LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1751, 16 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho City Solicitor was instructed by tho Oily Council Inst evening to draft a bylaw prohibiting tho use of unprotected hatpins in tram-cars, public streets, ami public places. It may interest the readers of Tub Dominion", writes Mis? Mary I'roctor, to know tli,'it on April 11, tho day on which Mr. Thomas (,'awthron promised to | build, equip, and endow a solar physics observatory for New Zealand, n letter was sent by him to Sir Robert S. Ball, of Cambridge University, England, requesting him to send an estimate of expenditure and an expert to act as director and for tho selection of tho most desirable silo for the observatory. His decision will bo filial. Tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will preside at a Chamber sitting of tho Supreme Court at 10.110 a.m. to-day, when tin; Civil List will bo called over and the ■order of cases settled. .A. Gazette notice published last night proclaims certain land as having been tnlcen under the Municipal Corporations Act and tho Public Works Act for tho purposes of widening Willis Street, 'Wellington. Tho estimated population of tho four chief cities of tho Dominion during the month of April was as follows:—Greater Auckland, 109,110; Greater Wellington (not including l'etonc 69G6), 72,892; Greater Christehurch, 53,672; Greater Duueihn, Gfi.OSl. Tho confcrenco of local bodies called for tho purposo of discussing the question of the increased hospital levy was a subject of discussion at Just _ night s meeting of tho City Council. Early in tho evening it was decided (on the recommendation of the Financo Committee) "that the council appoint n representative to attend a conference of representatives from local bodies with reference to the subject of hospital expenditure." At a later stage Councillor Fletcher moved that tho Mayor be appointed to represent the council. In the discussion that followed opinions wero expressed for and against the prineiplo of interfering with tho work of another local body, but oil it being pointed out that it had already been decided to appoint a representative, Councillor Fletcher's motion was carricd unanimously. Tho following notice affecting tho rato of interest payable on deposits in tho Post Office Savings Bank appeared in the Gazette published last night:—"Notice is hereby given, that tho savings hank rates of interest on sums not exceeding «£3OO are increased by one-quarter of one per cent., making tho interest payable on such balance three and three-quarters per cent, instead of three and a liaifper cent, per annum as at present. . In the case of accounts with balances of over .£3OO to credit the increase will apply only to so much of the balance of such accounts as do not exceed ,£300." Tho annual meetings of householders, for the election of a school committee in the Kaitoke, Takapu, Plimmerton, Wadestown, Kaiwarra, and Whiteman's Valley districts, has been fixed for Monday, May 2G, at 8 p.m. "Other districts aro always singing out for recreation grounds and such like, but Mitchelltown has in tho past been satisfied to do this work on its own, ancl is still prepared to do so," said tho spokesman of a deputation from tho Mitchelltown tkhool Committee which waited uppon tho City Council last evening with reference to the extension of tho school playground, which already occupies a small portion of the Town Belt, ihe committee desired to add about four moro acres to tho school ground, and expressed their willingness to improvo and beautify tho spot. Tho speaker's declaration was greeted' with encouraging "hear, hears," and tho request of the deputation was referred to the Reserves Committee for consideration and report.

"A deputation from tho Citizens' Carnival Committee,waited upon tho Finance Committee of the City Council a feiv days ago in connection with an account fiom tho City Engineer's department, amounting to JHOI 19s; Id. "for work carried out' by that department. Tho Carnival Committee asked that tho council should jemit the whole of tho account, or else mako a substantial rebate. The I'inanco Committee submitted to the City Council last evening a recommendation that tho carnival should be.required to pay tho full amount of the account, and that a donation of oO per cent, of the account should bo donated from tho councils funds.—This was agreed to.

Sub-committees have been appointed by the City Public Gardens. fteserves, nml Baths Committees as follow Zoo subcommittee, Councillors Barber, l'rost, iM'Keir/.ic and Wright; Baths Sub-connmt-tce, Councillors Buddie, l'rost, Luckie, nml Thompson. "That the Hon. A. h. Herdman, M.P., be informed, in reply to his inquiry tor some trees and shrubs for the beautifying of the Victoria College grounds, that as the council is going in for a big scheme of planting-this season, they regret that they will have no trees to spare."—Tins was one of the resolutions carried at the City Council meeting last night. This is the jubilee year of the Otago Boys' High School, says the Duncdiu correspondent of a Christchurch paper. Fittingly, it seems, it has an old boy. in Mr? ilownie Stewart, as Mayor of the city, aiui ex-pupils recall that the Hon. H..D. Bell, who is to open the Winter Show, was more than onco dux-of tho school.

"I do not know the gentleman,'' said a witness in the Supreme Court at Christchurch. referring lo the prisoner in tho dock, "t have not even hud a drink with him." "1 suppose that fart implies a verv slight degree of intimacy with him," said hi.- Honour, and the witness laughingly admitted that was so. A miraculous escape from being dashed to death happened io a manager at olio of the Kaitangata coalmines a few days ago. He fell down the mine shaft- a distance of 550 feci. Fortunately, while falling, he grasped the bell l'opo with ..both hands and this .served to Keep him in jv perpendicular position. Ho lauded in a. muddy spot and was thus saved from fatal injuries, although his leg was broken in two places and his hands ivero jagged to the bone by (he rope as lie slid down in his rapid descent. Gradually Xew Zealand is being linked up to the outer world by means of wireless telegraphy. Tho tests of the highpower station at Awanui (north of Auckland) have been of a satisfactory character, but the point at which it is to bo taken over by the Government lias not yet arrived. In addition to the ordinary service tests over distance, tho plant has to undergo what is technically termed tho "life" lest, to ensure au even working .over a certain length of time (tome months in Hie enso of the two high-power stations). The station at the Bluff has been erected, and (lie officials of the Australian Wireless Company are now conducting their own tests. So far they have not called oil the l'ost and Telegraph Department. to make its service tests. The next irork to be put in hand will be the erection of a station at the Chatham Islands. A gang of men have already nuido considerable headway with the erection of tlie buildings, and towards the end of tho present month Mr. Orchiston is dispatching men to erect, (lie poles and machinery, and place the instruments in position. An application for a license to conduct American box-ball, hoop-la, etc., on a vacant section at Willis Street was declined by the City Council last evening, as it was considered that this show would be iin hbjcctionable feature in tho main streets in the city.

Municipal Independence.—'"That the Public Works Department be informed, in reply to their offer to purchase hardwood timbers on behalf of local governing bodies, that the council prefer to continue I heir present system of purchasing supplies," was a recommendation submitted by the Finance Committee of the City Council last evening, and adopted. A donation of .till 10s. lias been granted to tho Wellington Fire Police out of the .£O7 7s. paid by the Government to tho Wellington Corporation for services rendered at tho late Post Ollice lire. A deputation representative of the Wellington Branch of the British Medical Association addressed tho Minister for Internal Affairs, the JTon. 11. IX Bell, yesterday on tho subject of tho amendments to the existing forty years old .Medical Act which the association have been «> long asking for. They have had a Bill before tho Government, for some years, but it has never been considered by either llous2. Wluit the association desire is more effective registration of- mialified practitioners, with some provision for preventing qualified men who have been guilty of gross misconduct l'rom practising. They nsk also for the setting up of a Mcdical Board. The Minister in reply to the deputation promised to have a Bill' prepared embodying as far as possible the proposals of the association. A meeting of the provisional directors of the Kelburno and Karon Motor Bus Company was held yesterday in order to discuss matters to Im> brought before tho statutary meeting of shareholders to be held early next month. Tho meeting of shareholders will be held in pursuance of tho Companies Act ill order to elect permanent directors. In tho meantime prices are being obtained for three buses, two to seat 27 passengers each, and one to seat sixteen passengers, and this information will be available for tho new board to act upon. It is hoped to have tho buses running early 111 tho spring, "That no action is necessary" was tho decision of the City last evening in connection with, an application for a donation towards the funds for the Gort flood relief fund. ]t was explained by I lie Mayor (Mr. J. I'. Luke) that the request for a donation was not an official application from tlie Gore Corporation, and that tho resources of that district woro deemed to bo adequate to meet tho exigencies of tho case, Taxi-cab telephones are to bo installed by the Corporation at each of the motor taxi-cab stands throughout the city, and the use of private telephones ou these stands is to be prohibited in future. The apportioned cost of these telephones is to bo charged against each taxi-cab owner. Amongst the correspondence which camo beforo the City Council last evening was a suggestion from tho Municipal Officers' Association to tho effect that whc-n. the council took into consideration the question of tho classification of its staff the services of certain employees, who had been for years in the service of tho council, but had 110 permanent status, might be taken into consideration.. The Japanese flag was flown over tho office of the Consul for Japan (Mr, T. Young) yesterday. Tho occasion was a' national holiday in honour-of some particular event which could not bo ascertained. The Consul merely has a list of dates ou which the national Hag is to bo flown, and yesterday was 0110 of them. A Wellington syndicate is. according to our Wanganui correspondent, said to have purchased a large block of land at Wanganui East, which it is intended to cut lip, road, and place ou the market as building sites as soon as the tramline in ■that suburb is Hearing completion. The condition of the walk through the Courtenay Place reserve was recently the subject ,of a complain by Councillor W. ,T. Thompson. He has teen notified that the city engineer will have the walk asphalted. At a representative meeting held at Carterton yesterday afternoon, telegraphs our own correspondent, it was decided to tender a monster welcome homo to Sir Walter Buchanan ou Carterton show grounds iu July. A strong committee was set up to further the arrangements.