LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1194, 1 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Kome months ago the City Council decided that Hie Queen's Slatue should lie removed In a more suitable sitp, and fixed on the lower end of the Kent Terrace Reserve, within a few yards of this busiest tramway stopping-place in the city, and past which all trains from (ho city to Poatoun, Miramar, l.ynil Bay, Kilbirnie, Constable Street, Island Buy, ami Oriental Bay would pass. Now, however, another change in tho plans has taken place, and preparations are being made to erect the statue fame distance up Kent Terrace, in the centre of one of the bare asphalt play-squares. A start was made to lower the statue yesterday morning, v.m\ by 1.15 p.m. the 2! tons of bronzo was placed on tho ground at the foot of the. pedestal. Huge 12 inch by 12 inch Oregon pine beams were erected as sheerlegs over the statue, and, guiding three ropes, ruuniiiK through blocks, made a triangle. With endless chain gear, the gioat mas? of metal was slowly hoisted from the pedestal (on which it rested without aid other than its own weight), the sheer-legs were canted, and slowly am! with grave' dignity the figure ucscende'.l to earth in perfect safety. It will be carted to Kent Terrace tn-day. The removal of the pedestal presents more difficulties to the contractor (Mr. "W. J. Helypr) than the statue, as it is all firmly knit together with tho best cement concrete. (The removal of the statue is (he 'forerunner to the wood-blocking of the. triangle in front of tho (jcneral Post , i llice,

No bankruptcies occurred in Wellington last, month', whereas during the corresponding month of last year there were two. Mr. Joshua Charlosu'orth has designed a t hres-story • warehouse and factory for Messrs, Sharlaiul and' Co., to be built on the hits site of the Dixon Street Convent. The building, which will be the largest in that neighbourhood, will have a froi:> itfo- to Dixon Street of 77ft. by a. depth of 270 ft. The entertainment recently given by Mrs. Richmond Hursthousc, in aid of the cause of University reform, produced J.'H.i 10s. This sum has been handed to the University Reform Association and will be devoted to tho publication of a pamphlet. A seven-roomed house at Maarama (lietween Kaiwarra and Xgahauranga), tho property of Mr. A. W. Newton, and tenanted by Sir. Robert l'ope, headmaster of < the Kaiwarra School, was totally destroyed by file between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Saturday last. Mrs. Pope had been doing a little cooking, and had gone down to Kaiwarra to purchase some goods, and whilst on the road she was overtaken, and informed that her house was on fire. As there were no means of subduing tho (lames, which had a big hold on tho house (which stands high up on tho hill), she,' with others, had to simply watch the fire consume everything and burn itself out. The house was insured in the Run office for .£6OO, and tho furniture for •CliOO in tho State office. Mr. Newton (who was one .of the Executive Committee of tho Coronation Exhibition) will have, many sympathisers in tlie loss he has sustained. * Yesterday Detectives Hammond au.l Kemp arrested n man who was wanted on two charges of obtaining board mid lodging in Wellington by means of false pretences, and also on a charge of theft at Napier by failing to account for the sum of .£5 Gs. id. The weekly meeting of the Wesleyan Literary and Debating Society was held iu the Wesley Institute buildings, Cuba Street, last evening, Mr. \\. li. Fuller (vice-president) in the chair. There was a good attendance of members and visitors. A lecture on "Mark Twain" was delivered by Mr. ,T. \V. Collins. Selections from the works of Mark Twain were read by Miss X. liix and by Messrs. J. W. Collins and W. ]•]. Fuller." On Thursday evening next tho society will hold a debate on the question "Is Trades Unionism beneficial to a community! 1 " A sitting of the Mount Cook Police Court was held yesterday morning, Mr. Horace linker, J. 1 ,., being on the bench, for drunkenness, G. Jiroughton and Harry Swnuston were convicted and discharged; J. J. Priest was fined 205., or f-eviMi days' imprisonment; Clias. Godihrd .V., or 21 hours; and John ltobson, Joseph Kenny, and Maurico each 10s., or •Iβ hours' imprisonment. Four first, offenders for imohricly were acwtleil the usual treatment.

In a recent address delivered in Melbourne, Jlr. Yung Liang Hwang, Chinese Consul-Geueral for Australia, r.ml hite of Wellington, faith—"Our people aro different from the Europ3ans chiefly in colour. .\ few years later we may be able to say different only in colour. Our jiooplo liave plivsic.il iinti mental activity. Our people linvo some of the greatest qualifications. None have all tht qun|ilicatiuus tho host civilised men of this world have. The Chinese have brains also. They can study out things just ns well as anyone elso. They have big ambition, ambition for education, for uood homes, for wealth, for comfort, for luxury, for pleasure, j»f us much as the while men of any nation. 1 do not knowwhether tho Vence Society will help us to the lime when wo shall understand each other and there will Iμ no war, but I do know what will Vlfj us. Unless wfc have, tho spirit ot Christianity and learn to return (jooil ior evil, peace among the nations is only a draun." When Hie Duchess was about eight ir.ik's oil' Wellington lluads on her relinn tri|> alter towini the barque ]■>- iiiinia to Lytlelton. Captain Watchlin sighted the carcass of a dead whale, about a'mile from the veswl's course. The captain naturally thought Hint ho liad happened upon a fairly ?ood "pnr.o, but. ii|)on investigation, it was found that the blubber h;ul been removed. Klaudini; on Hip iKitly of tlio whale wero hundreds of birds, and the dcail leviathan was also suri'oun'.'.t'd by a large number of por poises. Tho lirsl meeting nl' the commission nppninlcd lo inquire' and report on tho conditions relating lo tho heallh and safely of tlie miners of New Zealand, and tlie administration of (lie laws relating to ii'.inini; and coal mine?, will bo held in the jiiry-room of Ihe Suprnue. Court Buildinjs on Thursday uest, August 3.