LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2766, 9 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At last, evening's meeting of the Greater Wellington Town Plaiining Municipal Electors'.,.. Association, it was resolved. on the motion of .Mr. 1\ Bnl- ■ linger:—"That owing 1 to the large increase shown in rates for the year ending March 31, 1916, the City Council should be requested to re;lnce"Uie rates for the year ending March 31, 1917. The time has now arrived 'when (he profits from the, iramwnvs should be used to reduce the rates charged to ratepayers.". There is still a great - shortage of school teachers in riawlce's Hay, states our .Napier .correspondent, partly owing to the fact that many have gone on active service. Three more have just -applied for leave of absence in order to i«in U'e next Reinforcements;

A le'Ror which tells of some good and rather extraordinary news has been 'received by Mr. U. I l '. Joyce, of "Wellington, from Lieutenant Lancaster, who was an officer 011 the warship Pioneer when slie was in these waters some few years ago. The letter states that' all the officers that were then on that ship have considerably distinguished themselves, and have been decorated accordingly. Captain Blunt, tho commander, has received tho D.5.0., Lieut. Maxwell Scott lias been mentioned in dispatches, Lieut. George Denuiston has the D.5.0., and Lieut. Lancaster (tho writer) has been awarded- the D.S.C., as also has Lieut. H. 0. Joyce. Considering the few decorations that have been given

in proportion to the number of men serving in tho Navy, it is little wonder that this is considered in naval circles to be rather a- record. The officers mentioned are not now, of course, serving 011 tho same ship of war. A sergeant-major, who was concerned with the training of a section of tlio Maori contingent at Narrow Neejt, and who, by tho way, speaks in the very highest terms of their soldierly qualities, tells a good story about a mutilated order consequent upon some of the Maoris having a somewhat restricted I English vocabulary. He had, a squad of ' them out doing skirmishing work, extended order, six paces apart, all'-lying down, when he gave the order on the left of the line to bo passed 011 from man to man in a whisper: "Retire alternatively by the right!" When the order arrived' at the extreme right it had become"Retire to eternity; it's, all right!" The planting and laying out of gardens and lawns just insfdo the Trentham. Camp gates and in front of the hospital goes on apace. Several hundreds of trees and shrubs have, been planted, gardens of flowering plants formed, and lawns made. The recent showers have given plants and grass an incentive to grow, and the effect of what the improvement will eventually be can already bo gauged. • Several artistic garden seats have been placed in position in tho garden area. Tlio estimates of the Vairnrapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Beard for tho ensuing year show an increase of about £3000 on the estimate of last year. . -

A joint stock, company is in course of format-ion by Mr. J. T. Hawthorn with the object of purchasing the Lowei; Hutfc Town Hall building. It. is intended to renovate the building, docorato the theatre,, and provide a new gallery and new seating accommodation. The District Health Office)- has recommended the appointment nf a special inspector of health for the Borough of Masterton. The members of the Lvall Bay , unit of the National Reserve hits rendered very valuable assistance to the Wellington "branch of the British Red Crop and Order of St. John Society in supplying cases for packing goods to ho sent to the various hospitals for sick and wounded They hav'o already supplied 75 cases made of standard size free of all cost. Messrs. Parkin Bros, kindly placed their workshop and tools at th<\disnosal of the wo'rkcrs, and superintended the work. Theanembers of the Reserve have also undertaken to erect shelves in_the_ depot, Mercer Street, y and to assist .in any other way. Tho staff of Messrs. tvirkealclie and Stains have been assisting in the packing of goods, and a body of enthusiastic workers can be found busily employed every night they are required.

A letter signed "Pro-Ally Amorican," ieferring to the internment of Germans in Samoa and Tonga, was brought before tho council of the Wellington Chamber cf Coninierco yesterday, but as it was anonymous the letter was not even read, let alone considered. Tho General Synod of the Anglican j Church 'iri:'New 'Zcaland ;.;passcd a nio- ■ tipn, with one dissentient, reaffirming its adherence to the principles and aims of. tho Bible-in-Schools League. Dean Fitchett, in introducing the motion, referred to the admiration felt for Canon Garland in his work on behalf of the movement-. Strenuous efforts should be made to induce the encouragement of proper religious instruction in State' Schools. Tho people had a right to have the Bible-in-Scliools question put before them in the form of a plebiscite or considered"fully in Parliament. Tho 'resolution was seconded by' Mr. A. S. iHolmes, of Auckland. The Bishop of Christelvurch said that they must fight on and on until victory was accomplished and tho clergy could enter the schools to teach their ehildrefi tho message of their-God. An amendment, proposed by Mr. J. B. Fielder, to the effect that tho league alter its name to the "Bible Lessons in 'State Schools League" was negatived. During April 40 cases of diphtheria wero reported to the Napier Hospital Board. X fungus growth known as tho "fairy-ring" has made its appcarancn on a number of lawns and pastures in Eiio Masterton district this season. At yesterday's Hawke's Hospital Board meeting tho chairman', reported that a man suffering from phthisis had been allowed to land from a direct steamer at' Auckland, and was now being treated at the: Napier .'Hospital. The patient had been treated at a sanatorium in the' Old Country, and had been recommended to come to New Zealand. It was decided to bring tho case before the Health Department.

A satisfactory attendance of members representative of the Miramar and Seatouu sectidns of the above unit was presided over\ by Major F. Townsend at the annual meoting held in the Miramar Town Hall on/Saturday evening last. in moving the adoption of the report, the chainnau travorscd tho events or. the past year, and congratulated tho members on' the results attained. The report showed that during i the year considerable progress had been 'made, and foreshadowed new interests for the future. Referring to the balance-sheet, the chairman, \yho moved its adoption, complimented tho treasurer on being able to. shoiv a very small debit balance, ill view of the fact that the subscription bad been —kept down to the lowest workable point. The report ami bahmce-slveet were adopted. The report of the .Miniature l?ifle Club showed that members had been privileged to enjoy their shooting under the best possible* conditions, and with a capable instructor' ill Corporal l!o\viand. Financially, tho club was in a sound position, having a substantial balance of assets over liabilities. After discussion, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. As tho range is now open, to all members of tho unit, it is anticipated that full advantage will bo ..taken of' it, tho recognised shooting night having been altered to Saturday. Tim election of .officers resulted:—Unit oxecutivc, Lieutenant Norton-Taylor 1 (ex officio), Sergeants Hull, Fox, Forne, Corporals Rowland, Coombe, King, Bratmnall; secretary and treasurer, Corporal .AY. W. Moxham; miniature range committee, O.C. Unit, see. Unit, sec. range, Sergeant Hull and Private Stone'; secretary and treasurer, Corporal A. E. M. Rowland. Major .Townsend announced the promotion of Corporal Rowland to lie sergeant, the promotion to date from tiiat evening, the announcement being greeted with applause. During the evening a number of toasts were proposed and ent'mvmstically received, and a very pleasant meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair, and the singing of the National Anthem.

The Wairarapa. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board received a sum of £202 10s. in laud agents' fees lost year: A wi liter coat? Good value nap and fiecce cloth in navy, brown, and prey, 50s. Geo. i'owMs, Ltd., Mariners Streaf.-'-Advt. Citizens of Wellington, arc you all fnlly .v.wtko? Awake! yes, awake!! to the wonderful potential iiowers of No Rubbing T.aundry Help for minimising Labour troubles on washing days?—Aclvt.-

Two cases of infantile. paralysis wero reported in the 'Wellington Health District yesterday. ,ono case came from Wellington City, and one from Masterton. To-day four members of the New Zealand Brunch of tlio Empire Parliamentary Association are to be chosen to go Home shortly as guests of the British members of the Association. There are now the following candidates for selection: —The lion. W. Bechan, the Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, the jion. W. Earnshaw, and the Hon. ]{. Moore from tlio legislative Council, and from the House, Sir James Carroll, Messrs. R. F. Bollard, S. Craigie, J. M'C. Dickson, G. W.- Forbes, 11. P. Hudson, L. M. Isitt, W. T. Jennings, E. P. Lee, C. J. Parr, C. H. Poole, G. It. Sykes, J. C. Thomson, W. A. Veitcli, and Dr. H. J. Thacker. "A meeting of the Association is to be held this morning, for the purpose of making? the selection, and the method will lie determined by the meeting. It is considered probable that onn member of the Legislative Council will be chosen, leaving three representatives to be choscn from the IS members of the House who are willing to go. The delegates should sail" next week. In accordance with the decision of a reoent meeting „ the War League is taking measures to remind all those who filled in the_ National Register' cards of their obligations': This is being Vlone by moans of the postal service. Each person who declared himself prepared t<} &erve. is being sent a card on which'he is to fill in all particulars .'about himself, precisely the same as was the case in the National card, with the addition of a line which provides for nominating wlu'cTi reinforcement he will- be prepared to train and serve with. Each envelops /will contain, besides the card, the memorandum from the seci*-:-tary of the Recruiting Committee published in these columns on Saturday. The work of addressing the envelopes and inserting therein the cards and memos, .is being done at the Concert Chamber by helpers, under the direction of Mr. H. von Haast and Captain Barclay.

On Saturday the} Brooklyn Harric-rs' weekly run was he'Jjl at Lyall Bay. Tlio pack, under Capt. J''. Harlen, followed the'beach for about- a mile, then across the "sandhills to due Seatoun Hills, turned north to thewolo ground, thence to the cutting, and back to the starting point. The ruii-tn was held over the last .100 yards, which resulted in a win for ;H.'Sh<selke4, with H. Bull second aiid {'). Exton'ihird. Tho harriers afterwards entertained'some lady, friends at afternoon tea, at which the captain' and Mr. Brwtow , (vice-presi-dent-) niiide short speeches. Next week the club will hold a at Russell's Tea Rooms, Karori. There have, been sisjly-nino registrations. at the Masterton. .lecruitini; office Bince May. 1. Of this number, twentytwo were medically "unfit.,

liv reference to reprcrispijjtations made by him to tho Minister of Defence regarding the pay .of toitaporary instructors throughout the Dominion, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., yesterday received from the Hon. James Allen a reply which states: "I have no'F to inform you that I have approved asi from April 1, 1016, that instructors. vnll receive ss. 6d. per day. plus the special allowance of £50 (instead of £40' as hitherto). After six months, if a officer's service has been satisfactory, he will be granted consolidated pay of £190 per annum. Tho above does not affect instructors in the lleinforcementr Camps.." •

'At yesterday's meeting, <if ..the Cham ; - ber of Commerce a circuiafc letter was rc-ceived from tlie Victoria (8.C.) Board of Trade calling attention ifj a conference to be held in June next to discuss what changeji are desirable iu the trade relations between different punts of the •Empire after the declaration, of peace,, aiid-forwarding a> resolution, favouring the establishment of tariffs jto develop diversity of manufacture -nafihiin the Empire; preference to and a further preference to all paitis - of the Empire, without limiting the' right of each - self-governing portion of ,the Empire to regulate its own fiscal Ifiws, etc. On this subject, Mr. T. C. Lawson said that definite <ipght to be done to, indicate bow trade| was to be conducted after the wai - , and he thought the chamber should [give it serious attention at- once. lie conimonted on the Board of Trader which the New Zealand Government l«id Bet up, and asked if anyone knew axactly what it, was doing. He heard iliat it hud been in Christchureh discussing chaff in secret conference. He ."believed that it had also sent out a fjst of questions to various manufacturers of goods to - get t-hsir opinion of what should bo done after the war is, -over, and ' had received numerous nijilies. Thoy nearly all favoured a stiff ttariff against Gorman goods going into (England, except, in some instances, nis-t-erial that was not made up. -The Board of Trade would do worse s'aan get the opinions of ail business phen throughout New Zealand. . Mr. T. Ballingor said that- it ,liad been arranged that- a deputation of two members each from tho WellimH:on Central Chambprs of Commerce and t;he Industrial Association were to fortrinlato some scheme and discuss it T.nMi tlie Prime Minister as to what altitude the Government intended to trvL:c. up after the war. Mr. Watt*:"-' house said that - tfie question h'odi been discussed at the eonfenence, and Mr, Macintosh had subic - tpiently waited on the Prime MinistujiHe assured tho council that the raattcir 'was being kept- before the and a good dral of work in that directs tion had been done by tlio chamber. •: