LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities adviso that s.s. Manuka, which sailed from Sydney at noon on April 20, is bringing Aus* trnlian, also English mails via Br-indis-i. Tho Wellington portion is oxpccted to arrive hero per Slain Trunk express at 4,1*2 p.m. on -Moßilay next.

In sfrmo places tlio Opposition "Fly>UK Squadron" appears to have encountered tho state <if a-ifairs popularly known as a "frost." For irnsteuce, it is reported on credible authority that sonio members of the troupe, wjio'u tiiey addressed a meeting at Knhvaka, tiro present term-inns of the- Mortis Au.ikh.nd Main Trunk lino, had an audience «n about half a doy/ni, unci that another meeting held -at Pa-paroa (a North Auckland centre, in no losely-settled district with a large population) attracted an attwidance of twelve.

tFadjzmeat in tlio action known as tho sugar ease, in whieli Fnirhairii, Wright and Go. aro iphtintifs and Levin and Co. defendants, is to b.o delivered in tho Court, of Appal on Monday.

fepealcmg_ to iv reporter last evening on tho _ subject of the roading problem, til'- Prime Minis-tor said that wis o-wii idea-, was that tho main a.rtorini roads 'should he taken over and maintained by tho Government, so as to relievo local bodies, hut- agamst this there was tho difficulty that over tho greater part of tho Dominion the main roads had been made and. were in good order. Tho objection had been raised in Parliament that under those circumstances it would oo hardly fair to relievo those local bodies that had apparently not douo their duty after the others had incurred p. very considerable expenditure in niak'Jlg wo roads passable. At the sanio fitae, the Prime. Mijiiste stated, iis. lio did during his recent northern. tonr, tlia-t tho cry in a great many places at present was for roads, and tlio position froulrl havnj -to bo faced, and that during ttso coming session. It was- in -thisconnection that Mr. Massfty suggested tho desirability of raising a special loan of considerable amount, to bo expended upon road-ilevelopment works. It has already -been indicated that a. meiisu'ro of local government reform will 1)0 introduced during tho coming se cion to provide for tlio jproper elassifioation <if local body districts according to -tho stage -of dcTelopmoftfc they have rcachod, a-iid rcmodellhig the system of Stafco grants.

'Fh<* annual meeting of tho Wellington Opera. House Company was held on Th-ursd:qy_ afternoon, M'r. W, H. p, Bmbftr, chnirmaii of directors, presiding. Tho annual report and bulaiieo-sheet Wore, after a brief discussion, adopted, "ho report provided for tho payment of fl dividend of (> per cent, to sjiaro-ltokl-«r®. Messrs. Charles Plimmer and W. Freeman, the. retiring directors,, wero res elected, and Messrs. E. Buclioiz and W. C. Stevens wero reflected auditors fttt.te s.anio remuneration as last year.

Mr. A. A, Kirkpatiiick., wild- toiu.rnsto Australia after a long term of office in Lowkji as • Agent-General for South Australia, served his. tinvo as a. .com- ■ positor, and 25 years ago was sotting typo oil piecework at whatever office wtitiM employ him. Xofc so long ago as that Mr. J. G. Watson, the. first. Labour Prime Minister of the Australian Commonwealth, followed his trado of compositor in Sydney, and Mr. James Ashton, 'M.L.0., a former Minister for Lands, of New South 'Wales, pursued i simiftr calling in the country. Thpira are a number of other "comps," who have been prominent in tlio public life oi' Australia.

The anmial_ meetings of householders for tlio election of school committees will be held next Thursday evening.

Tho next ordinary nieeTfcg of the City Council will be held en Thursday week. ' ■'

Mrs, Dew, wife of Senior Sergeant Dew, of the Mount Cook police station, received word yesterday. that she had \\*m twenty-five guinea cup for chrysanthemums at the West port Horticultura! Show. Tlio flowers ivcre Wellington grown,_ mid its this i-s third aecasion o'ii wHicl'i Sirs. Dow lias won the cap it noiv becomes jici l property.

Judging by reports received froiu the various centres in tho Auckland Prs}-* vi'iise liy the New Zealand "Herald," northern sportsmen will have a ,go.o.(l season, the birds being plentiful and ill .good condition. Pheasants, have hatched out rather late, and there are numerous young birds, to bo seen. Ducks seem to bo plentiful-on tho various rivers and marilies, while _ tlw pukeko and black swan can be relied upon to supply some excellent sport. Quail, the Calilorninn species especially, seem to bs thriving, and to ho present in large numbers- n; the northern part of tire Waikato and elsewhere. Pigeons, for tho fiurct year in succession, are still protected, although in soma parts this regulation seems to bo honoured more in, the breach than iii the observance.

, The inspectors for the North Canterbury Bourd of Education consider that SMigi'ttg is liot, in some schools, the brightening influence jt should bo. The excuse often heard for failure to carry out th& instructions given in the syllabus is: ' 5 Oh I_ I can't sijig. 1 have no voice." This is, iii sonjo cases, says their <iu.uu.al report, a mere evasion of responsibility. A teacher does not rcQ'uire to iiavo a- singing voice to teach ■singing. Givcu a reasonably correct ear. some knowledge of time and tune in the sol fa. system, abundant enthusiasm, and tho courage to make a start, and very good, result? may be achieved.

The Right Hon.. W, F, Mas.sey (Prime Minister) returned to ■Wellington by Main Trunk express yestorday afternoon, Although his icc'ent -.york and travelling have been arduous, ho is in excelleiit health a'iid spirits. Ido in* foraie.d: a. reporter last evening that liis trip had been a complete success from erery point of view, "I had'good meet, ■ings ovetnvhore," ho remarked, "at.id in most places was received enthusiastically. It is uo exaggeration to say that I mot hundreds of pooplo who were formerly opposed to the present Government politically, but who are now quite satisfied that by our administration and legislation we aro doing tho right thing for tho country, and liare indicated that they are prepared to support us at the forthcoming elections.' 1 Mr. Massey's plana for the immediate future are not definitely settled. He will remain iii Wellington for a few days, but has other journeys in early prospect./

The lictoli Jafio lias now teen barbound at O'sarito for 42 days. As a result of tho detention the people at Hruco Hay and Okura are short of supplies.

In fho concluding paragraph of their a.nim&l report tluj Qtag<> IkUicii.feJciii Beard inspectors direct attention _ to what has long boon felt to be. a serious interfereiiflf) with tho continuity of .school work. Thcv say: "During the year tho staffs of tlio city and sstmrbm schools havo sbc«n called upon to assist ■with their pupils at several functions that have no direct hearing on the life of tho schools. While- to .some o'xtent indirect benefit ftmy result to piipils piirt ieip.it inj* in ontsido functions, there is not tlio slightest doubt- that considerable inlorfereiico with tlio ordinary work of- tho schools is experienced, and tho feetag that tho schools nro being csjiteited : to some. is_ increasing. Wo an} of opinion that this tendency must be resisted or sorious- harm will fosnlt."

Eadv yesterday morning a fourteeuronniud limisis, for the preseivt nuoccunied. situated at tlio corner of Henry Stvaot. and Kilbiwie Cresctm, sas gutted by tire. The hoiiso, which wag oivived by Mr. James Clarke, of At'n.o l . Crescent, was erected nine years ago. It was first "used a?. A shop and dwelling, afterwards as a hoarding I'.ouso, and up till liyo nionths ago as a privats niiteruity home.. It was tearsd in tie Sua Office for £1090,