LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1494, 17 July 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Warrinioo, which sailed from Sydney at 1 p.m. on the 13th instant, has on board on Australian mail. She is due to arrive hero this afternoon. The mails which left Wellington on May 31 per Warrimoo, and on Juno 7 per Mooraki and connected with the Naples mail at Sydney, per E.M.S. Orsova, arrived in London on July 15. "Referring to the letter published in your paper of Saturday last, over the signature of Messrs. Ellis and Manton, I am surprised" (writes Mr. Edward Bull, secretary and manager of the Now Zealand Candle Company) "that that firm should have again challenged the statement made by mo on oath, before the Cost of Living Commission. If Mr. Manton, or a member of your staffs will call at my office, *I shall be glad to submit such documentary evidence as will conclusively prove tliat my evidence was correct in every particular." Prize money given away by tho Trotting Clubs during the past year amounted to ,E3G,GGI 55., which does not include stakes paid by a large number of Hoeing Clubs that cater for trotting. As showing the encouragement given to the trotting, horse it might be mentioned that such 'racing clubs set aside, approximately, during the year, ISO trotting events, the prize money for which'amounted to ,£5112, making an Aggregate of .£42,103 subscribed throughout the Dominion for the encouragement of trotters. At a Roman Catholic- Conference at Auckland on Friday, the Hev. Fr. Edge moved, and Bro. George . seconded, the following resolution: "In justice to the taxpayer, who provides the funds, tho State, in the matter of education, should make equal payment for equal work,, whether done in public or private schools." Fr. Edge, in moving the resolution, referred to the statement made by Sir Robert Stout before the Education Commission in Wellington, concerning secular education in France, and from statistics contraverted the Chief Justice's assertion. He quoted statistics to show that in Auckland thenumber of successful passes in State and Catholic schools were practically the same. In the regulation sixth standard pass the State schools had 85 per cent, of passes,.and the Catholic schools 84 per cent. • The resolution was carried.

"As for speculation, this is something which -is engrained in the very nature of mankind, which all the laws of tho land .will never repress. Any efforts in that direction, no matter of what magnitude, might only divert its course into' more objectionable channels. To tfy to stop it would be as ineffective as an.attorn pt to stop an active volcano or tho slipping of a glacier." This opinion was expressed yesterday by Mr. John Rowe, president of the New Zealand .Trotting Conference.

Tho wanderings of two Scotch youths, Thomas M'Leod and John M'Donald, charged at Auckland last week before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., with stowing away on, the steamer Victoria from Sydney, have apparently ended. They were remanded for a week, and the fact of their being friendless in a strange land aroused the sympathy of several Scotch people in Auckland. Small sums of money were left at the Police Station for the youths upon their discharge, and a letter was received from n mill proprietor at Mangapeehi, offering them employment in a sawmill. Ho also intimated that he would supply the means for them to go to Mangapeehi, and hi.s kindly offer was at onco accepted by the boys, who will proceed to the'sawmill as soon as possible. Remounts and the value of ''trotters" as compared to "pacers" were discussed at some length' at the conference of New Zealand Trotting Clubs yesterday. Captain Samuel, the Htitt -Valley Trotting Club's delegate, was the only speaker, who laid claim to any military knowledge that would be of value to the meeting. Ho said that from his own experience of the respective values of pacers end trotters, he would not have a pacer in the service if he had anything to do with it. A deputation from the Wangainii Borough Council is to be introduced to-day to the Hon. W. 11. Herries (Minister for Railways) by Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P. It is to make representations in regard to the construction of a subway which is required at Aramoho to enable tramway extensions to bo made. • The Borough Council considers that the Railway Departs nient should provide "the subway, while the Department. holds that the borough should bear the cost of the undertaking. In response to represeiitatidns made by Mr. J. Robertson, M.P., the post office at Reikorangi has been made an office for tlieMssiie of postaL notes. The Hon. A. L. Herdman (Minister for Justice) stated yesterday that ho intended, as soon as the work of the session was over, to visit the prisons of tho Dominion and also the police centres, with a view to satisfying himself as to the working of tho various institutions. There might be some slight alterations' made meanwhile in connection with the working of the prisons, but no attempt would be made this session to bring about any radical alteration. The outlook for Arbor Day at the time of writing is distinctly dismal, and if the prognostications of the' Government Meteorologist are fulfilled, the weather will be master of the situation. The scene of the official demonstration, which takes place at 10 a.m.—speech-making by the Mavor and othors—is Seotion 48, Town Belt (immediately at the rear of Wellington Terrace and south of Victoria College). Schcolnio.st.crs ajid teachers in charge of companies of boys and girls will' bo specially welcome, states Hi© Mayor. Miriunar intends to celebrate Arbor Day by initiating a schemo of treeplanting in the streets. The Mayor (Mr. IT. M'Leod) will plant the inaugural tree in Torn' Street, Miramar North, at 9 a.m., after 'making a few brief remarks suitable to the occasion. Torn Street is !)sft. wide, so that this thoroughfare lends it-elf to this kind of deeora'lion. '■■;.. The New Century llnll in ICent Terrace presented a gay sight last evening, when the Port Nicholson .Yacht Club held n most, successful fancy dress ball. In spite of the rain the dancing llcor was packed, and soma of the costumes were very original. The. hall was decorated with bunting, flowers, . and foliage, and dancing was kept up until midnight. The first prize for the gentleman having the most original costume went, to Mr. Lawric, and .Miss Gordon won the first prize ■for the lady's mo.-t original costume. Miss Aslin won the first prize for the best fancv dross costume, lier dress representing '"lie I' o '"' Nicholson Yacht Club. The cliaperor.es were Mcsdiinies Aslin niKl Duncan, and, Meftrs. S. Kelly nml W. and S. Rough were the M.C.'s. Excellent mu.-ic was supplied by Mr. A. Williams.