LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1582, 28 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ihe postal authorities advise that the B.s. Victoria, which left Sydney at noon on October 24 for Auckland, bus on board nn Australian mail. Tho Wellington portion is due to arrive here by tho Main Trunk on Tuesday, October 29. A private message from Gisborne states that a largo and enthusiastic meeting of the Reform League was held there on Friday night. The East Const has awakened at last and the lenguo's prospects are good judging from current expressions of satisfaction with Mr. Masscy's policy and administration. At Friday's meeting of the Now Zealand Veterans' Association, Captain E.' Tregear moved that n respectful address bo presented to his Majesty the King requesting that all members of the association who had fought in engagements dating l back thirty-five years should he permitted to wear the Veterans' Cross, on the left breast. The. mover pointed out that ninny members of the association wero at present in the habit of wearing the cross on tho left side, but as it wns not a military decoration they were not entitled to do so. The motion was carried. It was also decided to request his Majesty (who is the association's patron) to accept tho badge of tho association. Mr. Leslie H. Reynolds, known in connection with some of the difficult harbour problems of Now Zealand; returned last week from Wairoa, Hawko's Bay. In an interview Mr. Reynolds said that if ho beats that problem which he will endeavour to do, it is the "pons asinorum" of his experience as a marine engineer.

Mr. James Bonnie, architect, has accepted the tender of Messrs. Howie and Matthews for the erection on the old kerosene store Bite at Oriental Bay of a substantial building to be used as a tea-room, and for social amenities generally. The building, which is to be erected in brick with ro-inforced concrcto floors and a steel roof, will have n 100 ft. frontage to the main road by a depth of 30ft. The ground floor is to bo elaborately fitted as a modern tea-room, with ,alt the latest appliances for the comfort and convenience of tho public and the staff, and the' first floor will be set aside as a social hall for dances, meetings, parties, and social functions generally. There will be a fine wide balcony on three sides, closed in by moveable glass shutters, from which a splendid view of the harbour and bay will be obtained. The building, which is to cost just under is to bo completed, by tho end of March next.

It is stated by tho Auckland "Star," on tho authority of a mnn of long ex-, perience in the timber business, that from 600,000 ft. to 700,000 ft. of good kauri is concealed among the bush of one of the most desirable of the Awnkino sections disposed of at the recent ballot at To Arohn. The timber is said to have been missed, not only by the Crown lands ranger, but by the successful applicant himself when going over the land. There being no reservation on the timber, it will, if rumour speaks truly for once, mean a windfall of .£2OOO or so for tho lucky drawer of the section.

According to. a Napier paper. Mr. J. Payne, the representative for Grey Lynn, intends to contest tho Napier seat next general election. Following tho precedent of the.sitting member, Mr. Vigor Brown, Mr. Payno baa started two picture shows in the electorate, and a fierco contest may be looked forward to.

Mineral gas was discovered at Akitio, towards tho East Coast, a few days ago, in tho most unexpected manner. Experimental boring for ascertaining the nature of the foundation for bridge-building purposes had been made. One of these was in midstream. While in the vicinity of it ono of the workmen struck a match and an area some tiro or three feet in fizo burst into (lames on top of tlio water, showing that there was evidently a strong escapo of gas coming from the earth up through the water. Tho escapo is considered to have been pretty strong, as the boro remained open for some days; while the following day the gas was also again in evidence. Tho gas was burning altogether tor a period of two or three hours.

"Throughout the Dominion the shortage of labour is very acute in all factories," remarked Mr. P. Hcrcus, president of the Christchurch Industrial Association to a "Press" reporter on Friday. Questioned regarding the Auckland Association's request for co-operation' in urging upon the Government to expedite and stimulate tho flow of immigration of a desirable and selected class of emigrants from, the Home Land, Mr. Hcrcus said that the whole question had been seriously discussed in Wellington last month. Many industries wcro suffering severely from tho shortage of labour. What was recommended was that the Government should ascertain tho actual state of affairs, setting upf if necessary, an independent commission similar to that which had recently made inquiries in New South Wales, and was immediately followed up by a very pronounced immigration scheme. That was what was wanted in New Zealand-.

The Dunedin Young Men's Christian Association has put its hand to a big undertaking-ill seeking to raise its membership to a total of 1000 in a few days, but. in .this it is certainly not asking for any more than its now building can well accommodate. Tho five teams,-with their distinctive colours, ' have settled down to steady work in tho "man-fo'r-man campaign," as it is called. ' '

At about 8 o'clock last evening a woman residing in Hawker Street Jieard someone enter the house of Captain Blackburne. T ,r, e ., p ? lice were onllell ll P'" and Constable nmtehouso went lo„ tho premises and arrested a man in the back yard.' It is alleged flint the man had taken £1 15s. 9d. from the house. Captain Blackbumo and family were at church at the time. Tho man who was arrested on suspicion is over 70 years of age.

Iho annual report of tho Masterton Competitions' Society for the year ended October 31, 1912, states that the success attending: the second year's competitions conducted by tho society lias fully proved the popularity of these festivals, and the advisableness of making them an annual institution. 1 he society concludes the year with a balance in liand of ;£29. It be."an the year with a credit balance of £2 9«. lfeccipls for the twelve months totalled X'32B, and expenditure J!29il.