LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1492, 15 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The steamer Mokoio, arrived at Auckland nt 4 o clock yesterday afternoon. The vessel has English and Australian mails on board, tho southern portion, of which will bo brought to Wellington by tho Main Trunk train this afternoon.

With Tofereneo to our comments inSaturday's issue, on tho position of nffairs at tho Cook Islands, wo oto informed that tho published report of tho removal of tho Resident Commissioner at the Islands to tin* charge of the Cook Islands Department*at Wellington has not bosn confirmed, and that no change at tho Islands has yet been made.

The Education Commission, expects to finish the talcing of ordinary evidence today. Among the witnesses will bo General Godley, who will speak of junior cadets. On Tuesday the Commission will visit a few of the cily schools, and on Wednesday it will conclude tho evidence of tho Inspector-General.

A boy at tho Christchurch Magistrate's Court celebrated his eighteenth birthday by being charged before the magistrate with having cycled on the footpath. "I am eighteen to-day," ho said, with a rueful_ smile. Tho magistrate laughed. "Well, considering your youth, ancT the fact that it is your birthday," he said, "I will let you off.' Convicted and discharged!

llie eighth annual conference of the Aon- Zealand Dental Association will commence its sittings in Wellington tomorrow, under the presidency of Mr. J. N. Rishworth, 'of; Auckland. The conference, which will sit at Viotoria Collego, will last until Friday noxt; during which time- several important matters affecting the profession will l>3 discussed. Papers will also be read and discussed, and clinical demonstrations given. Ono very important paper will deal with the complex question ot what is to be done to check the decay of teeth :in children. A social programme willbrighten.up tho stay of tho dolegates in town.

Before leaving office, Mr. A. M. Myers communicated with Mr. Atmore, member' for Nelson, regarding. tho area dredged by tho Nelson Harbour Board for the Railway Department. Mr; Myers said that soundings ehowed a depth of 20ft., and in view, of the disparity between this depth of water and that shown on the plans, he had given instructions that the Department should eond its officer across to Nelson, again, and that ho should accompany tho Harbour Hoard's representative and tako soundings afresh. Uith regard to the question of sufficiency of depth of water for berthing Homo vessels," added Mr. Myers, "I find that to give- a depth, of 25ft. at low water, as -desired, by the Harbom- Board, it would Iμ necessary to dredge about 13,000 cubic yards of material. It will, I think, be more patisfactory for the work to be done by tho Harbour Board, and I am prepared to agree to pay the board tho ,sum of ,£IOOO, on condition that tho board undertakes tho dredging of tho berth for a width of 70ft. to a uniform depth of 25ft. The board may put the work in hand on these terms as soon as its dredge is ovajloblo, nnd payment will b» made when the work is completed to tho satisfaction of the Railway Department's engineer.

His Excellency the Governor (Lord'lslington) was the guest of the ovoning at the Orphans' Club's korero in tho Masonic Hall on Saturday evening, and was given a royal reception by what was probably tho biggest muster of "orphans" yet gathered together for an evening's enjovnioiit. The Orphan's orchestra, a cap.ablo body of musicians conducted by "Mr. M'Lachlan, opened the proceeding's with operatic selections from Von Suppo's "Light Cavalry," and a long and interest, ing programme of miscellaneous items followed. His Excellency delivered a short address, of a felicitous character. Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Thos. Mackenzie, and Major-Geiie.ral A. J. Godley, C.8., wero also present. On Friday night Inst the Karon Senior Ondots (No. 33 Company) held a social at the Parochial Hall, Karon. Mr. C. Cathie (Mayor of Karori) opened the function with an address. Musical items were given by Privates Goodcr, C Company, Bony, and Fennel. Captain Hume (Now Zealand Garrison Artillery), and Captain Greenish (commanding the company) also gave short addresses. At tho conclusion a' hearty vote of thanks was given to those cadets who had assisted to organise the social and to the musical contributors. Mr. Whitford, secretary of tho Tram-' way Baud, writes as follows in rep] v to a recent statement:—"ln your issue of Monday appears a, statement by Mr Richards, at a meeting of Miramar residents, in which ho- says the members of the Tramway Bnnd receive full pay for practising. Such a statement is contrary to fact. The bandsmen often lose timo by refraining from doing call-back duty on practice nights. Should Mr. Biehards care to ma.ke inquiries at the proper quarter, luo will find that bandsmen get nothing for their band service, nn<l aro only paid for time worked like the. rest of the service. On Wednesday evening next Mr. C. E. Adams, Government Astronomer, will read a paper on "Meridian Work and ■Meridian Instruments" before the Astronomical Section of the Wellington Philosophical Society. The special meeting of the City Council to consider, the report of the Tramways Board is to be held on Wednesday next, not this evening as was previously announced. Tho Auckland exhibition architects (Messrs. Bamford and Pierce) arc now preparing to proceed with tho arrangement of plans, etc. (states our Auckland correspondent), and tho City Council are calling tenders for the execution of the earthworks on tho proposed site in the Domain Grounds. Tho exhibition executive has appointed Mr. Oliver Nicholson as honorary solicitor, and tho president has forwarded an application, after coul eiiltntion with the Commissioner of Police, for tho detachment of a posse of police to do duty at the exhibition during its progress. Altogether, preparations are proceeding briskly, and tho feeling is growing that the event is to bo a memorable ono in the history of Auckland. ■A highly instructive example of tho effectiveness of afforestation was described vi ono of the papers read before the Auckland Industrial Association on Thureday evening. Captain Boscawen stated that when ho was quartered on Ascension, tho little island used as a British naval training station, and so called because' the men there were under articles of war, it was a barren spot. Its volcanic cone was arid and barren, and the Govevnment decided to adopt a tree-planting policy. Soil was obtained from tho neighbouring West African, coast, and trees wero planted by convict labour, and watered with distilled water, no other being available. 11. was not long before they grew up well, and the last timo he- saw (he island'the cone-was green a.nd beautiful. A naval hospital had been built on the cone, ami tSe garrison was able, as (he iwilt of Irce-planling lo secure, a fair supply of good water, brought by pipes from catch-water tanks in various parts of tho cone. Most delicious to drink, most economice] to iiM, tho easiest to make, the .cheapest .to.' bjuxii U£*ys. Coffts.'-'eAdvt.

Mr. 11. Scott Leslie, n lc raconteur with the Margaret Cooper Company, cracks a joko lit tho expense of a political friend. J |p related that a friend of his, who wiw ii, politician, hud promised to assist one ol the parly at an election meeting, but was prevented from doing K o by a severe storm, which damaged tie railway Hue and so prevented him from geltin* through. Jlo eent the following telcram"'Cannot come. Wash-out on line." The answer camo back: ".Never mind, borrow fl. sliirt!

ihc Auckland Operatic Society has secured tho services of Mr. Tom l'ollard in connection with its forthcoming production at His Majesty's Theatre. "The Mikado is the opora to be singed (states our correspondent), and a ten nights' season is announced. It is felt that the production of tho piece under Mr. Pollard s direction will bo a hall mark for success, Mr. Pollard will also probably produce an original nmatenr opera in connection with tho Auckland Exhibition next year.

I he members of the Auckland PrcsbvA Ory n aTe critlciltl y the friends of the Auckland policemen," says tho Auckland Herald. "From the remarks of the ifov. A. Millar it appears that tho pracitieo is for the policemen to have ono Sunday off in tho month. This tho iresbytery agreed- was insufficient, ami while it would be impolitic to make representations on tho matter at present to the Department for Justice at AVellington, it was decided to keep thp question in mind, and when Mr. Masscy had chosen Ins new Minister for Justice, to forward ;v petition asking Unit policemen lm given two Sundays off in the month. This, Mr. Miller said, was not unreasonable, and mmld'bo in tho best interests of tho force. He also expressed the opinion that tho present unsatisfactory condition of affairs was due to a shortage of moil, and that the sooner the establishment wns increased tho better it would bo for all concerned."

The fear of a strike of Otago coal miners is having an iinmedinto effect both in tho far-seeing largo and small consumers of coal and also on the merchants, who aro at present vainly endeavouring to till tho abnormal orders thoy are receiving (says an Otago exchange). Besides the trucks of coal consigned to particular merchants, a number of trucks are also brought into tho yard not so consigned. TJieso latter generally mako their appearance at what is called tho 8 o'clock and 1 o'clock shunts, and immediately tho engine comes to a standstill the trucks aro rushed. On a, recent morning there were only fivo trucks of coal to go. round about 50 waiting carts—so it is needless to say some weut away in the empty condition they arrived—while at 1 o'clock what may be termed quite a large number of wagons were forwarded—nine being run into the siding for about thirty carts.

The newest thing in travelling conveniences, which makes the business'of getting from pl.aco to place a luxury (says a southern paper), is the electric carriage, a recent importation from the- United States. A resident of Chtistchurcli is tho hnppy possessor of ono of theso conveyances. In outward semblance not unlike the ordinary motor, it glides along the streets swiftly and with absolute noiselcssnes. It is charged from' the powerhouse at. a small cost, and can go a hundred miles without a recharge.

During his stay in Wellington, Captain Micklo, now in command of the Royal New Zealand Artillery Detachment at Auckland, has been conducting a class of instruction for Territorial garrison artillery officers in Wellington. The course hns been highly appreciated by the officers who have been "paddling their own canoe," so. to speak, for some time past.

A sum of £2 Us. Cd. was collected by the Mission Band at tho hospital yesterday. ' ■ .