LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2477, 2 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho office of The Dominion will bo open on Thursday (King's Birthday) from S a.m. to-10.30 a.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. '

On tho lung's Birthday, June 8, the telegraph oflioes will observe hours as per the postal guide, viz.: Chief offices, 0 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. till midnight. The large country offices will be onen from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The small country offices will uot be open. The Telephone Exchange will be open continuously.

.Letters arriving from Canada yesterday bore a one cent, war tax 6tamp, in addition to the ordinary two cent, stamp. This indicates a national method of raising funds.

One of the oldest houses in Wellington. is being demolished to make way for a modern business structure. This is one of the three remaining private residences left in Courtenay Place, the one adjoining the United Friendly Societies' Pharmacy. This ancient kauribuilt- house was occupied for many years by Mr. Hugh Currie, who camo out to New Zealand as a member of the band of the 65th Regiment, and was accounted the finest French horn player in New Zealand for manv years. The house is said to be approximately fifty years old, yet its timbers are still quite sound. On tie site of the old house, and covering the adjoining section, for some time unoccupied, Mr. C. Griffiths, of Griffiths and Co., merchants and auctioneers, is building a block of four modern shops in brick, two story in front, and one only behind, where is to be erected the largest general auction room in Wellington, extending along the_ back of the whole four shops, and right back to Alpha Street. The enterprise of Mr, Griffiths is only another indication of the gradual increase in the traffic, and consequently the commercial importance of Courtenay Place.

In the presence of His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) and a representative of the Law, the raffle for a beautifully-dressed life-size baby doll was drawn in the Mayor's Room on Monday evening. The doll, which was presented by Miss L. Wheeler (daughter of the late Captain Wheeler), was won by Miss Alice Coogan, of the Lower Kutt Convent, the winning ticket being No, 905. The rnffle realised £50 for the Belgian Fund.

At the last meeting of the Boxing Association some question arose as to whether the weight limits had been altered and brought into line with suggested amendments discussed at the Wanganui conference last season. In reply to a telegram, the headquarters at Christcburch gave the weights for this year's events as: Bantam, 21b.; feather-weight, Bst.; light-weight. lOst.; welter-weight, lOst. 91b.; and middle-weight, list. 41b. From this it appears that the old weights are to remain in force for at least another year.

The Napier Girls' Friendly Society has received the amount required— £2214—f0r the establishment of a hostel in Napier, Mrs. T. H. Lowry having given £350.

Yesterday afternoon the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) received a cheque for £100 from the Merchant Service Guild, aB a donation towards the National Ffond for Wounded Soldiers and Sailors' and their dependents.

So far the Union Steam Ship Company has not been able to'arrange for a steamer to replace the Maheno in tho Auckland-Sydney service, says the Auckland "Herald." The company, however, has the matter under consideration. and it is expected that tho name of the steamer selected will bo announced shortly.

At the twenty-fifth (silver jubilee) competitions to commence at Ballarat between September 28 and October 14 the vocal and ohoral adjudicator will be Mr. Fritz Hart, of the Conservatoire of Music, Melbourne, with Mr. A. E. Floyd as the adjudicator pianoforte, and some of the vocal sections. Mr. 0. N. Baeyertz will judge the elocutionary classes, and Mr. Albert Wade, of Wanganui, will b® the judge in the Brass Band Contest. The first prize in this section will be £200, and the selection will be the grand fantasia "The Works of Havdn," arranged by Lieutenant J. Ord Hume. The Federal Government is giving £250 in special prizes for a military band contest. The sale of work which was recently held in connection with St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church resulted m the sum of £75 being forwarded to vbe funds for the Presbyterian Orphanage at Berhampore.

At last night's -meeting of the Grocers' Union the resignation of Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary, was tendered, and accepted with regret. It was decided to elect a full-time secretary, nominations closing for that office at a special meeting of the union to be held on June S. The secretary reported that during the last fortnight - twelve members of the union had enlisted.

News of the ambulance men at the Dardanelles is songht by a correspondent, who writes as follows from Huntervillo: —"Tliere is much said about this terrible war and our New Zealand lads' bravory, but not a word is said about those 'stretcher-bearers who must, ho doing brave and dangerous work. T wish our New Zealand correspondent ivould find out something about thoso lads. It would easa their mothers' aching hearts, and at the best it is weary, anxious waiting for us all. Trusting we will bear something of our lads who are stretcher-bearers, —I am, etc. .. ." [Tlie Nfew Zealand correspondent is apparently not yet at the front, but lie soon should be, and doubtless his letters will give news of tho doings of all sections of the Force. Individual mention of the work of the different branches is not possible in Hie cable messages, hut flio casualty lists ihow that ambulance men have borne their share of the struggle equally with the men of other sections.!

A further £20 was received by tho Mayor (Mr. ,T. P. LuM yesterday from tho Upper Hutt District Fund, being tho amount collected by Messrs. John Whitcniau. Tlios. Edwards. and Phi] D Davis for the Wounded Soldiers' and Sailors' Fund.

The Wellington Diocesan Synod will open in St. Paul's Schoolroom, Sydney Street, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. July 0, Archdeacon Peeve, M.A.. will preach at evensong in tho Pro-Cathedral oil that. dato. Holy Communion will be celebrated at St. Paul's at 8.30 a.m. on the following day, and on adjournment will then be made to tho Hotel Cccil for breakfast