LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1825, 11 August 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Itaheno arrived at Auckland from Sydney at 8 a.m. yesterday with ail English mail (via Suez) and nn Australian mail. Tho Wellington bag 9 will arrivo by this afternoon's Main Trunk cipress. Past steaming was performed by tho Union Company's new passenger liner Wahino during her trip from Lyttclton between Saturday, night and Sunday morning. The vessel left tho Bouthem port at 11.25 p.m. on Saturday, and berthed at tho Queen's Wharf, Wellington, at 8.15 a.m. yesterday, her actual time for the voyage being 8 hours 50 minutes. This was at first thought to constitute a record, but the same company's steamer 'Maori still holds top figures. This vessel did tho wharf-to-wharf run in 8 hours 42 minutes during tho month of December, 1907. The Waliino averaged 19.3 knots during the voyage, and this is very good time, especially when two of tho vessel's boilers were not in use, and strong head winds were experienced in Cook Strait. Tho engineers of tho vessel are confident that, when required, tho steamer will lower all records.; , Two girls had a rather narrow escape from drowning at the Boat Harbour on Saturday afternoon. They had teen out in a rowing boat and were endeavouring to land on the sloping concrete when they both fell into the water. Their plight was noticed hy llr. E. Bailey, who promptly effected a double rescue.

Old Boys of the Otugo High School resident in Wellington will colebrate the jubilee of the foundation of their school bv a dinner, to bo held to-night in Godbivr's rooms. Tho Hon. A. L. Hcrdman will preside, and amongst other speakers will bo the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Messrs. C. E. Statlmm, M.P., G. M. Thomson, M.P., P. S. IC Macassey, J. Mallard, and J. O'Shea.

Tlio smallpox epidemic in Sydney is said to be having a marked effect on theatre attendances. After much trumpeting and drumming, Mr. Lewis Waller opened some three weeks ago in a very fine production of "Henry V," and as far as the performanco of tho star and the company an artistic success was achieved, but still the fine historic play, with England's greatest exponent of > King Harry in the part, only ran a fortnight, whereas Mr. Oscar Asche's production of "The Taming of tho Shrew" ran for many weeks. Other shows have also felt the offect of tho 'scare/' and it is, after all, only natural, as ono does not know with whom Ills may bo rubbing shoulders at a theatre.

The battalion orders draw attention to Paragraph 270 of "the General Dofenco Regulations, which reads: "A soldier of the Territorial Force is strictly forbidden (a) to carry any rounds of ball ammunition to a place of parade or instruction, and (b) to take any Government ammunition (whether obtained on paymont or not) away from a rifle range or place of instruction." As tliero appears to Iks no immediate prospect of the Government erecting a National Art Gallery, plans are to be submitted to the council of tho I?ew Zealand Academy of Fin© Arts for the extension of the present Art Gallery, in Whitmoro Street, which building has become altogether too small for tho acadoiny's shows, apart from its inadequacy as a gallery for tho very valuable "national" collcction of pictures now in tho care of tho academy. It is proposed to extend the front of tho building to tho street line, and also to provide for an addition at right angles to the present gallory. Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary of the Grocers' Assistants' TJnion, has been instructed to giv6 ovidenco before tho Labour Bills Committee in regard' to tho proposal to extend tho 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.' closing hours for shops by a quarter of an hour (in tho amendment to tho Shops and Oflices Act, now before the House). An early spring is already indicated. Tho poach trees in a city orchard aro fairly aglow with blossom—blossom that is rarely seen in this garden before September, and the native kowhai, which usually blooms in "Wellington in October, promises to bo fully a month earlier than usual. In Cliristchurch it'has been noted that tho willows along tho banks of the Avon are putting forth their new season's shoots fully three weeks beforo tho usual time. At a meeting of tho Mangorei Dairy Company, Taranaki (says our Wanganui correspondent), a supplior asked if it wei'o possible to ship manure direct to New Plymouth from home. The chairman stated that the shipping companies would not do this until harbour requirements were complied with, 'Touching on the question about the bags in which slag was shipped being in many cases badly torn, he eaid that ho believed that tho wharf labourers did it as a protest against tho size of tho bags. In future tho Dairy Association intended to use only 1401b. bags with four lugs.

At 7.35 p.m. on Saturday tho Fire Brigade was called to Austin Crescent, w*liero a fire had broken out in a house occupied by Mr. E. J. and owned by Miss C. Dixon, of Ellis Street. Tho building and contents were extensively damaged by fire and water. The dwelling was. insured in the Commercial office for i! 400, n.ud the furniture was covered by a policy of .£IOO in tho South, British office. •

Councillor Preston lias given notico that ho will move at the next mooting of tlio Eastbourne Borough Council that tho council mako application to Mr. Andrew Carnegie for a grant towards the founding of a municipal library.

A man was arrested by Detectivo Lewis yesterday on a charge of stealing .£5 10s. in.money, the property of boarders at Barrett's Hotel.

When the resolutions recently passed at a meeting of the shareholders of tho Dank of New Zealand came before tho Hoard or Directors, it was decided to recommend that tho Governor-in-CouiicU exerciso the veto. To this course there wo.ro two dissentients, Messrs. Martin Kennedy and William Watson. The next stop to be taken by the shareholders is to apply to the Supremo Court for a declaratory judgment.

In connection witli tho planting of Ward Island it is held by thoso interested in tho work that if a schemo for planting Point Halswell tho Government resorvo there and.at .Somes Island were carried out, tlio entrance to tlio liarbour could bo made very attractive. Some twenty years ago theJ-o were groves of karaka trees to embellish tho littlo bays between Seatoun and Point llalswell, but these liave been destroyed.