LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The delayed English and Australian mail, via Sydney, will arrive in "Wellington by the Main Trunk express this afternoon.

The mails which left "Wellington on April 29 par the s.s. Manuka, and connected at Sydney with the Naples mails per the it.M.S. Omrah, arrived in London on the afternoon of June 4.

Sittings of the Arbitration Court open in Wellington on Monday next.

Says our Feilding correspondent: The District High School Committee has given tho local' officer of the Salvation Army (Captain Avenall) permission to* address the scholars (outside school hours) on the smoking and gambling questions.

A doctor's certificate produced in tho S.M. Court yesterday as an indisputable argument why an adjournment should be granted was treated with hostility by opposing counsel. Counsel for defendant said his client had been ill for sonic days, and could not appear. He produced a doctor's certificate as positive proof that his client was ill. Counsel for plaintiff stated that he had a witness who would swear that on a number of occasions he had been in defendant's of-fice,-and had heard defendant give orders that he could not bo seen as he was un-. dergoing an operation. At this stage counsel for defendant objected to the trend of tho discussion, and the matter closed 011 tho understanding that an adjournment for two weeks would be granted, counsel for the defence stating that his client would appear on that day.

A Pongaroa correspondent telegraphs: — "Owing to the strong representations made through Mr, R. B, Ross, M.P., against the unoccupied land oh the Puketois and at Waione being allotted to a few settlers without public competition (thereby causing dissatisfaction to the whole district), the Land Board intends to visit the district and inspect each applicant's present holding. Mr. R. B. lioSs has received the following wire from the. commissioner: 'Self and Land' Board purpose being in the district about Wednesday.' "•

An important meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Society of Accountants will be opened at the Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, at 10.30 a.m. today, and will probably last over Friday. ■ A full attendance is expected from all parts of the Dominion. Mr. Peter Barr, president >of the society, will occupy the chair. A. good deal of important business will bo discussed, particularly in regard to , proposed regulations under tho New Zealand Society of Accountants Act of 1908. Applicatious made under the amending Act of last session will also be dealt with. To-morrow evening a general meeting will 'be held for the purpose of adopting the regulations to be made by the council under the Act of 1908.

The final meeting of the Executive Co.rnmittee of Dr. Henry's recent: mission to Wellington was held ou Monday night. The' Hev. A. Dewdney presided, and' Sir. G. Kersley presented a balance-sheet which was considered' very satisfactory. A sub-committee was appointed to'draft a resolution of gratitude 'to God and thanks to Dr. Henry for the work done by the mission.. ' . ,

According to latest advices from Auckland the remaining plague patient is making steady progress towards recovery and thqro are no fresh developments.

Owing to the Conciliation Commissioner's departure at short notice for Auckland, the conference on the engineers' dispute was held on Monday, instead of yesterday, as previously arranged. , Mr. P. Hally, the Commissioner, presided, and tho assessors were Mr. W. Cable, for the employers of Wellington and district, and Mr. C. Tullet, fot the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (Wellington branch). Three points had been left. unsettled at tho preceding - conference* and in these matters the counter-claims 'if a portion of the employers were considered, but no settlement was agreed .to. Tho matter will therefore go, before the Arbitration Court, and it is hoped that it will. be heard during the Wellington sittings, which begin \jiext Monday.

The civil sittings of the Supreme Court ■ will be continued, before the Chief Justice at 10.30 o'clock to-dav, the following cases having been set down for hearing;— Sargood, Son, and Ewen, Ltd. v. Belle Bradlee, claim for .£lls 125., for' goods sold, etc.; and Greuville v. Parker, rent, etc.

, In the course of his sermon at. the Christchurch Cathedral on Sunday evening, Dean Harper made some interesting references to the progress of religion in England. He said that during his recent visit to England he had tried to look at the various questions bearing on religion io see how far tho Kingdom of God had made progress in the Old Country. There were some encouraging indir cations. He noticed"n very considerable amount of energy in the Church of England, .as well as in other bodies of Christians -outside the pale of the English Church. Great efforts were being made to reach . the masses, particularly by holding services that .might be better adapted to the masses than the ordinary stately service of the Church. One heard of special' services of all kinds in all directions. ' Services were held on weekdays, with addresses by notable preachers to people leading the busy life of the city. These services usually commenced at noon, anil lasted till' one o'clock. During lent there was a great service held in the Royal Exchange, which was largely attended by business men. It was hardly a. service, but an address bearing oil some great subject, and preceded by a short, prayer or hymn. The services were organised by the energetic and able Bishop of London, and were highly ,valued and appreciated.

The Picton and Sounds Promotion Society is making arrangements to celebrate Arbor Day by tree-planting in Picton.

Arrangements have been" made for the running o! an" extra car on the Seatoun line, leaving the" Government Station' at 6.3 p.m.

The curator of the New Plymouth Recreation Grounds reported to' the board on Monday night that flower-stealing had been unpleasantly rife lately. It was a difficult matter to detect, as he believed that it was done chiefly at night.. In view of these, thefts, the" state of the board's finances, the board's limited staff, and the large amount of; work to be done, he doubted the wisdom of going on with this gardening. Several other members expressed the view that it would be better not to extend the gardening operations too far. Mr. Cock stated that in a park in Wellington there were, lovely flowers, and the public never interfered with them or stole them. This, he- had been told by the 'curator, was because the people tcok an interest in the park, and immediately reported any thefts to the board. He thought that "if the public. in New Plymouth were■encouraged to report tho thetts," the. flowers in the park might be secure. Mr. Hushes' said that the mere reporting wouldn't be of much use. Mr. Cock: "Then the, board would take action—prosecute them."— "Taranaki Daily News.''