LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1780, 19 June 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An extraordinary meeting of tho City Council is to bo hold this evening. Tho business is to rcceivo two deputations, both of which are to bo heard in conimitteo (according to tho notice calling Iho meeting), consideration of tho estimates, and to doal with tho long list of motions, notico of which had beon given for tho last meeting of tho council. Telephones on cab ranks in tho streets will l>o tho subject on which a deputation of tho Wellington City Council By-Laws Committee will address tho PostmasterUeneral to-day. Tho committee, it is understood, is opposed to moro than one telephone being installed on any one rank, and to this certain of tho taxi-drivers and cabmen object. Tlicy claim that they should bo allowed to have more than ono if thay pay tho extra charge. Their reason for pressing this claim is that, as they say, somo men uso these telephones who are not of cleanly lmbits, and those who sot somo storo by cleanliness desiro to bo allowed to club together to get telephones, from the liso of which undesirables can l>e excluded. Tho waterside workers' trouble at Timaru was to have been discussed at a meeting of tho local Watersido Workers Union yesterday forenoon, but no quorum attended, and the meeting lapsed. A member of the local union informed a reporter that tho federationists at Timaru had sent out an appeal for support in their opposition to tho employment of free labour in waterside work at that port. . In effect, tho various unions throughout tho Dominion affiliated to tho federation had been asked to back up tho Timaru Union to the extent of striking if necessary. Tho game informant stated that tho executive of tho local Watersidors' Union had docided to recommend its members not to acoedo to tho Timaru request. It is regarded as t quite certain that tho members of the union as a whole will confirm the decision of their executive. Yestorday's meeting was called in order to give them an opportunity of doing so, and as it lapsed another meeting ig to be held to-day. Councillor A. R, Atkinson has given notico that he will move itt next meeting 1 of tho City Council that the following resolution, passed at last meeting, bo rescinded:—"That tho new edition of Halsbury's Laws of England be ordered for tho City Solicitor's office at a cost of £37 lGs."

About three or four men per day make application to the City Engineer's Department for labourers work; but these numbers are said to bo made up very largely by the same men calling repeatedly. For the most part, the men who come to the oliice aro stated to be middleuged men, of a not very desirable class. If there are places to bo filled, tha really practical men who apply to the foreman always get them. Very seldom is a man engaged at tho office. Just now the city has no loan works iii progress except those connected with the drainage scheme on which men are busy at Wadestown and Marnnui. The pay-sheets are still heavy, however.

The city was never alarmed about tho risk of failuro of the water supply owing to the fracture of one of the big mains in tho earth-slide on the Hutt Road, and now such small risk as did exist has been removed. The big main has been mended. When tho earth was removed, it was found that o pipe was fractured, and tho break was repaired by removing tho broken length of pipe and putting in a new one. The fallen earth has not yet been all removed by tho Railway Department. As far as one can judge passing the scene, there still remains about half of the spoil to bo taken away.

The military headquarters forward the following information concerning the examination of non-commissioned officers of the New Zealand Territorial Force and Senior Cadets for first appointments to commissions. This examination this year is postponed to the beginning of September. For the present, in exceptional cases, no-commissioned officers of tho Territorial Force may be recommended as candidates up to the ago of 30. Schoolmasters in secondary schools may bo recommended as candidates at any ago for commissions in the Senior Cadet companies of their schools. In the case of schoolmasters, iiapsra A and B are dispensed with. Candidates for commissions in the Territorial Force can elect to sit for commission in any ami, but must state, when applying to bo allowed to present themselves for examination, to which arm they are desirous of being appointed on obtaining a commission.

Tho musketry conference which is at present being hold, in "Wellington is under tho presidency of Colonel Heard. Major Hughes, Captain Wallin&ford (Auckland), Lieutenant Rose (Wellington), Lieutenant Henderson (Christchurch), and SergeantMajor Purdon (Dunedin), the four musketry instructors connected with the J<ew Zealand Defence Forces, are in attendance, and all matters' relating to musketry are being discussed. After the conference the instructors will attend tho "refresher" course at Palmerston North for staff officers and seTgeants-major, which will extend from July 7 to August 17. A limited number of cadet officers will also be present. A man was arrested yesterday by, Detective Cassells and Constable M'kclvie on a charge of assault and robbery in Courtenaji Place. "Pride and reverence for an historic past may bo but a mere sentiment, but it is a sentiment that has influenced the fate of nations, and, notwithstanding the rise of democracy, will probably do so to tho end of time. The ohild is father to tho man, and, so also, the past is parent to the future," quoted one of tho speakers at tho annual reunion of the Wellington College Old Boys' Association last evening, when proposing tho toast of "Tho Old School." The speaker' added that tho author was ono of the present masters of tho college—Mr. A. Heine. Mr. J. P. Firth, (headmaster of Wellington College), in replying to the toast "The Old School" at the Old Boys' annual dinner last night, stated that one of the most pleasing features of his late trip abroad was the dinner tendered to him in London by some of tho "old boys." It was, indeed, edifying to see that nearly all were either lenders in their several professions, or fast qualifying in that direction. Mr. W\ F. Word, in replying to the toast "Tlie College Governors last night at the annual dinner of tho Wellington Oollcgo Old Boys' Association, stated that it was indeed remarkable that professions which were by 110 means half as responsible and irksome as tho school teaching profession should pay a salary of doublo the amount paid to the teaching profession. Owing to tho want of endowments, etc., tho salary of tho school teacher was not what it should be. ltepresentatives of all walks of life gathered together last, night in Godber's rooms 011 the occasion of thei twentieth annual, dinner of the Wellington College Old Boys' Association. The function passed off very plfusantly, being much enlivened by the reminiscent anecdotes of "old times," whilo musical and other items and toast speeches added to tho enjoyment of the company.