LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 5, 1 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Gazotte containing the naincs oi the men drawn in the iltli Ballot will be on sale to-morrow morning.

Another call for labour to unload an oversea steamer which recently arrived was mads on Saturday, but again there was no response.

During the past month there were two bankruptcies in Wellington, while for the nine months ended with Saturday there were six bankruptcies, as compared with four for the corresponding period of last year.

At present there are about 260 r-'cn in the CI Camp at Featherston. Others are expected to arrive daily, and the work of putting the men through special physical training will be proceeded with. At present these exercises are oonfined chiefly to route inarching and other lighter forms of drill.

The Thirtieth Artillery Reinforcements engaged in field practice with live shell at Morrison's Bush, during tho week-end the shooting being; carried out by Cap. tain Bradloy, Chief Artillery Instructor. Th® guns used were IS-poundere and a l.aLn. howitzer. A departure from the usual routine of these shoots v/as the fact that the howitzer was placed further along the Martinborongh. Koad than on former occasions. Excell-'iit shooting was done at all ranges, the result reflecting credit upon the instructional staE. A machine-gun battle practice was held at Papawai under Major Fraser, Chief Machine-gun Instructor.

William Gohl, a man about 82 years cf age, residing at 95 Waipapa Road, 37ataitai, yesterday fell and broke his right leg above the knee. IHe was removed to the Hospital. The total cash receipts during IHe two days of the Paddy's Market effort on behalf of "Our Day" and the Blind Sailors and Soldiers Fund, totalled .£1152 Bs. id. ! 'lt is anticipated that at least .£ISOO will bo realised, as 'some ; big amounts' have still to come in. The Bank of Australasia opened up specially at 8 o'clock on Sataday night to receive the ensli from the treasurer (Mr. J. MTntosh), who was able to lodgQ the whole of tlie money in the bank before midnight. The action of the bank was much appreciated.

A rise in the price of liquor has been decided oil by the_ Christchurch Licensed Victuallers' Association, and the new prices will come into foice to-day. The rises are as under: —-All Bpirite, 9d.' per nip; Hennessy's 8-star brandy, Is. por nip; liqueurs and cocktails, 9d.; imported ales and stouts, 9d. per-glass; beer, for consumption off the premises, 3d. for two pints.

The A to L Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives lias recommended to the favourable consideration of the Government a petition for relief presented by the widow of the late Inspector Gillies,, ,of the Police Force. Inspector Gillies retired some years ago aftor very long service, which began as a member of the mounted constabulary on toe goldfields. The cause of his death wfts an old injury received in a tramway acdident in Christchurch while ! in the force, and his widow and two children have been ■ left with inadequate means..

"I am a Spiritualist, Socialist, and Republican," announced a Waihi goldmine;-, who appeared before the Militaiy Service Board ?t Te Aioha. He reminded the board that at _ a previous hearing ho had advanced' xeligioua objections. "Anything else?"- asked tho oh airman. "No; that will do." "You're not an 1.W.W., are you?" After a pause, appellant said "No. I. will not say anything about the X.W.W., as different people have different conceptions of the 1.W.W." "Well, you object to service outside the Dominion, I -understand?" "Yea. I obifct to fro beyond the threemile limit, but if New Zealand should be invaded I would be the first to - turn out." "If the enemy was three and a half miles away, you would not mind?" "Well, I will not discuss fine points of: that nature. I will not serve abroad. I would do eighteen months for sodition first. I'm up against it, and I, know it" When informed that' decision; would be given later with all other miners' cases, the appellant said he .had not been examined by the Medical Board, and was thereupon assured that if i the Medical Board failed ito pass him he would not need to worry about the enemy outside the three-mile limit.

Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) has given notice to ask the Minister of Defence: "Under what legal authority commissioned officers of the New Zealand Military Forces are compelled to take lower rant (whioh is in some 1 cases not a commissioned one) tpon entering camp for the Expeditionary Forces; under what legal authority the commissions of officers who are thus compelled to assume a rank lower than, a commissioned ono are held . in abeyanco during their service with the Expeditionary Forces; whether he does not consider that such compulsion to take a lower rank than a commissioned one is tantamount to depriving an officer of his commission, whfbh can only be done by a court-martial" The net premium income of the Accident Branch of the Government Insurance Department last year was' .£22,350, and the claims amounted to .£10,698. The assets of the branch at the, end of last year amounted to .£105,260, and the gross return from interest was .£4655. "On the coming into oporation of the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act, 1900," says the Government Insurance Commissioner in his annual report, "the rates for this class of business were entirely experimental, owing tp the fact that there had been no previous experience of a cognate nature which could, be utilised. The experience in New Zealand has been carefully tabulated by the Department's Actuary 6ince the coining into operation of the Act, and the rates have been actuarially revised from : time to time as the accumulated "data indicated the necessity of a revision of the charges. In 1914 a' general reduction in rates was made, and since then further concessions liave been granted in various occupations. The funds,- however, still show a considerable incrfease, and it is thoughtthat a furtlior general reduction in tho rates .should be made when tho Reserve and Accident Funds, which now amount to' £82,585, have increased to .£100,000." . Tho capture of a man said to be implicated in the theft of a horse was effected by Sergeant Cowan on the outskirts of Bombay, after an exciting chase (6ays the Pukekohe correspondent of the "New Zealand Hc-rald"). Driving out from Pukekohe towards Bombay, Sergeant Gowan camo across his quarry, on a horse. The man refused-to halt, and galloped off along the road, outdistancing his pursuer. A motor-car was then requisitioned by the sergeant, and ultimately' the horseman was again picked up between Bombay and Paparata. Sergeant Cowan stopped tlie car and called 'upon the man stop, but he refused, and galloped off at a break-neck pace.. The motor-car followed, and a race ensued for about a mile. As tho horseman declined to pull 'up, the car was so manoeuvred that it struck the horse on the side, bringing it to tho ground. The sergeant, from his seat in the car, caught hold of the rider and secured him.

Most people associate the wh'ale with the Arctic ami Antarctic Oceans only, but it is frequently met with in tbo warmer waters of the. tropics. The commander of one of the Trans-Paciiic mail steamers reports having recently had_ a singular experience in the with a large specimen of the whale tamily. It happened. one day just before noon, when the passengers were lying back in deck chairs enjoying the balmy breezes tinder the awnings, that a peculiar bump was felt throughout the vessel, and the navigating officers immediately noticed that thn vessel's speed was being' reduced and the steoring was affected. An investigation was made, and it was found that an enormous whale was lying horizontally across the stem, the ship having cut its way half through tho body. The engines had to be rovorsed and the vessel backed before tho whalo could be 6haken clear of the vessel. Apparently the whale had been lying asleep slightly submerged and did not realise its danger from the fast moving mail steamer in time to get out of the way. For good wear try our English or Colonial Glaco Boots, 255. 6d. to 395. (id.— George Fowlda, Ltd., Mannere St.—Advt.

In the notification published on September 29, headed "Parcel Post. Increase in the rates," the initial rate for inland packets (comprising commercial papers, books, and printed papers, pattern and sample packsts and unregistered magazines) was wrongly shown as 6d., instead of Jd., for each 2oz. or fraction thereof up to lib.; 2d. is to be chargcd for each additional lb. up to 51b. Among those who took a lively interest in the demonstration of the new American life-saving suit, brought out by Air. J. B. Clarkson, at' ihe Te Aro baths jifltorday, was lliss Ada Reeve, who is a devotee of the iurf in tho summer .'lays. She was greatly struck with the utility of the new sea-proof clothes, and is determined to get measured for a suit when her timo comes to again cross the sub-marine-infested Atlantic.

The member for Auckland Central (Air. A. Glover) has asked the Minister of Mines to give increased assistance to prospecting parties which may explore the gold-bearing district between Gape Colville and Waihi. There' is reason to believe that important reefs may be discovered in this area, but the work of prospecting is costly and the results are uncertain.

The Wellington Branch of the A.S.R.S. has endorsed the resolution passed by tho mass meeting of Railway employees held at Petone Shops during lunch hour, as follows"That this mass meeting of railway employees, Petone, vigorously protest against the continued of ■ the Government to seriously grajjple with the cost of living, and meanwhile enormou6 war profits are being made on the one hand, whilst tho prices of the necessaries of life are going up by leaps and bounds, and wages remain stationary. Consequently the standard of life is still declining, ,many articles of food and dotting are being replaced by inferior gooes in less quantities, and the struggle for existence grows keener and keener. In many cases men with families are unable to obtain necessaries of life for growing children, or making both ends meet. . We therefore demand that Parliament assembled, immediately take the necessary steps to definitely fix the price of food, clothing, and rent within the limits of our wages, or increasing our wages by the amount required to purchase those articles."

At the Boat Harbour yesterday afternoon Mr. J. B. Clarkson, of Wellington, gave an exhibition of the effectiveness of an American life-saving suit which has been recently invented. The exhibition was watched by about five hundred persons, including -Sir Joseph and Lady Ward. The sea was rough, and. was ideal to show how effective tho suit really is. Mr. Clarkson, fully dressed, except for his hat, got into the suit, and jumped from the landing-stago into the water. Floating on his back, lie propelled himself with his hands half-way across the Boat Harbour, . where lis drank a bottle of milk and smoked a ' cigar. After being in the water for about twenty minutes, Mr. Clarkson came out and took off his suit. He was perfectly dry, and was as warm as before he entered the-water. Misa Ada Reeve will give 'an exhibition of the suit on Wednesday or Thursday, in the interests of the Red Cross Fund. The suit is made of a thick material and coated Tilth, rubber. On the inside there are two small on the back and tlie othr/r on the cheat—stuffed with kapoo and llama, silk. There is nothing ..else in the suit to keep a person afloat. On the'front there .is a largo waterproof pocket'' for holding food, and it is stated that a person would be able to live tor several days in the_ suit._ This lifepreserver is a war invention, and was perfected in the interest of passengers across the Atalantic. A collection for the Red Cross Fund realised M 1/s. "The Life and Work of Mrs.' Ajinio Besant, President of the Theosophical Society," -was the subject of an addrets given at the rooms of the Theosophical Society last night by Miss C. Christie, national lecturer. Miss Chr.stio reviewed the personality and career ot Mrs.'Besant, whose activities, she declared, had been tremendous, and although seventy years of age she was stiu fighting for the oppressed, still risking life, liberty, and property for the sake of others, in defence of the truth, of law, and of justice. Her. work and that of the Indian National Congress was wholly constitutional, and she baa never said a word that would incite to violence. She was tlio greatest power for the British Government m India to-day. In her last speech, given before her internment (She was subsequently released), she said: I am'old, but I toljeve I shall see India will Home Rule before I die. If 1 have helped ever so little to the realisation of that ; glorious hope • L am more than satisfied."