LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A boating party from Petone, whilst cruising about the Heads on Sunday, reported having seen, near to the place where the Devon was wrecked, a large cow-whale with seven young ones (leading for the Straits.

"There were two men put out of the force before one of otir drafts sailed They wore born under the British flag, but unfortunately of German parents. —Quartermaster-Sergt. Brown, at Ibo Brooklyn recruiting meeting.

At the Napior Magistrate's Court yesterday, telegraphs our Napier correspondent, Charles Nathan, licensee of the \Yaikaro Hotel, was fined £'J, and given one week in which to show why his license should not be endorsed, bo« cause ho refused to supply meals to n traveller.

A few days ago the Minister of Education announced that sinco tho war £1200 had been saved in the Department of Education Head Ollice by officers having taken over extra responsibilities, and by the replacing by e.adnts of clerics enlisted, Sir. Ilanan announced yesterday that a saving amounting to £3Uoii iii salaries had been effected by the further distribution of work and responsibilities of senior officers, as well as of inspectors of schools a»id physical instructors.

Hontine orders issiwil by General Godley 011 January V 7 contained the following paragraph, in which bravorv of members of tlw.Ncw Zealand llcdical Corps is recognised:—"The following ucn-connnissioned officers and men have been specially brought notice for gallant behaviour, iii assisting in saving the lives of others al. ; parsonnl risk: 10/216 Corporal G. G. Henderson; 3/612 Lance-Corporal H. I'ef.tit: 3/38 Lance-Corporal it. Mirfin; 3/79 Private G. B. GilleM.."

A very plucky action was performed on the fto.ia 13ay Wharf on Satuiday ivliilo tJio people weie waituig for the arrival of the 30.20 boat from Wellington. -Miss Louie Jourdaiu, daughter of Mr. W. 11. .Tourdain, oliief clerk of the Lands and Survey Depart, merit, trippsd and fell over the side of the wharf into the sc-a. The accident was seen by a number of people, ami Mr. Peat, a visitor to tho l>ay, raced along tho wharf, pluckily dived in, tuid effected a rescue.

The committee appointed by the Wellington South Progressive Society to make proposals for the management of the Newtown Museum, met last evening and resolved that the most valuablo of the exhibits in the Newtown Museum should be removed to a building to bo erected in the grounds of the Zoo, if the question of finance must be considered in connection with the proposed change, and no Government grant towards the'maintenance and improvement of tlie Zoo be asked for. the charge for admission to tho new exhibition should bo double that now charged for the admission to tho Zoo. A copy of tho resolution is to he sent to the City Council, and a petition in support of it prepared and circulated for signaturo. It was considered that such a matter of : public interest should bo discussed openly by the City Council, and th« voting thereon' published.

"I believe myself that poor 'Bobs' broke his heart when he realised wlut wo were up against iu that awful German machine—what, wo were up against' with the unprcparedness that he had been pointing to unheeded for years," remarked soldier at the Brooklyn recruiting rally last evening, when 'referring to the death of Lord Koberts. The members of tho' Reserves Committee, accompanied by the Mayor, the City Jiugineer, and the Town Clerk, paid a visit of inspection to Day's Bay. yesterday. Sooner or later the Bay ia to be provider! with a water service, and just at present some of the residents are feeling the shortage of water very acutelv, and are in some cases carrying their supplies from a- distance. Eastbourne, too. is iu straits, through lack of water occasioned by the long dry spell, and some of the residents are regretting that tho scheme put .forward scmo three'years ago of tapping the Uollan's Valley .Stream was not carried through. The City Council has now to consider the best ways and means-of providing Day's Bay with a reliable system, besides which there ari- other mutters (Kjncerning WiHkius Park ♦•list will claim their attention during t-ba present year. The conclusion of tba war will probably see big improvements take place, but at present both money, and material are dear, and nothing in a big way is likely to bo attempted before something approaching normality, is restored. Following is an extract 1 from a special order 'of the day issued by General Headquarters, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, ou December 11, 1915: ''The Commander-in-Chief desires to place on record has appreciation of the discipline, courage, and presence of mind' displayed by officers and men of the 29th -Divisional Ammunition Column,

and by officers, nursing sisters, noncommissioned officers and men of the New Zealand Mcdical Corns on tlia transport Marquette on October 23, when this skip was struck by a torpedo and sunk."

The British residents of California intend to hold a demonstration on Empire Day. May 24, and they have invited the Prime Minister of New Zealand to send them an appropriate message on that occasion. 31r. Mossey int?uds to forward the message as- requested.

Sir James Carroll, who was to deliver the national oration at the St. Patrick's Day sports, now finds that lie will be unable,,on account of business reasons, to visit Wellington m time for the celebrations.

A good sale is roportfed of the pretty patriotic St. Patrick's Day flowers that are being sold in aid of a fund to assist the Polish refugees. Those who wish to participate in "the wearing o tlio green," and at "the time to help those in that most distressful country—Poland—should not fail to invest a sixpence in a bit of ribbon.

By way of welcome to the students of the Teachcrs' Training College, the second-year students _ treated newcomers to au enjoyable outing and picnic at Days' Bay on Saturday. Favoured by beautiful weather, the picum was a great success, and thoroughly enjoyed by all. On the last day of - February the depth of the Blenheim well, now being sunk by the Taranald Oil Lands Acquisition and Development Coy., Ltd., was 4095 feet, abo\it 150 feet having been, drilled during the month. The well is now considerably deeper than any other well in the Motorua field. It ib cased with Gin. casing, and the water is securely excluded from the well. The intention of the company is to drill to, the depth of 5000 feet, at which depth the various Government geologists have expressed opinion that the main supply of oil will be found. It is estimated that it will take six or seven months further drilling to reach that level. Or course, quite apart from the main supply, it is quite possible that a good supply of oil may be reached at any level—oil which has escaped through fractures from the main supply, and is held down by an impervious stratam. Ina machinery and plant is a very powerful one and is capable of drilling to a depth of 6000 feet, and therefore no difficulty is anticipated through lack of power/ It is intended to carry the present 6in. casing to a depth of 4300 feet, and after that an entoeVj new string of ,sin. casing will be - inserted and carried to a depth of 5000 feet.