LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1720, 10 April 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Wellington merchant who received a telegraph 011 April 1 stating, "Pay for this, yon April fool," brought the matter under tho notice of tho Telegraph Department, and has now received the following reply:—"With reference to your communication of tho Ist inst. regarding tho delivery of a telegram addressed to you on that date, I have to inform you by direction, that the Department under its regulations cannot refuse to transmit and deliveri tolegrams unless such mess ages are indecently or obscenely worded, or are of a treasonable, seditious, libellous or grossly offensive character. In the circumstances it is regretted that tliu Department has been made tho means foi the delivery of an apparently impertinent, telegram. It should bo pointed out however, that you could have refused to accept tho telegram, in which case tho sender would have been called upon to pay the charge." Tho refreshment cafd. which has been provided in the'Geuornl Post Oliice building for the convenience of officers was opened for the first timo on Monday, and has since been heavily patronised. Seating' accommodation lias been provided mcan-y time for 80 persons, but if necessary a third room can be added to the two already set aside for this purpose. This would provide seating accommodation for 150 persons. Tlio eafo boasts a handsomely-equipped kitchen, with hotwater supply, gas-cookers, etc., and a roomy store. The public rooms are iplain, but bright and airy. Tho hours of business are to be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily, and a low tariff has been fixed, the idea being to mako the business pay its way. A manageress (Miss Wright) and a stall' of assistants have bcea appointed to carry on the cafe, and general supervision over tho establishment is to bo cxerci'sed by a committee consisting of Messrs. W. J. Meredith (chairman), Telegraph Office; A. Thomas, I'etograph Oftico; C. A. Mathieson, Head Office; M. W. Cummins, mail-room; B. J. Stokes, letter-carriers' branch; and A. T. Hoffmeister, Moneyorder Office; and E. Cameron (hon. secretary). ' The Superintendent of Telephones notifies that Friday next (at noon) is the last day for tho payment of telephone subscriptions. The-secretary of tho Hotel Employees' Federation (Mr. E. J. Carey) has written to the 'Minister for Justice and tho Commissioner of Police asking for ail immediate application of the Barmaids' Registration Act, and asserting that tho Act is still a dead letter in many places. From inquiries made at tho Crown Law Office and at the Magistrate's Court, it appears that the position is as follows:—A test case was taken against a licensee at Wellington and a com'iction was obtained. Subsequently notice of appeal was given, fcoxne uenty lias taiwn place, but the appeal will probably bo lodged in a day or two. Shipping changes, what? Tho departure of Sir James ' Mills for Melbourne, following so quickly upon that of Mr., Jones (New Zealand manager for the ItuddartParker. proprietary) and Mr. Holdsvvorth (general manager of the Union Company) gives point (says the "Otago Daily Times"') to vague rumours that have been iloating around for some weeks past. It seems fairly evident that soma important shipping move is on tho tapis, and a good deal of speculation has been indulged in, but whatever the intended changes may be no authoritative information has been allowed to leak out. This probably has a bearing on tho contemplated changes in tho running of both Union S.S. Co. and Huddart-Parker Proprietary steamers. Sockeyo salmon has been seen spawning in a littlr- creek at tho Homestead, Ohau. So runs tho text of an interesting report whieli has just been furnished to tho Marine Department. A shipment of sockeye salmon was imported into the Dominion in 1902. Tho eggs were hatched out at Lake Ohau, and tlie fry liberated in tho streams flowing into the lake. The case mentioned is tho first one reported in which the fish have becomo acclimatised and aro spawning in New' Zealand. At the next general meeting of the City Council the following notices of motion, by Councillor Shirtcliffe, will bu dealt with:—(l) "That tho compensation (.£3182) for resuming M'Ardle's lease be written down 011 the list of assets—so per cent, now and the balance at the end of next year." . (2) "That so much of tho resolution of the council, passed on April .!), 1913, as .provides that .£530 of the compensation of ,£3182 (paid for the resumption of M'Ardle's lease) bo written down each year for a period of six years, bo, aud the same is, hereby rescinded." hi reference to tho military camp at Cambridge, tho Auckland "Herald's" correspondent writes: ' While 'the infantry companies were engaged in ordinary drill, marching exercises, squad, company, and regimental instruction, the specialist corps continued the work begun previously. Tho engineers were occupied building "military engines," digging trenches, and generally adding to their reputation as tho mechanical experts to the forces. The members of, the ambulance corps busied themselves with stretcher drill, while the arrival of a draft of horses enabled them to bring out their two large ambulance wagons. Tho chain of communication established with Hamilton was maintained by the signalling squads. From shortly after . seven o'clock in the morning, tho flashing of the heliograph from the hills whero tho sanatorium is situated showed that the station there was at work, and several service messages were dispatched during the day. Tho telephone squad of tho same company continued its work of laying the telephone down the lines, considerable progress being made. "The Court does not intend to encourage laziness," said Mr. Justice Sim at the Arbitration Court at Auckland 011 Monday. This remark was occasioned by tho secretary of tho Auckland Bakers' "liuion bringing forward an application to have an employer's name attached to Ilia award without having ascertained tho Christian name of the party to b.c added. "It is perfectly casjv" said his Honour, "for a union secretary to find out what the employer's first name is. If lie doesn't do it, it's laziness. 011 that ground the Court intends to dismiss the application." CAR ECONOMY AND THE BAYARD.' A keen demand has arisen in kite years for a light, moderately-priced, economical small car. Such a car [ills the requirements of the commercial traveller, or of the motorist who, owning a big pleasure car, requires a small, reliable, chraprunning ear as a town runabout. The 8-12 h.p. Clement Bayard is tho ear that fills the bill. Its price is JH9S, inclusive of hood, wind shield, and five lamps. Jt seats three pjr-ons. Its weight is llcwt., and its nominal h.p. 12, practically a hundredweight to the horse-power. ]'ta petrol consumption is one gallon to >10 mill's; lubricating oil, ona gallon to 509 miles. Tyres to la.st 10,000, cost .£l7 2s. for four covers. Speed, 10 miles per hour 011 the flat. Hill-climbing ability, car can climb flu? Faekakariki.llill 011 the second gear at 15 miles an hour. It is built bv A. Clement, Paris, the celebrated French automobile engineer, and its running expenses, including allowance for depreciation, do not excecd ,£52 per annum. It can bo had finished in cither green, dark blue, or French grey, aud we, can give delivery in five minutes. Adams Limited, Agents for Clement Bayaid ears, Garage, Tuam Street, Christchiirch, Depots at Wanganui aud l'almerston North. Agents, Tourist Motor Co., Hastings.—Advt,

An offer to present two fine oil paintings to the, Auckland Art Gallery has bceu made to tho Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) by Mr. John Marshall, of Auckland. While on a tour through Europe, Mr. Marshall purchased tho pictures at Florence. One of the paintings, by Agrosli, is a particularly lino picture, beautifully coloured. It is an Italian subject,, entitled, "Tho First Steps," and shows a tiny toddler learning tho first step of a dance, while the mother looks proudly 011 and an elder sister stands in readiness to prevent the littlo 0110 from falling. Tho grandfather and grandmother are interested spectators of tho lesson. All tho figures are admirably executed, and 110 doubt the picture wiil prove an acquisition to tho gallery. Tho other picture is an Italiun farmyard scene, by-L. Lucidi, entitled, "Tho Calves," and is nil admirable work of art. The Mayor intends to bring Mr. Marshall's offer before tho next meeting of the Library and Art Gallery Committee. Tho New South Wales Minister for Education Qtr. Carmichael) aud the Minister for Justice (Mr. Jlall) conferred 011 April 2 with regard to tho partition of Darlinglrarst Gaol. It was decided that the Education Department talco the whole urea, with tho exception of a small portion required for extensions to the court'housc. Darlinghurst Gaol will ceaso to exist, Long Bay replacing it as a distributing gaol. Tho'women will remain at Long Bay, the old male offenders will go to Parramatta, tho men with "medium" records to Bathurst, and first offenders to Goulbum. Mr. Carmichael intends to estblisli a high school 011 the gaol site. An interesting affair took place at New Lynn Public School, Auckland, on Tuesday/ there being quite a gathering of parents and scholars to witness the public recognition of the bravery of a.ten-ycar-old boy named Alexander Barron. This little fellow was playing with some other children when he saw a child named Edward Dyer, aged six years, 011 tlio railway bridgo near New Lynn. Acting witli groat promptitude, Barron, ran on tho bridge, seized the child 111 his arms, and jumped off with him just in timo to avoid a train he had seen approaching. Mr. John Bollard, M.P., attended and handed to the boy' the sum of two guineas, a balanco over what had been collected. Ho commended tho boy's bravo conduct. Mr. G. J. Garland (chairman of tho Board of Education) on behalf of tho Royal Humane Society, handed to the boy a certificate of merit for bravery in eavii\g life. He stated that the directors also decided under the circumstances to award Alexander Barron a bronze medal for rescuing his schoolmate. , Before the gathering separated hearty cheers were given for the bravo boy. Last Saturday about 150 Territorials, who had gono out to the Ticntham rifle range, were stranded 011 the rango station for a couple of hours before they could get a train back to town. Tho raco trains took no notice of them. The matter has been reported by the officers conoerncd to district headquarters at Palmerstoa North, but so far has not come officially before the Railway Department. It is stated, however, that tho Department sent advice to the officers on tho rango that the train would not stop.'at tho siding, and that tho men would have to go to Trentliam, but that they neglected to profit by the advice. Tho plays selected by the Wellington Shakespeare Club for the 1913 session aro as follow:—For public reading on or about Shakespeare's birthday, "Twelfth Night"; for study and'subsequent public reading, during tho first half of the session, "Romeo and Juliet," and during tho second half "A Comedy of Errors." The Minister for Internal Affairs has replied to the Waimarino 'Acclimatisation Society that permission would bo given to slioot quail and grey duck dur-. ing Juno and July, but 110 declined to Remove the protection from native pigeon. Writing privately to a friend in Wellington a Sydney resident in business says:—"l would not be surprised if there is a slump later on here. Money is tight and I. don't fancy Easter (show time) has been so great as was anticipated all round. Tlio labour market is very disturbed and strikes aro frequent. Perhaps a little lcss> prosperity will do some good. People here spend money like water, and it is bound to receive a check. Prices for everything aro phenomenally high." .