LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2499, 28 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Vancouver mail, via Auckland, will reach Wellington by the Main Trunk train early to-morrow morning, while mails via Brindisi, and an Anstralian mail are due here by the Moeraki the 6ame day.

Owing to the frequent change of hospital address of wounded soldiers, the Postmaster-General notifies that all cable messages should be addressed to the care of the Officer Commanding New Zealand Advanced Base, Alexandria, who will direct to correct address. To reduce the cost, the code indicator "Basenz" should be used instead of indicator of regiment or unit. Four words in the address should lie sufficient. Example: "11/549 Rankin, Basenz, Alexandia."

The Main Trunk express, which should have arrived in Wellington at 6.28 a.m. yesterday, did not reach here until 6.18 p.m. The delay was caused by a slip on the line at Puketutu, south of Te Kuiti, and the train and the passengers had to remain at The Kuiti for about thirteen hours. The slip was a big one, but the line is now clear for. traffio.

Cablegrams published on Saturday last indicated the steps taken at the Sydney University to enable medical students to complete their courses and proceed to Europe. The University of New Zealand has already dealt with the urgent need for additional doctors for service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. As the result of a recommendation from a conference recently convened by the Inspector-General of Hospitals, at which representatives of the Senate and the Medical Faculty of the Otago University were present, tlie Senate last Tuesday authorised a special examination towards the end of August for men qualifying for their finals. Iu the ordinary course some of the candidates would be examined in July, and others a little later. Under these special conditions some 30 men will come up in August, but no shortening of the ourriculum will be involved. The Medical Faoulty at Dunedin foresaw the contingency several months ago, and it is to "the credit of the teaching staff and the students that they have given U[i their short vacations in order to complete their classes sooner.

A family who reside in the vicinity of Pirie and Brougham Streets returned home from a holiday trip to the Wairarapa last week to find that in their absence the house had been entered by burglars, who gained access by breaking a panel in the back door. The visit could not have been a very profitable one for the burglars, as bo far the only article missed is a diamond ring

Messrs. E. T. Taylor and Co., of Courteuay Place, have placed the top floor of their Beehive Chambers at the disposal of the Government for use as a convalescent home for invalided soldiers.

The drainage of the Waihi swamp ivill shortly be commenced by 1 the Lands Department. The Priestman grabdredger which was ordered for the purpose some time ago arrived in Auckland by the steamer Indrabarah a few days ago, and it will be forwarded, at once to the scene of operations. It is anticipated that drainage operations will be started in about three weeks. An area of about ten thousand acres will lie drained and thus made available for the purposes of closer settlement. _ A second dredge will probably be put into operation at a later date. The work is being undertaken in fulfilment of 11 promise made by the Government somo time ago.

According to the June Telephone Directory, just issued, there are at present 110 fewer than thirty-seven coin-ln-slot telephones erected in Wellington. They encompass an area extending from Kaiwarra and Wadestown to the north. Northland and Karori to the' west, and Island Bay, Lyall Bay, and Seatoun to the south. At tbe- end of last quarter there were 5002 subscribers to the telephone. At present the officer-in-charge states that tlie number of subscribers is approximately 5200. There will be no other Directories issued until December next. In the meantime each new subscriber will be supplied by the Department with as many postcards as he feels he can make use of to advise people that he is connccted with the system. This is the American system of dealing with subscribers who are registered between the dates on which the book Directories are issued. It has been, the means of effecting a very important economy in the Department's Directory printing account.

The New Zealand club is entertaining Messrs. T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., and W. Downie Stewart, M.P., at lunclieon in the Y.M.C.A. llooms at 1 p.m. to-day.

A Gisborne message says that Mr. Samuel Parsons, a Poverty Bay sportsman, whilst in quest of wild duck at the Awapuui Lagoon, had an unenviable experience one rccent morning. See in a: that there was no water in the lagoon, he set out to cross it at the widest spot beyond the abattoirs, going after a bird which he had shot. He was wearing gum-boots, and when about half-wav over he found himself beginning to sink. Ho was helpless, and was soon in serious difficulties. His efforts to extricate himself were unavailing. and he felt himself sinking slowly all the time. It was three hours before his plight was noticed, and then only by a fortunate coincidence. There is not usually much traffic past that spot, but Mr. E. Stevens, a telegraph linesman, was out that way attending to a private line. He heard cries which he followed up, and when he reached the edge of the lagoon, about two hundred yards from where Mr. Parsons was situated, he heard him call out "I'm sinking." Mr. Stevens was fortunate enough to discover two boxes near-by, and placing his feet in these., like skis, lie went out to att-empt to rescue Mr. Pa-rsons from his perilous position. On reaching the man in difficulties. Mr. Stevens gave him one of the boxes to put his arms across, while lie himself stood off and tried to pull liini out. Mr. Parsons, liowover was very firmly embedded in the mud, and hv this time ho hiul sunk up to bis arms. Mr. Stevens found that- he himself was beginning to sink, but Tie stuck gamely to his arduous task, aiitr iiiter struggling for. three-quarters oi an hour, lie succeeded in getting .Mr. Parsons out. the latter being very much exhausted. The tide was rising, and two hours later there was a depth of esveral feet oi watsr over the scot,

Tlio Defence Minister stated on Saturday that lie expected that the Hospital Ship would be in Wellington at tho end of this week, and that she ivoukl sail at the end of next week for the Mediterranean.

Battalion orders issued by _ Major Fleming Ross, oflieer commanding the Fifth (Wellington) Hcgimeiit, contain the following notice: —"A Board of Examiners consisting of Major Fleming ltnss (president), Major W. Simm, and the adjutant, will hold an examination A on July i>i at the Garrison Hall, Buckle Street, at 2 p.m. The following officers will present themselves foi examination Second Lieutenant B. AGinger, Second-Lieutenant D. Bowler, Second-Lieutenant C. Andrews, and Second-Lieutenant H. F. Cotter."

What is said to bo a record 111 Customs receipts was established for the port of Wellington last week. It is evident that merchants in this port-, us well as elsewhere, are anticipating a rise in .Customs tariff because 110 less than £51,788 os. lOd. was taken at tho local oflice during the past six The largest day's takings were on Friday last, when £13,913 os. 2d. was collected.