TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3726, 28 April 1899, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

KAITANGATA RELIEF FUND. : A statement regarding the position of the Kaitangata Relief Fund is publish-, [ed in jast night’s* “Gazette,” ' from which it appears that the value of' the fund on the Ist inst. was £6463 12s. The payments during the year included disbursements amounting to ‘£42l 12s 5d iarnong certain beneficiaries, and £279 9s 3d among others. The interest added to the fund by. the Public Trust Office during the ; year was £llß 4s Bd. THE TECHNCAL SCHOOL. Hundreds of people visited the Technical School again last night and' watched with very great apparent interest the; operations of the students, who asseniblecl in large numbers, and gave an interesting exposition of the work in their various departments. Great inter-, est was also manifested in‘the' display of local manufactures, which were shown to excellent advantage, and the arrangement of- Which, reflected very great credit both on the manufacturers and those who on their behalf placed fie exhibits. The potter’s wheel shown by Messrs P. Hutson and Co. again attracted a considerable amount, of attention, the marvellously deft way in which the cold clay was made to * take all manner of shapes' at the hands of the operator being the cause of some astonishment to those who had. never seen anything of the kind before. The' result of the whole display must .inevitably be to put the citizens in touch in an (especial way with the Technical School, and give it a status and an, extended (sphere of usefulness which, without such popularity, it could not possibly have attained.' It is officially intimated elsewhere that the classes- at the Wellington Technical School will be open for public inspection to-day from 2.30 to 4 p.m., and from 7.30 to 9 p.m. The poster exhibits may be seen daily from 9 a.in. to 5 p.m., and from 7.30 to 9 p.m. “THE CABINET MINISTER.” The Wellington Dramatic Students, whose aim and object has ever been to assist some charity or deserving institution, are again working up to that standard of excellence which has dis-, tingnished their efforts iii the past.. The piece chosen is AW. Pinero’s bril-T liantly clever comedy,” “The Cabinet, Minister,” an, amusing satire bn society, but with serious touches here and there that give the audience an insight to the’ dramatic side of' the' authors character and capabilities, as more fully displayed in “The Second Mrs Tanqueray,” “The Notorious. Mrs Ebbsmith,” ' and other notable works.' • In the production of “The Cabinet Minister” spe-cial-'attention is being paid-to : the scen:ery. The first two acts of the • piece take place in a conservatory, which has been gorgeously decorated in Moorish style. Mr Claude Whaite, who has had considerable experience - in Australia, has been specially engaged to paint the seenerv and nnt.bimr will be want-

ing in this direotion. It might be mentioned that, in criticising an amateur performance pf, “The Pirates of Penzance” in Christchurch the southern press were .unanimous in declaring that the scenery was “the strongest feature in the production.* The ladies are promised a treat in. the beautiful presentation of Court dresses, which are to be worn by several of the characters, while the diplomatic, military and Highland dresses of the gentlemen should make an admirable display. In the last act, which takes place at Drumdnms Castle, Scotland, a reel and strathspey are danced to the stirring whirr ot the ba6EDiD€S» “The C&bineb IVTinister will Imp rod need on the 10th, 11th and 12th May, in aid of the Academy of tine Arts. • ■

THE SANITATION OF NAPIER. The “sink and drain” controversy still rages with unabated fury in Napier, principally on account of a refusal on the part of the local council to engage an expert to report on the whole system of- 1 drainage, and partly on account ot a proposal to force into general use a locally manufactured sink-trap of strange design, which some genius has demonstrated will meet requirements, the pnncipal consideration being cheapness. Some queer ideas on public finance seem to pass current for wisdom in Hawkes Bay, where the local bodies have swallowed a camel in the shape of a costly breakwater at one gulp; but, to continue the simile, strain frightfully at the microscopic gnat which, comparatively speaking, a sanitary engineer’s services for a couple of days would represent in hard dash.