LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13337, 28 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Amusement advertisement*) will bd found on page six in this issue. The 48 music-halls in London provide seating accommodation for 70,486 persons. The Waikato Hospital narrowly escaped destruction on Thursday, a fire* breaking out in the lining of the kitchen; Eortunately, it was discovered before it had any great hold, and was extinguished almost at once Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P., delivered a led nre on “Imperial liberation” to a fair audience in the Town lla.ll at Masterton last night, the Mayor presiding. At the close of the lecture the following resolution was carried:—“ That Imperial federation would be in the best interests' US® the Empire.” ■ \ Mr Love, secretary of the Labourer*’ Union, desires to acknowledge the following donations towards the Corliss-Ander-sou fund:—Paintcre’ Union i!2 2s, the Quarries £1 18s, Mr Fremont’s list £4- 2* 6d, the gas-workers £2 9s 6d, Butchers’ Union £2 2s. A benefit, on April 25, )» kindly promised by Hayward’s Pictures, and tickets for same are now being sold hy members of the Union and their friends. Arrangements for the Hipango Park excursion arc now well in hand. .Mrs Allen has charge of the tea stall, and light refreshments, including fruit aalad. may bo obtained in the saloon on both the up and down trips. Anyone willing to make cakes, etc., is requested to communicate with Mrs Allen or Mr F. Walker. Tho steamer will leave Hatnek’s wharf at. 1.30 p.m., and the down trip will be made in the moonlight, reaching town about 9 o’clock. The musical committee ie arranging a good programme. So far, everything points towards a very successful excursion. School attendances in the Wanganui Education' Board’s district have improved very much since the appointment of the new Truant Inspector, Mr C. .1. D Skinner, and the coming into force of • the regulation compelling attendance on every school day. In some of tho schools where 84 per cent, was considered a good'average attendance previously, 94 per cent! is now (he order. Mr Skinner is personally visiting all ihc schools, inquiring into the individual rases of non-attendance, and explaining the regulations to the clnfdren. As the result of an understanding bet ween Ibe hrickmakcra of Wellington the price of bricks lias increased 12s per 1000 within the last five months. Bricks are tow being sold at £2 10s per 1000 which were selling at -£1 13a five months ago. The w builders of Wellington, who are suffering ' more or less from the big price, are mov. ing in the matter, and in a conference to be held to-morrow with tho bricknutkers’ representatives, are to discuss the price, and also to protest against the fact that the builder who buys 20,000 bricks cannot get them a penny cheaper per 1000 , than the man who buys 50. As some indication of the magnitude of the work being undertaken by the Governmen! in tho Piako Swamp, it is interesting to note (saye the Auckland Star) that tho main canal by which it is proposed to carry off the waters from the Hauraki Plain will, when completed, be 15 miles in length, and will have a breadth of 42ft. Mr A. J. Entrican, who recently visited tho locality, was much impressed with tho possibilities that this future canal possesses in the way of inland water carriage, as it will be capable of taking anr vessel drawing up to 10ft of water. Mr Entrican is of opinion that this waterway will have a big bearing on the Waikato canal scheme, as the question will arise of the advisablrncss of connecting the Waikato with the Piako watpre. The ceremony to take place at Apiti in connection with the opening of the new technical school marks another step in tho march of progress the Apiti residents are noted for, and wo doubt whether any other community of the size possesses so many ardent workers devoted to the public wei ■ fare as this settlement on the banks of the Oroua River. Half the cost of the building has been raised locally, and the progress made by the local technical classes fully warrants the arrangements made for their hotter housing. In fact, when was granted for a technical school in Napier the total number of students was only about _ the aame as at Apiti. It is very satisfactory to know kthat the settlers are alive to the impor- “ tance of technical classe*,-.'(WKI the Apiti director deserves well at their hands for the energy and enthusiasm he has instilled into this important movement.—Feilding Star. The frequent admonition* which have lately been given to indifferent buj'gcsscs to place tbeir names on the municipal roll before closing day have had oraieoffect as tho time shortens. During the last couple of days the Town Clerk and hi* staff have been fairly busy receiving applications for enrolment, but they inform us that while those have been left till almost the last minute, there arc many who apparently do not intend to bother about the matter, as there are still hundreds of names which have not been put on. That, of course, means that such people will not te able to vote at the approaching election for Mayor, Council, and Harbour Board, unless, that is, they apply for enrolment not later than tomorrow—Wednesday, 291h hist,—which m the last day on, which tho roll will te open. Every man and woitau over ?,1 is entitled to have his or her name placed on the roll. So far as the burgesses of the suburban districts arc concerned, they have the right to vote for tbc Barbour Board, and should sec that their names are on the roll. The closing day for the suburban bodies is April, 2. In the main borough, however, the closing day is as stated above, viz., to-morrow.