LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2241, 29 August 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Commenting on a remark of one of the speakers at the, entertainment in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last nigjhtj His Excellency the Governor (Lord Liverpool) said that there were from twenty-two to twenty-four million armed men in the field at the present moment. Russia had, with supports, 6,200,000, aud Germany 4,000,000 to 5,000,000. The news lie had received, said His Excellency,', was of a very satisfactory nature. TJfb Allies had taken up a strong position, aud they could feel satisfied the Allies were liolding their own. The postal authorities advise that the 6.5. Riverina, which sailed from Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland, has on hoard Australian mails, and also 4 an English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion is due per Main Trunk, express on Monday afternoon next. A man was arrested at Palmorston North yesterday on a hargo of stealing £146,-the property of George Haseldhio Scott. He will be charged with the offence in the Magistrate's Court this morning. . . . Mr. George Frost presided iat an unusually brief meeting of the Wellington Technical "Education Board held last evening. Accounts were passed for payment, and.a letter was received from the Master Plumbers' Association respecting accommodation for the plumbing classes in tho proposed new building, which the board hopes to be in a position to erect some day. Further leave of absence was granted to the chairman (Mr. D. Robertson), who is slowly recovering from his recent illness.

The case of James George Bruce and another v. J. L. Radcliffe and others— an action involving the status of the Wharf Labourera' Union—which was eot down for hearing in the Supreme Court yesterday morning before His Honour Mr. Justice Edwards, has been adjourned sine die*

Parliament has been petitioned by F. W. IBezar, of College Street, Wet lington, to tho effect that a sum 6hould be placed on the Estimates to compensate him for tho loss, indignity, and inconvenience to which, he was put during strike time through, a man who wa« endeavouring to evade sonie special constables taking refuge in.his house. The man was followed into the houeo b'y tho "specials," and there arrested. A list of articles destroyed was supplied, and tho value of these was given as £7 lte. ■, '■ J A rejKirt covering tho year ending March 31, 1914, on. the Land for Settlement Act, 1908, was presented to Parliament last evening. The report stated that the area purchased and - taken possession of was 141,327 acres, costing £560,498. In addition, the < leases of 108,786 acres of Crown land were surrendered, and a portion had been utilised as additions- to' eettlement lands. , The total expended to March 31 was £6,936,613 for 1,490,367 acres. There had been an active demand for the whole of the estates purchased, except in Southland. These were, however, gradually fcuing taken up, and it was expected that the whole would do occupied in- a month or so. The purchase of further areas was being steadily pursued, and already 25,793 acres, valued at £181,582 had been There appeared to be a disposition on tho part of land-ownore to quit their holdings, and considerable areas were being offered, but in many ciises at prices considered to «e bej'ond the value. ■ With the presentreturns for all produce there was. however, some justification for owners looking for extreme prices.

The Labour Department is sending ten men from Wellington and ten from. Napier to road work in the Pahiatua diatriot on Monday. "Usually the T)epartment sends about 24 men per week from Wellington, but there has not been, a great number of applicants during tho past few days, owing, no doubt, to the fact that tho troopships have absorbed so much casual labour. There is a big demand for miners at and the Department is sending a fairly large number to the West Coast, and is also bringing men from the South' Coast to proceed.to Westport. The demand for farm labour is steady, but the anticipated extra demand has not. yet been apparent. •

Reserved Judgment was delivered by His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir ttobort Stout) in the Supremo Court yesterday in tho case of George Harrington Macewan and J. B. Macewan and Co. v. Joseph Hopkirk, an action for leave to issue a writ of attachment against Hopkirk for breach of an order, of the Court dated July 20,1912, when' tho Court held that Hopkirk's patent' for a milk-agitator infringed the plaintiffs' patent. The question now before the Court was whether the angle at which the boaters used in Hopkirk'e patent were set waß an infringement of plaintiffs' patent; His Honour' decided .the case in favour of the plaintiffs. The executive of the New 'Zealand Flaxraillers has decided to request the shipping companies (by deputation) to make no increase in freight rates on hemp and tow at present owing to the depressed state of the industry.— Presa Association.

The Timaru Harbour Board yesterday resolved to lend the Timaru Borough Council £8000 for three years at 4$ per cent. This is towards the £10,000 to be borrowed for etreets works.—; Press' Association. The intercession 6ervioe 'held at St. Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral yester. day afternoon in connection with the war was conducted by the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott), assisted by the t Rev. C. H. Harvey. There was a largo congregation.: The service.consisted of the Litany' and other appropriate prayers and suitable hymns. A .similar service will be held every Friday .at 5.15 while the war continues.