LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2792, 9 June 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A memorial service to the late Earl Kitchener will be held at tho Town Hall on luesday evening next.

In response to the request of Mr. G. J Anderson, the following return of tho salary, fees, anil travelling allowance of Dr. Purely, Director of Medical Services up to July 21, 1915, from August 4, 1914. was presented to the House yesterday Salary (at ,£l5O per annum), .£135 9S. Btl, examination of recruits .£759, Medical Board fees on returned and invalided soldiers .£317, consultations ,£2OB 17s. Gd. inspection of hospitals .£l9 19s„ inspection of troopships .615 IBs., mileage for use of own motor-car ,£54 14s. 4d., travelling allowance and expenses dGI2 10s„ miscellaneous iEIO 7s; fid., minor fees .£l2 Cs.: total .£I3BB 19s. Id. Of this, sum ,£528 14s. Oil. was paid to other doctors for examinations, tho vouchers for" which were iu Dr. Purdy's name. Regarding pensos, it .is said that twelve tyres were l used with extra hard work involved by the war. It was estimated that 15,000 miles were covered on Defence work, and that the charge made represented only one-third of the work done, as according to regulations no chargo could be made for the run from Lower Hutt to Wellington.

No case of infantile paralysis has been reported in the Wellington Health District since Juno 6.

Tho annual meeting of shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand will bo held in the bank chambers at 11 o'clock this morning.

At yesterday's meeting of the War Relief Association the New Zealand War Contingent Association in London acknowledged receipt of tho sum of .£lOl2 15s.

Commissioner Hodder, of tho Salvation Army, states that he is now ready to consider applications for boys and girls to be received into tho homes that havo been established to assist orphan and semi-orphan children. These are the Russell Home, Bay of Islands, The Grange, Auckland, and Temiika Boys' Home. The sons and daughters of moil who havo fallen at tho front or have been injured will havo first right of entry. The wives cf men i now serving at the front, if in ill-health, will also receive consideration in regard to their children, and if a widower desires to enlist he would receive whatever help the institutions could render in this direction.' Applications are to bo sont to tho Commissioner, Salvation Army Headquarters, Wellington.

A shock of earthquake was expcrionced in Masterton and other 'townsliips of the Wairarapa at 9.55 p.m. on Wednesday.

A united intercessory service was held ill Knox Church, Mastertou, on Wednesday evening, when thore was a large congregation. By an unfortunate circumstance, a report in circulation that the late Earl Kitchener had been saved wiis announced by a clergyman, 'and the uongregation spontaneously rose and sang tile Doxology. Since the last meeting of the AVar Relief Association, Messrs. Sk&rland and Co. have donated the sum of JEIOO towards the funds of the association. Captain J. A. Shand, Officer Commanding Troops on Transport No. 50 (R.M.S. Tahiti), acknowledges the receipt of several gifts for the men, from Wellington societies and citizens. In a . memorandum dated April 24, at sea, that officer states: "Please convey to tho donors of presents to troops our thanks and appreciation for the kindly consideration of the men's requirements. The gifts have all been distributed as per instructions, and 'have been the means of many happy hours being spent on board. Among those to whom wo wish thanks to be convoyed are llesdames W. l f . Massey, J. P. Luke, Alec. Crawford (hon. sec. Countess of Liverpool Fund, Wellington blanch). Wellington Y.M.C.A., Lady Liverpool Fund Committee, Nelson, Countess Liverpool Fund, Wellington, Wellington Y.W.C.A., and the individual donors of apples, cakes, and games for tho men." Tho executive committee of tho War Relief Association has decided that the hours of attendance of the secretary .shall bo from 10 a.m. till noon and from '2 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily to deal with cases of relief. If, however, urgent, eases have to be dealt with, the secretary will bo pleased to deal with applicants at any time daring the day.

Last night's "Gazetto" declares tho following firms to be enemies under tho war regulations:—Charles Zimmermarui and Co. (Chemicals), Ltd., manufacturing chemists; Merck and Co., manufacturing chemists; E. Merck, manufacturing chcmist; A. Wulfing and Co., manufacturing chemists; the Sanatogcn. Co., manufacturing chemists; tlie Fonuamint Co., manufacturing chemists; Edward Jacob, manufacturers' representative, Melbourne.

At tho Bee-keepers' Conference yesterday, a motion was carried urging the Government to provide for the needs of future generations by making extensive plantations of quickly-growing timbers. It was also resolved that the Government should bo requested to prohibit tho imSortation of queens while there was any anger of introducing tho Isle of Wight disease.

A sum of .£175 per mouth was granted to tlie New Zealand War Contingent Association, London, by tlie Wellington War Relief Association yesterday.

At Petono yesterday, before Messrs. J. W- M'Ewan and A. Coles, .J.P.'s, Henrietta Barbara Slice, charged with assaulting a woman left in charge of some children hi a houso at Petone, and w'tb being on premises which she refused to leave when called upon, was fined In default fourteen days' imprisonment, in each case.

The Patriotic Society proposes to make .a street collection in Wellington in aid of the widows and children of those lost in tho Battle of Jutland anil on H.M.S. Hampshire.

Three scarlet fever cases from the Featherston Camp wore admitted to the Masterton Hospital on Wednesday, *

An application from tho Otago Patriotic Association for a contribution towards a. fund for supplying a billiard table, piano, tobacoo, etc., for the men on Quarantine Island was received at yesterday's meeting of 'the War Itelie? Association. It was decided that it was not a matter for Wellington to deal with, and that tho Advisory Board fihoiild deal with the question from a Dominion standpoint.

Our Masterton correspondent reported last ovening that four fresh cases of scarlet fever from Fe'.itheiston Camp were admitted to the Masterton. Hospital. '■ By the Moana, due hero from San Francisco on Thursday next, will arrivo 800 bags of English and American mail matter for New Zealand. This is an exceptionally large mail, and may- be accounted for by the curtailment of the man servico via Suez and Australia.

The following resolution, carried by the Auckland Harbour Board in committee on Tuesday, was confirmed:—"That a bonus of 10 per cent, '.be granted to all labourers in the board's employment who are receiving wages based on the Auckland and buburban Local Bodies' Labourers' Award, or to any other labourers receiving 9s. a day or under, where recent awards have not already granted the increase; this to continue during the war and for three months thereafter." At yesterday's meoting of the War Relief Association a letter was received from Messrs. Brown, Neave and Courtney, stating that the late Miss, Matilda Rabß had donated the sum of ,£loo' towards the' funds of tho association. The donation was thanlcfully received.

The Canadian Minister for Trade and Commerce, Sir George E. Foster, writing to Mr. T. H. de Schryver, of Auckland, concerning the shortage of freight ships, says: "Unfortunately the question is becoming no easier here. ' In fact, each week shows an increasing scarcity. The New Zealand Shipping Company "finds it very difficult to get vessels, charter rates being exceedingly high."

An amusing incident occurred at the Dunedin Presbytery meeting on Tuesday morning. A motion was passed in connection with the British victory in tho North Sea engagement, and this was followed by the singing of two verses of the National Anthem. As everyone knows it is not a common practice in the churches to sing the verse commencing, "O LoTd our God arise." On the present occasion it was taken for granted that tho usual two vorses would be sung, but a minister well -up in years, though possessed of a powerful voice, whether from deliberation or merely following a natural dictate of tho heart, burst at the ond of the first verse in a sturdy attack upon the "unchristian sentiment." A collapse almost followed, only energetio singing oil the part of those most distant from "the leader" saving the situation.

In connection with the applications for relief by men who have been discharged from tho military forces before they are (feclared fit, tilie committee of tho War Relief Association reported to a meeting of the executive, held yesterday, that none of the cases were strong enough to bring before the Government.

An incidental ray of light was cast on one of the secret places of domestic life in Auckland by a remark made in the Police Court the other day, wlen a drapery salesman was giving evidence respecting a. man who was charged with forgery. The accused was a, married man, and tlie evidence was to the effect that lie had forged a cheque for £25, and in order to get the cheque cashed lie had gone to a draper)' shop and bought an overcoat for J.M J9s. 6d., tendering the forged cheque in payment.' When the salesman. was making out the cash receipt, he said, the purchaser asked him to make it out for £'l 19s. 6d.; as ho didn't want his wife to know he had paid so much for ilie coat. The sales-' man stated in Court that he had complied with the request, and added that'it was not at all an uncommon Tequest in his experience in the s'hop. Evidently, states the Auckland-'"Star," it is quite usual for Auckland husbands ;to have evidenco thus manufactured "in order to demonstrate to their "better halves" their ability to got bargains. A list of cases in wliichr soldiers asked for relief'.in regard to insurance policies was read at yesterday's meeting of tho War Relief Association, and it was rosolved that no action be taken till tho relief committee have considered therav In conversation with a postal official, a Christchurch "Press" representative was apprised of the fact that in spite of tho German submarine menace, tho Post Offioo to-day is dealing with a far larger mass of matter between England and New. Zealand than has ever been tho case. Xovor beforo has the postal service been so largely utilised for the carriage of goods and parcels, and all through the war, with one or two slight exceptions, there has not been ono mail missed. The goods by post arrive with the greatest regularity, and tho. amount of stuff that comes to hand grows in size with every shipment.

Tille old parcels office in Hereford Street, Christohurch, is to bo removed .and replaced by a fine new structure. Tho new building is to be tlireo storeys, with a cellar, which is to be used for storago purposes. The first floor will be devoted to the needs of the Money Order Department, and the second floor to tho use of tho letter-carriers, and 011 the top floor will be installed tho automatic tolcphouo system.

Miramar borough residents will hold a memorial service in connection with tho deaths of lord Kitchener and the sailors an the British ships that were lost iu the North Sea battle .it 8 p.lll. on Saturday. The service will be held in the Miramar Town Hall, and the Revs. Sykes and Knoffles-Sniith will be the principal speakers.

A letter, received at the meeting of tho Miramar Borough Council last evening from the Wellington Corporation Tramways, stated that an instruction-had been given that Miramar tickets were not to be issued by the conductors until after the Kilbirnie Tost Office had been passed on the outward journey. The council stated that this instruction had not 'Wll adhered to—it being alleged that Wadestown tickets had actually been sold on Miramar cars. It was decided to receive the' letter, and write .asking that efforts be made to ensure that tickets be more carefully issued.