LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 578, 5 August 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The new Te Aro.Post Office will be opened by Dr. Findlay (Acting-Postmaster-General) on Wednesday, August 11, at 3 o'clock. Of the four hundred improved farm settlements which are to be opened shortly, one hundred are situated in the Wellington province, one hundred and twenty in Taranaki, and one hundred and eighty in Auckland. The Minister for Labour (Hoii. J. A. Millar) has issued, the necessary authority for another batch of thirty married men to be sent from Christchurch to the Broken River railway works. The Superintendent of City Reserves, Mr. Glen,'has just been paying a visit to some of the country nurseries for the purpose of pur-. chasing more trees for the extension of the corporation's tree-planting operations. . Whilst he is in the north, Mr. D. Barron (Chief Land Purchase Officer) will inspect a small block of land near Hamilton, which has l>een placed under offer to the Government. It is reported that the property is suitable for subdivision into small dairying- farms. Intimation has been made to' Mr. D. M'Lareu (chairman, of the City Council: Libraries Committee) by the Attorney-Gen-eral (Dr. Findlay) that tfli© Government has decided that public libraries may purchase sets of the Consolidated Statutes at the price of seven guineas per set. A sculling match is likely to eventuate between George Wh'elch, of Akaroa (champion sculler of New Zealand), and George Day, of Sydney, to bo rowed on the ftlanawatu River. Whelch has already put up a de-. posit, which is likely to be covered by Day. In that case, the race will probably take place in November. Questioned at Askburton with reference to the extension of the State Coal Department, the Hon. R. M'Kcnzie stated, .nter alia, that, when trains were running through the Midland tunnel, all the districts f •orii the Hurunui to-the Rangitata, including the Ashburton county, would bo supplied with State coal direct from the mines. I A number of workmen are at employed on the main sewer for the Kilbirnio drainage, which work is being done out of loan money. When the main sower is completed all the houses in Kilbirnio and the surrounding district will bo connected with the sewage system of the city. A start is expected to be made to-day with the erection of the drossiiig-slieds at tho Duppa Street recreation ground. The Kelbunie Park shed was commenced on Tuesday. Both works, which give employment to a number of carpenters, are being subsidised by tho fund raised by tho carpenters of the city. Rcforring to tho matter of railway construction, tho Hon. R. M'Kemiie recently stated that of the half-dozen sections of railway in course of construction at tho present time—namely, tho ' Orepuki-Wajau, Rivc'rs-dalo-Switzers, south' end of Cathns'Rivor line, north end of ' Catlins River hue, Lawrence-Roxburgh, and Gorc-Waikaka—five of them wore approaching completion and at. least four would bo out of hand by .the end of this year.

Cargo from Sydney' by tho Manuka yesterday included 1953 oases of fruit—mostly i mandarins, pines, and passion fruit. i The- conforenco of carpenters and joiners ' which commenced at the Town Hall on Mon. day is expected to Bit throughout tho week. Cabinot decided yesterday to. accept a tender of about £GBO for the erection of a post ofllco at Sydenham. Between £500 and £600 is being spent on interior alterations to the Empire Hotel in Willis Street, The work, which entails tho complete renovation, and re-decoration throughout of tho hotel, is being carried out by Mr. C. 'S\ Emcny. Tho first of a series of winter entertainments in connection with tho Wellington Bowling Club was hold in the pavilion last ovcuing. A pleasant, couple of hours wore spent in card-playing, the evening being brought to a closo with an oyster supper. ; p Sixty-one students of Victoria Collcgo paraded for enrolment in the liewly-cstao-lishi'd Officers' Training Corps last evening, and were sworn-in by Captain It. O. Chcsney, D.A.A.G., who was assisted by Captain Esson (City Rifles) and Captain Cowles talion Staff). - After enrolment, the members of tho corps'were supplied with their equipment, and measured for their uniforms. The Wellington. Corporation's land endowment at Mahgahao has suffered during tho past few days through tho Mangatainoka River breaking bounds.' Only a short timo. ago authority was given for tho carrying out of certain protective works, but as a result of the latost incursion of the river more extensjve works than at first contemplated will probably have to be put in hand. The fire brigade received a call at 6.59 n.m'. yesterday to a house oil the corner, of Majoribankß Street and Normanby Terrace, owned and occupied by Mr. J. J. M'Grath. Though there was a big blazo, tho fire was quickly suppressed. 'L'kc diningroom of thenous© was damaged by heat and smoke. No particulars as to insurance arc available, as Mr. M'Grath is away at the Hutt at present. Referring to the proposal of. the Auckland. Board of Education as to the desirableness of arrangements being made for tho medical inspection of children attending the public schools, tho Hon. G. Fowlds (Minister for Education) remarked yesterday that tho Government could not see its way to incur the expenditure that would be necessary to provide for the cost of inspection at tho whole of the schools, country as well aB town, throughout the Dominion. Following the retirement of Mr. R. 3. M'Gowan, Wellington manager of the Government Insurance Department, it has been decidod to .constitute Invercargill and Oamaru (hitherto parts of the Otago district) into separate, districts. Mr. A, W. G. . Bums, resident agent at Oamam, and Mr. J. lay. resident agent at Invercargill, accordingly become district managers. Mr. M. J. Hoywood, of Wellington, vdio has been appi'ntcd to the Duiscdin managership, will feavo for the south next week. "The'pipes'will-be out from England in time to enable the districts to bo supplied .with water for the coming summer," remarked the Mayor yesterday when questioned as ito how long it would be before Northland and Wadestqwn will be supplied with their water service. Dr. Newman added that a number of men are at present engaged enlarging the Kelburne reservoir, which is to supply Northland and Wadestown, and as soon as tho necessary material 1 has arrived, the work would be pushed on as speedily as possible: The anniversary of the Karori Methodist Church was celebrated on Sunday last, when special sorvices wero held in the presence of largo congregations. The president of the conference, the' Rev. T. Fee, occupied the pulpit in the morning, and tho Rev. J. R. Clark in the evening, Last evening tho, Thorndon Methodist Choir journeyed to Karori, and, gave a highly acceptable rendering of. the cantata, "The Triumph of Faith," Every number- was' splendidly sung, and all were well received by a delighted-, audience, t....-,. ;--t::- - :~:-.-.'.:: Interviewed at Ashburton, tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie (Minister for Public Works) stated that 'the Government was at present inquiring into a hydro-olcctric-power scheme, with a view to using it for irrigation purposes in Central Otago, and if it was found that it would compare favourably with a gravitation scheme, it would bo taken in hand. Two parties of engineers aiid surveyors had since last summor been oxamining the country to be covered. Creeks had. been .measured in ex'tenso, and suitable sites, for dams, etc., chalked out, and preparatory work generally carefully gone into. He also added that if the Government had the means at its disposal, no doubt it would go in for generating electricity for industrial purposes of all kinds. The Government steamer Hinemoa, which was dispatched to Martin's Bay last week to. pick up a party of men who had been carrying out blasting operations at the Holyford River, returned to • Wellington yesterday' morning. Captain Bollons reported that the steamer arrived off Martin's Bay on Friday, but a rough sea made it impossible to land at the time, and tho Hinemoa went on to Anita Bay, hear Milford Sound, and sheltered, During the next two days heavy rain fell,- and an angry sea prevailed,- but, on Monday morning, tho weather had moderated, and the vessel returned to Martin's Bay and. picked up tbo men. The blasting operations have resulted in the removal, of tho rocks near the mouth of Holyford River, and, at. flood .tide,' there is now a depth of 13' feet right up the channel. This will enablo small steamers to trade there, and, as large forests of rimu and yellow pine abound in those parts, the district may become, a permanent seat of the timber industry. Sottlers in the vicinity who have been in the habit of sending cattle overland to Mossburn, and then railing them to Invercargill, state that it, will bo now more convenient to send them away by steamer.