LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 457, 16 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Court of Arbitration will hold sitting at the district centres on the following dates: —Wanganui, March 22; Napier, March 21; and Paimcrston North, March 2G. Yesterday's Main Trunk express train was 45 minutes late in leaving Palmorston. Twenty-five minutes was caught up on tho run from there to Wellington. A large number of firemen who havo been attending tho Firo Brigades' Conference at Auckland returned south by the Slain trunk express yesterday. Tho firo insurance companies operating in New Zealand paid out the sum of £52,000 in claims during tho fortnight ended on Saturday last. Our Masterton correspondent states that a whale, 45ft. long, got innhoro and was stranded on last nix miles north oi Castlepoint. The Official Assignee (Mr. A. Simpson) is a busy man nowadays. During tho month lie has had to manage four business concerns differing widely in character. They were basketmaking, furniture manufacturing, mercery, and confectionery. Tho Mayor (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) told a reporter yesterday that ho did not expect that tho position created by tho rejection of tho council's loan proposals would bo dealt with by tho present council, but a statement showing tho position would bo placed before tho now council. Appropriate thanksgiving harvest services wero conducted at tho Karori Methodist Church on Sunday by tho Rev. J. It. Clarke. At tho morning service tho subject chosen was "The Sowing Time," and in tho evening "Tho Harvest." At both services tho church was decorated with a fine display of harvest products, mostly vegetables and fruit. Cabinet yesterday accepted tenders for tho erection'of a police station at ICaikoka, and post offices at Epsom and Mangaturoto, decided to invite tenders for a post office at Henelsville, and authorised tho expenditure of £800 on tho Stratford-Ongaruo railway, £1000 on tho Gisborne-Karaka railway, and £500 v for road works. After a long enforced rest duo to illness, Mr. F. Birtles, the Australian long-distance cyclist, has decided to make another attempt to lowor somo of the New Zealand cyclo records. This morning, at 8.30 o'clock, ho purposes to start from The Dominion office for Palmerston North. Tho present record for this run is Mr. Henderson's of 6i hours, and Mr. Birtles hopes to do the journey in 6 hours. Owing to somo misunderstanding the date of tho conference between tho Minister for Education (Hon. G. Fowlds) and a deputation from Brooklyn, with reference to tho educational requirements of that disrtict, was announced as Monday (yesterday) instead of Tuesday (to-day). Thero will bo no conference to-day, however, as tho Minister, having to leave for tho south last evening, has cancelled tho appointment until his return.

Roman Catholic 6cliools in AYcllington have long been overcrowded, and it is proposed to add to their number by the erec-

tion of Brothers' schools on the site of the present infants' school in Tasman Street, and on a site which has been purchased iin Hawkestonc Street. Tho infants attending the present Tasman Street School will then bo accommodated at tho school in Dixon Streot. which will soon have; to bo replaced by a larger structure. A comraitteo of representative Roman Catholics has been set up to consider ways and means, and report later.

A good deal of the plant required l)y Messrs. Martin, Hurrell, and Snaddon, in connection with the contract for tho orcction of tho big dam at Solomon's Knob, is being mado bv Messrs. D. Robertson and Co. (Phoenix Foundry). This includes two engines and a boiler, and _ gear needed in connection with tho centrifugal pumping plant. One of tho engines (of 20. horse-power) will be utilised to drive tho stone-crusher and concrete-mixer, and the other (12 horse-power) will bo required to •hoist the concrete in boxes and for the aerial tramway needed for depositing tho concrete whero needed.

A rifle match has been arranged to tako placo to-morrow between teams representative of Palmerston North and tlio Departmental offices, Wellington. The following men will reprcsont the Civil ServiceLieut. Hawthorn (Treasury), Lieut; Skelley (Tax), Lieut. Roache (Friendly Societies), Captain Ross (Internal Affairs), S.S.M. Roso (Defence), Private Low (Government Insurance), Privato Gazley (Health), Private Fisher (Treasury), Private Eves (Tax), Rifleman J. Roberts (Railways), Rifleman Halliday (Valuation), Rifleman Burns (Printing Office), Rifleman Henderson (Railways). ' Tho team will leave for Paliuerston by tho 7.30 a.m. train from Thorndon Station.

Mr. A. Barron, chairman of tho Land Purchase Board, who has beon in tho Poverty Bay district during last week in response to recent representations, inspecting, various properties with a view to tbeir acquisition by tho Government for closor settlement, returned to Wellington last night. Sir. Barron informed a "Herald representative that ho had inspected Mr. S. Williamson's Ngatapa property, Mr. W. K. Chambers's wellknown Repongaere estate, and Mr. G. J. Black's Waipora property at Whataupoko. He also mado inquiries respecting other land that had been suggested as being suitable for tho purpose. Tho question of acquiring one or moro of these properties will be considered at a meeting of the Land Purchase' j Board at Wellington on Thursday. ,

Passengers on the 9.30 and 11 p.m. trains from Thorndon to Jolmsonville on Saturday evening last must have felt very much inclined, during the respective journeys of theso particular trains, to "get out and push." 1 According to a statement supplied to us by a passenger on the last train, r,he "9.30" ongino broko down and did not reach Jolmsonville —whore it was due to arrivo at 10 p.m.—until fivo minutes past cloven. Those on tho 11 p.m. train fared very much worse. This train left half-an-hour lato, and, beforo Ngaio was reached, was unable to proceed for lack of steam. After a delay of twenty minutes another start was mado, and the train crawled into Ngaio Station (Crofton), whero a further delay of twenty-five minutes occurred, the ongino having to "get up moro steam." After this "brcathar," tho train, after a strenuous strugglo. reached Khandnllah, where the engine, by this time having run short of water, sprinted ahead to Jolmsonville lor a supply, leaving the train bohind it. Then it came back, hooked up, and tho weary suburban foil: oventu.iliy reached their destination at 1.20 a.m. —Sunday morning. As this train had fo go right on to Packakariki, it is surmised that passengers for that station readied, home in timo for breakfast.

"It is a happy coincidence that wo should bo celebrating the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of tho British Museum and tho fiftieth anniversary of the starting of tho National Partrait Gallery, as well as the centenary of Corunna. Peaco has lier victories no less renowned than war," says tho "Westminster."

Tens grown in different localities liavo different characteristics, and even the tea from any particular garden is not the same in two successive seasons. Climatic chnnpcs. differences of soil, exercise influences, and it is in the art of the tea blender to bring together tho 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 uovor varies. All storekeepers, 2s. ~j}or lb.