LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 450, 8 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wimmera, with English and Australian mails on board, arrived at Auckland] at 5 p.m. yesterday. The southern portion of the mail will arrive in -Wellington, via the Main Trunk line, at 4.25 this afternoon. Owing to pressure on our spaco, somo reports of church services and other items havo been held over for our next issue. The Industries' Week question will bo discussed at a meeting of the Industrial Association on Tuesday. Teams representing Methodist Conference and local Methodist Bible Class played a tennis matcli at Day's Bay on Saturday. The latter were badly beaten by seven games to one. The Town Clerk is busily engaged in preparing the electoral roll in connection with tho municipal elections on April 27. Every elector should sco that ho is enrolled. Telegraph communication with Wcstport, which was cut oil: by an accident to tho wires ou Friday night, has now beon restored. Detectives Connolly and Cameron arrested a man on Saturday night on a charge of theft of two watches, a chain, and a medal on Saturday week. "Listen to tho questions. You need not lecturo tho liar, it lias been in existenco lor some hundreds of years, and can maintain itself." Such was the advico tendered to a questioning witness at tho Supremo Court at Wanganui by his Honour Mr. Justice Chapman. Perfect weather favoured tho annual picnic of tho Methodist Conference, which was held at Day's Bay ou Saturday, and very, largely attended by ministers and their friends. Tho Central Mission Baud played selections going and coming, and at the hay. Cricket ana tennis matches were played, of which tho results arc given elsewhere. The Dunediu Drainage Board have accepted tho tender of Messrs. John Duthie and Co., Ltd., of Wellington,' for the supply of 69G feet of 3ft, 6in. drain cast-iron pipes for the rising main. The price is £4942 15s. 6d.' duty paid in tho ship's slings at Dunedin wharf. Tho new main is to replaco ono of tho two structures leading from tho pumping-station to the beginning of tho gravitation outfall. The committee of the Public Service Classification Board has finished its review of tho schedules of officers and postions sent forward by tho various Departments, and is now preparing its report for submission to tho board. The preparation and printing of tlie report are. expected to occupy a week, and oven if it is then approved by tho board, it is not expected that tho contents will bo made public till it has received tho approval of tho Governor, aud possibly gono through other stages. A telegram was received from Christchurch last week, stating that tho co-operative workers at Broken Biver, on tho Midland railway, wero dissatisfied with tho pay they were receiving, and had telegraphed to tho Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. M'Kenzie) to intervene. Tho Under-Secre-tary of tho Department (Mr. H. J. H. Blow) explains that tho trouble was confined to ono party of men at a particular' cutting. They wero dissatisfied with tho rato of pay per yard which they were earning, and suspended work. Tho explanation seemed to bo that tho formation of tho cutting changed as it procooded, and tho rato per yard which was sufficient under the easy conditions of its commencement was no longer a fair wago when tho soil became wet and heavy, llio resident engineer had promptly met tho difficulty by putting theso men on day wages till ho could investigate tho conditions, and they liad resumed work on that understanding. If tho investigation showed that tho difficult formation was likely to continue, and that tho original rate per yard was, in th 6 new circumstances, an inadequate wage, the rato would bo increased. Bathers at Lyell Bay wero visited on Sunday by two constables id plain clothes, who quietly and systematically paraded tho beach in search of persons unprovided with bathing attire. Tho police went about tho business very quietly, and successive groups'with a request for'their names and addresses. As a rulo this request called forth expressions of amazement and surprise, and protests that no fuller dress than tho wearers had on had over been called for at Lyell Bay. Tho constables said that they wero sorry, but complaints had been received, and tho by-law provided that proper bathing dress of a specified kind must bo worn. Twenty-five offenders wero duly cautioned, ajul told that, should they bo caught again, prosecution would follow. Lyell Bay lias for years past beon tho recreation and bathing ground of various athletic bodies, a resort whero running, swimming, and football enthusiasts spend their week-ends, and they do not take kindly to tho idea of running around in a wet costume. During tho last two years, however, tho beach has become popular as a promenade, and most of tho old-timers recogniso that a proper costume is necessary. Before concluding on Saturday night tho last of the series of forty organ recitals which ho has beeir giving under engagement to tho City Council, Mr. Maiighan Barnett mado somo remarks about tho recitals and tho organ. Ho stated that on tho wliolo tho attendances had been gratifying for an initial series, and ho was given to understand that tho concerts would prove something moro than self-supporting. This was satisfactory, considering that a number of lino concerts had been given during tho season under other auspices, and the city had been visited by somo distinguished singers and musicians. On several occasions, also, when ho bad given recitals, tho clerk of the weather had not beon kind to him, aud he wished particularly to thank the people who had attended on thoso evenings. If the recitals wero continued in tho futuro, he would look forward to tho time when the Town Hall would bo filled for an organ recital. Curiously enough, it was just throe years ago,that day that ho had given the opening recital on the Town Hall organ. Vory high praiso was then givcii to tho instrument. One of tho most distinguished English organists had expressed the opinion that it was one of the finest concert organs in the world, and ho thought that there was 110 doubt about that. Doujit might, however, bo expressed about tho wearing qualities of the organ. Well, three years formed a very fair test, and lro had no hesitation in saying that it was a liner instrument to-day than it was at tho opening recital. Mr. Barnett expressed his hearty appreciation of tho fact that so much support liad been given to tho recitals, which was the moro pleasing to him, as lie bad now been giving organ recitals in Wellington for thirteen years. Teas grown in different localities have different characteristics, and even the lea from any particular garden is not the same in two successive seasons. Climatic chances, differences of soil, exercise influences, and it is in the art of the tea blender to bring together the different teas and by combination to produce a particular flavour. Crescent Blend Tea is a choice combination of Ceylon and Indian Teas, and tho flavour never varies. All storekeepers, 2s. per lb. Tenders are invited for repairs to t.s.s. Ulimaron. The district electors' list of (lie Borough of Lov.er Mutt will be open for inspection till March 12. The annual meeting of the Oriental Football Club will bo held in A null's I'ooms, Lambtoii Quay, ou Wednesday night.

PERSONAL ITEMS. All tho Ministers of tlio Crown aro oxpccted to bo in town by this evening, except tho Hon. J. A. Millar, who will arrivo froni Quecnstown to-morrow or oil Wednesday. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) returned yesterday from the south. Tho Hon. D. Buddo returned from tlio south yesterday. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., who lias been indisposed for somo days, hopes to bo able to come down to his ofiico for a few hours to-day. Mr. W. A. Kennedy returned from the south yesterday by the Maori. Baroness Von I'ilsoch was also a passenger by tlio samo steamer. Mr. H. P. Hugo, sub-manager at tho Economic, where ho has been ior ten years, is leaving to enter business on his own account at Masterton. Mr. li. U. Taylor, secretary of tho Hawke's l!av Land Board, lias been transferred to llotorua, where ho will havo charge of the Stato For.ests branch of tlio Lands and Survey Department. Lieutenant T. Herd, of Wellington, lias been appointed, for tlio fifth tinio, judge of tho West Coast Bands' Association's contest, to. be held this year at lleefton, on 'March 26 and 27. Mr. G. B. Douglas, who has resigned from the staff of Stewart, Dawson and Co., Ltd., jewellers, to take an appointment with Messrs. Manuel, Harris and Co., wholesale jewellers, of this city, was la3t week presented by tlio manager and staff of Stewart, Dawson and Co., Ltd., with a handsome silver souvenir. Captain Barclay, who retires on superannuation from the Roads Department at tho end of the present month, intends to reenter journalism, which had his devotion in the early 'SO's, after army experionco at Mauritius, Aldorshot, South of Ireland, India, and Burmah. Tho late Mr. Ballance induced him to join the Government service, and ho was twice privato secretary to Mr. Ballanco. Mr. J. Mackenzie, Commissioner for Crown Lands, returned to town on Saturday night. Mr. Mackenzie lias been travelling over tho Main Trunk line, and returned via Carterton, where applications were heard from persons who claimed special preference for sections in tho coming Carrington Estate ballot. Mr. Mackenzie will return to Carterton on Tuesday for the purpose of inspecting an estate now being clfered to tho Government. On tho.Wellington Bowling Club's green on Saturday, after the match Wellington Club against All-comers, a presentation was made to Mr. T. Churchward from tho bowlers who took part in tho Now Year tournament, which Mr. Churchward successfully managed. Mr. J. T. King, chairman of the Wellington Bowling Centre, made tho presentation, which took the form of a set of cutlery. The president of tho Wellington Chili (Mr. Grundy) callcd fo«f cheers for Mr. Churchward, which were given heartily.