LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 247, 13 July 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is understood that the value of the estate left by the late Mrs. M. A. Wit lTnms exceeded a quarter of a million sterling. Saturday was the eighth anuiversarj of the assumption of office as Prime luinister by Mr. Massey. The Mackenzie Government, which was sworn in on March 28, 1912, was defeated in the House on July li on a no-confidence motion moved by Mr. Massey as the Leader of the Opposition, the voting being 41 to 33. The National Government was sworn in on August G, 1015, and it remained in office until August of last year, when its administration was terminated by the withdrawal of Sir Joseph Ward and his Liberal colleagues. With the exception of the late Mr. Seddon's record term of 13 years' premiership, Mr. Massey lias held the reins of office longer than the head of any other New Zealand Ministry. Before Mr. B. W. Short, J.P., at a sittin" of the Petone Court yesterday, a man named Henri Hirt appeared on a charge of stealing £V> from the Bellevue Hotel, Lower Hntt. on Friday, and was remanded until July 20. Petone, in common with other boroughs in the Dominion, has suffered severely from tho coal shortage. The manager of the Petono Gasworks (Mr. n Appleynrd) reported to tho Borough Council last night that tho month of June had been tho worst yet experienced. Every week the stocks had been so depleted that there was sufficient only to tide over hire /week-end when further supplies had come to hand. Out of one shipment from which thev were allocated 100 tons, only 30 ton's came to hand, the reason given by the Coal Trade Committee being shortage of trucks. The 30 tons were exhausted by noon on Friday, June 18, and. hurried arrangements had to b« mado with Munt, Cottrell, of Wellington, to bring supplies., from the State Coal Depot, and four" vehicles' bad to be kept going all day on the Saturday to bring sufficient for the noeds over tho week-end. Tho position seemed to bo getting worse each week, and all representations • for more even supplies were of no avail, and that, together with tho shortage for household requirements and the consequent increased demand.for gas, made it very difficult to keep un with the consumption. Any Newcastle coal available, of which certain quantities were taken, was of very high price, and the indications were that they would have to pay still higher prices for any future lots. "The man in the Public Service is there for a lifetime if he can do his job—and even if ho can't do his job he is there for a lifetime," said the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Coate9) when replying to a deputation yesterday. "That is the position in the Government service, right or wrong." Tho Minister had been arguing that employ, ment in a Government Department had advantages over temporary employment in civii life. If a letter is addressed to Palinerston, the Postal officials duly forward it to the post office of that name in Otngo. Tho consequence is that business men who address letters to Palmerston and mean them to reach Palmerston North often complain of delay on the part of an entirely innocent public service. Wellington firms, it is alleged, aro particularly careless about observing tho distinction between "Palmerston" and "Palmerston North"; though they receive through the Press periodical reminders to avoid the error. "Land training is one of the most essential things in training for rowing," said Mr. W. Shilling at last night's annual meeting of tho Wellington Rowing Club. "New members win never become oarsmen without Innd training— at least, they'll never get good form.' The election of a mombor of the Wnitaki High School Board Governors to represent tho parents of pupils resulted in tho return of Mr. A. E. Lawrence, editor of the "North Otngo Times," who scored a majority over two other candidate*.— Press Assn. Mr, D. M'Kon&io, chairman of tho Petone District High School Committee, hns addressed tho following letter to tho secretarv of tho Wellington Education Board, Mr. G. L. Stewart :- ,r Mny I suggest that before they discuss the motion of which nolico has been given by Mr. T. Forsyth, members of tho board visit the sites under review, namely: Percy's, Buick's, Wilford's, nnd.Woburn, Only two members, Messrs. Forsyth and Risiiworth, have seen the sites in question. A visit to tho groutids would only bo an act of common justice to' our school children. I should liko to be present along with the members if they, decide to make an inspection,"

The Eastern Extension Company lias notified the .General Host Office as follows: "Our main cablo routes are now restored. Please cense diverting Eastern traffic to United Kingdom." Thero was quite a tingo of romance aliout a ease which came before the Chief Justice (Sir ltobert Stout) in Chambers yesterday. A young woman, need nineteen years, petitioned through Mr. A. B. Siovwrigut.for tho consent ol the Court to her marriage with her (iance. Tho petitioner was under ago, and her parents objected to her proposed marriage. In asking the Court to grant tho petition, Mr. Sievwright said that there was no impediment ol any kind bo tho marriage, «soept.injj the unreasonable objections of the lady'fi parents. The young man. in the cose was desirous of marrying the young lady. On the score that there »ns mi valid reason for which tho Court should not override tho objections of the fair petitioner's parents, the Chief Justice inado an order granting tho necessary authority for tho marriage to take place. At the annual mcetingof tide club competitors, held at Trentham on the occasion of tho Rifle Championship Meeting in March last, a motion was passed, asking that the Dominion liiflc Association bo again placed on the pre-war basis, Tho 19H constitution was agreed upov as tho result of a conference between Goneral Headquarters and rifle- club representatives from overy military groni in Nw Zealand. However, in 1919, on resuming operations, the constitution was changed. The experiences since won the cause of the motion abovo-mentioned: Tho executive of the New Zealand Rifle Clubs conveyed the request to General Richardson. An answer has been received, acceding.to the proposition, with certain minor alterations. This will give much satisfaction to tho many competitors, as tho D.R.A. will again havo n clearly defined executive committee ot enthusiasts. Improvements and progress should result. The rillo club representatives on the executive for tho ensuine season are:—Chairman of Now Zealand Riflo Clubs' Executive, President H, Marshall, M.C. (Wellington), President Skelton (Auckland), Deputy-President King (Wairarapa), Presielent Masefield [Marlborough), President Shanks (Otago). Tho To Aro reclamation is rapidly beaming one vast timber yard. For some vears past the Odlin Company lias occupied a largo-block of land between the harbour front and the destructor. The Fletcher Construction Company took ,xp some of the Harbour Boards leases two or three years ago, ind to-day it bits largo timlwr yards and i factory on tho spot. Now tho Gervjrnment' has leased tho eastern part of •he old Te Aro railwav station yard in Wakefield Street to tho New Zealand Sawroillors' Agency Company, which baa timber in stack where the railway tracks ised to run. A house and land agent of twenty vears' standing in Wellington was yestcrlav asked whether there was any sensible diminution in tho demand for liouses' in the metropolitan area. If inythiiig, lie replied, tho demand was a ittlo- keener than it had been a year igo. "In previous booms—and I havo seen through two or three," he said, 'the amount paid on deposit was as i rule small, but at tho present time Hie small deposit is almost unknown; in ttost case.? it is cash over mortgage. That means much to a city. In other 'booms" a man could afford to pay town. .£SO bv way of deposit, pay the interest on tho rest for a.year or two, and then, when the slumrV came, allow the nortgagce to foreclose. But now peoile are buving for keeps-they are payng bi<r deposits which llioy cannot af. "ord to throw away, and tn#y sometimes nanago to pay the full price in cash. This is a very good thing for everyone, is it will to a very great extent prevent dumps in property. It shows, too, that icoplo are going in for permanent homes, which means a better city; for the man ivho owns the property ho lives, m will ook after it, while the casual tenant has not the same incentive to look after the nlaee. There has been no cessation or ■'ailing off in business during tho winter and I would not be at all surprised if the market is keener than ever in the coming spring." A land agent wrote to lash night's meeting of tho Lower .Hutt Borough Comi:il offering for salo at the price of £17,500 some '25 acres of land known <is Mason's Gardens. The Mayor (Mr. K V. Rißhworth!) considered that the counstl could not, in the present state of-its finances, make a purchase of such magnitude. The borough had a good recreation ground, he said, but tho Mason's Gardens site would servo more »s a pleasure ground for the Wellington public than for Hutt residents. Although the place was still beautiful it was not bo good as it used to lie. Most of the beautiful flora, which had beer, collected from all parts of the world and placed in the gardens by the lalo Mv. Thomas Mason, had disappeared. He moved the following motion: "That this council is of opinion that it would not be possible in any way to negotiate for the acquimg of Mason's Gardens. Councillor Macaskill seconded tho motion, which was carried. For some considerable timo past the condition of grounds Nos. 2 and 11 of the Petone "Recreation Ground after a s-pell of fairly wet weather has been tho cause of much comment and a certain amount of dissatisfaction. In some quarters the grounds have been referred to as "the pond," and on quito a number of Saturdays this season, although the ovalAas been used for football, the games on the other two grounds have had to be postponed. The matter of adequately draining these grounds has been taken up .by the Petone council, and at last nights meeting tho engineer (Mr. A. Cowie) reported that efforts wero being made to abate tho nuisance of the surface water. Pipes were being laid into the worst places and the hollows filled with a coating of sand. Although it was hoped that that would mend matters to some extent, the engineer doubted whether a satisfactory job could be made without raising the ground.