LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2975, 12 January 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Postal authorities adviso lliat tho mails which left New Zealand on November 23, via Suez, arrived in London on tbe night of January 7.

The Australian' Postal authorities have arranged that in future the oversea mails from tho Commonwealth will bo dispatched "by tha next available steamer," and tlie -public will not. bo informed either of the time or date of closing; tlio mail or of the sailing of the steamer. Mails for the Australian ]wpeditionary Forces, and for Europe and America, will bo dispatched more or less regularly fls heretofore, but when or by what ronto will not bo publicly announced.

Advice has been received from the Base llccords Ofiice, Melbourne, that Lance-Corporal T. B. Wells, 3rd Battalion, was admitted on November 9 last to Ist Southern Gnneral Hospital, suffering from troncli feet. Tliis information was sent to- the recorded next-of-kin. namclv, W. J. "Wells (brother), Napier, bit the communication lias been returned by the nostal authorities unclaimed. Anyone, knowing the address of iMr. Wells will oblige bv° communicating tlie same to the Director of Basn Eeoords at Wellington as early as possible Co])ies of the roll of men in tlio First Division of the Reserve in No. 5 Kec.niitinp: District were received by the Hutt Couutry Council at its meeting yesterday. An enclosing memorandum stated that the rolls were being forwarded to all. police stations and post offices, and were to be open for public inspection. ' It is thought that these rolls will enable all men of military ace to ascertain if they are on the roll, and enable them to see if all the men of military ago of their acquaintance aro on the list. It will ,-ilso eiiahle men to see if they aro on the list iu the First Division when they should be in tho Second, and vico vorsa. Importers of Japanese- goods complain on occasions that promises made to them are not fulfilled, and that the articles when received aro not always of the specified qualities. This matter of commercial morality was mentioned recently by the Japanese Minister of Commerce, who said that he had heard complaints from Australasia and elsewhere. Some merohants, with an eye to immediate profits, had "deliberately exported inferior articles," while it was alleged against Japanese merchants that they had "shipped articles much inferior in quality to the samples submitted. The Minister urged tho commercial men of his country to remember that if they acquired- tho reputation oi' being untrustworthy, they would have no chance at all of retaining the trade thoy had won during tho war. The Japanese Government, he addetl, was prepared to tako btops to prevent the export of inferior and dishonestlymanufactiired articles.

A pamphlet describing the workof the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department has been published for the use of returned men and others who may bo interested.. It is an extract from a memorandum prepared by the Minister in charge (Hon. A. Tα HcrdlnniO for the Minister of Defence, and !L gives all the information , that a returned discharged man is likely to require Complaints have been niado that men summoned for examination by the Military Medical Boards aro sometimes kept waiting; for lengthy periods and compelled to lose much tiuro from their employment. The Medical Boards, at tho suggestion of the Defence authorities, have done I heir best to avoid waste ol time, and I lie usual practice is to summon reservists for fixed hours during the day, so that they may bo dealt with as they arrive. But the. authorities point out that no man has any right to complain even if the examination keens him from his work for » whole dn.v. The examination is really an instalment oT military service, and each reservist receives ii. full day's pay at military rates after ho has passed through (he hiiuds of the doctors.

Owing to tlio acute scarcity of water ab tho Bloff, tho\ tug Theresa Ward left yesterday moniijig i'or Port William, Stewart Island, i'or a supply. Port William in tho early days was a watering rendezvous for whaling and sealing vessels. —Press Association.

Tho Wanganui River Reserves Cora-1 mission, whioh was appointed to report as to what scenic and forest reserves should ho tnado on the hanks of the Wanganui River,: will sit in Wellington on January 18, and will llion hear tho cvidenco of any persons who wish to appoar. Tho Commission consists of Air. T. A. Duncan (Hunterville), Mr. Hikaka- Talcum (Oeo, Taranaki), and i\fr. E. Phillips Turner (Inspector of Sconio Reserves). The Commission has to decide whether tho reservation over any of the existing scenic reserves should ho cancelled, what proportiion of the proposed scenic reserves should bo acquired, and which of the existing forest areas on Native, private, or Crown land should bo retained under forest for water conservation, or for the protection of the river banks from denudation, or in tho interests of river navigation generally. The'members have already heard avidoncoat Wangnnni, Pipiriki, and Taumarunui.

Thf> Railway Department has given a. great deal of attention in recent years to the problem of how to prevent sparks flying from locomotives, but no satisfactory solution has been evolved. Areas of grass and grain avo destroyed every summer and autumn by fires started alongside the railway lines, and tho Department has had to pay compensation in a great many instances. On Monday last a fire caused by a spark from a railway engine Bprend over mboub ten square miles of country near Rakain, South Canterbury. -Several inventors" have suggested attachments for the interception of the sparks before they leave- tho engine but the devices, it appears, liavo all proved unsuitable for general adoption.

Tile polico yesterday morning arrested a watorsido worker, who on Wednesday addressed ;i meeting in tlio Post Office Square. The chargo alleges thab Parker was responsible for a breach of the Municipal By-Laws, in that be did an act which caused a crowd to collect and obstruct the thoroughfare. Yesterday afternoon another man was proceeding fa address a. meeting in the Bamn place when he. was asked hy a sergeant of police whether ho had a permit or not. The would-be orator admitted that ho had come to the square unprovided in this respect. The ensuing order fa "more on" was promptly complied with.

'I'ho passengers by the- Jfararoa from ilio south yesterday morning included 141 recruiLs, who proceeded fa camp. Tho,men were- iu charge of SergeantMajor Hartncll.

At a special meeting of the Hntfc County Council at. noon yesterday, Wednesday was fixed fa bo iho statutory closing day in the week for the rear 1917, pursuant to the provisions of the Shops and Offices Act, 1908.

At yesterday morning's meeting of the Halt County Council Mr. J. TV. Cudby, Inspector of AVorks. reported that tho roads throughout the county-, woro in fairly good order, and that the recent rain had had a beneficial effect, as tho roads had in some cases-- begun to crumble and break up badly.

It "was decided at yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council that tho Inspector of AVorks-be given, power to deal with, and if necessary prosecute., anyone wb'o-makes improper use of tho roads in tho county, by leaving motor-cars covereiT with tarpaulins and putting up tents on tho ronds. . This applies more especially to Plimmerton district, wliero it is understood the roads are being used extensively.

A book containing some excellent pictures of soldier-life in the training camps, as woll as panoramas of Trentbam and Fcather-ston, has been published by Messrs. J. P. Sliand and Co. •

The Commisioner and the Conciliation Council, which-is investigating the "soft goods employees dispute, had another sitting yesterday. There are two points still remaining in Jispnto, and these will he considered when the council resumes on January 19, *o which date nu adjournment has heen made. .'A Proclamation in tlio Cnnetto'last notifies that the Government, in tho exercise of its powers under the Military Manoeuvres Act, 1915, has taken certain considerable areas of land adjacent to .Feathcrston and Trcnthain Camps for manoeuvre areas.