LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1879, 13 October 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Riverina, with on English and Australian mail on board, arrived in Auckland yesterday morning. Tho southern portion of tho mails will arrive by tho Main Trunk train this afternoon. As compensation for Friday's severe southorly storm, tho weather broke fino on Saturday, and yesterday Wellington was treated to brilliant weather such as is but rarely experienced hero. It was a peerless spring day, without clouds or wind, and a warm sun whispered to the earth that the return to winter was a canard, and spring could resume her revivifying operations without any fear. The heavy downfall of rain was needed in the suburbs, as well as tho Country, and though many gardens wore badly handled by Friday night's hail-storm, tlfey should quickly recover under tho gonial influence of such days as yesterday. The Navy League advise that H.M.S. Pyramus, now at tho New Hebrides, will probably arrive at Auckland on October 26. There will bo no warships ' in New Zealand waters on Trafalgar Day, Octobor 21. A recent Supremo Court case, in which the Borough of Mosgiel was concerned, established the fact that no machinery exists in tho present law which would enable a municipal council to enforce payment of water rates levied upon tho unimproved value. Mr. J. A. M.P.j who has been in communication with tho Hon. A. L. Herdman on tho subject, has been informed by that Minister that the Rating Amendment Bill, to be introduced shortly, will provide machinery for the levying and collection of water rates upon unimproved or annual value. Nobody seems to know now who invented tHiG istoify E(bout Wellington people always holding on their hats as they go round corners, but the imaginative author certainly did.something to advertise Now Zealand. "The tale has been told and re-told in ovcry corner of tho globe. It niado its reappearance iu London tho other week when an Australian claimed proudly that his "coo-ee" would ovolio a reply in practically any part of the world. "If you bco a man walking along tho Straud," 6aid a writer who had noticed tho Aus: tralian's boast, "and, though a breeze does not stir the air, ho involuntarily holds his hat firmly to his head whenever ho comes to a street corner, you should greet him with the question: 'Well, and how are things in Wellington ?' Thereujkm ho will fall upon your neck as a fellow-New Zealandor in London. For in Wellington tho winds aro so tempestuous that tho habit of holding tho hat firmly to one's head when passing a side street becomes second nature, and proclaims the man from Wellington all over the world." It is almost a pity that so excellent a tale should not ha quite true. A Press Association message from Auckland received last night stated that Mr. H. E. White's yacht Matangi arrived tliero at 8.45 a.m. yesterday. A system of disinfection is being put into forco in the Punjab which has tho merit of simplicity to commend it. It requires a traveller from a plague-in-fccted district to submit his clothes and belongings, beforo entering a village, to an hours exposure to the sun's rays, whereby all flea's- aro destroyed. The method has been explained to tho native mind by word of mouth and by tho distribution of leaflets, and 6ites have been cleared for tho purpose of this form of solar disinfection. Generally tho sites are found on roads near tho entrance to villages, enclosures betng made for both sexes. I'hoso villages were chosen which were hi the neighbourhood of infected ones. The right of refusal of access to travellers from an infocted area, if thoy declined to undergo solar disinfection, was carefully explained to tho peoplo. This right was seldom taken advantage of, but the idea is in its infancy, und when it gradually grows familiar more use will doubtless bo made of it. Operations have been commenced at Sockburn by tho Public Works Department in connection with the Lake Coleridgo electrical scheme, and a large number of men aro at present engaged in digging post-holes on Buchanan's Road. Others, working with a traction engine and two wagons, are employed carting the poles from tho station yard to their permanent positions. There will bo a row of poles, it is stated, on eithor sido of Buchanan's Road, and altogether about 200 poles will have to bo carted from Sockburn. Mr. H. Atmoro has given notice to move in tho Houso of Representatives: "That there bo laid before this Houso a copy of tho correspondence, which has taken place since January 1, 1912, between the Officer Commanding the Wellington Military District and tho Wellington Garrison Officers' Club with reference to tho admission of all offi- j cers to tho club."

'A special mooting of tho City Council will bo hold at 7.30 next cyoninc for the consideration of Councillor A. It. Atkinson's notice of motion : —"That tho resolution passed by the council on. September 4, 1913: , 'That a lease cf a portion of the Pirio Street Reserve be granted to tho Wellington Lawn Tennis Association for the purpose of constructing lawn tennis courts thereon, in accordance with the draft lease submitted herewith,' be rescinded; and. that no further lease of any part of the Town licit bo granted under the Wellington (City) Town Belt Reseryes Act, 1908, until a report baa boon obtained i'rom the City Lnginecr, or sonio other competent authority, aa to what parts of tho Belt are suitable for recreation grounds and other publio purposes, and what are suitable for leasing to sports Iradics and other private purpose, and can bo 60 leased without prejudice to tlio public objects aforesaid." "Industry and Art in Our Technical .Collego" is tho title of a paper to bo road beforo tho Wellington industrial Association by Mr. Herbert Beaton at its next meeting. Tho paper arises out of tho question raised by Mr. Seaton at tho last meeting of tho association, when ho held that the amount expended on art in tho Technical Collego was out of proportion to that spent on purely industrial training—tho primary object for which tho college was established. At tho instance of tho Franktott Borough Council, Mr. J. A. Young, member for Waikato, has suggested to the Government that a clause bo added! to tho Municipal Bill now beforo the House to enable councils to temporarily transfer loan credits to tho general fund, provided that sufficient safeguards ar© mado. The AttornoyGenoral (tho Hon, A. L. Herdmau) has roplied that it is not considered advisable to alter tho provisions of Section 20 of tiio Looal Bodies 1 Loans Act of 1908, which provides for _ separata bank accounts for oacli special loan. Tho Minister adds that such an amendment as was suggested would probably mate it much more difficult for a local body to obtain money, as it was impracticable to provido sufficient safeguards. Councillor Jones has givon notice to move at to-night's meeting of the Po tono Borough Council; —" That tho council take steps to secure the section loft vacant by last Saturday's firo, with a view of continuing Campbell Terraco through to Nelson Street." Tho Opera House was well filled last evening, when Mr. Scott Bennett dolivored an address on "That Dread Word: Revolution," with particular application to industrialism and politics. Ho prefaced his address with tho delivery of tho poem. "Ingersoll at tho tomb o£ Napoleon.