LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 214, 3 June 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Hon. Charles Johnston has given a section of nearly an-acre in area, occupying a central position in Karori, for tho purpose of ,a Roman Catholic.Church. Steps will be taken in connection-with tho erection of a church at an early date. In oonneotlon with the liability of relatives; for the maintenance of indigent persons, the secretary of tho Benevolent Trustees has been instructed to bring a test case against man who refused to contribute to tho maintenance ,oE a relative who was in re* ceipt of charitable aid.' This morning special cars connecting with tho 7.0 and 8.20 a.m. trains to'Otaki will be run as under: —Newtown to Manawatu Station,: via Cuba Street and .Lambton'Quay, 6.20, 6:23, < and 7.33 a.m. Via , Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay, Newtown, dep. 6.28 and 7.38 aim.. No pains are being spared by the subcommittee appointed in connection with tho arrangements for • the forthcoming annual ball of the Wellington. Garrison. The attendance this year promises'to be a record one. In the past the . function has been held in the Sydney Street but it has of late heoft found too small, and the new Garrison Hall will bo usod on this occasion. The Reserves Cqmniitteo of the City Council paid a visit of yesterday to tho Duppa., Streot reserve, which is now showing signs of an early completion. The sweop of the neatly turfed banks'at the northern end was especially admired, and the general opinion expressed was that Wellington would have a very lino addition to its playgrounds when tho work was completed; .

Is the Benevolent Institution liable for, the support of a consumptive? This question was raised at yesterday's mooting of the Trustees of the Benevolent Institution. ' The opinion was freely, expressed that the case was for tho Hospital, but a member pointed out that there was no room at present at the Hospital, and there did not seem ,tq be any immediate prospect of new buildings being erected. Nevertheless, the inability of the Hospital to accommodate con-, sumptives, was no reason for the Bonevolsnt Trustees taking a responsibility which they could- not discharge except with considerable inconvenience. The secretary was instructed to write to'tho .Hospital Trustees on tho matter, and, in tho meantime, to make tho best provision possible for.the:consumptive.

With regard to the fact that one shilling is being charged for admission to the Wcl-lington-Wanganui Rugby football match at Newtown'''-''Park to-day, it has always been understood .that admission to Newtown P;jrk cannot be charged for, and the question is f being asked where the authority for this innovation has ;been obtained. On inquiry at the Town Hall, we. find that no such permission has been given, and, in fact, the • Town Clerk wishes it made known .that the Council, in granting permission for the match to take place on the Park to-day, distinctly' made it a' condition that only a collection may be taken up on tho ground. The public is, therefore, free, as usual; to enter Newtown Park""at their will, and with-' out' charge, but no doubt in the circumstances very few peoplo will object to .pay.

Tho monthly meeting of tho New Zealand Institute of Surveyors- was held; yesterday, Mr. James M'Kerrow (president) being in tho chair, and tho other members jresent being the Hon. G'. F. : Riohardson', and Messrs. R. Jowett and James. MibKepiiie. Mr. MacKenzie was appointod to the vacant seat on the Council. Mr. J. E; Fulton was elected vice-president, to fill the vaoancy caused by Mr. J. Strauchan's resignation. A short discussion took place in reference to the proposal to- bring forward legislation next session to enable surveyors in Npw Zealand to enjoy tho full privileges of their profession at Home. It was said that this, matter, would be under the aegis of ithe Surveyors' Board. It was decided to consider the propriety of fortvarding to the Board for incorporation in tho Bill some suggestions for amending" the machinery, and the interpretation clauses of:tho Act of 1900.

When the steam trawler Nora Niven returned to port on Monday she brought into Wellington a sack of Cook Strait oysters, dredged from the area of oyster-bearing ground on the other side of the Strait recently acquirod by a Wellington syndicate, which is to be thoroughly exploited in the near future. Tho oysters, which have been sampled by several residents of: Wellington, are similar to "Stewart's," but it is claimed that they possess an advantage in the absence of the black fringe, which denotes the presence of copper in the ocean bed. The Cook Strait sample is quite clean round the edge, and therefore'more palatable'in appearance, and will have this advantage over the Bluff oysters, that they can be dolivored in' Wellington two or three hours after being dredged. The syndicate is about to charter a Bluff oyster boat for work in Cook Strait. ■ • ■ ■

.With respect to the Ministers'\ Association expressing strong disapproval at the action (or inaction) of the City Council in not replying to a letter on the subject of the closing hours of billiard saloons, the Town Clerk explains that the mistake was attributable to confusing the Ministers' Association with tho Council of Churches, from whom the Mayor had received a communication on the same subject at the' same tiriio. Ho thought that in furnishing the Rev. J, J, North with an answer (which resulted' in Lis receiving a deputation), the Association would bo notified of 1 ' what was boing done. Seeing that tho communication was receivral on April 6, tho Town Clerk (Mr. J. It. P a ]- mer) states that ho thought the least the Association might havo done would have been to ring him up reminding him of the unanswered lotter, instead of passing strictures in a meeting, and furnishing tho same to tho Press. ™ Ir , s 'n E U lo '. R '. a ° Costa, LIj.B. (noa Miss Etliel it. Bonjatmn, of Dunedin), after practising for some years in that city, has commenced practico as a barrister and solicitor in No. 6 Nathan'B Buildings, corner Grej* aud Featberston Streets, Wellington. Mrs- Do Costa has tho distinction of being tho only lady practising' at tho Bar in .tho Dominion. , IntowJluß olionts oan depend on prompt aud attoatioo at Mia, Du Costal haada, '

The section of the Main Trunk Railway from Mataroa to Waiouru will probably come under the control of the Railway Department from Monday next. The General Manager of Railways is inspecting the section this Week. The following aro the births, deaths, and marriages registered in Wellington . during May (with tho number for tho corresponding month of last year in ; parentheses):— Births, IG6 (135); deaths, 64 (55); marl'iages, 74 (7?). Since tho beginning of the year, 848 births, 290 deaths,-and 458 marriages have been registered in Wellington; Mr. TV. 11. P. Barber, M.P. for Newtown, who has for years past advocated tho opening up for the public of the beach road, encircling tho Miramar Peninsular, and known as the Shelly Bay Road, has been formally notified of tho Government's decision to do so. Tho road is for the futuro only to be closivl whilst the forts are engaged in gun practico. 1 J ' -