LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 71, 17 December 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities advise that the Warrimoo, which left Sydney .011 December 14, is due in Wellington on Wednesday. She has on board large Australian mails for this port.

The Customs revenue oolleoted at Wellington yesterday amounted to £2714 6s. lOd.

The sun struck down , pretty fiercely in town yesterday, and though there was a nico b'roezo blowing lato in the afternoon, the thermometer registered 81 degress Fahrenheit in the shade —a record for this summer.

The Trustees of Trinity Methodist Church, Newtown, have accopted tho tonder of Messrs Hunt and M'Donald, at £2766, for the erection of a row of four shops and dwellings in brick in Riddiford Street, from plans prepared by Mr. C. F. B. Livesay, architect,

On the list of probablo dates of Harbour Board meetings for next year, the annual meeting for the production of accounts is set down for January 20, and the special meeting for the confirmation of tho roll of electors is arranged for January 30. The annual meeting ,for tho election of chairman will tako place on February 25.

Tho railway tablet system connecting Mastorton with Woodvillo was officially passed on Sunday by a party comprising Messrs. Wynne and Fahey, of tho electrical engineering staff, which loft Mastorton by a special train at half-past nine o'clock, and returned from Woodvillo at 6 p.m. The tablet system is now in operation at every station between Wellington and New Plymouth via tho Manawatu Gorge. Preparations aro now being made (writes our Wairarapa correspondent) to extend the system from Woodvillo to Napier.

A special (as well as the ordinary) meeting of the City Council mil be bold on Thursday evening to pass a Special Order accepting surrender of lease of Section 70, Lambton Reclaimed Land, City of Wellington, held by Messrs. Georgo and Kersloy, Limited, and granting a now lease for the balance of tho existing term at an increased rental of 100 por cent. 011 the prosont rental, with perpetual right of renewal for successive periods of fourteen years, at a ground rental only, the rental under such renewals to be fixed by valuation.

A line block of offices, to be known as the Jioulcott Chambers, has been erected for Messrs. W. M'Gill and Company in Boulcott Street, near the junction of that thoroughfare with Willis Street. Tho building consists of three stories and a basement, with a handsome exterior. A tour of inspection through the building shows the suites of rooms to be in every way suited for tho purpose intended. Thoy are lofty, well-lighted, and roplote with all conveniences. The building was erected by Messrs. Martin, Hurrell, and Snaddon, from tho plans of Mr. James M'Gill, architect.,

Mrs. Ethel K. Do Costa, LL.B. (neo Miss Ethol R. Benjamin, of Dunedin), after practising for 6omo years in that city, has commenced practice as n barrister and solicitor in No 6 Nathan's Buildings, corner Grey and Feat! ei ston Streets, Wellington. Strs. De Costa has tho distinction of being tho only lady practising at tho Bar in tho Dominion. Intending clients can dopeod on prompt and cureful uC Uentum. Nt Mrs, IDs Costa's kand*.

Another shark, about three feet long, rrs seen in Scorching Bay oil Sunday. The fish was swimming closo to the shore in about two feet of water, but disappeared when the strollers on tho shore commenced throwing stones. The Hon. J. A. Millar was fortunate enough not to have lost anything by the Parliamentary fire. 1 All the contents of his office had been removed ,to his recess rooms in tho Customs Buildings prior to his departure for tho south. Tho holiday season already influencing tho railway traffic. Tile cheap faros and special trains on the Mauawatu Railway, including tho extra mail train to' and from Wanganui, commenced yesterday. Both expresses out of Wellington wero well filled. "At tho present time I am working under nine awards," said an employer at the Arbitration Court at Christcliurch, "and I don't know sometimes where I stand. I try to 1 be a loyal citizen, but I never know whether' I am committing a breach of an award or not." The Hon. T. Kennedy Macdonald, M.L.C., Chairman of the Harbour Board, told a Dominion reporter yesterday that the Harbour Board will not recede from the position it has assumed in regard to the Patent Slip at Evans Bay. The Board will absolutely purchase the Slip ior the benefit of the public: Mr. Macdonald added that the matter would come before the Board at its ordinary meeting on Thursday next. Mr. M. Myers states, in reference to tho compensation (for land' dedication) case, Davis Bros. v. the City Council, that tho latter body made no offer to his clients, and that tho attitude taken up on behalf of the Corporation was that on tho construction of cortain sections of tho Public Works Act the claimants were not . entitled to any compensation. The Hop. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) states that practically all tho workers' dwellings erected by tho Government have been occupied, and so far the Government's policy in this direction has been justified. Eight dwellings in Coromandel Street, Wellington, will bo available in a fow wcoks. At prosent tho high price of land prevents the acquisition of further soctions in Wellington for homos, owing to tho big rents that would ) have to ho charged.

Tho Agricultural Labourers'' Accommodation Act passed last session provides for the framing of regulations as to accommodation neecssary in various parts of New Zealand for different classes of farm work. Those regulations, the - Minister for Labour states, have been drafted and are now before tho Crown Law Officers. Before being finally gazetted they will require to bo submitted to Cabinet. It is proposed to have the necessary inspection under the Act, for the present at all evonts, carried out by the dairy inspectors.

A contract has been let to P. R. Baillio' and Co., of Wellington, for supply of bitumen roquired -for,' the Work of laying down cable extensions in connection with the city tramways. Tho successful tenderer's price was £590 Gs. 3d., and the other offers .were as follow: —Neuchatel Asphalt. Company, £596 55.; Palmer Engineering Company,. £637 10s.; Briscoe and Co., £646 17s. ,6d.; Tui'ii bull and Jones, £GSS 2s. 6d.; Noycs Bros., £684 7s. Gd.; lliloy and Holmes, £750; A. and T. Burt, £873 12s. 6d.; Patent Asphalting Company, £893 15s.

At the Supreme Court yesterday, the . case Ada Smith v. the National Bank of New Zealand was mentioned. ■ Mr. H. D. Bell, K.C., appeared oa behalf of the plaintiff; Mr. G. Harper (with him Mr. Raymond) for the defendant Bank; and Mr. ; Skerrett, K.C., for the Receiver. This caso involves the question as to whether the English debenture-holders in the Midland Railway Company can claim tho proceeds of the sale of a certain block of land on the West Coast of the South Island, also the question as to whether a certain compromise entered into under an order of thp Court between tho Bank and tho debentureholders can be sustained. Counsel agreed to the postponement of the taking of evidence in .this case until February 11, and the Court granted the adjournment.

Referring to the opportunities school life outsido the class-room gives to training a boy's individuality, Mr. J. P. Firth, in his annual report of the year's work at Wellington College, said that there was one position that did this in double measure— the position of prefect. * "The boy who wins this position gains experience, insight into character, and into his own. powers and limitations. The value of these things it is hard to estimate too highly. He learns the seriousness of responsibility, the necessity of self-sacrifice for the common good, the value of patriotism —in short, the duties of citizenship. The more a boy puts into'a school," poncluded the speaker, "the more he gets out of it." • '

She was a well-preserved, elderly little body, and, sweeping into the Courtroom with a look of determination in her eyes, strode defiantly up to the edge of tho desk occupied by the Clerk of tho Court, where she stood roady for battle. The case was an application that a prohibition order should be issued against the forceful little dame, and whilst the usual'evidence was being called defondant kept up a running fire of interjections, heedless of the stern Magisterial injunction to "stop talking." When defendant's soif went into the witness box to give evidence against his mother, defendant hold up a reproving digit and warned him with parental decision—"Now, Jim!—excuse me—don't tell stories." "Does she injure her health by drinking?" queried tho Bench. "Don't I look like it," rosponded defendant, displaying a robust figure' to the Court. The case was adjourned.

A striking illustration of the way in which firos can bo caused by the fusing of electric wires has just been afforded by the fuse box attached to a telegraph post at tho, terminus of the Karori tramway, in connection with the arc light. Some'timo> on Sunday night tho wire fused, with the result that the solder of tho box was melted through, making a hole that would admit two fingers, nnd tho metal all round tho hole was scor:hcd in tho shape of'an eclipse. Coming on top of the suggestion that tho fire at tho Parliamentary Buildings was occasioned by the fusing of an elcctric wiro, the damage attracted much attention and comment yosterday. It was obvious that if tho wiro had been in anothor place, and in proximity to scrim or other inflammable material, a fire would cortainly have been caused. Ladies visiting Wellington during the Christmas liolidays would do well to pay C. Adams and Co.'s millincrv establishment a visit before going further. The millinery rooms upstairs will bo found extensive, and afford tho best selection at reasonable prices in tho city. Costumes and blouses will bo sold at a reduction during December. Only address, 35 Cuba Street. . CG44 You will find a display of such dainty holiday frocks, morning dresses, pretty blouses, charming millinery, etc., at ifrs. Mathewson's Melbourne House, Lambton Quay. The prices will onable every lady in Wellington to look really smart and well dressed. Remember the address: Lambton Quay, oup. Bank NJ3, 6117

Next Sunday will be observed as "Peace" Sunday by the Evangelical churches in Wellington. His Honour Mr. Justice Cooper will, this morning, hear legal argument on a motion to dissolve the interim injunction obtained in January .last by Mrs. Field against Allan M'Guiro and his contractor restraining them from cutting into the bank at the rear of the now Commercial Hotel, on Lambton Quay. The city olcctrio cars will not run on Christmas Day. Hitherto an abbreviated service has been run on Christmas Day by asking for volunteers at an increaso in pay. The decision not to run the cars at all on Christmas Day is understood to have been arrived at owing to a demand on the part of the men for ss. per hour.

Tho facts that tbo.nightwatchman'(who is 73 years of age) did not give the alarm to the fire brigade, and 'Jliat the Parliament House alarums are not connected with tho firo brigado station have been a good deal commented upon, and it is urged that tho lato catastrophe should be a lesson to instal tho Muy-Otaway or some equally efficient automatic alarum in all the Government Buildings, and in tho new Parliament Houso. Had such a system been in use no doubt the fire would have been; suppressed. A departmental officer who knows tho facts informs us. that some few years ago an offer was made to tho Government'upon exceptionally favourable terms to install the May-Oatway system, but that it was refused on the ground that the appliances already in tho buildings were sufficient to copo with any fire that might break out.