LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The steamer Earl''ofvElgin, with ,an American mail, arrived .in Auckland from San Francisco on Thursday night. The Wellington portion of her' mailß left by the second express at 10.45 a.m. yesterday, and should arrive here at 7.21 o'clock this morning. The Maheno, which left Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday, has on board ah English, Australian, and Vancouver mail. V She is duo in Auckland to-morrow morning, and her mail matter for Wellington should arrive here by Monday afternoon's Main Trunk express.

■ In reply to an inquiry by a Dominioh reporter yesterday, the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) stated that the appointment of a successor to Lord Plunket, the retiring Governor, had not yet been made.. >. ;

"I remember," said Mr. Samuel Carrol in a reminiscent mood, "the peculiar way, tho Philippine Spanish used to celebrate, 'or rather mark, Good Friday, when I was stationed there many years* ago. There was always a fair amount of shipping in Manila even in those days, and it used to be'the custom for the whole of the shipping to go into 'mourning.' This was done in a peculiar way. Instead of everything being taut and ship-shape—a seaman's desire when in the harbour—they indicated their frame of mind by kinking "tho yards of their ships at all angles, and allowing the ropes to fly loose, arranging them in such a'way as to indicate confusion and' neglect about the ship. It sounds rather ridiculous, but you would not believe tho peeuhaT effect it created—the miserere of the seal"

■ Tho following list of, tenders' for' tho Big Wanganui Bridge contract, Westland, is published in the Gazette: —John (VDonnell, Wellington, £7908 4s. 7d. (accepted); J. Fitzgerald,.Greymouth, £8974 18s.; M'Williams and Andrews. Wellington, £9185 lis. 10d.; Donald M'Leau and Co., Wellington, £9327; J. Sigloy, Greymouth, £9793 lis. lOd;; G. M.l'raser, Hamilton, £9847 3SJ J. J. Gilmour, Mangaweka, £10,675; H, J. Reynolds, Hokitika, •■ £10,690;'. W. Rhodes and Son, Dunedin, £11,203.105.

Ellieo Street, Wellington,'from"Su's° : sex Square to the Town Belt, is ek-' • emptod by Order-in-Council ■• from the provisions of Section 117 of tho Public Works/Act. '

The scheme •of olectrio lighting' for Kaiwarra 1 . is being delayed owing to the necessary poles not having arrived from Australia. .The barque Hazel Craig, which has the poles on board, sprung a leak after leaving Newcastle, and had to put. back; for repairs.. ;, . .

The whole of the necessary steps as regards publication 1 and gazetting inconnection with the Wadestown tram are now nearing completion, and when the statutory time has elapsed the work of constructing the line will bo carried out by the City Council. The probable date of commencing, tho work is April 23. -■ '' ; "

The Finance Committee 1 of the City Council paid a visit to Lyall Bay on Wednesday and made a careful examination of the sea_ front. \lt, is understood that the object of the, visit. had something, to do with the proposed acquisition of certain land adjacent to tho beach, so that the beach and tho immediate sand-hills will bo kept for citt zens for all time. < As matters stand at present, it is possible for building operations to completely spoil 'a portion of the beach. '"...■■

The staff of The Dominion foregathered at Godber's Rooms on Thursday evening, where. a : most .enjoyable reunion was held, tho occasion being arranged for the. purpose of presenting the prizes won at the recent office picnic. Mr. W. W. Todd, in the absence of the manager, presided. Several appropriate toasts were honoured, , including that_ of the 'Tionic Committee," in which 'appreciative reference was made to the success of .the picnic, and the capital.work done by the hon. secretary (Mr. J. Barry) and the.committee.. The following were the successful prizetakers':—Literary and Commercial (120 yds.) and Office Championship (220 yds.), V..; Chapman; Mechanical Handicap (120 yds.), S. Rastall; Putting tho Shot, A. L. Maysmor; Departmental Relay Race (440 yds.), Maysmor, Brown, Boyle, and Francis. During the evening a musical programme was. gone through, to which the following contributed items:— Messrs. Boyle, Major, ,C. Todd, S. Chapman, Quinlan, P. Hanna, Blanchard, and Hogg.;Mr. C. Eagar played the accompaniments.

An Order-in-Council making rules relating to appoals to tho Privy Council occupies several pages of this week's Gazette. The prohibition of the admission of horns and hoofs from New Zealand into the Commonwealth of . Australia has been removed, and they will now be admitted provided they are accompanied by a certificate from a responsible Government, officer to the effect that they are derived from animals slaughtered in New Zealand. Tho Associated Churches of Christ, of tho Middle District, Now Zealand, aro holding their , annual conference at Spring Grove, Nelson, this year. The session commenced yesterday (Good Friday) morning, when delegates from all the churches wero" present. Those from the Wellington churches were:— .Vivian Street: Messrs. R. B. Daviea, G. Day, A. Williams, and J. Bewley. Riddiford Street: Messrs. O. A. Wilson (evangelist),. Jordan, and D. Campbell. The Boy Scout movement is a growing ono in Wellington. There will be no fbwer than five Scout camps located round tho city during the Easter holidays— two fixed camps and one travelling. camp _ at Miramax, and camps at Plimmorton, Ngaio,' and Wainui. Tho Miramar troop is to assemble at tho city boundary at 9.30 ajn. to-day, and unattached Scouts are requested to meet at the samo time and place.

Shampooing, Clipping, Hairdrcsslng. Manicuring, Face Massage, Treatment of Falling Hair and Dandruff,' Combings tmade up. Natural Hair-pads. Mrs. Rolleston (over Carroll's), 11 Willis 1 Shoot, •I'Jione.-IBOV-AdEt,

The "Farmers' Union Journal" has some observations on tho-State Fire.lnsurance Department's use of confidential information (obtained from the Advances to Settlers Office) in endeavouring to capture tho business of tho Farmers' Mutual Fire Association. "The incident," says tho "Journal," "is bound to create alarm among those who do business with the State. The State has entered into business in many directions, it lends money, insures property, controls tho railways, sells coal, and is closely connected with a largo banking institution, conducts valuations, and levies taxation, and if the private business of individuals is to become tho property of all these institutions, it is a very serious matter."

A raid was made on a house erick street for sly grog yesterday afternoon by "Sergeant Rntledge and Constable M'Kelvoy. ■ ..[

The Fire Brigade received a call at 10.33 a.m. on Thursday to a sevenroomed dwelling in Kent Terrace, occupied by John Glan, and owned by Miss Gooder. It was found that a fire had started in. a cupboard under the stairs. The flames spread to the kitchen, doing damage to the contents of a cupboard, passage, and kitchen. Tho London and Lancashire office had a risk over the contents for £100.

The Sanitary Inspectors who were recently appointed by ; the ,Csty Council are said to be 'doing- excellent work in the direction of cleaning the city. An officer of the corporation, who has closely followed the work of tho inspectors, states that back-yards are being inspected daily, insanitary /drains are being correoted,. and defective plumbing work is being put right. Further, certain stables in the city which have* been notoriously dirty for years past, are all being .- put into. proper order. When the first round ;of inspection has been completed it is expected that the back-yards of Wellington will be cleaner than those : of ■ any other.city in the Dominion.

A special and final meeting of the Wellington Hospital, Trustees will be held at the hospital on Thursday afternoon next.

A: challenge semaphore cup competition will.be held.on.April 5, at 7 p.m., in the Drillshed: Sergt.-Major. Ross is chairman of _ the committee,' and Sergt.Major Browning has been appointed judge. In order to make the competition a complete success the committee is asking all corps to.enter at least one team. Entries, with subscription of 4s. per team, should reach the secretary (Mr. J. R. Cowles, c.o. J. Duthie and Co., Ltd.) not later than next Tuesday. •The prisoner Joseph J. .Powelka, who escaped from the Lambton Quay police cells .on Wednesday morning,' was still at large late last evening, but the police . are. naturally, making a very ; ;"■ diligent search for him.

; 'From April 1 the Waverley Town District will not form part of the County of Patea. The, necessary" Or-der-in-Council was gazetted this week..

New regulations under the Coal Mines Act. are gazetted. i

The scope of 'the Edward Medal has been extended. '■' Hitherto- it has been awarded for heroic acts performed in saving, or attempting to sayo, lives in mines and quarries. Under a warrant issued by', the King on December 2, 1909, and now reproduced in' the' New Zealand' Gazette, it may now be awarded "to those of our. faithful subjects, who' in course of .industrial'employment ondanger; their own 'lives in saving' or endeavouring to save the lives of others' from perils .'incurred in connection with such industrial employment' in -these our dominions' and in territories under our protection or jurisdiction." ■. Where the medal is .'granted otherwise than for acts performed' in mines,'it will bear.his Majesty's effigy 'oil sthe?obverse;'; and- on the reverse'a 'suitable.design, .'with'the words, "For courage.":.' •■:

. The proposal of the Government '';to lease,the seal fisheries on the islands adjacent to the coast of New Zealand has not yet been carried out. Only one. tender'was. received,' and that was for the right' to take seals: ', the Bounty and Antipodes Islands,'but it was not considered satisfactory and has hot been accepted.' Meanwhile the close 'season for seals has, by Order-in-Coun-cil,- just gazetted, been extended from June 30 to June '30; .1911. v This Order-in-Council can, however, be revoked if circumstances arise to make such a'step advisable. ■'" " ;c

A number of men have been sent to the Midland railway works recently by the Labour Bureau, but it is understood.that the supply of labour of the kind is not very, great at ; the present time.. ;■ , : ...

According to the "Wairarapa Daily Times," it is understood that an association is being formed in Masterton to take up land under the provisions of the -Land Settlement Finance Act, which'came : into operation on January 1. It is the intention of tho 'association to purchase the-fine estate of M'Gregor Bros., at Manaia, consisting of 900 acres, and to utilise .the land for dairying purposes.. The property is bounded on tho north sido by the Ruamahanga River, and on the south side by the Waingawa River, and contains some rich river fiatß.--The members of the association are farmers.. - •

The new King's Theatre, erected by the West's Picture Syndicate in Gloucester Street, Christchurch, right opposite the new Theatre Royal, was. successfully opened, on Thursday evening. "The'intenor" (says the "Press") "has been painted in very restful and wellharmonised colours of orange, blue, and red. It is a.great thing in connection with a picture show that the surroundings shall be of a character-which will 'rest the- eyes... The seating of : the front seats, which isthe cheaper portion of the theatre, is comprised of comfortable backed .forms divided into compartments by iron arm rests, so each seat is separate. There is also plenty of room-between to allow of passage to and fro.' The higher-priced seats are wooden tip-ups arranged and numbered in alphabetical order. There is, apart from the space of the tip-ups, plenty of room between tho rows of : seats, so as to allow, of easy ingress and egress. Tl lo a^e U P tho centre is wide, and laid with soundless material. Round each sidp are also ample aisles, so that the seating and exit of the audience are easily and swiftly managed. There are three exit doors on each side, and one at each side at,the end, thus providing eight exits in ad; dition to tho main entrance. These exits, which'give out on the passage on each sido of the building leading to the street, are fitted with doors having patent locks, only requiring pressure' to open at once. The floor ot tho theatre is so graded from back to front .that'each..row look over tho heads of those in front. Tho bioscope light for the display of the pictures is placed in a fireproof chamber above the lieads of the audience, at the Gloucester Street end of tho theatre, and is an admirable light." The adjustment with the Government of the rear boundary of the City Council's recently-purchased site.for a now carshed at Thorndon has been satisfactorily settled, and the tramway department is now engaged in the preparation of plans for. tho new shed. A sum for the erection of tho sheds will appear in next year's estimates, which are now being prepared. Acting on the suggestion of Councillors Luke and Atkinson, an .appeal was made by tho City Council to tho Treasury for an advance of £33,000 for tho Wadestbwn tramway loan. Such an advance would have meant the raising, of the loan at 3} per cent., with sinking fund of 1 per cent. Tho Government, however, has declined to grant the loan, which will now probably be floated at 4 per cent., with 1 per cent, sinking fund.