LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2702, 23 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Once again the Department, of Labour is sending a fairly large number of carpenters to Featlierston Military Camp, where they are required for special work. The Wellington offico hopes to dispatch about thirty this week.

A large number of women workers are wanted for hop-picking in the Motueka and Nelson districts. The Labour Department is endeavouring to engage the required number (about 200), and it is possible that a special steamer, will be secured to take tl em across to the scene of operations.

Tho Roman Catholic Church Committee at Carterton have (says our special correspondent) purchased the Camethrqw Nursing Home property adjoining their church, and purpose utilising it as a convent mid day school. It will be under the same Order as the Mastcrton Convent.

An exchange states that Lieut. J. Peako, who returned wounded from tho Dardanelles to Cambridge, is urging that a_ public gathering, preferably a memorial service, should be held on the Sunday following April 25, which -will be the first anniversary of the day of the famous landing on Gallipoli, when so many brave New Zealanders lost their lives.

At yesterday's meeting of the shareholders of the Wellington Gas Company, Mr. Gerald Fitzgerald raised nil interesting point when he said that the shareholders were being deprived of the right of rejection of nominees for tho Board of Directors by the.article which provided -that if the number of candidates for seats on the directorate does not exceed the number of, vacancies those nominated shall be declared duly elected. Mr.' Fitzgerald argued that even if that were the case the persons nominated might be those to whom objection v.;as taken. He was of opinion that the right of rejection of such should not be deprived the shareholders. Mr. Harold Beauchamp said that the obvious course for tho shareholders to pursue'would bo to nominate other candidates for the vacancies, but that way out was not in accordance with Mr. Fitzgerald's claim to the right 'of shareholders to reject any candidate.

At a meeting of the Wellington Patriotic Society oil' Monday evening, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., was elected chairman in the place of Mr. H. G. Hill, who resigned • the position.

l<'or most conspicuous bravery, skill, and determination, on November 7, in France, Second Lieutenant Gilbert Stuart Martin lnsall. of the Royal Flying Corps, was awarded the Victoria Cross, lie was patrolling in a Victors tight-iiig machine, with First-class Air Aleohiinio T. ii. Donald as gunner, when a German machine was sighted, pursued, and- attacked near Achiet. The Gorman pilot led the Vickers machine over a rocket battery, hut with great skill Lieutenant lnsall dived rjid got to close range, when Donald fired a drum of cartridges into the German machine, stopping its engine. Tho German pilot then dived through a cloud,, followed by Lieutenant lnsall. Fire wa.s again opened, and the German machine was brought down heavily in a ploughed field four miles south-east of Arras. On seeing the Germans scramble out of their machine and prepare to lire, Lieutenant lnsall dived to 500 ft., thus enabling Donald to open heavy fire on them. The Germans then fled, one helping the other, vho was apparently wounded. Other Germans then commenced heavy lire, but in spite of tliif Lieutenant Insnll turned again, and an incendiary boinl! was dropped on the Germani machine, which was last seen wreathed in smoke. Lieutenant lnsall then headed west in order to get back over the German trenches, but as he was at only 2000 ft. altitude lie dived , across them for greater speed, Donald firing into the trendies as he passed over. The German fira, however, damaged the petrol and, with .great coolness, Lieutenant lnsall landed under cover of a wood, 500 yds. inside pur lines. The Germans fired some 150 shells nt_ our machine on the ground, but without causing material damage. Much damage had. however, been caused by riflo fire, but during the night it was repaired behind screened lights, and at dawn Lieutenant lnsall flow his machine home with Donald as a passeng»-

According to an exchange, freight from America to New Zealand is very short; in fact, it is almost impossible at the present time to secure it. Thore is a great congestion of cargo in tho United States, and (great trouble is being experienced in getting it cleared. The congestion is due to the crowded condition of the New York docks, and the railways are declining to'take any goods for export, as they cannot get 'rid of them ou arrival in New York. A communication received by a leading Dunedin house by the last American mail stated that the loaded trucks ?roin Pittsburg alone on the way _i to New York form a line over 500 miles long, mostly material for Europe. The position is described as unprecedented. In Canada, no such conditions obtain. Tho trouble there is lack of shipping facilities. Tho letter states _ that it is anticipated that the Canadian Government will charter direct, and that decision, was daily expected. Advice by cablegram states that the freight rate from America to New Zealand !s now 190s. per ton. However, despite this extreme rate, bottoms aro not available, as the shipping companies prefer' tho short Atlantic trip to. accepting a charter for a long voyage, for reason that the former is really more'payable.

For some time the members of friendly societies in ami around Christchurch have heen discussing the project of forming a council which would be representative in character. All the societies were represented at the last meeting, when a 6pecial committee presented a draft constitution. With a slight amendment this was adopted, and early next month the delegates will meet and formally constitute the council.

Our Masterton correspondent reports fcliat- Jolm Thomas Kite. contfacto.r, was yesterday adjudicated a bankrupt.

Our Grey town correspondent reports that Hokhroft's bakery bad a narrow escape from destruction by fire on Monday night. A lighted candle placed on a table in a bedroom iynited the curtains, and the flare was seen by some soldiers and civilians who were attending a dance in the Town Hall, on the opposite side of the street. They rushed over and extinguished' the fire. Mr. Holdcroft was in bed at the time, and was slightly burned in escaping from the room.