LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3193, 18 September 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

All interesting return laid on the table of the House of Representatives by tho Minister of Defence yesterday gave particulars as to the families of members of the Not Zealand Expeditionary Force embarked on aetivo service up to and including the Twenty-eighth Reinforcements. A great number of these had no children at all. Of the total number of 78,990 embarked, 1707 returned to duty. Of the. remainder 69,091 were single, 215 wero widowers, and 7977 married. Of tho married mon 2900 had no children, 2510 one child, 1203 two children, G77 three, 303 four, ICO five, 70 six, and 59 moro than six children. Last week about seventy wharf labourers, mostly men 'affected by tho shipping trouble, applied at the State Labour Bureau in Wellington for employment. Tho Department iad work on hand for about 100 men, but the applicants referred to did not accept it, owing to the fact that they would have had to go out of Wellington. Somo excitoment was caused in Parliament House last evoning through a radiator in Sir Joseph Ward's room setting fire to the carpet. The fire was discovered before it had gained a hold, and was put out without difficulty. "Who is thero brave enough to lax down on tho table a new system of education?" 6aid Sir. L. A. Edwards at yesterday's meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce. "Mr. Hanan," said Mr. T. Forsyth, with the knowledge of a member of the Education Board. According to a return presented to Parliament to-day 9220 "unfit" men have been rendered fit foT military service by dental , treatment in camp. This represents 31.0G per cent, of the total number embarked. Two accidents connected with motorbuses happened in the Hutt Valley on Sunday. Messrs. MTJwon and Carter's bus, while passing through tho gorge on tho way to Trentham, met another vehicle, causing it to be moved close to the outer edge of the road, which gave way and the wheels sank some distance, but not sufficient to over-balance the vehicle, which was extricated without much difficulty. About 2.30 p.m., Messrs. P. T. Moore's Tbus, while proceeding- round the Railway Hotel corner, Lower Hutt, ran into a motor-cycle and side-car driven by Mr. Ituir, of Rolleston Street, Wellington. The motor-cycle was ronsiderably damaged, and Mr. Muir had one of his legs severely bruised. He was removed to tho Railway Hotel, and afterwards taken home in tho motor-bus. Butterfish in first-rate condition aro extremely plentiful in Cook Strait lit the present time. Pishing off Cape Terawhiti on Thursday last one fishermen's launch caught about <£100 worth in a, day. These fish, which aro the most dolicate_ eating, can only be caught with the net iu cilm weather. Writing from Palestine ou June 30 to his father (Mr. P. T. Moore, of Johnsonville), Sergeaut-Major Moore, of the Main Expeditionary Force, says: "Still going strong as usual; men and Korses all in good fettle, but we must have a rest soon. In six weeks it wjll be exactly three years wince we enlisted for this tough job, and I think you should make a stir so that all Main Body men can bo granted a trip to New Zealand." Just now there seems to be a poor demand for labourers in Wellington, but all domands by employers fov these workers havo been satisfied by the State Labour Bureau. Tho bureau has work offering for about ninety men. at Napier and at the Peatherston drainage works. The Board of Trade has informed the •Canterbury Master Butchers' Association .that it lias no objection to the butchers obtaining supplies of meat from tho i Imperial stores, terms strictly cash. Asked to what extent (ho Government offer was likely to be availed of, a representative of the "Sun" was informed that the public had been so much accustomed to getting fresh meat that they would not stand tho frozen article. Ever since the statement appeared in tho newspapers that the butchers had made application to tho Government customers had been stipulating that they must have fresh and not frozen meat. Of course, if tho fresh meat was not available they would have to take the frozen article. The Government permission to take weal from the Imperial stores would be very useful in the event of a further and as a moans, perhaps, of keeping the prico of stock on tho hoof at a reasonable level. William Goddard, a married man, employed as a warder at the Terrace Gaol, was yesterday attending to sbmo_ scaffolding when the ladder upon which lie was standing gave way, nnd caused him to injure his Tight leg. Hβ was removed to the Hospital. The case of the Tcsorvist Fitzgerald, who is alleged to have suffered an injustice in connection with his imprisonment on a charge of desertion, was montioned in tho House of Representatives last night. Tho Prime Minister .stated that the Minister of Defence would mako a full explanation when tho Expeditionary Forces Bill was under consideration in committee. In advocating that all goods, not packages, should be branded nith the country of origin, Mr. L. A. Edwards stated at yesterday's meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce that it was absolutely necessary that tho renl country of origin should be known. "How woult yon propose to brand window glaseP" asked Mr. W. Smith. Mr. Edwards said ho had no knowledge of the teohnical difficulties, but he thought there should bo' no difficulty in stamping sheets in fluoric acid. "Lamp chimneys wero stamped 'Made in Germany. , " The executive sub-committee of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association at its last meeting considered the reply received from the Minister of De-fc-nco to the letter from the axecutive emphasising tho desire of the Returned Soldiers' Association that the increases in pensions and" allowances proposed by the Government should be made retrosj) xstive. The Minister stated that iu ais epinion any alterations made should be ;.pplioablo to all soldiers and their dependants as from a definite date, whether tho soldiel belonged to the Main Body or v.as going into camp. He feared that it was not practicable to mako such alterations retrospective. The committee expressed dissent at the Minister's suggestion that the scheme was not practicable, nnd'it wae decided to reply to the Minister stating that the association was convinced that in principle its claim in regard to the new ecalo was just, nor was it aware of any difficulties which could be legarded as making the proposal impracticable. Now Zealand's export trade is considered by tho Wellington Industrial Association to be encouraging. Figures given in the association's annual ieport ehow the Dominion's excesses of exports over imports to have been: 1913, .£1,156.7:'1; 19U, 1915, £10,772,102; 1916, ■£8,235,651. The Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, yesterday heard argument in Chambers upon an originating summons which raised questions about a small block of Maori land. The parties were Teaka Pairama and Tchui Pairama (Maori women, of Pio Pio) y. Edwin H. Hardy, surveyor, of Te Kuiti. Mr. E. P. Bunny appeared for the plaintiffs, who asked that a vesting order issued (wrongly, as ley contended) by the Native wind Court should be quashed by the Supreme Court. For the defence, Mr. T. Neavo contended that tho vesting order was legal. His Honour reserved his decisiou. : It is understood (says our Afasterton correspondent) that the licensed victuallers of the Wairarapa intend, securing a decision from the Fuji Court on the question of whether it is necessary to sign for every bottle of beer or 6ask of whisky brought into a No-Licence area. In view of si possible shortage of wheat in the Dominion, and a consnqiient scarcity of itour, Dunedin millers have been rather astoniehed to receive the following communication from the Collector of Customs at Dunedin (says the Otngo Times"):—"l am instratced to inform parties interested that the export of 200 tons of flour per .month to Tahiti will be allotted to applicants until further i.otico. Applications must be sent to Hie Comptroller of Customs as early as possible before ouch steamer's departure." Ideas mean money. The whole world ia looking for "improvements," and will pay handsomely for them. Any little device for doing things a littlo bettor—for saving timo, for saving money—is eagerly sought after. Do yon know of any? If 60, mako it bring cash returns! Write for Free Book, "Advice to Invonfore." HENRY HUGHES, LTD* Patent Agents. Advt.

In the week ended September 11, fivo married and twelve single men applied to the State Labour Bureau in Wellington, for employment. Two married and all tho single men wore, placed. A meeting of the Auckland Stonemasons' Union passed unanimously tho following resolution:—"Wu do most emphatically protest against tho uoo of concrete headstones on the graves ut' our fallen heroes, as being; altogether too mean, and perishable for the tombs of men who have given their lives for their country. Furthermore, we Know from experience that concrete headstones will not stand tho severe frost of Europe. If we are to perpetuate tho memory of these bravo men, granite is tho only material wo can use." At tno last meeting of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association the following motion was carried: —"That this meeting of returned soldiers is of opinion that any amendments to tho scale of allowances and pensions for soldiers should apply not only to those vho leave New Zealand in tho future, but also to all soTdiers already returned or at present on service, and therefore demands that any increases shall l>e r::nde lelrospectrve to the outbreak of war." Writing to his parents from a port of call, ii Dunedin marine engineer thus refers to a standardised built steamer: "I had a look over one of t)io t-taudard-ieed ships, of whioh you havo probably heard. She was built entiroly in Japan, with the exception of her feed vater heater and pumps, in 80 days, and considering that fact, she looked all right, though the chief engineer did not seem to like her too well." The farmers of North Olago (says the Oainaru "Alail") have given a {substantial response to tho appeal of the (iovornment to sow wheat. Practically :\U the wheatsowing has now been completed, though a small area may yet be nut in. Tho total area under wheat will, we l>eliove, be found to be between 22,000 and 23,000 acres. Last year's total was about 17,500 acres, so that tho increase will he equal to 30 per cent. The harvest was nn indifferent one, the total wheat production being oniy abouj: 490,000 bushels, and thus, with fairly good yields all round nt the next haTveat, the wheat thrashed should reach about 780,000 bushels, or nn increase of something nks 290,000 bushels.