LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1981, 11 February 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the It.M.S. Maktjra,.which suited from Suva on February 8 for Auckland, is bringing American and English mails via Vancouver _ The Wellington portion .is rht6 per Main Tnißk express on Thursday Best. llio. s.s. Maungnnui, from Sydney, due on Wednesday morning, has on board Australian mails' only. Froa information gathered'on the waterfront yesterday it appears that the Federation of Labour are doing their utmost to gain a controlling influence in the new Waterside Workers' Union. It is understood that there are two delegates from Australia at presont in Wellington.' and it is stated that tha object of their visit is to obtain financial assistance a.nd tnoral. support for their brethren at Sydney and Melbourne. It is a well-known fact that •■the "Red Feds" would, like to obtain control of the. Wellington Watorsiders for the pnrpeso of making the members of this body adopt a similar sy'ttipathetic attitude to tho watoi'siders in Sydney mid Melbourne in regard to the ovcrtimo question. It is rum.ciired that important de/elopnvflnts aro likely to happen in Australia by Saturday next, February 14. Sir Walter Buchanan, M.P., lias informed Mr. Maxton, secretary of tlw Mount Hector tourists' Track Commit- j tee, that the chairman of the Feather- j Btdii County Council (Mr. M'Lowt) bus ] agreed that the money votes! ivy Pallia-. nient for the track slmii bo expended by ttie Track Ccmtcspomlont, KivkcaUlie's Great Sumßicc Sale—Jills' lift Blouses, in'the newest styles, (rimmod lace end tine eiiibwidcries, and tucks, usually tos, Oil, to 255.; this week's price, Ss. lid.; ninon blouses* in all fashionable shades, usually lo». 6d.; this week's price, lOs.—Advt.

Weasels have appeared in Kelburiie, it is Stated,' and last week Sir, \V\ lii* gram, a resident of the locality, lost eight pullets, wbilw another resident, Mr. Daniels, liftd the ill-fortune to have nine of his ducks killed. In some cases the heads «f the pullets and ducks were taken dean off. There is no doubt that tile marauders were weasels, for riot only were the marks on the foivls identical with the methods of these animals of prey, but the littlo ''varmints" thornselves have been seen furtively prowling about.

. Councillors and their' friends were given practical assurance of tho sanctity in _ which tlio city's estate at Wai'nui is being held during their visit to the waterworks yesterday, Hardly had tlioy reached iho picturesque precincts of the reservoir when a family of livodeer were espied 011 the hillside oft the .eastern sido of tlio lower basin. Three of tiro group worts quite young-, and an exceedingly pretty sight tlioy wade as they nuzzled against their 'parents amidst tho fern. Bio custodian informed a Daaixio.v reporter that the deer within the sanctuary were rapidly increasing, and, in his opinion, the Waimri herd was extending over the ranges into the Wairarapa. He' often saw deer, including somo line heads, in tho vicinity of tho waterworks, and they invariably'had young ones with theft at this seasqri of tho year, indicating a healthy .natural iiicrea.se. „

Still another requisition has been farwarded to the •executive of the Welling--ton Wharf Labourers' Union, asking for a general meeting. Tho requisition, which has been sighed by about 1.5 exstrikers, was delivered yesterday, and it read as follows tcrnis of Rule 20 of tho above ljnioii's rules, we, the undersigned members, request you to call a special meeting of *lip' above union for tho purpose of considering the following resolution; —'That this meeting consider and take such action as may be deemed necessary regarding the persistent refusal of the executive to call special meetings requested by members, awl to consider what action can be taken to enforce the resolutions passed at_ the meeting on Saturday, February 7" It is probable tliat tho upshot of all these meetings arid conferences will be a test case in the Supreme Court.

A meeting of tlio Conciliation Ooun* cil will ho held, this afternoon to .hear tho dispute between tho mates of the smaller coastal steamer!; and the Shipowners' Federation. A similar meeting will take place to-morrow morr.itig for the purpose of hearing the captains.

.The strike leadors will probably appear iii tiro Supremo Court to-day, In the morning the- retrial of George Johnstoa 011 eliarge of his having taken part in tho Fcatlierston Street riot will ■be held. Hunter's case (alleged seditions words) will he taken next, and the oases of Holland and Voting (both charged with using seditious - language) will fol' low. Young's case may not be reached till Thursday.

A young woman earns before Mr. E. W. Burton, S.M., at tho 'Magistrate's Court yesterday with an application that Iter two young aged three years and the other four years—shoitld be committed to tho Wellhigtan Receiving Home. The applicant stated that it was some tiiiio sineo she had heard from her husband. She had receive.4 a letter from ■Ctiristchureli, stating that lie was earning good money there, but she kaiT JWt received ' ally. She desired that, tho .children should lift admitted to the home so that she might have ail oisjsprtanity of earning her living. Tiro erder was made, and, as long as she is able, tlio mother is to pay IUS. per week towards tlic'ir siifiport. In flie .meantime an endeavour will ht made to trafto the liusband.

Tho Fgmont Mountain House is in •cousiflerabte (lemand this season, a ltd Some difiieulty is heiiiß exiprienced in eoiiilslying with f)i.o^.iii.inie'i>aiiS' : ' applications ior"accpm!iiodation, Tii'o priilc.ip'al of the Auckland Trainiiig C'e-llege has written asking if aeconwnoda'tiou for front 40 to ov can. be outaiived at the hostelry at master.—'Taranakl Herald." .

l.n proi»sing the health of the City Valuer (Mr; James Ames) at the City Council's picnic at Waiuni yestefday, Councillor T. C. A.- Hislop said that in tiis course of .4 recent conversation with Mi'. Allies that gentleman had in'foravocl him that he could remember when the City Council staff consisted .of a head clerk, a junior clerk, and a message hoy, all of frlioftl were combined' in—Mr. James Ames. When ho had occasion to visit, the bank to deposit, ionic of the city's funds, he. liad to close tlie office, lest burglars should enter, and steal the municipal treasures'. . A few months ngo Mr. Ames had been asked to take a long holiday, Ini't he did not- remain away iienrlv as long ad they were prepared to allow kim to do, 1 His strong seiiso of duty impelled liim to return to Work as soo.ti as he was able. In reply, Mr. Ames said that he had been 46 years in tho servico of the Corporation, and hoped that ite would he. there 40 years Ignger. He thnnked Mr.. Hislcp and tlio Mayor for the honour they had done him, but- w'Otild not make a fo;ig speech as lis lifid jironiised his wife to go fern.ing; (Laughter.)

It is seldom that a State school teacher can afford to be actively generous in affording pleasure to her pupils, however much she may desire to do so, hut ail. experience occurred yesterday which perhaps mat hut bo described us the osception to tlio rule. At lie.r own expense,' Miss Harrison, t'lio popular school mistress of Whiteinair's Valley, brought her pupils into town and gave theni a delightful day of sij'ht-sebing. Gilo of the features of tho day Was a visit to the Zoo at Newtown. Park.

A youitg malt nainod Thomas Fred' eriek Everest will appear in the trate's Court to-day, charged 011 tho i.ll- - of Detective Dempsev with haying broken and entered the flwe'lliitg of Robert Rcid, 02 Webb Street, and stolen a gold watch and a gold ring.

Tlio city authorities contemplate a raid upon illegal users of water, it is ati offence to vVate'r gardens or lawns, except when the supply is obtained through a meter, but this practice is known to bo somewhat; prevalent. A rtfparter was informed yesterday that thero is to desire to spring a sin-prise 011 citizens in the matter, but that immediate steps are to be taken to check illegal use of water in this say in future.

The Hon. W. Fraser told a reporter yesterday that tho Snjall contrast i-ys-tem was (icing successfully applied iii a number of railway const.ruction undertakings. Four or five sections of the Hjmtly-Awaroa railway have tocontl.v been ta'keil Over by small The Public Works Department takes out quantities for the guidance of small c<ntractors, and Where necessary iidranccß the cost of plant and horses which they require to prosecute tl'.eir undertakings. "What avo tiro duties of a .stt'iko picket ?" was a question asked of a picket in the Kupreme Court yesterday. Tito answer was: "To get what iiiforiiiation is .going., and pass it alofig to tha Union." KJward F. Rumi strom, a seaman, was ! arrested 1 yesterday by Detective Mason on a e'hargo of having deserted. ( the stcam-cr AriuVa at Wellington last November, lie will appear hi Court tlii'o morning, Evelyn Vino Kitson, the man with the extraordinary career., who appeared in the Magistrate's Court hero lerently on a charge of false pretenses at Ham.il'ton, will bo charged at the Miig.is-' '..rate's Court to-day with having attempted to commit suicide Included in the Ruapehu's passengers Were 20 domestic servants, 1(5 farm labourers, and 39 separated relatives. The whole of the 75 passengers camo , out from Lgndoin under the Governments assisted scheme;