LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1077, 16 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A definition of the term "permanent home" is being sought from the SolicitorGeneral by the City Council. The ruling is being asked as the result of tho rejection of a, claim {or enrolment on the new municipal roll of a local hulk-keeper and his wife. The hulk' is generally moored in tho stream or at tho wharf, but a; aft Act of 187S defines the boundaries of the borough of Wellington as not including the harbour, the returning officer declined to accent the claim. Section 3 of Clause 3 .of "the Municipal Corporations Act of last year reads:— "For the purpose of this section a man shall be (teemed to reside in tho place in which he has, his permanent home." Hence the need for a ruling.

A rather smart arrest was. made yesterday by Constable Taylor, of the Wellington South Police Station. On Saturday last, three little children, aged respectively tight years, six years, and four years, were out walking in Newtown J'ark, when they were met by a young man noar the bird-cages. It is alleged that the man decoyed the children into a secluded part of the Park, and afterwards assaulted the girl eight years of age. For some reason or other tho master was not reported to the police until Tuesday, and, from tho description, of th« man given, the Wellington South police were quite unable to form any conclusion as to whom the offender might be. However, the matter was taken up, and Constables Taylor and Willctfs w«re specially detailed to make inquiries. Yesterday Constable Taylor-made an arrest and a man was placed in custody. He will be brought before the Magistrate this morning. A Swiss family of six, a Russian and .a. Pole, were included in the passengers who arrived from Sydney yesterday by the Warrimoo. About 14 of the Ruahine's passengers have called at the Wellington Labour Bureau. Only about three of thes-e were after work in Wellington; the remainder were booked to other ports in the' SouthIsland. The fourteen comprised a blacksmith, gnrdeniirs. electrical engineers, motormeji, and dairymen; They feomed' to.be a superior class of:men, and'were ; not extremely anxiou-i to.start work until they have had a look round. The Labour officer remarked to a Dominion- reporter that it was a pity, in such caws as station couples for instance, that they were not prevailed upon at Home to come to the Dominion before the farming season commenced instead of in tho autumn; People of this class as a rule either did not care to, or wc-ro not Capable of, taking up other work to tide them over the flack season. Rail-grinding operations are about to bn recommenced on various parts of the I tramway system. .Deep corrugations have appeared in different portions of tho track, and in sonic instances the 'wheels of the rolling stock have suffered. The grinding process will have to be kept going continually for several.months. j Whether it is [or the purpose of giving the Government messengers exercise, or to provide them with a little extra occupation, is not quite clear, but the fact remains that instead of being able to take the shortest route between the Government Buildings and tho Parliamentary Buildings, they are now compelled by the closing of a gate in the old Government House grounds to tnko a circuitous journey round by Hie Museum every time they are sent * between tho buildings. Departmental officers are also compelled to waste the same amount oftime; As far as can be ascertained, there is no reason whatever for the closing of the gate—the only means of rapid communication between the Departments—unless it bn to keep the public out of the Parliamentary grounds. The live stock brought from Sydney yesterday by the Warrimoo included fivo pure-bred bull-dog pups, consigned to Mr. C. E. Cutts. The only fruit brought from Sydney yesterday by the Warrimoo was 135 cases of grapes.

Tho matinee in aid of the Ponsonby firo fund (says the "New Zealand Herald ) resulted in a not profit of £206 6*. Gd and air. Harry Sadler's "What! What! fund amounted to .£IOO 3s. The Wellington Homing Pigeon Society opened their young-bird racing' season with, a race from Danncvirke on Wednesday last which resulted as follows:—Mr. J. H. Clark's No. 40 (763 yds. per' minute), 1; Mr. A. Clark's No. 50 (761 yds.), 2; Mr. Groskery's No. 267 (072 yds.), 3; Mr. Bolton's No. llfi (050 yds.), 4; Mr. Townson's No 248-(64lyds.), 5; Mr. ■Bidding's No 311 (G3Byds.), 6. Ei s hty birds, representing fourteen lofts, competed. On Saturday last a race was flown from Waipawa, with the following result:—Mr. C. Hayiios's No. 08 (1110 yds. per minute), 1; Mr. Griffiths's No. 303 (1106 yds.), 2; Mr. Bidding's No. 210 (1103 yds.), 3; Mr. A. Clark's N0..23 (1101 yds.), 4; Mr. Bailey's No. 174 (1103 yds.), 5; Mr. J. H. Clark's No. 37 (1102 yds.), 0. Twelve lofts, represented by forty-fivo birds, competed. A total of fi3 cars will be in use on the Wellington and suburban tramlines at an early date. Work has just been commenced oa two.new single-track cars which are to be employed on the hill grades. • A total of 89 new connections to the city s electric light system were made during January. Last month tho new connections nnmbered S9, as compared with 5J- dnring February last year. "I hope that we will be able to bring the college into much closer touch with the commercial community than has hitherto been the case," observed Mr. II V. von Haast (chairman of the Victoria College Council) at tho council meeting last evening, apropos of the council's decision to make nrorision for examinations in accountancy. At the meeting of the Victoria Collide Council last evening a communication was received from the Education Deportment to the effect that Mr. Hobert M'lvab had boon appointed to a seat on the council, tho appointment to take effect in May next. As there is at present no actual vacancy on tho council, (ho letter from the Department was simply "received." A now set of offices is being constructed by the Cily Council alongside the new car sheds at Thorndon. Tho new building includes a strong-ronm, for the new automatic cash-box collector, a timekeeper's office, and foreman's office. The payius-iu system will be very much simpliiied when thS new automatic collector is ready at the Thorudou end.

The tramway revenue for the week ending, Sunday last was .£2OBI 6s. 3d., an increase cf X'l" 15s. over the corresponding week last year. The heaviest day's tiiKiiiß was .£505 17s. 9d., on Saturday, and tho lowest return was JJ2GS 7s. 10d., on Suiidiw.

The case of John Munro v. Pearson and Co., Ltd., a claim for .£l2B alleged to be duo as salary and bonus, will bo taken by tho Chief Justico (Sir Rolwrt htout) at 10.30 this morning. The Council of Fire Underwriters of New Zealand met: in Wellington yesterday. The following offices were 'represented :—Alliance (W. D. Meares), Atlas (I . li. Welsh and R. Young, inspector), (-ommcrcial Union (C. A. Kwon), Fnrmers Co-operative Insurance Association of Canterbury (H. W. Urown), Guardian i-,,', ' " llltc )> Liverpool and London and Globe (C. J. Cooper), London and Lancashire (- Walhley), National (11. Williams), JCew Zealand (J. Buttle), North British and Mercantile (A. H. Miles), Northern (A. F. Raltrny), Norwich Union (C. K. Tanner), Ocoan (11. N. Liardet), Phoenix (R. M. Simpson), Queensland (D. A. Abercrombie), Royal (A. D. Cook) Royal Exchange (0. - B. Bendall), South British of New Zealand (J. iCirker), Standard of New Zealand (A. R, Fisher), Sun (F. W. Pickering), Union (G. Reid), tinted (J. S. Jameson), Victoria (J. Edgar), Yorkshire (J. ■ Buchan), secretary, Mr. H. S. B. Fletcher. The proceedings aro not open to tho prcSs. The value of a knowledge of law to an accountant was touched upon nt the meeting of the- New Zealand Society of Accountants last night. One wonib.v: cautiously pointed out that a "ittle knowledge had long been regarded as a dangercus thing. He thought most accountants, when they wanted law. consulted a lawyer, and did not mind the little expense, and especially as they usually ixpected somebody else to pay.