LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3110, 14 June 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

. The estimates for the year will be presented to the City Council at this evening's' meeting. In several directions they havo been slightly curtailed, but it is not anticipated that there will be any difference in tho rate to be struck. The levy made upon the city by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the current year is less than last year, and under that heading it is possible that a slight reduction may bo made. The allocation for oitv reserves may be -less also than last vear. At present about one-seventh of the revenue- from rates is absorbed by the reserves.'

"It would tako an economic bomb to wake some companies up," observed Mr. D. M'Lareu at yesterday's sitting'of tho Military Service Board, after a witness had been questioned on tho subject of organisation to reloaso men for tho war.

When an appeal for an engineer on a coastal steamer was before tho Military Service Board yesterday the 'military representative suggested that it might be possible to do away with some of the little steameis trading along the coasts, and havo the goods carried by rail. There was no organisation in. these matters, ho said, and something ought to bo done. Mr. T. E. Wallace, secretnry of the Engineers' Institute, expressed the opinion that the matter was one for the Efficiency Board. However, lie understood that there was more freight than tho steamers could deal with. As an instance of the big demand for vessels, be mentioned that in one of the centres an old drergc was being altered for cargo carrying. '

A five which originated in the bed of (lie gas engine was discovered shortly after 8 o'clock yesterday morning in the premises occupied bv J. AV. Wallace and Co., So. 11l Wakefield Street. The Fire Brigade was summoned, and soon put the fire out. The owner of the building is Mr. George Winder, who has his interest insured for MW in the Commercial' Union Office. Insurances on the stock total ,£3flG.i, and on machinery .£1935, all with the Victoria Insurance Company.

More trouble is browing in tho milk industry, which has probably been more discussed in Wellington during tho past year than during the whole of the period of the city's existence. Tho new trouble that is threatened arises out of the Board of Trade's proposal tr allow tho Dairy Farmers' Association to charge tho vendors another £d. per gallon during the month of July, whilst making no provision for the vendors to increase their price to the public. The proposed increase of Jd. per gallon is being allowed the farmers in order to cover tho extra expense they are being put to in having to make other arrangements to bring their milk into town on Sundays owing to the ourtailment of tho railway services. Tho vendors cannot see why they should be penalised in the manner set out, and a deputation from the Wellington Milk Vendors',! Association is to wait upon the Board of Trado on its return to Wellington next week, to see if some more equitable arrangement cannot be made.

There itro still cOiiie people who retain the old-time superstition that the number 13 brings bad luck in its following, says tho Auckland "Star.' Such a persou recently boarded a. passenger steamer now in port in Auckland, tie came to the ship prepared for a trip to iS'ew Zealand, and beforo bringing his bag, aboard asked the purser the number of his cabin., "No. 13," the officer replied. ''Unlucky number, that." said the tourisl. "Arc there many people travelling?" The purser looked at the list before him nnd said, "Thirteen in saloon." "And to-day tho unlucky Friday-with two tliirtocns—l'll stay here and go by tho noxt boat," called tho intending traveller as ho disappeared on bJioiv again,

Judgment was delivered by Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday iu tlio adjourned caso of Annio frmtlice v. Alfred H. Southee, a claim for a separation order. The Magistrate slated that ho was not satisfied with the evidence at tho timo of tho hearing, and it had since come to his knowledge that one of the witnesses for the plaintiff had committed perjury. The plaintiff's application was refused.

-Mr. L. S. Drnke, motor inspector for the City Corporation, who enlisted in the Expeditionary Forces over a year ago, and was invalided back to New Zealand, lias resumed his duties. Mr. Wighton, who has been doing Mr. Drake's work as well as his own, will still be tho head mechanician, tho two branches having been separated. Tho corporation at present has twenty-six motor vehicles in its service, providing plenty of work for an expert. To make provision for executing repairs a brick motor-shed, with a pit, has been provided in the Mercer Street yard, which, when completed, wilL give room for the extension of the workshop that leans against the Education Board's building. Tho extra room is needed, as it is being found necessary to make certain motor parts that are now unprocurable, a difficulty that may extend with America in arms.

About a year or more ago the Education Board found it necessary to ar-. range for a side-school for infants at Seatoun, as the only school in the district, perched on the top of a high hill above Worser Bay, was over-crowded. On account of the steady growth of the district the board has now purchased a block of laud between the Post Office and Stafford Street, on which it is intended to erect in the near future a modern school.

As an outcome of tho decision to disband made bv tho Wellington District Headquarters "Staff to tho National Reserve, a meeting- of the Brooklyn unit of that body was hold on Tuesday evening to consider the position. Mr. George Frost (president) occupied tho chair. Lieutenant W. A. Ramsay made a statement explanatory of the circumstances which had arisen, and an animated discussion by members followed. _ Ultimately a motion was carried unanimously that tho Brooklyn unit lapse as a military body and continue as a rifle club. Point was made of tho harmonious conditions which had prevailed amongst members, and regret that thenservices as a unit had not been bettor appreciated. All the committee having resigned, a fresh election took place, rctho return of tho former members. The oommitteo was appointed to draw up rules, and -report to a future meeting. A vote of thanks to Mr. Ashton Pitchett for the use of tho range was heartily given.

At tho annual meeting of the IMelson Licensing Committee, tho question of granting Cock and Co., Ltd., a wholesale license was adjourned for a couplo of hours, to enable Mr. J. H. Cock to appear in support of tho application, says an exchange. On resuming, Mr. Cock said ho did not appear in support of the application, because it had not •been customary. Ho desired to obtain the license, as he considered it an asset to his business, although at present ho was not trading in liquor. The Magistrate (Mr..P. O'B. Longhnan, S.M.). asked* if applicant was not trading in liquor what was tho necessity for a license? Mr. Cock said ho desired the license which had been held by his firm for seventy years. The Magistrate said ho would like to hear tho opinion of tho committee whether it would grant a license to a firm which did not intend ti> trade in liquor. Mr. Cock said ho did not intend to trade in liquor at present. Mr. Trask thought the liconso should be refused. Mr. Pettit also opposed tho granting of the liconso, stating that it looked to him _ like a "dummy" license if it was not intended to trado on.it. Tho chairman said ho did not think that any useful purposo would be served by granting a license which was not intended to bo used. The liconso would bo refused. Inquiries made in Christohurch (states Hie "Lyttelton Times") show that tho men at tho Westport Coal Company's mine and the Westport-Stockton Company's mine at Ngakawau have for some time been working as usual, and it is expected that the output from those mines soon will equal tho normal output before file strike. Tt is understood that the same agreement will be made by men working in other mines. Privilege holders of tho General Assembly Library are notified that the lib- | rarv will be .closed to them from, and including, Monday next. Holders of books are rominded that tho books mast be returned on or before that date, otherwise the privilege will not be again granted to them after close of the session. Following upon tho settlement of the itatersido workers' disputes by means of industrial agreements, application has been made to the Conciliation Commissioner for tho withdrawal of the disputes filed in respect to Napier, Wangar.ui, Wellington, Picton, Nelson, Westport, and Greymouth. These are the, ports in. ■"ho Wellington industrial district. It is understood that tho disputes in other parts of the Dominion are also being withdrawn. "I might also congratulate you on the fact that this young man is one of tho very, few of your body who has been classed as fit," said Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., to Bishop Julius, when the latter appealed on behalf of a clerk in Holy Orders at tho Christchurcb. Military Service Board. "Otherwise, I might say that the majority of them are, physically, weeds." "Only physically, though," rejoined his Lordship with a. smile. 'Oh, yes," added Mr. Bishop. At least one member of the City Council does not think that the threepenny minimum tramway fare on Sundays is justified by the existing conditions. Expressing his views to a Dominion reporter yesterday, he stated that nowhere else in New Zealand has 6uch a course been found necessary, and for the very trifling saving effected in the men's wages ho does not think that tho council is justified, in penalising the public in tho manner it is doing. To people at Hataitai, who are hommed in by hills and who have to use tho trams to get into town, he considers the threepenny fore into Courtenay Place is hurlly a fair thing, as a trip into town and back menus at least sixpence, and for a man and wife one shilling, as against four-pence-an increase of 200 per cent. Tho same argument applied to some of the other feeding-lines, such as Brooklyn, where the residonts were mostly of tho working class, and naturally felt that tlie increase restricted their movements on a Sunday. There was no shortage of con] at present, and really nothing to warrant the increase, for, after all, the trams were laid down to benefit the public, who were the owners of the service. Perhaps a great many of the public would not bo greatly inconvenienced during the winter months, when tho weather prevented them from getting about very much, but ns soon as the fine weather sets in he was sure that tho council would hove to revert to the ordinary frt res on Sunday.

"When the picture "Intolerance'-' was fir*t produced' at Drury Lane. London, the producer, Mr. D. W. Griffith, was present, nnd was called before the curtain by an enthusiastic audience. In tlinutinf,' tlio British public for tho great reception that had boon accorded his work he spoke feelingly about the relations between flic real Americans (there were Trish-Ainericans, Russian-Americans. Italian-Americans, and "unmentionable" Americans) and the Motherland, and said that lie wished the people of fingland could realise tho svmnnthy they had for the Old Country; how they looked up to' the Motherland, studied her history read her literature, etc. Ho referred to America as the naughty boy of the family who had broken away but who was now proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with her sous for the highest ideals in civilisation.

It is understood that tho directors of the Wellington Gas Company have decided to offer for sale a portion of its block of land, extending from Courtenuy I'lace to Wakefield Street (a depth of 430 ft). Tliis land, which occupies a silo ia tho contra of Courteuay Place, has for many years been utilised for the company's gas-producing works, but tho removal of those works to M'iramar lias obviated tho necessity of retaining the land any further for the company's purposes. Property in Courteuay Place lias been changing hands a good deal lately at prices ranging between -£100 and „£1!>0 per foot. Tho block to bo offered for salo has a frontago to Courtonay Placo of 100 ft. with a depth right through to Wakeiiold Stroot.

A 13commendation has been made by iho Conciliation. Council, and will come into l'orco on June 16, in the dispute between the Wellington Operative Butchers' Union and the Hawko's Bay and Manawatu Employers. The recommendation is substantially on tho lines of iho Wellington award. Hours are lixed at 82 per week and wages range from .Kl 15s. for first shopman to <C 3 per week for general hands, men in charge of order-carts, shopmen, and others. Boys and youths' wages range from 17s. Gd. per week (under 1C venrs) to Ji2 2s. (id. Oil to 21 years of ase). The suggested term for the award is two rears, to September 17, 1919. At this evening's meeting of tho City Council tho applications for tho newlycreated position of milk service manager for the city will be received. It is anticipated {lint these applications will como before the council in committee, so that no decision of a definite character is likely to be made for some little time to come. Tho first duty of tlie manager, whoever ho may bc.will be to submit plans for a milk-veiulhig service for tlio whole of the city, or possibly deviso means of giving effect to a scheme Hint may bo prepared by another. The prolilem is a very big one. but the Mayor and council aro resolved on going through with it, and. already possible sites for .1 clearing-house have been inspected. To initiate a scheme that will serve the whole of tho city will necessarily be a work of considerable cost, and as no money for such a work is provided in the estimates to be submitted to the City Council this evening, the prosecution of the scheme will probably mean tho raising of a loan.

A few day 3 ago it was announced that a branch of the well-known Zealand Convalescent Homo "Aotea," nt Heliopolis, Egypt, for Now Zealand soldiers, had heen established at Port Said, and wp are now informed that the executive of tho homo, whose headquarters are in Wellington, have cabled to the matron authority to have the new home furnished with everything needed for tho comfort and entertainment of tho inmates. No doubt, the military authorities sanctioned the establishment, of flie additional homo at Port Said, because of its nearer position to tho field whoro our boys are now fighting.

At a meeting held at Palmerslon North the following motion, which was proposed by Mr. T. I?. Hodder and seconded by the Rov. A. M. Aspland, was carried unanimously, and ordered to be sent to the Acting-Prime Minister:—"That in the interests of efficiency and tho welfare of tho Dominion this meeting- of citizens demands that thfi Government bring forward and pass legislation to close all liquor bars from 8 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning, or, a 6 an alternative, submit tho question to. tile people without delay by means of an effective referendum."