LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, On Tbureday Wronin 8 the Prime Minister dispatched a- wireless: message t'Vv'eyinghis own congratulations and to, <vof h»9 Ministerial colleagues to Sir .'WaVter iiuchapah ;e.n his knighthood.' The messago wns sent via Australia, and tho wireless station at tho' 'Oocos Islands, ~ The wireless officials; antioipatcd' that the latter station would bo able to transmit the messaßo to tho Orama, aboard which eteamer 6ir Wtor; Buchanan is at pro, sent a passenger on his way to England. : t An extraprdinary, oatch was made: dnrIPffa onpket;matoh on tho Basinßeserve on Thursday: In tho.junior ffamo.'beWn the Welluigtaa and Onristohurch Wednesday , Associations,,.a WcHinrfon batemanhit up a • catoh, and Hodges, one of the Chnstehurch fieldsmen, missjd it A moment later, S. I. Williamson, who was batfang for, Wellington,, slciod one high to Hodg»s, ; .whp got his hands' on to the ball, bnt failed to hold "it. Ho inggled frantically with the sphere, and after what seanied. an anxious five' miniites, h'6 put hw houda down as'though it were impossible to arrest the med demon." A' moment later he discovered the ball resting on his . shoulder.- tuefced up against his neck. Ho picked, it off with Tiis hand, a catch was recorded, and Williamson 'returned (p tho pavilion. "'.-, The PostmastervGeneiial statos that tho Auckland wiroleßa 'station was .in communipation. with' tho high-power station at Awanui for tho first timo on Thui-sday night', Oommimications were od for over an hour. ~ The Publio Worka Department has practicallv completed tho preparation of plans and specifications for tho new Parliamentary ' and it is anticipated that Cabinet, at its next full meeting' will authoriso the'oalling of tenders for tho work. The portion of tho building for whioh-tenders are about to be called is estimated to cost about'.£l3o,ooo. Foundations havo. already bceu completed by tho Public Works Department, at a cost -of approximately i 20,000. This amount ooyers tho cost.of concrete Ktrorigrooms, steel doors, ete. Present indications are that a'full meeting of Cabinet will not bo held until about January 23, wheft the Prim? Minister is to retnrn from his'approaching horthorh tour, and that tenders are.not,likely to be oalled before thflt date. ;:.''. .."'''