LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities advise that tho 0,8. Wimmera, whioh. sailed from Sydney at noon on January 29, for Auckland, lias on board an Australian mail, also an English mail via Suez, Tho Wellington portion is duo to arrive hero by . Main Trunk ou Monday afternoon, February

Something of a sensation was caused at tho destructor last night by a series of explosions in tho furnaces, After • a number of shots had gone oft during somo two hours, the men on duty serving the fiies decided to investigate among tho lubbish to learn if possible tho cause of tho trouble, They found a considerable number of ball and blonk Lee-Enfield cartridges, It was too Into then to bo ablo to identify the load in whioh they had been collected, but it would bo exceedingly interesting to know how tho very dangerohs "rubbish" got to the destruetor. Tho men say that thero must have been upwards of a hundred shots in all.

A man who pleaded guilty In tho Magistrate's Court yesterday to a oharge of having failed to keep a proper wages and overtime book, urged as <m extenuating circumstance that the fault was his partner's. Dr. M'Arthur (in the act of writing in tho fine); "Very well, you go and take it out of your partner."

Within the next few weeks the Government will throw open for closer settlement in Hawko's Bay the Shereden and Waihou estates, comprising >n tho aggregate fully 25,000 acres. Negotiations aro in progress for the acquisition of further estates for oloser settlement in many parts of tho Dominion.

On Sunday night a firo broke out in tho Hon. W. F. Massey's residence at Mongers (Auckland). Tho outbreak at first looked serious, but in the end'was confined to the kitohen, where it originated. This room was gutted. ,Tho building was fully insured, but there was no insurance on the furniture.

The 6um of J!5 (conscienoe-money) has been received by tho Minister for Finance, and by his direction has been paid into the railways account. '

The list of licensed surveyors of, the Dominion appears in this week's Gazette. It includes 473 names. Twenty-six' new licenses were issued during tho past year.

A now regulation regarding the manner in' which quarterly attendance returns in State schools arc to. bo made up appears in the current • weok'B Gazette. Tho long summer vacation being over, the Stato schools will ro-open on Monday next. ■

The name bf tho township of Mangaroa, in tho Ohura County, has been altered (by Gazette notice) to Ohura..

Tho Now Zealand Automatic Bakeries, Ltd.,; has been, registered. f 1 Tlio object of tlio company is to make and bako bread by on automatic process, which has already proved a success in. England, America, and Australia. Tlio company is'to establish its, bakery in Taranaki Street, taking in, ultimately, Mr, W. AKellow's- shop and ■ bakehouse, and two adjoining sections, which have already been secured. ' The maohinery plant, costing about £8000, is already under order from Messrs. Joseph Bakor hnd Co., of London, and will arrive hero shortly. Operations will oommence, about the middle of the year. <' Tho provisional dirciv tors aro Messrs. W. M. Hannay (chairman), W. A, Kollow (managing director), Jolin A; Pliramoiyand 0. S. Watkins,

At a meeting of those interested in the evangelical campaign, to be conducted in this, pity.- from Maroh 28 to April 15 inclusive, held in the'Y.M.C.A. rooms last evening, tho following officers were elected.:—President, the Rev. W. S. Potters secretary, tho EeT. W- H.' Hiriton; treasurer, Mr. W.'Allan. A good deal of preparatory business was done in view of tho general: meeting to bo held on Monday evening aa notified in our advertising oolumns. ;•• *

! 'A-meeting'of tho Board of Collepo Governors was-hold yesterday morning. Tho following 'wore present:—Mr. (in the oliair), Messrs. Warburton and Barber, arid Miss Richmond. Tho following accounts were passed for payment:—Wellington College, JMss'6s,' 5d.; Girls' College, £356.105. 3d. ' Total, £81116s. Bd. .; The Taihape correspondent of tho'Auckland "Star" writes;—" The • Powera Churoh was destroyed on Monday afternoon by being etrtiolc by lightning. Tho spiro of tho building was observed to bo alight immediately after- a vivid display of lightning and within a short time the structure'was totally destroyed." .

The annual meeting of tho Auckland Country Teachers' Association was hold on Wednesday when Mr. W- 0. Lamb presided over a fair'attendance of mem-' bers. Considerable discussion took place, on the question of salaries, vMr. Lamb; outlined the proposals which had 'resulted; from tho recent oonfcrenoe'of teachers at No# Plymouth, and members,prelient supported unanimously the contention 7 that teaohers as ft body wore underpaid, especially in tho caso of tho lower grades of sohools. Several of those present gave striking instanoes of tho high cost of, living in remote districts. It was announced that the executive were' oollecting data dealing with the salary question, and hoped to ha,vo a report to lay before the Easter meeting. The following resolution was carried unanimously—That tho Country Teachers' Association strongly protests against tho filling of positions without their being l previously advertised, as exemplified in .tho caso "of Belmont and Cambridge West Schools."

Tho Federal-Shire steamer Westmeath arrived at Auokland on Wednesday morning from Liverpool, via Cape Town and Australian-portsj with 134 third-olass passengers on board. Thirty-four of the new arrivals landed at Auckland, tho remainder being'booked to 'Wellington, Lyttelton, Duncdin, Bluff, Napier, New Plymouth, Gisborno, Greymouth, and Wanganui. Almost every'trade is represented. There nroalso amongst, the number several farmers, labourers, railway workers, and domestic servants, whilo several wives and their families have como out to join husbands who have already mado a homo in this country. Tho new arrivals should have no difficulty in obtaining employment, as good tradesmen are in demand at tho present timo. • The arrival of the Westmeath was watched by a; large numbor of people. 'Amongst those .whowfere eager to get on board the steamec, wero a numbor of looal deputies from vai ; iouß business firms endeavouring to secure tradesmen.—"Herald." . >

Miss Marjorie Mestayer writes;—" May I be; allowed to appeal to your readers on behalf of tho fund for providing tuck boxes filled with extra-nourishing N and concentrated food, for tho white workers in.>tli©. Melanesian Islands? Firm homemade jams in 21b.' treacle tins aro very welcome, also honey, plain chocolate, cocoa; dessert raisins, dried fruits (such as apricots, prunes, etc.), and meat cxtracta in small pots. English biscuits in small tins are" 1 particularly appreciated. The Bishop says the tuck boxes aro a very real help to tho often lonely workers. Contributions of goods or . money should reach me before February 28. Good illustrated papers and current novels aro also very useful," It is to bo hoped that our generous readers will respond to this appeal. Packages should bo addressed to Miss Mestayer at 189 Sydney Street, Wellington. '■.

In tlio official report of tlio New Zea-. land Federation of Labour Conference, held in Wellington recently, appeared a paragraph to the effeot that the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. D. M'LarenJ had written to tlio conference extending municipal courtesies to tho delegatus, and wishing tiho conferenco success in its deliberations. Mr. M'Laren was asked by a Dominion reportor to State tlio terms or tho_ effect of tho lettor sent, to which .inquiry ho mado tlio following replj;—"As there wore nraong tho delegates' a good many visitors to tho city, 1 invited them to meet me, and said I would bo very pleased to show thorn over our municipal buildinns. A party of delegates availed themselves of tho invitation, and they wero 6liown over the Town Ifall, the fire briputo station, and the l>owor house. Many of those delegates who were from tlio West Coast appeared to bo inost interested in tlio machinery at tho power house." Ho stated also tliat before leaving him tho delegates thanked him for tlioxourtesy oxtonded to them. I i ' Announcements of Sunday Mrvicos will bo found on page 2 of this issue.