LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2214, 29 July 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlio Makura's mails missed the noon express from Auckland for Welliugton yesterday, aud consequently, will not arrive here before this afternoon's Main Trunk express.

A handsome donation of £500 has been made to the'fund of the Wellington Roman . Catholic Education' Board by Mrs. •H. Sullivan, of Roxburgh Street, on behalf of herself- and her family, to be devoted to the cause of Roman Catholic primary education'in this City. It will he remembered that the Roman Catholic Education Board was inaugurated two years, ago to take ! up the work of maintaining the Catholic primary schools in Wellington, and to acquiro a fund, ihe interest from which would subsequently support those schools without the aid of fees, which •Roman Catholics are now expected ' to pay for tho tuition of their children. The balance-sheet of the board for the year ending June last'disclosed a credit balance of £300. , Last week the Farmers' Union Conference discussed the' subject of agricultural education, and yesterday the subject was before the A. and P\ Societies' Conference. Mr. D.' M'Gregor, of Masterton, introduced the matter by moving that the establishment of agricultural high schools as steppingstones vo agricultural colleges should be adopted in New Zealand. Mr. J. Studholme expressed the opinion that in this connection hostels for students l should bo established. The conference agreed to the motion, and resolved, also: "That wherov possible and' practicable such agricultural courses-should be. organised at tho most suitable high schools now existing, to. obviate the necessity for the establishment of separate and .special residential, agricultural high schools. Tho only nomination received, to fill •the vacancy on the Eastbourne Borough Council caused'.by the retirement of Mr. H. 0. F. Marsden,was that of Mr. John William Allan Heenau, who consequently- takes his seat on . the council forthwith. His nominators were Messrs. J. P. Kelly, T. W. Marsdeh, H.. Foley, W. Perry, O. M'Keegan, and TV. H. Steven. "I never saw so many clean pigs in my life as I saw in old Ireland," said a speaker at the Agricultural Societies' Conference yesterday.'- -'There," he continued, "pigs are well looked after, and pigs. are always paying propositions, when they, are properly cared for." ' : A conference was held yesterday morning between the Mayor (Mr., J. P. "Luke), itho City Engineer (Mr. TVj. H: Morton),' Mr. Robt. Fletcher (chairman of the Harbour- Board), and Mr. James Marchbanks- (the: board's engineer) 11 jtelaiivej to. ujthp ,bflardi's<);proposa! that,-the' City Col-ponition should acquire a- three-acre, block of newly-re-claimed land-adjoining the existing Corporation' reserve at -Clyde Quay for the requirements of the son'ices of tho City (details relating to which; have already been published).; As a'result of the conference the Mayor said he 'would submit a report, on the matter to the Finance Committee of-the council on Tuesday s'ext, dealing with the area under offer, conditions of salo, and: price. Mr. Luke intimated that his report would; favour the, acquisition of, the block of land in question. ; ' , Teaching farming by kinematography was suggested at tho A. and P. Conference yesterday by Mr. J. S. Connett Claranaki), who moved: "That the Minister of Agriculture should be asked to' consider the question of the instruction of children- in farming and agricultural pursuits by means of the kinemato- • graph-, either through the schools or in. •a public manner." The motion was defeated without being discussed. . "Measures are now being taken, in : co-operation with the police, which will; it is hoped, reduce the disproportion between tho gross numbers registered and those actually serving. The names of 2707 untraced persons who have absented themselves from training have been handed to the police."—lnteresting item from the annual 'report of the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces (Sir Alexander Godloy), presented to Parliament yesterday. • ' The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey), speaking at the Conference, of A. and P. Associations yesterday, repeated what he had stated'at Palmerston North during the, Winter Show — that, while ho had power to appoint four members to the Board of 'Agriculture, he had as yet only' nominated three, for tho reason that he wished to see the board at work, and to. hold one in reserve in case any branch of agriculture was not sufficient-' ly represented. Expressing his opinion of the prospects of the board, Mr. Massey said yesterday that it should, prove very useful to the Minister of Agriculture, tho Department of Agriculture, and tho country as a whole. Ho expected great things from the board. There are 271 rifle ranges in the Dominion, tho larger number oh lease, according to a report presented to Parliament yesterday. Some of these have, iii the past, been allowed to fall into disrepair, but a great deal has been done during the past year to rectify this. An amount of '£3015 145.. 3d. has been expended on them. .. ' The question of opening up a new sheep trade was briefly touched on at the A. andVP. Societies' Conference yesterday afternoon. On the motion of Mr. E. Campbell (Wanganui) it was resolved: "That a deputation'should wait upon the shipping companies' when in Wellington, with the request that at least one vessel leaving New Zealand in January should pass through the Straits of Magellan, and call at Punta Arenas, for the conveyance of stud stock.and other produce." In his annual report to Parliament, the Commandant of the Now Zealand Defence Forces (Sir _A. J. Godlcy) states that every facility was provided for tho attendance of accredited representatives of the Press /throughout tho military camps, and assistance was readily given thorn to obtain such information as they might require,-. "I am glad', to say that the'decision to roceivo theso accredited representatives in camp has been fully justified by the results, and I feel sniro that the information provided to the public through tho medium of those pressmen who lived in camp cannot but be beneficial to tho defence scheme." A conference of waterside workers is being hold in Napier just now, its main object being, it is stated, to endeavour to link up workers in a similar organisation to tho old Waterside. Workers' Federation (telegraphs our Napier correspondent). Mr. J, Law, the Wanganui waterside .workers' delegate, who was at one time'president of tho j Hawke's Bay Trades and Labour Goun-' cil, will be, the recipient of a presentation from that body on Friday.

In reviewing the contract with tna • union Steam Ship Company for the \ ancouver service, the Government was able to arrange for a reduction in tho. ireights on dairy and rural products generally, remarked Mr. B. Campbell at the A. and P. Societies' Conference yesterday. This, Mr. Campbell added, would bo of great benefit as an outlet for our produce. Tho trade with Vancouver was only in its infancy, and promised to grow into a very largo business.: Already there was trouble in getting space for meat and butter hi the steamers. • Some 1450 cases of Cook Island oranges arrived from' Auckland (to which port they, were brought bv tbo.Taluue) by the Warrimoo yestor- -. day morning. A very considerable-pro-portion of tho shipment was found to bo unsound, and has been condemned as unfit for human consumption., Tho Mangaia oranges wore in a-very bad' condition, but those from Rarotonga where they were fumigated, were fouud : to bo free of scale. .- It is officially announced that HM S Philomel will act as Naval Reserve drill ship in New Zealand in place of H-.M.S. • lvramus. Any R.N.R. men desirous of drilling may do so on board the vessel at' Welliugton. The next port of call for. H.M.S. Philomel will be Picton. A meeting of the executive committeo of the Municipal Association/of New '•' Zealand was held in the Mayor's room yesterday afternoon. There were present tho Mayor (Mr.. J. P..Luke), in the chair, the Mayors of Onslow and Lower Hutt (Messrs. C. C. Crump aud Pv. H. Baldwin), Mr. 0. Jerusalem ■ (Johnsonvillo Town Board), and Commissioner A. J. M'Curdy (Upper Hutt Town Board). The Motor Bill, now'before Parliament, was considered,, and further deliberation on the measure was ■ held over till Friday next) when a furthcr meeting of the committee will be . held Mr. J. Ames's memorandum of the completion of. tho district electors' municipal roll was approved of. The committee then adjourned till 3 o'clock on Friday next. . A special meeting of the New Zealand hdu.cational Institute (registered), will bo held in. St. Andrew's ' Hall, r the Terrace, commencing at '8 o'clock ' tonight, and continuing on the following days. AH persons who aro interested in education are invited to be present. Comment was made by His Honour the Chief Justice v Sir Robert Stout) in tho Supreme Court yesterday on the impropriety .of City Councils erecting., smallpox hospitals on land set aside for ', recreation grounds. The fact that such ' things,rhad beeii done showed the dan- ; ger of entrusting recreation grounds to \ city councils. His Honour expressed surprise .that the public submitted to the .grounds being in this manner destroyed for recreation nurooses.. JnDunedin the same thing had been attempted, but an outery was raised, ' and the council, after having erected a fover:hospital, had to remove it at a ' cost of between £3000. and £4000: A meeting of tho Society for the.Pretention of Cruelty to Animals was held last evening; Mr. V. R. Meredith presiding. A letter was received from the ■' City Council intimating'that the ncV ■ tices issued'by the society, giving particulars of the ponalties imposed for cruelty to animals ,had been posted in " various tramway waiting-sheds through-', .out-the City. Th'e society's inspector (Captain- Henry) reported on cases of . ..working lame horses, and stated that his advice in each case had been acted upon.". The report was adopted. "'-A donation of £5 was received from the City Council, with thanks. ' The Prime Minister stated at the A. and P. Societies' Conference, yesterday that the returns showe'dthat during the last two years, and a quarter there had been sub-divided Hntoyjdhialler; blocks 2,000,000 .acres of land, including Crown lands, but not Native lands. ,Be thought that this was partly, duo to'the graduated tax of two years'ago, but,.' whatever tho reason",' it \vas very satisfactory, for it was increasing the nuniher of our producers, and would increase tho volume of our produce. ' ; i A special District Order .has been issued by Colonel F. E. Johnston,, the newly-appointed commander of the Wellington District,, stating that concentrated training camps, exclusive of the annual camp, and lasting : eight; days, are to be held. These will comprise tho whole" liability for service .for a, year except at the annual camp for the present yeaT. The change is to be,voluntary, and is to bo'encouraged in the 'country 'districts and put into force wherever it can be locally arranged. Tho order has been issued in accordance with the recommendations of the Inspector' General of the Oversea Forces! .It is reported that ex-strikers in» tend to hold a meeting oh Sunday next for the purpose of discussing the.employers' new scheme of working on the wharf. It''has also been decided to invite the preference nien,' who are members of the, Wellington Wharf La- ' bourers' JJnion, to attend the meeting, with the object of discussing the whole scheme with'them. . On being asked yesterday if the executivo of the union, intended to have anything to do with the meeting,' Mr.. E. J; Jones, secretary,* said: "No. Absolutely no. So far as the officials of. tho union are -.'.., concerned there will be no meeting next Sunday. If. any meeting is advertised, or held, it will be without the sanction of the union. So far as the executive is concerned they will not be represented." The back-blocks roading problem was referred to yesterday by tho Primo; Minister/ when ho was opening the A. and P. Societies'., Conference. , Mr.; Massey remarked that for some time settlement had gone ahead of roading. Roading was now several years: behind, and the Government bad determined to ask Parliament for a special loan for the making'and the improvement of . roads. The people engaged in the dairying industry must be assisted! by nJeans 'of better roads, to get-their produce to. the' factories and the railways.