LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Education Department is calling for tenders for tlio supply of about 175,000 Coronation medals in magnalium. Specifications can bo seen at the Education Officcr and tenders, accompanied by designs, close on February 13. This information, whicli the Government is using tho public's money to advertise in tho newspapers which support the Ministry, is printed hero in justico to tho public. .Amusing indeed is a letter from Shanghai, which has been received by tho Labour Department. It is addressed: "Australia, Wellington, New. Zealand.. To tho Labour: Office." It lias tho Shanghai stamp. Tho test of tho' letter is as follows:—"Shanghai, December 16. To 'tho Labour Office. — Dear Sir, —I be" you to bo so kindly and if it is possible' to find some placo for me. My-business is to bo a grover, and I know mino work perfectly. I intended to go to New Zealand from Shanghai next month. I shall he very obliged to you of your trouble about it. I remain, yours respectfully, The writing is excellent. Tho out-patients' department of the Wellington Hospital will bo closed on Monday (Anniversary Day). Any urgent cases will be attended to at the general hospital. ■ Talking with a Dominion reporter yesterday Mr. J. B. Speed mado a strong protest against remarks passed by speakers at an athletic gathering in-.Wellington on Tuesday evening, to the effect tliat Scottish athletes, pipers, and dancers were such a difficult crowd to control, that it-had been decided "to let them slide." Mr. Speed was for some thirteen years member and secretary of tho Caledonian Society that existed in Wellington until the later days of tho South African war. Ho therefore speaks with a measure of authority when ho sets ont to defend Scotchmen. Never in all his experience, Mr. Speed remarked, had lio. encountered such a suggestion as camo from tho athletes on Tuesday night. Scotchmeu had their peculiarities, but they were not of a kind to impose trouble' on thoso responsible for tho guidance of a sports meeting. A great number of peoplo would bear him out in describing tho charge as absolutely farcical. Authority will be asked by tho City Council at its next meeting to take • certain lands in connection with the tramway extension nt .Wadeatown.; ■

The questioirof providing further accommodation for tho public at Lyall Bay, both in regard. to bathing-sheds and general accommodation, lias been referred by the Tramways Committee of tlio City Council to the Reserves Committee, which will report direct to the Financo Committee after ascertaining tho cost of the improvements proposed. Tho Mayor stated yesterday , that the Tramways Committee, at its next meeting, will ask tho authority of the City Council'to sot up a sub-committee to deal with the application of tho employees' union for a new award. ' -■ Tho new system of workers' cars, approved to in the latter part of last year by tho City Council, will bo put into operation shortly. In accordance with the law governing the regulations of tramways, notice of an intention to vary tho Order-in-Council under which the system is worked has boon gazetted. A period of 28 days is allowed for lodging any objections that may bo raisecl. At tho end of that time the council will probably bo in a position to put its scheme into immediate" operation. An errand boy named Ernest Forrester was jammed between tho lift and the second lloor on Wednesday morning on tho premises of Robert Malcolm, Limited; Auckland. The lad states that ho fell while attempting to stop the lift, and his legs,' coming between the edge of the lift and the floor, acted as a brake, and stopped tho lift. Two iron bars were obtained in order to keep as much pressure as possible oft tho boy's legs, while the wooden part, of the lift was sawn through beforo ho could bo remo.ved. This operation lasted nearly tlljee-quarters of an hour. During this time, Dr. Haninprly, who was called in, remained - by tho Jjd, who was in a sitting posture and quite conscious. Fortunately, no bones were broken, but the sufferer's legs were much bruised and -torn. He was taken to the Hospital, but it is considered he will be well enough to leave that institution in the course of a few days. The Brooklyn Ratepayers' Association' has approached the Reserves Commit-teo of the "City Council with a request that the suburb should be provided with a recreation ground. Tho matter will bo reported upon at tho next meeting of tlio City Council, but it is doubtful, in view of tho. prevailing shortago of funds for the purposes of rc-serves, whether tlio report will be favourable. In Parliament towards tho end of last session, Mr. T. M. AVilford, M.P., asked the Minister for Public Works who was responsible for the construction of the asphalt sidoway which borders the now Hutt Road. The Minister replied that tlio work was carried out as a result of representations made by tho local authorities concerned. At the time, Mr. (AVilford expressed a doubt as to whether any such representations had been made. Subsequently, inquiries were made of each local body affected, by a circular letter from the Wellington Town Clerk, as to whether it had desired that a footpath should bo constructed; along the Hutt Road. The local authorities have replied in' N the negative. Among thoso so replying aro tho,Hutt Borough Council, .tlio Hutt County Council, tho Johnsonville Town Board, tho Onslow Borough Council, and the Eastbourne Borough Council. When Charlotte Street has been widened under the general schemo for tlio improvement of streets in the vicinity of the Parliamentary Grounds, it-will, bo- possible to • construct the short .connecting link between the tramlines in Molesworth Street and Xambton" Quay. The Mayor has written to tho.' Brinifv Minister ..asking him when the time, for the, , widening . of Charlotte Street.Js : .td ..bo. fixed, and stating that when .this has'been' done the council' will carry the tramline up ■ Charlotte Street to Molesworth Street. ' Sir Joseph Ward replied that lie would give instructions to havo.-the, line, fixed, at once. Tho Mayor intends to suggest to the council the advisability of pulling up the present lino from-, .the Hotel Cecil through Aitkon Street to Molesworth Street,-as soon .as'the shorter route is ready .".It is understood that a schemo is under consideration by the authorities by which the Charlotte. Street lino will run directly across tlio present line on Lamb'ton Quay and down the thoroughfare .'between the'' Departmental Build.ings and- the - Government Printing Office to join the Jervois Quay line. liarori passengers, will then bo conveyed by that route t<j tlio Post Office. With the exception of tlio Karori : tramline to South Karon it is not expected that tho through service;. Newtowii-Karori, 'can be satisfactorily maintained. ; "We shall have,.something to,', say very shortly; in reference to electrical supplies," -said, the Mayor yesterday, "and.will be able to demonstrate-to tile public the' possibility of. cooking by electricity.'at'.a prico . previously unheard 0f.,. A stove has been, manufactured locally. at. considerably less-than half the cost of an imported .i V stovo manufactured iii England.- Tenders will j be called immediately for the. manufacture of.a supply.of stoves locally." - . A' correspondent requests us' to print tho following, by Sir James Mackiri-. tosh, on tho liberty of the British,. -Press for the repose qf mankind,. great States are compelled to consider tho military spirit and martial. habits, of their people, as one of the main objects of their policy. Frequent hostilities, seem almost the necessary condition of greatness; and, without being great, they cannot... remain safe. Smaller. States, exempted from' this necessity, devoted themselves to tho arts of peace to the cultivation of literature, and the improvement of reason. They becamo places of refuge for free and fearless, discussion; they wero the impartial spectators and judges of the various contests of ambition which, .from time to. time,. disturbed the quiet of the world.. If . wars of aggrandisement undertaken, their authors were arraigned in the sight of Europe. If acts of internal tyranny wero. perpetrated they resounded from a thousand presses throughout all civilised countries. Princes on ■ whose will there wero 110 legal checks thus found a moral restraint which tho most of thorn could not brave with absolute impunity. No elevation' of power, no depravity, however consummate, no innocence however spotless, can render man wholly independent of the praise or blame of his fellows. These. feeblo States, the monuments of tlio justice of Europe, thoasylum of peace, of industry, and of literature, the organs of public reason, the refuge of oppressed innoceuco and persecuted truth—havo perished with those ancient principles which wero their sole guardians and protectors. They havo been swallowed up by that fearful convulsion which has shaken the uttermost corners of tho earth; they aro destroyed and gone forever. One asylum of freo discussion is still inviolate. There is still one spot in Europe where man can freely exerciso his reason on the important concerns of society; whore he boldly publishes liis judgment oil tho acts of tho proudest and most powerful tyrants. The •press of ■ England is still free. It is guarded by the free constitution of sour forefathers; it is guarded by the hearts and arms of Englishmen; and I trust I may venture to say, that, if it bo to fall, it will -fall only under tho ruins of tho British Empire. It is an awful consideration, gentlemen! Every ■other monument of European liberty has perished. That ancient fabric which has been gradually reared by tho wisdom and virtue of our fathers, still stands—it stands, thanks bo to heaven, solid and entiro, but it stands alone, and it stands, amid ruins."