LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A bank holiday will bo observed on Monday (St. Andrew's day). Monday next, being St. Andrew's Day, tho Government offices will be closed for holiday. The only exception will be the old age pensions tillice, which will be open as usual throughout the day for tho payment of pensions duo on December 1. The Hon. R, H. Rhodes stated in tho House of Representatives last night that it was 18 or 10 days since a civ 3D of smallpox had lieen reported. Tho quarantine restrictions imposed in tho north were lifted on November 2.5. Tim Prime Minister is to be asked in the House of Representatives by Dr. A, K. Newman, whether tJws Government will next session legislate so that bodies and private 'employers may establish superannuation schemes for their employees on the lines now established in tho Public. Service. A proclamation in this week's j "Gazette" reappoints the Wellington City Council to he tho Island Hay Dn- | main Board, and fixes Thursday, December 11, as the date for tho first meeting of the hoard. The Island' Bay Domain is otherwise the island in. the bay, and has an area of eight acres.

The assistant-secretary of the 'Post Office, Mr. V. V. Waters, writes as i follows:—"In. reference to a Press Association telegram from Christchurch which appeared in the-issue of November 3, from which it would appear that the wireless telegraph operator on tho s.s. Wahiiie had disclosed information regarding the movements of H.M.S. Philomel, I be"; to inform you that tho, message■ is alleged to be a fabfica- j tion." Hie appointment of a commission during the recess, "to thoroughly iil-i vostfcate. tho industrial problem, tho causes for, the failure of our present industrial legislation, and, if possible, devise means for preventing future upheavals such as that from which the Dominion is now suffcriiic," is suggest' ed in a question addressed to the' Government in the House of Peprescntatives by Mr. G. J. Anderson, M.P. Tho commission, he adds, should also consider tho practicability of a minimum wage for men and women. James Henderson Thompson, mentioned in. a telegram from Auckland yesterday as having been selitencwl to 12 months' reformative treatment on a charge of vagrancy, lived in Wangaimi for eight months, sitys a Press Association telegram. Ho said his real mi mo. was _ Dr. but owing to straightened circumstances of a_ temporary nature he wished to keep his identity secret. H<s was known as Mr. Johnston, and claimed- to be a baronet's heir, and announced quietly that £8000 were due to him in November, lie and his family were destitute, but friends furnished a house and kept the larder iillci). A trainwl nurse was in attendance for twelve, weeks, and iu addition to losing her fees k-rrt £10. The district nurse was also victimised. Ferguson employed four or live local .lawyers to draw'tip his will, each lawyer, of course, being ignorant of the other's engagement. Ferguson suddenly disappeared. For the. information of masters of vessels which shelter at any time at Port Hardy and Whareatea Day, it is notified by the Secretary for Marino that there arc telephone offices at both of these places from which telephone messages may be sent or telegrams dispatched.

In his summary of the weather during October, tho Government Meteorologist, the Rev. .13. C. Bates, says:—"Tim month was one- of seasonable weather, for, although dull skies were frequent, both precipitation ant] temperature were about tho normal, the greatest positive difference in the former wits accounted for in the southern extreme of the South Is'ansl, this owii« to the heavy rains on the isth ami 30th. None, of the atmospheric disturbances were of remarkable intensify such as to cause storms nf a severe character. Westerly areas of low prof-sure passed in the south on the 3rd, Sill, and Kith, and immediately following these dates cold southerly winds were experienced. The strongest southerly, however, in the cast coast districts occurred cm tho nialit of the 18th in connection .with a depression centred off Wast Cape, and between- the loth and the 10th of the month'conditions wmo generally very unsettled."

Notice is. given in this week's "Gazette" that the sum of £4000 lias been voted.by Parliament for distribution to public libraries. 'The. distribution wil' take place on- February 9,1014, and no claim will be entitled to consideration that shall not have been sent iu due form and received by the Secretary for Education, Wellington-, on or before January 2Cj 191-1. The Tramways Board of Management reports with reference to Councillor M'Keiiiw's statement at the last meeting of the council (that the windows of the tramcars are obscured bv advertisements placed thereon), that all advertisements are being fixed at a height of oft. din. from the plaHorin. They consider that this should prove quite satisfactory. For the past five Saturdays tho members of the Eastbourne Borough Council ami team of volunteers interested in tho well-being of the harbour have, been engaged in coaling the harbour steamers Duchess and I'obar. The work has been well and faithfully done, but it is "bard slogging," particularly when there is no pay attached to it, and however willing all hands were in do the work during the first stressful weeks of the strike, they would prefer some measure of relief. In these circumstances it is understood that other arrangements will be. made for the bunkcrthe ferry boats to-morrow. In the meantime tho members of the council are. looking round for a cure for cores on the hand.

Tenders arc to bo called by tin; City Council early in 1914 for tho work of erecting ail addition to the custodian's cottage nt Queen's Park. Tin? Tramways Committee of the City Council has considered Coulicillo!' ,1. 'l'uller's suggestion, mn.de at last meet ins of W'p council, that i:ho Sunday evening tram service should be continued half an boar later than at present, and cannot recommend that the proposal should be given cil'eet to ;if present. At the niot'liiifr, of the Kaslhoimie lioroiijji Council on Wednesday evening it was decided to permit advertisiinj; on the, ferry boats engaged in the WellinyUiil-lyistboiirno .service, all wl-wvlisi-nionts to be apnroved bv the l-'orrv Hoard.

The annual picnic of the Hibernian Society is to be held at Eastbourne on Boxing Day. 'Clio following resolution which Hie (.My Council made lasi night aroused siMfle protest :—"That permission bo granted for the erection of a bulk store, on part «f Town Acre 'io<), situated on the vim of (''rands Phiee, nil' 'JVy Street, for tins Kadinm Polishes, l.iiillled, together with a license to store s><tU eases of oil, as recommended bv the superintendent of the .Kire Brigade " Councillor R. Fletcher that tins meant that large quantities of oil ooiijd be stored in a congested residential area, He stated that soma iirms hau had to build oil stores on this outskirts of tlie city, and that, tiier"fore, this resolution was unfair to them.

, The Prime Minister ami Native Minister were interviewed veslcrifiy bv a deputation of Arahura-kaiapoi' Maoris warding 'the Government's proposal to allow .Natives to sell their lands private y Mr. C. Pnrata, M.P.. and Mr. u. K. iJcoro (solicitor) were tlio principal speakers. They. pointed out that tlm terms of the original agreement were that tlm Mawhora Block should be inalienable. The Hon. W. H. Berries said that the Natives were nwdfc'ssly alarmed. There 'was no proposal to bring about compulsory sales. 11« Had even- conudoiico in the astuteness o the {south' Island Natives and tlw nudity to determine for themselves wlvon they should sell. Ho was not ping round with a chequebook trying to induce the Natives to sell.

The electrical wirmuon's certificate examinations held by tk> Wellington technical Ullage, .resulted U. i).. Alexander, Michael M'Williiims, Jinan Robmson,, William TJreeulnvlgh. Wgo Dunn. Practice—G. D. Ales' aiHler, Brian Robinson, William Groenhalgh Certihcntw-Q. D. Alexander, Urmii Robinson, William GreenJiafch. .A * U»° result'of a squabble and a resort to fisticuffs in the vicinity of the Jessie Street intersection of Ton' .Street a about 11.30 yesterday foreign "om ol two combatants (a young man named James Brown, better known as "lionsor •) had the- misfortune in falling to trip up and break his leg. His alleged assailant, who gave his name as .Saunders, is a 1 oUle-gntlHw. and a wan ot mature years. It was some considerably %ma belore an ambulance arrived, but meanwhile tho police took evidence and kept the crowd well back from tho injured man. .Saunders was afterwards taken into custody, and will in all probability appear be-fore tho Magistrate tin's morning to answer a charge of committing a breach of the peace by lighting, and domg actual bodily barm.

Inquiries are being instituted by tho Department of Internal Affairs for a lMssmg person nanmd Thomas Alfred Cl-egg, ngod about 22 .years, Police inquiries have, been made witlmut result, and it lias been suggested that as tho lad is of age for military training bo may bo on the roll of tiro Territorial Force. The inquiricr states that Cl6{& may havo taken the- name of Thomas Clarke, Officers are request-oil (states a District Order by Colonel Cliavtor. commanding tho Wellington district) to make inquiries and. advise District Headquarters whether either o.f those names is on the records of their unit. Inquiries having been received at Dis* trict Defence Headquarters as to whether the part-worn rifles purchased ■in Canada will ho sold to Defence l.lillo Clubs, it is now staved, that it is not proposed to issue these to rifle clubs. The Department had endless complaints, when on n pluvious occasion part-worn rifles were sold to rifle clubs. The prej sunt system of rellins now riftrcs to defence rifle clubs, will bo continued when the ■rifles are' -available. -