LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4425, 3 August 1901, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The latest donation to tb e Victoria Home for Chronic Invalids is £3 BB from Messrs Baker Bros. English mails to July 30th left San Francisco on Thursday for Auckland by R.M.B. Sierra, due at Auckland on tne 19th inst. Mr J. G. Gow, the Government Trade Commissioner, will be at the Industries and Commerce Department on Monday and Tuesday to confer with producers and exporters. A series of lectures on “Home Nursing and Hygiene ” is to be given by Dr Chappie, under the auspices of the bt, John Ambulance Association. Particulars of the lectures are advertised. The estates of the following deceased persons have been finally certified : • Wellington: Robert Anderson £1691; Edwin H. Bradford, £2288; William D. Dawson, £1124; John Thomson, £1486; Robert Frew, £3363; Mary C. Boulter, £1889; Frederick Ridditord, (New Plymouth), £7553. St. Peter’s Club Magazine, the second number of which is just published, displays a considerable variety in its contents. Some of the articles and verses are wejl written, and “Wellington s Interest Spots” is a particularly interesting contribution. The magazine, as a whole, however, requires some rigorous editing. The second number of “The Catholifc Magazine,” the organ of the Marist Brothers’ Schools Old Boys’ Association, is a decided improvement upon tho first, and contains sketches and articles of interest to the general reader. The personal notes are brightly written. There is a woll-excCuted portrait of the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy.

The chairman of the Conciliation Board yesterday announced that the heaving of the Tin. Plate and Metal Workers’ dispute, which was to have taken place next Monday, will be beard on the following Monday. The Iron and Brass Moulders’ dispute, which was also set down for hearing on Monday, will he taken on Wednesday,

At a sitting of the Divorce Court yesterday a decree nisi was granted byMr Justice Edwards in the case of Viokorstaff v. Vickerstaff, The petitioner was Sarah Vickerstaff, of Eketahuna, and the grounds of divorce, desertion and cruelty. A similar decree was granted in the case of Arthur Deadman v. Bessie and Fred Deadman (the co-respondent being an elder brother of the petitioner), with, costs on the highest seal*.

A witness at the Conciliation Board’s proceedings yesterday from Wanganui gave some rather interesting particulars as to the relative cost of living in Wellington and Wanganui. Wanganui, be stated, was the most expensive town to live in, firing and meat especially being dearer there than here. Four-roomon houses cost from 9s to X2b per week, and vacant houses were immediately taken up. Living, he stated, was cheaper at Palmerston than in Wanganni. Mr Claude M. Banks, who has just returned from a visit to Europe, extending over thirteen months, was entertained by his staff at Godber’s rooms last evening. Mr John M. Wilson, who acted as manager during Mr Banks’s absence, was in the chair. The toasts were, “The King,” proposed by Mr Sands; “The Guest of the Evening,” by the chairman; and ‘'“The New" Concern,” by Mr O, R. Bendall. Mr Banks thanked the staff for its support and successful management. during his stay in the Old Country, He was thankful to state that he had almost recovered from the accident he met with on the voyage out, and hoped in a short time to be able to notify _ the successful conversion of his business into a limited liability company.

A gentleman in Wellington having written to Colonel Pole Peaton, expressing sympathy with him in the matter of the “ Newtown Park Soandal.” has received the following reply: “Many thanks for your kind letter of the 7th inat. It reached me on my arrival at Dunedin, and I had no opportunity of answering it till my arrival here this morning- lam very gratified to find that there are some of my friends who have not been led away by malicious newspaper misrepresentation, and who recognise that I hav e tried to carry out my duty impartially during my stay in the colony. There is no question about my being removed from New Zealand in October. The period for which I took service with the colony expires in that month, and I have no wish, nor have I asked the Government to renew my appointment. When I leave for England it will be pleasing for me to remember that in the colony there will be many people who wish me well.—-Yours truly, A. P. Fenton."

Tho subject for the first of the senes of lectures to be given in the Baptist Church by the Rev Charles Williams, M.A., is “John Henry Newman, how he became a Roman Catholic.”

The Chief Health Officer (Dr Mason) and his staff have removed from the Tourist Department’s Offices in Brandon street to premises recently vacated by Reuter's Agency in Eeatherston street. The bridges on the Westport-Granity Railway havo been strengthened, and a heavier engine is being used, which is capable of negotiating loads twice as heavy as those. formerly brought down th» line. The intercolonial exhibition under the auspices of tbe Wellington Club will op.n on the 2nd prox. Th sis #xpec’.od to bo th# largest exhibition of the kind in Australasia. The prizemoney amounts to £SO.

So impressed is the Agricultural Department with the potentialities of the English market for. the *li’-po.sul of honey and beeswax that i{ intends circulating a special leaflet amongst farmers giving them soma information in regard to the subject.

Petone residents gave a very hearty recaption last evening to some returned members of contingents—Farrier-Sergeant Hardham, Corporal Horne, and Troopers Isherwood, Boyd and McGill. The reception took the form of a dance, oyer one hundred and fifty couples taking part. Tho following pupils of the Misses Carr and Hartiie have just received oortificates from Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, England, for having successfully passed an examination in the theory of shorthand;—Misses Davidson, Hilda Stone, Martha Peck and Iris Fraser, Messrs Alfred Brown, Charles Tiller, Reginald Wcsto.n and Arthur Coad.

Mr W. B. McKenzie, of Wellington, has received advioe that at the show of the Williamstown (Victoria) Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society he secured one special, two first, throe second and two third prizes with hi.s African owl ,pigeons, besides tho championship awarded by the Federal Frill Club of Australasia for tfic best' young African owl in the show.

Despite tho fact that our leading merchants and business people ore averse to having the proposed new Customhouse in Wellington built along the sea front, the Government intends proceeding with the work, and will probably place a sum on the estimates for the purpose towards the"end of the present session. Plans for the new building have been prepared and are being considered. Prospectors who have been engaged for nearly two years in the vicinity of Picton and Mount Pleasant have struck a small seam of coal at Shakespeare Bay and another at the Elevation. A company has acquired prospecting and mining rights over 2000 acres of freehold between Picton and Koromiko, and over the property of Mr Clemens, at Shakespeare Bay. .The Nelson Education Board has decided to dispense with tho services of Mr W. Lndley, inspector of schools, at the end of six months, on account of his continued ill-health. If at the end of that period Mr Ladley is able to renew his work he will be reinstated. The salary of Mr Harkness, the Chief Inspector, has been increased by £SO, and he has been authorised to engage an assistant for a period of three months. During last month old-age pensions were granted in Wellington as follows; Mr John Durable, aged 65, 36 years in the colony, £8 per year; Mrs Elizabeth Durable, aged 67, 36 years in the colony, £l3; Mrs Alexandrine Stone, aged 67, 34 years in the colony, £lB ; Airs Catherine Caroline Andrews, aged 67, 26 years in the colony, £18; Mr Alexander Hardy, aged 65, 40 years in the colony, £18! Mrs Rebecca Aston, aged 66, 44 years in the colony, £lO. A meeting of the Brick, Tile and Pot tery Union was held at the Trocaderb last evening, when there was a large attend, ance. It was decided to circulate the demands of tho union and take a ballot in accordance with the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1900, and the secretary Was authorised to state a case for the Board at once if tbe ballot is in favour of that course, Tho union supported the action of the Drivers’ Union in approaching the Premier with regard to the unnecessary sittings of the Board. A committee was appointed to act in concert with the Drivers’ Union in the matter. The rest of the business was of a routine character.

Messrs J. H. Bethuue and Co. yesterday sold by public auction a freehold property, part of section No, (357. city of Wellington, having a frontage 0 f 4Sft to Featherston terrace, by a depth of 73ft, together with the itwo-story seven-roomed villa residence. The price was £7OO. They also sold a freehold building site, part of section 916, city of Wellington, having a frontage of 23ft to Hall street, by a depth of 86ft 6in, which realised £6 10s per foot. Freehold properties in Tinakori road and Adelaide road were also submitted, but as the bidding did not reach the reserve prices they were passed in.