LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1030, 20 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-morrow's issue of The Domimos will of 21 page*, including an illustrated supplement, dealing with Southern Kawke's Bay. There will be a number of special articles depicting the early history, of the district, the rise and progress of its principal towns, and the work of the pioneer settlers. The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Victoria, which sailed from Sydney on January 18 for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, also the English mail via Suez, The Wellington portion should reach here by the Main Trunk express on Monduy, January 23. So far the officials of the Post and Telegraph Department have made no definite arrangements to place the wireless department on a footing practical busiiiess. Assuming • that something of importance occurred affecting a passenger travelling within a few hundred miles of Wellington on a vessel fitted with "wireless," no message could be projected except by way of courtesy on the part of the chief officials; and so far no arrangements have been made by either tho Union or Huddart-PaAer Companies with the Post Office to attend to the delivery of any .messages received from the "empty, vast, and wandering air";beyond our little circle of hills.. "Up till the present wireless work in Wellington has been considered merely experimental, but now that there has been established a plant capable of speaking some hundreds of miles at least, a rate for sending messages is, of course, the next thing. This, it is understood, is now in contemplation. "Now that Methodist union is so near—" was an unfinished remark that fell yesterday from a Timaru delegate at tho Primitive Methodist.Conference, when the disposal of a church site was being discussed. "I cannot allow that to pass," said the president. "There must be no statement made that would "be even the inference of a conclusion." "Very well, Mr. President," said the Timaru man; "but," he added, "wo have it in our minds all the same." "You are a candidate for Parliament," declared a brother delegate, and simultaneously from another quarter of tho room came the remark, "He is a politician." All day yesterday, the water-front in the vicinity of. the submerged ferry steamer Pilot was lined with curious spectators. In fact, this part of the wharves has become quite a centre of attraction. Pumping operations have been suspended, and the necessary gear, which has to be erected, for the purpose of trying to raise the sunken steamer by the new method, is being placed in position, and the work of hauling the Pilot up to the surface of the water will lie commenced almost, immediately. To show the force at which tho Terawhiti's lOin. suction pump , works, it is stated by an eye-witness that the llog-book of Ithe, Pilot, which is kept in the engine-room, was drawn up through the pipe and discharged" over the side of the tug on Wednesday last.. The Church Immigration Society wishes to remind its friends that Mr. Sedgwick's first party of fifty boys is due to arrive on Tuesday next by the Athenic. Tho boys are recruited from the Bast End'of Loudon and from Liverpool, and represent the first step in a philantropic movement to' rescue from wasted and neglected lives as large a number as posjSiblo Of'fho'youth'oMho slums of the Home citics and gives them a new start in tho great overseas Dominiohs. The departure of the first contingent from London- excited Considerable sympathetic interest; tho lads were farewellcd by Sir William and Lady Hall-Jones and by Mr. 1\ E. Donne. Sir William Hall-Jones gave them an encouraging address and spoke of tho splendid opportunities that awaited them in New Zealand provided they applied themselves to 'work with zeal and energy. It has been decided to welcome the boys in St. Peter's Mission Room, Taranaki Street, where tea or supper will bo provided and afterwards they will be taken to some form of entertainment. The Church Immigration Society makes an earnest appeal for funds' to cover tho expense. Donations of inoney .can. be sent to Mifis 10. Greenwood, 2(1 The Terrace, and cooked provision forwarded direct to St. Peter's Mission Hall not later than Tuesdaymorning. It is' hoped that tho response for this deserving object will be prompt and generous, and that from tho first the boys will be made to feel thoroughly welcome and at home among their kinsfolk in the land of their adoption. It is 'announced by the Post Office that English and American, mails, via Vancouver, will arrive: at Sydney on Tuesday, January 21, and ht Auckland on Sunday, January 29. They will arriro in Wellington on Monday, January 30. During the present week the company units of the Wellington Rifle Battalion, how encamped at ICarori, have beeii-striv-ing among themselves for honours in the tug-of-war. Twelve "pulls" have so far been decided, and all of them have been won by F Company (College Rifles). One of the finest specimens of tho printer's art that has been seen in New Zealand has been handed to us by Mr. C. B. -Russell, manager of the British Umpire Trading Company. It is a copy, of the last tourist edition of the "Havana .Post," beautifully printed on glazed surface paper, and illustrated in colours. The pictures consist of scenes in Cuba, including several panoramic views of Havana and it's chief sights. The estimated populations of the four chief centres of New Zealand, with their suburban boroughs, on December .11 last, are given in the Gazette 'as follows:— Greater Auckland, 57,1129; Greater 'Wellington, ■ 7G.390; Greater Christchurch, 75.605; Greater Duuedin, 62,584. _ The proportion of deaths per thousand in December last was; Por Auckland borough, 1.02; for Wellington, 0.C3; for Christchurch, 0.72; for. Dunedin, 0.52. . For tho little story that follows a Primitive : Methodist layman, Mr. W. Dobbs, of Christchurch, is responsible. A layman preaching in the;open air held up a purse and said: "Just as certain as tho 'bob' in this purse is mine, I believe that what lam telling you is true." "That is bad testimony," commented a bystander. "Ho has owed ine a pound for tho last year, and for the life of me I can't get it back." At 8.30 o'clock last evening tho Fire Brigade received a call to Seatoun. Road, Kilbirnie, to. suppress a gorse fire. - The brigade arrived quickly upon tTjc scene, and suppressed the outbreak before any serious damage was done. Later in the evening the brigade had a call to Messrs. C. and A. Odlin's timber yards, in Upper Taranaki Street., This turned out to be a false alarm. Members of the local police force assembled on Wednesday, when Inspector Ellison, representing the Superannuation Board, informed them of the exact position in which the police now stood in regard to retiring allowance. He stated that, consequent upon the successful appeal of Sub-:lnspector M'Grath, of Christchurch, against, the decision of tho Solici-tor-General, members of the police are now placed upon tho same footing with regard to superannuation as that of any other department of tho public- service. In the past some -dissatisfaction had been caused by tho delay in admitting the force into participation of the benefits of the general superannuation fund, but there was now 'no cause for this, as all members of the force who had had broken time could join tho general fund, provided that they paid five years' contributions by March 31 next. This was set forth in tho Act, and it was understood that several officers had already availed tliemhelves of this provision. For the best and most modern Hair and Complexion Treatment, Mrs. Rolleston, who has just returned from England and America,' is recomipended. Highest diploma for removing superfluous hair. Vibro-massa.se, Hairdressing,. Shampooing and Clipping, i Willis Street (over Carroll's). let. 1599 — Advt,