LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2607, 1 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An Australian mail only is 'due at Auckland this morning per R.M.S. Niagara from Sydney. Tlio southern portion is expected 1 to arrive hero by to-morrow morning, 6.26 o'clock, Main Trunk express. Tho Moeraki froni Sydney will land an Australian mail hero to-morrow afternoon. Tho first English mail to land at Wellington this week will be by R.M.S. Marama, which is due'hero from San Francisco on Thursday next.

Referring to his projected trip to London tho Prime Minister stated 011 Saturday that ho was 110 nearer yet to being able to make a definite announcement. "The authorities at Home," ho said, "havo mado it clear to me that they wish to confer with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of New Zealand on matters connected with tho war. I haven't the slightest doubt that the same (instruction has been Eiade every other Dominion Prime Minister, but what is intended is not another Imperial Conference. As I have already indicated, there are a number of matters to bo dealt with, and settled iu New Zealand before we can think'of leaving the Dominion. There is no more than that to be said about it."

_ The Hou.W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, in the course of a brief chat with a representative of the Christchurch "Press" last week, stated that, until the flotation of the loan was accomplished it might be necessary to slacken off publio works somewliat. However, the approaching harvest would absorb a great deal of the labour temporarily dispensed with.

A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that a collision between a tram-car and a motor-car, driven by Dr. Cameron Owen, resulted in the motor, being smashed Beyond repair. Dr. Owen was thrown out, and suffered scxoroly from shock. No bones were, broken.

Speaking at the civic reception to the roturned soldiers af Dunedin the Hon. G. W. Russell announced that the Mayor of Dunedin and Mr. John Roberts had been appointed the Otago members of the War Fuuds Council to be set up by the Government.

The danger of allowing children to fish off the wharves was once more demonstrated yesterday afternoon. A lad aged 14 years, named Albert Anderson, residing at 7 Argyll Street, was fisting in the vicinity of that part of the Queen's Wharf which is being repaired when he overbalanced and fell into the water, fortunately missing some repair work in descending. The Harbour Board officials who were on dutv at the tolls office, were quickly on the "spot and succeeded in rescuing the boy. He was suffering from severe shock, but was otherwise unhurt. After a rest and Eomo attention he was sent to his home. Passengers by the Eastbourne Borough Council's ferry steamers on Saturday and yesterday ivere surprised to see new crews on tilie Duchess and Couar. Changes have como about as tho result of "a storm in a tea-cup." In the past, members of the craws, with their wives and members of their families under tlio ago of 16, have been allowed to travel free on tho steamers, lhe management recently issued new regulations, requiring that all except officers and engineers should apply for tickets, which would be given free. The pion took exception to these regulations, .which were, after consultation, modilied to permit tho issue of special passes |o all of the employees, their wives and families, however, heing required to apply for tickets. This failal to satisfy tlio men, who contended that an at-tempt-was being made to reduce their wages. Ejght men gave twenty-four hours' notice of intention to leave the boats-,_ and did so. There was no disorganisation of the jservioe; in fact, everything went on as if the littlo trouble had not happened.

From to-day all cheques will have to bear a stamp duty of 2d., instead of Id. Forms issued in future by t'he hanks will have paid tho extra duty, cut old forms may still be used if a penny stamp is affixed. Cheques made put before November 1 will still be payable without the.extra duty.

A facsimile of a postcard addressed to Mr. C. Carr, Foilding, from a balloon 5000ft-. over London will bo on sale at the A. and P. Show at Palmerston North this weok, the proceeds being devoted to the Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The postcard when dropped from the balloon was found by a polico constable and forwarded oil to the address in Now Zealand.

The fire brigade received a call at 12.28 yesterday to a ten-roonjed onestory bouse, No. 103 Coromandel Street, owned by Mrs. E. Barber, 103 a Coioroandel Street. The house was jointly, occupied by Mr. Harold Boon and Mr. John Parry, and botli building and contents were severely damaged. The causa of the fire was the boiling of some varnish. Mr. Parry had an insurance of £120 in the Queensland Office on his contents, but Mr. Boon was not insured. Tile building was insured for £700 in the Soutli -British Office.

The organisers of a "Rose Day," to be held on November 12 and 13, in aid of tlio Y.M.C.A. work among our soldiers at Trentlmm, Egypt, Malta, and elsewhere, are working to make tho event the most successful over held in Wellington. At a well-attended meeting of tho general committeo on Saturday, presided over by Mr. F. H. Mather, it was decided to ask the public to donate GO,OOO roses and 10,000 carnations. Tho secretary, Mr. B. Varney, reported that he had already received many promises of largo supplies of flowers from Christchtirch, Nelson, Picton, Palmerston North, Master ton, and other parts of the Dominion.

At tho various Methodist churches yestorday national services of thanksgiving and intercession were held.

The Rev. Win. Beckett, of Lower Hutt, has received an interesting lettor from his nephew, Private 'B. W. Gray, who is at the front. The writer states that the steamer he travelled in was torpedoed. He managed to get into a life-boat with others, but whilst it was being lowered it capsized, and 6ome of his comrades fell out. When they reached the water the boat began to fill, and when busily engaged "bailing" another craft dashed into them, overturning both. Private Gray adds that 52 of t'hem cruised round on the up-turned boat for over two hours, when they were rescued by the life-boats of a steamer which came as the result of a wireless call. The letter concludes: "God was good. Somo of the poor beggars did not come through. Colonel Linton was picked up, but died of ex-, haustion. I was enjoying the trip iai-. mensely, being a sergeant and had a cabin and sergeant's mess."

An officer representing the Education Department is about to make an extended torn- of the Dominion, starting rifcli the North Island, for the purpose o:- oxamining mentally deficient children and collecting information regarding their numbers niul whereabouts. Parents and persons who know of such children will be invited by advertisement in the newspapers to communicate witli the officer iu the various centres.

Thero are at- present about twenty wounded and sick soldiers at the Hanmer Springs health resort, making a slow but satisfactory recovery. The Hon. Dr. M'Nab, Minister in Chargo of Health and Tourist Resorts, told a reporter a few days ago that the treatment "these men bad received had already benefited them in a remarkable way. The Minister added that a careful examination of these cases had clearly shown that the men who went straight to the institutions from the troopships made a quicker and more satisfactory recovery than the men who were allowed to'go to their homes, and afterwafds Submitted themselves for treatment. The excitement of their return home, and other influences, were generally unfavourable to their health. Dr. M'Nab added that it was very gratifying to find that a considerable proportion of the men invalided back to New Zealand—and they were sent all tho way back liere because they were considered to have no further military value —wore making so satisfactory a recovery that they were able to reenlist aud roturn to tho front.

"I was talking to 'some of the returned soldiers on tho train the other day," said the Mayor of Christchurcli at a- meeting of the Reception Committee on Saturday, "and they said they ■were prepared to go through' hell to show their appreciation of tho work "of tho women of New Zealand. If it's not a very genteel way of putting it, it is characteristic and forcible."

The fast coming summer season turns one's mind to the pleasant thrills and joys of motoring, and to the car of the season—the Chevrolet. The sturdy and ewfeet-running Chevrolet cars axe attracting the admiration of the Motorists who know. The Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd., C 5 Courtenay Place, are willing to demonstrate to you, so why not jnako an ap. pointmerit at once?—Advt.