LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1965, 23 January 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlie conference of representatives of the four principal Harbour Boards of tlie Dominion, convened by lie' Prune Minister, is to meet this morning in Parliament Buildings, The object* of tlie conference have already been explained. The chief one. is to disetiss passible systems of employing labour on wharves, to discover if possible some plan by which more permanent men can bo retained, and tin? number of casual workers reduced.

During the heavy north-westerly gale last ovpning the small steamer Manures, whioli was berthed at the Pipitra Wharf, broke away from her nwormgs, and drifted out into the stream. After some litHo time had elapsed those ©n hoard managed to drop the anchor, and the vessel was pulled up in I'ipitea Bight.

The cumplnints matin wesntly of immodest conduct by .bothers, alleged' to bo members of tr.e Maramti or Lyjiil Ray.Surf Clubs, wove mentioned at last m<*ti>]g"riftltc; Raths n»sl Itasefves •'C«mniitt<ie' of the 'City Council. Sir. Atkins, president of the Lyall Bay Club, was in attendance, and he asked that'consideration of' the matter bis deferred until he could make a careful'investigation a-s to what the facts werfr, which lie had not done owing to his absence from Wellington. .Ho agreed that conduct such as that aliegc-d ought not to be tolerated. It was stated by the chairman, Councillor Frost, that the complaints had reference to the. Maranui Club.

The following is a copy of A letter sent by tho local hon. , secretary of the Navy League (Mr. C. C. Pahnef) to Coiniaander Carr, E.N., tho senior naval officer of the Now Zealand division:—''lt was with deep regret that, members of the Navy League learned of the, sad disaster to Submarine A 7, and the- loss of so many precious lives. These tragic occurrences, from time to time, make us fully appreciate the fact that tho Navy is always -on active service, and that tho officers and men aro continually risking their lives for their King and country. On behalf of the local executive. 1 desire to oohvey to you, as representative of H.M. Navy in these waters, tlw sincere sympathy of the Wellington branch of the Navy League."

The early-door patrons of Uio Opera House, while waiting in the quou-o out' side the theatre, had a little unanticipated excitement last evening. About 6 o'clock, when the queue had grown to considerable length, aft extra powerfulgust of wind ripped a fiheet. of gl.iss from the glass-roofed verandah of Mr. M'lJtazic-'s shop, carried it through the air, and with n resounding eras-]) dcposited it on the pavement in front of the astonished queue. Despite the terrifving nois* of the breaking glass and t)ic liovfliiig of the wind mmer the shop verandahs and among the telegraph wires, not ono of the early-door eoeketfs moved from his or her place in the ranks, and with a nonchalance bred of the knowledge that to move was to lose one's position in the queue, and the. possibility of not obtaining a choice scat, they craned thoir necks and watched tho police, constable slowly gather up tlie broken glass and place it in Uie gutter. AVhile preparing 3 ituek for tho iablo the other day (says tho "Lake County Press') Mrs, t. M'Donnell was surprised to fiiid a small nugget of. gold in the gizzard of the bird. Thb nugget weighed almost exactly a pennyweight, and as tho duck was bred on tho farm, Mr! M'Domiell is now considering tho advisability «f carrying out some Jirospecting work on the land in the vicinity of his r-esiden.ee.

Tho honour of having., niado the first Stratford through tho Wlißiigaiuemoiin and Ohura country to the Main Trunk railway belongs {tho Stratford "Post" says) to Mr. tloorgo Smith, stock agent at' Stratford for Mr, Novrioa King, and Mr. J. Olliver, the firm's motor expert. TJio pnir left Stratford, af)s, without mishap or stoppage of any kind on account of the car, safely reached the Mnin Trunk railway, and transacted business along the route, returning, also without mishap, to Stratford. Tho travellers fotmd tli<; roads in places bad enough to try the reliability of any car, and owing to* bash Bros the trip svas not entirely without danger to the occupants of the ear.

Mr. Groom, the Commonwealth Minister of Customs, wan asked last week what action had been token by the Government in connection with the restart that the American Beef Trust was preparing to enter into the, Australian through motor trip from the railwiiy at meat trade lie replied thai the Customs Department had obtained some information, and was getting more; but it wns all'confidential, and could iiGt lie disclosed. The best way to prevent the Department from getting tlis further information it was seeking, he added, would bft to disclose what had already been secured. Mr. Groom said he could give no inform?tifin as to tho intentions of the Government, as they had announced in Parliament last year that tho subject was under consideration, and both the Customs Department and the Attorney-General's Department were looking into it.

A small condiment factory, occupied by Mr. H. Aifdrewartha, at the corner 01 Coutts Street and Lynll Bay Road, Kilbirnic, was totally destroyed' by tire on, Wednesday evening. The outbreak was caused through tho ignition of some wax which was being treated to be used to secure stoppers on buttles. The building was insured for £200 in the I'lioonis office, aud the contents for £00 iii the New Zealand office. Tbo blpe set tire to the roof of a house adjoining, occupied by Mr. Harry Toomcr, but tho Centra) ijrigade were ablo to prevent much damage being done except by water, The liojise was insured far £450 in the South British, aw} the furniture for £123 in the Yorkshire mfice. • A painful'injury was suffered at the Petone Wharf yesterday by Mr. K. BroKan. The Pctono Yacht and Motor Boat. Association's regatta was being cois ducted, and when Mr. Brogan *as running iiloiig the wharf ho received the wad from the starting-gun in his leg* A eovd'e wound was inflicted, *nd after Dr. 'J'oihurst had attended to him, M<". Brognn was taken to liis home at- Evans Bay. , A deputation from the Academy of Fine Arts will wait on the Fiuaiico Committee of the City Council this afternoon to ask tor tlie renewal of the subsidy towards the. upkeep of the Aft Gallery, which was discontinued by tho Council on making the gfant of' £1000 towards the purchase of .pictures from tbo fiaillio collection. A chubby little boy of sis years was found yesterday noai- the Mutt Bridge in tlie wind and rain crying bitterly. A passing cyclist, upon questioning him, discovered his name.- The child explained tJmt kfi Jiatl lost his way, but* that he liyet'l near a fire station. After !w» described the particular station th 6 cyclist took him to Alicetmni, and when within 100 yards of this buiMing the boy suddenly tsclaimed: "Oh, now 1 r<>mernl)i>f, you can go nor; thank you; good-bye"