NEW ZEALAND CYCLISTS' ALLIANCE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10215, 10 December 1898, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND CYCLISTS' ALLIANCE.

Our Auckland correspondent. telegraphs:—The Auckland A.A. and C.C. have sent a protest to the secretary of the New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance against the resolution disbanding that body, oh the ground that such is illegal while there are" clubs against it and prepared to remain affiliated. CABINET BUSINESS. The Cabinet next week will make the appointment of directors ot the Bank of New Zealand, under the Act of 1898, and consider matters in connection with the report of the Police Commission. V Our Wellington correspondent states that the probable retirement of the Hon. John M'Kenzie will also be dealt with. THE NEW PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY. The tender of Messrs J. and A. Wilson, £12,988, has been accepted for the Parliament buildings. There were four tenders, ranging up to £16,700. The work is to be completed by April 30th. The Government finds part of the material. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs :—At present a number of men, are engaged demolishing the rooms and partitions in the new .wing erected for last session.' All this means great extra expense, which might have been saved to the colony if the erection of the bnilding had not been so sadly bungled in the first instance. THE MINISTER FOR LANDS. The health of the Minister for Lands (the Hon. Ji M'Kenzie) is much improved. It is his intention to visit Scotland shortly, but the date of his departure has not been definitely fixed. Nothing has yet..been definitely decided upon respecting his resignation from the Ministry." Mr M'Kenzie and his private secretary (Mr McWhinney) arrived by the express from the South last night, and are staying at the Terminus Hotel. They proceed to Wellington by steamer to-night. MINING INVESTMENTS. One of the counsel in the Blenheim mining case produced a prospectus relating to a' certain mining property, and read off several of the names appearing thereon, with a view of ehowing the confidence with which its value was regarded. "If you -want to cite judicious men in mining,' observed his Honour, "it would be as Well to quote others than doctors and lawyers." PARENTAL CONTROL. When the father of two boys, aged nine and eleven years, informed the Wellington Police Court bench that he could not control the children, the chairman (Mr J. G. W. Aitken), sharply retorted that it was mere nonsense for the father to come there arid say he could not control two lads like that. He (the speaker) had had a good deal of experience, and he didn't believe that the man •wanted to control them. The Bench would not be surprised to learn that he had encouraged this behaviour. No father who wanted to act honestly would come, there and make such statements, and for him to say what he had was mere moonshine. CHRIST'S COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. The results of the examinations of candidates for the four entrance scholarships offered by Christ's College were made known yesterday. The successful candidates were: —Campbell Spratt, East Christchurch, and Chas. Allen, Sydenham, 305 marks (equal), first; Keith Williamson, Sydenham, 300 mirks, third; Royal Williamson, Sydenham, 294, fourth. The next eight in order of merit were:—Fred. Farrow, West Christchurch, 287; John Owen, St. Alban?, 283: Edward Currie, Normal, 273 ; Wilfred Crichton, Normal, 271; Thos. Smith,

Normal, 271; Henry Brooke, Normal, 264 Sidney Evans, West Christchnroh, . 262; and Donald Green, East Christchurch, 259. ■■ CURIOUS DUST STORM. As the barque Strathdou, from' London to Sydney, was . one evening going up the New South Wales coast the crew had a strange experience. A thick cloud appeared as coming from the coast across the water, and when it struck the ship it smothered the decks and rigging with a dense mass of red dust. The yards and sails at daybreak presented a remarkable appearance, looking as though the vessel had just undergone a first coat of reddish-brown or chocolate-coloured paint. The dust came with the shift of wind in the southerly buster, and unmistakable traces were present on tho deck fittings after the ship had anchored.