LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3098, 31 May 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Iton. Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) has received advice that the second portion of the Twenty-third, and the first portion of (he Twenty-fourth. Reinforcements have arrived safely at a port of call.

Tho Acting Postmaster-General announces that an information bureau for prisoners of war has been i-stablislud with tho Rod Cross -Society of the Portuguese colony of Mozambique, under the title of "Delegation Provinciale de la Croix, Rouge-liou.rei'.co Mf-rqiios.'' Correspondence dispatched through the bureau will he free of postage. Such correspondence must bear as pait of the address the words "Delegation Provinciale de la Croix-Rouge, En Franchise do Port, Prison uiers do guerre, Lourcnco Marques."

The Third Wellington Military Service Board, aflcr full consideration yesterday, adjourned sine die the appeals made li.v the Pii'oii Sleaiu Ship Company on behalf of thirteen of its marine cngi necrs.

All uudrfended divorco cases will bo heard iu the Supremo Court on J.ano J,

At the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Patriotic Association this week, a suggestion was made that the Government he urged to amend the Advances to Settlers' Act, so that returned soldiers or their dependnnts may secure advances and lift existing mortgages on their house properties. The chairman of the association (Mr. Hugh Morrison) ■is strongly in favour of such a proposal, and thinks thai; the association might co-operate with the Government in making advances.

A peculiar «se was mentioned at the Palmcrston Patriotic Society's meeting. The Mayor said information had ceived by a family in the district alleging that one of their members, wlio had' gone on active service had desorted, and letters addressed had been returned to writers marked "Deserter." At the seme vtime letters were coming to hand from the soldier showing that lie was actually in the fighting line. The Mayor said there appeared to be some mistake, which, in full justice to the soldier and tho family, should be rectified, and on the Mayor's suggestion, the matter was left in his hands for inquiry.

The legal limit of 25 birds per day imposed upon sportsmen shooting ducks and swan was mentioned by Mr. L. 0. fl. Tripp at tho annual mooting of Ike Acclimatisation- Society lost night. Mr. Tripp said he had heard that this limit was not always observed in the \Vairar.ipa district. It should bo understood clearly thai: no man w-ns entitled to kilt moro than 25 ducks or swan in a day.

There was considerable excitement in TTawlccstono Street yesterday morniu„', the TPiidonts of that usually quiet thoroughfare boil!; under the impression that a number of mounted policemen woro raiding the locality, and wild rumours vei'fl soon afloat. It appears that a squad of mounted men were eont to Thorndon Station tc take of four or five young horses intended for police ecrvice. Three of the animals broke away and );ot as far as the street named, nnd' in endeavouring to recapture them the policemen '.-rented a commotion. After some trouble the horses were eccured aud safely stabled.

Of recent- yours the use of slates in schools has been dropped chiefly on account of the barbaric methods used by. boys in "cleaning" them. The flates ■wore not hygienic, and weie generally condemned." No.v, however, paper is scarce and exooiisivo, and the Education Hoard yesterday received applications from certain school committees that the uso of slates should be permitted in their school?. The board decided to grant the request, but also to instruct tho head teachers of tho schools to see that tho plates were kent clean and sanitary. In the course of discussion tho question was raised ns to whether writing could lie as well taught on slates as on paper. Tho Chief Inspector said that there was difference of opinion on this point, but he himself thought that writing" could bo taught just ns well on slates as on paper 1 .

Feaiberston Camp routine orders stale that' the general public, will be allowed to visit the camp hospital only between the hours of 2 p.m. and,! li.tn. on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Stories of leakages in State revenue were told at last evening's sitting at Marton of the. Wellington Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union. One delegate said that he had been told by a farmer whose holding was not far from Marton that that man, although ho had .£120,01)0 worth of laud, had. never, over a period of a number of years, paid land tax. The dclecnte said he could only conclude that that man had never sent in a return. Other delegates said tliey did not, wind paying then- laves, but the did dislike to seo their neighbours evading and escaping the payment of taxation.

A. matter of moment to AVellington City was discussed by the Wellington Conference of the Farmers' Union yesterday, when tho following remit was brought forward:—"That prior to convicting a farmer for soiling milk under the standard • required by the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1008, the 'inspector be required to take a night and morning milk samnlo direct from tho cows on the farm producing the milk, and comparing it. with fho'siinmlo being sold, nnd prove that water has been added." Tho remit ivas heavily defeated:

A man named Bert Parker was admitted to tho Hospital lust night in on unconscious condition. Parker was assaulted by a man named William Tievpolds, who was arrested by the Taranaki Street police on a. charge of assault.

Members of tho Acclimatisation Society urged at last night's meeting that tho Upper Akatarawa should be mado a fly stream exclusively. They protested that the stream was being stripped of fisli by men. who used grub bait. Tho meeting recomnitfaded Wie incoming council to take action in the matter.

With tlio exception of one side street which is low lying, the flood waters have completely disappeared from tho streets (says a Press Association telegram from Gore). The damage to shops and business places is not serious, only silt remaining. Tha stocks-suffered no"damage. The light and power, cut off from Matanra. is expected to resume on Tricky night. Business is proceeding as usual.

A. man named Sycamore, in the employ of J. .T. Curtis and Co., was yesterday driving ,a cart under an arch in the Parliamentary Buildings, when,, he was crushed between the arcli and his cart, receiving internal injuries. Sycamore stooped to avoid the■arch, hut ho did not stoop low enough. He was admitted to the Hospital at 4.50 p_.ni.

Entertainment was not lacking for the delegates who attended' the Wellington Farmers' "Union Conference at Marton. On Tuesday evening they were entertained by tho Marton Branch of the Farmers' Union at a banquet, and yesterday afternoon the party, unmooring aboiit fifty, were motored to Major Marshall's fino old homestead, six miles out of Marton, where afternoon tea was enjoyed.

At present there aro six cases of diphtheria in Dannevirko Hospital and four sufferers from tho 'samo disease were discharged on Monday. Tho cases at present aro of a mild character, and it is stated are not confined to Dannevirke but are occurring in all parts of the surrounding district. * ,

A. report on the question of the dilution of labour and the position of apprentices has been prepared for presentation to the Trades and Labour Council at its meeting this week. The report was prepared by a meeting of representatives of the skilled trades and the -executive of the council.

A deputation of the New Zealand .University Senate waited upon the Minister of Railways and the Minister of Education yesterday to make an appeal for railway concessions for students travelling by train to attend special, schools. It was stated that many of the students had at their disposal very slender resources, and that the heavy railway fares were for them an insurmountable barrier. Replying, the Minister of Railways said thnt if the concession applied only to special schools he -would have pleasure in consulting with tho Minister of Education on the subject. He stated, however, that the policy of Hie Railway Department now was rather to repel traffic, than to seek it. He promised to consult his colleague Mr. Hanan, and to give the request careful consideration.

A vacancy having occurred in the University Senato owing to the death of Mr. Gordon, late Inspector-General of Mines, Cabinet has asked the Minister of Education (Hon. J. A. Hanan) to occupy tho vacant seat himself.

The following is a statement of moneys dealt with by the Hon. C. .1. Johnston, Consul-General for Belgium at Wellington, in hand at and received since April 1, 191G, ui> to March 31, 3917:—Cash iu hand at Dominion office March 31, 1910', =£216 10s. lid.; monevs received up to March 31, 1017, acknowledged in detail in The Dominion, .£1502 2s. 2d.—.£1718 13s. Id. Paid to Under-Secretary Internal Affairs to make up .£SOOO pel- month required to be subscribed by private persons to gain the Government subsidy of jESOOO, granted sinco April 1, 1915.'the total amount being remitted montlilv bv the Government to the High Commissioner in London to bo handed to the apuroved committee set up for dealing with the relief of Hokums in Belgium, J-cbrnnry 20. Wl7. .£1500: cash in hand at 1 , ",*'L' N ' nfficD - J,lll ' cll 81- 1!11 7. J=-I8 13s. Id.—1:1718 13s. Id. Also during the same period 19 cases of rlnthimr wore received and dispatched to the Belgian Ambassador, London.

Quail are very plentiful at the upper end of the Otaki Valley at the present time. Coveys rise freely dose to the road.

On Monday and Tuesdav next the Wel-lington-New Plymouth and WellingtonNapier mail trains, running in both directions, will not stop at Te Horo, Otaki. or Mnnaknu. Passengers for those stations will require to travel by the trains leaving Wellington at 9.25 a.iu. and Palmerston North at 5.10 p.m.

Sir Gerald Strickland was bidden a warm farewell by the people of Sydney, but it is safe to say that tho parting which will linger longest in his memory is that which was accorded by a small wayside township in Tasmania. The local Mayor in private life followed the noblest of all callings—he sold newspapers—and the raiway station, which stood on an island platform, was his busiest market, for there it was that ho supplied travellers from Launceston with the Hobart papers. .It happened that tho Launceston train had just pulled up when that conveying the Vice-Regal paitv hove in sight on the other line. "Hold her. Bill," cried tho Mayor to the drivcr, as ho rushed from carriage to carriage unloading his bundle. It was <imck work, but he had satisfied the' finnl demand just the Governor's train camo to a stands-till. The newsagent cast .the unsold copies in a corner, straightened his tie, and dashed to tho edgo of the other platform, where he became the Mayor. Still hot and inspiring, ho drew from his breast nocket the address of welcome, and in' a syncopated delivery assured Sir Gerald of t*ic undviug loyalty of the township and the noiguant grief it suffered by. his translation to a higher sphere.

An invention which should be of value. in preventing tho occurrence of such accidents as that which happened at Onelumga on Saturday night is mentioned in a recent issue of the "General Electric Review," published at New York, in describing a one-man car that has been designed in America. The controller handle of the car in question has an air Attachment, which is connected with tho :ircuit-breaker. If tho motorman. through accident, illness, or other cause, removes his hand from the handle while power is on the motor, -the circuitbreaker is opened., dropping off the power automatically, the brakes are arjplicd, sand is thrown on the rails, the front door is opened, and tho emergency door at the rear of the car is unlocked. These features, the "Review" stales, will absolutely eliminate accidents caused by passengers attempting to board or alight from a moving car. and they should also prevent the chance of the ear running awav, should tho motorman faint or fall dead.

Twenty-seven .boards of farm trustees, under the National Efficiency Board, have now been created in the Auckland Provincial district. To show that the system of fostering soldier's' farms is not costly to the State, Mr. Arthur Gillies informed the Farmors' Conference that, though the schemo had been in operation for three months, the travelling expenses and salaries paid to trustee boards, including his own expenses as supervisor, had been only «£l2 10s. •kl. The whereabouts of "George Timms, marine engineer," whose nanio recently figured in tho lists of balloted men who have failed to report themselves, has been explained by a letter to relatives in Christchurcli. Mr. Timms has been engaged in the trans-Atlantic service as an engineer, and some time ago the ship to which he was' attached was torpedoed. A high soa was running, but as the torpedo made "a hole as big as a church," the crew had to take to the boats. The first boat lowered was swamped, but others were safely launched. When the boats were fifty yards from the ship the vessel sank. After rowing about for five or six hours all the men were picked np by a patrol craft and taken safely to Plymouth.

"No right-thinking person who has re; gard for the welfare of ouv young- people," remarked the Hon. J. A. Hanan to a "Southland News" reporter, "can view- with- approval the number of those who aro allowed to roam the streets in the evenings. In some schools teachers have considerably reduced the amount of homo lessons. Many school children having little or nothing to do at home pester their parents to bo allowed out in the evenings.' Speaking generally on the subject, Mr. Hanan said that some action was necessary to deal with this problem. Among other things parental ignorance and the failure of the sense of parental duty and responsibility and lack of a true home family life were tho causes of such a deplorable states of affairs. Something more must be done in tho way of dealing with those who may be classed under the heading of neglected children." Jn order to prevent what was now 'obtaining he hoped to submit proposals- to Cabinet. In this connection tho need for some preventive measures was impressed upon him as a result of investigations into the causes responsible for the number of children being committed to the industrial schools under nis control. .

The question of allowing 'physically fit men between the ages of forty-five and fifty years to enlist for active service abroad is engaging the attention of the authorities in Australia. A recommendation to that effect was recently made' by the State recruiting officers, and, following on a conference with the Direc-tor-General of Recruiting (Mr. Mackin-; non, M.L.A.), a cable message was sent by the Minister of Defence to the War Office, London, asking whether such men would be acceptable. Senator Pearce said a few days ago that in Great Britain men over forty yeaTS of age were not accepted for active service, although men aged fifty years were enlisted for home service. In Australia the age limit was forty-five years. In Australian military circles the proposal is not viewed with favour. Officers who have been in France and Gallipoli say that the experience gained there showed that men over forty-five years of age, although apparently in perfect physical condition, could not stand the hardships and privations, and were more liable to suffer from rheumatism in the wet trenches than were the younger men. ■ Many elderly soldiers who had passed the medical tost with ease had left Australia, but in tho majority of cases a few weeks in the firing-line rendered them unfit for "further service, and they had to be invalided home at great expense. This view is endorsed by the medical authorities.

The use of tohungaism to quell. and sootho the violence, of insane people among the Maoris is a custom that is still preserved among certain Native tribes, says the "New Zealand Herald." A Maori named Henry King, who is a member of the Mongouui Maori Council, was questioned by Mr. Justice Stringer at the Supremo Court on Monday as to tho Nativo custom in dealing with insane people. The witness said that an eftort was always made to work tohungaism ou the person who was bereft of his senses, with the object of getting rid of the evil spirit. A specially violent person would be taken to a Native supposed to bo a tohunga-a prophet—who would uso gentle aud soothing words to him. Often it was necessary to tio an insane person down until the spasm of violence had passed away. Tho witness had known of two cases where tohungaism had been tried, and the subjects subsequently handed over to the police. Questioned ItU'tlier, the witness said that tho word "porangi" was used by Maoris to denote madness. A mad person was always gently used, mid the command "waimarie"—be gentle, be still-was generally given.

On June 9th and 10th persons producing on request a Crippled Soldiers' Hoatel art union ticket stamped on the front Lloyd, Jeweller," receive a present of jewellery or silver plato: .£25 worth now nn view iu Lloyd's window, Lambton Quay, will be given away* .

You may pay a higher price, but you cannot buy a richer, uioro handsome, more luxurious car than the Hudson Super Six. Price alone is powerless to improve on its near perfection. The velvety flexibility of tho Iludson contented motor, tbo spacious seating accommoda, Hon,' tbo deep leather upholstery, and its beautiful finish, make it a car to be proud of. May we domonstTato thin car to von ? TTTB DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES. LTD.. 65 COTOTUNAY PLACE. WELLINGTON.-Advl.

I Keep up off tho wet, on our stout, wellbuilt Winter Boots, 235. 6d., 255., 325. Gd. ' v Gcorge I'owlds, Ltd., Manners St.—Advl.