LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1153, 14 June 1911, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

r. — A conference of the Ironmasters' Association of New Zealand will be'held in the committee room at the Town Hall at 10 a.m. to-day. The subjects for discussion will lie the conditions of the trade generally throughout New Zealand, and the forming of a deputation to wait upn the Minister of Customs to ask him to consider the advisability of placing restrictive duties on imported ironwork and machinery.

Some misconception seems to prevail .concerning the position of the industrial dispute between tho Merchant Service Guild of Australasia and the shipowners. The guild, in its demands, which came before a Conciliation Council (Mr. P. Hally presiding) tho other day, included captains as well as other officers. The employers objected t'o the inclusion of the captains, and it was agreed to refer this preliminary point to the Arbitration Court. It has accordingly been set down for hearing before that tribunal on Juno 27. When the Court's decision has been given, the merits of the dispute will bo investigated, for the first time, by tho Conciliation Council.

A syndicate has taken over a block, of 20 acres of sand land at Lyall Bay, with a frontage to the main street traversed by the electric cars, and is about to convert it into level building sections. This work, which is to be initiated almost at once, should provide a good deal of work for unskilled labour during the balance of tho winter. It is anticipated that the new block will be levelled, clayed, and subdivided by the end of the year.

Captain Wemyss, of 11.M.5. Cambrian, has invited the juvenile members of tho Navy League to visit the ship to-morrow afternoon. Nineteen headmasters of city and suburban 'schools wliero there are branches of the league have been circularised bv the secretary (Mr. C. W. Palmer) to advise them as to arrangements, and to ask their co-operation.

A Gazette extraordinary has been issued proroguing Parliament until July 13.

The Tramways Committee of tho City Council will meet this evening to consider tho report upon the local tramway system recently presented by the engineer and manager (Mr, S. Richardson).

Mr. W. H. Carter is exhibiting, at Mr. Butler's gallery, Lamhton Quay, a lumber of interesting water-colour and pastel sketches in which ho has used new processes of his own invention. The advantages which Jlr. Carter claims for "cr.clo-water-colour" are greater depth and luminosity of colour than are obtained by the ordinary process; also the possibility of achieving effects not hitherto within roach. In two instances out of the 2!) enclo-water-colour sketches shown, Mr. Carter has painted the same subjects in the ordinary nay, as well as in tlio new way, thus facilitating comparison. A marked advantage of "gelatine-pastel process work" is that, while retaining this original nppearanco of pastel, it is not damaged by rubbing. Mr. Carter also claims that it increases the possibility of getting beautiful chance effects of light, shade, and colour. In lioth these processes ordinary materials are used. Mr. Carter is working at other new processes, and interesting developments may result. A meeting of the astronomical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society was hold at the Dominion Museum last evening, when .Mr.' E. D. Bell read a paper cm the "Magellan Clouds." Mr. C. I'. Poules presided.

About 5 o'clock yesterday morning the Firo lirigade received a call to 13S Sydney Street, a 7-roomed dwelling, occupied by ill'. Amos AVarby. Tlic outbreak was suppressed after slight damage had been done "to the v;ash-houso and a room adjoining. The contents ivere covered by a policy ill the Commercial Union Office for £141).

"Scotchmen work hard and drink hard," said .Mrs. Barton at tlio temperance gathering last evening. "Whatsoever Scotchmen do they do with all their might." (Laughter and applause.)

"We are kept back by a body of men," cxclaimcd Mrs. Barton, of Glasgow, during her speech at the temperance conversazione last evening, referring to temperance legislation in Scotland—"by a body of men whoso only recommendation is that tliey arc tho eldest sons of their fathers. The House of Lords is tho bogy of the British people. They say 'out with the Bills' that are for the betterment of the people; and now the people are going to say 'out with the House of Lords.'" The audience shouted cheers at these remarks, and applauded long and loudly.

The Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford) is reported to be still making satisfactory progress towards recovery from the effects of his recent operation, but it will bo some weeks before he is in a state to resume active duties. The first business of the City Council when it meets on Thursday evening will be to appoint an a'cting-Mayor, to rcplacc Mr. Wilford during his period of enforced inactivity. It is assumed that Mr; John Smith, as senior councillor, will bo selected to fill the position.

Ponderous indeed is tho order paper which is to be assaulted by tho City Council at its meeting on Thursday evening. Among the items to bo dealt with are seven resolutions held over from last meeting. In addition, Councillor M'lCcnzic is to move that a new by-law bo drafted providing for tho inspection of all building timber, whether new or old. Councillor Frost is to bring down a motion which involves reconsideration of the council's decision, at its last meeting, to employ a secretary for tho City Engineer, at a salary of .£230 a year. All this is in addition to ordinary business.

"There will be no developments during the next few days," was the reply made by Mr. K. Semple to a reporter who questioned him last, evening as to the position in regard to the mining (rouble at Waihi. Jlr. Semple added_ that, with Mr. Parry, president of the Waihi Miners' Union, he would be leaving for Waihi today. The decision arrived at by the New Zealand Federation of Labour and tho AVaihi Union would be announced, as stated, in a few days. "Meantime," said the Federation organiser, "our lips are scaled." It is understood from another source, however, that it is probable that the trouble will be ovorcmuo without the men resorting to a strike.

Many business men have said that they have liot received the results they expected from advertising. It is just possible that tliey have not been able to givo the lime necessary to this very important part of the business. If such is the cai-o, stud a note to, or call on. Fletcher and Co. (Bradshaw Office. Johnston Street, Wellington). They will be pleased to givo advice on advertising, or control rliis depvtmcjit I'BUE oi charge.*

A deputation of the Kilbirnio ratepayers will wait on the C'ity Council to-morrow at 7 p.m. in connection with the Kilbirnio iieeiT.ition Reserve.

The Karnri Borough Council met last evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr. C. Cathie), and Councillors Hililretli, Bradnock, Frost, Hamilton, Stamlen, Horn, Ninimo, Anderson, and Burn. ]t was decided to make a grant of JilO to the kical school committee, to be expended in connection with (lie forthcoming Coronation celebrations. The borough engineer was instructed to confer with the. city electrical engineer as to the advisability of replacing arc lamps on the read between the Botanical Gardens and Johnston Street with Osrom lamps.

A man named David Lauder arrived from l'almorston North in custody yesterday, and will appear at the Magistrate's Court this morning, charged with theft on Hay 20 of a bag containing wearing apparel valued at .£SO.

"Not a single boot manufacturer is represented in the Exhibition. They say they are simply too busy." The statement was made at the Industrial Association meeting last night.

It is expected that a big deputation of ironmasters will wait upon the Minister on Thursday regarding certain grievances. The deputation will include representatives from outside Wellington, and some from the other island. Last night the Industrial Association decided to augment the deputation. The day is not finally settled, but Thursday is looked upon as probable.

The Industrial Association has decided to cot certificate of award forms for the Exhibition printed according to the design of Mr. \V. fiedconer, Nfraio, which was awarded second prize in the designs competition.