LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 279, 14 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Minister of Defence lias been advised that the Thirty-ninth and. tho Forty-first Reinforcements have each arrived at ports of call.

Tho need for additional accommodation at tho Normal School in Kelburn has been pressed for eomo. timo past by the residents in that suburb, and in turn by the Board of Education in correspondence with the Department. Cabinet has now derided, on the recommendation of the Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanau), to approve additions involving an expenditure of from .67000 to «£SOOO. The additions will be in brick, to make the building homogeneous. The accommodation in the school has been much below the requirements of this rapidly growing district for somo time, and many children have had to so to other schools hecauso of their inability to eecuro admission to this institution at their ojivn doors. '

The Wellington oatmeal agents have been advised that the_ prico of oatmeal has been advanced by <£3 per ton. The price is now ,£29 net per ton free on board at southern ports, which means that freight and all charges have to be added. The rise is equivalent to 3s. per cwt., or 9d. per 251b. bag. All other oat foods have also advanced. The millers say they have great difficulty in obtaining oats suitablo for milling at even as high as ss. per bushel. Farmers, however, liaVe demanded higher rates than this.

The food-purchasing value of tho sovereign is no x 13s. 6Jd., according to Government statistics. Based on .the figures in the three food groups—groceries, produce, and meat—the sovereign in June, 1915, was lGs. 9d.; in June, 1916,'155. 9Jd.; and in June, 1917, 14s. Bld.

A rare and splendid specimen o£ the ,female sea. elephant was captured on Saturday afternoon by Mr. W. Ward, of Papakura (Auckland). Mr. Ward noticed the strange object in the water, and by careful manoeuvring managed to steer it into shallow water, with the result that it was stranded. It was secured by chains, and on Sunday morning brought into tho township in a wagon. A number of shots had taken effect in the animal's head, and it eventually died somo twenty-four hours after being captured. It measures 10ft. in length and sft. in girth, and is being exhibited for a few days in tho interests of the local lied Cross funds. Tho Military Affairs Committee have' received from the Manawatu Eacing Club a donation of «EoflO for tUo- ejection of a Church Army hut. failure to notify tho union of tho engagement of employee was responsible for proceedings boing taken at the Magistrate's Court yesterday against F. J. Oakes, licensee of tho Duko of Edinburgh Hotel, for a breach of the Wellington hotel workers' award. The Inspector of Awards, Frederick 'Wilson, claimed a penalty of JEIO on tho ground that defendant employed a worker named J. Hyndman during the two weeks ending July 13, 1918, without first applying to the union for tho man's services. It wa6 also alleged that defendant failed to notify the union of Hyndman's cugagcruont within ' a reasonable time, as required by Clause It of the award. Mr. 11. E. Evans, 1 who appeared on behalf of defendant, stated that on July I a man named Brooks gave notice, aud on tho following day defendant met Hyndman, who had previously been employed at the hotel as barman, and arrangements were made with him to fill (lie vacancy. Several efforts were made by defendant to get into communication with the secretary of the union by telephone to inform him of the matter, but without success. Inspector Wilson stated that the office of the union was in close proximity to defendant's premises, and defendant could have easily walked to the office aud saved further trouble. It. was true that Hyndman had worked at the hotel previously, but he left the litaec before "the union knew . lie was there. The uuion had had no opportunity of asking Hyndman to become a member, or of bringing in the operation of the preference clause. Mr. j\Y. G. Riddell, S.M., said that Claus_e_l4 of the award was perfectly plain in" its terms. The onus was cast upon the employer to carry out the. provisions. If the employer was unable for some reason or other to carry into effect the term* of the clause it was his duty to continue his efforts to get in touch with the union until the provisions of the award were complied with. Judgment was given for plaintiff for 405., with costs 10s.,

"This is a most difficult position," said tile chairman of tho First Auckland : Military • Service Board (Mr. P. G. Burgess,- S.M.) on Monday, "and it is tho first caso we have had where a whole family is liable to bo stripped of its manhood, because the father, as well us his grown sons, ijomes within the Military Servieo Act provisions." The appeal was that of William A. Romerville. warehouseman. Maior Conlan said lie did not think the Act contemplated, when the aire limits were fixed, the conscripting of the father ns well as the sous. Appelant (43) said lie-had one son at camp and one just attained military aee. Mr. Pino said thn board had dealt, with one caso where father and sons were away, but these went voluntarily. The board said, nbtins oil a suct»estion from military counsel, that it 'would allow tho case to stand down for six months— which was just as Rood as sine die.

A. man was arrested by Detective Mason yesterdav on a charge of forging a military railway warrant. The accused will be brought bsfore tho Magistrate's f'onrt to-day. ,

A strange occurrence is reported by Mr. C. Eawlinson, of the Sash and Door Company's staff, who lives at Carrington Road (a suburb of New Plymouth), states the Taranaki "Herald." Mr. Eawlinson was cycling to a dance at Carrington Eoad oil Tuesday, night.' and noticed what lie took to bo a bright star in tho direction of tho ranges (about six miles away). Suddenly tho light 'seemed to shake, and, flashing alternately red anil white, it swooped forward and downward. The light then rose four or five hundred feet, then falling again and describing various other movements. Mr. Eawlinson hastened back to his home and told his sisters of the occurrence, and they also saw the light swinging about until finally, at about half-past eight, they saw it going to the westward (the direction of the sea). Tho watchers are quite positive about fhc spectacle, and declare that at one stage during the halfhour they were watching the iight disap-. peared behind tho ranges'and then rose again; Mr. Eawlinson ihitiks a flyingmachine is a possiblo explanation, for, although he heard no noiso, he states thero is a bare patch about the spot where tho light was, and an aeroplane would be able to land there. ( The geysers which recently broke out at Fry'ngpnn Flat, Waimangu, are still active. Guide Warbrick Reports that, as flie result of two months' work, all the tracks washed away by tho overflow from Fr.vingpan Valley have been re-formed, and a bridgo built over the hot stream issuing from it. The whole of the tracks leading from Lako Eotomahana to TTaimanga have been put in onion It is intended to rebuild the guide's cottage, and a new tea-house, to replace that wrecked by the eruption of April 1, 1917.'

Writing to Mr. E. Newman, M.P., on tlio subject of his proposal that the surplus profit ou wool commandeered by tlio Imperial Government from now until tho end of the war 6hould be devoted to a fund for the benefit of the dependants of tho sailors of tho Royal Navy and mercantile marine killed or wounded in defence of tho Empire, Mr. E. P. Hudson, M.P. for Motueka, says: "On receipt of your telegram, 1 circularised Farmers' Unions, etc., in my electorate, and so far all replies are heartily in favour of wool surplus being devoted to relief of dependants of sailors as suggested. If I should have any objectors I will let you know, but should you not hear from me again you may conclude that all hero arc in favour.' Mr. Newman's suggestion was considered by the Dominion Woolgrowers' Advisory Board, which passed tho following resolution: "That this committee lias no power to deal with tlio proposal made by Mi'. Newman. That, while it co(isidcrs the object that Mr. Newman has in view is ono deserving the support of everyone, his proposal to give all the surplus wool proilts to tho Sailors' Fund would not act fairly to individual woolgrowers." Stock-taking month means bargains for customers. See our shirts, at 4s. Ik)., or three for 129. Geo- Kowkk. Ltd.—Advt. i

Tho Karori Croquot Club lias been granted the use of toe two croquet lawns at thtf Karori Park for a further term of twelve months, as from October 1.

The drawing 5000 reservists from Class C, Second Division, was completed by the Government Statistician (Mr. Malcolm Fraser) jesterday afternoon. Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., w'as. the supervising Magistrate. Mr. J. R. Palmer (Town Clerk) represented the Mayor, and Mr. M. ,T. Reardon the Wellington Trades and Labour Council. The nnmee of the 5000 Class C men drawn, with tccretions to other .classes, will be issued in a Gazetto Extraordinary nest Wednesday. The names of'the Wellington men will be published in The Dominion of that day.

The Karori Borough Council has decided to close No. 1 hockey ground on Karori Park for hay, as from Octobcr 1.

"Thero is no thought of combining Canada and tho United States after the war," 6aul Mr. George Bell, member for Victoria in the British Columbia Pallia, menc, in reply to a question.' "Both countries are well pleased to be neighbours," he continued, "and the public men of tho United States recognise that while Canada remains part of the British Empire she brings additional protection to her coasts. From a commercial standpoint, wo scarcely knoiv that thero is a dividing line—there is a tremendous volume of trade between Canada 'anil the United States. True, there is the tariff, but Canada has a tariff in respect of goods from the British Isles. Reciprocity has been practised between Canada and the United States, and tho inclination is towards greater reciprocity—an inclination that will be encouiaged and increased after tho war moio than it lias been in the past. I am not alone in holding these opinions; I liavo heard the biggest men in both countries who are in a position to talk on tho Bubiect express similar views."

British Army Orders for May contain notification of the King's approval of tho issue of "The King's Certificate on Discharge " (1) to officers who have relinquished their commissions, and (2) to men who have been discharged under the following circumstances: "'(a) After service overseas : in a theatre of operations wifh an Expeditionary Force in the present war, on account of disablement certified, under tho authority of the Army Council, to have been caused or aggravated by military service, (b) On account of disablement certified, under- the authority of tho Army Council, to be directly attributablo to the action of tho enemy, e!g., air or naval raids, (c) Previous to the transfer of tho Royal Flying Corps to the Royal Air Force, on account of disablement certified, under tho authority of the Army Council, to have b£en caused or aggravated by military service while, engaged on flying duty in connection wifh operations, against tho enemy, other than in a theatre of operations." Approval has also been given to the award of a special diptinctivo certificate' entitled "The King's Second Certificate on Discharge," to officers and men who, after the award of the first certificate, voluntarily served again, and were discharged under similar circumstances. The certificates may be awarded to' any of His Majesty's Regulnr Reserve, or Auxiliary Forces, or any of- the Expeditionary Forces raised bv the Government of any part of His Majesty's Dominions outside the United Kingdom. '