LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that tlio s.s Maunganui, which_ sailed from Sydnoy for Wellington direct on September 27, has on board an Australian mail. She is due' to reach Wellington this morning.

Seeing a bioycle standing outside a playing ground at Berhampore, a nine years old boy borrowed - the , machine and pedalled off to Island Bay.' A few hours later ho took the bicycle home, where his older brother asked a number of awkward questions as to whoro tho machino came from. Tho little fellow hid the truth, but later on the owner was found, and yesterday morning tho Juvenile Court dealt leniently with tho "borrower." .

Tenders closed yesterday for salving tho material and gear of tho steamer Devon. The tenders were based on a prcentage of tho realised value of such salvage on the "no cure no pay" principle. Gear above water consists of refrigerating machinery, winches, coal, pianos, boats and davits, and cabin fittings. Inquiries were made yester.day as to who the successful tenderer was. Lloyd's local agents, who have tho matter in hand, stated in reply that tho announcement may be made to-day.

Solomon's Knob dam was not seriously damaged by the big flood, according to the City Engineer, who points out that the big overflow occurred in' July and not in May, as stated in a paragraph in.yesterday's.Dominion. The City Engineer further states that tho matter was fully reported upon at a'council meeting, tho amount of damage stated, and tho estimated cost of repairs set. down as something like £700. Tho dam has never been emptied, though tho bottom reservoir was emptied for tho purpose of repairing screens and valves and making a connection from the top reservoir so that water might be drawn into tho city mains without passing through tho old roservoir. A complete denial is given by the City Engineer to any suggestion that tho foundations wore affected, or that the caretaker's house was in any way endangered at the time of tho rush of the waters.

Unauthorised decorating got a small boy into trouble a few days ago. Armed with a brush and a tin of white paint, he started out to improve the colour scheme of the exterior of a red house. He was not allowed to finish his study, and since the Juveni.lo Court has dealt with him he is under the obligation of making restitution to tho extent of 135., at tho rate of Is. per weok.

Fine weather and clear-water streams should favour tho opening of the fishing season in tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society's district to-day. Tho local society has been very active since last season, and as the result of their efforts it is anticipated that fishermen should have little to complain about. In the Hutt Valley tho river has received special attention from Taita up to Mangaroa, and though it is anticipated that the Hutt River will not win hack tho good name it had years ago as tho most convenient and easily-fish-ed stream for the city angler, tho stocking should bear good results in a oouplo of years. Reports from South Karori, Akatarawa, -Otaki, Waikanao, and Moonshine all favour a good early season.

Inspection of privato schools was a question dismissed, at yesterday's meeting of the Education. Board. Three applications were received, and wore duly granted. , Mr. A. W. Hogg said it wbb rather an important question as to whether tho State should be saddled with this expenditure, and ho * thought tho deoision of the board should be contingent on the inspectors having time. Tho chairman (Mr. Robt. Lee) pointed out that the discussion was irregular, as there was a regulation on tho question, and the board had 110 option but to.comply with such applications as were received. There were four inspectors, and they could find time.—lt was subsbquently resolved that future applications bo loft in the hands of tho inspectors.

Tho man who keeps late hours has so sufficiently established the fact of his existence that ho has become a tradition. The boy of bad hours is a rarity. Nevertheless, there is ono Wellingtonian of nine years who o'auses his mother anxiety by roaming in tho gloaming, and he recently escorted homo by a police constable at half-past ono in the morning.

A reply has been received by Mr. M. J. Mack, secretary of tho Wellington Proportional Representation Society, from Mr. R. M'Nab. who has been invited to deliver a publio address on proportional representation at an early date in Wellington. Mr. M'Nab has accepted the invitation, and on his return from Australia _ hopes to be able to speak on the subject early in November.-

Battalion orders issued yesterday by Colonel Harcourt Turner, Commanding tho sth (Wellington) Regiment, contain tho followering alteration in time and place of assembly The Battalion (less "G" Company), with drums, will parade at 2.45 in Coromandel Street, Newtown, on tho south side of Constable Street, on Saturday, October 11. The work will bo instruction in attack by company commanders. During the evening parades (to be held this week and next) officers 'commanding: companies will take the opportunity , of giving short lectures to their men, detailing the work which tliey intend _to carry out as above, and also pointing out tho mistakes made last Saturday.

No bankruptcies wero recorded in Wellington during tho mouth of September. There have boon seven in Wellington since January l. 1

A Spring School, of Agriculture was held at Masterton from September 1 to September 12, and- was attended by 38 teachers—l 7 mon and 21 women. Tho work consisted of lectures and practical work in agriculture, chemistry, botany, nature study, hygiene, and use of microscope. Weather observations and woodwork also formed part of the course, and yesterday samples of woodwork done at tho school wero on view at the monthly meeting of tho Wellington Education Board. In a report submitted to tho board, tho Chief Inspector (Mr. T. R. Fleming) stated that ho and Mr. Stuckey-liad visited the school, and fouud that tho teacher* were earnest and enthusiastic in their work. He commended the work of Mr. C. A. Cumming, instructor in- agriculture, and Mis? Kilroo and Mossrs. Howo and Grant, who had lent valuable assistance to Mr. Cumming. Ho recommended tho board to pass a vote of thanks to Mr. Cockayne, of the Agriculture Department, .who had lectured, and to Mr. F. King, of Masterton, and Mr. Jackson, of the District High School, who had taken an active interest in the work.—Votes of thanks wero rocordod by the board as indicated.

At a commit-too -meeting of the Automobile Club yesterday morning it wasdecided to send a deputation to tho Hutt Comity Council to protest against tho proposed by-law limiting tho speed on tho 'Paekakariki and Wainui Hills to ten miles an hour.

A man who was proceeded against recently for allegedly liaving committed an aggravated assault upon a young woman, has been sent to Porirua Asylum, and tho Court proceedings have been dropped.

A now convenience for tramway passengers is being experimented with in Dmiedin. This is tho Mimdcii indicator, which shows tho name of the next stop-ping-place. It stands inside tho car over 0110 of tho doors, and by means of a button) tho motorman signals to tho passengers tho name of each stop-ping-placo as it is being reached. The rights of the invention wore recently purchased by tho Dunedin Tramways Committeo from tie Mundeii-Miiir .Syndicate