LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1820, 5 August 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At yesterday's meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce Mr. W. J. Duthio proposed l "That the Postmaster-General's attention be dmwn to tho fact that tho Warrimoo is advertised as resuming her old running in tho Mellxmrne-Wollington-Sydney trade, and in view of the uncertainty of mails carried by her catching the Suez mail, whether ho will take such steps as aro necessary to ensure connection with tho English mail stoamer at Adelaido." This was seconded by Mr. Macintosh and agreed to.

For some time post the land agents of Wellington havo been holding meetings with tho object of forming themselves into an association for the better protection of themselves and the general public. At a meeting haldi last evening, presided over by Mr. S. Harcourt, this association was formally initiated and draft rules wero adopted. , Many of those present signed the iiecessaiy enrolment forms and opportunity will bo given for others to do likewise. .The meeting was adjourned for a fortnight when tlio election of officers will take place.

"What we want in this city," said tlio Mayor (Mr. 3. P. Luke) to a reporter yesterday, "is more of tlio progressive spirit, more looal patriotism—moro determination to make things move." Tho remark was made after passing reference to tlio number of applicants for employment, which tho Mayor thought indioated that the tightness of money was still affecting tho labour market. At tho same time ho had noticed a hardening in property values. The Mayor went on to state that he thought local industries should be encouraged' in every way. The present unemployment was probably accentuated by tlio unusual slackness in shipping at this timo of tho year, but next month would see the beginning of tho export season, and employment would then bo more abundant. It is anticipated that tho second in tho development of Australia's chain of wireless stations will bo completed in tlio courso of tho next fow weeks (says the "Argus"). Tho high-power station at Port Darwin should bo in full operation by tho end of August, and when the low-power equipments at Townsville, Broome, Flinders Island, and Wyndham aro at work tho Commonwealth Government will be ready to enter upon • tho third phase of progress, which provides for the construction of stations at Woodlark Island, Samarai, Lord Howe, and Norfolk Islands, King Island, Albany, and Carnarvon. Tho officials in the Onehunga Post Offico had a .soraowhat startling experience on Friday last (says the Auckland "Star"). Thoy wero working in tlio mail-room, and one of tho men put some coal on tho lire. A loud report sounded throughout the building like tho report of a .rifle, and a bullet whizzed through tho air and stuck in the opposite wall. No ono was hit by the bullet, but moro than ono man had a narrow escape. By somo means a cartridge had. got into tho coal supplied to tlio post office. It is a mystery how it got thero.

Tho annual meeting of tho Proportional Representation Society was to have been held last night.at tho rooms of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, Woodward Street, but after waiting half an hour for a larger attendance, tjiero being only five members present, it was decided to accept tho inevitablo and adjourn until Thursday week.

Mr. E. p. Baldwyn, of tho Commercial Bank of Australia, was yesterday elected a member of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce on the motion of Mr. C. W. .Toned, seconded by Mr. W. J. Duthio. Ways'and means of raising a loan of ■£15,000 for tho purchase of the harbour ferry steamers Duchess and Cobar from the Harbour Perries, Ltd., are to bo considered at a meeting of the Eastbourno Borough Council to-morrow evening.

A delegation from tho newly-formed Wellington Hairdressers' Union—which was born during the recent Labour Unity Congress—is to confer with tho employers this evening, with a view of coming to a working arrangement with respect to tho demands recejitly made. Hairdressers are practically working under an award many years old, for tho reason that there has been no union, aad tho award last made by the Arbitration Court has never been superseded. This provides for a minimum wage of <£2 Bs. per week for journeymen hairdressers, working from 8.30 a.m. or 9 a.m. (according to arrangement) until 8 p.m. daily, with two hours off for luncheon and dinner; until 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10, p.m. on Saturdays. It is understood that the employers are willing to rearrange the Saturday hours, even to tho extent of olosdown an hour earlier than ia at present the case, but they will resist the demand for 0 o'clock closing On an ordinary evening. They hold that the hours between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. are tho busiest of tho day.

At a meeting of tho General Labourers' Union tho chairman (Mr. F. Stott) reported that the general labourers' delegates to tho Unity Congress wero opposed to the clause in tho constitution vesting in tho executive tho power to declare strikes. However much tho supporters of tho printed clause might try to mislead tho members of the unions and the public, they could not get away from the fact that the power of oalling strikes, either Departmental or national, was vested entirely in the executive. It was being urged by Federation officials that the strike clause and the constitution of the United Labour party . were almost identical; but this was not so, for with tho latter no general strike could' bo undertaken without tho consent of a majority of tho members involved. Shortly a special meeting of tho union will bo hold to discuss the whole question.

.The silence of Palmerston Square lata on Saturday night was broken (says our correspondent) by a loud explosion, and the shooting up of a column of water from one of the ornamental duck ponds. The hour was one when men of certain habits of life aro alleged to "seo visions," but the witnesses of tho present occurrence were a sergeant and a oonstable of police, and a Territorial officer from the training camp. Prompt investigation of the outrage revealed no clue as to its nature, and repeated investigation by daylight met with no further success. So far, liono of tho fish in tho pond have died, and there is no traoo of a bomb or dynamite or of any damagb to the concrete of the tank. Tho absence of damage to the fish adds mystery to the affair, which surrounds tho bomb theory with a doubt that not oven tho column of water can entirely remove. It is a singular coincidence that several Terrace End residents report to the polioe having heard a very loud explosion at midnight on Saturday. Tho affair has created an. uneasy impression that somebody is at largo with infernal machines.

The opening of the solarium attached to the Convalescent Home, 22 Oriental Bay, erected by public subscription as a memorial to tho late Mrs. Newman, will take place on Saturday next at 3 o'clock. Tho committee of tho Octavia Newman Memorial Fund and tho trustees of the Convalescent Home invito subscribers to the memorial fund and to tho home to at tend an "at liomo" that day at 22 Oriental Bay, when Mrs. W. H. S. Moorhouse, president of. the trustees, will perform the opening ceremony.

Included amongst the passengers by the Shaw-Savill steamer Waimana, which is duo at Wellington from London this eventing, are 23 domestic servants, 32 farm labourers, and 53 wives and children who are coming out to rejoin their' husbands and fathers.

Ho was only two years of age, and had been vaccinated just, a week. It lhad taken beautifully, and the fair-skinned, plump littlo arm of tho youngster jvas red and angry underneath his little white woollen jersey. Quite at a loss to make out tho cause of tiro irritation he felt, and rubbing the affected part with his chubby list, ho tottered over to his mother, wlio was 'busy flourishing an electric iron, and said plaintively: "Get tho flea out!"

"I have seen-.the recruit—perhaps a miissrable looking specimen. In six < months you wouldn't know him, with the improvement the good, food, physical training, and good care had made in him. ... I have seen those young soldiers march thiTty miles a day oajrrying their rifles and accoutrements. And if.at is not a bad performance."—Colonel Heard lost night at the Veterans' annual dinner, speaking of young soldiers in the British army.

At yesterday's 'meeting of Ohe W<fflingu ton Chamber of Commerce, the ohaiiim an (Mr. C. W. Jones) mentioned that fhio deputation which, attended' before the Minister for Public Works lajjt Thursday received a very sympathetic liauring from the Hon. W. Praser, who had promised to do what lie could with regard to the Wadiiarapa railway deviation, but ho had given them no definite promise oven in the way of survey. Tho dotation felt that thqy had the sympathy of the prosant Government. At thla same meeting a letter was read from Mr. Chias. E. Danioll, president of tho Mastertan Chamber of Commoroei, conveying his thanks to tho .members of the Chamber of Commerce who joined the deputation to the Hon. W. Fraser regarding railwaymatters, and added: "I think wo may reasonably hopo for a forward move, and that, as co-workers, tliio two Chambers of. Commerce may holp forward tho general welfare of this district."

Yesterday's mooting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was uffiusuallly hriaf. Mr. C. W. Jones was elected to the chair, in the absence of Jlir. llabin, and was supported by Mr. W. G. Duthiq, Mr. T. Balliuger, Mr. E. G. Pilclier, Mr. Vi. B. Lees, andl Mr. J. Macintosh.

A TOURING CAR DE LUXE AT CHRISTCHURCH. The ideal touring car for the Now Zealand motorist should bo light, yet roomy and powerful, artistic as to body design without being freakish, silent in its running, comfortable in its equipment, and lacking none of tho little details which add to tho happiness and convenience of tho driver and passengers. Such a oar is rare. Tho latest example of tho Silont Knight Minerva to arrive in this city, however, fills tho bill to the last particular. Its Charlosworth body is in perfect stream-lino form, tapering without joint or seam from radiator to extromo rear. Finished in cream with luxuriant upholstering, tho car is handsome and distinctive in appearance. Thero is comfortable seating accommodation for five persons. Tho 18 li -jn. Silent Knight engine has cylinders 90 x 130 mm., and developes 40 h.p. at top speed, giving a speed of up to sixty miles per hour when required. Tho front wind-screen has side flaps and tho rear scat is also protected by a windshield. Tho hood is designed to turn tho car into practically a limousino in cold or inclement weather, and like a limousine tho interior of tho closed car is illuminated by electric light. A "C.A.Y." electric lighting set of tho latest pattern attends to all the lamps. Tho car is one which will appeal especially to experienced motorists, who will bo able to appreciate tho practical value of tho hundred little details in which this car excels others. Tho English price of tho chassis is JCI3O. of the Charlesworth body and extras ,£l3O

135., electric lighting £li Is. id. To theso aro added merely tho cost of importation, an honest method of prico assessment which will command itself to everyone. Motorists aro invited to write for photographs of this magnificent touring car. Adams, Ltd., Agents for Minerva Cars. Garage, Tuam Street, Christchurch, Palmerston North, and Wanganui. and Tourist Motor Co., Hastings—Advt.