LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3031, 19 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Reinforcements will ho given, their final leave during tho Easter holidays, and the moti for tho next draft to mobilise—the Twenty-eighth—will go into oanip a week late, in ordor that the recruits may not lose thoir holiday.

War pensions arc not necessarily irrevocable, hut are contingent upon tho good behaviour of the pensioned person. At a recent meeting of the Claims Board of tho Auckland Patriotic Association an intimation was received from tho Government with referenoo to the case of a woman who had been in receipt of a pension in respect of the loisi of hor son, to the effect that her allowance has been cancelled on account of her unsatisfactory conduct.

Speaking at Saturday's wolcome to tho naval racings fio.m overseas. Sir Jam«s AUok. referred to New Zealand's naval policy. What that policy would' he was not definitely known, but tho action is sending man to fight alongside tha British soldiers however, meant that nothing would satisfy the Dominion but a policy that would ensure sending our men to fight alongside Imperial sailors in tho Navy. AVe in New Zealand had to seo that oiir young men had an opportunity of being trained for the sea and gathering some of tho glorious traditions of tho past. It was -unthinkable that Now Zealand should not havo n share in building up thoaa traditions in the future. Now Zealand would carry out a naval_ policy whioh would provide for her taking on a fair share of the training of her own men, who, when the time came, would fight alongside tho sailors of the Motherland. They hoped' that the competition would he to tho advantage of both, and one in which New Zealand would certainly not eomo second. (Laughter and applause.}

Serious bush fires have been raging iffl the near neighbourhood of WelQngton during the past few days. The most destructive fire yet reported was in the Upper Hutt district, where Baigent Bros.' sawmill was completely destroyed by a bush fire of terrifio violence. Tho bush in the locality had been burning for several days previously, but the fir© did not strike into the hush down tho valley because of the southerly wind opposing it. On Wednesday, however, the wind went round to the north, and_ the lire increased in intensity -with amazing rapidity. In a remarkably short spaco of time the bush in the vicinity was burning, and then the loss of tho mill was inevitable. It was impossible even to check the onrush of the flames. Everything was destroyed. All the mill buildings with the machinery they contained, a number of workers' whares, and long stretches of tramline, including several costly bridges, were burned. Many thousand feet of very valuable timber was destroyed. Indeed, so serious is the loss under this head that it is improbable that the mill will be rebuilt. Messrs. Baigent's loss is not covered, by insurance.

The Defonce Department has obtained from England a supply of new rifles of the latest pattern, for use m the training camps in this country. The rifles will ho issued shortly to tho troops in training. When, the appeals on behalf of railway men came before the third Military Service Board on. Saturday, it was stated that the reorganisation, of the railway service had been advanced a step further, as Mr. Hiley had sent in his recommendations to tho Minister of Railways. Tliogo men who took part in the Gallipoli campaign intend to commemorate Anzac Day (April 23) in a fitting manner. Messrs. J. 0. "Williamson, Ltd., through the agency of Mr. Bert Royle, have given the freo use of the Grand Opera House to the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club. Sir James Carroll will deliver an address on his experiences on the "Western front, and Major "Waite will Icoture on the Gallipoli campaign- His remarks will be illustrated with lantern slides portraying incidents from the landing to the evacuation at Gallipoli. At most big events in the oity several children are lost, hut always, of course, are found and returned to their parents after a while. At the St. Patrick's Day Sports on Saturday four little ones were lost for some time, but by the end of the day all had "been restored to their parents.

It is considered probable, writes our Masterton correspondent, that Messrs. 0. E. Daniell and A. M'Farlane, the Wairarapa representatives on the Wellington Harbour Board, will be returned unopposed at the election next month.

The girls of tho Red Cross Brigade collected £178 10s. at the Opaki racecourse on tho second day of the Masterton races, making £805 for the two days. The Masterton Chamber of Commerce recently asked the General Manager of Railways to attach a passenger carriage to goods trainß running betaken Wiflington and Woodville. Mr. Hiley has replied that this matter has been carefully considered, but it is regretted that the Department cannot see its way to accede to the request, more particularly at the presenttimo, when there is a strong probability of it being necessary to make a gcueral i-eduction in train services in order to liberate men for active service.

Tho number-of men on tho register of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department is now 7535, and the total number of these on the Department's "Employment Wanted" register is only 116. By far the greatest number of these are in Auckland, where there are 32. In Wellington there are 7, :u Wairarapa 1, in Pahiatua 0, iu Dauncvirlce 3, in Hastings 0, in Napier 4, m Wanganui 3, in Taranaki 8, in Palmerstou NortfTl, in Feuding 0, and in Marton 1.

Acoording to a Camberley nursery proprietor British nurseryman are capturing tho 4rade forraely caricd on b\ Germany and America. One firm, he said, had rcceivod sa order from America for 765.000 rose troos, an order that formerly wont to Germany, and his own firm were exporting from ■£ 6000 to £7000 worth of rhododendrons to America in February and March. The German nursery trade with America was stopped by tho blockado, and British nurserymen were leaving nothing undone to capture it. The Puuedin correspondent of a Ohristcharch paper states that the Minister controlling the Stamps Department (tho Hon. G. W. Russell) has decided to set up a. Departmental Corjniittee which will he directed by Mr. O. Barnett, Inspector of tho Public Trust Department, to advise him Dd to the- best stops to bo taken to provent the recurrence of a "steal" of publio funds like that disclosed at the recent criminal sittings at Inveicarsill.

That quirmat salmon have now become well established is evident from tho number caught by anglers at the Bangitata ano Waitaki Rivers this season. When reports of great catches of these fish were being received from the Waitaki anglors in the northern part of tho district wore very envious; but not so now, for they are enjoying good sport the the Rangitata, where quiiinat are being freely ('aught. Somo remarkably lino ones were brought to Timaru oti Wednesday, .states Ibo

"Herald," and it is a daily occurrence for fish weighing 10, 12, 14, 15, 20 and up lo 211b. to bo grassed at the Rangitata. Mr. Ayson, chief inspector of fisheries, said when he first introduced the quinnat to New Zealand that they would provide hotter sport tnan trout, and anglors now unanimously agree that for a g-:.ud sporting fish tho quinnat could not ho excelled. Tho fish are being landed in the pink of condi'.tei i

When it comes lo cheering nothing can beat a crowd of British "tars." That was made abundantly evident at tho Tawu HjiJ{ on Saturday wheu . Captain Hall-Thompson called upon the men to express themselves for the manner in which they had been treated by His Worship tho Mayor and the ladies. Their cheers were nothing at all like tho short, sharp "ITip-rah! barks of football teams, nor the anaoraio attempts that are made at a cheer at some social or patriotio functions that could be mentioned. It was the British cheer, pure and unadulterated, and none others are genuine. Only one man said "Hip, hip, hip!" Thai was Captain Hall-Thompson, and his stentorian tones proved the prelude to a long, roaring "Hurrah!" that exhausted each man's lungs, and whilst they filled again, came the captain's "Hip-hip-hip" once more, until the brave sound smacked the back wall and roof of the Town Hall, and rebounded to tho galleries. After hearing these men cheer, most people will reluctantly confess that cheering is a lost art in New Zealand..

There was no Y.M.C.A. secretary accompanying; the last troopship, hut tho National Y.M.O.A. Committee had arranged that a complote supply of things necessary for the soldiers' entertainment on board ship should be put on board. This is done on all troopships whether a field seoretary goes or not. Captain-Surgeon Borrie expressed himself as very delighted with the liberal manner in which the Y.M.C.A. Committee had acted, and says he felt sure the men would express themselves in a similar way in a few days' time. The National Secretary is anxious that there should be no overlapping in this respect, and persons wishing to forward games and books and songs, magazines, boxing gloves, etc.. or money to purchase same, should do so through the medium of the Y.M.C.A., wlw have a full knowledge of what is required. It costs about £50 to put a complete outfit on board, and this has been done on every ship since the war started.

The Labour candidates at the forthcoming local elections addressed openair meetings on Saturday evening, and lust night some of thorn spoke at the meeting in tho 'Alexandra Hall. Durins; tho lunch hour to-day they will speak in the Post Office Square.