LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Permission has been granted--by the City Council to the Wellington Harbour Board for the erection of a temporary wooden building for the storage of cheese at the King's Wharf breastwork, although such building does not comply with tho city's building regulations. "The permis.sion is subject to the building remaining only for a period not exceeding seven years, and at the end of such period, any application for an extension of the consent to be then-considered. The building is being erected under agreement with the New 'Zealand Government, and the above conditions were suggested by the City Engineer.

Three applications for taxi-cab drivers' licenses were refused by the City Council last night. A permit to drive a taxi was granted a youth 19 years of age, and a driver reported for endangering the safety of the public in Brandon-street oh Violet Day is to be severely reprimanded. One of the men whose license was refused appeared before the council, and askeCt that the matter should be reconsidered, but councillors, after going into the question thoroughly, adopted the committee's recommendation.

There's a. particularly interesting display of lovely Japa-nese Dressing Gowns in ono of .Kirkcaldie and Stains,' Ltd's., Lambton-quay windows. These pretty garments are in. silk and crepe-de-chenes, and the colours and blcndings of tho various shades arc really' gorgeous. Tne dressing gowns are the more interesting becausn of their excellent Japanese hand-embt-OfJieved w#fk~W cure , ypu ««» them.—Advt

The Public Health Committee of the Wellington City Council reported to the mooting of that body last night that it had under consideration, the question of the position of two milk vendors and the conduct of their businesses. The report, which was held over from last meeting, was, after some discussion, referred back to the committee.

This morning, in tho Magistrate's Court, before Mr. L. G. Eeid, S.M., William Naismith was charged with driving a stationary engine at the To Aix> Steam Laundry without 'having a certificate. The case was really brought as a warning, and after hearing the explanation tendered on behalf of the defendant by Mr. J. ; C. Peacock, the Magistrate imposed a penalty of 10a, with costs. .An employee named Robert Mason, who was similarly charged, was convicted and ordered to pay costs.

A new publication lias appeared in New Zealand, in the form of tho "Journal of tho Department of Public Health, Hospitals, and Charitablo Aid," issued monthly by direction of the Minister of Public Health (Hon. ,G. W. Russell). It contains articles on various hospital and charitable aid questions, in addition to notifications usually made by official circular. The Wellington Hospital Board had copies before it yesterday, and Mr. P. Castle Biiggcsl-ed that they should congratulate Win Minister on the production. Tho journal would be useful, and if they established a Hospital Boards' Association, they might well make it their official organ. The board assontcd, and resolved, further, to congratulate the acting-secretary (Mr. S. Robinson), whose article dealing with hospital accounts had. been published in tho journal, with the official comment that the system described was excellent, efficient, and practical.

Painful casea of cliiitresg are continually coming under the notice of the Salvation Army, and a (story related by Commissioner Hoddcr at the opening of the Boys' Home at Island Bay yesterday sounds almost like fiction. A man living at Taibape, who was a reservist from England, was called to rejoin the colours, and left hus v/if« and tv« boys behind. It wafi not Jong before he was wounded and incapacitated by shellshock, and eventually he had to be sent to an asylum. Xhs wife was adviced that her husband would never return, and to add to this (severe blow the unfortunates woman w;is so severely .stricken with consumption that she had to be confined to a hospital. The result was. that the two boys were left alone in the world, and the Army came to the rescue. Those two boys were now inmates of the Army Home at Temuka. (Loud- applause.) Other instances of hardship were also related by the Commissioner, who stated that in one case they had taken in a ten-months old baby girl.

1 The Oamaru Borough Council (says tho Mail) are not inclined to let the matter of meat prices in Oamaru drop. Tho Board of Trade has been requested to visit Oamaru at as early a date as its duties will permit, but in the meantime enquiries are being made in other centres, and information is being collected of the charges made for meat, with a view to comparison with the prices charged by local butchers. While in Christchurch the Mayor (Mr. R. Milligan) interviewed members of the Boai'd of Trade, 1 who regretted inability to pay Oamaru a visit at present, but it is not intended by the council to let the matter rest there. Tiie possibility of a supply of mutton from the •Pukenri works to be made available to local butchers for sale at stipulated rates is being enquired ■■ into..

The illegibility of a customer's writing resulted in a chemist, O. S. Wiles, being charged at the. Auckland Police Court on Wednesday with failing t<> comv ply with the Poisons Act by notifying the Registrar df a sale of strychnine. Defendant stated ,tha;t, according to his custom, he had got the customer, who was a Justice of the Peace, to write the particulars of the sale on a primed form, which he sent to the Registrar. The' Registrar declared that the writing was so bad as to be indecipherable, and consequently it was useless to him as a record i of the sale. "Looks as if a fly had been dropped in an ink-bottle, and then allowed to crawl over the paper," remarked Chairman of the Bench. "It's an illegible something supposed to be writing; might ba a fohn of neuritis.". Defendant was fined Ss and 7s costs.

A recent deputation from the Island Bay. Municipal Electors' Association which waited upon the , Beaches Committee of. the City 'Council requested (1) that better supervision be given to the Island Ba.y beach ; (2) that washing and fishermen's nets be kept off the beach; (3) that increased bathing facilities be granted: to the. women bathers; (4) that steps be taken to keep the beach free from broken bottles and glass. The matters have been re-' ferred to a sub-committee for report, and the recommendations will be submitted to the next meeting of the council.

Permission to fish in the city reservoirs is being sought by the 1 members of the ( Wellington Acclimatisation Society, and' a deputation from that body waited upon the City Council last evening. The speaker was Mr. L. 0. H.: Tripp, who' asserted that there was, no reason 'why fishing should be prohibited, providing it was done under the strictest of regulations. Under the proposals which the society was willing to agree to therewould be absolutely no risk of pollution of 'the water supply, and, in order to save the council any trouble, the society was prepared to accept the whole of the responsibility. The regulations could be as stringent as the council liked. He would suggest that the matter should be referred to a committee, to whons the society would 'be prepared to sub- 1 mft draft regulations. In reply, Councillor W. H. P. Barber, in the absence of the Mayor, stated that the matter would be referred to a committee. No permits had been issued since the outbreak of the war, owing to the necessity ■of carefully guarding the water supply.

A proclamation appears'in.the G-azette constituting the Borough of Featherstoji. The first election of Mayor and councillors of the borough will be held next month.

The state-of < the 'finances, of the, Greymouth Harbour Board, according to the Grey Rive)? Argus, has for some time been causing that body serious thought,and the problem under the existing conditions appears to be without a solution. At last week's meeting of the board, Mr. J. Steer stated that during the first six months of tho present year revenue had fallen off to the extent "of £6000, due to the reduction in revenue-producing traffic. There had been a very serious falling off in the quantity of coal from the Grey Valley, and though the State mines'madeup the traffic there was a great loss of revenue to tho board. The Brunner railway revenue for 1916 had totalled £24,876, but for the term from January to June, 1917 (24 weeks), the .total was only £5484. The revenue estimated for the year on the same basis was £11,908, loaving a deficiency of £12,068. A harbour improvements rate of 6 per cent, on 500,000 tons, which would include all goods, coal, and timber, would produce £12,500. He gave notice to move that; the Government should be nsked to sanction a harbour improvement rate of 6d per ton, and that befthnge charges should be increased at the siime rate.

Ten nurses from Wellington Hospital, 1 *ho sat'for the State examination, have passed. Nine obtaining over 75 per cent, and one took second place in New Zealand. One nurse has passed her midwifery examination.

Last evening the City Council resolved that the Hutt-road Amendment Bill, 1917, should be submitted to Parliament as a Local Bill at the earliest possible' opportunity, and that Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., and the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., be asked to take charge of the Bill in the ■ House of Representatives and the Legislative Council respectively. In Wellington Hospital at present there are eleven children, between t.ho ages of five and fifteen, under 'treatment for infantile paralysis. They are-receiving no education, and the Hospital Board has, therefore, made application to the Wellington Education Board to see if a teacher cannot be assigned to give them some instruction,.

Last month there were nine admissions and seven discharges at the Macarthy Convalescent Home at Belmomfc. On46th August there were nin« children in the home. The Hospital Board decided yesterday that greater publicity be given to the fact that the Macarthy Home is open to children other than those who come from the Hospital, subject to an inspection and report by the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital.

The Wellington Motor-car, Horsedrivers, etc., Employees' Union of Workers has presented proposals to the City Council for a new industrial agreement covering the wages and conditions of employment of the Corporation's drivers. The proposals have been forwarded to the City Engineer for a report, and the Finance Committee will present their recommendations to the next meeting the council.

That -well-worn appellation "wowser" was neatly referred .to by Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., at the opening of the Salvation Array Boys' Home, at Island Bay, yesterday. "If we are called wowsers for trying to uplift humanity," said Mr. Wright, "for striving to reform the people, and bring about a better state of affairs socially, well all I can say is that it does not matter in the least. We don't mind being called wowsers for doing these things." A voice: ""Anyhow, we are not sowsers." (Laughter.)

Authority to erect a temporary building with all the necessary equipment to examine milk coming into the city was given the City Engineer at last night's meeting of the City Council. This is another step in the' direction of seeming a pure milk supply. The building will be near the Thorndon Station, behind Banks's factory, and will be about 60ft by 26ft. Apparatus will be provided for thoroughly cleansing the cams. A portion of the cost will- be borne by the Dairy Farmers' Association, which association will also pay the salary of a Government inspector. There will be a small tax on each, gallon of milk received at the depot in order to defray administrative expenses. New X-Ray apparatus is to be installed at Wellington Hospital, and ths board recently adapted the suggestion of the Medical Superintendent (Dr. Barclay), that a medical practitioner be en-., gaged to take, sole charge of this branch, devoting himself wholly to the work. Yesterday the Superintendent reported that he had been unable io find anyone locally, willing or qualified, to itake the post. 'He was, therefore, authorised to write to Col. D. J.. M'Gavin, N.Z.M.C., seeking his assistance in engaging a man from England, or France, preferably,* New Zealander. /' . . ■ It was reported at the Hospital Board meeting yesterday, with regard to the new fever hospital, .that shelter trees are j being planted as a break-wind for the site. The City Council has ag>eed to put the Town. Belt-road, giving access to the property", in reasonable, repair, and Messrs. Seaton and Sladden have been instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the road leading from the Belt to the site, "also to prepare a plan of the levels; of the site. Sketch plans of the hospital were adopted by the board, subject to the approval of the Minister, and the Hospital Committee was authorised to call for tenders as soon as possible.. Authority was given the committee to accept tenders . for roading and excavation, arid it was further agreed to raise a loan to meet the expenditure in this direction.

» As reported previously, there were 83 cases of diphtheria Sn the Wellington Hospital district for the month ended 14th August, i In reporting this- to the Hospital Board yesterday, the Public Health .'Committee" stated that within the last few days the number of new cases had been smaller. The chairman of the committee (Rev. H. Van Staveren) said that Dr. Watts, District Health-Officer, assured them that they need not fear any epidemic, because as a rule following a dry season diphtheria increased everywhere. The reason for this was not given but it was a fact. . '

The Petone Borough. Council is to be informed by the City Council, in reply to its application for a reduction in the license fee charged, for its motor-,'bus engaged in carrying passengers from Petone to Wellington, that it is regretted that the request cannot be acceded^ *o. Councillor Barber explained last night ■that the 'buses were doing considerable damage to Thorhdon-quay, and also to the Hutt-road, As the City Council paid the bulk of tSe maintenace on the Hutt-road there was no reason why the license fee should be remitted. Councillor M'Kenzie thought -that .'the Petone Council, as part owners of the Hutt-road, had a legitimate grievance, but no other 'oonncUloi* agreed with him. 'It was thought that, the'Petone Council should be treated the same as an "ordinary irading concern, which it was. The license fee paid by the Petone Council is £50, £25 for each of two vehicles.

Charitable aid granted during July, ■1917, in 'comparison with 1916 (given in parentheses), was reported by the Charitable Aid Committee yesterday to be as follows:—Number of cases,, 72.(76); daily, avera-ge of persons in receipt of relief, 198 (207); rations granted, 713 (604); cash grants, £47 (£35); maintenance of children, £24 (£l9). I :

Two horse ambulances, having ibeen .renovated and painted, have been'presented by the Hospital Board tf> the Levin Borough' Council, and-the Shannon Borough Council. '■.'■■

The free use of the Town Hall has been granted to the Early Settlers' and Historical Association o:i Dominion night.

During the hearing of a claim, for damages'in the : Supreme' Court yesterday, one of the witnesses for the plaintiff became so interested in some stkges_ of the proceedings as to interject audibly and give vent to Ms feeling's ill laugh-, ter. Mr. Justice Hosking finally ordered his removal from the Court.