LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1916, 26 November 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"The Lnmbton Quay Station in Wellington iio longer provides adequate accommodation Jor the .largo number of tneii who Jiave tlioir headquarters there, and ic is proposed to erect a new station on a central site in Iho eily formerly occupied by the Theatre Royal," the Minister of Public Works remarks in ins' animal Statement laid before Parliament yesterday. "A substantial vote for tins purpose appears oil tlio Estimates. Negotiations arc, also in progress for the acquisition of a sito upon which to erect a new building to accommodate the police officers now using tho Manners Street Station." A conference of District Land Registrars will bo opened' in Wellington today to discuss a, number of Departmental matters. Councillor J. Fitzgerald lias given notice that lie will move fit Thursday's mooting of the City Council"Tliat the-, resolution of November 1?, authorising the hire or purchase of a motorlorry be rescinded, in so far as it applies to'the purchase thereof." Tho committee set up by tho Wellington Kduciitiou Board to consider tho question of mcdicsl inspection of school children recommended to yesterday's meeting of tho board that be'fore finally reporting on tlio question, it should invite the Inspector-General of Schools to a conference, with a view to arriving at the host moans of promoting medical inspection, while at the same time reducing as far as possible tho amount of work imposed on teachers. Tho recommendation was adopted, and tho conference will bo hold. , ' Applications have lately been made by largo consumers for somo farther reductions in the City Council electric light charges. Tile Mayor stated yesterday that there "was little likelihood of further concessions until the' end of tho financial year 011 March 31 next. The strike lias affected the department's finances adversely, and as, moreover, in various directions further capital cx'pomliture is necessary, tho interests of the City as a whole are again, 'it any further concession.

The old Skating Itinlc in Ingcstro! Street- is used for a wide- variety of j purposes those times. In tho day- j time it is tho resort- of the striker, who spends a portion of his time there, assm-ing everyone that he grows mere "solid" as the period of the strike lengthens, The opening 6ees a change of scene. The rink is then taken possession of by about a hundred young people, who are preparing "The Geisha" for production at tho Opera House next- week. AVitli Mr. Tom Pollard as master of ceremonies tltey assemble to work overtime with "the song of the nightingale on their lips am! in their hearts" (to quote Mr. W. T. Mills), and apparently «cfc a {rood deal of enjoyment out of it. It i-s a treat to sop. a master stage director at work with a chorus of eighty performers, and tho manner in which they pick up t.ho desired idea and put it into practice is very interesting. Last evening there was a full rehearsal of chorus and-prin-cipals, and the.opera went with a. proliiisint: wins.

Tho City Council is considering whether it, would not lio possible* to sot up a semi-permanent Court to investigate am! adjudicate upon all future corporation bases. In this wny there would be uniform treatment nil' round, and, according to the Mayor, a far more satisfactory solution of the prob-; km, both in the interests of tho Cit.v and the lessens. Tho model proposed is something on tho lines of tho Public Works Compensation Court. A few clays ago it was reported that n quantity of the Willoehra's shipment of American apples had gone bad on tho wharf. This, however, had nothing whatever to do with the strike. Certain buyers in Wellington, Auckland, «ixl the south conceived am idea. that, they could import, apples as general cargo, and placed orders for a large amount without arranging for cold store accommodation. Those were tho apples which went. bad. His said that the loss sustained must have been between r.'DflO and _.e:mi!l). The experiment piwed definitely that there is a grave risk iis importing apples from America as general cargo. The long voyage through the tropics must bo detiinien- . till to tho fruit. The difference ill the freight is Is. 2Jd. per case. Shipped a.s i ordinary cargo a 401h. cast* of apples costs 2s. 7Jtl. in freight, and shipped in cold store the rate is 3s. lOd. per ease. At the Town Hall Concert Chhmbor to-night, starting at 8 o'clock, the Mariul Bros.' Sdioel (Tliorndon) will give their siaiual entertainment.