LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16755, 23 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

« Considerable dissatisfaction is said to exist on the part of butter-factory companies in the Auckland Province in connection with prices fixed bv the Government. It is complained that the maximum received by the butter factories only enables them to pay a limited price for butter-fat. The price paid for cheese enables the cheese factories to pay a higher price for butter-fat. Now, it is stated, the position has become even more acute by the fact that the price paid for dried milk is such that the manufacturers thereof are able to pay-more for butter-fat than either the butter or the cheese factories. This is seriously interferinsr with the supplies' of butter-fat offering to several of the butter factories who cannot afford to pay the figure which the makers of dried milk can pay.

A contingent of 551 men. comprising the Auckland military district quota of the thirty-sixth reinforcement, will be mobilised at Auckland on Thursday, February 7, and be despatched to the training camps by a special train leaving at 2.50 p.m. All the details will be sent to Trentham camp, with the- exception of recruits for the Medical Corps, who will proceed to too Awapuni camp. Liautenant-Colonel A. Bartlett, 3rd, Auckland, Regiment, will be in charge of the train. He will bo assisted bv Second-Lieutenants G. R. Hognn and" J. T. Hill, unattached list R., and Second-Lieutenant M. N. Simpson, Post and Telegraph Corps.

On a charge of alleged theft a clerk named Arthur Gordon Scott, aged 19, was arrested last evening by Detective Cummings and Constable Kearney. The youth was in the employ of Messrs. Richard Arthur and Co., auctioneers. Yesterday afternoon two cheques, signed, but blank /is regards amount, were missed from the firm's office. The matter being reported to the police, Detective Cummings made investigations, with the result'that ho ascertained that Scott had booked a neat on the South-bound express last evoning. He had left his luggage at the Ferries, and was apprehended as he was procuring it prior to boarding the train. TJie allegation against Scott is that ho filled in a blank cheque for £75 and cashed it at the National Bank. He is believed to have lent various sums to friends. On his arrest he was in possession of nearly £40 in cash. The accused will be brought before a magistrate this morning,

A unique collection of views showing Auckland from a seaplane is a striking feature of to-day's issue of the Auckland Weekly News. The pictures, which were specially taken by a staff photographer from one of the New Zealand Flying School's seaplanes, comprise a double-page panoramic of the city and suburbs from above Parnoll, a striking view of the city and harbour front, and a fine selection of snapshots of sonto of Auckland's marine suburbs, the flying school at Kohimarama. and the aeroplane about to leave the water for a flight. A special page of the .issue is devoted to aviation pictures at Christchurch, including a fine view of the city from an aeroplane' at an altitude of 2400 ft, and an exceptionally good series of snapshots showing pupils receiving instruction and making trial flights in a biplane, besides views at and near the aerodrome. The war pictures comprise striking scenes during the Italian retreat from the mountains to the Piave River, and incidents in the Cambrai offensive, on the western front. The route march over the Rimutakas of the thirty-fourth and part of the thirty-fifth reinforcements is the subject of a fine page of photographs showing groups of the soldiers and interesting incidents during the march. The usual variety of scenic and topical pictures appears in the number, and the Roll of Honour includes the portraits of nearly 100 New Zealand officers and men who have given their livos for the cause of liberty.

A special parade ol tne 3rd, Auckland, Regiment, infantry, with band and all details, has been called for 7.40 to-morrow night. The regiment will fall in at the Drill Hall and march to the band rotunda in Albert Park, where the Suffolk shield, which is awarded annually to the most efficient company in the regiment, will he. presented to D Company by Mrs. A. Bartlett, wife of the commander of the regiment. A complete muster is necessary, as important camp arrangements will be announced. The regimental band will play several selections.

The first meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of James C. Cleland, farmer, Whakatane, which was to have been held yesterday, lapsed for want of a quorum, only counsel for the petitioning creditor being present. The bankrupt was informally examined by tho official assignee, and was instructed to produce his bank pass-book at the next meeting, t which was fixed for Thursday, February '7. Tho bankrupt intimated that he was negotiating for tho sale of a property, the proceeds of which would suffice to pay most of his creditors.

A sitting of the C2 Re-examination Board was commenced nt the old recruiting station, Kitchener Street, 0:1 Monday. The board consists of Lieutenant-Colonel Dunn, president; Captains Hogg and Mercer, members, and Major Rlackett, military adviser. It is anticipated that the board, which will sit for about two weeks, will deal with some 860 men. Of those dealt with since the inagnration of tho present system of N re-examination, about 50 per cent, have been reclassified CI, and sent into tho special training camp at Feathorston, while a number havo been passed as fit. * January 28, the day on which Anniversary Day is being celebrated, will not he observed by the board as a holiday. A military funeral was accorded tho hodv of Lieutenant William K. Johnston, of Piopio, who died on Sunday. Tho interment took placo at the Waikumek cemetery yesterday afternoon. Several resident's of Piopio, including Dr. McLeod, and representatives of the Auckland City Council and of the Returned Sol dieis' Association were present. The gun carriage was supplied by the Field Artil lerv, and tho firing party, under Lieutenal Allman, was from Narrow Neck camp Lieutenant Johnston left New Zealand 11 April, 1916, with the eleventh reinforce ments, was invalided home on account ol shell-shock, and discharged on Januarj 31, 1917. This is the first burial to b< made in the special ground set apart b; the City Council for the burial of returnee soldiers who have no relatives in thi Dominion. Complex marital relations were disclose* in the case of James E. York, farrt labourer, who appealed before the Firsi Auckland Military Service Board a Whangarei yesterday. Appellant saic be was, first married according 't( European custom at Russell nine yean ago. Of this marriage one child of eiglr years was now living. .Five years ago In married a Maori, according to nativi usage, and two years later was ro-marriei in European style. Of the second marriage he had bad five children. The appellant wa placed in Class B of the Second Division subject to the production of his marriag certificate. In connection with the by-election t( be held on January 31 to fill the vacanc; on the Devonport Borough Council cause< by the resignation of Mr. P. W. McCal lwn, the returning officer, Mr. J. Wilson last evening drew the attention of th council to the clause under the War Regu lations prohibiting enemy aliens frori voting at local body elections. Mr. Wil son . pointed out that it would be very difficult for the returning officer to decide who were enemy aliens and who were not, and he suggested that, as an alternative, public notice should be given by advertisement that all enemy aliens who did vote were liable to a fine of £100 and three

months' imprisonment. The council , adopted the suggestion, the Mayor, Mr. J. Henderson, stating that it would threw the responsibility in the matter on the enemy aliens themselves. Members of the Auckland Garrison Artillery, who were on parade at Devonport on Monday night, made a mild demonstration against their officers while returning by boat to Auckland, but before they were dismissed. The men were dissatisfied with the length of their weekly drill— which is of thi'ee hours' duration—as compared with the one and a-half hours performed by other territorial units, and they gave vent to their feelings by "countingout" somo of their officers. The men contend that the drills should be of equal length, or that if a parade of three hours' duration is insisted on for the Garrison Artillery it should be held fortnightly instead of weekly. It is pointed out by the authorities that the Garrison Artillery is at tho present time a miich more important unit than the average territorial units. It is a mobilised force on extended leave, and the nature of the parade, and its venue, are such as to necessitate a lengthy drill. If tho time were limited to one hour and a-half practically all of it would be used in travelling to and from Devonport. Giving his reserved decision in the Waihi Magistrate's Court yesterday in regard to a charge of selling adulterated milk, heard last Court day, Mr. Page, S.M., said that the Act made it mandatory that samples of milk should be. divided into three parts. In this case, owing to the breaking of one. of three | bottles the inspector divided the samples j into two parts only. The magistrate said that the mistake was not merely a technical one, but a substantial one." and the information would therefore be dismissed. What is said to be a record in long range rifle-shooting in Auckland was put up on the Penrose range, on Saturday by Rifle man C. R. Harrington, a youthful member of the Poiisonby Defence Rifle Club. Firing on the 600 yds range he compiled 48 and on the 700 yds 49, thus making 97 out j,of a possible 100 points. On the 700 yds j range Harrington registered seven bulls I in succession, following with an inner, and J finishing up with two consecutive bulls, j In 14 shoots—Harrington's only experience lin markmanship—the youthful rifleman has compiled 1088 points. He has t>> his credit the Kohn trophy, for five shots on the 500 yds range, gaining 27 out of a possible 30 points. The enormous size to which iresh water

eels grow in certain waters is indicated by a specimen caught recently on a hook in Lake Omapero, near Kaikohc. It measured sft 2in in length, and weighed 28Jlb, and is said to have been tho largest specimen known to have been caught in the lake during recent years. Unavailing efforts have been made to stock the lake with trout, and it is believed the fruitless results are due to monster eels preying on the young trout* I