LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 57, 1 December 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The bankruptcy returns for November for Wellington eliow that tliero was only ono bankruptcy, whilo in the corresponding month of last year there was none. For the eleven months there ivero Tiine bankruptcies, as against 15 in the eleven months of 1918-

The Eev. Howard Elliott is reported to have said at a meeting at Dunedin on Tuesday night that Archbishop O'Shea threatened Sir James Allan that if legislation was nol passco' excluding Mari6t Brothers from military service, Roman .Catholics in the Public Servico would bo called out on strike. At a meeting at MMdleinarch on Friday evening, says aPress Association telegram, Sir Jnnip.s Allan gave this statement an emphatic contradiction. Ho added that he had teleeranhed to Archbishop O'Shea, who had reulied that the reported statement wan absolutely without foundation, nnd that he had never made etich a threat or suggestion.

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday, a motor-ear accident occurred in C'ustomliouso Quay, near tho Post Office. Three women and a man were walking on tho roadway, when a motor-car ran into them. Ono of the parly, Mrs. Clausen, aged 38 years, residing at 32 Bodrigo Boad, Kilbirnio, received injuries to her head, and her right leg was badly cut. She was removed to the hospital.

A resolution disclaiming any connection with any political parly was passed bv'ii tieneral meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association on Friday evening. Tho constitution of the association still makes party political action illegal, tho only action allowed being tho submission of questions on matters nffectinu soldiers to candidates for Parliamentary honour!!. The mover of the motion mentioned thnt a number of members of tho Auckland Association who wero contesting seats were 'pledged to supDort tho Reform Party on a voto of nooonfidenco. and the impression was growing in tho public mind that the association was supporting the Reform Pnrty. A member pointed out that in (ho South certain eoldior-ciindidates were pledged to suDuort the Liberal Party.

It is six years since the St. John Ambulance made a street appeal for funds. Tho next appeal day is fijted for Friday. The association is extending its work and proposes to secure a building of its own. It is hoped that tho public will make a generous response to till' appeal.

On l-'riday morning six stalwart policemen went'over to Takapuna by tho Hayswater steamer for t;lie purpose of remo'ying ft party of Maoris, about a dozen in number, from land occupied by them for very many years (says the Auckland "Star"). The land ■comprises a large block in respect of which judgment was given in tho Supremo Court some timo ago vesting tho properly .in the Roman Catholic Church. It li.is been leased to a syndicate, and the latter has been compelled to invoke the aid of tho law U> obtain possession. The eviction passed off without any very uncommon features. The sheriff, bailiff and policemen on putting in an appearance at tho entrnuro to the property were slightly impeded by a few Maoris, headed by a woman, who got in the way of the officers, but showed no disposition to violence. The sheriff read the declaration, and Mien entered the ehauty used by the Maoris as a living room. Everything was bundled out. removed in a cart, and deposited at the roadside, aud after this it was intended to pull down the whole of the building.

In the midst of so many references (0 proiileeriiig it is refreshing to be able lo record one case lit least where the. practice does not exist (says Ihe "OUtRO Uaily Times")- It occurred at the recent: nittiiiH of the OfcißO Land 13oanl. A disuharged soldier iipplied for on - advance to enable him to purchase a eily residence, and the board, with Hie valuer's report before it, considered the price asked by the seller a littlo Inc. and advised tlie applicant (0 approach (lie owner direct and .see whether a reduction could be arranged for. In the afternoon the soldier returned and smilingly informed the iKMi'd that the price had been reduced by .£SO. The owner of the property confirmed the statement, adding thai: she was a soldier's widow, and >vai glad to bo able lo assist the man. On behalf of the board Mr. Sudd, the chairman, warmly thanked Ilia lady for her very generous action.

A special meeting of members of Iho Post and 'IVlegrapli Service wiis held at Palincrstoii North on Friday night when the following motion was carried unanimously:—"That this section of the Post and Telejrnpli Association slroujjly protests against tbe course taken by the Government with regard to the war bonus promised the. Service last year by the. Tostmaster-General. It calls attention lo the fiict I hat the recent reclnssification of the Service Ims been officially declared to liav." been subject to the expected ])iiymeut of Ilio war bonus, aiuj Post and Telegraph servants are therefore directly* penalised by the deeision to suspend payment until a tribunal has decided wlieIlier Hie uromise Riven is to be kept or broken. The dolegnlts to the 1918 enuf"rcnep confirm the fact Hint Sir Joseph Want has freely and frankly admitted his share in the mailer: the reference tu a special tribunal is not justified."

U'illinm John M'C'ren, aged 15 years, residinj,' at 17 Uill Street, was thrown off a horse at Way's Bay, rocoivin;,' injuries l» Hi" head. He was admitted to the, Hospital.at 10.10 o'clock last night. It is reported that u'is condition is. not eerious.

Resentment was expressed at the general meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association mi Friday cveniiiK at the notion <>£ tho recent conference of ooiiim.iiuliiif? ofliccMS in deciding Uial. part of the Expeditionary i'oree band instruments should ko to Territorials nml the. balance sold. The position is thai thu Auckland Association had applnd for somo of Urn in.ilrnmiMits, so that an association band could he formed. Jt was stated that most, of the instruments had been provided by patriotic associations, or by the soldiers themselves, and ic was contended Ihata few colonels had no more ritfht k> decide limv (ho instruments should be disposed i:l' than ii. few privates. It was decided t > take 'aclion with a view (o sctpnrinj,' sufficient instruments to equip an association baud.

Colonel Hugh Stewart, C.M.G., D.5.0., M.C., a (listiiijiiiisliod Canterbury soldier, is returning lo New Zealand on the. Huahine, which is expected to arrive in tho Dominion on December 2U. Colonel Slewart left New Zealand as a lieutenant witli the Main Body, Canterbury liniment. He saw service throughout the. Giillipoli campaign, and after Ihe evacuation was given a lieutenant-colonelcy and the command of the 2nd Battalion of infantry, Canterbury Regiment. Colonel Stewart took his battalion to France, and led them through the many engagements in which the "2nd Canlerburys" took jiart. At the conclusion of hostilities Colonel Stewart was civen a full colonelcy, and took eharse of the education scheme for the N.tf.E.l , . At different periods of the war his has had command of a brigade. His decorations include, tho C.M.G., D.S.O. and bar, M.C. and Croix do Guerre. Colonel Stewart holds tho Chnir of Languages at Canterbury College. The last of: the old French settlers who arrived by the Cointe de Paris, Mr. Joseph Libeau, died at his residence. Duvauchelle, last week, at the ago of EC. Tho deceased was born at Bordeaux, and camo out with his parents in IS4O, beiiiK then a lad of seven years. Mr. Libenn, sen., was tho first Frecnhman to go in for dairying in this country. Young Libeau worked with his paraits for eomo .years, and then wont to Victoria when the gold rush was on. Not meeting with much success, he returned to New Zealand, and after a time he look up land at Duvauchcllo. He married Mdlle. Jeandre, who also came out. with her parents in tho Comtc do Paris, nnd who died some years ago. Mr. Libeau came into Akaroa last January, to meet General Pan, who had a long conversation with him. The deceased was a very old Oddfellow, and up to a year or so ago enjoyed, very good health.