LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 986, 29 November 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

1— ——'. Rumours of drastic changes in the railway time-table, especially as affecting the Main Trunk line, have been freely cireulateel of late. When the subject was mentioned to Mr. S. 3T. "Whitcombe, Dis- ' trict Traffic Manager, by a Dominion re- j porter, he remarked that he knew of no changes of any importance, Tho time- J tables would very shortly be reissued in | t"he regular course, showing the services ' as from December 1, but the alterations J would be found to be of a trilling character. There would, -of course, ho extra 1 trains for tho holiday traffic, and it was j understood in this connection that the 1 expresses on tho Main Trunk lino would be duplicated during the Christmas rush, j The attention of the llon. D. Buddo was drawn by Mr. Hii>e, M.l'., yesterday i to tho trouble at tho Napier Hospital , over tho nurses' hours. Ho asked ii' it wcro intended to bring down legislation next session limiting tho hours for nurses.. The Minister, in reply, saiil thnt ho would liko to remind Mr. Hino that tho trouble at Nanier was purely a local matter. Tho Hospital Board at Napier, ho . continued, had full control over all tho institutions under its jurisdiction. Any interference than that provided by law—that was tho Inspector-General--would bo resented by a body which rightly considered itself competent to manage its own affairs. It would be found that the matter would be considered by tho local body in a right manner. According to Mr. Wilford, M.P. for Hutt, quite a number of local bodies have under' consideration tho question of laying down motor bus plants. In tho House of Representatives yesterday he asked tho Prime Minister whether ho would have during tho recess estimates prepared for tho information of local bodies generally iu;.to the cost of the Cul-verden-Hanmer plant, cost of running, expenditure on repairs, etc. Sir Joseph Ward said that he would bo very glad to comply with the request. The Government would be pleased to supply all tho information in. its possession on the point to local bodies, n-lso to anybody else. A conference between the Waipa Kailway and Collieries, Ltd. (represented by Mr. W. M. Ilannay, managing director), Mr. Maurice Casey (tho Auckland director), Dr. Prendergast Knight, Mr. Norris Bell, and the engineer, Mr. Ashley Hunter, M.1.C.E., tho Raglan County, and the Ngantawahia Town Board, was held at Ngaruawahia last week. Mr. Hannay stated that sufficient capital was subscribed to ensure the carrying out of the.concern, and that they were desirous of pushing on with tho work, and taking advantage of tho summer. Plans of tho railway to connect tho mine with the Main Trunk were lodged, and formal no. tic 9 given tho County Council and Town Board to take the necessary steps authorising tho coiwtruction of tho work., Tho names of bondsmen were . submitted by tho company and approved. Wliilo these legal steps aro being taken, tenders will bo called for. Tho carrying .out of this undertaking will bo of material advantage, not only to -tho district in which tho mine is situated, but to the whole of tho North Island, as tho demand for this class of coal is a fast-growing one:' The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) having loft for Nelson yesterday, there is at pre-cnt no judge of the Supreme Court in town, but Mr. Justice Chapman will come from Christchurch in time to hold a Chamber sitting on Friday morning. Ho will leave "Wellington again on Saturday. Other Supreme Court fixtures for this week aro cancelled. It lias been arranged that, from date, tho time elapsiug between tho final clearance of posting-boxes at tho Chief Post Office and tho commencement of lettercarriers' deliveries in the city will be twenty minutes only. The new times of clearance of posting-boxes will be 7.40 a.m., 9.10 a.m., 10.25 a.m., 1.40 p.m., and 3.25 p.m. Mr.. W. Pryor, secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, left last evening for Cliristchurch, where ho will represent the employers in connectionwith the South Canterbury Carpenters' Dispute. A matter on which some contention has centred is tho applicationTofc the Timaru Harbour Board to have its. employees excluded from tho operation of the carpenters' award about to be mado. ' • , ' 'i " The white swan is a biid not easily bvqd in New Zealand, but eight cygnets of this vnriety that aro- now being reared at . Newtown Park present every appearance of healthy growth, and are very likely to attain maturity. White swans havo in tho past been successfully reared at Nelson, but the total number raised thus far in the Dominion is small. Complaint is constant over tho refusal of Government to supply perhaps one of the richest districts of New Zealand with the necessary railway accommodation—that is the country around aitd between Opnnako and Hawera or Eltham on tho railway line. This district is closely settled, and sends out more dairy produce than perhaps any similar area in the Dominion. Railway construction here, it is contended, would convenience a large resident, population, and pay to . run from tlio out-start. Sweet pea culture is becoming a £no aft in Grey town. Some blooms produced by Mr. Geo. M'Donald, of that town (who won the champion cup at tho Tecent show),' submitted to our insp«ction yesterday, certainly rank among tho most beautiful in colour, form, and site which havo been .eeen in Wellington. ■ Mr. M'Donald may exhibit at next month's '. show in Wellington. Newtown is to bo provided with an up-to-date and commodious picture hall in the near future. A syndicate, headed by Messrs. M. Manthel (proprietor of the Star Pictures) and Mr. W. Veitch, has acquired a central.site opposite the Newtown School, and plans are being prepared for a picture theatre that will, accommodate 1000 people in comfort. The seats are to bo upholstered, and provision will be made that every seat will command a full view of the serpen. It is expected that the new theatre—whieh is to be the future home of tho Star Pictures—will bo ready by next Easter. A special fire service, with three hose connections on each floor, is now installed throughout Government House and with a view to making tho service efficient, his Excellency invited Superintendent O'Brien, of the Firo Brigade, to make a visit yesterday to inspect tho appliances and to instruct the staff in their use. When the superintendent had given somo instruction as to the nse of the gear, ono of tho party was told oft to break the alarm communicating with tho Newtown Station. Tho staff then went through a' practical test, and in the spacq of a minute the Newtown Brigado hove in [ sight. ■.