LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mails which left Wellington on June 21, per E.M.S. Manuka, arrived, at San Francisco, en route to London, on July 11.

The postal authorities advise that e.s'. Maheno, which sailed from Sydney at G. 30 on July 10 for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, and also an English mail via Suez. Tho Wellington portion is due to arrive here by tho Main Trunk train on llondhy next.

Tho half-yearly report of tho Letterpress Printers' and Machinists' Union notes with resrret that the <lirectors of the "Weekly Herald" (Labour paper) had decided, after a full investigation, to re■commend the company to go into liquidation.

An exhibition of kinematograph pictures taken in connection with tho Mawson Antarctic expedition arc to be exhibited jn Wellington shortly. A lecture will bo given in conjunction with tho pictures by Captain Davis, of the Aurora, which vessel is expected to visit Wellington in the near future. Mr. Conrad C. Eitel, secretary of tho expedition, arrived here from Christclrurch yesterday morning.

• The Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. arid Mrs. M'Laren), with other members of the Hospital nnd Charitable Aid Board, will visit Otaki to-day for the purpose of participating in Arbor Day celebrations, which will be held in Otaki earlier than in other places. Tho invitation to take part ia extended by the sub-committee of the Hospital Board. Mrs. M'Laren has selected a suitable tree to plant, which sho will take with her from Wellington.

Mr. Furkert, Inspecting Engineer to the Public Works Department, is at present on a visit to Central Otago. Mr. E. Tarry, Chief Electrical Engineer, is at Akaroa, engaged in inspecting electrical works projected by the Akaroa Borough Council. Mr., Parry is expected to return to Wellington on Sunday, and Mr. Turke'rt oil the same day or shortly afterwards. . ■ .

The Public Service Commission has concluded the taking of evidence in 'Wellington. Some of its members left "or the south a few days ago, and those who remained,' with tho secretary and reporters, left last evening. The commission will sit.in Duuodin on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday next week, and in Christchurch on Monday aad Tuesday, July 22 and 23. Afterwards it will proceed w Auckland, where it will sit on July ,25 and 2G, nnd possibly on July 27. It is expected to return to Wellington on. the afternoon of July 20. The commission will probably then sit in 'Wellington for about a fortnight,, to consider the evidence taken and draw up its report.

An unknown, serpent-like fish, 9ft. long, was .picked up by Mr. S. Wagner on tho 80-Mile Beach, near Houhora (Auckland), on Thursday. It has a snake-like head, no teeth, and two sets of wing-like fins with hair at tho ends. The. body is about 15in. through in tho thickest and its tail is swordliko and about 4ft. Gin. long. The flesh' of tho fish had been eaten away before it camo ashore.

Mr. W. E. Hutchison';- of Auckland, has secured .the Contract for the. now building (o 1* erected for the A.M.P., at the corner of Qneen and Victoria Streets, Auckland. Tho contract price is .£24,500. Tho building, which has been designed by Messrs. Wilson and Moodie, is to bo of steel frame construction seven stories high. . , '

A meeting of tho Proportional Representation Society was held at tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants'rooms, Woodward Street, last ' ovening, there being a fair attendance of Dr. Izard presided. It. was decided the Tasmanian system of the single transferable vote, and to call a public Meeting.at an early date; when prominent citizens will address and explain tho objects and methods of election under the propor T tional representation system. It was also decided to print and distribute a leaflet on the subject. '. It was fully explained that tho society was strictly non-politi-cal.

A public meeting of the Brooklyn Muni-" cipal Association was held last evening to discuss what should be done to mark Arbor Day, and it was decided to concentrate the efforts of members of the asso T ciation in planting the Sugar-loaf Reserve! Great disappointment and dissatisfaction was expressed at the contents of a letter received' frtim the Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer), practically cancelling a letter received previously from that official, and stating that the Reserves Committee had declined the request to bo allowed to plant certain places on Hie Ohiro Eoad (leading to Brooklyn) with suitable shrubs. These it was pointed out, were badly in need of planting, and were quite protected from depredation of etraying cattle. ■. Special convention services for the deepening of the Spiritual Life will bo conducted by the well-known Missionor, the R-ov. George Grubb and party in' the Vivian Street Baptist Church from July 11 to July 21 inclusive. Members of ail denominations are heartily welcomed to the meetings. Particulars will bo found in our advertising columns. Notices of Sunday services will be found on Pago 2 of this issiic. At St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral at the morning servico the preacher will bo the Rev. C. E. Tobin, vicar of Pongaroa. At St. John's Church, Willis Street (Presbyterian), Dr. Gibb's subject at the evening servico will bo "Tho old law of Purity in the light of our Lord's exposition." At St. Andrew's Presbyterian. Church, tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith's evening subject will be "Tho Ten Lottors." At the evening service at Wesley Church, Taronaki Street, tho Bev. J. E. Jackson (Missioner. of the Rev. G. C. Grubb's Mission) will bo tho preacher.

Mr. William Butler, of Sydney, died in Wellington on Monday last. Mr. Butler, who was superintendent; of the Waverloy Cemetery at Sydney was highly esteemed, nnd had only arrived in New Zealand a month ago on a health-re-cruiting trip. Eo will 1» interred at Wavorley, Sydney. His only sq.ii, Jlr. W. Butler (leader of tho local Fuller orchestra, Vivian Street), loft by llio Sloeraki yesterday to attend the funeral. The members of tho "Bon Hur" Dramatic Company will arrive in Wellington to-day from Palmerston North, and will remain here until the opening of the season at tho Opera House on Wednesday next.

Mr. G. W. Wilton, for many years in practice as a chemist and annlyst in Wellington, has taken up his residence in Auckland.

Mr. Leo. Myers, of Auckland, who is leaving on a trip to tho Old Country on July 21, was entertained by tho members of the wholesale and retail "trade" at a banquet on tho W'avcrlcy Hotel; Auckland, on Thursday. Mr. Myers was presented with an address.

Tho Rev. C. J. Wood, D.D., Bishop-elect of Melanesia, will bo consecrated at I)unedin to-morrow. Tho Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) loft for the south on Thursday to take part in tho ceremony.

Mr. Samuel Briskie, a widely-known and popular old identity, died yesterday at Tiniarn, in his eightieth year. Ho was a native of Wiltshire, and canio to South Canterbury in ISG3 as a farm manager of the largo Kingsdown Estate, just south of Tiinaru, and had charge till tho estato was subdivided. Ho was an enthusiast in all kinds of outdoor sports, racing, hunting, cricket, golf, bowling, and athletics, and was a president of such clubs till recently.—Press Association.

Mr. William Pryor, "secretary of tho New Zealand Employers' Association, Wellington last evening for Jhinedin, to attend a sitting of tho Arbitration Court, where he is to represent tho Now Zealand Fedorated Boot Manufacturers in the bootuiake-rs' dispute. , ■

Mr. G. F. Bullen, of Kaikoiira, who died in Christchurch on Thursday, was one of the foremost pastoralists of the Marlborough district, and one of tho best respected men in that part of tho country. As a shccp-brccder ho was thorough and painstaking, and his merino flocks were at ono time tho best, iii the Dominion, and took the bulk of tho honours at the Canterbury Show. In conjunction with his brother (Mr. Fred Bullen), he was one,of tho first to employ electrical power'in connection with gold-mining'in New Zealand. That was in tl'o Achilles and Phoenix claims at tho Skippers, in the Southern Lake district. Prior to going on tho land, tho Messrs. Dullon were in business iu Mclbourno and subsequently in Dunedin, and old-timers in tho latter city still refer, to one city junction as "Billion's Corner," The lute Mr. Bullen took no part in public life, but was interested in the formatipn of tho Christchurch Meat Company, and was a generous contributor to church institutions, tho Y.M.C.A., and other objects which largely depend on the contributor.