LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3062, 25 April 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The second anniversary of tho landing of tho New Zealand' troop on Gallipoli will ho marked this afternoon at 3 o'clock by a .memorial service'in tho Town Hall to the bravo men who foil. Tho service will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Gp, Rev.- A. ,'M. Johnson, M.A., Rev. W. A. Evans, M.A., and Rev. B. Drake. In ths evoning tho returned soldiers will hold a reunion. In another column the Mayor (Mr. John P. Luke) invites the citizens to observe a this afternoon.

There will be only ono delivery by letter-carriers in Wellington City and suburbs to-day (Anzac Day). , At about 9.15 last night the dead body of a man between 30 and 40 years of age was found'lying in a doorway at tho "corner of Taranalii and Arthur Streets. Tho body, which boro no marks of violence, was removed to the morgue, where it is expected to bo identified to-day. .

who appeared before the Second AVellington Military Service Board yesterday, was able to secure exemption under Section 3 of Clauso 18 of tho Military Service Act. This section, which appears to have escaped tho notice of many people, provides that "in the absence of regulations to the contrary it shall be sufficient evidence of undue hardship . ._ ~ that tho appellant is the sole surviving son of his parents who is of military age,. and that at. least one of his brothers has served with some, portion of His Majesty's Forces in .connection _ with the present war, and has l««t Ins l» e by reason of such service.' The appellant in the case heard yesterday was the son of a widow, and had lost his sole brother of military age at the front. Ho was not awaro that' the Act exempted him. and he had appealed on other grounds. The board quoted the law for his' benefit, and allowed him to amend his appeal accordingly.

At a sitting in Bankruptcy of the Supreme Court yesterday. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman adjudged Cyril Taul M'Farlaue a bankrupt. Bankrupt was formerly a storekeeper at Seatoun, and is now a member of the Forces:

Defence Headquarters state that members of tho Samoan Garrison will he permitted to transfer to a reinforcement draft and proceed on active service, and tho members of the Samoan Force who may bo in New Zealand on furlough or on duty will be given the opportunity to • apply for ■ such transfer. A soldier must be ol military a"© and medically lit. Applications must bo made to the Director of Base Records, who will arrange for tho soldier to appear before medical board. If he be passed fit he will be instructed to report in Trentham Camp on the expiration of the leave granted him -from Samoa, and his name will be submitted to the Officer Commanding, Samoan Garrison, for approval ot the transfer. If, transfer is approved, his kit and his personal file will be forwarded from Samoa, and he will be eventually posted on the strength ot a reinforcement draft to proceed overseas. ■.

District orders state that some changes havo been made m the syllabus of examination for entrance to the Royal Military College of Australia. One language, either French or German, is now a compulsory subject. A knowledge of geometrical drawing ,« expected, and the students are required to take either chemistry or -physics as a subject. •

The conditions of the Imperial Challenge Shield Competition, for senior and junior teams of riflemen, are announced in District Orders. This competition is' open to teams throughout tho Empire, and the teams may fire on any day between April 1 and June 30 of .'the 'present year. The contest, which was "promoted by Licut.-Lolonel R. W. Schumacher, of South Africa, is held under tho auspices of tho National Rifle Association. The Commercial Bank of Australia, Ltd., is now issuing from its branches in the principal cities of the Dominion a new 10s. note The note is printed from an engraved plate of attractive desi"i>, and measures about 7 inches x 3. The well-known "Figure of Commerce" occupies a place on the left hand side of the note, while the words "Half Sovereign" appear in the corresponding oval on the right. The name of the bank and the words "Ten Shillings" stand out-boldly in black lettering on a whito background on tho top and bottom panels. Tho colouring of tho front is black and buff with green bordering, with a three-'colour tint on the. back. The charges at Christchurch against the managers of tho "Lyttel ton Times" and "Press" newspapers of infringing the War Regulations by publishing shipping information wore adjourned for. a, week.—-Press lAssooiation.

Lieut.-C'olonel Fyffe, who, as a member of the New Zealand Medical 'Corps, which served at Gallipoli, is au "Anzac," will preside at the organ at the memorial service to be held in the Town Hall this afternoon.

• As the "Anzac" Memorial Service is to bo held in the big Town 1 Hall this afternoon, the Town Hall polling booths will be located in tho Concert Chamber. There will be plenty of booths iii the hall, and it is hoped that all waterside workers and others employed in that vicinity will vote in tho Concert Chamber. The poll will close at 7 p.m. The iiual result is not expected to be known until well on towards midnight.

The annual meetings of householders to elect school committees for the ensuing year are to be held in the respective schools on Monday evening next. Councillor John Fuller, junr., who beaded the poll at the last City Council election in Wellington, and who lias beon absent from New Zealand for tho past six or seven months, writes to the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) as follows: —"By registered post I am forwarding you my councillor's pass, No. 13, and I hope the next wearer will have no superstition as to the number, as I have had very good luck, .with the exception that . . . business spreading all over, I was reluctantly compelled to got extended leave from the City Council (in lieu of putting the ratepayers to the expense of a by-election, winch would have been the case, had I resigned). I would respectfully suggest that the present City Council should take steps to got the Municipal Corporations 4.ct amended so that the sixteenth candidate who just misses should ipso facto become a member of the council in the event of • a resignation or vacancy occurring, and thus save the waste of money that occurs in the taking of a poll'in a city Hko Wellington, ■ where the ward system is nonexistent." A motor-lorry belonging to, Mr. George Daysh took fire on Monday evening, says our Masterton correspondent, and was partially destroyed. On the same evening a motor-car was burned on the To Ore Ore Road, near Masterton.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands in Otago, Mr. R. T. Sadd, submitted to a meeting of the Land Board correspondence in regard to a suggestion that the Lands Department should insert a clause in any lease granted enabling tho Defence Department to uso an area for manoeuvring and artillery practice. Tho commissioner pointed out how very, important it was that provision should bo niado for any future requirements of military training by making some such arrangement. The board was in complete accord with the views expressed by the commissioner, and will forward a report on the matter to headquarters.

The last meeting of the- present Karori Borough Council was hold last evening. The Mayor (Mr. B. G. H. Burn) thanked tho councillors generally for tho. courtesy with which had helped him during tho period that he had been associated with them. He was sorry that some of the councillors were retiring. He hoped the next year would not ,bo so strenuous as tho past two had been. New councillors were often good in council, and generally helped on any movement that was afoot. He explained that the financial position of tho borough, , which was largely the outcome of tho work of the present council, was thoroughly satisfactory in every way. In conclusion he thanked the staff generally for the valuable work they hsd done, especially the borough engineer (Mr. G. W. Bingham) and the town clerk (Mr. AY. F. England), both of whom had rendered every assistance, and gone out tif their way to assist the council. Councillors Fairo and Cooper also addressed the council to explain . their reasons for retiring, i which were in both cases "business pressure. Ihey both- hoped that at a later date they would again bo able to contest seats on the council. "Seldom in the course of the world s existence," says Mr. . John Crewes, "has there been a collection of animals that have had so many • great and unique experiences as four of the animals that are at present m the Wellington Zoo. ' A . tooth-billed pigeon was seized with Samoa, and was one of the earliest trophies taken by our army in the great war in which our Empire is engaged. Osman, the leader of the sledge teams in Captain Scott's last Antarctic expedition, has a marvellous record, as any reader or Scott's account of tho expedition may see Now Oscar, the - : , wonderful dog that saved the lives of several' of the members of tho Shackleton Expedition, is also in the Zoo; and tho latest addition to the galaxy of worthies is the Abssynian monkey, which,, as a regimental mascot, went with our New /.ealand boys from Egypt to France, was under shellfire at Armentieres, almost lost the number of his mess more than once in the momentous battle of_ the Sommo, and was brought back to London, where he was highly prized, and much admired, as ah object of special interest in the London Zoological bardens. The proprietors of the London Zoo wanted to keep him, but wherever thev "0 New Zealand's heroes always remember Castle and the Wellington Zoo. Consequently, a much-coveted prodigy was brought to New Zealand and presented to Mr. Castle for the Wellington Zoo, where, by the kind offices of Councillor Frost, suitable accommodation has been provided for tho historic Siniia." . . Official intimation has been received that Private W. E. Kerr, of ;Westport, who was previously reported missing, is now, as a result of Court of Inquiry, reported as killed in action on September 21. It has been stated in a private letter from a soldier at the front that Kerr was being taken to a dressing station, wounded, when an enemy shell lauded amongst tho bearer party, tolling Kerr. Similar official information has been received regardmg Private C V Morganti, who was reported missing on September 21, and is now reoorted .killed in action. He disappeared during the Somme battle. The Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) has sent the following-reply to the letter which he received from Mr. J E. Fitzgerald asking if the Defence authorities would make it convenient for 300 soldiers who are burgesses in the city to leave camp and exercise their votes at to-day's poll:—"In answer to your letter of April 23 I retret that special leave from camp cannot be sanctioned to enable sobers to record their votes at the municipal election in Wellington, as it would create a precedent which it would bo difficult to refuse in tho case of other municipalities." ' ■

Particulars have been received by the Railway Department of an exciting experience which befel the passengers by the train'which was duo to arrive, at Masterton from the north at 10 o'clock on Saturday night. _ When the train arrived at Mangamaire tho engine was uncoupled to do somo .shunting. It is stated that by an unfortunate oversight the brakes were not applied to the carriages, with the result that the train commenced to move down tho incline towards Pahiatua. Fortunately, when the train dashed past Pahiatua the points were open. ,In the meantime the guard on the runaway train appears to have been unaware that anything was wrong. It is understood that he was under the impression that the train was backing towards Pahiatua, as the tablet had been forgotten, and he was on tho lookout towards Pahiatua for a trolly to appear with the missing tablet. When tho train dashed past the Pahiatua station he realised something was wrong. Ho investigated, and quickly grasped tho truo position. Ho at once applied tho brakes and brought tho train to a. standstill after somo six miles had beenj .vied,-

At Cromwell on Friday the Hon. W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works), in replying to questions put to him by a deputation of which Mr. Brpdrick (Mayor) was chairman, answered a query by one of those present as to the reasons why the Right Hon. Mr. Massoy had not returned to New Zealand (says the Otago "Times"). Mr. Fraser said ho was glad of an opportunity to refer to the Right Hon. gentleman's absence. No one, he said,. was more anxious to return to the Dominion than Mr. Mnssey. He and S> Joseph Ward were annoyed and disappointed at the delay in their return which had occurred. Mr. Massey had hoped to have been back in March, sp as to take up his work, but both gentlemen had been invited Home to attend the conference with other members of the Imperial Government, which was dated for January. Owing, however, to the difficulties tho Prime Minister of Australia had met with, and the postponements from time to time of the conference in order to try to met bis desire to be present, the conference had been postponed several times, until it was finally recognised that Mr. Hughes could not possibly attend, and he had to admit as much. It would have been a waste of time if the New Zealand representatives had come away before the important business to be transacted by the conference was finished. There.are many important matters to be dealt with by that conference, owing to the war and other things, and, as the council could not,sit every day, as it bad other most important work to, do, the conference'had not taken place at the time anticipated. Mr. Fraser assured those present, and everyone else, that Mr. Massey would be back here before the opening of Parliament. It was not his dnsire to remain in England, but he had to finish the work he went for before leaving there. The people who said he was staving voluntarily were doing him an injustice.

Tho "Watch Your Step" Revue Company, who are touring New Zealand on behalf of the Returned Soldiers' Association, have kindly offored to give a concert in the streets on _ Thursday morning on behalf of the Crippled Soldiers' Hostel Art Union Fund.

Wo have received from the publishers a copy of Wilkio's war map, No. 1. •It covers tho wholo extent of tho British front and tho country to a point nearly forty miles east of Cambrai, and also includes tho western section of the French front, from Soissons to Reims. The map' is "very well , and clearly • printed, and contains quite enough detail to make it possible to closely follow the progress of tho Allied offensive.