LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1749, 14 May 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Postal Department adviso that the ] Mooruki, which left Sydney at noon on Saturday for Wellington, and is duo here to-day, has on board (IG bags of mails from Australia for ■Wellington. The recently-announced increase of two filiiHitiffs a ton in tho price of ,Stale coal ujjjiTics only to tlie demits at Wellington,' and not to (hose at Wangauui, G'hrislchurch, and Dnnedin. From inquiries made yesterday it appears that no inixeaso is contemplated «n;c at Wellingion, ill 3 reason sinful lining that tho depots outsido Wellington have paid llieir way, while the local depot has been running at a loss. At present (hero seems to be a good deal of petty thieving going on in Wellington. The articles which appeal mostly to the thieves are bicycles, or their iitlings, and sometimes tlie tyros have been taken from machines, left standing at night; in corridors open to the public. On >a recent evening a. youth happened to leave his cycle in an exposed jiositiou for a short time, only to return and find that it was missing. It would bo well for owners of bicycles to take reasonable precaution as to where they leave their-ma-chines. Tho Wellington Rugby League has received u unique offer of the services of a local lady "goal-kiclter." In a communication the league has received it is suggested that tho lady goal-kicker should give exhibitions prior to and during the interval of Saturday's matches. The fcmalo goaler, it is stated, would also lie prepared to challenge any footballer to a competition, provided that she ;s conceded a lOvds. handicap. The league have decided not to accept tho otfer at present. The Government liavo arranged for an inquiry into tho working of tlie Wanganui River stoam service, so far as it affects settlers who uso tho steamers. Tho inquiry will bo inado bv throo officers, representing tho Lands Department, tho Railway Department, and the Post and Tolegraph Department. The steamer service is a proprietary cue, subsidised by the Government, and tho inquiry has been granted as a result of complaints in and out of Parliament that tho charges were not in accordance with tho scale agreed upon between the Government and the owners of the strvice. Tho object of tho inquiry will bo to determine whether these complaints have any foundation. The- present month promises to bo tho wettest May. over recorded in Auckland, telegraphs our own correspondent. For tho first twelvo days the figures wero 3.1G inches. During the past forty years the average for the wholo month is only 4.50 inches. In Jlay of last year tlife fall was 1.5G inches, rain' falling on sixteen days. Tho largest fall ever recorded in Auckland for tho month of May was 7.08 inches, which fell during the very wet autumn of 1900. Tho driest May experienced was that of 18S1, when the fall was under an inch. In a letter to the secretary of the Wellington Chambtr of Commerce n Lcs Angeles lady says-.—"Will vou kindly send mo any literature yon have relative to your country. Would like data concerning climate, products, value of land, temperatures, educational advantages, Government and transportation. A small colony; of whom I am spokesman, are discussing tho advisability of coming and with the idea of investing in land ai(d settling permanently. My husjband is at the head of the Claims Department locally on one of the railroads. Another is an owner of a largo dairy herd; while others occupy positions equally good. Each of us 'lias some money to invest and would like to know from someone on the ground tho best locations and opportunities for investment together with an even chance of producing a living for ourselves.". The letter has been forwarded on to tho Immigration Department for a reply. The two prison-breakers, Patrick Donovan and Thomas John Lewis, are to appear before tho Police Court this morn-in-y. Olio charge, of course, will concern their flight from gaol, and this count will •ha in tho form of an accusation'that both aro rogues and vagabonds. Tho •other accusation will bo one of their having .stolen c£t Bs. Sd..worth of clothing from the rc-.idcnco of Charles Lindberg, at Northland. The site of tho Marino Department's store at I'ipitea Point is owned by the ]!ail\ray Department, which has now noti-« lied the Jlarine Department that it requires tho land for railway purposes. A new store for the Marine Department is to be erected on (he reclaimed land along tho Waterloo Quay extension. Plans are being prepared for a new building, with steel uprights, covered with galvanised iroii, for which a vote of .£BOO on account was passed' by Parliament last session. Cabinet vesterday authorised the removal of tho old store'and the crcction of the new one. The Prime Minister has ljeen extremely Imsv with Departmental work in Wellington lately, but he is endeavouring to arrange to go down to Christchurch by Thursday evening's steamer, in order to bo present at the celebrations in connection with tho visit of tho battle-cruiser. Tho Prime Minister told a reporter last evening that he had received nn invitation to open tho Dnnedin Winter show on Juno 3, and would liavo liked to accept it. The date of the show, however, corresponded with the date of tho Hon. Jmnes Allen's arrival at Auckland from Vancouver, and lie considered it only right that ho should take part in the public reception to be accorded Mr. Allen on his arrival,. Ho would, therefore, be unable to open tho Dnnedin show, but intended to accompany Sir. Allen to Dunodin before the opening of Parliament. Tho. Hen. 11. D. Hell would take his place nt the opening of the Winter show. Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" has been "fixed upon as the subscription concert of the Kovnl Wellington Choral Society for August. It will bo performed on August 1, and "Elijah" on August 12. As tho prices for .the general public for theso concerts have been fixed at 4s. and 3s. for reserved seats, it is expected that the concessions offered to honorary members will mean a big accession to the, list. Madame Mary Conly, the Australian soprano, with an English reputation, will sing in both works. Miss Pickard, of Brooklyn, who met with a serious tram accident in Lambton Quav last week, .is still in a precarious condition. Sho is now semi-conscious. The offices of the !Xow Zealand Employers' Federation, aro being removed this week from Woodward Stredt to the first floor of the National Mutual Life Assurance Company's Uuilding, in Customhouse Quay. The Tnvcrcargill branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants li»* decided to protest against Iho proposal that position of coaching and goods foremen, etc., should in fuiiiro be filled by members in the First Division of tho Service (says the "Southland Times"). Such positions liavo hitherto been filled by members of the Second Division, and it is contended that if this practice is not continued it will to a great extent debar members of tho Second Division from promotion. It is also contended that by virtue of their training members of the Second Division aro peculiarly fitted to fill such positions.

Tho Prime Minister stated last evening that tenders for tho erection of the newParliamentary Buildings would probably bo called about a week hence. Tho Wairau Valley coach met with an accident on Friday a few miles beyond Waihopai (says the "Marlborough Express"). A grocer's cart with a green cover frightened the leaders, and they doubled back. Tlio coach capsizcd, and (Ik; horses bolted with tlio fore-carriage. After going some distance, one of tli3 polo horses fell, and the (cam was soon after brought io a standstill. One of tho I'liimals hail to be destroyed, and the coach was also knocked about. A proposal for a Dominion presentation of shooting iirizes for 11.M.5. New Zealand land camo before the Karori Borough Council lost evening in the shaiio. of a circular from the execntivo committee in Chiisteliurcii, which had decided, tho circular stated, that it would he desirable to raise a Dominion fund to provide shooting prizes for tlio warship. It was Miggesled that all tho boroughs in the Dominion should be asked to join ill collecting subscriptions. It was thought that it would be an easy matter to raise XIOOO ill New Zealand, the interest on which sum would provide shooting prizes fjor, all time. The proposal evoked a brief discussion, during which some doubtwas expressed as to whether the shooting referred to eras big gun practice or riflerange shooting for the men at tho butts. Under Iho impression that the proposal meant the encouragement of rifle shooting on Now Zealand butts, Councillor Boyes moved that a subscription list should bo opened, but on tho oiiinion being expressed by another councillor that big-gun shooting was meant, lie withdrew his motion. The letter was simply "received." ; A well-known name in theatrical circles is that of Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh, proprietor of various theatres in Australia. Yesterday (say's Saturday's Auckland "Star") Mr. M'lntosh arrived in Auckland, en routo to America. Seen by a "Star" representative this morning, Sir, M'lntosh said that ono object, pf his visit to Auckland was to meet Mr. 11. E. Whito n Wellington architect, wlio is recognised as an authority in matters of theatre construction. Arrangements have been concluded whereby Mr. Whito will undertake the work of designing and supervising tho construction of two new theatres for Mr. M'lntosh, one in Brisbane, at a cost of X'GS,OOO, and anothoi< in Melbourne, at a cost of ,245,000. Asked, had lie any definite theatrical programme in view regarding New Zealand, Mr. M'lntosh replied that .ho hoped ultimately to operate very extensively in this Dominion, but just at present he would be content to solid across high-class specialty' artists whenever dates could be secured at the theatres for a Now Zenland season. Mr. M'lntosh expects to . bo abroad for live months. "Our ship (H.M.S. Now Zealand) arrived safely and berthed alongside. tho wharf at 9.35 a.m. Kindly advise Auckland."—Copy of telegram received by Mr. Robt. Fletcher, chairman of tho Wellington Harbour Board, yesterday .morning. Observe tho subtlety in (he final of the message.