LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2245, 3 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho State schools of the Wellington Education District will "break-up"' tomorrow afternoon for tho spring term reoess, reopening on Monday week. Replying to a quostion in the House of Representatives' Inst evening, tho Prinio Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) stated that there' -was a shortage in tho State's stocks of paper, and that consequently the number of all Government publications issued was being kept down. At about half-past eight last evening a fire broke out in a coal shed, attached to the residence of Mr. 0. W. Andrews, of Bellevue Road, Lower Hutt. The brigade promptly extinguished the flames, the damage being estimated at about £10. The Maori Parliament sitting in the Methodist Schoolroom held an informal meeting yesterday afternoon as therewas not a quorum of delegates present. The secretary (Mr. W. Uru) arrives this morning, and there is expected to be a full attendance of delegates present, when the session begins at 10.30 a.m. Mr. Alfred Linley, who is interested in theatrical doings, states that the war crisis does not appear to 'have affected tho business in Sydney materially—not nearly so much as it soemed to have done in New Zealand. When he left Sydney on Friday last "The Girl in the Taxi" was turning money away at His Majesty's, and the Brennan-Fuller daily matinees always drew full audiences without'affecting the evening returns. Mr. Geo. Musgrove produced "Du Barry," with Miss Nollio Stewart in tile principal role, on Saturday night last. Mr. Harry Roberts, who appeared in the New York production of this play ahout ten years ago, is aotinp; as producer, hut is not playing a part. Mr. Linley, in partnership with' Mr. Goo. Stephenson, was about to bring a pantomime company to New Zealand, hut owing to the reports he had heard from New Zealand, it is very probable he says, that tho tour will be cancelled. The. inebriate, in the course of his muddle-headed wanderings, occasionally finds himself amid very peculiar aurroundings (eays the "Otago Daily Times"). This unhappy tendency of the "drunk" landed a man this week in a situation, the absurdity of which would bo hard to equal. After being ejected from several hotels the offended one found himself in the neighbourhood of the Law Courts. Hβ mounted tho steps and entered, evidently under the impression, from the quiet stillness pervading the long corridors, that ho had reached a harbour of refuge. After a devious tour through tho building. ho wandered into the Judge's Chamber and calmly sottled down to sweet repose in tho Judge's chair. He was here unearthed some hours later by a police officer who had occasion to visit tho Chambers, and was 6oon reposing in a place more suited to hie condition. In connection with tho ' appeal for magazines and smokers' requisites for the Cambridge section of the Expeditionary Force, a small boy called at the office of tho "Waikato Independent" on Saturday last with a packet of cigarettes, a tin of matches and a copy of a popular masazino as Ma contribution. ■ ..

In connection with the visit of members of the British Association, a lecture will be delivered to-day at the Museum, at 3.30 p.m., by Mr. H. T. Forrar, M.A., F.G.S., on "Soil Survey, With Illustrations from Egypt." Mr. Ferrer was the geologist, of Captain Scott's first Antarctic expedition. He has latterly been on the staff of the Geological Survey of Egypt, and has been ongaged mainly in tlie_ study of the effects of irrigation on soils. "Ye olde tyme cricket matcho," to be played between present and past mayors and prominont politicians on the Basin Reserve on Wednesday next 'promises to be an event of singular interest. Prominent citizens will play as their grandfathers played, not in silk shirts, and well tailored! flannels, but in respectable frock coate,_ baggy shopherd's plaid! trousers, chimney-pot belltoppers, and loosely-tied black stocks round cheek-warmer collars. This was the dress of the young bucks and blades of seventy or eighty years ago, and if it does not fit in with the ex- , quisite of the present day it will reveal the difficulties -und.or which pur honoured forbears played! the national game. It should be mentioned, inter alia, that in tho brave days of old it was considered quite improper to shave clean, and every oricketer worthy of the name, if he did not boast a full beard, at best cultivated an elegant ■ pair of whiskers a la Lord Dundreary. This should not bo overlooked by those picked to play at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday next. The possibility of Harry Lauder appearing on the legitimate stage has Ijeen canvassed considerably in theatrical circles of late. Since Lauder's aj>pearance in London ae Geordie Paw in Graham Moffatt's comedy, "A Scrape o' th' Pen," the comedian has been charged with an ambition to shine in the sort of character play in which his friend Mr. Moffatt-so successfully specialises. It is whispered, at any rate, that Lauder has thought out the plot of a play based on his own experience in Scotland during hie boyhood and early manhood Recently Lauder was alleged to be putting the final touches on the work, and the chance of hia trying it on tho English public after his return fr6m Australia was rogarded as far fronHmprobahle. Nothing definite is known yet, however, hut Lauder may be expected to make some interesting announcement on the subject ere he departs from New Zealand. : The Finance Committee recommended to the Christehurch CityVCouncil on Monday night that the Sunday evening organ recitals for the present season he abandoned after September 30 (says tho "Press"). The Council was now losing, on the average, about £10 for each recital. The committee added that it was publicly announced that patrons of the dress circle were expected to contribute sixpence. In spite of. that, many expected a seat in the dress circle for threepence. Under .those ciroumstances the committee were of opinion that the recitals were not properly appreciated, and considered that the bulk of tho ratepayers should not be taxed to provide organ recitals for persons who could not seo their way to contribute more than threepence for a seat in the dress circle. After discussion the report was referred to tho Organ Committee, no action to be taken till the committee reported..