LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1753, 19 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Maheno, with English and Australian mails, is not due in Auckland from Sydney until 5 a.m. to-day. Consequently tho 'Wcllington portion of her mails will not arrive until to-morrow afternoon. Tho Timber Commission should hare concluded the hearing of evidence in Wellington on Saturday morning,' but none of tho witnesses called woro ablo to attend. Their evidenco will -bo heard this morning. An amusing incident happened during tho hearing of a Labour ease at the Kiiubolton Police Court recently. Tho Magistrate (Mr. Poynton) was informed by a defendant that ono of his employees (a cook) refused to tako tho half-holiday when it was offered to her, and asketl the iS.JI. what was tho best filing to do with her. The Magistrate replied: "Well. 1 think tho best thing you can do with her is to put her in a glass case. She deserves ta bo taken round for exhibition." Archdeacon Fancourt preached at tho service yesterday morning at St. Luke's Church, Wadestown, when a very beautiful memorial pulpit was dedicated in memory of tlie late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hoscoo, of Wadestown. Tho pulpit, which is ornate Gothio in character, was designed by Mr. F. de .T. Clere, and was built in ja'rrah by Mr. Meyer, contractor. It was presented to tho chureli by the friends of the lale Mr. and Mrs. Jloscoe, as a tribute to their memory and good works. The Bishop of Wellington was the preacher at evensong. Tho estate of a (juarter-caste Maori was thus referred to in the Supremo Court at. Dunedin recently: "Ho is the proved possessor of 400 or 500 acres 4under the Land for Landless Natives Act. This land is somewhero in (lie back of the West Coast country, in such a placo that ho cannot get at it. According to tho report of tlie Government surveyor, it would cost about, ,£9OO to mako a track to this region. Is it not absurd to givo a mail such ail area for the wibsistence of himself and his family?"

An improving financial position was indicated by tho Hon. W. Fraser (Actingi Minister for Finance) when ho received n \ deputation from tho O'hinemuri County Council, which asked for an additional ten per. cent, as a loan of .£3OOO obtained for road-making purposes. In response to a request from the County Council for tli9 additional 10 per cent., Mr. Eraser said that the Government had so many commitments' to wipe out that they would have to .attend to thorn beforo the* - muld consider what was really an applicalion for a new loan.' The Government found w'hen they took over the control of affairs that. jEG7S,OCO had been promised to local bodies, and that there was only .117.000 in hand to meet those engagements. They also found that previous sources of obtaining money woro not available, owing to the higher rate of interest prevailing, which had induced people to withdraw their money fromthe Post Office Savings Bank and place it to hotter advantage. Now, iiowever, most of tho engagements had been met, and no doubt this application would be considered in duo courso. After tossing about in the sia for nenrlv four months, a portmanteau, lost when tho launch Edna foundered on tho Sumner bar on January 28, was washed nshoro at New Brighton. The return of tho nortmanteau was very welcome to Mr. A. E. Jf. Rowland, tho owner, for it contained a gold watch and chain, besides other articles and papers. Tho loss occurred wlion Mr. Howland was cruising in his launch off Sumner. Whfin crossing (lie bar, his launch got out of tho channcl, and, becoming unmanageable, foundered.

Owing to tlie delay in the cable-mending operations in Cook Strait. caused (N» heavy weather, it is thought that the Government, steamer Tutaitekai will not bo available foT tendering purposes in connection with TT.M.S. New Zealand at Akaroa on Saturday next. On account of a liravy jobblo in the Strait yesterday, Hie steamer had to stand-by in Worser. Hay. Tho position now is that if the weather were to break fine with fairly smooth water for a couple of days, repairs miglit, with average luck, be efftctejl .in time to clear (lie ves-cl of her cable-repairing gear and get hor away to Akaroa, but if tliie weather continues as boisterous as it has bren during the past wo*k, it will be n easo of "stiirl-by" until tho work is able to be acsimplishcd. The popularity of impromptu speaking was evidenced on Saturday night by a large attendance at an evening set apart for that purpose held in connection with Wellington College Old Girls' Literary Club. Each girl brought a subject, which was put into a hat, and Miss Van Staveren drew as each one's turn eame. The subjects covered a very wide range, and caused some very interesting discussions. At the next meeting, on .Tune 7, Miss M'lenn, president of the club, is to rend a paper on "The Life and Works of Browning," when it is hoped that tho record attendant of Saturday will bo eclipsed. The Hon. W. Fraser returned to Wellington on Saturday from a visit to l'ae10a, where he looked into tho question of the silting up of the Ohinctmiri lamam! its effect upon the .surrounding lands. On Thursday last the Minister inspee'ed some of the properties which have been affected by tho river tailings, and in re spect of which compensation is being applied for. After returning to Paerou, Mr. Fraser visited the Wailii-Paeroa Gold lvxtractioii Companv's plant under tho guidance of Messrs. P. N. Kingswoll (m.iiiaging director) and R. M. Aitken (matuger). .Mr. Fraser was impressed with wh.it ho saw, and took occasion to congratulate the company upon its enterprise. While in the north tho Minister was interviewed bv a number of deputation? in regard to district needs. One deputation advanced a request that the Government should take the necessary land for the proposed loop line of railway across the il.virniii Plains, in the vicinity of Pnoron, before it should become 100 expensive. Mr. Fra s er snid ho would bring the matter before the Cabinet. Tie himself unproved of the general principle of taking land for railways before it became too valuable. The. Minister was banqueted by the Onmeliiuri County Council on Thursday night.