LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 38, 8 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Government has appointed a Eoyal Commission, consisting of Mr. H. W. Dishop, S.M., to inquire into tho !,eneral administration and conduct of the Gisboruo ■ Hospital. It is alleged that tho conduct of tlio institution has not been quito satisfactory, and that amongst other things there has been unrest and disnlfc-clion among members of the nursing staff of tho institution. Into all these matters the Commissioner is , speciliciilly directed to inquire. Ownerless dog 3 have made themselves nui6iinces on several occasions lately in tho Kilbirnie district. School children have been attacked by them, and one in particular gave a good deal of trouble, lie is said to have bitten a Uiild rattier badly, and.to have been a troublosomo brute to arrest. He was taken in clmrge by a police constable and finally went up in smoke through tho big slack a; the corporation destructor. Tho Commissioner of Police has aniionnced a number of police transfers and promotions. The following conulnbles havo beon promoted to sergeants and will bo transferred to Wellington:— Constables E. Woodley, of Xihikihi; .T. .1. O'Grady, of Geraldine; G. B. Edwards, of Kurow; 11. Martin, of Kai(angata; D. A. JlacLean, of Russell. Constable F. Hammond, of Kiiigsland, h«s been given the rank of sergeant Mid transferred to Auckland. Sergeant J. Filzpatrick, of Wellington, go&s to Palmerston North, and Sergeant C. J. King, also of Wellington, will be transferred to Christchureh. Sergeant J. A. Crttickelmuk, of Mount Cook, will go to Wellington South.

"Unit and group commanders in tlie Territorial Force," states District Orders, "are to clearly understand that they nro to exercise the greatest caro possible when'considering any proposals for (training which involve unavoidable expenditure. It is tho duty of unit and group commanders, where possible, to carry out training without expenses to tho Department, and not to entertain any proposals for concentration cninps, week-end camps, marches, etc., other than those ordered from District Headquarters, or to submit such proposals to District Headquarters if they would involve expense to tho Department, as all such expenditure must, for the present, 1)0 classed as avoidable. Especially is this tho case in regard to mounted units, horse hire, etc.; bearing in mind that the training which is being suggested for these troops will scarcely bo found st-fli-cient for instruction in dismounted duties." The general labourers' award for Napier, Hastings, and Watiganui having expired, now claims have been filed l>y tho Builders' and General Labourers' Union. These are "on similar lines to those filed in tho Wellington dispute in the 6amo industry. The principal items, are:— Hours,-17 per week; wnges, labouring Is. fid. per hour, scaffold construction Is. 7jd., tunnel work Is. 9d., quarry work Is. 9d. to Is. Cd.i youths, in the proportion of one to five labourers, to bo paid not less than .-£2 per week. The depute will be considered by a Conciliation Council at Napier on November 20 and at Wangnnni on November 22. Assessors nominated by tho lMiion are: Messrs. J. St. Campbell, F. Stolt, and M. J. Iteardon. The death occurred at Apia on October 11 of Hγ. Poter Hasmussen, cr.o of the oldest white residents of Samoa. Ho was born in Denmark in 1842, nnd in ISOB was shipwrecked in tho group, and had many vivid experiences with the natives, who were then wild and warlike. On one occasion ho submitted to tho torture of being tatooed from head to foot. This not only saved his life, but as it wns a chiefs tatoo it gave him rank nnd chieftainship amongst' tho islanders. In 1875 he was appointed ono I of tho overseers of Mulifanua Plantation, and directed tho planting of Fatuosofia, ndjoining the Mulifannu. group of plantations. In 1880 ho was appointed lull manager and remained in chargetill 1830. Messrs. W. G. Groves, 11. IT. Rydev, S. Schofiold, A. G. Pilmer, and C. N. Stillborn have been elected members of tho Castlepoint County Council. For two of the eeate on the eouucil thero wero no nominations. Lieutenant David Doull, of the Australian Forces, who wae considerably, smashed at Quinn's Post daring the Gallipoli campaign, and who is at present visiting Wellington, contested the Cook electorate (Svdnov) againet the Labour candidate (Mr. Catts) at the last Federal election. Though ho was beaten, Lieutenant Doull polled 13,000 votes, and his services to the party as an advocate of conscription are testified to by a lotter ho received from Mr. Joseph Cook. Fifty college boys have been mado available for farm work in iho "Waira-i-apa during the months of December nnd January. Tho Chinese Consul at Samoa has been advised that on and after October la last all foreigners' travelling in Chum must carry % passport issued by a Chinese Minister or Consul. Messrs. C. E. Blewettj Kobcrt Judd, J. E. Porry, A. Forsbery, C. Sey.-nour, and C. A. Wall have been elected nembers of tho Mauricovillo County Council. At the auction sale held yesterday at the Chambor of Commerce by Messrs. Longmoro aud Co. a number of properties wero submitted on behalf of tho Public Trustee. Tho firm report having sold tho two sections in Church btreet, Sea-toun, at £2& The other properties not reaching the leservo price wero withdrawn, and the auctioneers are open to negotiato for the sale of any ff them. An examination for first appointments to commissions in the Territorial I'orce will bo held at Pahnenton North in February. "It is to bo speciaUy noted by all concerned," state District Orders, "that attendance by any candidate at this examination or. at any course of instruction that may bo hold prior to the examination is purely voluntary. Candidates desiring to attend, and who may be employees, must produce a letter or certificate from their respective employers consenting to their attendance. At tho present time it is of tho greatest importance that attendance at courses of instruction should not interfere with any employment or business in which candidates are engaged." An examination for promotion of officers of the lerntorial Foreo will also be hold in February. It is subject to the same conditions. A motjng of tho Taranalci and Wellington woolgrowers was held at the A. aud P..Association's rooms (shjt the "Manawatu Standard"), presided over by the president of tho Farmers' Union (Mr. G. L. Marshall). Mr. G. V. Pearce, M.P., was elected as Wellington and Tnrajiaki representative to tho New Zealand Woolgrowers' Committee. The present prices of wool were discussed, and it was decided to' forward the following resolution to tho Government:—"That this committee is of opinion that tho spirit of tho agreement re the purchase of New Zealand wools, namely, 55 per cent, on pro-war rates, has not been carried out so far as regants seedy wool, crutchfcigs, and skins. An extraordinary gonoral meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was hold in the club-rooms last evening. Mr. J. D. Harper presided. Tho chairman stated! that about 100 subscriptions wero outstanding, and that if tho unfinancinl members continued to owo the money they would have to return their badges, lie "further said that tho proceeds of the returned soldiers' ball amounted to about The main business of the meeting was to hear an appeal by a. returned soldier whose membership had beon cancelled. After a lengthy discussion and the production of some, evidonco tho meeting negatived a proposal that tho mattor should bo referred back to tho committee, and reaffirmed tho committee's decision to expel tho member from the association. One reservist in the Masterton district with a family of six children wne (says our Masterton correspondent) drawn in the first ballot for tho Second Division.

Mr. Ilieoiloro ]!. Jacobsen, of Auckland, and some years ago in practice as an architect in Wellington, is now in this city for tho purpose of interviewing the Government with reference to an invention of his which has for it* object tlio dispensing with Die periscope on submarines. The patent, for which registration has been applied, is said to bo simple, but very effective, and Mr. Jacobsen has no doubt that when the Government sees it. it will think so too. At a meeting of tho Wellington Labour Representation Committee held last night it was resolved that in Clio event of a vacancy occurring in Wellington North to immediately consider tho advisability of contesting the eeat in the interests of Labour. An interesting defence was (says the Auckland "Star") niado by a defendant, a milkman, who was before the Court cm a charge of employing a boy to work a few hours daily for 7s. per week. Defendant said that, not being a member of the Auckland Dairy Employees' Industrial Union of AVorkers, nor yet ono of tho employers, ho was not subject to the terms of the award. Secondly, that tho rate of wages to the boy referred to, viz., 7s. lor 5J hours j er week, was at "the rate of Is. id. per hou.r," being one penny more than the overtimo rato of wages allowed in tho award. Further, tho. defendant claimed (hat, from September 3 to September IC, ho was absent, from his round on holiday, and therefore the allegation that he, for several weeks immediately preceding September 21, employed the boy was incorrect. Tho Magistrate (Mr. Page) ruled against tho defendant, and said that, where a worker employed labour, he was engaged in an industry, and was therelore bound by tho terms of tho award governing that industry.

Burglars are busy in the Eiccavton district. Some time ago the place was subjected to the unwelcome attentions of the sneak thief, and there appears to bo a recrudescence of the trouble now. On Thursday evening (says tho Christchnrch "Sun") five houses were broken into, but it has not been ascertained whether any substantial hauls were made. Attention appears to have been devoted particularly to Lower lUccarton. Troubles of this land are not new to Christchurcli at raeo time. The "cracksmen" are apparently of the amateur type, who await tho departure of a family from homo, and then proceed to ransack the premises. It is anticipated that ono good effect of the prohibition of departures from Australia will bo tfiat there will be an absence at this year's Cup meeting of piekpockols. Usually this fraternity camo from Sydney nbout this time of the year, commencing operations at the Cup meeting in Cliristchurch and working north to coiicliulo with tbo big meeting in Auckland. Gorman Samoa, now occupied by British (New Zealand) troops, has proved her loyalty to her new administrators by sending troops to the front. According to a recent Samoa "Times," au entertainment was given in aid cf a fund that has been established for the benefit of Samoa-born soldiers. The entertainment, which took the form of a picture show and dance, realised the sum oE .£l2O. Tho National Provident Fund Department, which has vacated the Bank of New Zealand premises in Mnnncrs Street, lias been accommodated with a flat in the new Central Police Station in Johnston Street. In order to keep in close touch with the public a shop has been secured in Manners Street as an information bureau. •

The members of tho Now Zealand garrison at Apia (Samoa) are hard put to it at times to mako "their own fun," but the recent formation of an operatic society, followed by a performance of "H.M.S. Pinafore," has given a good deal of healthy amusement to tho garrifiou and the public of Apia. The cast of characters, which consisted almost entirely of New Zealtuiders, was:—-Sir Joseph Porter, Captain J. M. Gillespioi Captain Corcoran; Mr L. C. M'lsaac; Ralph Rackstraw, Lieutenant _R. W. Westmacott;. Dick Deadeye, Private A. Nowberry; Midshipmite, Master J. Allen i Josephine, Mrs. C. E. E. Rendle.; Cousin J lobe, Miss Gladys Syddall; Buttercup, Mrs. Jack Westbrook. District Orders call attention, to tho order already issued prohibiting the wearing of fioft trench caps or any other soft-topped enps by members of the New Zealand Forces. The military police havo been instructed to take tho names of all wearers ire tho future. Owing to the scarcity of boy labour tho Ashburton Electric Supply Company has engaged a girl on tho mechanical staff. Her work includes the manipulation of the electrically-driven machinery, tho manufacture of minor parts,, and various other duties. The manager of the company expreses himself as thoroughly satisfied wifli the experiment, which, he contends, shows that girls can bo trained to do this kind, of work quicker and to "stick" to it more consistently than the average boy. The wages paid are practically the same as boys receive w'ho are doing similar work. Reference to the part America is taking in tho war was made in Auckland by Mr. A. A. Winslow, American ConsulGeneral, in replying to the toast of tho Allies at the dinner tondered to Mr. A. A. Rose, provincial president of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Winslow eaii America was in tho war to the finish. Thcro was a period daring which British peoplo looked coldly on America, and his own reception in New Zealand was not of tho most cordial nature. He quito understood tho strain under which the people of the Empire were labouring, and the atmosphere around him rad warmed wonderfully during the last few months. President Wilson was a Christian gentleman of high character, who strove earnestly to securo peace in the intaests of humanity. When that proved impossible there was no hesitation, ami America had <ntered the war to see it out to tho finish. Mr. Winslow said he was intimately acquainted with the Belgians, having been stationed at Liege for four years. The Belgian people were "true blue." 'I he Allies wero not going to allow Belgium s sacrifices to go unrewarded. Tho work of the forces on tho Western front was straining the enemy's endurance to breaking point. When General Grant was before Yicksburg, and hie army was making no apparent progress, he was asked what ho proposed, to do. Hβ tcplied that ho was going to hammer nwar even if ho had to do so oil summer; Sir Douglas Haig was hammering away, and his work was doubtless, having a far greater effect than wo at a distance realised. In conclusion Mr. Winslow said tho great Anglo-Saxon race as a result of tho war, would be united with unbreakable bonds when peace reigned once more.