LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Answering a question by Sir Joseph Ward in the- House of' Representatives yesterday, the Hon. W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works) said that the fenders for the croctiou of the new Parliamentary Buildings had been before the Tenders 'Board, and one tender had been recommended. Tliis tender was a satisfactory one, tat until tho contract was signed lie e«tld net givo particulars. Cabinet, the Minister added,; had decided to take the opinic-ns of: certain experts' as to the description of •sto.no to be used in tho bttilding. Alternative tenders had. been called for different- kinds of stone. He hoped t<>. have the report .of the esfpef Is In a day : or so. and when it bad been received a contract would bo submitted to the successful. taidorer for signature. The alteriiativo stones - tendered for were Tonga Buy granite, . NcW Zealand marble, and Mount Somers stone. tlio fact is gazetted that <jn Thiii's■da?, December 525, Friday, December 26. Saturday, December . 27. 1913, and Thursday, January I, Friday, January 2, and Saturday, January 3., 1014 *«e Government offices throughout New ZcaJafld will bo dosed, A serious accident was narrowly averted in. Maimers Street last night as tlio audienco was pouring out.from tlio Competitions concert in tlio Opera Souse. In 'her baste to cross the road between two oncoming tranicars a young lady landed herself right in tlio track, of a motor-ear, which knaeted lief down before she could escape. Fortunately the motorcar wais not moving at a, fast pace, but when the- driver brought it to a. standstill very little more than tho youM lady's head was visible from under tlio car. luckily '. she had fallen clear of tlio wheels, and when dragged out Seemed to have sustained no injuries, though tlio shock she received must have uecn consider*able, "People have' a mistaken idea/' 'said. his Honour Mr. Justice Edwards, irt t'he Aueijand Supremo Court yesterday, "that it is wrong for counsel for the; prisoner, to speak to tb.G Crown wit. • ness'bs during aiiy adjournment of tlio ease. \This is not tlio case.. 'Counsel '■ is at perfect libcrte to' question, witnesses outside the Court, but of course; it is Wrong for Mm fo attempt to prorupt of to inniie.ucP them in .any wajv\TMs'' observation, telegraphs out. Auckland correspondent, was mnde by his Honour aftor tlio Crown Prosecutor had asked. one of his witnesses if life had had any conversation 'during fife morning with' counsel for tlio accused." A dispatch lias been received from the Secretary of State for the .Colonies .stating that tlie Treaty of Commerce . and Navigation between the United 'Eingdom and Honduras has been further extended until April 6, 1915. • Tlio work of'erecting tire new lighthouse ou Karori Bock will shortly bo «i>mmeiiced, all preparations having been completed in connection with the forma-; tioa of a suitable foundation. Tiio m.a-. : torials will be carried from tlio mam-', land irt a launch. , The examiners of the Ijispectibii of Machinery Department- held oxamina-; irons- recently at Auckland., Chnstr church, Duncdin, Gisbofne ; Groyni-out'li,. Hamilton, Hawera, Hokiauga, Invert,, cafg.iil, Kphukohu, Napier, Ne'l'so;ii,.Biil-: merstoii No.rth ? Pie'toii, Timafu, Wai.tapta, W'Snganivi, and Wellington. 'Ca.rirdidatcs sat for tlio following classes of ce.f.ti : liiaririiJ .engi*. neef, Second-class . marine .engineeft third-class marine engineer, -river engineer, aii'd engineers .of auxiliary-powered, vessels other than steam (both forso.a> going and river.teg.de), extra. firsts-Glass eiigiiieer, firs-t-BlasS stationary engine-, driver, second.-ciass stationary engine-, driver, locomotive'.ai.idv;t.r'ai.otion-,e'nginer.■ driver, winding etigihe-drivor (for ininy inn certificates), and. -electric tra.iii' dnvor. . Or tho three hundred and. nine'ty-puo. candidates ilifee Jiuiidi'ed and., thirteen were- snccessfttl. Fairly satisfactory co'iis'i:gnmeiits_ of wool have beeii received by tho varfottS AucMttud' ftiWs pre'liinina.rj' tn tlio first of the season's. wW sales, to be. held on N'ovewber 26. O'wiiig to tho -wnccr-. taruty of foanspori, it is thought; that many d'f the fanners are holding bap/lc. ,their woo! until the siibseqweht ■s'ij'le oilJanuary 30., Every imlicatioii is shown of prices 'being, up to/the usual, st.andard, ■but tliero is the possibility,' tio "HeraH" says., of coiii.pptitioli among t'lje buyers bein| affected by the risk of delay in shipm.erit, » Sdggestion|-haa*e been pjade in AMckland during the. past few days,that the opening of tho Auckland .Jjjxljibitifln sho-uid be postponed iii view: *| the .i.n--egnvenieneß caused so fa* by:%e strike. The matter was 'referred to tbp president of tho exccxitivo ■•Mr, Geo. .Jilli.o't) on. Wednesday, arid the tone of his rcplyj flCCOrdin-g to tho "Star," ;was niost'decided. "The ExliibJtiojt i a:b.sol.ufclv'niUst open, ou Mondfty Week/' lie..said, 'for, soveral important reasons. In the first place, we will b» qt(i;to ready", secondly-,. we havo all arrAngptnents' cQiiipletecl for a- big flower earnjval du.rii.lg the, 'first week in December i and, thirdly,' the ■ Itoyal Artilkrv Band will ha I'l.era f.iSm; England. There . «a> ..ni.any ■ other reasons why tlio opening ■coi'.cmcmy ■should lipt he delayed." :,■ i ■ ■ ■irtquiries at the Govcrftiiieiit Labour Deparinient Office iii .Chrisfelnu'ch. made ""'Press 1 ' go'to Shew 'that tho striko'lias had litttb effect upoii the wprk of the Department, The ..applications for wark ai-o neither ■gtea.fer lior less: than tho average at tlite.timo.oF .tlio ■year, which'pretty well proves that so ■ far, at any fate, tlio strikers are not,attempting to .obtain employment .other : . than their ordinary avocation, through tlio medium of tlio Labour De;n'wtniciifc It was recently aiinouTOetf that th'ei'C wej-o. vacancies for recfuits. aton.ri H.M-.S' Psyche as well as the drill, ship Pvramus. Captain Carr, tlio scjiiof officor of ,tlii> New. Zealand. Division of the Imperial.N ; ayy ? lias notK fled the local bfaiiolt-of. the Navy Leilgvm. that all applications for .enrolment should be made te tho officer coniiMariding H.M.S. Pyr-amus only. Tho Psycho is "not at present a dfihVship,