LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1712, 1 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The financial year of tie City Corporation ended - yesterday. Mr.. C. Collins, city treasurer, informed a liominion ieporter that he hoped to bo alile to supply the Mayor and the councillors with a statement of the city finances within the next fortnight. The approaching visit to Wellington of H.M.S. Aew Zealand is creaking a lively interest in the affairs of the Kavy League. In respohse to an invitation t<> .explain the objects of tlie league to the students, Mr. C. W. Palinor (local • secretary) delivered an address at St. Patrick's . College yesterday. At the conclusion, Mr. Palmer, wa? given three "hearty cheers. Practically every, student has become a. member of tho league. Yesterday th«i sum of ,£lO in subscriptions was received from the Terracft School branch. " . A meeting ,of the astronomical section of tho'Wellington Philosophical : Society' will be held at the Ifelburne Observatory this evening, when tho president 1 (Dr. C. M. Hector) will speak On "ftojar Physics Observatories and .their 'Work/" and also on' astronomical events aiid wluit to obhctvo during 1913. Tho popular lectures by Miss M. Proctor, in aid'of the fund for the establishment of a t»lar physics observatory, have been ai ranged for April 10, and May 1. The. former is to bo delivered in tho fine new hall in Oriental Bay, at the tram terminus, :cho latter in tlie Concert Chamber of thp '['own Hall.

The following is an extract from a letter received by the local branch: secretary of the Navy Leaguo from' Lieutenant Knox: "All our thoughts here are fixed on the Antarctic regions, where tho five heroes laid down tlieir lives'." Scoti: was an old 6hipmate of mine, and I saw him off in the Terra Nova in 1910. A brilliant explorer, a very distinguished naval officer (who would have risen much higher), a man. of high scientific attainments, and a charming companion, was Robert Falcon Scott, and the Empire is the poorer for his loss. Tho great lesson I think we ought to learn from Oatcs'and Scott and tho others is not to- Hoard life, but to work, work, work. . . .1 have given several lectures on New Zealand lately, and at all lectures now I show H.M.S. New Zealand, the' gift of the 1,000,000 patriots hi the Dominion, and she is always greeted ,with rounds of applause." On account of certain ol>j<jctioms. taken to Sunday play by a few members of the Seatoun . Bowling and Tennis Club, tho committee have been at some pains to take a plebiscite of shareholders on tho question. Great interest has been manifested in tho district over tho taking of the plebiscite, which closcd yesterday. It was found that 321 votes were cast in favour of Sunday play and 59 against, so that bowls and tennis will bo included in tho Sunday recreations at Seatoun.'

The principle of making country service for school 'teachers a necessary qualification for promotion was discussed at considerable length at Friday's meeting of tho Auckland Teachers' Institute, and some interesting information was given regarding hardships country teachers have to endure. One teacher considered that a country school was one that had to be reached bv travelling CO miles by train, 10 miles by boat, some mora by train, and then a few miles on foot. Other teachers who wore present had to travel fiVir days before reaching town, and these made a very fair claim to be .classed as ccuntry teachers. In anothia- case the teacher's fare to town amounted to while ho stated that in the place from' which ho came flour cost .£2l a ton,' bread Is. 2d. a loaf, and kerosene 19s. a case. It was pointed out that every service but tho teaching service gavo a special allowance to its employees for. such places.

As an example of the hatpin 'liuisflnco, the following incident occurred at the Feilding races. A Maori lady wearing a largo hat, going in-after the racc to collect list 1 dividend, suddenly turned round, and the point of the hatpin just missed a gentleman's eye, and stuck in his nose. Tho attractions of Mount Cook ns_ a holiday resort aro described in ail interesting booklet, written a.nd illustrated by Mr. Walter Leslie, which lias just been published. Most people know that a through motor service is run from Fairlio to the Hermitage, and from the Hermitage to Qucenstown, via Lakes Hawea and Walutka, but few are aware of tho groat variety of excursions that may .be made along the route. These are all fully described in Mr. Leslie's booklet, and it is claimed that "in no part of tho motor world is there a. more absolutely enjoyable tour, and tliera is certainly none more unique in jjoint of variety and magnificence of scenery than that afforded to tho tourist by the Mount Cook Motor Company, who, by nil admirably conducted service, enable tho traveller to visit, with tho maximum of comfort and convenience and the minimum of cost and trouble, localities which possess as wido a range of attractions as any group.of interest centres in either hemisphere." Be? sides a description of the ijciuiery along the route, tho booklet, gives much valuable information as to guiding fees, the timo necessary for the different excursions, etc., and is well worth perusal by anyone contemplating a holiday trip in the eoutli.

Tlie luck of tho ballot is a peculiar tiling. Time and again land-seekers have gone to "ballots and come away unsuccessful, but on Friday (says the Auckland "Herald") a strange run of luck came to one .mail. Several small sections were being disposed of, the first of these falling to 'the man in question. Tho next three sections, being adjoining ones, ho was eligible to enter tho ballot, and such was his luck that tho first two of these fell to him. A sigh of relief stirred the room when he decided not to enter tho remaining- ballots. Long-distance wireless work was.indulged in by the Rotorua's wireless operator during the passage -from London to Wellington. Prior to arrival at Cape Town the shore station heard the Rotorua at a distance of 2000 miles, but communication was not effected until the vessel was within 1500 miles of tho South African port. Fremantle was "held" at a.distance of 1560 miles, while the Macqunrie, Awanui, and AVellington stations were "picked up" at distances varying from 800 to 800 miles. While at Cape Town, on March 3, tho passengers by the Now Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro, which arrives at Port -Chalmers on- Thursday, had tin opportunity .of .seeing H.M.S. NewZealand, which was at tho South, African port (says a 'southern 1 _ exchange). _ Tho warship had been thrown open for inspection by visitors the previous day, and on the day of the Tongariro's arrival tho big vessel was thronged with children, it was ".Children's Day" ph the battleship, and special trains had brought them from different parts of the country.. It was estimated that. 212,000 young -pepplo 'visited tho, cruiser. In the evening the New Zealand was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights, and made a 'brilliant spectacle. '

In a paragraph dealing with the drainage of the Eangataiki swamp (published yesterday) tho word Eangataiki, by.,ft typographical error,, was printed, Rangitikei, both in the heading and in' the body of the paragraph. Two passengers who arrived in Welling, ton by the Hotoma from London yesterday were not allowed to land by the Port Health Offioer, on tho grounds that they were suffering from consumption. . The conferenoo between tho Marine Engineers' Institute and tho Wellington branch of tho Shipowners' federation will be resumed at tho Employers' Association's rooms to-day. The conference affects the engineers of tho "mosquito" fleet. It is probable that several other companies will bo joined as parties. A'telegxaphic 10-aside chess match, between tlie Canterbury and Wellington Chess Clubs, was commenced on ■ Saturday evening, tho first match between the two clubs sinoe 1891. Tlie Wellington Club is represented by Messrs.' Barnes, "IV. E. Mason, P. Still, W.Mackay, F.'lCelling, H. iU. Chapman, T. Fouhy, A. Or. Foil, S. Gyles, and W. J. Carman, and tho Canterbury Club by Messrs. Severne, H. J. Nightingale, W. S. King, H. Kennedy, J. S. Kehiiedy, F. J. Brooker, I'.' Woodford, W. Fraser, R. L. Smith, and T. Hawkins. The urnpiro for Canterbury in Wellington is Mr. C. W. Tanner, and R. A. Joseph is acting for the Wellington Club in Christehurch. The telegraph operator in Wellington in Mr. George Clark, and iiii Chrißtchurelt Mr. H. Bennett. . The ti'.no limit is 18 moves per hour. Tho match will bo continued on Saturday evejiing next. The body of a ohild has been discovered by the looal detectives, • under circumstances which demand an inquest. The inquiry is to take place at the Magistrate a Court at 9 a.m. to-day.

Six hundred picked singers from Clio Stato Schools of Wellington lifted up their strong vibrant voices in the Concert Chamber yesterday afternoon. ' There was no mistaking the enthusiasm of tho boys and girls for patriotic song. They sang "With Heart and Soul and Voice,'-' and their song penetrated to the'Counoil Chamber, whero the City Fatheris sat in solemn conclave, to the offices -below, and out on the street. Tho children, under the direction of Mr. F. J. Oaktfs, were rehearsing for the coming of H.M.S. New Zealand. It is proposed that tho juvenile choir will sing such songs as "Hearts of Oak," "The Red, White, and Blue," "Tho Lads in Navy Blue," and "A Lifo on the Ocean Wave," from the fOredeck of the Duchess, when it meets the iriooming ironclad olf Point Halswell. Yesterday's rehearsal was quite successful. , , One boarder in a city, private hotel had an almost providential escapo from death during last Friday niglifs storm. He yas ■lying on his bed, which was placed directly beneath a skylight, when, without any warning, an earthenware chim-ney-pot crashed through tho skylight, and fell on to tho bed, only inches away from the man, who was slightly cut by tho shower of shattered glass which' fell upon him. After tho news of the.accident had spread through the hotel, there was much moving of those beds which wero below skylights.

The Under-Secretary for thfc Department of Internal Affairs has received tho following letter from tho secretary of tho Empire. Trade Commission"l .have the honour to inform you that tho members of the Dominions Royal Commission who have visited I'olorua desiro that their ■ most grateful thanks may be conveyed to the New Zealand Government for their kindness in arranging the visit and for the hospitality shown to theni ' during their stay. The commissioners have greatly appreciated the arrnn/>ments made for them, which have enabled them to seo the, wonders of the district, while at the same time they havo been able to rest after three weeks of taking evidence in- New Zealand. The commissioners desire me to add that the pleasure of their visit to Rotorua, as indeed to the wholo of Now Zealand, has been very much enhanced by tho great kindness and oourtesy which have been shown to them by yourself and the other officors of tho New Zealand Government, and they wish to add this expression of their thanks to the public acknowledgment made by tho chairman in Auckland." Tho annual general meeting of the l?e----tone Railway Workshops SicK Benefit Society was hold in St. Augustine's Hall last night. There was a very largo attendance. The report and balance-sheet previously published wero adopted. Tho following officers wero elected:—President, Mr. H. Rowe; vice-presidents, Messrs. Home. Strong, and Cruiclcshank j secretary, Mr. 11. R. .lohnson; troasurer, Mr. Huskisson; auditors, Messrs. Moss and Hayward, A dividend of Ms. 3d. was paid out to each member.

At last nielli's meeting of thu Hull Borough Council Councillor Dawson said that now the Main l?oad was to bo repaired ho thought it would be a good idea to put crossing over the road, the same as at Petone, perhaps not quite so high, but a reasonable crossing. He moved in that direction. Councillor Ball seconded the nurtion. Councillor Hobbs said lie would oppose tho motion. The crossings at Petone wero awkward, and he had seen very narrow escapes from accidents. Councillor Clendon thought the best way was to enforce the by-law and insist on motorists travelling nt the ordered speed. Some discussion ensued regarding tho height of tlje crossings. Some councillors argued that a "motor hurdle" was required, while others said that a pedestrian crossing was what was wanted. Councillor Clendon moved as an amendment that the crossings, four in all, be foot-passenger crossings. The amendment was carried.