LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3044, 3 April 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

TEe State schools of the Wellington Education District are to close from Thursday afternoon until Wednesday morning for the Easter holidays. ;

The Minister of Defence is reported to have said in Dunedin that "a greater number of men is likely to bo called up in subsequent ballots; in order to meet the recent stiEening of the medical examinations." The standard of physique and fitness demanded of recruits has not actually been increased. It has merely been restored to, the level that was maintained before the Military Sorvico Act began to operate. Experience has shown that from tiie military point of view it is unprofitable to take into camp the doubtful men, who might or might not be able to stand the strain of training. Tho rule is that 110 man is to be attested unless in the opinion of tho medical officers ho is fully fit for active service.

The seafaring life would: appear, in ffie case of somo constitutions at least, to be one of the finest i preservatives or youth. 1« the Supreme Court yesterday, a fresh, healthy-looking man astonished everyone present by announcing from the dock that ho was 68 years of age. "Why, you don't look 58," was the Chief Justice's comment. "The prisoner las spent most of his life at soa," volunteered counsel. may bo the explanation."

Tho mild plague of mosquitoes that is afflicting Wellington at tho present time is one of the penalties ivo havo. to pay for' a superlino aud long-drawn-out summer, with little rain. .'.Hie pest I lias been worse this autumn than for many years past, prevailing conditions having favoured tho voracious insect, who, strange to say, is a good deal larger and fly-like than tho usual bußli variety. Seeking a reason for the invasion of tho city, one gentleman from tho country attributes it to the provalence of bush and grass fires in ilTo country. Smoke is objectionable to the mosquito, and probably hundreds of thousands ,of them have migrated soulli before the prevailing northerly winds to- escape a smoky doom, and. have taken up thoir residence in the city both for a change and convenience. It is to hoped that the present is not to be ft forerunner of mosquito-cursed seasons in Wellington. ! Householders would do well to note that all the grocers and butchers of the o.ity are-..t0 close their premises for tho Eastev holidays i'rom Thursday evening until Tuesday mornfig, and Make their arrangements ac cordingly. A witness in tho perjury charges atthe Supreme Court af; Hamilton was asked by Mr. Mays i "Did you not take off your boots and trousers and bolt into the bush?" to whioh (says the "Waikato Times") witness replied: "Yes, I took off my trousers and hoots, and bolted into the busli. I did not> want to bo burdened: I wanted to make a good clearance.' (Laughter.)

Tho latest novelty in freak photography in London is the animated portrait. The effect achieved is a. remarkable one,'inasmuch as the ordinary head. and shoulderß photograph of a sitter is made to ! appear animated, and obanges of expression may be ob-. tained. Tho effect is produced by taking threo photographs of a person in exactly the same position, but with a variation in the poiso-of tho headone straight on to the. camera, one looking to the right, and one to the left. By means of ..ft faint-barred screen o£' the thinnest celluloid, which is agitated by a paper tag at the side, tho animated effect may be produced.. It is understood that'tho'New Zealand Tights of the patent have already been: seoured by an" interested Wellington resident, who 'states that the novelty is. a "rage" in London; Comparatively little, interest is manifested in the municipal elections, so far as'Masterton is concerned (says our special correspondent). Two or three of the sitting members of the council do not intend offering themselves for re-election.' The officos of . tho Wellington City Counoil will bo closed from -Thursday evening until Wednesday morning of next week for the Easter holidays. Owing to the proximity of the Easter vacation, tho fortnightly meeting of tho City-Council will bo, held, on Wednesday instead of Thursday evening this week. ( : : A heavy gale that blew on Saturday fanned."tho smouldering bush and log firos in the country to' tho north of Mastertohj and settlers at Kaiparoro end Mount Bruce had a. very anxious fimo (says our special correspondent). A dwelling " adjacent to the. Kaiparoro cheese factory, ocoupicd by the manager, 'was destroyed by fire, and it was only by stronuous'efforts that-the factory itself was saved. A timely downpour of rain on Sunday morning ■ relieved, the anxiety of sottlerß. ' The third Wellington Military • Service Board -will eifc in tho old Parliamentary Buildings this afternoon. Next wook fjie board is to visit the northern end of . the Wellington Military District, arid it is probable that the second Wellington Board will hold some sittings in Wellington. All the'boards are making good progress with their ivork, "and there is no 'accumulation of appeals at "the presont time. .: Tile directors of the MasLerton Cooperative Dairy Company have, (says our special correspondent) ascertained from the Board of Trade that .there is no-Jiopo of tho Government supplying butter for the local trade during the winter months. Th? ,directors' have therefore decided to ask tho oompfl.uy s customers if they-will he prepared to enter into .contracts for the, winter supplies if a first-grado butter is obtained. from another company. •

Wlen in Christchurch last week, tho Mayor (Mr. J. P.' Luke) was invited to attend a meeting of the Christchurch Defence Corps (a body which has the interests of the. men in khaki at' heart) by the chairman, Mr. G- Harper, to give them information rospocting ■ the fund for furnishing the new Soldierß. Club for officers, s, and men at tho Trentham' Camp, abftut which matter the corps had boon circularised: After, he bad thoroughly ox plained the situation, satisfaction was expressed that ' the men were' to be accommodated to the same, extent as the officers, and that the club would probably be in existence after the war in connection with tho demobilisation of tho troops, and, later still, when the Trentham .Gamp'was used as' a training ground for Torritoriuls, and it wasdecTdecl to present the club with a'billiard table or its ■ Value.' The Mayor infonned a Dominion reporter that the Soldiers' Club's Furnishing' Fund now amounted 'to £731 7s. 9d., and two billiard tables '(olio from Wanganui and one from: Christchurch). . -» ' ' 'The' committee has again to rofer with pride to the notablo achievement of the old boys of our school, who are; cither in camp or on active servico; '(states the annual report of the Wollington College Old Boys' Association);1290 is the known total to date; many of these have, alasl fought their last: fight,- many have returned maimed and in poor health; tho great majority arts; 'Biill fighting lor the great causo of truth ■ against a ruthless and brutal foe. Tip to the 1916 we lost 102, of our brethren, killed in action, 136 more of less seriously wounded. We aro proud of those who "have sacrificed their 'all, and we aro proud, too, of 'the ' distinctions which our old boys have gained on the field of honour. These are as follow: —C.M.G. 3 r Legion 'of Honour 2, D.S.O. 5, V.O. 1, D.O.M. 7, Meritorious Servico Medal 6, M.C. 4, Military Medal 8, mentioned in dispatches/9. It remains for us to mention specially Lieut.-Coloncl B: C. Froyberg, who won the V.C. in the great Homme offensive. Every old boy's blood tingled,' we feci sure, at the description of his wonderful pluck in leading his men, severely wounded though he was, and his final triumphant retention of a position well in advanco of tlie remaining British troops. Nor must we' forgot the bravo deeds of Bathe Brandon in the air, for which he has been awarded, both the M.C. and D.5.0."

. The chairman of the National Efficiency Board (Mr. Wm. Ferguson) will sit .at the board's office to-day and tomorrow to receive evidence from any persons 1 desiring to object to or support tho 'rostnotion, .continuance, or abolition during war-time of A. and P ghows, amusements (including pioturo shows), and sports (including racing). The hoard is desirous of obtaining evi-j dence not only from those wishing to support; any or all of tho divorsions referred to, but also tho views of tlioso who object to them.

The' Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) who lias boon on a visit to Ohmtehurch and Lake Coleridge, states that as a result of tho hydro-eleotric scheme the Christchurch tramways now save £2589 per annum, compared with tho cost before such power was available. In addition to that,. tliey do not' have to koep a lot of money idle in stacks of coal, and oxjiondit'ure on the wear and tear of machinery was reduced to an amount not comparable to that which had to bo met when huge boilers find steam engines .wcre ; used.