LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1687, 29 June 1904, Page 46

LOCAL AND GENERAL

This week’s issue of the “New Zealand Mail” contains an admirable series of views illustrative of the departure of Lord Ranfurly and the arrival of Lord Plunket. These illustrations extend over .several pages, and the “Mail” this week forms an excellent

souvenir of a memorable occasion. Last week’s issue was sold out on the day of publication, and although a greater number has been printed this week, those who desire extra copies should make early application. In one of the titles to the pictures it ought to be mentioned that the name of the Government steamer “Tutanekai” is given instead of “Hinemoa” through an inadvertence, and the mistake was not noticed in time for correction.

Miss Fraser, or Craven, Palmerston North, writes to say that she has never engaged a professional coach to teach the girls hockey at her school.

A London cable message says the Archbishop of Canterbury (the Most Rev R. T. Davidson) will visit the United States in the autumn, at the invitation of the American Church. The tender of Messrs Hunt and McDonald, Wellington, £8519, has been accepted by the Wellington Harbour Board for the construction of two brick stores at Customhouse quay, on the section opposite Messrs Aitken, Wilson and Co.’s. The engineer’s estimate was £B3OO. The other tenders were:—• Sanders Bros., £8794 6s; Donald McLean, £BBSB 7s; Alexander McKechnie t £9153; James Trevor and Sons, £9192 19s; J. and A. Wilson, £9325 Os lOd; T. H. Meyer, £9466 Is 2d; Howie and Matthews, £9480; A. Cooper and Son, £9BBB 15s; John Moffatt, £10,392 12s lOd; Davis and Brownian, £11,033 13s 4d.

The marriage took place at Waverl>y on Thursday of Miss Susan Bradley, eldest daughter of Mr John Bradley, Waverley, and Mi- John Clark, son of the late Mr Thomas Clark, of Waitotara. *

The condition of Mr H. R. Bunny, chairman of the Wairarapa South County Council, is causing his relatives great anxiety. Dr Johnston and Dr Bey (Greytown) were in attendance on Saturday and Sunday. The death is reported from Napier of Mi Isaac Williams, aged, seventy-two years. Deceased, who was a very old colonist, served in the Maori war on the East Coast, and took part in the battle cf Omaranui, near Napier.

Mr R. S. Rountliwaite, M.1.G.E., has returned from Foxton, where he has been in consultation with the Mayor „ and Town Clerk on ..the proposed schemes for water supply, damage and electric lighting of that borough. At a “ social ” at Ohariu last Friday, Mr 0. 0. Wackrow, who has spent twenty-five years at Ohariu, was the ro- _

cipient of a marble clock from red-; dents for services rendered to the district as chairman of the School Committee and as teacher of the Episcopal Sabbath school.

Admiral Uchtomsky, of the battleship reported in our cablegrams to have been blown up by the Japanese, is a Russian Prince, and his brother is a household prince in attendance on the Czar. During the stay cf Mr Witheford, M.H.R. for Auckland, in England in 1897, he entertained Priq.ce Uchtomsky at the Henley regatta, his guest considering that this event was the greatest aquatic scene in the world, far surpassing the carnival at Venice. Mr Witheford took the Prince to the Savoy Theatre to see “The Mikado.” Prince Uchtomsky, brother of the deceased Admiral, was naval attache at the Russian Embassy at the time of Mr Witheford’s visit.

Mr Arthur H. Vile, of Eketahuna, who has been nominated for one of the vacant seats on the Wellinpfon Education Board, has addressed a circular to school committees, setting forth his claims to election. In it he urges clearer definition of the powers of committees in the appointment of teachers, sufficient inducement and remuneration for pupil teachers to ensure their continued services, and a superannuation scheme on the same basis as that adopted in the railway service. Other reforms advocated bv Mr Vile are uniformity in school books, the establishment of district high/ schools where convenient, votes for swimming competitions for country schools as well as town, the setting aside bv the Government of a sinking 1 fund for the restoration of school buildings destroyed by fire , and the enforcement of the compulsory clauses of the Act relating to school attendance.

Some interesting details of the work of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, particularly in regard to. the cost and maintenance of the various “homes 1 ” scattered throughout the colony, are included in the “Victory,” published by' tho Army. The total receipts for the year amounted to £7845 14s Id, and the expenditure to £7665 14s lOd, leaving a credit balance of £179 19s 3d on the year’s operations. The following are the receipts (which include donations, sales and work done bv inmates) for the principal “homes,” the figures in parentheses representing the expenditure : —Auckland—Maternity Home £246 9s 7d (£233 16s lid); Rescue Home, £531 6s (£586 18s Id): Prison-gate Home, £530 7s 9d (£673 2s 7d); Palace, £291 14s 2d (£377 6s lid). Christchurch —Maternity Home, £348 (£349 8s Id); Rescue Home. £463 12s 2d (£502 5s 9d); Prison-gate Home. £685 6s 7d (£B3O 2s sd). Dunedin—Rescue Home, £556 11s 8d (£592 5s lid). Maternity Home, £33 16s (£l6O 3s lOd). Wellington—Maternity Home £676 0s Id (£729 18s); Rescue Home, £599 2s 5d (£656 19s lid); Shelter, £ll3l 11s 4d (£1215 9s lOd); Girls’ Home, £2ll 18s 4d (£277 Os lid). Tenders have closed for erection of a post office at Otaki, and are npw being considered by the department. A few weeks ago five Russian thar—a species of long-haired goat—arrived in the colony consigned to the Tourist Department, a donation from the Duke of Bedford. The animals were placed in pens' on Somes Island, where they have given the keeper much cause for wonderment. So sure-footed are they, it is said, that “they can leap six feet into the air and alight solidly without a flutter on an inch board edge upwards.” An instance of this marvellous leaping power was witnessed recently. A hole about two feet square existed in the partition between the pens next the roof, about ten feet from the floor, and the feat of passing from one pen into the other through the aperture with a flying leap was easily performed. Since their confinement on the island the thar have increased by the addition of one male and two female kids, which are reported to .be doincr well. The six Japanese deer that arrived in Auckland by the Kaikoura are being brought down to Wellington by that steamer. On arrival they will be placed on Somes Island, until their fate is decided upon. There was a birth during the voyage among these strangers, but the newcomer died.