the securities held are of a total nominal value of ,£4,790,701 ISs. lid. The cost price of the securities was •£4,700,118 19s. lid. Expenses of management nud appropriations to reserve during the year accounted for an expenditure of ,£56,64-! 16s. 2d. Kcvenue for the year totalled ,£57,812 (Is. 3d., and a balance remains of .£31,107 4s. Id. "If payment of tho charge for a bureau communication is not made upon demand, tho Minister for Telegraphs may refuse an exchange subscriber any further bureau communication until the outstanding charge has been paid," is ths text of a new regulation • governing the use of ?overninrnt telephones, appearing in this eek's Gazette.