LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1944, 30 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Firo Brigade' received a< Gall to Oriental Bay yesterday afternoon. The cause of tho alarm was a patcli of blazinsr grass at tho to]) of Grass Street, which wns beaten out in about fivo minutes h? tho brigiulesmeii. Tho work of unloading coal from various steamers, both oversea and coastal, was in full swing yesterday, and About 300 men veers engaged in tho work. Included ill the number iv'cro about 200 of tho oH "rallies." At present there is aboltt 23,000 tons of coal from oversea. ports being, discharged at Wellington. • Kvon ' the ; precoc!OTis small hoy is learning something nbout tlici Wiiys of the motor. Otis of the penus discovered n few days ago that a. little l knowledge is a dangerous thing. Whilst the (.hiver of a motor van was refreshing tho inner way at his homo in Upper Willis Street, a youngster mounted the driver's scat of. tho ran, and with much aplomb released the brakes which held the vehicle* stationary on tho grade. Befora help was to hand, the van, gathering kpecd by its own weight, backed sudden! v and'crashed into a telegraph pole, and."was somewhat, severely dam- . aced bv.. the impact ... . . .

; .:Tlh> Collector of Customs at toirvfttiitcs .that -from .'llmwhip, next(January,!), tho following entries will each require nn extra copy lor. statistical purposes (to bo provided' by tiio merchant at time of passing entry) ; (rt) Warehousing" (.except Australian wine); . (b) export (except gold . and dutiable timber)'; (c) export, ox'warehouse; (d) removals.-to Cook, etc.,'and Savage Islands. :

Tlie Distress Committee', ai'tc-r a long period of active work on account <?f tho recent strike, hns now closed its books so far as . tho granting of relief is concerned, save for a few exceptional cases. Tho committee has not yet disbanded; and Mr. (1. Gray, who has had _ charge of the accounts 1 , is about to pre'pare a financial statement. This, it. is anticipated, will take some time, for on the figures' at present a-vailahb tho committee has' handled over £5150. The work is bonne dealt with as expeditiously as possible, and it is anticipated that within-a. fortnight tho books will lio ready for the 'auditors'. ■ When- - the audit is-completed-tho committee will bo in a position to make a statement as to the way in which the money has been handled. '.

.. That tho present Government intends to pursue an active immigration policy ' was practically demonstrated when the specially-chartered steamer Mamari arrived with the largest complement of immigrants that has ever been brought to those shores in one bottom. -Under arrangement with tho Government, the "hole of the passenger accommodation was merged into -one class, which did nway with anything in the way of clans distinction, and gavo tho newcomerstheir first experience of democracy as it exists in New Zealand. ' In ail, tha M.iinari brought 507 immigrants of a goad robust type. 89 of whom' are farm labourers (who bring with them wives and children to the number o> G4), 81 domestic servants, and 273 relatives of those already settled in the country. The adult passengers will bo distributed as follows:—Auckland, 120:. Wellington, 70: Lyttolton, G-t: Port Chalmers, 42; Westport, 42 • Gisborne, 2(1; Bluff, 20; Napier, 18; Wnnganui, 13; luiiaru, 12; I'icton, 7: Grey mouth. 5; New Plymouth, 3; Nelson, 2. The Auckland and Dune-din passengers went forward, to their destinations yesterday. The Alnmari leaves for Dunedin to-day. _ The domestics, who were being eagerly iiiqnired for yesterday, came in charge of Misses Gillies and Roach*..

Ah interested group of spectators gathered round tin l Doionro Department" store/?, iii Buckle Street .yesterday mom' mg to watch the gift aeroplane leave for Auckland- Those who anticipated swing m exhibition of flying, however, '.rero disappointed, for the machine came out of its shed packed in a huge crate, and resembling nothing more' than a huge furniture van. It was parted to the station and will bo unpacked at the Auckland. Exhibition, which is to be its temporary home for tho time being. Mr, .Hammond, tho New Zealand .aviator, wants to give the machine a fly at the military tournament in Auckland, but consent to his proposal wilt not be given till the matter is placed before General Gsdle.v, who arrives in Auckland from Sydney on next Sunday's boat. Mr. Hammond is acciuainted with tho machine, and states that he could rise on it in a very short distance.

. Messrs. M'oidt and Georgetti, of Wellington, arc about to erect a substantial two-story garago and motor warehouse in brick ou tlicj corner of Cuba and G'liitznoo Streets, tho site bo long occupied by Bennett's ironmongery store. The jicw building will have' a frontage bf 35ft. to Cuba Street, and one of 60ft. to Ghuznoo Street, on which side the garage will bo erected. Tho plans have been passed by the City Council. Messrs. Campbell and Burlw aro tho .contractors, ■ • ■

'All tho mounted 1 special .constables havo nor returned to their homes in the country, hilt a few of their horse?, have'been, left on the hands of tho police. Acting-Commissioner Kllison would be glad u aiiyono who has lent a. horse to a "speoinl" nnd has not had it returned would send him a description of the animal.

Strikc'delayed cargoes are coining to hand in. large quantities. At tho present- time the sheds on Wellington wharves aro somewhat congested, and merchants would bo aeting in their own interests if they removed their goods with more promptitude. Tho position now is not very serious, hint a block is anticipated before tho end of the week. Several oversea steamers aro due to arrive hero during the nest week, and the coastal trado maintained by tho "mosquito" fleet is exceptionally brisk, and pronrses to remain so for some time to come.

Quite a number of men who were convicted of various offences during tho riot period of tho strike, and who have been unable to find sureties to keep tho peace, are stilt detained in tho Terrdce Gaol. It. J. Seal and Barker, the Auckland I,WAV. advocate, aro among tho number who havo yet- to find guarantees for their 'future good conduct.

A largo number of Territorials from tho south aro expected to arrive in Wellington from Lyttolton to-morrow by the Mokoia. The men are en routeto the military tournament, which is to bo hold at the Auckland Exhibition.

Tho carpenters of ; th« Auckland district, members of tlio. various branches of tins Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, have pleasantly and satisfactorily adjusted all the differences that seemed' likely to Cause distention in their ranks, says our correspondent. To some extent 'the threatened strife was due to tho excitement of striko time. Now that everything has been put beyond all possibility of further misunderstanding ' tire members are anxious to Celebrate the event. Messrs. Arkmstnll, Morton, and Darke, members of tho Executive Board of the society m New Zealand, arc at present on a visit to Auckland, and advantage will be taken of their presence to hold a sraoko social at the Trades Hall. It is expected that tnetu» hers of the society in Auckland will tako this opportunity to meet the executive officers, and, further,' to ccmeiit the. bonds of good-fellowship that have Withstood the strain of recent trials.

The Eastern Extension Cable Company advises: "Government reports that all French lines aro working badly through a snowstorm; delay in etrnicqueiiee. Scarcely any communication with Germany."

Tho Finance Commit-too of the Victim College Council, which is to draw up a scheme with a view to tho endowment of a lectureship in economics, rendered possible by the offer of a grant of £2000 from tlio late Mr. T. (i. Maenl'thy's trust, has not yet met to consider the matter. Tho ordinary meeting of tho council takes place on the third Wednesday in January, and is is customary to hold t.he Finance Committee meeting oil tho Friday before, It is possible that a special meeting will bo held to discuss the question of a lectureship in economics, but ti-otll-ing can be dope for tho time being, as most of the members are out oi' town.

On Sunday afternoon an open-air meeting of residents was held at MitehelUewn, to protest against any alteration of the status of the Mitchel!town School. Mr. W. 11. llamptoii presided, and called upon Mr. 11. Badger to explain the situation. A resolution was then moved by Mr. Carmody and unanimously carried protesting against any alteration in the status of tho school, arid advocating that a new school be erected. A protest will bo lodged with the Education Board agaii'st amalgamation with the Te-Aro district. " ' "

Tiio local oftiees of tho Defence Department boar qilito a deserted appearance now. Colonel Heard has lot as many officers off duty for the Christmas holidays as possible, and others H#v» gone to Auckland (or the' tournament

On Thursday, January 1 (New Year's' Ray),;the Giiief I'ost Ofiico v will :■ lie closed in all branches. . ,'The only dispatch' of mails for'Wairarapa,'Hawk® s Hay, MiinawaUi, Rniigitikci, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Auckland districts will close on that day at G. 30 a.in,, and mails for dispatch by steamers will closa 1 lie previous 'evening •. at'- 8 o'clock, and' suburban. receivers, but rtl! the city iirnl suburban receivers, but al.Uhccitj central, To Aro, and Thorndou .cceivers will bo cleared tho previous ©veiling at (5 o'clock, Wellington South 3 p.m., and all others at 4 p.m. The midnight clearances will be made as usual. There will not bo any delivery by Ictfer-cnr-riers, On Wednesday, December 24, the inquiry-counter will he open from 8 to 0 p.m. for' the delivery of aM correspondence addressed to the Chief Post Ofiico, and tho same evening _ the in* quiry counter in the Letter-carriers' Department will be open from 8 to n o'clock for deitvpry of all correspond* cnee addressed to streets in the city and suburbs; also tho public counter in parcels department will be open from "8 to 9 p.m.

Yesterday in the Basin Reserve spectators were afforded an opportunity of witnessing the well-trained drill of the section of Territorials who ar© practising with a view to competing at the military tournament to bo held next week in connection with the Auckland Exhibition. Tho Territorials showed excellent precision and neatness ill carrying out orders, and will reflect credit, on tho Wellington battalions by their Work. a ' .

Prom all sides, says our correspondent, very Batisfactoiy accounts _ have received regarding tho Christmas trade in Auckland- in spito of the loss necessarily inenfrcd by tho striko to thoso who were out for a couple of months. Several business firms report the takings having exceeded those of tho previous year. Tho attendance at tho Exhibition, tho increased investments on the totalisator, and tho largo crowds attending tho excursions point to the fact that there is !io shortage of money this Christmas as far as the average Auckland resident is concerned.