LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 22 August 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Through an inadvertence in the insertion of the address line of our cable messago on tho subject of the Gold Shortage (published yesterday morning)-iwhon tho word "Loudon" was inserted instead of the word "Berlin"—the financial crisis in Germany read as if Great Britain were concerned, and not Germany. As tho crisis referred to is of a very' grave kind, tho error in tho cable address line may possibly have caused eome apprehension, we take the earliest opportunity of drawing attention to it.

"Our wealthy residents all live abroad," remarked Mr. M. 0. Grainger (Wcodvillc) at yesterday's Counties' Association Conference, a "bull" which caused a burst of laughter.

"Wo have GOO miles of bad r<,<id with ono dislriot nurse," said a delegate ot yesterday's Counties' Association Conference, "and she has to go all over." "011 stilts," added' tho president. "What do you do with your patients?" asked a delegate. "They luivr, to wet better or die," was tho reply.

An important change in tho disposition of Wellington theatres will shortly take place. Tho Theatre Royal, in Johnston Street, will bo closed' down next month, and tho vaudevillo entertainment which has so long been housed there will be transferred to tho new His Majesty's Theatre in Courtenay I'lace, Tho King's Theatre, near His Majesty's, will bo extensively qltered and redecorated, and will afterwards amalgamate its present picturo show with that now held in His Majesty's.

"Tho Government' is not good at win-dow-dressing," said Mr. C. E. Statham in tho House of Representatives last evening, "but what is in the Budget is very good indeed."

"You have no chance of abolishing town boards and road boards," said a delegate at yesterday's conference of tho Counties' Association, adding: "No Government dnro pass such legislation." Tho reply was: "If the Government of to-day was as timid as thoso which have preceded it, wo could not hope for any measure of reform," a remark which was greeted with loud cheers.

Discrimination against Roman Catholic children in tho matter of free passes 011 tho railways to attend school was suggested in a question of which. Mr. J* 11. Bradney pave notice in the Houso of Representatives yesterday.' Following was tho text of tho. question: "Whether it is true that Roman Catholic children ore not allowed free railway passes 011 Now Zealand railways to attend high schools in the Dominion; and, if so; will they so omend tho regulations that every enjoy equal political privileges, irrespective of creed, class, cr colour?"

When i't was suggested at tho Counties' Association Congress yesterday by Mr. Staples (Christchurch) that motor owners would not agree to a proposed tax on motors being paid to hospitals, the president remarked: "They may 'think it is for the purpose of succouring- the maimed."

"It is impossible to givo the North Island too much, money," said Mr. Bailey (Waikato), when the County Associations' Congress was yesterday discussing a suggestion to pay lialf tho royalty on timber sold from State forest reserves to- the local authority, and when "a fair proportion" Wjis substituted for tho word "half" the same speaker exclaimed: "Another injustice 'to the North Island."

Tho following question was addressed by Mr. E. H. Clark, member for Chalmers, to thii Prime Minister in the House yesterday:—"Whether ho is aware that the head of 0110 of tho Departments of which lie is tho Minister in Clinrgo is drawing a salary of about .£3OO a year to nianago an outside estate while drawing a salary of XV2S per year from tho State r" "As tho regulations, of the Railway Department prohibit a railway man from selling milk, as ho would thereby be competing against the milk suppliers, surely it is only equitable that w.litvt applies to lower-paid servants should apply to the higher-paid officials," adds Mr. Olarlc in explanation of his question. Tho question will be answered on Wednesday in tho !usual.wnjv J 1 .

A njimber of valuable dogs were brought to tho Dominion b ( v the Rotorua, which arrived yesterday from London. They included a pair of English, setters, imported by . Mr. W. N. Adams, of Nelson; four Pomeranians—ollo male and three female—consigned to Mr. J. Addison, CJiristcliurch; and one female collie, consigned to Mr..J. Lillico, Invercarffill. Tho setters came from Wareham, Dorset, the Pomeranians from Sheffield, and the collie from Morpeth.

During a discussion on level railway crossing dangers at yesterday's Counties' Association Conference, Mr. W. Ritcliio (Wanganui), who was the previous day described as "the, big man with a small voice," was describing his adventure when approaching a level crossing lined by trees, and added: "I was nearly on tlio track when I noticed a t\ain," "A good thing for the train," remarked the president, though Mr. Ritchie proved that it was a bad thing fcr his horse (which was killed) and a narrow escapo for himself.

"In your report of the proceedings of Tuesday niglit's meeting ol' the" Victoria College Council (writes the 'Registrar of the New Zealand University, Mr. i), Hector) it is stated that the chairman informed tile meeting that the schemes for reconstitution of the university had not been sent to him officially as chairman of the council. I therefore beg to state that ail official letter was' addressed (by liost) to tlio chairman of the council on July 28, so as to be in timo for the meeting just held, and in that letter the oouncil was invited to express an opinion on the schemes. I was not instructed to send the schemes officially to tlio chairman of cach district Court of Convocation, but I was instructed to send them to the individual members of Convocation resident in New Zealand."

When the Rotorua arrived at Hobart, a passenger who had joined at Ca]je Town was arrested on a charge of forging and uttering in South Africa.

Tlio speeding up of tho trains on t£ho No.pi6r line is consistently advocated in tho House of Representatives by Mr. G. Hunter, member for Waipawa. _ Yesterday ho gave notice of the following question to the Minister for Railways: "Whether he. is aware that since the_ two light engines recently used on the Napier-l'al-merston North section of the railways have licon replaced by an engine of a more powerful typo tile engine-driver has a difficulty in running his engine at such a low speed as to avoid reacliiiig iio various stations ahead of the time-table, and whether he will make inquiries'into tho matter with a view to meeting tho enginedriver's difficulty?"

"This is entirely a new thing, and' I hope no one will heave bricks at me, said a. delegate at the Comities' Association Conferenco yesterday, when moving a remit suggesting 'the lovy of an absentees' rate on any property the owner of which lias not resided within the county for six months. "I hope you arc not an absentee owner," said the same speaker to "the president, who replied, "No, I livo on all tho land I own." A minute later the president remarked to the proposer, "You don't want a country full of absentees," which caused such continued laughter that the president added: "Order! no levity."

"There 4s no chanco of getting- it," said a delegate at yesterday's Comities' Association Conference, when opposing a remit, which brought from tho president the remark: "We lmve passed lots of remits which wo havo no chanco of getting."

"Nil" was tho brief answer Riven yesterday in a return asked for in the House of Representatives by Mr. G. W. Russell. What Mr. Russell asked was that there bo laid on the tnble all cormspondence which had passed between tho Government and the Public Service Commissioner with regard to tho estimates of expenditure for tho current year of Departments controlled by the commission.

A proposal from tho headmaster of the District High School, Pahialua, was recently received by tho City Council, suggesting that arrangements should be made, for the children of the schools in , tho Forty Mile Bush District to make a two days' visit to Wellington. Last, night the council decided to approve the proposal, and to invite the co-operation of _ tho citizens in tlio carrying out of tho projcct. Tenders have been accepted by tlio Wellington Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board as follows-.—Painting medical superintendent's residence, JS'l, .las. Allen; papering sisters' sitting-room, JiC 17s. Cd., ,Tas. Allen; painting fever ward kitchen, <£3 15s. Gd., ,Tas. Allen; galvanised iron spouting, Gd. per foot, Bollinger Bros.; fctorago battery, ,£2G4 10s. Gd., tho BriItish General Electric Company,

A motor ambulance fur the Wellington Hospital Board lias been under consideration for some time. At yesterday's meetting, Mr. 0. Nash asked the chairman (the Rev. W. A. Evans) what was tho causo of the delny ill the matter seeing that the purchas? luul already bepn authorised. Jt would (lie said) be admitted by every member of the Iward that an up-to-date motor ambulance weis an absolute necessity in a city like this. Tho chairman replied that the Hospital Com. mittee had tho matter under consideration, but were desirous of-Retting the best ambulance available at an economic price.

A lantern for the Children's- Hospital has been donated by Mr. .T. H. Farquluir, of Cuba Street:. At yesterday's meet in? of .the Hospital, Board it was decided to thank Mr. Farquhar for liis Rift.

A member of tho crow of tho AVaitomo, now lying at tiro Muff, was returning to the vessel on Wednesday night (says an exchange)' when 6omo practical joker locked him in a K wagon for the night. Unfortunately tho wagon was removed, with a number of others, during' the ni;;ht. What is perturbing the ship's authorities is where is the wagon and whoro is tho seaman? Tho railway authorities also want to know which wagon it was and whoro it was bound. No sign of thr unintentional deserter has been so far re ported.

"Somo delegates seem to everlastingly want to alter things," said a speaker at yesterday's confcrence of the Counties' Association, when it was suggested that county elections should bo' held in May instead of November. "That's what we're here for," replied another delegate.

The Roserieat'h and Oriental Bay Municipal Association are to be,informed by tho_ Wellington City Council, in reply to their request. that a motor-bus service should bo established to meet the requirements ,of their district, tJiat tho request .will receive consideration wfcen tho council is determining routes.

Salaries of tho oily officials were considered in committee at the City Council meeting last night. When tho council rcso, it was announced that certain increases had been mado in tho departments of the Town Clerk, City Engineer, City Treasurer, and tho Tramways.