LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2354, 9 January 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the s.s. _Wimniera, which sailed from Melbourne on January o, is bringing mails only, and is due on Sunday night. The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Atua, from Sydney to Auckland, carrios Australian mails only, the Wellington portion of which is duo per Mam Trunk express on Tuesday next. "As showing the way the Massey Government has murdered the State Fire Office," said Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, who lias been administering tho Insurance Department, "i have just received advice that tho profit for the financial year closing Decembor 31 last discloses a magnificent record—a profit of £17,500 for the- year, or £2000 more than last year. Each succeeding year under our administration tho profits of tho office have gono up by leaps and bounds."

The annual conference of the Now Zealand United Master Bakers' Industrial Association of Employors will open in Christchurch on Tuesday next. It will be attended by representatives of affiliated master bakers'' unions throughout Now Zealand. Mr. A. Raven, president of tlio Wellington Union, and Mr. Hart Langdon aro tho dolegntcs solected to represent Wellington. Thoy lcavo for tho south on Monday next.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. J. Allen) has appointed Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, of the Native schools branch of tho Department, as tho first toachers in the Cook Islands under tho new schomo, and they leave- for Rnratonga at the end of tho month. Moro teachers will bo sent when tho necessary arrangements with tho natives for tho transfer of lands and buildings havo been carried out.

Mr. Bennett, manager of tho Now Zealand Shipping Company at Christchurch, states that his firm ha 6 amplo space for January and February shipments of dairy produco and meat, but it is impossiblo to givo nn assurance after those months. The loss of tho Kaipara and tho delay in insulated vessels building may cause a shortago in March.—Press Association.

Timarit bakers yesterday received notice from the millers that tho prico of flour is to bo increased £2 or £3.— gross Association.

Although it has already been announced that Mr. Duthie, of Dunedin, secured a majority of votes at tho meeting ro tho Employers' representative on tho Arbitration Court, held on Thursday, wo aro given to understand that Mr. B. I. Clarke, of Auokland, will be duly nominated, and should command a largo amount of support, especially from unions connected with the building industry and kindred trades. Tho Press Association has received tho folio ving tologram from Manapouri; —"Mr. M. Bevan Brown, of Wanganui, and Jack Murroll, guide, mado tho first ascont of tho second highest peak, in Cathedral Kango on Thursday, climbing by the direct route up tho southern face." Thursday morning's ferry Bteamer, to Wellington brought a considerable number of rinforcements from the Canterbury district for Trentham. The numbers were: 45 from Christchurch, 40 from Timaru, and 4 from Itangiroa. They are a really good lot of men. The final lot of Canterbury's quota for the Fourth Reinforcements will bo sent forward in a week's time. A few volunteers are already in Lrnd for this batch. During the midsummer vacation a groat deal of renovating work is being done at tho Clyde Quay School. During the twonty-six years of the whobl's existence the continual tramping, of children —many of whom have since grown to manhood—had worn the wooden steps dangerously thin, and these are being replaced with stout jarrah stops, which should serve for the children now coming on and thousands yet unborn. Within the boards of the passageways had been worn down to Buch an extent that the nail-heads were apt to trip anyone unacquainted with the floors. The school roof has recently been repaired and repainted, and the whole of the interior is to be repainted before the children reassemble at the end of the month.

Local bowlers will be interested in a case heard in the Reef ton Magistrate's Court recently, in which the Reefton Bowling Club olaimed £4 4s. from an ex-meniber for two years' fees alleged to be due. The secretary of the crab stated that defendant had given notice that ho wished to discontinue his membership. /'Since that time he had not taken part in the club games. At the time, of his resignation defendant waß not in arrears. Witnesß looked upon the verbal resignation received from defendant as sufficient, for many others had left the club without written notice. Names of members who had resigned were often left on the club's books, the idea being that they might be induced to reconsider their decision and become active members once more. The only day that he remembered seeing.defendant on the ground after his resignation was on the opening day. Defendant, in his evidence, admitted being on the ground on the opening day. He attributed the case to petty spite. He had not been on speaking terms with one of the members of the club,. and rather than play bowls with him he had resigned from the club two seasons ago. He (defendant) had written to the president of the club offering to meet the committee with a view to settling. the matter. He had maintained that no question could be settled that was not settled morally right. He did not object to defeat on any field of sport, and he considered that there was no need to resort to'law in the present case. The presiding Justices gave judgment for £2 25., stating that the resignation should have been in writing. A rehearing will probably be applied for.

Several valuable additions have, been made to the Lower Hutt Public Library as the result of a gift by Mr. H. E. Leighton. : The collection of works presented by Mr. Leighton" comprises the following:—Thirty-two volumes of "Engineering," covering the period from January, 1866, to December, 1882; two volumes of "Specifications and Patents," 1861 to 1878; six volumes of Spon's "Dictionary of Engineering," two, volumes by Couche on "Technical Working of Railways, Permanent Ways, and Rolling Stock," and a volume of "Victorian Railway Reports," 1856 to 1864, by Andrew Clarke.

The Department of Labour is at present collecting statistics regarding the membership of industrial unions throughout New Zealand. The secretary of.the Department has forwarded to union secretaries forms to be filled in, and what amounts to an industrial unions census is now in progress. No person who is one year in arrears of 'dues may be included in the roll. The figures asked for are those on the unions' books on December 31, and the last day for sending in the returns is January 31. Last year's census of workers' unions showed a total membership of 71,544, .whioh represents a 10,000 increase on 1912, but it is not expected that the 1914 figures will be as high as those for 1913, because in 1913 new unions were formed at about strike time ; and some unionists were counted twice—in the new and the old bodies.-

The present condition of the Waikato River is affording anglers excellent sport, and good bags of trout are being obtained from practically its source, Taupo to Ngaruawahia. Reports indicate that the fish are plentiful and in splendid condition. It is to be regretted (says the Auckland "Star") that some serious attempt is not being made to lessen the number of shags, as there is every indication that these voracious cormorants consume a large amount of that, imported trout food, the, koura (fresh-water crayfish).

When visited by the police at Oamaru a few days ago, a woman was innocently carrying a ipade. Investigation on lines of action deduced from this fact revealed twenty-three bottles of whisky in the cool mould under a comer of the houso (says the "Mail"). Traces of tho interment had been kj skilfully removed that hut for the presence of the spade tho haul might not have been made. Tho whiskey represented tho contents of two cases, ono bottle,' the fate of which is unknown, being missing. The collar, is now empty, but it is probablo that the woman will shortly bo required to account for having laid in such a largo stock of Now Year cheer.

A meeting of the oxeoutive of the Island Bay section of tho National Reserve was held on Thursday evening at tho residence of tho chairman, Mr. A. T. Wells. It was announced that tho enrolment up to dato for the Island Bay section alone was approaching 100. It was decided to thoroughly canvas tho bay, a comprehensive scheme was dratted, and members willingly volunteered to take on the work of canvassing. Tho exocutivo has beon advised that the Dofenco Department is preparing amended regulations in connection with tho scheme for a National Bosorve, and immediately on receipt of this active.' operations will commence.

A smart man with a glass eyo very nearly got past tho Defence authorities tho other day (says tho ''Otago Daily Times"). I" ovory other way an ollgfblo candidato, ho was sent up for medical examination, jmd ccmo into tho hands of tho sight-testers. 'Tut your hand ovor your left eyo and road this," said tho oxaminor, exhibiting a placard at a distance. Tim would-be recruit put iiis hand to his sightless ove, and read glibly with tho' sound member. "Cover your right eye and read it," tho ox(iminor than ordered, repenting tho performance. Tho man coolly lifted his right hand and placed it, not over his right oye, but again over tho artificial optic, and read tho chart again. So coolly was the thing done- that tho examiner had nearly passed him when ho noticed that tho same eyo had been covered twice. A third trial was given, care being taken to 'ensure that the sound ove was covered this time, and, tho optic, whatever . its appearance might have been, proved quite unequal to tho task of reading So a Keen reomit was lost to 'tho colours.

A party of eight, consisting of Dm Hector and Kemp, and Messrs. Donnell, Hansen, Gibbs, Robertson, and Whiteman, with (J. Phillips as guide, left Upper Hutt at the New Year with the intention of crossing Mount Hector. Kaitoko WB6 reached by train at 8.30 a.m. Crossing the Pukeritaihi, the party climbed a spur and descendtd tho Hutt River to the Forks. After an hour's spell, a blazed track up Coin was.followed until 7.30 p.m. Cantp was pitched in low scrub about one hour's climb from the top. An early start was made noxt day, proceeding across Coin to Alpha. Unfortunately the weather changed and got worse, a cold wind being accompanied by dense cloud and mißt. It was decided, on reaching the top of Alpha (4500 feet), not to proceed to Hector, hut to descend via, Omega to the Tauherenikau Valley, and back to Kaitoke. Camp was pitched at 6 p.m. in the 6u6h by the river. The day following a tramp of four hours down-stream brought the party to the Government Hut. The beauties of the ' valley made up in great measure for . the disappointment of not '• getting ' through to Otaki. The few hours amongst such scenery was, according to one of the party, worth a three days'' tramp. Kaitoke was reached about 5 p.m ; on the third day. A local committee is being formed to popularise this route. Its first object is to have a cut track made from Kaitoko to the Forks, and thence to Coin. When this is done the top of Coin will be within 12 .hours' comfortable travelling from Wellington. Dull humid weather, quite the reverse of what Wellington usually experiences in January, continues to keep everyone in a state of doubt as to its ultimate intentions. Rolling mißts swathe the mountain ridges on either Bide of the City, and the northern end of the harbour could not'he Eean throughout the whole of yesterday. The air, wmoh la i very warm, is distinctly damp, and everything one touches has a clammy, feeling. These conditions have now prevaSed since Tuesday last, and ff change is well overdue.