LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The winner of the first prize (£SO) in the last Citizens' Carnival has at length been'discovered. At a meeting of the committee held about three weeks ago it was decided that all the-unclaimed prize-money (including tho art union) unclaimed by the end of July would bo forfeited. A few days ago tho missing ticket (No. 16,670) was presented to the secretary (Mr. H. Amos). The fortunate possossor was Miss ■ Bowler, who is connected with the Teachers' Training College. :'. .

The Rev. John Paterson. who was inducted into St. Paul's Church, Christchurch, a few weeks ago, will occupy Dr. Gibb's pulpit at St. John's on Sunday. Mr. Paterson has como to Wellington in connection with theßiblo-in-schools demonstration next Monday evening. '~ ' . ■

To those who happened to be abroad and in the vicinity of Willis . Street about 8 o'clock.yesterday morning was presented the unusual sight of a mob of sheep—somo 1000 strong—wending a weary way through tho main l streets of the city. The which in 'its "marching order" extended ovor considerably moro than half the length of Willis Street, was composed of ureeding ewesj and was en route for Happy Valley. " . •

The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts lias just purchased from the Bail■lie Gallery a. number of etchings and lithographs by .Joseph'Pennell,' Charles Shannon, J. Spencer Pryse, Ethel Gabain, Raymond Jones, F. E. Jackson, C. A. Shopperson, D. A. Wehrschmidt,, A. S. Hatrick, and Frederick Carter. This collection will be on viow to-mor-row afternoon at Harbour Shed "U," when the galleries will be open to the public between two and fivo jo'clock'.

The late secretary of tho United Federation of 'Labour (Mr. P. H. Hickoy) has received, the following cablegram from Mr. Amram Lewis, general secretary of the Coal Miners' Federation, Newcastle: —"Three thousand men locked out. Relief -urgently requested. Representative leaving this week." Tho cablegram refers to the dispute in tho Maitland district in respect to the desiro of tho men for the abolition of the afternoon shift.

' A niessago has boon received by Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary of the Wellington Hotel Workers' Union; that, a Bill amending tho Factories Act of Victoria, which provides for one day's holiday in seven, has passed its third reading in 'tho Victorian State Assembly/

The following unions have been granted registration by the Labour Department during the week:—Dke Manawatu Master Builders', Building Contractors', aiid Sash and Door factory Proprietors' Industrial Union of Employers; tho Ohristchurcb Manufacturing Jewellers' Watch, aiid Clock Makers' and "Kindred Trades Industrial Union ' of Workers; tho Auckland Bricklayers' Industrial Union of Workers (No. 2). The latter union is the second union of the trado registered in Auckland, and has been formed as the result of the recent strike' in the bricklaying trade there. Tha Christehuroli Jewellers' Union is similar to tho three other unions registered recently in Wellington, Auckland, and Dunedin.

Tho total amount at.credit of de. positors in the Post Offico ■ Savings Bank on May 31, 1914,.was £17,678,685. Tho total number of depositors at that dato was 471,201, and the individual deposits of 408,252 of theso did not exceed £100.

> The Government is doing everything .possible to provide country, and. backblocks settlers with telephone and telegraph facilities, according to several of the delegates who expressed their opinion briefly at the Farmers' Union Conference yesterday. Fanners living' many miles from a telegraph office may now lave telegrams read over the wireg to them, and they may send replies or other telegrams in tho same.way. The conference passed the following resolutions:— (1) "That the Dominion Executive should do all it can to obtain consent for .party wires to bo fixed on Government poles, where convenient, ■at a not exorbitant rent"; (2) "That in view of tho largo profits made by the Postal Department the time has arrived to give bettor telephone facilities to country districts."

-A-coiiferenco of delegates from New Zealand branches of tho Navy League is to bo held at Wellington, commencing on August 18. The local branch has appointed as its delegates Messrs. Smith,.Darrock,-and Palmer. His Ex-, cellency tho Governor, as patron of the league in New Zealand, is to be asked, if available, to • open the conference. The following local remits will be moved :—"The establishment of naval scholarships" (Mr. parroch); and "Tho adoption, of the New Zealand- map handbook 'Britain On and Beyond the Sea,' as a naval history text-book in tho Now Zealand; schools" (Mr. Palmer). • •

The Wellington Carters' and-Motor Vehicle Drivers' Industrial Union of Workers, which was formed during the strike period of last year, has. issued its. balance-sheet for the -period from November 14, 1913, to July 6,1914. The receipts are sliown at £61- 9s.j comprising £38 4s. in entrance fees and subscriptions, and ■ £23 ss. in ; donations from employers. Theexponditure showed a balance of cash in hand of 18s. 6d., items baing salary (R. J. Sinclair) £45, and salary (F. A. Calderwood) £6 ss. Tho assets are shown at: Outstanding subscriptions estimated to produce £35 15s. 4d., and cash in hand, 18s. 6d.. The liabilities' are sliown to amount, to £36 13s. lOd., including £16 13s, 4d. for offico rent, and £5 for salary due to F. A. Calderwood.

Tho annual meeting of the Citizens'. Carnival, Association.has been fixed to be. hold on Thursday, August 13.

It was proposed by members of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, states the Christchurch "Sun," to fit the whistling buoy with a submarine' bell, as a means of directing ""Vessels in a fog,, but, at tho time Mr. Cyrus "Wiljiams, the board's engineer, stated that it was hardly' worth while doing so when there wore no vessels plying to Lyttelton that carried apparatus for receiving submarine signals. . Since making that statement; however, he has been iiiforinedrihat'rsoine-cf<4>be vessels trading'to Lyttelton do carry the apparatus, and so the bell.will be fitted to tho whistling buoy shortly. .. The apparatus for receiving the signals is an ingenious one, 'receivers being fitted on'either side- of the bow, so that tno submarine sound vibrations are heard .either on the larboard or starboard, and the pilot thus directed which quar* terto steer away from. ' ' ■;'

' The brewin? trades dispnte will again come before the' Conciliation; Council at 9.30 o'clock this morning." On Monday at 10.a.m. the stoiiemasftns' dispute will j>6 heard before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. P. Hally), and at 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon the builders' labourers' dispute will be cor' eidered. ' ' \

It is ..gratifying, to learn that the many beautiful 'punga' punga fern trees used last week in the decoration of the Town Hall have not been destroyed. A good number of the fern-trees, were se« curedi by the City Forester (Mr. M'Pherson), arid have hecni planted in suitable locations in■ Central Park.

The Wellington bricklayers' dispute again came before,. the. Conciliation Council yesterday morning. The Conciliation Commissioner. (Mr. P. Hally)' presided, and after further deliberation a settlement was come to in respect to all the points under discussion, with the •exception ol wages and the definition of the work of a bricklayer. The men claim for Is. 9d. per hour; the employers offer the present'rate of Iβ. 7d. per hour. Both points will, be referred to the Arbitration Court for settle*' meht,' ' .'■ ■.:' : :-' . ''■ ' '

Dangerous ,railway crossings have fof years provided discussions for Now Zea- . land conferences. Yesterday the Farnu ers' Union Conference had the subject^ ■ before it, and, resolved to urge the Government to make all the most danger-; ous crossings safer for all traffic. . The executive of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society has U> ■ Tibld its annual conference in l Wellington on Auguso 26.', The date has been, fixed in order to allow of tho presence at" the- conference of Professor PrinceThe total cost of mechanical office ap« i pliauces installed in Departmental of" ,fices:by direction of the Public Service Commissioners was £2C56 ss.