LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The problem in Timafu is, not mixed bathing, but bathing and,boating mixed. "Lady bathers in Caroline Bay.have," fcays an ei'chahge, "reasbn to complain of the behaviour of, men and boys who invade the. Ifidies', bathing;'ground, in' hired boats. As there appears to be.no unwritten ,law sufficiently. well known t6 prevent this 'outrage, against ,c<Srnrtion decency, it would, bo. well, for: the Borough Council to provide a written one, .and post it up where it mi|ht,be expected to bo brat seeii—at places where boats are, hired."

■ 'El this land of free fctid compulsory education, do you mean to tell, ine that you cannot read' or write?" , sir." The question was put by Mr,. T.. W. Stringer, K.C. during the hearing of a case at the Magistrate's Court,. Christchurch, and the reply came from a jockey who was giving 'evidence regarding & certain racehorse. . murwured Mr. Stringer. "Where wens you born?" "In Oamarn," Bftid the witness.

A somewhat sensational Bolt, happily Unattended with any serious consequences, 'ocourred in : Chfistchnrch on. Weuticsday ©veniii'g. Two horses attached to an ammunition waaoh were.being, driven out from the military; stables . in, Kilm'ore Street to ipractice i for the, military tournament, when thoy took fright, Md; defying the efforts of ths_ driver, who mado a plucky effort to stop Vo&ra : , ; 'galloped through Victoria Square and made ih a direct line for the .river. For i time it appeared as if nothing bonld save all from going into the, river, but the driver by. a great effort ,Ttta»aged to, avert a mishap, and when the wagon wheels, were within a few, feetof.tho river; managed to divert• the horses' 'course, .and;., guiding, them into • Park . Thrace, flnblly brought them to'.a standstill,, near tho Carlton Bridge. The course pursued was a somewhat devious one,. but .happily the wagon did not come into conta.pt with any obstacle';, consequently es6aping any dhniaire. The driver "was Very heartily .complimented oh the plu'oky manner in which ho succeeded in averting ah hecident.

The motor-car has busted the lioree (temporarily, at least! on the mail routd at Akaroa. The mail's contract has.been let to a motor-car proprietor, who intends to riin one motor exclusively for 'carry-'hij the mails, an<l three or four c/.rs to. deal with the passenger traffic.

Court of Appeal sittings for 1913 have been fixed as follow:—Monday, March 31; Monday, June 30; and Monday, September 29.

Fourteen acres .of land in the Makara County, Howtry Settlement, and 13 acres in the Hiitt County, Normandale Settlement, shall be open .for selection on renewable leaie on Wednesday, January 29, 1013, TUls U a«tl&«4 la Will -wwi'i

~An experimental farm is in view.for Mamaku, iu the Eotorua Survey District. This week's Gazette states that 305 acres of land havo been set aside there for that purpose.

The following letter has been addressed to the Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister for Railways, by Mr. H. Hunter, on behalf of the New Zealand Federation of Drivers' Unions of which he is stcrbtary:—"l hare tho honour, by direction of the New Zealand Federation of . Drivers' Unions Industrial Association of Workers, to respectfully draw your attention to a grievance of carters throughout the Dominion. The railway goods sheds close at mid-day on Saturdays, but the yards are kept open for delivery of timber, coal; etc; and owners bf such material are compelled to cart the same on Saturday afternoons, because if. not. demurrage is. charged on the trucks. It is the desire.of many employers bf carters to give their employees a half-holiday on Saturdays. ~ In other cases, employers are compelled 'to pay overtime rates for this work, not only to carters, but to yaT.d 'hands, and some yards have,to,be kept open specially to tiike timber in. It is an injustice to compel the oontinuanoe of this practice against the wishes of. 60 many, and my federation. requests that, the,, yards .be closed to all eioept urgent deliveries tm Saturday afternoons. .If yoii v cannot see yoUr way to do this, perhaps you will at least prescribe ttiat demurrage 6hall not be charged consignees for delay in linloadihg trucks on Saturdays." '>

Cancellation Of registration is gazetted in the case of.the-Auckland Slaughtermen's Union, and also in the case of the Canterbury Slaughtermen's ''Union. •

. This .week's Gazette notifies.that 8 WtHon of a reserve at Shannon that, had been set apart'as a site for;'a ppst Office is now to be a site for a public library and reading-room,

~ According to present : the ChapinAn-Alexander, Mission. , party will conclude their campaign .in Australia with a short series of. meetings in on February 9, 10, and 11 next. Oji Fel> fnary 12,'. they, jvill. leave Melbourne by the s.s. Moeraki, 'eii route.fc; New Zealand, . arriving at the Bluff .on February 17. Following are .the dates for the forthoonring missions in New,. cargill—Ferbuaty 18 to 23; Timoru—February 26 to Harbh 2; Christchuroh—March 4 to.March 24; to April 15; Auckland—April. 17-to May 8. On Friday, May 8, 191§, the partyleave Auckland for Vancouver.'. ■

Regulations under the"Land Agents' Act, 1912, are gazetted" this week.

, "Filariasis of Dogs" has been gazetted a disease for the purposes;bf the.Stock Ac,t, IS'oß>. and. shall be subject to the regulations.made thereunder. .

; The annual meeting.,of the Insurance Institute of Wellington was held last night, Mr. R. J;, 'White presided; The president congratulated, the institute ; oh its vitality, which, he said, was greater than they had'expectcdi'it.wouldbe. He predicted that the prosperity would continue. The report and;balance-sheet..(al-ready published) • were . adopted.:.. Officebearers, were elected as follow:—President. Mr. F. 6. Cray; vice-presidents, Messrs., P.- Muter' and'H. N.' liiafdetT"secretary Mr. J r S. Stevenson; treasurer,. Mr. C. M. Bowden; committee, Messrs. Brie'rley, A. D. Cook, E. J. White,.P. Cray, and Norrie. .'; '."■