LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1733, 25 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Indians—genuine "redskins" of the Will West"—were oil the streets of Wellington yesterday, and they and their long black hair natunlly attracted attention. They camo by s.s. Tahiti, and nro (or were) members of a Sydney Wild West Show, which lias ,'ioiv disbanded. Tlicy are on their way back to the la.wl of the prairio and the bison, and continue their journey this afternoon. The following telegram was yesterday received by the Marino Department from tho Collector of Customs at Gisborno :— "Tho master of tho Holtndale reports striking 0110 and sighting three floating logs fifteen, miles north and onward cf Cape i'oiilwind on April 20." Referring to tlio circulating library scheme which has been in operation at the Clyde Quay School during tlio past twelve months, tho headmaster in his annual report isaj's: —"I am quite confident that tho school work has been very appreciably affected for good by tho healthy class of literature that has been made available. I would suggest that your committee at tho meeting of householders should make some formal acknowledgment of tho kindness and liberality of tho City Council in this matter." During a meeting of tho Wellington Bowling Centre last night, Jlr. V. Dimock said that tho Kelburno Club had tho unanimous congratulation of the whole of the bowlers of Wellington in securing "tho Kelburne acre." Mr. Dimock added that 110 thought the City Council had .done tlio right thing, and any moral support Kelburno wanted from the bowlere they would liavo unstinted. (Applause.) Mr. Gannaway (Kelburno s delegate): "Thanks very much; but uavo we got it vetP . . . Until we are officially notified by the Town Cleric I shall liavo my doubts." (Laughter.) Tho formation of tho New Zealand Army Motor Reserve of Officers has been approved by tho Governor. Tho establishment will 1)0 as follows—LieutenantColonel (1), staff officer (1), majors (1G), captains (32), lieutenants 1128). Tho 143 rd anniversary of Captain Cook's landing in Australia is to bo celebrated in Sydney to-morrow, that day having been selected as more convenient than the true anniversary, which takes place on Monday next. The Governor and party, on landing'at Kurnell at 2.30 p.m., after being received by a guard of honour of bluejackets, will then procecd to tlio flagstaff, where the official ceremony of "breaking tlio flag" will bo performed by Sir Gerald. Strickland, and speeches will bo delivered by the Governor, Admiral Kiiig-llall, tho Minister for Public Instruction (Mr. Carmichael), and tho president of tho trustees (Sir William Cullen). H.M.A.S. Melbourne will lie at anchor "dressed," in honour of the occasion, and will ftro a salute, which will bo answered by tho artillery from La Perouse Point. A number of cadets will alsa ,be in attendance, and the N.S.W. Police Band will play selections during the afternoon. Steamers and launches will ply from various Botany Bay wharves and La Perouse.

Tlio ligh returns' possible by fruitgrowing from a comparatively small area of laiid are undoubted, says Mr. W. E. L. Williams in tho "Journal'of tho Department of Agriculture." The following instance recently came under his notice :—A small Auckland orchard of acres, of which not more than 3 acres are in stone fruits, has had an output this season of 55.0001b. of stone fruits (mostly peaches) actually marketed. Practically uono oi this fruit was sold under 2(1. per pound, whilst tho early pcaches were sold at a high rate. However, allowing only 2d. per pound, the gross return would be •£•158, equal to over <£152 per acre.

."Arcyou in touch with agents in tho oountrj, who make suggestions to you as to the necessities of their district in recard to trains and so on?" Mr. T. E. Johnson was asked by a member of the Dominion Commission sitting in Sydney a few days ago. "Tho local associations do that," was his reply. No, he did not ■invito suggestions; lie could assure tho commission Hint these were always forthcoming'. (Laughter.) Thero were local progress associations, municipal associations, farmers and settlers' associations, and so on; and in. his annual tours—ho made a point of going over every mile of railway once a year—deputations met .him'and his colleagues with these suggestions. "They do not suiter in silence?" queried Sir Alfred Batoman, smiling. "They do not." was Mr. Johnson's decisive reply. "I do not think they suffer at all, hut thero is certainly no silenco about it."

The .Chief Secretary of Victoria (Mr. John Murray) intends that when the police aro armed with revolvers they will ho able to make effective use of them whenever necessary. Ho is conferring with tie Commissioner of Police on tho question of having all policemen instructed in the use of tho revolver, as he would lileo to see them so proficient as to be able at nil times to hit tho man they fire at. Mr. Murray thinks that Iho growinf desire of criminals to use tho revolver on citizens and police is due to an extent to a vicious cycle. In his opinion the revolver is to the criminal what ly.sol is- to tho person who intends taking liiS'Owi life.

Tho au'iinl report of the Brooklyn Municipal Association rehearses at length the various works dono by thb City Council timing the pastj year in respect to tramways, tho forming of the new mai'i road to; Brooklyn, the completion of the drainage cf the district, and the asphalting ,of footpaths. Tho report. calls attention to tho deletion of, an item providing; .£750 for tho construction of public baths from last year's estimates, and suggests that iv '-deputation should wait on tho council lo urgo tho importance of having the work put in hand at once. The report olso stales that very littlo headway has been made in the matter of providing a recrcatioi ground for Brooklyn,

Nauticil assessors of tho magisterial inquiry inio tho wreck of s.s Mnnaroa, in ilio vicinity of tho French Pass, will bo Cuptains'li. J. Gillespie and W- J. Grey. CAR ECONOMY AND THE BAYAED. A keen, -demand has arisen in lato yeais for n light, moderately-priced, economical small car. Such a car fills the requirements of tlio commercial traveller, or of fheniotflrist who, owning a big plea, sure car,'requires a small, reliable, cheaprunning bar as a town runabout. Tho 8-12 h.p. Cleilcnt Bayard is tlio car tlmt fills the bill. 1 Its prico is „£2!)5, inclusive of hood, wind shield, and five lamps, ]t scats thr;e persons, tts weight is llcwt., and its nominal h.p. 12, practically a iiimdredx'cight to the horse-power.' Its petrol coisumption is one gallon to 10 miles; lubricating oil, one gallon (o 500 miles, 'lyres lo last 10,000, cost .Cl 7 2s. for four (overs. Speed, JO miles per hour on the fUt. Hill-climbing ability: ear can climb thf Packakariki Hill on the second gear at |."i miles an hour. It is built bv A. Clemml, Pat-is, the celebrated French automobile engineer, and its running expenses, Including allowance for depreciation, do riot exceed .£52 per annum. It can bo had Iliishcd in either greeu, dark blue, or 'French grey, and we'can give'delivery ill live iiinutrs. ,\<lams Limited, .Agents for Cleiienl Uayaid ears, Garage. Tiram Street. Chrisleluirch. Depots at Waugaiitil and L'nliucnton North. Agenlj, Tour* jat-iloto; Co,, ilait-iug^Adyt,

Thero will bo an election in connection with Iho vacancy caused by the retirement by effluxion of lime ol' Mr. Henry T. Kllinghani from the Wellington District Land Board. Tho nominations, which closed .yesterday, aro a.; follow:— Henry Thomas Kllingham, Jloroeka; Thomas Owen. Haycock, jMartinbornugh; and Bertram llutlicrfurd Bunny, Lonebush, Masterton. Tlio election will talco plnco on Juno 1.

Following was tho total post mul telegraph revenuo in some of 'tlio principal offices in tho Dominion for the quarter ended March 31 last:—Wellington, .EGI,-139; Auckland, J.'G3,ISO; Cliiistchurcli, .£30,023; Dunedin, .£'20,130; Wanganui, <£211,!)G8; Napier, «E18,10S; Invercargill, i!13,G25; 'fimaru, \C9819; Gisborne, JC7SU; New Plymouth, ,£7321; Nelson, .£1037; Oamaru, .£4109; Greymouth, JMIG3; Blenheim, cC39G7.

In tho first quarter of 1913 the total excess of withdrawals over deposits in tlio Post Office Savings Bank was .£57,091 12s. 4d. In the first quarter of 1913 the excess of deposits over withdrawals was .£195,789 Bs. 7d. In Auckland thero was an excess of withdrawals of JCV3G, and in Wellington an excess of deposits of JI9OD. The heaviest withdrawals were at Dunedin £24,175, and Christchurch <£21,121, and the largest deposits were at AVanganui, J319,546, and New Plymouth, .£11,638.

Referring to tramways, t'lm annual report of tho Brooklyn Municipal' Association says:—"Your committee have given a great deal of time to this very important means of communication, with tlio city. Tho service to and from Brooklyn was ono of tho best of tho whole tramway system up to tlio time of tho unfortunate and ill-advised enforcement of tho regulation icgarding passengers being only allowed to travel who were seated, lie cognising the graveness of the situation, your committee immediately took steps to bring tho whole matter beforo the 1 responsible authorities, with the result that tlio regulation has been relaxed, and tho service placed on a sensiblo and proper basis. During the year the-work of duplicating tlio tramline from . Seagor's loop to the G.1'.0. lias been put in liaad by the Tramway Board. The rails for the duplication liavo been ordered, and are expected to arrive ill Wellington shortly, when the work will bo pushed on with all possible speed. When tho double line is completed- it is hoped that the whole of tlio restrictions governing the trafiio on this section will then bo removed, and a still better service instituted to cope with the eyw-increasing trafiio, and thus do away with a recurrence of any trouble such as has lately been experienced.

After an existence of nine years, tho Wellington Collego branch of tho Navy League now numbers 331 members. It is probably tlio largest school branch of the I'oaglio in tho world, and is certainly a record for tho Southern Hemisphere. Tho Waitaki Boys' High School (Oamaru) comes next in New Zealand with a membership of 250 ; while' the Wellington, Terraca School (208) just beats the Otago Boys' High School (207) for third placo.