LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Star, Issue 10934, 17 May 1899, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Formal business transacted at the meeting of the St. Kikla Borough Council. It was resolved that the attention of the Domain Board be called to the removal of sand from Tahuna Park.

At a meeting of the Auckland Liberal Association, held last night, the following resolution, passed at a meeting of the Committee, was confirmed :—" That this meeting heartily endorse the policy of carrying out the systematic railway works initiated by Sir Julius Vogel in 1870, which included railway communication between Auckland and Wellington via Taranaki, and will assist towards the construction of the Main Trunk Railway line in the colony by an urgent appeal to the Government and country for a loan to cany out this important and necessary work."

The Mayor of Christchurch has received the following reply to his letter to Captain Stuart, of H.M.S. Tauranga, in reference to the death of Lieutenant Freeman, at Samoa : —"Apia, Samoa, April 30. Dear MiMayor,—l am desired by Captain Stuart, the officers, and the ship's company to tender their most sincere thanks to yourself and the residents of Christchurch for the very great sympathy expressed in regard to the great loss ourselves and the navy have sustained by Lieutenant Freeman's death. He died, as any Britisher should, in the execution of his duty. We are forwarding your letter to his relatives, and it will be a great consolation to them, as showing how much his character was appreciated in New Zealand waters."

A sale of work in aid of the organ fund of St. Martin's Church, North-east Valley, was opened by Canon Richards in Ferguslie Hall yesterday afternoon. There was a fair attendance in the afternoon, and during the evening the number of patrons was very large, and good business was done. The sale is promoted by the Ladies' Guild, the stallhalders being as follow: —Refreshment and produce stall—Mesdames Goble, Milward, Walker, Towsey; Young Ladies' Guild stall and Christmas tree—Misses Gough, Simms, Wilson, Steel, Drake, and Sprague (2) ; fish pond—Misses Woodward, Tattersfield, and Stevens; Ladies' Guild stall—Mesdames Richards, Giller, Tyrell, Austin, and Miss Austin j flower stall—Mrs Paulin and Mrs T. West (assisted by Daphne Towsey, Dorothy Paulin, Alice Milward, and Dorothy Walker). The post office is in charge of Masters Drake and Glossop, and the members of St. Martin's Young Men's Guild run the shooting gallery. In the evening a number of orchestral selections, under the coftductorship of Mr E. Towsey, were contributed, and a few very pretty tableaux also afforded the audience a good deal of pleasure. Mr Milward acted as stage manager, and Messrs Cowell and Springer were responsible for the hall decorations. The sale of work will be open again this evening. The New Zealand Natives' Association met last night in the Stuart street Hall, when Mr G. M. Thomson gave the first of a series of lecturettes which are to be delivered by various gentlemen during the present session Ihe speaker chose for his cubject 'Rambles in the Country,' and succeeded in thoroughly interesting his hearers. He described various adventures he experienced and hardships he underwent in his walking and sailihg excursions throughout Otago and round the coast m search of botanical and other specimens. Mr Thomson concluded by impressing on the members the value of our fauna and flora from a scientific point, and advised them as natives to assist in their preservation. He instanced the necessity of this m the fast-dwindling number of the kiwi and other native birds. In moving a vote of thanks Mr Withers said he waa happy to inform Mr Thomson that the preservation ot native plants and animals was one of the principal planks of the Association. Musical items and recitations were given bv Messrs B. Hanlon, Campbell, Hawcridge, Strong, Cook, Walsh, and-Alridge. The next lecture will be delivered by Mr Scobie Mackenzie on the 29th inst,