LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 290, 1 September 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Cabinet has voted .tSOO as part of t:ho cost uf sending a learn of rille club men to Australia,

The bankruptcy returns show that during the past month two petitions were iiled in Wellington, the samo number as in August, 1919. For the eight months ended yesterday, there were six bankruptcies registered in Wellington, as compared with seven in the corresponding period of last year.

A somewhat remarkable fact is disclosed by the vital statistics for Wellington for tho month ended yesterday. Of the 122 deaths recorded, 09—mora tliau half—were of persons varying from 50 to 00 years of age. Quito a number ol" the deceased woro moro than 80 years old.

Unusual interest attached to tho voyages from Panama by the Ayrshire and Suffolk, which arrived at Auckland on Sunday, owing to tho fact that the two vessels left the canal port within 40 minutes of one another, tho Ayrshire having the start. The two steamers kept fairly near to one another .during the voyago and exchanged messages by wirelew daily. The Suffolk called at Pitcairn Island to land mails, which delayed her about an hour. Tho Ayrshire, on tho other hand, had a slight mishap to her machinery and had to slow down for about six horn's. Despite this delay, however, the Ayrshiro was able to reach Auckland about four hours ahoijd of the Suffolk, anchoring in the stream at 7.30 a.m. Both vessels experienced very heavy weather during the last four days of their trip. The Ayrshire also encountered an electrical storm of exceptional severity, lasting for six hours after leaving Newport News.—'"New Zealand Herald."

The Minister of Education was asked in the House of Kepresentatives yesterday by Mr. R. A. Wright whether any progress had been made in tilie direction of acquiring two acres of land for the extension of tho playground of the Berhampore School, tho land, having been for some t.me under offer to_ the Education Department. The Minister said tharJ Cabinet had dealt with the matter last week. He had made a proposal to tho board to tho effect that the Department should find money for the purchase of one acre and flhe board should find the purchase money for tho other acre. He thought that when the honourable member learned all about the proposal he would agree- that it was upon a reasonable basfs.

The "Famous Balfour Declaration" pledging the British Government's, support for a Jewish national home for tho Jewish people in Palestine, which has since been included in tho Turksh Peace Treaty at San Itemo, will be discussed by llr. Israel Cohfen, B.A. (London 1 ), ft'j the Town Hall next Sunday night. Tho Prime Minister (Mr. Massey), Sir Robert Stout, the non. W. D. S. Mac Donald, M.P., and Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., vSll also speak. The meeting will be presided over by His Worship tlio Mayor.

The late Mr. Melchior Winter, of Christchurch, wlio v died on Saturday last at the age of 102, attributed his length of years to the hardening ho got during the three years h° served in tho Navy as a younh and to his training as a singer. Mr. Winter gave hia first concert in this country at tho Choral Hall, Auckland, as far back as October, 18G9, ill tho presence of Sir George Bowen (then Governor) and tho officers of the ISth Regiment. He sang arl the Melbourne .Exhibition itn 1872 and tho Sydney Exhibition in 1879, aim later was associated with tho Kell.v and Leon Opera Company and 'a William son, Garnpr and "Mu'sgrove Opera Company in 1882.

In connection with tho proposed visit of the New South Wales tennis team, correspondence from Mr. M. Henry Marsh, Sydney, regarding a suggestion mado by him" aflmfc -ha was prepared to arrange for a Now South Wales team to come to New Zealand at tho end of this year, was read at tho last meeting of the New Zealand Tennis Assoc'ation. It was decided to aqcen-j the offer.

Yesterday afternoon a large _ deputation, representative of ljoth city mid suburbs, waited upon Mr. W. J. Gaudin. with a request n-.hat ho should allow himself to be nominated for election to tho vacancy in the City Council. Mr. J. P. Sliand, in pressing tho request of tho deputation, mentioned ithat the city required 'the help of such mc-n as Mr. Gaudin, whoso enterprise and ability wcro so well known. Others spoke in the same strnin, and said Mr. Gaudin could rely upon tho support of a majority in tho outlying suburbs. The deputation consisted of Messrs. Leigh Hunt, J. P, Sliand. J.P.. F. C'astles, J.Pi, A. D. Bayfield, I/. George. G. D. Ayson, J. 11. Carter. H. H. Miller. 'I'. O'Brien, Searle. Sims, N'cholls. J. H Farnuhar, A. .Tensen. J. O. Shorlaud, Ti. Janson. and F. A. Vmighnn. Mr. Gaudin said he had not intended offering himself at this juncture, but felt he must qri'vo way to such a representative number, and give his consent. The depu'htiou formed itself into a working committee to secure Mr. Gandhi's return, and Mr. Shand was appointed convener and Mr. Yaughan secretary.

Mr. Peroival R! Waddy, 8.A., LL.B., has passed the test in New Zealand statute law which will enable liitn, its an advocate of tho Supremo Court of South Africa, to be admitted' as a bar rister of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Mr. Waddy .stfvcd with the Imperial Forces during the Boer Wav in South Africa, and acted, in its Inter stages, as Deputy-Administrator of .Martial Law at Stutterheini, Uastern I'm viace, Capo Colony, and was subsequently admitted / to the Bar in Pretoria ill 1903. He was at one time nrivttic sunntary to the late Sir Arthur .Guinness, :md joined the N.Z.Er.F. in 1915. Ho is at present record clprk to the vocation otti ccr (Captain M.iS. Galloway. M.C.). in Wellington .

Some Masterton residents having t>enu under the impression that tho land betweeu Featherston and Martinboronsn would not feed a goat, Mr. Colonuiu Phillips informs us that 14.000 fat bullocks were taken off the Lower Wairarn,,. Valley last year by the meat companion. This, country tho Waiuui rail deviation would directly opon up, there iwinii a shallow ford way right hcross the lain; often ridden by horsemen, from Mr Matthews's homestead towards Pirinon, along which a slijlit embankment would enable tho railway to bo extended inwards Martinborongh, and so piercing all tho rich lands Given the Waiuui rail deviation eight to ten thousand 1 nnws could easily replace these M.OUO bullocks and the eity milk supply provided for permanently. Mr. Phillips ako states that not. a single fat bullock , could be lifted olf the proposed Hutt-Pakuralahi-Wondside deviation.

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) is extremely gratified at the result of Minima r's .decision to amalgamate with i-.iik city. Two years ago lie had warmly advocated tho extension of tho metropolitan aria to includo Onslow. Earori. anil Miramar. and his dream of a comprelmiisive yet compact city area was now within measurable distance of realisation. With the borough depending on the city for its. water and trams, he had'long held tliaf. it was only a matter of tiruo when tho residents of Miramar would realise that it was to their aclvantago to l throw in their lot with the big city which bud such, a bright future in prospect. Mr. Luke said lie was gratified, ton. that,the city should have extended its boundaries bo widely during his term as Mayor.

.Excavation and concrete works in tfie Arthur's Pass tuuncl are at present proceeding satisfactorily, according to statements made by C'lirlsCcTuirch officials of tlie Public Works Department on Saturday. There are still forty-two chains In line, and tho rate of progress is one chain a week.

As the result of a typographical error, a sentence in our leading article yesterday slated that, following on the establishment of a Forest Sen-ice in British Columbia, "forest reserves" increased more than three-fold in a pp.riod of cigbt years As was fairly obvious from the contest, it was forest revenue which increased to the extent stated.

At. n special meeting of the committee of the Wellington Unitarian Church on Monday evening, a communication was received from tho Rev. G. Ernest Hale, resigning tho pastorate of the church, to which ho was appointed in Juno, 1914. Ho has accepted a call to the principal Unitarian Christian Church, Adelaide, and will leave Wellington at the end of the year. Tho resignation was accepted with mncoro regret,

Mr. Rudyard Kipling, in July received Ihe honorary degree of LL.D.'from I lie University of Edinburgh, lie was in (lie best of spirits, and declared himself lo ho "much bucked up" by tho honour lie received. Ati a <!inner given by the University to its honorary gradual** : '^ r ' Kipling proposed the toast of .the University 1 of Edinburgh." He said that the experience of a 'University education had been denied him. He had to earn his bread before ho was of an age to be admitted ns a scholar anywhere. He came early, however, to realise how universally the spirit of their 'and was permeated with the instinct of reverence for learning, and how buckled about and_ fenced it was with that justifiable self-respect that, came cf learning hardly acquired. He likened the great buildings of the University to one of a great chain of well-devised Border fortresses and keeps of learning which, for generation after generation, hart trained and equipped Ihe Scot, for his capturo and conquest cf (lie world in almost, every delail of the world's development and administration.

On July 23 the American Constil-Gen-eral, Auckland, advised the Prime Minister that, acting under instructions from Washington, all passengers travelling in steamers calling at the port of Honolulu were required to carry passports that had been vised by an American consular officer. The Secretary of State for the Colonics was immediately advised of the position and informed that the New inland Government was strongly of oninion that passengers by British, steamers for Vancouver should not be required to have their passports vised unless they desired to go ashore at Honolulu Advice has now been received by the Prime Minister from til" American Consul-General lit Auckland that he lias received instructions from Washington that in future passengers travelling on steamers calling at American ports need not have tVrir passports vised unless they actually disembark in American territory.

There has been a strong and growins movement lately among tli© clerks of Dnnetlin as "well as elsewhere towards organising themselves into a society that would effectively express their views and protect their interests. A clerks' union has already been formed, and its initial dispute will come before the Conciliation Council on Friday next.—"Otago Daily Times."

Touching, in his report, on the establishment of a Forest School, the Director of Forestry (Captain Ellis) recommends that at the outset an appropriation of /•3000 per annum should he made for niis purpose. The appointment of a professor of forestry and an assistant professor, he considers, should provide ample facilities for the graduation of five to seven forest technicians, and ten to fifteen forest rangers per annum. At n later date, when trained forest officers are available to carry out instruction, the Hanger School might be moved from Chiistcluireh, (the site the Director recommends for the Forest School) to the West. Coast of the South Island, and. a second Hanger School might be established in the North Island. Captain Ellis is of the opinion, however, that during the next five years all forest education might bo carried out at a single centre.

It is reported that a delay has occurred in connection with the work of opening the coal mine discovered on tlio Surrey Hills, above Cavendish. Hie recent wet weather caused. a portion of the drive to cave in, and this lias now been cleared away. A visit and report from the Government inspector as to the extent of the field and the quality of the coal, is now being awaited,—"Lyttelton Times."

A pnrt.V of Christchurch business men, conducted by Mr. P. R. Climie, organiser of the Canterbury Progress League, in the past fortnight, hav£ made a eomprelicnsivo tour of the West Coast, and returned to Canterbury on A strenuous itinerary was carried out without a hitch, the narty coverjiiflf close upon 1000 miles by rail and motor. Although a report has not been prepared for submission to any of the bodies interested, members generally ,vere unanimous that the three urgent necessities of the Coast were the early completion of the Otira Tunnel, the completion of the Duller Gorge railway, and the bridging of the South Westlaml rivers. Oil all sides, says the Christchurch "Sun, the visitors were wtarmly welcomed, and many lending public men expressed the liope that the mission would be followed bv similar parties of business nwn and that a closer union would be formed between the two provinces. Every opportunity was taken to investigate the resources of the district, and the .scenic beautios of the Coast, ©specially of South Wcstlnnd, were indelibly impressed upon tlio visitors.