LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' Tho postal authorities advise that the s.s. Victoria, which railed from Sydney on February 12, for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail. The Wellington portion, ib duo to arrive per Main Trunk express on Monday. j Tho new system of passing Customs entries of goods, a week prior to the arrival of overseas vessels in tho Dominion, the Sinister for CUstoms stated yesterday, is giving tho greatest satisfaction ia all parts of tho country. matter of filling tho vaconcy created by the death of tho Collector of Customs at Christchurch is at present engaging the attention of tho Minister for Custom*, nnd tho now appointments necessary will bo announced in tho course of a few days. .. A Gazette extraordinary dated February 12, further prorogues Parliament to March 13. The last prorogation was to I'ebruary 13. If tho subscriptions to the . Hospital Saturday and Sunday Fund to-day are all on as liberal a scale as the donation of tlmv Wellington Chinese Association, a yery handsome sum should bo collected. Yesterday, Mr. J. Coyle (secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board) received the sum of .£7O 3s. Gd. collected among the members of-the Chinese Association of this city. .■ ; Chief Inspector Hill, of HawkeVßay, K . *B.P} ve acco,m t of his "Experiences of Bible in schools in England, Australia, and elsewhere," ■la tho \TJnitarian Church, Ingestre'Street, to-tnbrrow evening.

Dr. C. Prendergast Knight returned from a visit to tho W«st Coast yesterday morning. Whilst there <ha visited tho Pnparoa Coal Company's property, end mado n thorough inspection of the place. Sihco the reconstruction of the company Taluable development work has taken place, and a big seam of the hardest coal has been opened out on the western sido of the property, which promises to giro a big supply of lump coal. Iho plant is in excellent order, ond good work is being done. The only drawback is the shortage of miners. Paparoa could do with a lot, and one group of mines at Reefton could find employment for another 200 experienced men, but they are not at present offering. He also paid a visit of inspection to tho Murray Croek Goldmining Company's claim, in which he is interested, and found operations in progress which promised well - for the company.

The Wellington Gas Company has had fitted up in its office building in Cour' tenay Placo a comfortable little demonstration hall, capable of seating about 60 people. There it is proposed frequent demonstration's of cooking by. gas will be given by Miss Henshilwood ot other experts. . Tho proposal embodies the idea of giving special demonstrations to 6chool. children, domestio servants; and . mistresses. ■ . ' , Tho Minister for Justioo (Hon.' Al'li. Hordmau) visited Palmerston North on Thursday, to appear on behalf of tho Crown in connection with certain proceedings which had been takon to quash two whole-' salo licenses granted by the Wainiarino Licensing Committee. After discussion it was agreed, upon tho application of the defendants, to refer tho case to tho Court of Appeal.' While in Palmerston, the Minister, accompanied by Inspector Cullcn, also inspected the local police force. It is reported that the Rickards Vaudeville Company, of which Mr.' Hugh M'lntosh is now tho managing director, intends .to establish permanent vaudeville houses in Wellington, Auckland, Christ-' chutch, and Dunedin. At tho Wesley Churoh, Taranaki Street, last evening, tho Rev. S. Lawry of tlia Methodist Conference) conducted an' l ordination service. The following candidates were ordained: Messrs. John D. M'Artkur, Edward Bandy, Harry Cotton, and Joseph B. Suckling. The Rev. W.Ready read the ordination charge, and tho Rev. G. Knowles Smith delivered the chargo to tho congregation. . Several of the senior ministers attending tho conefrence took part in tho ordination of the candidates. . •. J.

Tlio Wellington Coast Defence. Troops (Colonel 0. V. 0. Campbell's command) went into camp kst evening for training. The Garrison AVtillory units during the period of the encampment will train at Port Kelburno, Fort Bnllanoo. and Fort Dorset. Tho Fifth .Regiment will train at Trentham. D Battery, having no guns, TviH do a week's trek. On Tuesday next tho various units of the Coast Dofence. Command will bo- inspected by tho Officer Commanding the Wellington Military District (Colonel .ll.-\\. C. Chaytor), and on Friday they will be Inspected .1> tho General Officer Commanding (MajorGeneral A. J. Gfldley, C.8.).

Crickctcrd In particular and the publio in general will bo interested in a scheme tfhich has been proposed by the City Engineer, (Mr, W. H. Morton) ,to lesson tho wear and tear on tram wheels caused by tho 6harp turns (four 1 in number) in rounding the Bn.sin Reserve. His proposition is to proyido a cresccnt-llko tram road from Kent Terraco.to Adelaido Road, through the Bcserve, but at such agentlo curvo as would] pemit the cars to travel at full speed over it. Then a broad asphalto walk would bo constructed by tho side of-the line for pedestrians only. Tho roads round tho Reserve would romain untouched, and bo available for wheeled traffic as at present. The middle of the curve, which would be about where the fountain now stands, and .tho spandrels or comers between the main road and tho new tfam lino would be available for children's playgrounds. On the Reserve side of the existing road, near St. Mark's Church, gardens would bo laid out. The existing pavilion would bo taken down, arid a new one built in tho Tnsman Street corner of tho. R-cserve, with the custodian's quarters in the opposite corner to where they now aro. The effect of tho change would be to turn tho Basin Reservo into an oval, something like, but not quite so large, as the famous Kennington Oval, nround one side of which tramways havo run for years. Tho scheme will probably come before tho council at its next mooting. •

Announcements of Sunday services will bo found on pago 1 of this issue. In several of tho churches thero will bo commemoration of tho Antarctic, explorers.