LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 287, 28 August 1908, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities adviso that tho Mokoia, which left Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland, has on' board an English and Australian mail, which is duo hero by the express train from Now Plymouth on Tuesday evening next, September 1. The Harbour Board has decided to declare Dominion Day (September 26) a wharf holiday. A notice in this week's Gazette exempts Lowisvillo Road, Upper and Lower Lowisville Terrace, from the provisions of section 117 of tho Public Works Act, 1805. Some Assyrian applicants for land on the main trunk lino near Mataroa, to bo ballotted for to-day, have been classified as "unsuitable " by tho Wellington Land Board. Tho City Council decided last ovening that tho attention of the citizens bo called to tho fact that a reward of £5 is still offered for information that will lead to tho conviction of persons giving false alarms to tho Fire Brigade. The following areas are invested in tho Minister for tho Grown administrating the Tourist and Health Resorts Act, 1908:— Pirorihori Thermal Reserve, Arikijrapakapa Extension Reserve, Ruakuri Caves Scenic Reservo, Ruakuri Bush Scenic Reserve, Waitoino Caves Scenic Reserve, To Puia Hot Springs Reserve; and tho Tarawera Hot Springs Reserve. ■ ' The question of inviting "Tommy" Bums, tho champion boxer of the world, to give a display in Wellington with- his trainer, was considered at last night's meeting of tho Wellington Boxing Association. It was agreed that the secretary write to Mr. W. F. Corbett (representative of the association in Australia) with a view to obtaining Burns's terms for a visit. Conscience again! In this week's Gazette tho Commissioner of Stamps (Mr. C. A. Hickson) acknowledges tho receipt of £2 10s. 3d. forwarded to the Deputy-Commissioner of Stamps at Christchurch bv some person unknown with the memorandum—"Amount duo to the Department for a breach of the Stamp Act committed in ignorance." ' '

' The tenders received by the Public Works Dopartment for tho erection of Government Insurance Buildings at Dunedin are as follow:—Accepted—Henry Lyders, Dunedin, £10,746 ss!; declined—R. Orr, Dunedin : , £10,848 Bs. 9d.; O. Campbell, Dunedin; £11,160; G. Dunedin, £11,200; Robson and Crawford, Dunedin, £11,225 16s. 6d.; W. Rhodes and Son, Dunedin 1 , £11,287 Bs. 9d.; Michael Frain, Wellington', £12,900. , ' Tho plans for the new tramway car-shed opposito tho Mauawdtu Station have been prepared, and will probably bo submitted to tho City Council shortly for approval. Tho building will be of brick with the roof of galvanised iron, and there will bo iron shutters for doorways. The shed will provide spaco for sixteen small cars or twelve largo ones. At present, and until the shed is completed, a number of cars have to remain out of doors all night covered by an awning. Tho New Zealand representative team of schoolboy marksmen will fire off for tho "Roberts" Imperial trophy at Polhill Gully this morning. Firing was to have been completed yesterday, but it was decided to postpono tho event until to-day. During the last two days, the youthful riflemen have, been engaged in useful practice at the range, and some remarkably good scoring has been recorded.' Given satisfactory weather conditions, therefore, the team should succeed in compiling an excellent aggregate to-day. It was' decided by the City Council last night to servo notices, in accordance with tho recommendations of tho Public Health Department, upon owners and occupiers of certain throe houses in tho cjty and suburbs. When the committee's recommendation to this effect camo up, Councillor M'Laren expressed tho opinion that it was a great pity that the council had not power to impose a heavy penalty on the people who kept their premises iu such a condition, instead of merely ordering tho owners to effect alterations. Ho did not want to make .any scare, but when it was stated by the medical authorities that cases of diphtheria and scarlet fever might be duo to these insanitary houses; he thought that the council should liavo more powers in the matter.

In consideration of their being carried solely at the risk of consignors, and of the Government being freed of all liability in connection therewith, exhibits consigned for exhibition at the Palmerston North Art Exhibition, to be opened at Palmerston North on September 8, 1908, will be carried free on tho New Zealand Government railways, provided that each package shall bo consigned to tho secretary of the exhibition and marked' legibly, "For exhibition at Palmerston North Art Exhibition." Under similar conditions, and on the production of a certificate from tho secretary of the exhibition stating that the exhibits have not boon transferred, exchanged, or sold, and are still tho property of tho original consignors, free railage will be granted on the return journey.

After 1 all that lias been said regarding the low salaries of our school teachers, it is riot surprising •to hear that at least one of the unfortunates, a teacher in the Levin district, has sought to earn an extra shilling or so by teaching music after school' hours. This would have been all very well had not a member of the musical profession who was established in regular practice there brought the question before the Education Board, which considered ths matter at its meeting yesterday, and almost unanimously docided tbat tho teacher had a perfect right to employ his spare hours as he chose, so ,long as anything ho might undertake in thesi hours did not affect his school work. Mij. W. H. Field, M.P., was not so sure about the matter. There was, lie thought, tw6 sides to the question. However, the board agreed to support the teacher. I An important ruling was laid down by thp Arbitration Court yesterday, that when a city builder takes a country contract, and men in Wellington to work in the country, he is only bound to pay them at the country award rate, vhich is slightly less than the rate under the Wellington town award. The workers, however, are" free to stipulate that they will not accept an engagement for: country work except at city rates of pay, and if the employer makes a contract of that kind, ho must abide by it. It was also ruled that an employer, in engaging men in Wellington for a country job, is not bound to give preference to unionists, since in the country award there is no preference clause. Tlie Wellington city award has force within a radius of 25 miles from, tho chief post office. An employer is not liable for travelling expenses unless tho worker makes such liability a conl- - of accepting the employment. ! In seconding the motion for the re-election of Mr. Robert Lee to the chairmanship of tho Wellington Education Board for" the ensuing term, Captain T. W. M'Donald took occasion to refer to what ho. considered the unnecessarily protracted nature of tho Board's meetings, and urged that tho chairman, upon entering upon his new term of offico, would insist upon more businesslike methods in dealing with_ questions which came before it. Ho considered that the duration, of tho sittings might easily be curtailed by at least an hour. In returning thanks for his re-election, Mr. Leo admitted that on occasions the strict rules of debate had been somewhat relaxed. There was! something to bo said, however, for free discussion on certain matters; ho felt- that much good often resulted therefrom. J

An item in tho correspondence list placed before tho City Council last evening' was queried by Councillor Carmichael. Tho item was "L. P. Kinzett, offering to supply road metal." The Town- Clerk explained that a reply had been sent to tho effect tlint metal was not neeclnd. Councillor Carmichael said ho thought that tho council was 1 getting its road metal without any regulation of tho price at all. Practically it had to pay what tho suppliers demanded. Tho Mayor: "This is from Nelson." Councillor Carmichael: "I would like to call attention to tho fact that at the present timo wo liavo no contract, and wc are obtaining metal from people wild aro at liberty to cliargc just what they lilt 6 for it." The Mayor: "Tho engineer takes care they don't get what they like for it.' Tho subject was not pursued further. ! llrs. Rolleston, Hair Physician, Face Specialist, Masseuso (certificated), who is at gra?mit visiting Syduoy, votunw on Scpton^

A sitting in Chambers will be held by Mr. Justice Cooper to-morrow morning, at IU.SO o'clock. Tile Harbour Board passed a vote of thanks at yesterday's meeting to the retiring chairman (tho Hou.' T. K. Macdonald) for his portrait which is now hanging on tho wall. Several extensions of time for the employment of temporary officers over that declared ill tho Public Service Classification Act of last year appear in the current issue of . the .Gazette. This week's Gazette contains tho formal liotico dismissing Sergeant-Major Win. Talbot from tho Hcretaunga Mounted Rifles, "a Count of Inquiry under the Defence Act, having found him guilty of conduct to tho prejuuico of good order and military discipline, and the Council of Defence having therefore recommended his dismissal and with effect from August 19, 1£08." Tho Power Stations and Tramways Committee recommended to the City Council last evening: "That tho Olympia Elite Roller Rink Company bo informed that the council cannot entertain their offer to establish rinks in Wellington, tho company paying a rental of £200 per annum for a five years' lease, the council to supply the site and prepare the rinks." Tho report was adopted. It is a condition of the bond between tho Normal College student and tho powers that be, that he or she shall agree to teach for a period of at least two years after exit from tho college. . Ono of the lady ex-students of tho college,. having failed to comply with tho conditions referred to, will now be called upon by tho Board of Education to refund tho amount of allowances and fees paid on her account during her training college course. On tho motion of Captain T. W. M'Donald, tho Education Board resolved yesterday to reiterate the urgent necessity of- some definite settlement being made by the Education Department with regard to the effective organisation of tho Hutt District High School, as tho present state of affairs is fatal to efficiency. As tho board's inspector put it, "(The distribution of the children in three separate buildings at such a distance from 0110 another as are tho Hutt school, Mr. Wilford's house, and the new room, must obviously interfere with the organisation of the school work."