LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1151, 12 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The nuddart-Parlier steamer Victoria arrived at Auckland from Sydney at 2 p.m. yesterday. She brought English (via Suez) and Australian mails, the Wellington portion of which will arrive here by the Main Trunk express this afternoon.

The Wellington Harbour Board Las instructed Mr. T. S. Weston to move for a new trial of tho notion heard in the Supreme Court last reek, when Mrs. J. 1 , . Baillio and her children were awarded damages in respect of the death of Mr. Baillie by accident on the Glasgow Wharf. Tho grounds of the application are that the verdict was against the weight of oyidence, and that the damages awarded were excessive.

Owing to the absence of the judges on circuit, there will bo no sittings of tho Supreme Court in Wellington for several days. 3fr. Juftice Williams is expected here on Juno 25.

The Eov. G. Knowles Smith, of Dunedin, was tho speaker at the Brotherhood gathering yesterday, which took place at the Druids' Hall." Mr. Millingtou prosided over a fairly good gathering. The speaker took for his subject, "Tho History of Religion." Mr. Smith traced religion from the time of Druidism up to the present, and made plain to his audience that the present day forces opposing religion were more deadly than over before, and appealed most earnestly to his hearers to think for themselves before they accepted any of the many anti-religious statements concerning their religion, which could only bo Christ and tiiu Cross. The speaker spoke for some little time beyond the- usual allotted period, but his audience was so interested th.it he was appealed to for a continuance of his address. He promised on some future occasion f* attend and give an address on his life, which promiso u'fls received will) loud applause. Mr. J. Dowdall announced that the third box in connection with the nurses' outfits was almost completed, and desired those who had contributed so generously to he publicly thanked.

The Government offices throughout the Dominion will be closed for holiday on July 19 (Arbor Day).

The well-known firm of Macky, Logan, Caldivell and Co. has just been formed into n limited company with a capital of .£250,000. The business, which was started in 1882 with only two assistants, now employs some COO hands, and pay; salaries and wages of over JJ50.000 per annum.

Mr. li. A." Wright, M.1 , ., has sent the following letter to the lion. J. A. Miliar: —"Dear sir,—Now that the llutt duplication is completed, it should be possible to alter the time of the departure of the 7 a.m. train from Te Aro to Lower llutt to 10 past 7, without inconvenience to the Department. Tho corresponding train from , the Lower llutt to Wellington does not leave the former station until 11 minutes past 7. The above adjustment would prove a boon to the working classes who leave town by the 7 a.m. train."

John Francis M'Govorn, dentist, late of Wellington, was, on Saturday morning, adjudicated bankrupt on the petition of Messrs. Kempthorne, l'rosscr and Co., for whom Mr. W. I , '. Ward appeared.

The conference of the New Zealand Alliance opens to-morrow in St. John's Schoolroom, and will be held in camera.Delegates from the north are expected to arrive to-day.

One of the only two clergymen who were ever elected to a seat on a town council in Scotland is the Kev. G. Knowles Smith, of Dunedin. This fact the reverend gentleman admitted to an audience at; the King's Theatre Inst evening during (he course, of some remarks on tho subject of No-License, and the futility of attempting a system of municipal control. During the election campaign which preceded his term of office as a town councillor, quite a number of people tried lo dissuade him from the venture. Snid one of his friends: "Yo ken, the toon conncil's nae a place for rv meeuisler." 5o Mr. Knowles Smith discovered. "He was not so far out," said ho.

On Saturday evening a "social" was held at Goilbcr's, Cuba Street, by the Wellington branch of the Journalists* Institute. Tlio president, Mr. K. Schwabe, was in the chair. Anion!,' Hip visiting journalists were .Messrs. '1 , . D- Taylor, editor of the 'Telorus Guardian"; Mr. K. W. Harris, of Napier; and Mr. Wilson, Into of Los Angeles. A pleasant evening was spent in song and slory.

At Island Bay yesterday, Detective Cast-ells and Constable Jicdigan arrested a youth, who will appear at the Magistrate's Court this morning, charged with theft of .i'i on June 2.

Up lill last night there- was no t.racc o; the missing man, .Air. lieriiard Hall, iiinnagor for the local branch of K. G. Dunn and Co., who was reporled ti Ihe police on Friday as missing since Thursday afternoon. Mr. Hall left at his house n letter, the contents of which would indicate fh.it he was suffering from mental worry. lie mentioned in it that he was going on "a long journey."

As the outcome of a long-standing dispute between the Wanganiii Harbour Board and the Railway Department, caused by the latter (who work the wharves) raising wharf handling charges in order to meet the cost of increased wages to wharf labourers, tlio board has decided to terminate its agreement with 'he Department, and in future will work the wharves itself.

"Tell them we are not a second-hand shop." was the remark of one member of th* Wanganiii Harbour Board at the meetof that body on Friday evening, tho Mords being caused by the fact that every board in the Dominion which has a dredge to sell appears to be offering the same to tho Wanganui Board at the present time.- The board is replying to all of them, stating that it does not need such a machine at present, and ■when the time arrives it is probable that an entirely new plant will be purchased.

About half-past 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon smoke was observed to bo issuing from a tramcar, which was passins along Lanibton Quay. The fire was due to the ignition of the woodwork through the overheating of the resistance, and it was extinguished without difficulty, the ear being subsequently towed back to Newtown.