LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2209, 23 July 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Public Servico Appeal Board will probably conclude the hearing of appeals from branches of tho servico other than tho Post and Telegraph Department, by tho end of the present month, and tho Post and Telegraph appeals will follow immediately afterwards. The conferenco between the'respective committees of tho United Labour Party aud the Social Dcmocratio Party, to consider the, political situation as it exists at the present time, with tho two Labour parties in the election field, and to. endeavour to eliminate the splitting of votes between tho two parties, will probably be- held next Thursday.' Messrs. Cook and Son's local office reports that already thoro 'aro indications of a lively travelling season during the approaching summer. Numerous inquiries are being recoived regarding the trans-Pacific trip to the Panama Exposition (which opens on l'ebruary 20), and booking has already commenced for steamers leaving Australia for London (via tlio Suez Canal) in March aud April next. Keen appreciation of tlia value to ' Now Zealand of rifle shooting was cx-pressed-at the Farmers'' Union Conference yesterday. ■. Respecting the .farmers' Union rifle competition, it. was resolved that tho conditions should bo altered, so that any military position could bo adopted; that shooting' at all rangos could be taken lying doVir, and competitors allowed their own time for each shot (not to exceed one minute). Tho provincial secretaries arc to forward suggestions for the- competition to the Advisory Committee of thd union, which will have power to amend the rules. The popularity of tho cheap week-end system of cable telegrams is fully evidenced in the adoption,of tho system by a number of countries since it was first inaugurated between this Dominion and. Great Britain. Burma, Canada, Ceylon, India, and the Union of South Africa already enjoy, the "cheap method. The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Postmaster-General, has just sanctioned a further extension of the system from August 1, to Aden, Ascension, Cocos, Labuan, Malacca, Mauritius, Penang, Perim, Portugal, Rodriguez, St. Helena, Seychelles, Singapore, and Zanzibar. The rate for the week-end cable servico is ono quarter the ordinary chargo, with a minimum of twenty words. "One of tho things important to fhe agriculturists of this country is a sound snd strong Government, and I am glad to know that this wo have," observed Mr. G. W. Leadley, vice-president of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union at *ho union dinner yesterday afternoon. Talk of a trade route between New Zealand and the Orient was indulged in yesterday by the Secretary for Agriculture (Mr. F. S. Pope) who attended tho Fanners' Union dinner. "The time," ho said, "is not far distant when it is going to pay New Zealand to run a line of steamers to the Orient. The' vessels could (say) leave New Zealand, touch at .Sydney and Brisbane, perhaps, certainly at New and Hong-Kong, and go on to Japan. I believe it could be run with a service of three steamers. Australia is doing a big trade there, but' at present New Zealand can_ do nothing because of the transhipping expenses at Sydney. I think a good trade could be worked up. The Vancouver trade was small when it started, but we all know how it has grown." The report of a fire on Lambton Quay caused a couplo of fire brigade motorengines to shriek their way alons; Jervois Quay and Grey Street at about 4 p.m. yesterday. It appears that someone had seen a densp. cloud of smoko in Kelburn Avenue, and had concluded that ono. of tho abutting buildings was on fire. An examination failed to elucidate tho cause of the smoko, which had pretty well cleared away by the time tho brigade arrived on the scene., Much to the disappointment of several thousand people tho.incident ended in smoke. A social re-union and smoke concert, to which all the unions in Wellington aro to bo invited, is to bo given by the Wellington Trades aud Labour Council on September 3 next. "Every man when he is elected to a county council imagines that ho has become an engineor, and' the result is wo bavo very bad roads. If the Governmpnt took'over tho arterial roads they could employ very good engineers on them, and could kcop good plants for tho work."—Captain Colbeck (Auckland), a delegate to tho Farmers' Union Conferenco, which is now sitting in Wellington, during a discussion on roads. . Dri Chosson, Health Officer for tho -Canterbury district, has just returned ■to Christchurch from an official visit to tho Chatbams. He informed a reporter that tho health conditions on. tho islands'wero excellent. .All tho Europeans, he said, wero in good health. The Maoris, who numbered about 250, wero completely free from epidemics of any kind. Some of tho Maoris were well-to-do, and led comfortablo lives on their sheep-runs, while others were employed at the fishing stations. Asked if the islanders had any grievances they. wished to have redressed, he said that as far as ho know-tho only itoni in their list was tho protection of black swans, On the large lagoon on the main' island swans were present in absolutely countless numbers. They seemed to simply cover- the whole surface of the lagoon. The swans were protected, with native birds, ander tho Animals Protection Act, but the islanders felt that they ought to bo allowed to shoot those birds out. ''■'.. The amount of death duties on tlio' estates of deceased persons collected last year was £587,703. The number of men in tho second division of the Railway Service who have been promoted to the first division during the venr ended March 31, 1913, was 13. Tho number of men in tho second division who'had lost their promotion through "being unable to accept- a transfer was 5. • The total cost of tho transfer of those promoted was £354. Tho_ amount the -men in tho f-omid division havo paid in v fines was £297. . . Tho receipts of the Native Land Settlement' Account for last financial year .amounted to £489.325, and the expenditure to £374,802. Replying to a .question in the Houso of Representatives yesterday relating to the development of the' iron and steel industry m New Zealand either as a State enterprise' or otherwise, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey said: "A proposal to offer a bonus was under consideration during the recess, and in conliectioutlisrewith it is proposed to seel; legislative authority during the present session. (2) Tho terms offered by tho Ethelburga Syndicate wore not considered to bo reasonable, and they have acc6idingly been declined. " Detectives Cameron and Dempsey arrosteda. man yesterday on a charge of obtaining money at Otaki by means of valueless cheques.

Tho Hon. p. M. B. Fisher and -SirJoseph Ward were asked to respond to tho toast of Parliament 'at the Civil hervico Association last evening. Mr. I'isher concluded his speech by saying .that ho hoped that they would both bopresent at tho next annual gathering of the members of the Service—and occupying the positions they occupied that evening. (Laughter.) Conditions attaching to the Federal Parliament House Architectural Competition are contained in a publication forwarded recently to tho Minister of lublic Works from tho Commonwealth ™2,™ uu i em '- TI,B P rizes offered are £2000. £1500, £1000, £500, and four ol ±.-'5 O. Ihe paper is illustrated with photographic views of tho land on which thel'wleral capital, Canberra, is to ho built; and with plans of the city to be. Captain Peter Doull has been ap. pointed to talto command of the New Zealand riilo team selected to visit Ausiinlla, < to n,? ko l ,art in tho Empire Match. Iho match is to take place at Melbourne on October 31, and November 2. . The Victorian rifle meeting (Melbourne), at which the above match is to be decided,-commences on Octobef 26, and concludes on November 2. The; Now South Wales meeting . (Sydney) commences on October 15 and concludes on October 24. A total of £6100 has been offered as prizes at the, lat*. ter meeting; It is rarely that a member of the fair sex is seen at a smoko concert, but last week's gathering of the Now Zealand Jersey Breeders' Association fur« lushed a notable exception (says a Wa< nganui exchange), one of those present being a well-known lady breeder, of Wanganui, whose success'as a.breedet of the little ; cattle was remarked oil by more than one speaker. Mrs. Nixou evidently keenly enjoyed the experience, and received quite an ovation on rising to respond to tho toast of "Tlia Ladios." Alleged buck-jumping' cruelties (states oni\ Pahnerstori correspondent) have, received the attention of the Palmerston Socioty for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Society, whose, president has written to tho show authorities ure!ing that the flank ropo shall be forbidden at .'the Palmerston Show.. Tho flank ropo is the rope'which is drawn tight round the flank of the horse to cause it to buck-jump. Tho officials .declare that they are not aware that it has been used at tho ; Palmerston Show, hut it will bo sought for in future and suppressed. I •• The Hon. A. L. Herdman said at tbeCivlL Servico dinner last evening that he understood-T:hat tho Commissioner had a proposal under consideration to grant sis months' leave on full pay after twenty, years' service.; ■. ■ ' . Mr. Isaac Hopkins; of' Auckland, ia petitioning the, House of Representatives for some consideration in recognition of the service he has rendered tc tho beekeeping industry in New Zea* land, firstly as.a private.individual, and, secondly, as a Government official. The members of- tho Auckland Public Schools' Assistant Masters' Association, aro petitioning tho House for the granting of house allowanco to married assistant masters.. It is stated that married assistant teachers living in-towns . where rents are high are placed at a considerable disadvantage compared with city headmasters wlio receive house allowance although their salaries are considerably higher, and_ although the ago, experience, and family responsibilities of the assistants are frequently, greater. A statement showing the money paid into -and out of tho Native Land Settlement Account during the last financial year was presented'tol Parliament yesterday. The amounts received from snrvev liens was £29,180, from Tents £32,861; from land sales £19j481. The amount expended.in tho purchase of Native lands was £217,502, and in surveys of. Native lands. £58,465. The total receipts "wore £489,325 and the total expenditure £374,862."As a Catholic I would object to teach tho Bible in school, if the system is introduced into our schools," stated a teacher at the meeting of school tochers called last night to consider their • position with reference to the Referendum Bill. "Consequently," said the speaker, "I would have to look for another position." Now that tho Government is taking steps to replace the Hinemoa_ with an up-to-dato modern steamer, it is interesting to_ recall an incident which occurred while tho 1 ttlo-cruiser New Zealand was lying in Wellington Harbour. The Hinomoa at that ttimo was ■, employed in convoying parties of school children to and from the big warship, and one trip almost ended in disaster. On-this particular trip tho Hihemoa was very heavily loaded, being crowded with children. As the steamer rounded the warship to approach the gangway there wasa rush of the children aboard to tho sido nearest tho battleship. Tht, sudden movement of weight togetho* . I with tho effect of the turning moveI ment very nearly caused tho Hinemoa l to . turn turtle, and tho apprehension that she would do so was shared by officers and men aboard the New Zea* land as well as by her own officers. It; was stated afterward!) that Captain Hnlsey, of the New Zealand, was on the point of ordering away his boats.llowover, the Hinomoa did not turn turtle. A quick redistribution of weight was effected and tho trip was completed without misadventure. Speaking of the assistance given the Public Service Commissioners by mem' hers of the Service, Mr. D. Robertson (the Chief Commissioner) said at tho Civil Servico Association last evening that the Commissioners had made a sug-_ gestion which would have been worth about £10,000 or £11,000 to the Service, but a member of the Servico had improved upon it, and made it worth £20,000. That was the spirit in which to work, especially when it did not affect a man's salary except in an upward direction.