LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 24 July 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Negotiations for' tie exchange of postal notes between New Zealand and the Commonwealth, tho Postmaster-General stated yesterday, are now taking place. Asked in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. A. M. Myers what tho Government's intentions were regarding the early prosecution of the East Coast railway at the Waihi-Tauranga ends, tho Hoii. W. Eraser replied:—Tlie Govern-' ment are convinced that the East Coast line is an essential and integral part of the railway system of the North Island, and will ask Parliament to make provision on the Public Works Estimates, con. sistent with that opinion. Mr. Edward Newman, M.P., has been informed by tho Hon. Mr. Rhodes, Post-master-General, that a site lias been secured by the Department for a post office at Mangaonoho. The necessity. for the issue of gun licenses in the dominion was .emphasised at yesterday's Acclimatisation .Societies' Conference by Mt. 0. A. Whitney, livery week during the shooting season, he said, three or tout fatal accidents-occurred, due chiefly to the carelessness, of sportemwi in the imndi/nc of their arms. Tho law forbade the currying of firearms by per-.'oii.-j under the age of 1G years, but hundreds of boys carried guns about, and were often as liable lo shoot their companions as anything else. Guns- were more dangerous than pea-rifles, and their use should be permitted only to thoso who were licensed. Mr. Whitney's suggestion did not mcot with tho gguflral support of delegates,

The sub-comm.itteo appointed to visit tho city reserves in order to report upon the bast site available for the laying-out of a new sports ground with tho money raised as a result of tho Citizens' Easter Carnival occupied tho whole of its time yesterday afternoon in the work. The eommitteo at first inspected that muchdiscussed site on the lower part of tho Town Belt between Elizabeth Street and l'iric Street,, then journeying southwards approached the Belt from Constable Street by the track (made by "tho unemployed" some years ago) which followed tho crest of the hill right to Jit. Victoria. After a thorough look round there, tho committee proceeded across' country to Brooklyn to inspect tho wellknown "basin" site,*roughly bordered by tho tramway track to the south and east and Ohiro Road to the west, and finally "viewed tils prospect o'er" at Wadestown. The sub-committee will report later on to a. meeting of tho general Carnival Committee.

A meeting of the executive of tho Early Settlers' and Historical Association was held on Tuesday night, and it was decided to hold monthly meetings of members and their friends; such meetings to take the form of social gatherings, at which papers relating to the early days would be read, and reminiscenccs exchanged. Tho first of tho meetings is to be hold in about three weeks' time. It was resolved that another reunion of tho Early Settlers' should bo held on the evening of Dominion Day, and a suggestion that an "old-time ball" should "bo held is under consideration. It was resolved that a deputation should wait on the Library Committee of tho City Council, to ask that the. council provide accommodation for the collection of photographs and pictures, which the society is making, and also that tho question of tho jubilee fund be discussed. A subr committee to arrange for the society to bo represented at the historical pageant, to be held in connection with the Boys' Institute, was set up.

The Minister for Public Works was asked by Mr. Sidey in the House of Representatives yesterday to consider the desirability of having a suitable handrail affiled to each side of the new steps leading to the terrace in front of the library wing of tho Parliament Buildings. Mr. Fraser replied that the erection of handrails, as suggested, would detract from the architectural features of the ground. Tho steps were of very easy ascont, and a footpath adjacent had also been provided, giving alternate access to the-library. The Minister for Justice was asked in the House of Hepresentatives yesterday by Mr. Statham, M.P., whether ho would introduce legislation to amend tho Crimes Act, 1908, by making it a criminal offence to leave loaded firearms within, tho reach of children and other irresponsible persons. Mr. Herdman replied: "It is not intended to amend tho Crimes Act, I'JOb, this session, but should an amending Bill bo introduced later on, tho suggestion of the honourablo gentleman . . . will be given careful consideration."

There is no power at present-, the Minister for Customs stated in tho House of Kepreseutiitivcs yesterday, to prevent tho importation of shoddy boots aud shoes, provided tho samo aro not marked in suck a manner as to mislead purchasers as to the material of which they aro composed. Tho desirability of introducing legislation to compel certain goods of common consumption to bear sufficient trado descriptions is under tho consideration ot the Government. The Government is considering tho desirability of making provision that an inquiry shall as a matter of course bo held as to the origin of every outbreak of lire. Replying in the House of Representatives yesterday to a question 1 by Mr. J. V. lirown (Napier), the lion. F. M. i 3. Fisher said that a proposal to reduco by Cd. per lb. tho duty on plug tobacco would bo considered. The suggestion of the honourable member to increase tho tax upon intoxicating liquor would also receive proper consideration.

An ex-New Zealandcr, now on the land in tho interior of Now South Walts, writes as follows:—"I feel lost out here without New Zealand news, and tho New South Wales papers give practically none —little wonder a lot of folks out here know practically nothing of our Dominion. As an instance, I was asked on polling day (May 31). if I was not going to vote. I said, '1 liavo no vote, having only arrived .in Now South Wales on April 15,' and was told that that did not matter: it was all one, and New Zealand was a part of Australia. And this, mind you, from a prominont Labour (dis) organisor for the lata (but not lamonted) Labour Government."

All is not well with tho New South Wales railways. Says tho Sydney "Herald":—"No one imagined ten years ago, when tho great drought broke, that at tho end of the decado there would do such a state of things in our railway system as exists to-day. In many ways the period has been full of surprises, pleasant and otherwise. The unpleasant surprises nre multiplying in the present year, and the .end is not yet. _ l\ot the least of them Is to bo found in the'disappearance of the railway surplus, in,the advance in fares and freights, and in the ever-mounting cost of maintaining the services. The latter item, of course, must be linked with the other two as cause and effect. But as one studies tho situation it beoomes clear that nvuch more would be earned by our railways Sf the most urgent works could bo got speedily out of hand."

Office-bearers are being elected by members of the Wellington branch of the Waterside Workers Union. The poll commenced yesterday, and will continue to-day. Mr. F. Curtice president, and Mr. Thomas King treasurer have been re-elected unopposed. There . are thveo candidates for the vice-presidentship, namely, Messrs. L. Glover, H. K. Simmons, and David Smith. Messrs. 6. G. Farland (present secretary) and G. Grey are candidates for the secretaryship, while for the position of assistant secretary, Messrs. G. Bruce (present assistantsecretary) and John Manvood are candidates. Certain proposals are under consideration, the Hon. A. L. Herdman told Mr. Sidey, M.P., in the House of Representatives yesterday, which, if given effect to, will enable better provision to be made for the Patent Office. The question of increasing- tho staff "to make more adequate provision for examination has been referred to the Public Service Commissioner. The office accommodation is inadequate, tho Minister added, but it is impossible to obtain, more adequate accommodation at tho present time. "Catching a boy with a pea-rifle," said Mr. G. V. Pearce in tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, "is liko catching a weasel > asleep—you don't catch him very often."

Tho secretary of Pearson's Fresh Air Fund (London), in a letter dated Juuo 11, acknowledges tho receipt of .£32 14s, 3d. collected by Tub Dominion", and adds: "I nolo what you say with regard to tho amount of ,£2, and I will seo that tho money is spent in giving four children a fortnight's holiday in accordance with tho wish of tho subscriber." Last night's mail brought in a subscription of 2s. 6d. from "Sympathiser," Wairarapn, which will bo forwarded iu duo course. Ninety-three yachtsmen aad motor-boat owners have petitioned tho Wellington Harbour BoaTU to retain Somes Island light, "in the interests, of those using the Harbour at night." Tho Wellington Harbour Board dccided last night to join in a deputation to the I'rime Minister on Judy 31, respecting t'he deviation'of Itimutaka railway, and the construction of an East Coast railway.

Tho Karori Borough Council, at its meeting oil Tuesday night, passed a forks of .resolutions in connection with tho smallpox epidemic. It was resolved, oil tho motion of Cr. C. T. Ciraino: "That from a sonso of duty to tho Dominion, and as a means of assisting the Health Department, tho council take prompt steps to urge upon the residents of Die borough tho necessity for immediate vaccination." Councillor Davies then moved, and it was agreed: "That tho Health Department be written to advising that tho council, recognising the need at the present time of residents and school children in the borough being vaccinated, would bo pleased to place ,a room in tho Council Chambers nt tho disposal o{ tho Health oiiicials for the purpose of carrying out this object." The council also decided to make arrangements , with tho chairman of the School Committee in tho matter.