LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1552, 23 September 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Maheno, with an English and Austrahan mail arrived at Auckland at 5 p.m yesterday. Tho Wellington portion of the mail ill reach here 7>y ttia- Main lrunk express to-day.

Dominion Day will be celebrated in Wellington to-day, instead of on Thursday next (the correct date). The day will bo observed as a full holiday by tho Govern, ment nnd insurance offices, the banks and schools, but not by the wholesale and retail commercial establishments. Tho Mayor requests all who lind it'convenient to do so to display flags, etc. Tho attrac lions for holiday-makers not numerous. There is a race meeting at Otaki, and the final of the amalcur golf championship will bo played off at the Ilerelminga finks. The final of the Departmental football matches will engage I he attention of teams representing the Treasury mill.-. Public Works Departments. The evening will seo the first performance of 'Nobndy's Daughter" at the Opera House by the. Plimnier-Denniston Company Theru will be an Karlv Settlers' reunion' nt the Town Hall, and '"The Dandies" (Red) will appear again in the Concert Chambei. Pictures will bo exhibited' from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Shortt's and the Now Theatre, and at the King's Theatre and Skating Rink in tho evening.

The Wellington Stock Exchange, will be closed to-day, in observation of Dominion Day.

The. failure of the effort to .secure legislative effect for the daylight-saving proposil has not discouraged the public servants in Wellington. They propose t» give a prncticnT trinl to the scheme without adopting the expedient of setting the clock forward. Petitions addressed to the tontrolling Ministers have been signed by the staffs of five large departments, proposing that from October 1 to 'March lit the men , should be allowed to start work at 8 a.m. and stop at noon on Saturdays. ' This method of securing a long holiday on Saturdays in the summer lias already,been in operation in some portions of (he Government service, but the hour of starting ivork was advanced to 8.;iO a.m. ■

The Gale cornel is visible in Dannovirke at present when conditions arc favourable, either with Hie naked eye or "lasso-;. It is at present end on and nppoars as a round haze. Those who desire to locate the comet will discover it a little to the right of and level with the Southern Cross,—"Dannevirko News."

The Salvation Army Band played in the Hospital grounds yesterday afternoon. A collection which they made realised ,C 3 35,, and this sum the. Army donated to tho Husjiitul fund.

The Wellington Union Committee of Mothodisl ami Primitive Jlethodivi Churches are. in session in Wesley Church at present. The first annual conference of the United Churches will not bo held until February, but a considerable rearrangement of circuits will bo necessary consequeiil upon Union. The committee, are now investigating what changes will Iμ necessary in Wellington, getting particulars <us to membership and fiimnee in tho various circuits, and they will frame recommendations to the annual confer-

A sharp earthquake was felt in Wellington at about ten minutes past two yesterday morning. The Wellington Cily Hand, under Lieutenant Herd, gave a first-class selection of music nt Newtown Park yesterday nftornooii, a collection being taken up in aid of tho Zoo, the sum of J£& 3s. lid. bcin" collected. This amount, was made up ot one half-crown, 13 shillings, 130 sixpences, 212 threepences, 2CJ pennies, and 12 haltpmimes. This amount will just cover the cost of a pair of flamingoes. Jhe treasurer extends hearty tiionks to all tho subscribers.

1 hough not by any means the best part of the year to make the trip from England via the Cape, tho 528 passengers brought to New Zealand by tUo White Star liner Corintliic, which arrived from London on Saturday morning, had a fairly enjoyable time, thanks to the spirit of sociability which prevailed amongst them. I'iero were numerous dances and sports -gatherings,'and to cap all tho third-class , passengers arranged a "grand fancy-dress ball," a strict condition being that every dress had to be made on board. This taxed the ingenuity of the passengers to 1 an interesting extent, and some remarkably good dress designs were, "concocted" out of mnterinls which might not be favoured by Paquin or Worth. One of the officers declared it to bo the best fancy-dress ball" ho had ever seen at sea. The annual conference of tho Industrial Corporation of New Zealand will comnienco at 11 a.m. to-morrow in tho rooms of Messrs. H. F. Allen and Sons, Customhouse Quay. After tho address of welcome to visiting delegates has been delivered, tho following subjects will be discussed:— Rules of the corporation, voting power, Trado of Empire Royal Commission, day-light-saving, constitution of Arbitration' Court, representation, to the editor of

"School Journal", ro articles therein on subjects for which industrial associations exist, economics—tho purchasing power of money, main arterial ronds, afforestation, water-power and electric supply, fisheries, corporation contracts, shortage of skilled labour and immigration, Customs tariff, New Zealand iron industry, and Australian Commonwealth reciprocal lariif. •

His Excellency the Governor, pnlron of the Navy League in Now Zealand, has agreed to open the league's animal conference, which* is to comuienco at Wellington this week. Delegates are coming from all parts of the Dominion. Messrs. C. R. Smith, B. Darroch, and C. W. Talmcr have been chosen to represent tho Wellington branch of the league.

Tho Star of Canada lighterage litigation at Gisbornc is likely to last until Tuesday, states a Press Association telegram.

The Corinthic, which arrived at Wellington from London on Saturday morning, brought five first, U second, and 40G third-class passengers. Eleven first-class, 29 second-class, and 1011 third-class passengers loft tho vessel at Hobart for various Australian ports. Of the number who' camo to New Zealand, 117 were nominated by relatives in Now Zealand, and these consisted of G6 adults and 51 children. The. High Commissioner approved of 79 adults and 13 children. There were 51 domestic .'ervanis, 13 farmers, and 5 farm labourers, and 38 wives who wcro rejoining their husbands. •

, Tho longest distance at which wireless communication was established during the voyage of the Corinthic from London was 1040 miles, hut this is hot considered at all out of tho common. The overhead wires snapped in a gule shortly after leaving Cn]>e Town, mid it was some time before repairs wero effected.