LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1876, 9 October 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A statement mddo at the last meeting of tlio City Council by Councillor Hislop, to the effect that tenders for the insurance of the City Corporation's properties had been received from a' body of underwriters, who wero described as "the ring," and another firm, and that this firm had now joined "the t ring," is, so far as the lattor part is concerncd, given a flat contradiction by tlio firm in question. They state that they have not joined the Underwriters' Association and that Councillor Hislop's assertion to the contrary effect is absolutely unfounded. i During the hearing of a case affccting level-crossings, heard yesterday at the Appeal Court, Mr. Justice Edwards remarked that on one occasion he narrowly escaped colliding with a train while riding a free-wheel bicycle, it being impossible to see tlio train until ho was almost upon it. "Your Honour should liave dismounted," jocularly remarked tlio Solicitor-General, who added that His Honour was guilty of a breach of the regulations. _ ''It would perhaps have been a good tiling if I had dismounted," was His Honour's reply, "as I should no doubt have got run over." Asked by Mr. E. H. Clark, M.P., in the House of yesterday, whether he would this session introduce legislation making it compulsory for all lawyers who are dealing with trust money to liayo their trust accounts audited by a Government auditor, tlio Hon. A. L. Hcrdman replied:—"lt would bo too big and expensive an undertaking for tlio Government to carry out the suggestion of tlio honourable gentleman, A periodical examination bv the Audit Oflictf of the accounts of every lawyer in the Dominion would involve a large increase in tlio staff of that Department, The honourable gentleman's attention is drawn to sub-soc-tions (1), (2), and (4) of Section 47 of the Law Practitioners Act, 1908, which affords full protection to persons. entrusting solicitors with tlio investment of moneys."

When Mr. 0. A, Wilkinson ivns talking about Central Otago lands in the House of Representatives yesterday. Air. A. E. Glover interjected: "A liznru to tho aero." "My friend who talks about a lizard to the aero," said Mr. Wilkinson, "is casting a gravo reflection oil tho land down thcro and upon tho peoplo who are trying to do something with it, you would not go down there and say that—you would be chased out of Central Otngo!"

The customary Wednesday nudienco trooped into tho Police Court at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. Ten seconds late]: the shull'le of feet recommenced : the audience was leaving, tho Court's business was done; a solitary inebriato was tho only defoudant.

A reply has been sent to tho Merchant Service Guild by tho AVollingt.oh Branch of tlio Ship Owners' Federatibn stating that tho question of payment of ovortimo to masters and mates of the smaller coastal fleet could not bo considered. The federation stated that if tho guild could modify the present proposals and give special reasons why tlio present award should bo departed from, tlioy would bo prepared to deal with tlio matter. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister of Marine) lias just approved a proposal by which the automatic light which is to bo placed on Karori Rock, in Cook Strait, will be placed on exhibition at the Auckland Exhibition. This will give the public a good opportunity, of studying tho marvellous ingenuity of the modern automatic lighthouse. This liillit will have a rango of about 16 miles. It is of a variety that can bo loft uiitended for many weeks. By a mechanical device tho beam is lighted automatically at nightfall, and extinguished at dawn. The buildingof tho tower on Karori Rock, in which the light will ultimately bo placed, will bo a slow process, so that tlio light itself may bo available for exhibition during a great part of tlio timo for which tho Auckland Exhibition is open. It is not considered advisable, ■ the Minister of Justice stated in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday, to carry on a retail business in connection with tho polico store. This institution was originally established solely for the stocking of the uniform equipment of members of tho Force. Six men wero taken down to tho wreck of the Devon by tho harbour steamer Admiral yesterday, and Messrs. 0. W. Price and Co. commenced tho work of salving gear, fittings, cargo, etc., from tho wrecked steamer. It is anticipated that the first load will bo brought to tho King's Wharf to-morrow. Tho advisability of laying underground tho telegraph and telephone lines in our principal cities, the PostmasterGeneral stated ill the House of Representatives yesterday, has tho constant attention of tho Post and Telegraph Department. The change from overhead to underground is costly and is only to bo contemplated in respect of tlio most congested areas. At tlio present moment the work is proceeding of placing aerial cables underground not only at principal centres, but at other places wliero congestion of tho wires calls for that change. The object in view is, of course, to relievo streets of overhead wires as much as possible. Tlio proposals of the Department include grounding of wires from the outset in cases where it can bo foreseen that congestion is likely to occur within a reasonable' distance of time. Tho distribution from street to building must still largely bo carried out overhead. To completely banish all poles would be a very expensive undertaking indeed, and could only bo accomplished by means of materially increasing the rates, unless tho Government wero prepared to faco a serious loss on tho telegraph sido of tho Department's revenue.

Replying to a question by Mr. L. M. Isitt in the House of Eepresentatives yesterday tho Hon. F, M. I). Fisher said that it was not considered advisable to close tho electoral roll very long before the date of tho election. At present the for closing of the rolls iu every district was fixed by the Gov-ernor-iii-Council. The matter, lie said, would receive consideration when tho Electoral Bill was before tho House. "During my stay in Melbourno," said Mr. A. E. Mabin, who returned to Wellington yesterday. "I had tho pleasure of hearing the Quinlan Opera Companjy It was a real treat to hear such siuging and so fine an orchestra. I am sorry that tho company is not coming to Wellington. I had the luck to see them in 'Siegfried' and 'The Valkyries' . (two operas of the Nibelungeu Ring, of Wagner). Tho performances commenced at 7 o'olock and finished at 11.15. The operas were very heavy, and one had to study the programme to get a grasp of their moaning, but the singing of Mr. Robert Parker and Miss Perceval Allen was very fine indeed." Mr. A. W. Hogg stated yesterday .(says our Masterton correspondent) that ho had not yet quite made up his mind, but in all probability, ho would bo a candidate for the Masterton seat at the next election. Ho added that, if ho stood, it would not bo 'in tho interests of either Mr. Massey or Sir Joseph Ward. Tho Commissioner of Police, the Hon. A.\ 11. Herdmay stated in tho House of Representatives yesterday, set some of the papers for tho recent police examination.

The proposed Government tramway regulations are to be considered" at a conference to be held at tho Town Hall on October 23. Tho gathering has been called by tho Government, and, Mr. R. W. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief of tho Public Works Department, will preside. Tramway experts, representatives _ of local bodies, and of tramways unions will bo present. It was reported by the Visiting Committee of tho Brooklyn School that the infant school was greatly overcrowded, the number in excess of accommodation (per roll) being 118. It was decidcd to make urgent representations to tho Education Board in order that adequate temporary accommodation should bo provided at once. At tho Christchurch Police Station quite a lot of storage room has to be found ,for bicycles picked up here and there by members of tho force. Hardly a night goos by but one or moro machines aro added to the collection in storo, and at tho present time the total held awaiting owners is in tho neighbourhood of eighty. Last month sixty-eight bicycles, of all kinds and conditions, wore brought in, but fiftysix of them wero subsequently claimed, so that only twelve wero added to what might bo called, tho permanent collection; Most of these stray machines aro found outsido business places, wlioro absent-minded owners loavo them. The police do not undertake to removo bicycles until after midnight. Then they take them into custody.