LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1778, 17 June 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

All tho liHings in connection with Wonderland—tho merry water chute, tlio Katzenjammer Castle, etc., ntc., aro at present being dismantled at Miramnr, for transference to Auckland, where tliey aro to figure in the amusement grounds in connection with the Exhibition. Wonderland is being dismantled under Jho dirastion of tho stalf of Mr. Henry E. White, architect, of Wellington, who lias been entrusted with tho work of laying out tho amusement ground and re-erecting Wonderland. Tho fittings are those original y used at tho New Zealand Exhibition held in C'hristchurch in IMG-7.

Tho tenders for the automatic telephones supply lor the Now Zealand Government have oceii closed for some time, but so lav they have nut reached Cabinet. The details of tho systems for which tenders havo been submitted are at present Ming carefully examined by Departmental oiiiccrs, and it will not be until these officers hav<e made their reports that fl recommendation will bo forwarded to Cab* inet, with the tenders submitted. An inquiry was made yesterday as to whether tho installation of the now system would cost subscribers nnything. The answer was to,tho effect that tho subscribers paid so much per annum for a £? r . v } ce » having paid that were not liable to be charged a penny more, no matter what change was made in the service. Sj. mo people anticipate that tho now installation will bo merely a matter of o few months after a tender is accepted. This is not so. Before the automatic telephones can be installed a aew ©xchango will havo to 1)0 erected—probably in Stout Street, or on the site of tho present exchange—and it may bo as long as two years before the system is completely installed in \\ellington. It was recently stated in The Dominion that the Wanganui Education Board had received a letter from tho Department stating that it was intended to alter the Education Act* so as to provide for the payment of an honorarium to chairmen of boards. We are assured that the Eaucation Department ia not aware that any such amendment is contemplated.

Just before Lord Islington left New Zealand (soys the annual report of the St. John Ambulance Association) ho gave his formal approval to a bush nursing scheme for tho provision of a skilled nurse to work among struggling settlers in the back-blocks of tho Wellington Provincial District. Up to March 31, 1913, the sum of .£3O 16s. fid. has been contributed to the object indicated, and it is hoped that this amount will be materially augmented m the near future. Mr. J. Loinas, Secretary for. Labour, returned to Wellington on Saturday from tho Auckland district. He visited lauranga, Hamilton, and Te Kuiti, and inBpccted land suitable for workers' homes. At Otatiuhu lie met the Otaliulm Borough Council with reference to a road through tho settlement, for workers' homes there. Detective Andrews arrested a man last evening against whom it is alleged that, o-i May 28, at Auckland, he stole a : coat, trousers and fountain pen, valued in the aggregate at £i 155., tho property of Mr. J? Williamson. Tho schedule of the home industries section of tho Auckland Exhibition has just been received in Wellington by Mr. H. F. Allen. In compiling tho schedule the Homo Industries Committeo have been largely influenced bv tho desire that, through.the medium of tlie competitions, a permanent educational advantage to the community will result, and the aim has been to provide special facilities for all to display their ability in whatever direction it lies. It has been decided that no prizes will be awarded in this section, as it was considered the work would bo of higher value if honour of place were made the solo object of the competition. Diplomas will be awarded to tho ful competitors. Tho schedule would appear to limit right of entry in most of the subjects to tho Auckland province, but as the exhibition is more than local iu character, Mr. Allen is writing to ascertain whether or not eomo mistake has been made in compiling the schedule.

Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, lias returnod to Wellington from Now Plymouth, where ho was attending an industrial dispute in connection with tho furniture trade. He leaves again on Thursday for Ecefton to hear a dispute in connection with the Inangahua miners. The mining companies are asking practically for a renewal of the existing arrangements, which were entered into a few months ago, as a result of the t ro "ble which then had arisen, lho men ha\o filed a counter-claim, in which they ask for an increase on the rate of pay which was then agreed upon. The Ooart of Appeal sittings, which had been adjourned until yesterday morning, hove been further adjourned until the regular sittings on Monday, June 30. Tho tenants of tho 'city of Wellington endowment land near Pauiatua. havo prepared a petition .for presentation to the City Council asking that thev should bo allowed to acquire tho freehold of the lands now held by them under a perpetual lease tenure. At present there are 19 tenants on the endowment occupying ureal varying from 12 to Bi9 acres in S The total rent roll is £172 per annum, and the total area 19 1590 acres Their proposal is that the council should allow them to purchase at the unimproved value of tho land, and that the council should charge them interest at the rate of 5 per cent, on mortgages until tho purchases are completed. Detcctive-Sergeant Oassells and Detective Mason arrested a man tost evening who is alleged to have stolen, at Wellington on Co 8, an overcoat and hat, valued at .54 2s. 6d., tho property of Mr. J. O'Malley. The annual report of tho St. John Ambulance Brigade s Overseas ' includes tho following record work done;— A .total 01 113 cases were treated during tho year, most of which were 011 the football held. Tho eases ranged from serious to minor ones, but in all cases the treatment was satisfactory. Every Saturday during the football season some of tho members at* tended the various grounds, and in nearly all casos their services were necessary. This branch of the work seems to bo more appreciated than previously. Some of the officers have also been busy instructing first-aid students and boy scouta. Tho thanks of tho division are duo to those members who undertook these duties.

An important find of moa tones Is Imported from Nuliaka, in the Poverty Bay district. They were found .bv a Native at the entrance to a- cavo on Moumoukni, a big limestone hill on Mr. M. Shaw's property. The finder could not be persuaded to go in any further, and tie cave might reveal moro if explored. It is rtated the shank-bono is of immense size. It is expected that tlifi Motu-Opotiki Road giving access from Poverty Bay to the Bay of Plenty districts will be widened and available for traffic in a ' ,ml J three months. There are now about CO men drafted from Oisborne and Wellington employed on the co-opcrative system' on the road.

<£18,030,000 WORTH OP AUTOMOBILES. During this present year of grace, 1513, the Studebaker Corporation of Detroit, USA plans to build Studebaker motorcars' to tho value of Not only will it build these oars, but it will sell overy last one of them. "There must bo a tremendous deimnd?" you say. And when you sco tho 1913 models of the Studebaker car you will seo tho reason for the demand. The 35 h.p. Studebaker is a powerful, yet light, car, ideally suited to New Zealand conditions. It has stats for four, with two additional oollaiisible seats. It is a beauty in appearance, finished in French grey and dark blue, with bright parts nickel-plated. It embodies in every line and every detail the very latest and best practico of English aiid Continental automobile enginoors. Under tho bonnet you find a simple, cleanly-designed engine, a foolproof ongi.no. A Warner electric pe tstarter attends to Hie starting of, the ongino. A Bosch magneto banishes ignition troubles. The ".Tiffy" hood, with its handsome side curtains, converts tho ear into a wind-proof, closed car. literally in a jiffy." The rear axle is full, floating. There is nothing cheap, nothing skimped. £,W brings this car complete with electric lamps, hood, spare rim and tyre, speedometer—in fact, all extras. Air. p W Sampson, our representative, e.o. Empire Hotel, will bo pleased to give demonstrations on the hills around Wellington during the next day or so. At tho Palmerston Winter Show wo will show the 35 h.p. Studebaker, and also the «S b n. model, a miniature edition of the 35 h.p. ear, and sold at Adams. Ltd., sole New Zealand agents for Studebaker Cars (Grovo Motor Co.. Ghnzneo j Street, Wellington, agents).—Advt. I

A mooting of the Executive Comrmtteo of tho Wellington South Progressive Society was held in Mr. Wylic's rooms, Biudiford Street, last evening. Mr. J. Castlo (president) occupied the chair, and uiero was a fairly largo attendance of members. Tho report of tlio deputation which recently interviewed tho City Council was discussed and adopted. Attention was given to a need that is greatly iolt, for additional lights in several of the streets of Newtown and tho secretory was authorised to urgo upon tho City Council the importance of installing these lights and carrying out other necessary works in Newtown.

Tho proposal made a slibrt ayo by | the rcccntly-fornie<l society at K?lburno | which has for its object tho beautifying of Ihe hill suburb was considered by the Iteserves Committee of the City Council yesterday. Tho schemo is to plant the northern side of Kelburne Parade witli trees, about a hundred ill all, and tho kmo. of tree suggested is tho red-tinted lime tree. In accordance with o. report submitted by tho City Engineer tho committee approved l tho scheme, but stipulated that the work bo carried out by tho City Council if the Kelburne people would nay tho promised subsidy of 225. 6d. per tree. It is considered that this will bo sufficient to procure tho trees, to plant them, and to ercct round them suitable guards. Tho oonferenca between representatives of tho local authorities and the InspectorGeneral of Hospitals (Dr. Valintmo) on tho matter of hospital levio9, which was to have taken place on Monday next, has been postponed. Owing to the Prince ol Wales' Birthday falling ou Monday next, tho date of tho conference has been fixed foT Thursday week (June 26).

On her outward voyage from Auckland to way ports and Vancouver last month, the Union Company's R.M.S. Niagara met with some very rough weather between. Auckland and Fiji. Captain J. Gibb, in attempting to prevent a teapot from being hurled across his cabin fell heavily, and' sustained an injured leg and cuts on the face, being unconscious when picked up. Tho rolling of the big liner was accounted for by the fact that the oil tanks, which are at tho bottom of the ship, were empty. This, of course, will not again be the case, as the tanks were to have been filled while the vessel was at Vancouver, whicli port she left on Wednesday last for Auckland and Sydney.