LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1525, 22 August 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

II was staled by tho Primo. Minister jtefcrday that the Government would take into consideration a proposal submitted by Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland r.ast) to cngago an expert town-planner Horn Jinglaml, whore servioes might bo mado available to local bodies desirous of adopting a town-planning scheme. Should the Cioveniment decide to lake action, a preliminary conference) • of experts and local bodies might, be desirable so as to arrivo at mutually satisfactory conclusions before legislation was introduced, or any export town-planner engaged. The stoppago of tho Main Trunk train at Levin was advocated I.>y a deputation consisting of Messrs. B. E'. Gardener and I. i>. Lancaster, which was introduced to the Minister for Itailiwys yesterday by Mr. J. Robertson, JI.P. The present train eorvice, it was stated, was inadequate The deputation also asked for financial assistance towards the construction of a subway under tho railway at the northern end of Levin. Tho subway is needec|, it was explained, to obviato the necessity of driving stock across the railway at a level crossing. Mr. Herries, in replying, said that the question of tho duplication of the Main Trunk service and the rearrangement of tho timetable was under consideration. Tho claims of Levin and the district would be favourably considered. As to the subway, ho stated that ! hc would obtain a report from his Departmental officers. The New Zealand Government has accepted an invitation from tho Commonwealth Prime Minister to be represented at a conference to consider the advisability of acquiring a cable in the Atlantic as part of the State-owned cable system between Australia and tho United Kingdom. The.time and place of the conference have not yet been fixed, and tho New Zealand representative has still to bo selected. The best wreath which has yet been dispatched to London by tlie Navy League, in connection with the anniversary of Trafalgar Day, is tho one which leaves Wellington by the steamer Kaikoura today. The wreath is set in a block of ice weighing about scwt. It is composed of New Zealand foliage, and plumes, the red rata being particularly conspicuous. The branches of the league in New Zealand have worked in conjunction in regard to this wreath. Mr. Palmer wishes to thank the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Wellington Meat Export Company for their assistance in connection with tho dispatch of the wreath. Tho Wellington Bowling Club entertained a number of members of the Thorndon Club at a card tournament last evening. There were about fifty present, and games of bridge, euchre, and' "five hundred/' resulted in Wellington securing honours in 71 games, as against Thorndon's total of 45. The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. Tho Minister for Finance stated, in reply to a question in the House yesterday, that the Government would consider during tho recess the proposal to amend the banking law so as to allow other than the present banking institutions to carry on business in New Zealand. The Postmaster-General (the Hon. R. H. lihodes) stated iivtlie House of Representatives yesterday that tho report which h-nd been prepared by Mr. T. Buckley on the proposal to establish automatic telephones in New Zealand would be presented to the House as soon as it was printed. The system would be a costly matter to introduce, but lie hopd it would be possible to establish it in tho four centres. He hoped that it might be possible with the introduction of the automatic system lo reduce the Tutos for long-distance telephones, but he' did not think it would bo possible to make th« rates lower with the present system.