LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 249, 15 July 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

« A petition from the Home _ Service League of New Zealand, bearing 1900 signatures, was presented to Parliament vesterday by Mr. R. A Wright (Wellington Suburbs). Tho petitioners ask for the payment of a war gratuity, participation In the benefits of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act and tho Repatriation Act, and the payment of the mufti allowance and the separation allowance. , Many of the racing fraternity now in Wellington may learn with interest that Rothschild, the progenitor of many fine trotters now on the turf in New Zealand and Australia, and whose descendants run into three figures, is still (v guest at tho Wellington Zoo, where he enjoys an honoured liberty without giving anyone the slightest trouble. Rotheohild is now 32 years old, and enjoys perfect health. Speaking of this horse, Mr. J. Langridge, the curator of the Zoo, stated that* though Rothschild had bean with him' now for nearly four years, he had never had to be doctored; he feeds evenly, and looks very well indeed, and is greatly admired by connoisseurs of blood stock who occasionally make pilgrimages to the Zoo to see the sire, grandsire, and great grandsire of winners. Rothschild was placed in the Zoo by his owner (Mr. Smith, of Aramoho) when ho went into camp during the war. and as he has evinced no desire to remove him, the old horse will probably see the' end of his davs in the Zoo. ' The adjourned meeting of the Parliamentary Comuiitteo of the Central Progress Leaguo will be hold in the Industries Committee room, House of Parliament, at 10 a.m. to-day. Bv 579 vote to 96. Manawatu County ratepayers on Tuesday sanctioned a loan of £30.000 for tho extension of and improvements to tho tramway system and for the purchase of road-making ma-chinory.—-Press Assn. At a meeting of the Wanganui sub-pro-vincial executive of tho Farmers' Union, Mr. Grcgor M'Qregor stated that he considered it was time tho union directed the attention of manufacturers to the fact that there had been a drop in hlde9 and tallow. He moved that the i Board of Trade should be asked to explain why no reduction had been mada in the prica cf boots to the public. The resolution was carried unanimously—Press Assn. An enjoyable evening was spent by members and friends of the Earlv Settlers' Association at Dustin's looms last night at a "Happy-go-Lucky" gathering. There was a gooH attendance of members, and many interesting reminiscences wore exchanged. Mr. J. E. Jenkinson (tho prWdent) announced that this was the first of a series of six meetings to bo hefld fortnightly. \The next one would be historical (Wellington, 1813). and othen of a similar nature would follow. During the" evening songs were Bung by Miss Barth and Miss Randell. Miss Irvin recited. The accompanist was Mies Compton. An interesting statement made by Colonel Young at the Y.M.C.A., Christchurch, was that after tho armistice ho had the opportunity of witnessing a demonstration of a new Danish macliihegun. which was wonderfully light and wonderfully good, and one which he felt sura would be generally adopted. The demonstrator threw the gun into a mud hole, picked it out again, and then went on firing as strongly as over. A returned soldier named Alfred Chambers, aged 25, admitted in tho Auckland Magistrate's Court yesterday that though lie was married before he enlisted, he went through a form of mar* ringe on his return with Catherino Marie Ross, at Wellington, early, last year. The acoused pleaded that he understood his former wife was dead. Ho was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence.—Press Assn. A unique event took place at Wanganui recently, when a motor-car successfully negotiated the steps in front of tho Sarieant Art Gallery (states an exchange). The car was first driven up the first Beries of steps, fronting tho monument, which it encircled, and then came down at the opposite side. Spurred, by this success, the car was then driven up tho much more difficult steps on the outer side. Owing to its Bhort wlieelbaso tho care successfully climbed tho curved portion with ease, and the springing system was tested severely with great success. Aftor the first landing was reached, it was necessary for the car to bo turned to face the next series of steps, and this ivas done after once backing. Going at the succeeding flights like tlio proverbial bull, the car literally flew over the blimps and faced the Art Gallery. "Lawyers are extraordinary men," said Mr. Isitt (Christclmrch North) in the House of Representatives yesterday. "During ten years I have never heard a legal question brought up in this House without half the lawyers being oh ono side and half on tho other side." Reserved judgment in a dog registration case, the defendant in which was tho clerk of the Court at Upper Hutt (Constable I* Fevre), was given by 5Tr. K. Page, S.M., yesterday. Tho Magistrate said that the question was whether, as the defendant resided in the i Upper Hutt district, • his registering with the county authorities would be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of tho Act. A person living in the Upper Hutt district ihould register with tho Town Board, and not the county officials. At; tho time, however, defendant was not sure as to his settled place of abode, and was not aware that there were two authorities. Ho had been invited to register with tho county authorities, and the Magistrate believed that he had dono so in good faith. Tho cane was not ono In which a penalty should bo imposed. Under section 92 of tho Justices of tho Peace Act ho would disminn the information, and order defendant to pay tlio court costs, wlitch amounted to 7s. At Palmerston North yestorday Archibald Muir String was found by a courtmartial iiot guilty of desertion, but guilty of being absent without leave, and was 'sentenced to ono year's imprisonment with hard labtwr.-Press Atsn.

Following the "overalls" movement in tho United States, comes the "shirt collar strike." This new movement, which originated at Chicago University Club, is already well organised. Mr. John W. Champion, executive secretary of tho American lied Cross, has enlisted over 3500 business and. professional men in a protest against profiteering laundries and shirt and collar manufacturers. The following pronouncement is issued by the Chicago University Club in the form of an advertisement :—"Wantcd 10,000 slaves of tho collar and button to rise, not only to emancipate themselves from its despotic yoke, but to forswear the whits starched collar, boilod shirt, linen, pongee, and other costly shirts" In a party of Maoris who recently arrived at Honolulu from New Zealand, hound for Salt Lake City, was Wiremu Duncan, formerly of Dannevirke, who. according to a Honolulu paper, traces his family back for 110 generations, or approximately 2500 years, Including an ancestor named Bcma, in the sixty-fifth generation, one of whose descendants is Emma K. Lewis, a woman born on tho island of Hawaii, but at present residing in Honolulu. This led to further investigation, with' the result that there were found three other Maori family trees that joined and become one with tho Hawaiian family trecß. The Honolulu paper sets out to prove in a page of reading matter, with copious illustrations, that the ancestors of the Maoris originally came from Hawaii. According to the Book of Mormon two ships of Hagoth, frith passengers and provisions, left the west coast of Amorica in the year ai B.C. and never returned. It is considered quite likely that one or both of those vessels contained colonists from America, who settled on Hawaii, and that they are the race of peoplo who have spread over the islands of the Pacific. Two aeroplanes arc boing brought to New Zealand by the steamer Port Dcnisou, which is due at Auckland about Sunday froni London, via Australia, Tho steamer also has on board a large quantity of military material, consigned to the iNew -Zealand Government—"New Zealand Herald." The Chinese who arrived at Auckland by the Riverina on Sunday from Sydney wore put through the education test by the Collector of Customs on Monday fetates tho "Herald/'). Thirteen applied for aamission into the Dominion, and of these four failed to pass the test, and will be sent back to Sydney. In the course of a chat at the Y.M.C.A., Christchurch,,'on some of bis war reminiscences, Colonel Young, O.C. District, made reference to the art ct camouflage, especially as practised by the. French, who lie eaid had shown_ n genius for that device. One good instance' he; quoted related to the creation of an' observation post.. A French artist came up and made a skctcli of an old blasted willow tree. The sketch was taken : baok and a steel replica of the tree was made, correct in every detail, with the proper colouring and everything. By night the real tree camo down- and tho' artificial one took .its place, and equipped with a ladder and periscope, both, of course, concealed, proved a marvellous success for observation purposes. Another , device he saw odc-ptcd was the placing of a_ periscope in what appeared to bo an ordinary wiring post, but which was an artificial steel erection. This enabled a good view to be obtained of the enemy's front lino without detection. - 'If there is another war," added Colonel Young, "camouflage, will bo one of the most in portant things needed, for the next war will be fought largely in the air, u*d if you cannot hide yourself you will bo btmbed and raked by machine guns from 'planes, and that is one of the most terrifying experiences) possible— Christchurch "Press. ■A remarkable coincidence was related at the Trinity Methodist jubilee conversazione in Duncdin, when the-Rev. M, A. Rugby Pratt, quoting from a paragraph in the "Otago Daily Times' of August 26, 1809, that had lieen discovered by Mr. W. H. Ferons, eaid that the silver trowel and the mallet that were' used at tho laying' of tho foundation stone of Trinity Church on August 25, 1809, were tho«e used by Sir John Franklin; the Arctic explorer, when, as Governor of Van Dieuian's Land, he. laid tho foundation stone of the Melville Street Methodist Church in JToba.ru, on December- 27, 1837. It was the MelvilleStreet Church that nominated the Lev. Rugby Pratt, the present minister of Trinity, for the Christian ministry. Mr. Pratt's grandmother was one of the fust seven scholars who formed the Hi bait Methodist Sunday School jvhen it wiis first started on October 29, 1920, the cciitonary of which event will shortly be celebrated in Tasmania. Tier brother, Mr F. Gardiner, was another of tlio first seven scholars, and this brother was the first Methodist layman to preach in Auckland, where ho conducted service in a sawpit at Mechanic's Bay, in 1841. The long reach of the arm of coincidence finds additional illustration m the fact that the jubilee preacher, the Rev. W. C. Oliver, • who i:rst became associated with Trinity circuit 53 years aso, and the Rev. Rugby Pratt both preached their trial sermons in the Melville Street Church: the former .in. IS6G and'the,latter in 1893.-"Otago Times. Some comment (says the "Lyttelton Times") was madtf by members of the Canterbury Education Board when the chairman (Mr. B. H. Andrews), in his annual report, stated that during the year ended December 31, 1919, there were 406 candidates for Junior National i Scholarships, and that only 39 qualified. i Mr.' T. Hughes sind that tliiere must be some reason for such a small percentage of qualifications. On the face of it, it was a reflection on education ill Canterbury, but he was convinced that, if the reason was known, it would bo found that there was no reflection- in the figures. The explanation might be found in the fact that tho Department had cut down the percentage basis. Mr. W. A. Blinks said that tins figures were decidedly suggestive. Cantwuury inspectors, apparently, followed instructions from the Department literally, while inspectors in other district* did not, Tho board decided to refer the statement to the •Appointments Committee, with a request that it'should report to the board mi the question. Of the -lOfi candidates, 181 wero girls and 225 boys, and of the 39 who qualified 11 were girls and 28 were boys. It Is the belief of Mr. IS. Howell.the father, and All's. Howell, the widow CT Captain C. 15. Howell, who lost his lite at Corfu while on an Mr voyago to Australia, that tho aviator- landed on tho . Island and was murdered lor his money, • and that the body and the machino were then pushed into the *(>a (-••"" Australian Kegister"). Captain Howell, tbiev assert, had J-10U in cash, and somo hundred* of pnunus in croilit notes on him at tho time, but that money had not been found. Tho identification of the body is not regarded by them as satisfactory, because tlio doctor who conducted the examination said there were only three teeth missing, whereas Mr. Howell knew that his son had lost five A significant ieaturo was tl*t the chest ot the body which uad been .ii-nL ... -i» tralia wa» white, Mr. uowcll said M h..u ..-jcn liuut-iuul on muiicm aiiliioi'iiy Uiat hud tlio aviator been drowned bis chest would have' boon Mack. A cotton scarf which had been wound round the neck is regarded by him as having been Used to cause his son's death. Regarding tho fate of Air Mechanic Fraser. who jiiucomuaui,ed Captain Howell, nothing had been heard, but it. was strange that his diary should bo found five miles inland. Mr. Howell is pressing thus British authorities for a full inquiry. A "Columbia" dealers' dinner was field at the Empire Hotel on Tuesday night at the invitation of Mo-'srs. Bannatyno and Hunter, Ltd., local agents for the Columbia Graphuphono Co., Ltd. Mr. H! C. Hunter presided ever an altthusiastic gathering of many of the chief dealers of Wellington, I'almerston North, Hastings, Masterton, and other districts. •Aftxjr tho loval toast hud boon honoured, Mr. If. A. Goodwin proposed "The Columbia Grnphonhone Co," referring to the success of tlio company's bnalnora in New Zealand, and (ho excellent «olationship existing Ixilweon the agents, dealers, and public. Mr. IT. A. Parker, of Sydney (formerly of Wellington), tho Columbia Company s Australasian vonre' tentative, who has recently returned from an extended trip to Europe and ■America, replied, and outlined the Columbia Company's present and future activities. The remainder of the evening was spoilt in informal chat. Mr. H. W. Turner moving a vote of thanks to tho hosts for tlio enjoyable entertainment provided.

I'ho annual report of the Printing and Stationery Department shows that 1750 Gazettes were printed, that there wero 100 subscribers, and that the amount received was ,£307. Tho number of Hansards printed for last session «wns "450, tho number of subscribers 117, and the amount received Jt2B 15s. There wore 1.181,2)8 sheets of stamps, containing 159,630,000 stamps, of the value of XI,401,000, printed. The report emphasises the scarcity and dearncss of paper and the need for strict economy. For quite a long the people who care for orplrtiued children in the Auckland institutions have been awaiting n reply from Mr. J. Caughley, Assistant Director of Education, concerning tho formal position of epidemic orphans and possible amendments In the existent legislation concerning them (6ays tho "New Zealand Herald"). On Juno 17 last year Mr. Caughley had an interview wjth an Epidemic Orphan Committee representing the Protestant orphanages ol Auckland, and at that meeting he was told that strong exception was taken to the manner in whicln the Government treated the little children who had lost their parents in the epidemic of 1918. Tho position to-day is just as it was then, for an epidemic orphan must bo formally committed to a home through the Magistrate's Court 'before the Government will pay Wards maintenance. This has been chnracterised by many men as a hide-bound, official way of trying to cover a delicate position, mid people are not wanting who say that tho mere fact of having been committed to a home through a court is n. stigma that may ilfect the future of the child. A member of the committee that interviewed Mr. Caughley stated that tho Assistant Director promised to go into tho whole question with the Attorney-Gen-eral to see what could be done, and, further, that Mr. Caughley promised the committee to tti. them know the result. It is said that he has not yet done so, and under the' present conditions '■ho orphanages are tmwillli'tr to take tlio chance and put the little' orphans through the Court, and unless they do this they get no maintenance money from the Government.