LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3135, 13 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Minister of Defence informed a reporter last evening that he had authorised the release on parole of Dr. von Danneville from internment on Somes Island, on condition her friends provide guarantees for her good behaviour. She is being released on account of ill-health.

Tb« City Council does not propose to offl&nlly celebrate Arbor Dny this year. Tho usual course of distributing to citizens any surplus trees .-vailable at the city reserves nurseries, for planting at their properties for beautifying purposes, cannot be given effect to tliis. year in anything like the extent to which trees were distributed in former years. This was enused by the very dry summer last year and the existing shortage of labour. A list of trees 'jvailable has been prepared, and every effort will be made to meet the requests of various applicants for trees.

At yesterday's meeting of the War Relief Association, the chairman (Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp) announced that the annual inoeting of the Advisory Board to Patriotic Societies is to be held on August IG. Messrs. Tripp and C. SI. Luke were appointed delegates to represent the association.

At a district court-martial held at Trentham Camp on July 5, Private D. Mii;;uire, Details, was found guilty of disobeying, a lawful command given by his superior officer. He wns sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for eleven months.

Conscience money amounting to .Cll2 2s. Gd. is acknowledged in last night's Gazette. The money wae sent from Auckland to tho Commissioner of Taxes by someone whose identity is unknown.

The City Council decided last evening that regulations permitting the manufacture and usn of Muntz metal valve cisterns bo rescinded, and that a by-law be drafted to prohibit tho installation of such cisterns six months after the coming into operation of the by-law. On questions boing asked, the council was informed that tradesmen were not in the habit nf stocking such cisterns, and no hardship would bo involved.

Mr. P. M. M'lvay, of Nelson, the inventor of <i very wonderful , automatic arm and hand (described in The Dominion recently), intends to leavcfor Kngland to place his invention at tho disposal of the War Office. Mr. M'lvay promised a. public demonstration in Wellington, but that, cannot take place owing to his ti-mo being restricted. He has, however, shown his invention to tho Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. I". Maesey) and other Ministers and members. Mr. Massey, who has visited tho Hospital for Military Cripples at Roohampton, England, says ho is sure, there is no ot'her artificial arm as effective as Mr. M'K-ay's. A Wellington company with a capital of .£2OOO has taken up the patent, and is sending Mr. M'Kay to England. In New Zealand no artificial arms mo to be made by Wiseman's, of Auckland, on royalty.

Tho By-laws Committee of tho .City 1 Council reported to 1 ast evening's meeting of tho council that they had refnsed applications for permits from owners of taxi-cabs licensed in othere centra to ply for Uiro in Wellington during tho raco week, and had advised tho Police Department accordingly. John V. flea, 106 Hill Street, writes:"My name appeared among tho defaulters for'military sendee last Wednesday. I wish to state that I am incorrectly included in the list, as admitted by the Defence Department. I presented myself for examination at the tune notined, and did not come up to standard. It was decided by tho City Council last evening that n by-law bo drafted to regulate tho use of head lights on motor ■vehicles in the direction of providing that such vehicles shall be fitted with lamp glasses with the,».*» fl f * d or ground, in order to dimmish tho glare. "We aro now Hearing the close of the third year of this calamitous war " says he annual report of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, "and it is interesting to note the very large number of teachers who have joined the colours to uphold the honour of-our Empire. In this education district no fewer than 33 1-3 per cent, of the male teachers haye been accepted for military service abroad. It now becomes matter for serious consideration whether the teaching profession should continue to be depleted, for according to figures quoted by Captain Walker the military representative, before the First Wellington Military Board, out of 1078 teachers eligible for military service 525 have enlisted, and only 12 of the men in the First Division nave not enlisted."

At last evening's meeting of Hie City Council the free use of the Concert Chamber on the afternoon of July 20 was granted to the T.M.C.A. for Hie purpose of a reception to Messrs. 31. M. Smeeton and A. Varney, who are Tβtnrnin» from a visit to France and England, and of the big hall on July 26 for Hie purpose of hearing those gentlemen relate their experiences. The permission was granted subject to the collection that was to he taken up being for the soldiers at the front. Tho ladies' :umliary of the Navy League were granted tho use of the Concert Chamber Mr the <>veiiiiiET of July 20. "Since our last report," says the ar.nual review of the Wellington brunch cf the' New Zealand Educational Institute, "an \ct has been passed empowering the creation of a Film Censorship Board of three, but so far only one censor has been appointed. Though we recognise that some improvement lias been mado in many films ns the result of this official's work, we feel that much remain;? to be done towards the elimination of questionable matter, and the introduction of films of a more educational type. The appointment of a woman as .a nietnber of the Board-of Censors would mean a distinct advantage to the morals cf onr young people." 4t last evening's meeting of the City Council Councillor .1. Oj Shorlan.il objected, to the expenditure of ,£66S on tie electric car for the Electric Lighting Department, as an extravagance in vavtime. It was explained by Councillor Barber that this car was purchased for tho object of introducing cars which would depend on tho corporation for power. As a matter of fact, it was an economy, ns the car was charged up at a time when tho current was piing to waste, so that its power cost nothing, ns ngninst the heavy cost of petrol. Councillor 'Fitzgerald considered the ccpeiuliture quite justified, and the Mayor fully supported tho purchase of the onr in question. "NO KUBBING , ' laundry Help i.l what- we recommend for washing all clothes clean. Shilling packets always in stock.—Advt. Have you seen our special show of Wide-end Ties at Iβ.. or three for 2?. 6d. ? George Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street. —Ailvt.

the course of ils report to tho City Council last night the Tramways Committee recommended that tbeKilbirnif Municipal Electors' Association be informed, in reply to their protest against the adoption of minimum tram fares on Sundays, that the council ■•cannot seu their way to make any change with respect to Hunday services at present. A division was taken on the clause, which was ; passed by eiglit votes to five.

At the annual meeting of the "Wellington Diocesan Council of the New Zealand Catholic Federation, held on Wednesday, the following officers were elected:—Patron, His Grace Archbishop Redwood; vice-patron, His Grace Archbishop O'Shea and Monsipnor M'KsJina, V.G.; president, Rev. Father Hurley, S.M. (reelected); vice-presidents, Messrs. W. M. Luxford (Wansanui), Tl. A. Keennn (Napier), anil O. P. Lynch (Packakariki); mpresentntives to the Domiinou Council, Rev. Father Hurley, Major T. P. Halpiu and Mr. W. M. Liixford. The condition of the Field Service Fund was considered satisfactory, and a contribution from the Welliiißton Racing Club of .'.'200 was especially appreciated.

Tlio Mayor announced last evening that a report on (lie damage done by the recent flood in Wellington was beinu prepared by the City Engineer, and would be presented at the next inoeting of the council.

.At tlin Eltham Magistrate's Court en Wednesday Charles Edward Cosse.v. a member of the Reserve, charged with failing to notify n change in his address, was convicted and ordered to pay 7s. costs.—Press Assn.

Mr. J3. Parry, chief electrical engineer to the Public Works Department, in an address to Hie Council of Agriculture Conference yesterday, dealt with "the development of electrical power in New Zealand in relation to the advancement of agriculture." He put forward the propositions that Hie institution of a general electric power system throughout a country is necessary for the complete development of a * country's resources, and that for any system of electric power distribution which may be established, the cost is recoverable in between four and five years. Assuming tlint there was available a source of supply in the North Island, the capital cost, of the lines could be recovered in four or five years in tho coal bill. That did not mean that less coal would require to be mined. On the contrary, the demand would be increased, and the collieries would be much more readily developed. Low-grade, refuse coal could be gasified at low expense, and so used through the agency of electricity. From peat, ammonia and oils could be extracted by a system of electrical distribution. With a general evstem of electricity it would be a simple matter to profitably develop and utilise the emaller and more uncertain watercourses. Mr. Parry showed that by the use of electricity in agriculture production could be greatly amplified. Its application already bad proved a really paying proposition for the Government in the Taitapu district. In fact, tho country was a better customer for current than the town, applying it to so many various purposes, apart from lighting. With respect to gas, he thought its use would only be stimulated and not reduced by the greater use of electricity; and he advocated the distribution of gas and electricity being under one control. Electricity as a motive power for all farm purposes was undoubtedly possible. He hoped trials would be made at Lincoln College nf electric ploughing. 51 ilk could be sterilised by electricity, although at tho moment it was in the nature of experiment. A trial was being made of checking frost in tho orchard by electricity, with good prospects.

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luko) stated is.st evening thai a compassionate allowance had been made to certain of the poorer residents of Penrose Avenue on ncccu'it of the <lnni!M!c done by the recent "'oa..iing. Councillor .T. Castle nsked that a. similar nllowjuiu! might be nuule to tho Newtown School Committee. In the course of his reply, tho Mayor said that the danmzo done by the flood was not the liability of the City Council, 'the real fault wns that the Newtown School had been built 100 low. Uo knew all about it. as he had been tiro ehnirmn'i of the School Committee before Councillor Castlo had conio to tho district.