LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1984, 14 February 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

s> It i's now announced (says our Palmcrston correspondent) that tho Hawke's Bay donor of £1000 to the Radium Institute fund is Sir.; Sydney Johnston, of Tak&pau. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will sit this morning to hear proceedings arising out of an originating summons, to determine whether the present executive of tho Wharf Labourers'" Union, have the right to deal with funds sow lodged- on account of'the uil.iou in tho Bank of N'ow Zealand. During a cruise around tho North Auckland coast oil tho lighthouse steamer Hinemoa, the Hon. H. D. Bell {Minister of Internal Affairs) landed at tho Big King Island, where thero is a provision depot for castaways. Ho has coma back, .states tho Auckland "Star," Wond,efing how anyone but a robust sailor in good fettle and possessing cat-like agility could ever got to tho provisions ill case of need, for they ate stored on a. cliff with an approach which tho Ministc-r described as being liko the side of a house. Hs intends suggesting that a decent track he inado to tho, depot, otherwise there is a danger of exhausted people coming ashore only to find the > much-necded food out or their reach. An. examination of Territorial officers in tactical fitness, Part 11, will tako place at Feilaing on Thursday and Friday, March 12 and 13. Somo little diversion was created at tho Basin Rcservo yesterday afternoon, when, the Australia and Wellington cricket match was in progress, by two small boys on tricycles holding a miniature race meeting on tho. .asphalt path before the grandstand. Qojnmeiiciivg at ono end and regardless of tho Cricket enthusiasts standing in their improvised racecourse, they would dash through to tho accompaniment of delighted slirieis ■of joy from their admiring school mates. This continued until eveii' thp spectators of the greater match became interested, irnd as the juvemlo laurel-seekers went ■ by for about the third time they re? ccivfrd a Small cheer. An interested watcher at length stepped forward, presented both with 'something," and the ! representative Cricket again held undivided attention. A confercnco of trades unions has. been arranged, am} will he held on WeiU nesday, February 25, in the Trades Hall. Matters of local organisation will, bo dismissed, particularly tho matter of strengthening the Trades Council arranging a conference at Easter, and tie building of the new Trades Hall. Tho president of the Trades Council (Mr. J. M 'Ivenzie) will preside, and representation lias boon fixed at two delegates from each union in Wellington. According to present advices tho conference will he thoroughly representative. Qivil oases to be tried by jury in tbe present sittings-pjE the Sjiproniie Court will not be Monday, February 23. ' """" Yesterday Mr. Anws (secretary of tho Citizen's. Carnival) received a letter ■i'roiii tho secretary of the. Wellington Education Board, intimating that iho board had decided to grant the Wellington schools a roliaay on Friday, March G, the dato of the .children's sports gathering in connection with tho Carnh al. A deputation from the- Council of the New Zea'laud Amateur Swimming Association will wait to-day ii-poii the Ho : n. H. 1). Bell (Minister of'lnternal Affairs) -in reference to a Government grant. The New Zealand Government train* ing-sllip Amokura. arrived at Auckland on Wednesday from her • periodical cruise to tho Kcrmadco Islands. Commander Hooper reported that ail ate well on board, the health of tho boys undergoing training being exceptionally good. The Commander stated that the Amokura left Wellington on January 20, and experienced line, clear weathej throughout tho cruise, the heat fit times being very -trying.. Landing parties inspected- t-lie food -depots on Curtis. Island, Macaiilay Island, Sunday Island, and the French Hock, and a thorough search Was made for possible castaways. No wreckage was found, and tho depots were in tart. The inteibitants on Sunday Island were all well, and appeared to be securing go.ad results from' the cultivation of the tend. "The teachers in State schools tend to over-estimate the number of mentally dull and backward children.'' Such was tbe complaint <t" a Tasmanian lady doctor embodied in tho report oil feeble-minded children presented to a. sOotiQ.ii.ul meeting at ' tho Australasian Medical Congress. 11l somo cases, she said,, the teacher seemed to consider all the scholars mentally defective. Suspicions regarding the sporting value of thp mallard ducks imported by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society have been raised by the extraordinary bimonexs. of the liberated birds, states the "Herald." In a letter addressed to the president -of the society (Mr, W. H. Hazard), the -opinion is expressed By Dr. Hops Lewis that tho mallard ducks introduced into N<sw Zealand are merely decoy lairds iised -to catch the wild ducks. Dr. Lewis states that the decoys are. only about two-thirds the size of the wild bird, and he had no doubt that those imported by the society for ftamo were actually specimens of a variety domesticated by years ef : training for a specific purpose.

The Medical Congress in' Auckland practically concluded its proceedings yesterday. In acknowledgment <s'f tlio message from, tho Imperial Government, a lengthy resolution was forwarded to His Excellency the .Governor, who cabled it to tho Home Secretary (Mr. M'Kcnna). Tho .resolution stated that the views 'expressed .in tho message "have been v®)' gratefully received by the members ef tlio congress-, who sincerely liopfi that the outcome of tho work dono at the present session of tlio congress will 'in sonic "measmo lielp Hn Slajest.y's subjects in Australasia in re? lieving their sufferings, prflmotiilE their welfare, and in prolonging their lives." This morning a special train, will ta.k® the visitors to Rotorua. . In a local in yesterday's, issue it was sta ted that a mishap befcU ono of tho c-resv *jf the yacht. Taipafi, while crossing Oriental Bay. Mr. O. G. Wilkining, who states that ltd was in charge of -tlio yacht that day has sinco written t.o tho encct, that tho Taipari was hot coiicerned m tho mishap. Kirkcaldio'a Great Stimtter Salo -fends At 1 :p.m. io-4ay. Jit st 6. few of the s}*W, estra" liurg-ains for this morni'iici Maids Mouses and skirts ill buff, crash, all sizes, 'ijsual -price 205., (id-.-,, to -clear at ?., \ Mfllds lineft coats and skirts in small Sizes only, navy and butclne Miws to clcar at 2s. lid, -50 model blouses, in lace, char-incuse, ninons, etc., oil shades, 'usually 455. -tel. lo Gss„ to dear al l.v! 6d. to 21s, ;>0 model blouses in black and white lap® aiicl charmcii.se, to clear ; At half-price. Men's Siic ,suits, in Weed's, flannels, and serges, usually .295-, Gil, to 78s„ to clear at 19s. 6d, tb 45s.—Advt.