LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1408, 8 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

* The Maheno, with' English (via Suez) and Australian mails aboard, arrived at Auckland at i p.m. yesterday. The Wellington portion of tho mails will reach here by the Main Trunk train this sii'ternoon. The following cablegram was received from Sydney in Wellington on Thursday from Mr. Ernest Short, of Hangitikei, as follows:—"Champion high jump, Bluo Baron—six feet six inches." The creed of early rising found a champion at the Unity Conference ou Saturday, when Mr. AY. H. Hampton urged his fellow-delegates to make 8 a.m. tho hour for commencing their deliberations. Mr. Hampton brushed aside a suggestion, mildly advanced by another delegate, that nine o'clock was the customary hour, and declared that even Labour men showed their conservatism in minute details. A stout opponent of the carly-slarling proposal announced that he would resist it because Labour always agitated for shorter .hours. The conference eventually decided to sit at 9 a.m. The way in which some of the delegates to the Unity Conference talked about the press, in the course of their preliminary discussion on Saturday, was amusing and at times amazing. One delegate, who was apparently quite serious, suggested that a committee should bo set up to confer with 'the newspaper reporters in' regard to their reports. Tho chairman (the Hon. J. T. Paul) at once nipped tho suggestion in the bud by stating that he was quite sure that the reporters would not entertain it, and that, in any case, it . would not be right for them (o do so. Another delegate urged that the- press should be excluded altogether on the ground that, with reporters present, publicity would be given to any heated passages or displays of temper. Possibly, he remarked, someone might launch an attack at men who had worked in tho movement, for years, as had recently happened at Dunedin. Some other delegates took up a similar attitude towards the press, but one or two admitted that it had its uses at times.

limes. The following tenders for leases of railway refreshment rooms for fivo years have been accepted by the Department:—Palmerston North, J. 11. Fletcher, £192 per annumi Otaki, F. G. M'Hardie, JE2I7 10s. per annum; Packalcariki and Kaitoke, T. F. Thomson, £S2G per annum; Masterton, J. B. Atkinsi £V>o per annum; W'oodville, Pi. W. Ruddick, ,£407 10s. per annum; Waipukurau, C. W. Seymour, .£'l7s per annum; Arnmolio, S. Dustin, £125 per annum; Ohakune, J. Dyer, .£3OO per annum; Marton, S. Dustin, .£575 per annum; Patca, P. Tinney, ,£33 per annum; llawcra, Mrs. A. Evans, .£135 per annum. A special session of Grand Lodge 1.0. G.T., was held in tho Rechabito Hall, Manners St rest, on Good Friday, commencing at 2.30 p.m. In tho absence of the Grand Chief Templar, tho meeting was opened by Bro. A. B. Thomson, Grand Councillor. Thero was a good attendance of members and visitors from nil parts of the Dominion. Apologies were received from various officers, and many greetings were received and heartily acknowledged. The reports of the Grand .Superintendent of .luvenilo Work, Grand Uoctoral Superintendent, Grand Secrclary, Grand Treasurer, Trustees, and Finance Commitleo were read and received. It was .resolved that the reports bo adopted, and thoso officers be heartily thanked. In tho evening a session of the International Supremo Lodge was held, Bro. W. Johnson, D.1.C.T., presiding, when the I.S.L. degrco was conferred upon a number of candidates. Tho meeting was then thrown open, under tho auspices of the Wellington District Lodge. Ono of the most enjoyable items of the evening was a stirring address by Bro. Thomson, which, with songs and recitations by various members, brought to a close a successful gathering. At a meeting of tho Wanganui Presbytery, held at Marton on Thursday, the Rev. G. Budd, convener of the Maori Mission Committee of tho Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, drew attention to tho fact that at a gathering of Mormons, held at Awapuni, the Native MinjsIcr, Dr. Buck (To Rangihiroa), and Dr. Pomare, M.P., were alleged to have addressed the gathering upon political mailers. lie consequently moved, and ffio Rev. P. B. Frnser seconded, "That llio Maori Mis-don Commitleo of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, which is tho Waug.inui Presbytery, be requested lo mnko respectful representation to (he Native Minister and the Prime Minister on the advisability of a Minister of tho Crown giving ccnnleimiice to a Mormon religious gathering by attending such a gathering tor political or Government purpose s , as such action was likely to attract large numbers of Maoris not interested in Monmuiisrn." The motion was carried unanimously. The idea of the fri'-'bi'terv was that I lie. Mormons would adverii-e'tho procure of these two M.l'.'s. with Hi:' result lh-.it their gathering would l> : . considerably inflated and tho Mormon mission increased. The high price of cher-sc is responsible I'm- an agitation in the I'ahiatua district thai the' llallanc' Dairy Company, the largest liiilter-niaking concern in the province should in-tall a plant into its factory. It is understood that the rompanv is now considering the matter, and that the subject will be placed before the shnreholdcra ill an carto-da-to in oi-dov that d trnw pyat uuiy bo .jcjxLj; {04 asjtjigasag,