LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 96, 16 January 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A vigorous shock of earthquake was experienced in Masterton at 8.43 o'clock last evening. It was of short duration.

The sitting of the Thir.-l Wellington Military Service Board to have I.een held to-day has had to be postponed to Wednesday, January 23, owing to the indisposition of tho chairman, Mr. W. H. S. Moorhouse. It is hoped to make arrangements to hold tho sittings fixed for Thursday and Friday next, "Won by a short hoad." was the comment of Mr. Moorhouse (chairman of tho Military Service Board) when an appellant proved that he was just— only just—in a class not yet called up. When Jasper Ashworth camo before the Military Service Board yesterday ho deplored" the fact that he was t<o old to go and fight in this war. He showed the board his South African War Medal with its six bars, and regretfully observed: "I wish I could have obtained another ono.

Mr. W. A. Kennedy, manager of tho Union Steam Ship Company, yesterday stated in the Third Military Scrvrco Board that tho company had no fewer than eleven engineers ashore ill, and was finding it very difficult to keep all its ships running.

In the course of ;i !<>Hor to tho Defence JMim.ilcr, JjictiLcnant. J. ,, . 0. Matthews, who before lie enlisted was private secretary to Sir Jiimos Allen, writes: "I accompanied General lUcliardson on a visit to O.ttlamls "nd Mount Felix. JSotli are splendid places, hut I. particularly admire Oatlands, tlio place for limbless patients. I never saw a more cheerful lot of men. There is an attempt inntlo here to teach tiio men typewriting, shorthand, and bookkeeping. There is also a carpenters' class, and a clnss in mechanical engineering, particularly for motor mechanics—a most excellent idea. The General has also arranced for a mimher of the men, after their course hero, to visit some of the big workshops in the country. 'Hie scheme is an excellent one, and I am full of admiration for it."

A young woman, .Miss Nellie Frockiul, daughter of Captain .1. Freelaml, who resides at Mountain View Road, Morningsido, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Saturday suffering ' from a scalp wound and severe bruises on the hand inflicted by an unknown assailant on Friday night. Miss Freolaml had boon visitine a friend at Grey Lynn, and was- returning home, along tho Point Chevalier Road shortly after ton o'clock. When near tho Western Springs, in a rather lonely part of tho road, sho heard quick footsteps behind her, and at tho samo moment received a violent blow on the head, which dazed her. She laised her hand to her head and immediately received a second blow, which fell partly on her fingers. The second blow felled her to tho ground, but she did not entirely loso consciousness. No further attack was mado, however, and there was no attempt at robbery. Miss Freeland states that sho saw nothing of her assailant, and, beyond hearing the footsteps befoio receiving tho first blow, heard nothing. Tho wounds received by Miss Freeland arc not considered dangerous, but the brutal nature of the attack is indicated by th°. fact that, in addition to tho sea Iμ wound, one of tho finger-nails on tho hand which received tho second blow had to bo removed.

The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, lias stated that the total number of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and discharged soldiers under treatment at tho beginning of last week was 968. These- cases aro spread over various hospitals and institutions throughout the country,. tho exact particulars being as follow: —Members of Expeditionary Forces in institutions, 171; out-patients, 154. Discharged soldiers: In-patients, 424; out-patients, 219. At the Auckland Hospital there aro 68 inpatients of both classes, and 115 outpatients; at Wellington, in-patients 33, out-patients 22; Christchitreh, in-pa-tients 32. out-patients 10: Dunerli". inpatients 22, out-patients 95. At'Rotorua there are 28 mombers of tho forces, and 115 discharged soldiers; Hannier, 18 soldiers, 54 discharged men. At Epsom, Dovonport, and liowry Buy Convalescent Homes there are only discharged men —the numbers being:—Epsom 16, Devonport 13. and Lowry Bay 13. At the Waikato Sanatorium there, aro 8 members of the forces nnd 21 discharged men; and at Cashmere Hills Sanatorium two soldiers and 18 discharged men; nt Coronation Hospital o discharged men; Pleasant Valley (Dunedin) 5 soldiers nnd 5 discharged men. "In addition to theso cases," added tho Minister, "there aro, T am sorry to say, a number of mental cases in the institutions, and this class of patient is showing a regrettable increase."

Among the appellants at yesterday's sitting of the Third Military Service Board was a woollv negro who had so early'developed a lbenfc for the seafaring life that lie had chosen to be born at sea. He had in due course been registered at Trinidad. The board found thßt he was a lona-fklo seaman, and adjourned his case sino die.

William Patrick Coiiriek, being called up for military service, wrote .as follows to the chairman of the Appeal Board: "I am of opinion that there, is a mistake, as I have eight children. I thought it best to wrte to you and explain, as all my children are under fourteen years of age." The lettor was written from Porirua. Unfortunately for his case Conrick omitted to supply proof that he was a proud parent in the eighth degree. The board therefore dismissed the appeal, though, of course, if eight birth certificates are later produced the matter may bo ieopened.

The road over the Rimulaka Hills from Featherston Township to the Summit will bo closed for all traffic today, during the hours the road is being occupied by the Thirty-fourth Infantry Reinforcements on their march from Featherston to Trenthnni. Tho hours during which the road will he closed are approximately as follow:—From Summit end, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; from Featherston end, from G. 30 a.m. until rear of column has passed, when nil traffic must follow in behind the troops, and, on reaching the Summit, ouly through cars for Wellington will I'e allowed through tho troops.

The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey), according to the Dunedin correspondent of tho Christohurch "Press," is not in favour of the suggestion that the disposal of the German colonies should bo determined by a plebiscite of their inhabitants. Hβ considers the principle is dangerous, and involves several insurmountable difficulties. He emphatically supports the principle that the natives concerned in tho future administration of those colonies should be given adcauato representation at the final conference, and hayo full opportunity of expressing their views, font he cannot support the suggestion that self-determination by f> plebiscite should be tho basic factor iu the ultimate disposal of the German colonies. There are many factors in addition to native interests to be considered, these factors involving tho vital questions of defence, etratogic position, and progressive development.

The scarcity of men in the back country of New Zealand (especially bushfellers), results in there being an overrunning of wild pigs, which endnngers the farmers' lambs in lambing seasons. Recently, in the King Country, adjoining Mahoonui, one farmer, when mustering, counted over 130. During Christmas week a Hawera resident, while visiting a brother, went out on an afternoon's hunt, and in the clearing they accounted for fourteen pigs. During auother couple of hours, while riding on horseback, they' saw several more scurrying down tho foiice lines towards tho bush.

Responding to the toast of the Public Service Commissioners at a l'ost and Telegraph Officers' Association's reunion in Christehurcli, Mr. D. ltobertson remarked that the Public Service Act was far too inelastic. There were many things the Commissioners would like- to do, but could not, as they wero bound by the four corners of the Act. Hβ hoped that members of Parliament jvould take tho matter into consideration and give them some amendments which would make tho Act moro workable. If tho Act could not he amended at present he thought that the schedulo should be amended. Times had changed, apart from the war, since the schedule they wero working under ranio into force. He assured members of tho association that anything that could bo done to improve their position the Pulilin Srrvico Commissioners would use their best endeavours to forward it.

One of Uio most tragic stories of t-lio war —of a uiollicr wlio fanio homo from India lo sou her son, only io loam from a casual glance at a newspaper 01 arrival that ho had boon lulled—was told at an inquest at. Tlornsey on Mrs. Mabel Hyde, says tho "Daily Express." Mrs. Hyde, a widow, who had lived in India for a long time, came homo to see her son, an officer in the R.F.C., from whom she was separated for eight years. While she was on tlio voyage her son was killed, and his name appeared in (lie casualty list the day his mother landed at Southampton. On tho way to London a fellow-passen-ger offered Mrs. Hyde a newspaper, and, turning it over idly, she saw the nmiotmecmriit of lier son's dentil. From Waterloo she went to the AVnr Office, whore tho news wns confirmed, and then she wont to a sister's house at MuswoU Hill, where she spent a sleepless ni'lM. The next day she made her will, wrnto a number' of farewell letlors, and nt nialit tonic the whole contents of a bottle of tabloids which contained poison. A verdict of "suiride whilo of unsound mind" was returned.