LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 273, 12 August 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

_ Severe colds are very prevalent in Wellington at the present time, and a good many eases of measles have been reported. School attendances have been affected considerably as a result of the sickness. The schools will close down for the term holidays on tho afternooi) of Friday, August liO. tho vacation extending to September 7.

. Mrs. Elizabeth Barnard, whose recent disappearance from her home at Hall Street, New-town, erected quite a. stir, again disappeared on Tuesday, and has not been seen since. A search parly was out all Tuesday night 'looking for her. , When the news that the An;.no Day Bill had been passed was announced to the meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association last night, Mr. A. Hindo moved, and Mr. M. Badger seconded: "That this meeting expresses its appreciation of the action of Parliament in passing the Anzac Day Bill." The motion was carried by acclamation. '"1 am beginning to.think," writes Mr. Len Barnes from San Francisco, "that prohibiton is turning up trumps in.this place. There ave fewer accidents, so much so that the outside emergency hospitals nre closed except for bandages, and the Central Emergency Hospital has had its staff of surgeons cut from twelvo to three. Also the police have fewer duties -ono told mo his "business" had dropped 75 per cent." ■ As a result of a big fall of earth at the entrance to tho magazine in the Kaiwarra Gorge, the road between Kaiwam and Ngaio is blocked. Many tons of earth came down with the slip. As there is a possibility of a further fall, it. has been found nccessary to closo tho higher road which provides an alternative route to Ngaio. The scene of the slip was inspected yesterday morning bv the City Engineer (Mr. W. 11. Morton), and a gang of men commenced clearing the road as soon as was possible. It is unlikely that a track will be cut throuch (ho slip before to-night. The last meeting of the Wellington District Repatriation Board was presided OTftr by Mr. T. Moss. Twenty applications were received for loans for tho purchase of furniture, and all were approved. Three business loans wero granlcd, seven were declined, and two wero deferred. In fourcnses it was decided to subsidise the wages of men undergoing training in various trades, and it was also resolved to pay the fees of seven others who arc receiving instruction in various technical subjects.

, When the news that the An;.no Day 33iil had been passed was announced to the meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association last night, Mr. A. Hindo moved, and Mr. M. Badger seconded: "That this meeting expresses its appreciation of the action of Parliament in passing the Anzac Day Bill." The motion was carried by acclamation.

'"1 am beginning to.think," writes Mr. Len Barnes from San Francisco, "that prohibiton is turning up trumps in.this place. There ave fewer accidents, so much so that the outside emergency hospitals nre closed except for bandages, and the Central Emergency Hospital has had its staff of surgeons cut from twelvo to three. Also the police have fewer duties -ono told mo his "business" had dropped 75 per cent."

The.monthly meeting of the Board of Managers of the Petone Technical Schcol was held last night. Accounts totalling .C 25 fis. id. were passed for payment. The director (Mr. J. 11. Lynskey) reported that the class in boot-repairing had boon started, 15 students being on the roll. The cost of fitting tho new class-room with apparatus and material had 'been B*. 3d., of which .£l2 17s. 4d. would probably bo paid by the Department.

A Timaru PrcRS Association niessago states that a search party from Mount Nt-ssing, which looked for a rabbitpr. jloyd Thomson, who has been missing since August 2, had n bad time on tho range, where it encountered snow up to three feet deep, and severe frosts. Xo trace was found of the missing man.

, Messrs. B. ,T. h. Lynneberg and A. ,T. Seel, representing the residents o£ Ngaio, waited on Mr. TJ. Ward, acting-manager of the Wellington Municipal Milk Department, with referenco to the milk supply of the district. There are some four dairymen in the district, who have recently been notified that they will have to comply with tho regulations jib to the provisions for putting milk through tho station. These relations provide that nil milk over thirty gallons daily for distribution inns': bo forwarded to the milk station beforo.it can bo distributed. which means tliat a man with a thirty-five-gallon round must sond in five gallons per day. The Ngaio people consider that tho regulation presses hnrd on the small dairy farmer, |o the co.it and delay entailed in handling compnral ively small quantities of milk, Mr. Ward pointed out that the thirty-gallon restriction was set out in tho Act under which the department ™ constituted, and ho had no power to inako any exemptions on the lines suggested by tho deputaion. The matter will be reported to tha Milk Oommittca In due touree.

Nomina lions closed yesterday for the election of a Wairarapa representative on the Wellington Education Board, caused by the resignation of Mr. A AY. How. Tlie candidates are Messrs. W. T. Grundy (formerly headmaster of tho Clydo Quay School, and now residing in Masterlon) and J. M. Niclioll (chairman of the Carterton School Committee). The election will be held on September 1.

Tlie Christchurcli Presbytery this week carried the following resolution:—"That this presbytery strongly protests against the sugges'-ed increase in the number of racing permits." A copy of the resolution will be forwarded lo tlie Minister of Internal Affairs and the Prime Minister. The matter arose out of a circular letter from the Rev. S. R. Orr, of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Churoh, Wellington. which stated, inter alia, "neither Mr. Massey nor Mr. Anderson is keen 011 increasing the number of permits, but will bo unable to resist the advances unless representations are uiade from the other side. The increased number of permits issued is :i broach of the concordat agreed upon soine years flgo. If representations are made immediately it will enable the Ministers to taito '.lie stand they desire."—Press Assn.

A peculiar malady of "hiccoughing'"' has lately affected a considerable number of people in Auckland (says the "N.Z. Herald"). One doctor stated that six eases had been brought under his attention last week, while, many others have occurred. A Queen Street chemist corroborated this statement, remarking that several dozen peoplo had como to him for treatment. For some ho had mado up a prescription, others ho had sent to a doctor. .The attacks continue for several days, leaving the patient in a very weak condition, in some eases aggravated by a cough. A peculiarity of the ailment is that only men appear to be affected. No serious results <avo been recorded. In the opinion of Auckland medical men the malady is a new development of the catarrhal influenza that has been very prevalent lately. The hiccoughing is caused by some digestive trouble, the exact cause of which has not been ascertained. Advice has been received that a number of cases have also occurred ,in Gisborne, and that the local doctors' are considerably puzzled as to the cause.

Michael Stone, a seaman, was killed by falling down an unenclosed hatch on tho steamer Waitomo at Port Chalmers — Press Asßn.

For some months the Mayor and councillors have been drawing up schemes to make Dargaville tho most up-to-date town north of Auckland (reports the Press Association). At a meeting of tho borough council, loan proposals amountins: to over £(0,000 were brought forward and adopted. The loans are t'oi improvements to the streets, such as concrete roads and footpaths, road machinery, municipal buildings, library, and reading-room. The buildings are to cost -£8000, road machinery JJSOOO, street and footpaths .£28,150.

The ways in which the unwary may bo "taken dewn" in this busy, bustling world aro many and varied (say 6 tho "Otago Times"). The latest "tako down" spoken of in Dunedin is really so strikingly simple that it is a wonder that anyone could be gulled by it. Probably, however, its effectiveness really lay in its simplicity. The story goes th.at a "shepherd" from the country had been having a right royal time nt ft Dunedin hostelry. Indications began to point to the fact that tho landlord was beginning to grow restive under tho repeated injunctions to "put it on tho slate. I'll square up when I leave." It was then that the'landlord was called lo tho telephone and told that the head of a'leading stock and station agency was speaking. The landlord was asked if —, the shepherd, was slaying at his hotel, and answered in the affirmative., The landlord was then told thai it was time tho shepherd was getting back to his station, and that he might do his very best to get him on the express for the north no;;t morning, and give him a .£lO noto to see him home. He, the merchant, would square up everything. The landlord next morning used his utmost persuasion lo get the shepherd to the station, and succeeded, and finally pushed ft .£lO note into his hand. Conscious of duty faithfully' fulfilled he later in the morning rang up the merchant to tell him of his success in getting tho man away. It wae a staggered landlord- who a minuto or two later hung up the receiver. The merchant had .wanted to know what ho was talking about—what shepherd?— I what -CIO note? He knew nothing about it. It was with a savage glint in his eye that the landlord* resumed his work in tho bar.

A peculiar position arose at the I'almerston North Supreme Court in a oase in which a mnn was charged with bigamy. ■ The man was over seventy years of ago, and was said to have contracted a marriage in England some forty-five years ago, and about twelve months ago married again. When the Crowu Prosecutor called . the second woman to give evidence of her marriage to the accused. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman raised the point that u wife could not (five evidence against her husband. To this the prosecutor replied that she was not his wife, not being legally married to him. His Honour, however, ruled that she was his wife until tho first marriage was proved, and the accused was discharged. ' The New Zealand Acclimatisation Association's annual conference is to be held in Wellington on August 18, and the local society will be represented by Messrs. E. J. Wiffin and S. George Nathan. A general mec-ting of the newly-formed Carriers' • and Customhouse Agents' Association of Employers was held on Tuesday evening, Mr. G. B. Christie (president) said _ that the meeting had been convened with a view to augmenting the membership of the union, and discussing matters of vital interest to carriers and Customhouse agents. Mr. E. Ross (secretary), mentioned that the present circumstances of trade pointed to the urgent need for organisation and combination amongst employers. Members thinking that, the union's aim was to combat the employees should dispel the idea, as the employers' judgment must at all times be tempered with an element of fairness to employees, for one was essential to the other. Referring to the universal tariff, Mr. Ross said the days of undercutting were gone, as there was. now ample work for all concerned. It was stated that the union would protect members' interests in connection with labour disputes, tariftH City Council by-laws, adjustment of misunderstandings between members and between employer and employee. Mr. A. .T. Curtis outlined the proposed increase in the time rates as allowed by the .city by-laws, pointing out that as the union was belter able to champion the causo of tho small man in this connection. it was the small man's duty to become associated with the union. It was unanimously agreed Jo approach the City Council for a revision' of the timo rates, Mr, T. A. Munt (vice-president) reported having brought the much-dis-cuseed Ripple queue question beforo the Chamber of Commerce. As the chamber Was actively following up the lead given it wits hoped io be able to report progress in the near future. Mr. R. M. Griffiths dealt in detail witß Customs charge?, on which a general discussion ensued. Tlio secretary .has arranged a conference with Lower Hutt and I'etone carriers, to be held at Lower Hutt on August ID.

The reports in tho Press of His Honour Mr. Justice Edwards's comments on Noylon's conduct in the recent trial of Neylon and Hayne, seem, in somo rases, to have left an impression that His Honour also intended to comment adversely on his counsel's conduct. Mr. Fair has seen His Honour, and has his permission to stato that ho did not intend -to reflect in any way on counsel's conduct in the action, and any impresto the contrary is auite unfounded. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society will make tho allotment of fry for tho season to-morrow evening. Arrangements are well forward regarding the deputation to the J'rime Minister on August 19 in connection with the Bimutaka deviation proposals. All the Wair&rapa local bodies havo appointed delegates, and it is expected that no difficulty will bo oxporienced in obtaining a guarantee of 200 passengers necessary for tho running of a 6pccial train. All lite business premises in Mastorton will bo closed alt day to enablo as many «6 possiblo to make tho trip to Wellington.—Spocial Correspondsnt,

The elderly man who on Monday evening was knocked down by a tranicar in Willis Street remains unidentified. The hospital authorities reported last night that he was still unconscious.

The number of students attending classes at the University of Otago this winter constitutes a record, says the Dunedin "Star." There are 531 who live within the environment of Dunedin, near enough to go home at night, 191 in Otago and Southland beyond Dunedin, 126 belonging to the remainder of the South Island, and 219 from the North Island. In addition there are about 50 students of whom full particulars were not given when the first returns were made up. The total is over 1100, t'lib details here given being, for the reason stated, merely approximate. The medical students number about 300.

Just about this time every year members of the railway service "begin to get anxious about tlio D 3 List, which sets o.ut the classification of members of tho service and the salaries they are to receive during the current year. Mr. Maseey (Minister of Railways) was asked in Iho llouse yesterday when the list would appear. He had to reply that li'e had no information on the point yet, but he would make inquiries of the fieneiul Manager of Railways.

Men engaged in the building trade are | expressing some uneasiness about the Droposals to Tegulate particular classes of j work It was pointed out yesterday that the men might suffer by the prohibition of certain classes of work unless there was a definite scheme of organisation. The matter was discussed at the last meeting of the Wellington Building Trades' Federation, and as a result the secretary (Mr. P. Cornwell) has forwarded the following letter to the Hon. 13. I'. Lee, Minister of Industries nnd Commerce: "Dear Sir,—l am directed by the Wellington Building Trades Federation to make representations to you with reference to tlie proposal to regulate the work in connection with the building industry in so far as the proposal is likely to nf' feet the workers engaged in the industrv. We desire that if a board or committee is appointed to deal with what is essential building and what is non-essen-iial building, the workers engaged in the industry should have representation unon that board or committee, seeing tnat their interests will be vitally affected by any regulations which may be to restrict building operations. Trusting that you will give some consideration io tho-e representations.'' The Minister has replied to i the effect that the contents of the letter have > been uoied and "recorded for consideration."