LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1155, 16 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We have to acknowledge the following contributions to Pearson's Fresh Air Fund, for providing jioor children with a day's holiday in the country-Mrs. lluther--I'urd, 10s.; Three Children, 9d.; Bill and Dooley, 2s. Gd.; Cockney, Is.; N.E.1!., 2s. lid.; Dispense, 9d.; A.N.F., 25.; Spence, Is.; W.M., 2s. fid.; K. 13., 75.; total, ,£1 10s. This sum will give forty little slum children what is probably their first glimpse of country life.

The postal authorities advise that the Maheno, which left Sydney on June 11 for Auckland, has on board Australian and English mails, via Suez; also English and American mails via Vancouver. The Wellington portion will come forward by Main Trunk on Monday.

The annual meeting of the Bank of New Zealand will bo held at the head office, Lambton Quay, at 11 a.m. to-day.

The schools of tho Wellington Education district will close for a, fortnight's mid-winter vacation this afternoon.

The Wellington Hospital staff will mark the occasion of the Coronation by providing some extra luxuries for the patients, and with a display in tho institutions with available materials.

"Can the chairman of the Reserves Committee tell me when it is going to report on the report presented by Mr. Lc Soeuf ?" was n. question put by Councillor Barber at tho meeting of the City Council last evening. Councillor Frost replied that tho commitee fully expected to have its report down at tho next meeting of the council.

Death-rates per 1000 of population in the four chief cities of New Zealand during the month of Slay, 1911, were as follow:— Auckland, 0.S8; Wellington, 0.97; Christchurch, 1.01; Dunedin, 0.91. If the- suburban boroughs are .included, the deathrates arc as follow:—Auckland, 0-81; Wellington, 0.97; Christchurch, 0.9G; Dunedin, 0.73. Including the suburbs, the rate at Wellington is the highest, and at Dun 7 edin tho lowest. Tho results for May 1910 (suburbs included) were: Auckland, 0.7G; Wellington, 0.5G; Christchurch, 0.91; Dunedin, 0.89. _ The total births in the four chief cities and their suburban boroughs amounted to 582, against 588 in April—a decrease of G. The deaths in May were 251—an increase of S3 as compared with last month. Of the total deaths, males contributed MS. females 103. Sixtyfive of the deaths were .of children under five years of age. There wore Sβ deaths of persons of 05 years and upwards in the four chief cities and their suburban boroughs as against 71 in April.

The secretary of the Wellington Competitions Society (Mr. J. Dykes) has received intimation from the British and Continental Piano Company that they will offer an eighty-guinea Bechstein piano as a prize in the piano folo contest. Prizes to the total value of .£250 have been promised, in addition to the prizes which the Competitions Society itself gives.

Owing to the fact that the commemoration medals, which the school children are to receive in connection with the ICiiiß's Coronation, and which arrived in Wellington by the Athenic on Tuesday night, have not yet been delivered to the Kducation Board, it is highly improbable that any of the schools will receive their medals before the commencement of the mid-winter vacation, this afternoon. Complete nrranirements had been made by the office staff of the Wellington Board for the dispatch of the medals as F<ion as delivered, and, had they been delivered within reasonable time after the arrival of the steamer, all schools would no doubt have received them. The delay (it is slated) has rather upset there plans.

Prevention is hotter than cure, so always keep a bottle of "NAZOL" in the house, and as soon as you feel the slightest indication of ci coming cold toko a doseit prevents as veil as cures.—*

Al its moc-tiiig yesterday, Ilio Wellington Hospital Conimiltcc of (lie Hospital and Charitable A ill Huaril <k'ciile<l lu rocnmmcml lo tho board:—That, a remit bo Innvnnkil to (lie furtlironiiiis IlospilaU , C'oniorcjiL'c Unit tho services of the assistants in the hospital dispensaries in tho lour law centres.be counted as a qualification for obtaining Uieir certificate as chemists.

The Wellington city junior cadet battalions were exercised yesterday in me ceremonial for the Coronation review, which is to bo held at .Newtown Park nsxt week. No. 1 Battalion, under Major Hempleman, paraded at Kclbnrnc l'ark, while Xα. i liatlalion, under .Major M'Kcnzie, was put through its paces at Newtown Park. A final rehearsal lias been fixed for to-morrow, and judging by tlio appearance of the battalions yesterday, the boys should acquit themselves with great credit on Thursday next.

In (lie King Country there is a "Xo Man's Land," a fart of poachers' paradise, where, a small area, comprising Kakahi, Mauanui, and Pcriaka, is not within the jurisdiction of any acclimatisation society. Recently a man was prosecuted by the police for unlicensed shooting within that area, but the case failed. The Auckland Acclimatisation Society did not realise the position till Tuesday night, when a letter from the Inspector of Police enlightened them. It was decided to take steps at once to "rope in" tho bit of land.

A difference of opinion has arisen between the Public Works Department and tho Railway Department regarding tho entrances to the Auckland railway station which run along either side of the new post office. The proposal of .the Public Works Department is to have an archway at either side of the post office— over the entrances to the station. The entrances arc each 32 feet wide. The archways will reduce the width of each to 20 feet. Tho railway people think it would be better to sacrifice the arches for the full width, for the sake of traffic. Against that the Public Works Department states that the traffic will be directed in through one entrance and out at the other, and that there will not be ingress and egress at the same entrance. Twentyfeet entrances should therefore be sufficient. Besides, tho archways which it is proposed to erect will be extremely handsome—the finest of any, archways in Xcw Zealand—t'licy will also be of stone, and will be a natural adornment of the post office. If they arc deleted from the plans ( the sides of the post office and the abutting exteriors of tho adjoining buildings will be bare and ugly.

A two-story steel-frame building, with concrete walls, is being erected by Messrs. Hunt and M'Donald for the Royal Insurance Company, on the site of the old Imperial Chambers, between Nathan's and Baker's Buildings. The front of the first stor.r will be of trachyte, a hard stone from New South Wales, and provision is made for the erection of fiv« more stories if necessary. Tho building, which is to be fireproof, should be finished in about seven months' time.

Tho Hospital Committee of the "Wellington Ilospilal ami Charitable .Aid Board has recommended to the board — for adoption at its next meeting—that as the Victoria Hospital has not hwn made a charge against the rhnrirable aid branch as a charitable aid institution, the management and control be loft in the hands of the Hospital Committee.

The arrivals at New Zealand ports during May were 3:109, and the departures were ,'ilOO. The largest numbers in the;e totals relate'to the United Kingdom and New South Wales. Thus 1033 persons camo out fram the Old Country, and 329 departed thither. Those, who came to this country from New South Wales numbered 1311, while 211G went in the opposite direction. In May, 1910, the total arrivals wero 2170, and the departures 3439.

Tho Electrical Workers' Union has' asked for a conference between five of its members and five representatives of tho City Council. Councillor M'laren said at the council meeting last night that he understood the principal object of the union was to have certain anomalies remedied. The council is awaiting a report from the Tramways Committee before taking any action.

During tho fortnight ended June 13, twenty-seven applications for permission to alter, erect, or extend buildings were received by the City Engineering Department. Twenty-seven plans wore examined and approved, and permits issued. The value of tho work authorised is-.—City, ,£12,192; Melrose, £2331; Northland, «£45; total, Mi,M.

The Commandant of the Junior Cadets wrote to tho City Council last evening, asking that cadets in uniform be allowed to travel free on tramcars on Coronation Day. Councillor Shirtcliffo moved that the request be granted. Councillor Trevor said that he would support the proposal if special cars wero provided for the cadets. In.view of a statement bv the engineer that it would be impossible to provide special cars, Councillor Shirtcliffe withdrew his motion. The council decided not to grant tho application.

At a meeting of Wellington master bakers, held last evening, it was decided to observe both Coronation Day and the Prince of Wales's Birthday as holidays.