LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 69, 16 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Gazel'to Extraordinary has been issued, revoking tho Ordcrs-in-C'ouncil made during the opidemic, fixing the maximum prices of oranges, lemons, vegetables,' apples, and fish. The Telegraph Office advises that on account of the extreme pressure of business on Tuesday, December 24, there is likely to be abnormal delay on all telegrams presented after 10 o'clock in the morning, and the public aro requested to present their telegrams as early as possible before December 24.

Base Records has received particulars of the incident for which the Yictoriu Cross was awarded to Sergeant John Gilray Grant, of tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force, for gallantry in tho Hold of action. At Bancourt on September 1, under point-blank fire at twenty yards, he rushed enemy posts to the right and left, showing conspicuous bravery. It is recorded that throughout tho operations, lasting three days, lie set a splendid example to all. His next-of-kin is. his mother, Mrs. J. Grant, Princess Sircet, Hnwera.

A boardinghouse in Willis Street wa6 raided by Sergeant M'Kelvie, Plainclothes Constable Black, and Constables Hedgeman and Straffon late on Saturday night, and a quantity of liquor was seized. Court proceedings will follow shortly, when the proprietor will be oliarged with having kept a sly grogshop.

A retiring collection was taken up at the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church last night in aid of the Presbyterian Orphanage, Berhampore, and the sum of .CIOO was realised. '

Some time ago the ratepayers in tho town of Otaki agreed, on a : poll being taken, to tho raising of a sum of .£1)500 for the purpose of lighting tho streets of the town by electricity, but owi,ngto the war the project had to bo deferred. The Town Board has now decided to make an endeavour to raise the money, and if successful to proceed with the work at once.

The Post and Telegraph Association, according to a Press Association telegram from Auckland, has forwarded a protest to the Postmaster-General against the decision of Cabinet not to pay a war bonus before the end of January. It is stated that Sir Joseph Ward promised delegates of the association that the bonus would be doubled .this year, and that the first of two instalments would be paid before Christ mns.

At the next meeting'of tho Johufionvilio Town Board the chairman (Mr. F. T. Moore) will raovo:—"That proposals be submitted to the ratepayers o'' the Jphnsonville Town District inviting them to authorise the board to borrow .£IO,OOO for the erection of twenty .workers' cottages on, the vacant building allotment* owned by the board, and also a proposal to borrow J2500 for remodelling the' board's water supply service." The Minister of Defeuce has been written to asking whether ho will sell for removal some of the buildings erected at 'irentham to supply material for the above cottages.

Tho following is a copy of a letter received by the War Relief Association from the Minister of Public Health (the Hou. G. W. Russell), dated December 12:-"Freo Hospital Treatment for' Soldiers' Dependants: Tour letter of December 11 on the above-mentioned subject has duly reached me. I approve of resolution passed by the Advisory. BoaTd on December 5 to' $lio effect that if a soldier has served at the'front, returned to New Zealand, and is still undischarged, his dependants should be entitled to the concession of free hospital treatment, and I am instructing ray Department to arrange accordingly."

The following resolution was carried at h meeting .of tho Ma6terton A. and P. Association on Saturday:—"That this association enters an emphatic protest against men suffering from venereal disease being interned at Featherston, and wo believe that this will be a menace to the district, and .we also think that it would be unkind to tho men themselves to send them to a camp where tho location will be so public."

Messrs. W. Perry and D* M'Grcgor have been elected to represent the Mastci'ton i. and P. Association on tho Control Board of the Taratahi Soldiers' Training Farin. ' With tho cessation of hostilities, and the removal of the' restriction against women travelling abroad, shipping companies, during the last few weeks, have been deluged with' inquiries from people desirous of visiting England and the Continent, states the "New. Zealand Herald." Most of these-inquiries are. with reference to passages by steamers leaving in February, March, and April, and there is every indication that shipping companies will have considerable difiicultv in coping with the demand between March-and August. The ordinary lime-table of some of the companies has not vet been resumed, but it is anticipated that that will come about early next year, for which period the bookings are already fairly heavy.

Under the will of the late Miss Emily Scricf the following institutions have benefited :-Home of Compassion, Island Bay, .£150; Home for Incurables, Buckle Street, £150; St. Josephs.Orphanage, Upper Hutt, .£100; St. Patrick s College Building Fund,, Miwimar,,.£2oo; St Inne's Church, Newtown, Building Fund .£200; Newtown Convent of Mercy, .£SO; Redemptorist Fathers, .650.

Mr A. W. Roger, accompanied by. Mr. F. C. Hay, A.M.1.C.E., and three other members of the executive of the Southland League, is coming to Wellington, with 'a view to conferring with the Uiiet Electrical Engineer and others regarding the Southland hydro-electric power scheme and the proposal to form an Electric Power Board in Southland. Immediately the engineer's preliminary report is received, a conference of .representatives of public bodies will be held to discuss tlie position; and if this conference is favourable towards the promotion of the Southland scheme, then steps will at once be taken to secure the necessary signatures to a petition. asking the' Governor-General to proclaim a Southland Electric Power District. It is understood that a thoroughly satisfactory and economical, development ot Lake Monowai has been mapped out by the engineer, and that this source will prove in every way an admirable one tor the needs of the province. ■Reginald George Smyth appeared in the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning before Mr. F. V. Fmer, SM., and pleaded guilty to .obtaining M from Messrs. John Duthie and Co., Ltd., and ,S1 from Messrs. Gollin and Co. by means of a false pretence that he was authorised to collect money on behalf of the King George Hospital at Rotorua Sentence was deferred until Wednesday in order that further inquiries may be made regarding the accused. The Rev. John Beid, who for the past eight or nine mouths has been in charge of the Gonville Methodist Church, Wanoanui, has resigned for the purpose ot takin" up individual work under the YM G A The latter organisation is enlarging its activities. Prior to coming to New Zealand a little over four years a»o Mr 1 . Reid was engaged for six years under the Church of Scotland in slum work in Glasgow. His .experiences are expected to be of great value to him in the Y.M.C.A. work, which he will _tate up in Wellington about January 15.

. Friends in and wound Wellington have in former years assisted the various Salvation Army homes at Christmastide by donations, whiceh have added brightness and cheer to the mmatese. Tins year, with even a larger number dependent upon the Army, owing to sickness and death, donations in cash or produce or toys will be more than ever acceptable. These could lie sent to Com-: missioner Hodder, Cuba Street, or to the! Children's Home at OOwen Street, or to Iho Rescue Home at Owen Street, or the Women's Hospital, Kensington Street.

Tlio owner of n Christchurch garage stnled on Thursday that there is no immediate prospect of motorcars manufactured in America being produced at lower limn war-time prices, lie supports this opinion by the fact that material, especially steel, eonliuues at very high rates, anil that as'a great deal of it will bo required for the reconstruction of manufacturing plants in Prance and Belgium, the demand will continue. Freights already havo been reduced, but lie thinks that" until keen competition sets in between shipping companies there- will not be a great difference and that it will be Bis monthß before curs can bo obtained at what may be considered rqnsoMble rates.

Robert James Hazelwood pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning to tho theft of one 'do«m silk handkerchiefs valued at ill 18s., the property of Messrs. Buttcrworth Bros. Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., remanded him to Wednesday ,for sentence, and ,'bail was allowed in <£25 and one surety of '^C 25.

Southland suffered severely as a result of the influenza epidemic. In tho "Southland Daily News alona there were 331 death notices from November 9 up to one day last week. Of that number 102 persons were between the ages of 21 and 40 years.

Among the New Zealanders stranded in Australia just now is the well-known rifle shot, Mr. Arthur Ballinger. • He has not, however, been having the unhappy lime that has been tho lot of some of the exiles, for lie has been at the Blue Mountains, and he has had an opportunity of following his favourite sport. In a match which was arranged there he had tho honour of making the highest score of the shoot.

. The reply forwarded by Sir James Allen to the report of the delegates who recently visited (ho hospital institutions at Kotorua was discussed at a meeting of the Joint Committee of tho-Kw! Cross Society and the Order of St. John in Auckland last week. The Minister's statement that the delegates had drawn their conclusions, from somewhat insufficient premises, and that the absence of certain necessary information from medical officers and'headquarters correspondence had resulted in a judgment upon incompleted work, was taken up in'snirited maimer by several members, "les!" exclaimed one, "the very information his officers were-instructed not to give us!" Another member of the delegation: "We investigated conditions for ourselves; ,and I think our means of. obtaining information was more reliable than any source which appears to have been available to the Minister himself!" The statement that the development of medical requirements had to be gradual, as.no one could foretell the duration of the war was also challenged. "How nnich longer did he want tho war to go on before further 'developing' the work?" queried a member. On the motion of Mr. W. Spragg it was .'decided to refer the. letter to the Delegation Committee for further consideration and report.

The centenary celebration's ia connection, with the. New Zealand Methodist Church will take place in 1922 It was decided bv the Auckland Synod last week to recommend to the conference that the occasion be marked by suitable th.lnkeciving gatherings, and the raising of a thanksgiving fund. The Rev Samnel Leigh landed at the Bay of Islands on February 22, 1822,. and the first Methodist service was conducted at Whangaroa,. on Sunday, June 8. of the same year. ,-.■,.' In the Juvenile Court on Saturday morning, before Mr. IV V. Frazer, S-.J1., six boys, the eldest being la years ot h»e nnd the youngest 11 years, were charged with the theft of macrocarpa trees, valued at £Sl Is., from a plantation on the Town Bolt, the property of the City Corporation. Mr. J. P&liea, City Solicitor, who appeared, for the corporation, said that he was instructed not to'press for damages. Although the estimated value of the trees was placed lit £"7 there was roallv no commercial value' Mr. O'Shea, added that he ww satisfied the boys had no sense of their responsibilities in the matter. v The. lads were severely, cautioned ■. and discharged. At the Magistrate's 'Court on Saturday morning, Mr./. V. I'razer, S.M., ordered six first ''offenders for insobriety to forfeit. 10s. each, the amount of their respective bail. None of the offenders appeared.