LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"Ts this another case of a business shutting down if one man goes to the war?" asked Captaia Baldwin of an employer appellant at tho Military Service Board yesterday. The employer: "Well, yes." "Captain Baldwin: "A dozen or so businesses were going to shut down if we took one of their men, hut they have not done so." The employer said that brickmaking (his industry) was essential, and. if it ceased, building would be interfered with. The chairman: "Oh, ■well, there will be no carpenters or plumbers, or other tradesmen soon, so bricks won't be required." The appeal was dismissed.

Deteciive-Sergt. Kawle- and Const.ibls Tricklebank yesterdny arrested a Harbour Board employee on a charge of bigamy. Sir Joseph Ward informed n reporter yesterday that advice had been received bv the Government that ten steamers would be available for the shipping of New Zealand produce for September, ana that six were now on the berth for July and August. The combined carrying capacity of the vessels would represent about a million ami a quarter carcasses.

A soldier named Ellis Humphrey Bracey, while walking along La-nbton Ouav' yesterday, fell in n fit and was taken to the Public Hospital suffering, according to medical advice, from heart trouble The Hospital reported last night that Brady hod recovered and was well again.

The Gas Company notify consumers in this issue that the supply of gas will be resumed at 8 o'clock this morning, .inn that it will remain on until 6 oclock this evening. Tho following officers have been elected to the Wairarapa Branch of the IN.//. Teachers' Institute for the ensnms year: -President. Mt. G. A. dimming; vicepresidents. Miss Marryait nnd Mr. G. TT. •Tones; committee, Mrs. Williamson. Miss Finlnyson, Miss -Sutherland Messrs. Conel, Dnimmond, Dixon, Gordon, JacKson, and Leslie. Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P.. who was one of the Parliamentary deletion from ■NewZealand to , visit the Old Country Inst year, is to deliver a lecture in Wellington under the auspices of the Mvy League on July 20, describing his visit to the Grand Fleet. He proposes to givfl impressionist sketches of the great men of the Navy whom he mot, including Sir John Jellicoc and Sir David Beatly. He will conclude his lecture ■with an account of a Zeppelin air raid on London. ' Mr. A. Carstens, Nairn Street, writes:— "My name wns published in the recent list of defaulters, but I was examined by the Defence Department's doctor on January 2-t last, and rejected as unfit. Sinco that date I h?>ve henrd nothing further from the Defence Department, and naturally was astounded to- see my namo appearing on tho above-mentioned list as a 'defaulter. 1 " Master plumbers are fairly frequent appellants for employees who have been drawn in tho military ballots: Tester* day the chairman of tho Third Wellington Military Service Board expressed the following opinion respecting an appeal for a First Division plumber: The Second Division is being called soon, and if this man wero exempted it would mean that none of tho Second Division men should go." The sympathy of tho schools has been enlisted in connection with the collection of 'funds with which to meet the cost of the plum puddings that fire to l>e forwarded to soldiers by the Mayoress's Committee well in time for r.fxt Christinas. An appeal IB being made to the school children to contribute turnpennies for this purpose, and tie delight with which they are undertaking to make this, to them, great sacrifice is very beautiful to witness. The children have been told that one shilling will cover the cost of a pudding, and already there is rivalry between the standards, as there ■will bo later on between the s:hoals. Tho puddings are to be made by Mrs. Luke and her assistants, and >vill be boiled by tho Wellington Meat ixport Company at their Ngahauranga works, as on previous occasions.

.'"Crust the people" may bo -iJI very well as a political catch-cry, but. it is foolish advice to the Boa-side dweller who thinks.that he may leave his well-stocked bag of provisions in the tramway waiting shed whilst he seeks still further tot add to his burden. One. Karaka Bay resident at least is a sorrier man to-day through obeying the political behest. He left a bulky bag under a seat in the Courtenay Place waiting shed at about 1 p.m. on Saturday,- and looking for it five minutes later foimd it had vanished. He valued tho bag and contents at about JJ2 15s. In the Supreme Court yesterday, on the application of Vt. T. M. Wilford. tho Chief Justice (VSir Robert Stout) granted a decree absolute in the divorce oase Lnura B. Baker against Edward Alfred Baker, with custody of the children.

A plumber, giving evidence before the Military Service Board yesterday, mentioned what he termed the scandal of a blocked drain in a city building not being attended to. The water from the drain had been running down the street for somo time, and if it was summer more would be heard of it.

The National Committee of the TM.C.A. wishes it known that it wilt bo pleased to take charge of any musical instruments donated for the use of tna soldiers in camp rnd have them forwarcled to one of its camp institutes, where they will ba cared for and turned to good account by the lovers cf music among the men.

Among the donations recently received by the Y.M.C.A. for its war work is a sum of £5 from a Chinese sympathiser who desires to remain anonymous.

In connection with the raising of the car mileage rate for electrical power }d. per mile, the City Council has written to the Mirnmar Borough Council, pointing out the increased cost of production at the City power-house, which is the sole reason for raising the rate to the borough. On its part the borough, which objects to the increase, says that there is a definite agreement as to the cost for energy nn a ■ car mileage basis, and that any variation of that agreement must be given twelve months' notice of. In view of the existence of such an agreement the borough authorities cannot seo why the price of power has been raised so suddenly.

Private It. Cv. Campbell, of Otane, whose name was included in the list gazetted by the Defence Department of men vho had been drawn in the ballot and failed to parade for medical examination, twice voluntarily enlisted, and on tho Inst occasion he was accented, and sailed ■with Hie Seventeenth Reinforcements.

The Wairarapa Branch of the Teachers' ! Institute has passed a resolution in favour nf the six o'clock closing of hotels. The Tararua ranges are at present entirely free from snow. This is a thing almost unknown in the experience of tlio oldest settlers of the Wairarapa for tlio present season of the year , . A -witness at the Military Service Board vesterdav said that fiErures supplied officially showed that SBi New Zealand plumbers had enlisted. Wellington had supplied the largest number of plumbers to the Forces, and ClirisMuirch ranked next. Captain Baldwin, military representative with the board, replied that before the war there were 1032 plumbers in the country, and now there were 1027— only live less.

Additional War Regulations were gazetted last night extending to the Cook Islands the operation of those regulations relating to the censorship of military or naval operations and the utterance or publication of seditious matter.

The tact and energy displayed by Wellington grocers in trying to cope with (lie enormous demand fiom housewives fov iho famous "NO ItUBBING" Lnuudry Help is most praiseworthy.—Advt.

A fino example of patriotism has been shown by a Pa tea family of whom four brothers are now serving Hip Umpire. One had an eye shot out in tlio Gnllipoli campaign, und the fifth was drawn from Bulls in a ballot heldi recently. Some time back he had a foot injured in :i motor-cycle accident, ami after three enlistments in succession failed to pass the test. Tie then went to Patea, where on operation on his foot was performed. Upon being drawn in the ballot he passed easily, anl as he Tiails from a fighting family it (rave him great pleasure.

The Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club met last evening and heard the reports of delegates to the recent Bominion Conference on the conference, proceedings. The delegates' speeches were of considerable length, and appeared to cover tho ground very exhaustively. An application for n license for a billiard room was granted by the Lower Hutt Borough Council, at its meeting last evening.

The National Committee oC tho Y.M.C.A. acknowledge t!ie following contributions to its war funds:—T.ornnalu Patriotic League, £'i 10s. !)<l.; North Taranaki Patriotic Lenguo. .£!(!; Tnnki Ladies' Patriotic League, .£10; Lawrence Patriotic Fund, .£ls 18s.: "Anonymous,' cCGOO; Miss B. White, Wellington, 55.; South Wellington Tennis Club, -E3; Kongoten jtirls (per Mr. H. E. Grainger), M 10s ; Mr. .T. Costoll, "Rongotea; ,£\; Mrs E. Wells, Brooklyn Bay, 55.; Mr. TSlackie, Mosgiel, .CI; Mr. T. Hinckson Mee, Bectet, ,C 5 a=.: Mrs. M'Kmley. is.; "Anonymous," .01. ■