NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6492, 11 April 1908, Page 8

NEWS NOTES.

Japp’s Band (under Bandmaster Jupp) will play at the Botanical Gardens tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. The Garrison Band (under lieutenant Herd) will give a performance at island Bay, also at 3 o’clock.

AH persons who are liable to make returns under the Band and Income Assessment Act . should note that returns have to be made up as at noon on March 81st. and delivered to the Commissioner of Taxes on or before May Ist. By the will of the late S. Wilson, of Papakaio, the lleeidential College Building Fund, and thq Aged and Infirm Ministers’ Fund of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand,will benefit to the extent of XSaGO.

Wo have' received from Messrs Haroourt and Co. an- interesting sketch plan of the recent development work in the low levels of the Tajjsmau Consolidated mine, which; all in mining matters would do well to obtain.

The Conciliation Board leaves Wellington for Wanganui this morning,, where it will sit on Monday to deal with the general labourers’dispute. A sitting will also be held at Palmerston on Wednesday, and the Board will return‘to town on Thursday. Applications to extend the bricklay-/ ers’ award to twenty firms in Napier, eleven, in Maaterton, twenty-nine in Hastings, and twenty-three in Palmerston North have been received, 'by Mr A. Stubbs, Clerk of Awards for the Wellington industrial district. ,

Tenders are being invited by the Public Worts Department for the erection of a new post office at Featherston. It will bo of two stories and constructed in brick. On the ground floor will be the public room, mail room, 'postmaster's room, etc., and on the first floor the usual living rooms. The building will have a frontage to Fitzhorbert StreetDrivers of vehicles and riders of cycles should take warning that os the days are shortening they should light up their lamps earlier in the evening. The police have mentioned that they do not like being hard on absent-tnmded people, but that if this warning is not attended to they will ho compelled to use the power conferred upon them.

The manufacture of coal briquettes at the Government works at Westport is being carried on by two out of the four machines installed last year, states the "West Coast Times." The output is 400 tons per week. Most o£ the wiquettca are taken by the'Bail way Department. The department hopes that at no distant date it will be in a- position to employ all of the briquette-making plant.

The question of a site for the Congregational Church at Mastcrton is engaging the attention of the Wellington District Committee. At last meeting the ministers of the three Wellington shurohes were instructed to visit Masterton to inspect the sites' Under consideration. and to report to a sub-commit-tee, to which has been granted power to purchase the site selected. The Mayor, in reply to a question at Newtown last night on the subject of public markets, said ths committee of the Council had a site in view, but he could not indicate the losality at present, an that might undnly raise the price of the land. He believed that the majority of the Council was in favour of establishing markets, and he thought they were in view now. The statement was received with applause.

A petition of insolvency was filed yesterday by William McAllcy, clerk of Wellington. The first meeting of creditors will be hold on April 16th. The Official Assignee will have a busy tipis next week, a meeting of creditor® having been fixed, for each day up to Thursday. The Hon. G. Fowlds states that he is much impressed with the new portions of the Dunedin hospital, which he- saya have been fitted up in a thoroughly hygienic manner. "1 consider the Dunedin hospital now one of the most up-to-date hospitals m the Dominion," he added.

A rather promising deposit of graphite was recently discovered at Cuttle Cove,, Preservation Inlet, by some prospectors. It is close to deep water. The Morning Star quartz mine at Preservation Inlets which in th© course of a few years poid £27,060 in dividends, is likely soon to be reopened.

The turret-deck steamer Orange Branch had a stormy passage from Sydney to Auckland. The run occupied eight days. Tremendous seas constantly swept the deck and occasionally broke over the captain's bridge. One of the Chinee® crew was washed overboard. Though a high sea was running a boat was lowered and rescued the man.

A memorial chancel and organ werq opened in the Church of the Nativity, Nelson, on Thursday evening, Mr Robert Porker giving a recital on tha instrument. which was built by Mr Hobday, of Wellington. The chancel is in memory, of the late'"Parson" Butt, the firat archdeacon in Marlborough. The organ was donated os a memorial of the late Thomas Carter, one-time Superintendent of the province, by th© widow of the deceased.

It is proposed to have an official opening in connection with th© completion of the Kolburno water supply on Tuesday* next. As the .mains have now all been laid by tho City Council, owners of houses at. Kelburne -can have their pro* misee connected with the service on ap* plication. The cry for water should not in future be heard in that locality, os with the completion of the now Karorl. dam th© supply is ample for require* meats.

The Waikare, which left Wellington yesterday afternoon for Sydney, took 818 passengers. There were 297 adults, 19 children under twelve years of age, and ‘2 infants. The carrying capacity of the Waikare was exemplified by the fact that none of the passengers were required to accept a. "shakedown," as bertha were available for.oil. Extra berthage in the smoking-room and social hall, which may bo utilised in cases of exceptionally heavy bookings, was not required. At the annual meeting in connection with St. Hilda's churchroom, Island Bay, the Eev. J. Walker presiding, the report and balanoe-«hect wore read and adoptedReference was made by the vicar to the all-round improvement in . matters connected with tho church since the commencement of work in. the parish by the Bov. W. Fanoourt, M.A. Officers were elected as follows: —Secretary, _Mr T. Procter} treasurer, Mr A, Wilkeningj committee, Messrs McßWani Murrell, Doherty, Robbins, Smith, Hickson, and Colley. The mallet which will assist his Excellency to well and truly lay the foundation stone of the Technical School at Petone to-day is a particularly handsome one, designed by Mr F. do J, Clcre, architect, and made by Mr Frank Grady, jeweller. It is in black mairc, and has a solid greenstone handle surmounted with a baron's coronet in silver and gold. It bears a silver plate, having engraved on it "Petone Technical School. Presented to In© Excellency the Eighd Honourable William Lee, Baron Plunkoti K.C.M.G., K.C.V., Governor of New Zealand. April 11th, 1008."

Replying to a question at Nowtown last night regarding an allegation mads by a correspondent in the press that favouritism had been shown by the Council to Messrs Bannatyne and Co. in the renewal of iheir lease, the Hon, Mr Hislop said no alteration whatever had been made in tho lease by the pre* sent Mayor or any other Mayor or Council. The firnrs leoee. expired;. In, 1011, and the firm Would then have to pay th© full value of the land, the same as any other lessee. He deprecated reckless statements, which should J>a verified before they were given utte •• ance' to in the public press.