LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 59, 3 December 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Pacific Cable I.Vmrd tins notified that heavy Iriiffie is eougeslio? 'liveable rout's. T'lio estimated delay Homewards is llfi to -IS hours, and outwards from the United Kingdom between three and four days.

Or. Allan Thomson, Director of the Dominion Museum, .states thai: an interestiult addition to the museum's mechanical trophies is a number of watches of different eras, showing the development' of the works over a considerable period of time. These watches have been forwarded to Wellington by the authorities of the Victoria and Albert Museum, who finding that they had a number of duplicates were distributing them amongst other museums in various parts of the J-.moire. Au expert watchmaker, with a, knowledge of the evolution or the watch, is examining the gift, with a view to something approaching a correct .classification of tho watches. "Five pounds for a shilling!" "Six pounds for a shilling!" are 'the labels lurched on sacks of new potatoes at vendors' doors this week. This sudden reduction from Id. per lb. had its explanation in the arrival on the Wellington market of bis supplies, said to have been dug hurriedly after the recent late I'rost. In addition there have been heavy supplies ol" the product, of Pukekohe. where record crops have been taken this year, and tho quality is bottcr than ever. On top of these supplies come a line of some hundreds of sacks of "t'p-lc-Dates" from the South Island. This should have been Oispatchcd to Sydtiev last week, but something happened' lo detain them, and so the Wellington public benefits. The stocks that- are in, hand, with those thai will arrive in the ordinary course of business during the next three weeks, are ixpccled to keep potatoes at a reasonable price oyer (Ihi-istrans.

The T.alxitif DsHnrlm-Wi Ins let a contract lo Mr .1 for Iho creel ion of the cnc.'cio r-i'; uon of si>'. dwellings at Miramar. The buildini; sites are all odious iron tins: tlie. coif links. Mr. Kavanauh imnioscs lo use solid concrete bluolis Icuidc.d at the horizontal joints with expanded metal. The Department has; therefore, adopted no fewer than three concrelfr couslruclion svstems for (lie execution of its building pro'n'iimmc iii Wellington; for <j(her contractors at Miramar arc a I read v Using the moiioltlhi'' system, arid the svslem of building block walls with air iiivity. It will be. ■iiilcrcstins-to learn later how the svsiems ci-mpare ill e(ticieitcy and cheapness.

A Press Association tcli-giv.ui from Auckland slates that Hie Northern C'oni. pany's Reamers lone resumed ru'nniiisr. Aiiangcinfuls have been made for a coniVreucc to be held on December .!"> to bottle the dispute.

A Cress Association telegram from Urn-mouth slates that, the county byelection rusii I led in llr. W. J. .Ilannan, :-on of the late Mr. M. Hannan, elected to the seat formerly hold by bis lather.

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce B!ir<;rsted to the Mini.-ler of .Railways recently that as a number ■ of ; business establishments had adopted tup practice of closing at 5,:(0 p.m., some adjustment should be niado in the suburban trains at present running. or else extra (rains should bu put on to enable (<mployces to reach their homes within a reasonable time after the close of their working hours. The General Mauagei-.of Railways has written informing tho chamber . that arrangements have been made lo provide an additional tram, to leave Lambtoil at about 5.15 p.m., for Lower Hutfc.

The Hospital authorities yasterday reported an Jiiiprovemeilt in the condition of Mrs. Clausen, who was knocked down by a jiiotor-ear in Customhouse Quay on Saturday evening.

Six new postage stamps, commemorating the victory of the Allies and tne comiii" of peace, will be issued by the }icw Zealand Post and Telegraph Department shoitlv. The halfpenny stamp is green, and represents a recumbent lion, upon which is silling a figure emblematic of peace, while the penny is a carmine, with the same hvo standing. The Ud. stamp is a light brown, a,ml' has .'tlie tattooed head of a Maori on .the right half and fern fronds on the left' On the ad. stamp which is dark brown, the lion again appears in a recumbent attitude, but this time tlw female figure is absent, and liiio rays of the rising sun are in the background. The (id. stamp has a device representing the .Angel of Peace with outspread wings. On til? Is. stamp, which is orange, is tho King's head, flanked by lieads of lions, with Maori' carvings ill the toy corner. All tilie new stamps are double tho size of the present issue.

The meaning of the word "elocution" was discussed at a meeting'of the Board of Governors of the Auckland Grammar 'Schools last week. Th; question aroso in connection with the granting of rending prizes at the schools, and it was suggested (says tilie "Star") "that the prizes be known as "elocution prizes." Professor Thomas condemned, the word as being more or less of a new borrowing, and Mr. CI. AV. Murray stated that it comprised declamation only. M:s. Baumo and Mr. Stanton, however, contended that it covered all the branches of reading, recitation, and in general dramatic art. Dr. Heckie clinched the argument by stating that it was "a generally accepted word.' 4 It wa-s finally decided to giant the prizes, aud to confer with tlio principals of the schools as to their nomination.

His Ilonour Ihe Chief Justice (Sir Pobert Stout) will hoar a. number of undefended divorce petitions to-day. and for this purpose the Court will sit at 9.30 a.m.

The claims of the Municipal milk station employees for better conditions mid more wanes. which wore recently tentatively considered and agreed to before, the Conciliation Commissioner, were endorsed bv 1 lie City Council at a special meeting held yesterday afternoon

A man named Allen Shaw, who was employed in Tumbull and .lonos's workshops. fell down a ladder yesterday and injured his spine, lit: was removed to tho Hospital. Last night iie was reported to be somewhat easier lliau when he was admitted at: noon.

During the past three or four years it lias been a common sight un the Wellington waterfront to see long queues of earis and motor lorries laden with merchandise for delivery to coastal steamers. The

"waiting" time charged by carters, which has thus been entailed, lias been a heavy tax 011 sliippcvs. A. c.omimUeo nf the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was set un to investigate the mailer, and to endeavour to find some method of reducing the inconvenience mid expense which were entailed under Ihe present arrangements. Conferences have been held with the Harbour Hoard and the slapping companies. The trouble has been due to several causes. One has been the lack of adequate shed accommodation on Wellington wharves, and an other the shortage pt' shipping available. Arangemeiits have now been made whereby, in cases where there i.s likely to bo congestion, -shippers may. al'lcr arrangements with the .Harbour lioaid and shipping companies, delivery oargo intaallarIxiiir Board shod for shipment, by a specific .steamer, and this cargo will he given preference of shipment over other town cargo. At Monday's mcrting of Ilie Wellington Chamber of Commerce lha Wellington Harbour Hoard submitted a furin of receipt, which the board is lo i=sue to shippers for good; su received. The Harbour Hoard will take delivery/ of tliis cargo under l!y-law .\ T o. ill), and has recently amended the charges under Ills by-law' lo cover 1 lie additional service thus performed. It is believed that, shippers will prefer to pay ike additional charge ratiier than incur Ihe expensive waiting charges which m r"cent years have had to be paid lo carters. It is realised that: the arrangements made will not entirety eliminate the congestion which at present obtains. There is no likelihood of this happening until more shed accommodation is available, and a greater number ol steamers vire engaged in the coastal service, but it is hoped I hat willi Die co-operation of the Harbour Hoard and the local shipping companies, many of the existing disabilities will bo removed.

The Nmv Zealand' Natives' iUs.o-jiiition Band will piny at Oriental Bay at t o'clock to-night.

It is understood (hat i!;o (Start of Arbitration will hear m Ulirisfchurch, about December S, .'urliicr evidence reRnrdinc tho application of the New Zealand Typographical JV-dfi;iTlon for au amendment of tlio award. which expires next March. The Ouit left Wcllins'on for the south on Holiday night.

A meeting of residents of Horliamporo for the purpose of deciding on a .suitable memorial lo the fallen soldiers of lin district was held at the Masonic ll.ill, Jierhampore, last evening, Major Malhieson Dresidinz. Owing to the wet; v.ealh-er-there was not a very targe gathering, and after a short discussion it was deemed to adjourn (lie meeting until alter the. New Year. ,\ proposal by Mr. A. A. Whilelaw to affirm the principle of a memorial in the form of an olxrlislc lo bo erected if possible in the Wakefield Park was negatived on the ground that the meeting was not sufficiently lepresenf.itive.

At Hie present' lime, when there is such an aeiintion for concrete roads, it is of interest to recall the fad that this is the centenary of tho pioneer of modern roadmaking. .lolin Louooun .M'Ailam, a Scottish emrineer. Jjt was he who introduced the svstem now known as "macadamised" roads, lie was voted .£lo,Will and offered a knighthood, He. however, declined the honour of putting "Sir" before his name. A Jfoads Congress is now being held in London In oi.-citss (lie important question of highway construction airl maintenance.

Pverv sea'; was occupied at the Tivoli mission service on Sunday night. says an Auckland paper, when the Dev. A. A. Murray resumed his work absent for two Sundays attending tho (icneral Assembly meetings at Jnvercargill. where the recent: dispute between the Auckland Presbytery and himself if*caroin? the onestion of baptism was considered. When Mr. Murray sol up to address the meeting he said lie had many thins? on his mind, and he would bo glad to make an explanation before ho commenced his sermon. TJe was surprised that, considering he was a true member of the Presbyterian ministry, 1"! l minister and elders of the Assembly had voted the wav they had against him. lie was obeving the Divine command regavdim: baptism, and yet tlie.v had tolerated the circulation of a booklet which said that Moses was not the author of (lie Pentateuch, and which denied a onotation, in the New Testament thai he was. ile also impeached the professors at Knox College for leaching Mint onrinsr His eaithlv (areer fhri.-t was mora human than Divine. 11 • condemned stronglv ,i .bonlr which had received iiuthoritv .from Hie Assembly to be circa lain! amongst. members of liilde ela.-scs which. in his opinion. \vas'full of pernicious teaching. and wliich lorlmde ill tor the future o£ the Cl'-.ui'ch. llesrardincr his own easn b» had been marvellously helped Ijv. bis uingrej-nlion .rlurinjr tlio critical slaees of his -asr. and had felt Ilieir nower while lie Wiis hundiT'is of utiles' a wav al; Jnverenrcill. Ije I wired nothing. for he was net ins :irsiccordnnm with ibid's word, and if rh.al. were so r.o power could prevail against him, all inimail aieiiev would eritmble e.uay liefore the Diviner teaching.

A Hue-lance on the part nf inmates of Hip l'akaloa islrtiul institution In ln'isiur as electors wns rii«i-ovcvprt by a parly ciinvn-s'iT. who last week visited the vanoiw nlaces of abode in the Ilauraki • The authorities were willing to allow file women -facilities for being enrolled, but. I hero was a senenal oisinclinalmit among f.hcm to ill are their names on the roll m viVw.nf the fact that their address would iiDiH'iti' as Pakatoa, pulolic knawledßo of which tliev sought to avoid. Similar line feelinu's were, however, not. so observant at Koto lion, m the case of male inebriates.