LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1048, 10 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

— « —. —-. ._ The postal authorities 'advise that tho 5.5. Maheno, which sailed from Sydney ,at noon on February 8 for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, also the English mail, via Suez. The Wellington pcrtion should reach hero by Main Trunk express on Monday, February 13. Tho Maitai, with. English and American mails,' left San Francisco for Wellington, via Tahiti and Earotonga, on February 8. Sho is duo here on March 2.' Moils which left Auckland on January 18 per the s.s, Xavua, aud connected at Suva with tho Vancouver, mail per the It.M.S. Zealandia, arrived at Vancouver at 11 p.m. ou Tuesday, February 7. A Press Association tclcgramifrom Goro states that Sir Josoph Ward has advised Mr. Malcolm, M.P., that the Government has decided to negotiate-, for the purchase of Conical Jlills Estate, the property of Watson Shennan, near Wnipahi. The conference between representatives of the City Tramways Committee and tho Tramwaymen's Union, anent tho proposals for a now award, will open on Monday next. It has not yet been decided whether tho proceedings will bo open to tho press. • Tho alternating dynamo for tho Curtis turbine at tho corporation power-houso is.to arrive by tho steamer Tongariro on Saturday.- The unexplained delay in forwarding the dynamo has compelled the Electrical Department to let the turbine lio idle for over a year, but it will now shortly be'in operation. Councillors Atkinson, ■ M'Laren, and , Trevor have been authorised to confer with representatives of tho General Labourers' 'Union' in. reference to the proposals of tho Union for an agreement as to wages, hours, .and condition of labourers employed by tho council. The union will be represented by Messrs. F. O'Keefo (president), J. Law, F. Stott, and M. J. Reardon (secretary). The data' on which tho delegates will confer has not yet been determined. Tho Wellington Slaughtermen's Union ha* entered into an agreement with the lately-formed Wanganui Company, which employs'about twenty butchers, on the lines of tho agreement between the union and the local/moat-oxport companies. ; During the fortnight ended February 7, 1911, 41 applications for. permission to alter, erect, aud extond buildings were received and dealt with by tho City Engineering Department. In 27. ; instances plans were examined and approved, and permits issued. The valuo of work authorised is os follows:—City, .£2400; Melrose, -£3691; Northland, .£7lO. Total,' •.E6BOI. ' - ■ •. ' A number of men will appear on summons at the ■ Magistrate's Court this morning charged with playing a game of chance known as "pitch and toss." Tho charges are tho result of a police visit to Kaiwarra on Sunday, January 29. A deputation to tho City Council, with Mr. M'Xeill nt its head, laid a complaint against a .manufactory, situated near the tram terminus at Aro Street, Tho complaint was in regard to nn alleged nuisance'created by the material boiled down there, which tho deputation said Mas fat collected from various quarters, and was not "dripping," as alleged. They contended the manufactory should bo placed whore there wris hot so much population. Children also passed there three or four times a day on their way to'school. Tho Mayor said tho, matter had been beibro tho Health Coniinittco of tho council. Unless tho Health Department declared the manufactory a "noxious" trade—and they had not yet done- so—they could not takb action. Ho rood a report on tho matter from • tho District Health Office, and said ho would seek an interview with that officer and obtain his statement. It was decided that tho Health Committee should visit the p.l'acs arid-make inquiries.

A sitting in Chambers will be hold at 10.30 this morning by Mr. Justice Chapman, when dates will be fixed for the eases to bn heard at tho civil sessions of the Supremo Court, which opens on Monday.

The City Council last evening accepted tenders as follow:—Steel tyres, S. Brown and Co., Ltd.; ironbark poles, S. Brawn and Co., Ltd.; cast iron stoves for electric lighting department, Colonial Tinware Company.

Members of the City Council staff are to be granted a holiday on Friday, February 17, for their annual.picnic.

Mr. J. 51. Morice (Assistant City .Engineer) is to bo granted an allowance of X2O on accoupt of services rendered to his department with his motor-car during tho last two years, and in future is to be granted an annual allowance of .£2O for similar service.

Mr. J.'Lomas has been gazetted superintendent of workers' dwellings under the M'orkers' Dwellings Act, 1910. This week's Gazette also announces tha constitution of Workers' Dwellings Boards in each district, to consist of the superintendent of workers' homes, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and tho Inspector of Factories in tho respective districts.

Deputy-registrars of births, marriages, and deaths havo been appointed at Faxtan (Mr. J. W. Irvine), Wanganui (Mr. J. Mayno), Hutt (Mr. B. H. Parker).

Officiating ministers under the Marriage Act have been gazetted a sfollows:—Rev. W. Venablcs, M.A. (Anglican). Mr. H. E. Rutledge (Presbyterian), Mr. E. A. Hunt (Methodist), Rev. C. H. Dierlts (Lutheran), Mr. F. J. Goodwin (Church of Christ), Lieut.-Colonel J. Birkcnshaw, Lieut.Colonel E. Knight, Brigadier E. Holdnwav, and Brigadier F. Rowley (Salvation Army), Rev. J. H. G. Chappie (Unitarians).

Postal matter addressed to Dr. W. G. Jl'Clure, of Sydney, or to J. Stelin, Wellington, will not bo forwarded by tho Postal Department, states a notico in this week's Gazette.

Christchnrch was en fete yesterday. The occasion was a monster fete arranged to provide funds for the beautifying of the Domain Gardens. : The grounds were laid out as a monster fair, with side shows of every kind, even down to a butcher's stall, where lamb cutlets were sold for tho benefit of tho fund. Prizes were offered to the purchasers.of tickets, tho lucky winner getting a trip to Australia and £5 expenses. . Ono of the chief attractions -was a beauty show, in which both of the first prizes were secured by members of the Plimmer-Denniston Company. The prize for the most popular beauty under 21 years of.age was carried off by sliss Lizette Paries, and the first prize for "beauty's. eyes" over 21 years of ago was won by Hiss Beatrice Usher, also a member of tho Plim-mer-Denniston' Company. ' .:"

Conscience money to the amount of 4?. Gd. has been forwarded -to' the- Public Works ; Department by some person unknown, •

The following list of successful and unsuccessful tenders for the erection of the Nuhaka Ttivor Bridgo is published' for general information -.—Gardiner, A. B Wairoa (accented). 4J.1136 K ; Gilmour, J. J., Dannevirke, JE3200; Dillon, T.. 'W-l-Hngton; £3372 Gs. Bd.;. Fraser, G. M.. Hamilton. 3194 10s.; M'Lean. Donald, and Co., Wellineton. JC3750; Nicol, J. A., Gisborno, .£3798; Beagley anil Austin, Napier, .£4700.

The Progress Tent, situated at Lower Hutt is registered by the Gazette as a branch of the New Zealand Central District Independent Order of Rechabites Friendly Society, under the Friendly Societies Act.

Boy Scouts to whom anything of the natuio of pioneering and exploring strongly, appeals; will be given an opportunity of seeing the Japanese vessel Kai-nan-Mnru to-day. The}\ will; meet in uniform at,the boat harbour, Te Aro,. at six this, evening, and willba taken'out in a large motor launch, accompanied .by their scout .officers, . , !'.'...

' At a meeting of the council of the New ZealajiiViAcadp.MVflflfi Pino, -Arts,. I^?l4,;last ovonfng, 'Mr. HT S. Wardeli announced that the matter'of the expenditure of the grant of .£SOO would bo considered later. Mr. Kil'Wc has-been .appomtcu to. net as secretary. '

• .Consequent upon 'the "New Zealand headquarters of the Atlas Assurance Company having become merged in the Australian • head office at Melbourne, the local office is,to'be removed'next month from its present quarters in:the Colonial Mutual building to Gualter, Dykes, and Company's Chambers, in Brandon Street, formerly occupied by the New Zealand and South African Steamship Company. ' ■' Mr. T. W. Pilchcr, for many years : • chief clerk, has been appointed local manager. Mr.'E. Vance'will'remain with tho company as chief clerk. Mr; A. E. Burnet, who has occupied the position of cashier, will return to Melbourne. Mr. P. C. Welsh, manager at Melbourne, will arrive in Wellington shortly; to "wind up tho business in connection with the chango of system about to tak« place.

Eeplying last evening to a question by Councillor Fletcher as to whether tramway men'were granted facilities for.taking part in cricket matches, the Mayor stated that until recently , tha custom was for the men to arrange the-matter among themselves. Those who wanted to play cricket'in tho afternoon-went early upon tho a.m. shift and completed their time on tho p.m. shift," On the occasion of thei last match, the speaker instructed Mr. Richardson, if the men desiring to get away could get others to replace them, to grant the facilities desired. The men, however,' failed to arrange the matter themselves.. This being reported, nothing ' could be' done. Tho men could get over the difficulty, if they liked, by a little consideration and compromise among themselves- .

. A "no hat" proposal was raised at tho meeting of the City Council last evening by Councillor Barber, who asked why motorinen, who ..had to vcear a heavy uniform and. a heavy cap. right through the summer, should be penalised if they left their caps off when on duty. At the request of tho Mayor, Mr. Bichardsou replied. Motormen and conductors, he said, wore their badges and numbers'on their caps.. . If.' they, left their caps off tho numbers could not be scon, and consequently it became very hard to identify them. If the council desired,, it could provide the men with lighter hats,. and, insist that L hev be worn during a stated period in each year. Councillor Barber asked .if it were not,' a fact that' the men wore numbers'on the lapels of their coats as' well l as on their caps? Tho matter was 'finally', referred to the Tramways Committee. '