LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 298, 10 September 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the R.M.S. Makura, which left Sydney for Auckland on September 8, is bringing Australian mails for Wellington.

Tho Minister of Lands (Hon. D. HGuthrie) paid a visit to Tauherenjjau yesterday for the purpose of the farm where returned soldiers who have suffered from tubercular disease, are being trained under the direction of the Repatriation Department. Ho was accompanied by the Director of Repatriation, Mr. Samson. There ariabout fifty nxen on the farm at present, and theix- training covers a wide range. Some of the men are doing general farm work, and others are learning poulti-y-keeping, bee-keeping, and otlxe; special branches. The New Zealand Forestry League has arranged for the planting of a kauri tree as a memorial to the late Sir David Ernest Hutchins. Tho ceremony will take place at the Karori cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. Six- James Wilson, president of tho league, will plant the tree. .

A fund for assisting Alice Parkinson, whoso release from prison has been ordered, is to bo made by tho Auckland 'branch of the Women’s International and Political League (says tho “Herald"). Miss Parkinson’s case has been prominently beforo tho public evex- since she was sentenced to imprisonment fox- life at Napier in 1915, for manslaughter. She was charged with the murder of Albert West, aged twenty-one, who had betrayed her. The jury negatived the plea that she had acted in self-defence, or that any provocation she received excused her killing of the deceased. They found hex- guilty of manslaughter, and recoin nxended her to mercy on tho ground of provocation. "I could not in passing sentence accept tho recommendation of tho jury." stated tho Chief Justice, Sir Robert ‘Stout, in a report on tho case, “because (1) tho killing was deliberate, ’naving been previously threatened, and it was planned; (2) there was, in fact, no provocation ; (3) if tho jury had acted according to the strict law and the evidence they ought to have found her guilty of murder.” Dr.' Cameron, of Otago University, and the Hon. J. A. Hanau, Invercargill, arrived in. Christchurch on Wednesday night for tho purpose of investigating the work of the Workers’ Educational Association on behalf of the University Senate of New Zealand (states the Lyttelton Times”).

It is reported from Wairoa by the Press Association that 'the Hon. A. 'I. NgataJ and the official mission to. deal with tho Native owners of tho Waikarcmoana busli lands ax-rived there on- Thursday and formally introduced the 'subject witlx tho Ngatekalninguuu section. They are now -awaiting the arrival of tho Ruapani section from Waikaremoana.

Tho Corinthic landed a total of 67 immigrants undex* tho Now Zealand and Imperial Government’s scheme. Thirtysix were nominated passengers, anti six wero given passages under the Imperial ex-servicemen’s oversea settlement scheme. The remaining 25 are domestics. Twentyone of the total wero for Wellington. Ilis Excellency the Governor-General (Viscount Jellicoe) has consented to open the annual Art Exhibition at tho Academy of Fine Ai ts, Wellington. Tho opening ceremony will take place on September 23.

,Tho question of taking some defixxite action as tho result of the Arbitration Court reducing shearers’ wages by 20 per cent, is being considered by tho executive council of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, witii which tho shearers are affiliated. It is likely that a statement on the matter will bo announced shortly. Holders of recess privileges In connection with the General Assembly Library are reminded that all books must be returned on or before Monday next. A meeting of tho executive of the Lyall Bay Municipal Electors’ Association was held on Thursday, Mr. J. M. Bertram presiding. Tho question of the urgency of duplicating tho tram line in Onopu Road is being brought uixdcr tho notice of tlxe trainway authorities. A feature of the annual meeting to be held, nexT week will be a lecture on health and child welfare by Dr. Truby King. A request for more band performances at tho Bay is to be made to the authorities. It is considered advisable that tho tramway authorities should make Lyall Bay more attractive on fine Sundays anil evenings, thus assisting to swell the tramway revenue. A request that extensions to the Lyall Bay reserve be included in the proposed urgent' works for unemployed is being sent to the Civic league. Many complaints re the delivery of milk have' reached the association, and tho committee considers the question of such urgent importance—especially as many parents are rearing children under iho Plunket system —that it intends to take steps to see that tho vendors responsible for the delivery of milk at Lyall Bay brill" about immediate improvements. It was'’decided to ask the City Council to grant the association the use of tho pavilion on the bench for a library for tho convenience of the residents, the nstociation to make the ’ library selfsupporting.

At a meeting of tho Canterbury Philosophical Institute the following niotioi' was carried; “That since an .outbreak of firo actually occurred recently at the Dominion Museum, this council suggests that the New Zealand Institute again urge the Government to provide a fireproof building for the safe custody ot the national collection.’’—Christchurch “Press.” Last evening at the Town Hall the judge' of elocution at the competitions (Mr- Bertram Flohm) took exception to The Dominion’s comments on the previous evening’s performance. The matter concerned the comment upon the selection and delivery of Cranmer’s speech from Shakespeare’s "Henry VIII.” Our report suggested that it was curious that the recital should have been made open to ladies as well as gentlemen, seeing that such a role as Ctanmer woid never fall to one of the fair sex. Mr. Flohm said that women beforo now had played Shakespearean roles, mentioning the Hamlet of Sarah Bernhardt, Louise Pomeroy, and Mrs. G B. W. Lewis. Mr. Flohm also took it as a reflection upon himself that our critic should have differed from him as to his preference for the work of certain competitors.

A. peacock and peahen have been presented to the Wellington Zoo by Sir Walter Buchanan.

Recently His Excellency the GovernorGeneral (Lord Jellicoe) received a coixxmunication from Dr. Philip Harper, who is in charge of the Lepor Asylum, Mykogsxi Island, Fiji, 'soliciting Christmas gifts fox- tho inmates of tho institution, and tho question of bringing an appeal beforo the public of New Zealand has been placed in the hands of the Minister of External Affairs (the Hon. L. P. Lee). While in Auckland this week. Mr. Lee had ala interview with Mg’. Alfrrsl Nathan, whoso firm. Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co, are New Zealand agents for tho Fijian Government. Arrangements have been made for the reception of donations, money, books, and other suitable gifts at the premises of Messrs. Nathan and Co., Auckland, and the firm will see that tho gifts are carefully packed and shipped to Fiji. Persons whoso sympathies towards the unfortunate inmates of tho leper asylum lead them to make gifts are requested to mark parcels plainly ‘‘Donations for the Leper Asylum, Fiji.” There are 230 patients at tho leper asylum, three being Europeans (one a New Zealander). The others arc Fijians. New Hebrideans, and Solomon Islanders. Eleven additional. pf tients (Samoans) are to bo received in the institution shortly. Walter Hill, 22 years of age, and a resident of Tory Street, was admitted to the Hospital last night suffering, it is stated, from the effects of having taken iodine. About midnight the Hospital authorities stated that they did not regard his condition as serious.

Thq Wairoa Harbour Board on Thursday evening discussed tho fact of the scow Catkit having been beating about the bay for three weeks loaded with poles for the Power Board.’ The hoard haenot the means of giving her a tow in, and it is alleged that the local shipping company failed to do so, though’ many opportunities arose for so doing. Iho board decided to j ask Messrs. Clare and Clare (Gisborne) 'to state a case, when tho board will investigate.—Press Assn. At a meeting of the Wairoa Harbour Board it was stated that when the War Lord was leaving for Gisborne a public works officer had to take his furniture off tho vessel, otherwise she would not be towed out. Tl]e board decided to lay the facts before the Public Works Department.—Press Assn. The urgent need for economy in Government Departments was indicated in two communications from th? Education Department considered by the Auckland Education Board (states the “Herald"). The first letter, dealing with the holding of special classes or lectures for teachers, stated that for the present these could not be sanctioned if they ix.volved railway travel, hire of halls, ox- other expenditure; the only exception that could lie made was in respect of cl-sses attended by teachers sitting for examination next January. The second letter dealt with tho question of extra leave fox- Mr. T. U. Wells, now representing New Zealand at-the' Education Conference at Toronto, so that he might look into educational matters in England and on the Continent. In reply, the Minister stated that present financial conditions precluded any possibility of extending Mr. Wells’s leave as suggested.