LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1695, 11 March 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Warrimoo, which sailed from Sydney on March 8, has on board an Australian mail. She is duo in Wellington to-mor-row.

The postal authorities advise that mails from America and the United Kingdom via Vancouver are due in Wellington per Main Trunk express on Thursday morning next at 6.40 o'clock.

The mails "ivhich left Wellington "on January 31, per s.s. Maunganui, and connected will; tlio Naples mail, per R.M.S. Oinrali, arrived in London on March 8.

... "I hate the Government doing anything that can be done by somebody else, because the Government always does it so much worse than anybody else. I have always been against too much State. I am afraid I am rather old-fashioned as an individualist."—Sir Alfred Bateman, of the Dominion Royal Commission, at the New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday.

"TliO' statute is never conspicuous for its fairness," said Mr. C. P. Skorrett, K.C., in the Supreme Court vesterday, when referring to tlio Death Duties Act, 1009. "As the Irishman would say 'all the reciprocity is on one side'," lie added. Mr. H. H. Ostler; "You doii't blame tlio Commissioner of stamps for that do you?" Mr. Justice Chapman: "We have to pay for our battleships somehow, you know."

A paragraph forwarded by tho Press Association appeared in the evening papers of Saturday, and the morning papers of yesterday, stating tliat ox-De-tective Miller, about whose case so much recently appeared in the press, had been unconditionally- released from the Koto Roa Inebriates' Home. Upon inquiry at the Justice Department yesterday it'was ascertained that the above is incorrect. Ilio truo facts of the matter are that Miller was compelled to return to the home by tho Minister's orders and that subsequently upon a Minister receiving a recommendation from. the committing magistrate to that effect, Miller was released on probation on condition that ho should take out a prohibition order against himself. The manager of the home has since reported that Miller consented in writing to take out such an order and that he was released accordingly, on tho date fixed by the Minister. Any breach of the terms of the probation ""ill necessitate Miller's return to tho institution.

tolt v w ssi ° n th o of A4OOO for distribution to public libraries. Ihe vote is now being divided amongst tho various libraries entitled to participate in it. The whole of tho subsidy must be expended without delay in tho purchaso of books. In all 408 libraries throughout the Dominion participate, tho subsidy payable ranging from X'G ss. 4d. to £23 is. 3d, The libraries in the Wellington provincial district which will receive subsidies are as followCarterton Elcetaluina, Featherston, Gre.vtown, dta--I'ol'i, Levin, Loivcr Hntt, Jlakara, MaVatainoka, llartinboroiigli. Mastcrlori. Kiwiha, Oliariu, Otaki, Pahiatua, Marton ' l'orirna, Shannon, Tiirukina. Marlon' Wainui-o-mata, and Wellington.

A meeting of ihe Wellington fhamW nf Commerce was held yesterday. The only business done was the consideration of the draff copy of the annual report of the chamber.

The special meeting of the City Council, called for "Wednesday, to dispose of tlio business left; over from the last meeting, will now be held on Thursday evening of this week.

The Mayor is arranging with Mr. W. U. Morton (chairman of the Tramway Hoard) to have 011 c of the tramcars especially illuminated with electric lights, tho same to act in the evenings as a sort of perambulating advertisement for the Citizens' Carnival. All effort is beiujj made to get the car out this week in order to advertiso the surf gala, which takes place at Lvall Bay 011 Saturday afternoon next.

The gorse-cutting bee at Mother Mary Aubert's Home of Compassion was very successful 011 last Saturday, some CO to 05 good able-bodied men from the tramways and elsewhere taking part. They began at 1.50 their arduous task, and downtooled at 5.15. Well organised by their leaders, and willing as they showed themselves, it was wonderful the amount cleared in the time. The same l>ee, it was decided, would bo continued on Sat-/ urdav after Easter, when all are invited as before. It evidently gives happiness to this class of men, who may not have money to give, and so give their labour in place of it.

Up till a late hour yesterday afternoon his Worship the Mayor (Mr. D. M'Larcn) had received eighteen entries for the Easter Carnival Essay Competition 011 the beauties of Wellington. Any posted up till midnight last night would bo in time to comply with the conditions. The judge (only one) will be appointed as soon as possible, as it is intended to make use of some of the essays as one way of waking up citizens to a better appreciation of the sights of Wellington—particularly about Easter time.

The Zoo at Newtown is not the most' pleasant plane to spend an afternoon when n north-west breeze is blowing, and the attendance is numerous. The dust on tlio natlis and bare hill-sides rises very ensily fit is made by clinkers from the destructor), and the result is that one may enter

"spick and span" ami leave an hour later with a Rood coating of (lust. The matter was mentioned yesterday to the Mayor who says that tlio work of tarring the .main paths is being considered, and later on asphalt will lie used to coat the walks within the limits of tho Zoo.

The very fine life-size full-length portrait of the late Edward Jerninglmiii Wakefield, which hnngs in the City Council Chamber, has been varnished over and over again until - the original colours hnvo been almost totally obscured. The Mayor proposes to have this painting in the Town Ilall, and the matter of having the painting restored Ims been left in his hands. He has already been in communication with Mr. W. 1?. Colley, the English artist and "restorer," and in all probability an arrangement will be made with him to undertake the work.

Since the announcement in The Dominion of the discovery in the Dominion Museum of a painting which bears all the existing marks and the artistic quality of a genuine old master, the place lias been visited by hundreds of people. In no casa has anyone with artistic knowledge or instinct been otherwise than delighted with the work, which is a bbautifullvpamtcd head of Christ. A close study of the painting reveals great beauties of technique. The hair is wonderfully painted. It is soft and glossy and appears to stand out quite naturally. The head stands out against a sky illumined bv the ait'or-glow of the setting sun, and dimly m the pale light appears the glint of a faint halo-run. This painting lav for some years in the cellar of the Museum, yet Mr. W. B Colley, the English artist and restorer of old masters, states that in his opinion the .picture is worth more than the Leader,' which was twice stolen from* the Art Gallery.

t f l llow "'S committee, states a District Order, has been appointed to manage die affairs of Trent ham and Polliill Gully liiflo Ranges:—Officer i-c No. 5 Area ~HO UR 'rC X offil l i( V 9?P taiu N - F ' Hastings, Oth (Mauawatu)_ Mounted Rifles; Major i *• Ijcvau, "Wellington Garrison Artillery Division; Captain D. J. Gibbs, No. 4 Company, N.Z. Field Engineers; Captain ''' j* It-naclio, sih (Wellington) Regiment; Captain S. Bolton, Post and Telegraph Corps; Mr. Marshall, President Karon Rifle Club; Major J). Matheson, Wellington College, Senior Cadets.

The Presbyterian Church of New South Hales is in the proud position of having been abloto pay every minister in the Uiureli, who has been a full year in liis charge, a stipend for 1912 of not less than «£2flo; in fact', there are few ministers in the Church who are now on as low a salary as £201) (says the "Sydney Morninsf Herald''). Following their custon), the Church > authorities last year mado a special appeal to congregations to raiso their ministers' salaries. There was a splendid response, and a general raising of the ministers' salaries took place. Many who were on the ,4250 grade got .£3OO, others at ,£3OO received £350, and those at £400 were paid £150, and so on. Tn view of the increased cost of living, this has proved welcome news to the ministerial brethren. '

The Public W r orks Department ha 6 accepted the tender of Patrick Treanor for the construction of a stop-bank at Paeroa in connection with the scheme for the improvement of the Waihou River. The contract price is £2053, and the work is to be completed in August next.

Shop-lifting has been rile in Wanganui of late, especially in drapers' shops, and business men have been under the necessity of dropping their usual practice of merely warning defenders. Tho result was the appearance of a well-dressed woman in the S.M. Court yesterday morning (writes our correspondent). As tho case was chiefly intended as a warning to those with similar proclivities, the Bench convicted tho woman and ordered her to coiiie up for sentence when called upon.

Returns from tho outlying, suburbs of Wanganui have brought up the total collected on District Nurse Saturday to .£2Bl Gs. 7d. This is below the total of pievious years, the decrease being attributed to the recent collections in aid of tho Plunket nurse and orphanage funds.

At noon on Friday next tho Miraraar Borough Council will hold a special meeting for. the purpose of appointing a deputy-mayor and of amending the resolution dealing with tho issue of debentures for the .£IB,OOO power supply loan. At 12.15 p.m. the same day the statutory meeting of the council to amend the district electors' list will be held.

It is expected that tho engineers employed upon the smaller coastal steamers in New Zealand waters will present demands to their employers within a few days for hotter wages and working conditions. No difficulties are anticipated, and in all likelihood a friendly agreement will lie arrived at. To-day tliero will be a formal Conciliation Council sitting at the offices ot' tho Union Company, at which necessary preliminary steps will Ue taken in connection with the registration of tho agreement concluded liv tho Union Compny with tho inarino engineers in its employ.

The local district Labour Council recently raised a question as to whether the lies (aggregating ,£5000) which, were imposed in the Sugar Trust case had been paid. Tho following statement of the position was supplied yesterday by tho Crown Law Office: "All tho defendants desired to appeal, so, in accordance with tho usual practice, a stay of proceedings was granted on condition that cither the fines and costs should be paid into Court or security given for them to tho satisfaction of the Crown Law Office, and also on condition that the appeal was brought at the first sittings of the Court of Appeal, which start at the end of this month. The ■ Colonial Sugar Ifefiuing Company paiil into Court a cheque for ,£I2OO to cover the amount of Ihe judgment, and ,!30 for costs. Amounts for which the other four defendants wore responsible were secured by a bond for .StSOfl entered into by Levin and Company. The liability of each defendant was .£IOOO in respect of tho judgment, and «E2OO for costs."

A meeting of the Labour party candidates who are to contest the forthcoming municipal elections was held in the Trades Hall last evening. Campaign plans were discussed, and it was decided that public addresses to the electors should start after the Easter holidays. The candidates also decided to extend Ihe canvassing, with the object of enrolling municipal electors, which is already going on in connection with the Saturday half-holi-day movement.