LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 134, 3 December 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

_ A new regulation under the Education Act provides that at every public school certificates, to be called "good-at-tendance certificates," shall be obtainable by all children of school age attending sucli school, who, for a period of twelve months in any year ending 31st December, have not been absent from school more than five times in all when the school was open, the morning and afternoon attendances being reckoned separately. Among the passengers by the Lyttelton ferry boat this morning was Mr. A. Herbert, who, at the outbreak of hostilities, was third officer of the Wairuna-, at present- discharging San Francisco cargo in Wellington. Wher the call for men was made Mr. Herbert, in company with Mr. F. Clark, second officer of the same vessel, immediately offered his services, which were accepted. The two officers trained together, left in the same transport, and fought side by side until, in a hot engagement, Mr. Clark was so severely wounded that he expired shortly after, and Mr. Herbert received a bullet wound in one of his legs, which necessitated his return to New Zealand. The Otaki Town Board is unable to raise a loan to carry out its electric lighting scheme. Here's good news for grown-ups—good news, too, for kiddies. Kirkcaldie's Christmas gift display is now open—Toyland is also open. The most radiant, the most magificent Christmas showing in this city. There's an advertisement elsewhere in these columns giving details. Turn to it! Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. —Advt. Officers' Kit Bags, in good strong canvas. Khaki, 9s 6d; brown, 12s 6d. We invite inspection. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners-street.,—Advt...

The duty of collecting agricultural 1 statistics, which has for the last fow years been done by other agencies, is to be again undertaken by the police force. It is understood that the police will commence the work in February. Much favourable comment has been occasioned in engineering circles on the ingenious desigD of the new type of petrol railway car, described in last evening's Post, the simplicity of the method ' of control whereby the speed-torque variation is obtained having been specially commended. The Wanganui Borough Council has engaged Mr. F. J. Kennedy, a London gas engineer, who is on a visit to New Zealand, to report on its gasworks and carry out a scientific investigation of the various kinds of coal used by the municipality. He is a son of Mr. James Kennedy, manager of the Greymouth gasworks. Four men were charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr. ■D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., with having failed to attend drill. Harold Ashford, previous offender, was fined £2, with 7s costs, in default seven days' imprisonment! Arthur Lawrence Edwards was convicted and discharged. Arthur George Hughes was fined ss, with 7s costs. Bert Kirkland was fined 20s, with 7s costs. The Newtown School Committee decided last night to urge the City Council to keep the Newtown Public Museum open continuously, and to popularise it by all the means in its power. The committee points out that the Museum —situated as it is in a populous district, which contains some very large schools—has a great educational value, and should be made as attractive as possible. Tendew for the building of new tramway sheds at Kilbimie (referred to in The Post yesterday) were considered at a special meeting of the City Council yesterday. Councillor George Frost presided, in the absence of the Mayor. The tender of Mr. E. S. Knight was accepted. Mr. W H. Morton (City Engineer and Tramways Manager) explained that at present only the absolutely necessary part of the scheme is to be proceeded with. The sheds to be at once built will be capable of housing some forty-eight cars, which cannot now be housed and examined over the pits at night for want of room at the Newtown sheds. An appeal against a decision given by Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., occupied the attention of his Honour Mr. Justice Hosking at the Supreme Court yesterday. The case was one in which Henry Bodley was convicted under the Arbitration Act of a breach of the dairymen's award, in that he failed to keep proper overtime books, and was fined £1, with costs 7s. Against this decision Bodley appealed on the ground that the regulation under which he was convicted was ultra vires. Mr. T. Neave appeared in support of the appeal and Mr. V. R. Meredith, of the Crown Law Office, for the Jnspector of Awards. After lengthy argument had been heard his Honour reserved his decision. A man wearing the uniform of a soldier, named George William M'Donald, was placed in the dock at the Magistrate's Court this morning, charged with having obtained subscriptions and contributions by ; false pretences. Inspector Hendrey said that in order to prove the charge it would be necessary to bring witnesses from the Wairarapa and Wellington. The allegation was that the accused went to different people representing that he was a returned soldier from the Dardanelles, that he was tne son of a Cabinet Minister, that he was the son of a member of Parliament and on those representations he obtained money. Accused was remanded for a A despatch from Washington published in JNew York on 27th October stated: — "Germany has taken steps to prevent her merchant marine from being sold to foreigners. The State Department today announced it had received cable advices from Berlin that, under a law passed on 21st October, the German Government forbids any German citizens who own or have a share in any merchant ship to sell or in any way dispose of the interest to any one who is not a subject of Germany. The law applies to German subjects in.foreign countries. A number of German vessels have been bought by Americans since the war began, and there are many German merchant ships laid up in American ports. Germany's action indicates to officials here that she is endeavouring to keep intact her merchant marine for use after the war." In the Magistrate's Court to-day, Joseph Nathan and Co., of Wellington, were charged with having sold adulterated jam to the Defence Department. When the charges were called on Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, of the Crown Law Office, informed Mr. D. G. A Cooper, S.M., that Nathan and Co. had submitted to the Department the warranty on which the goods Tiad been supplied, and he asked for leave to withdraw the information. The firm had acted perfectly bona fide in the matter. They had purchased the goods on a warranty, and only received a commission on the sale of the jam. Mr. M. Myers, who appeared for Nathan and Co., said the firm were merely factors working on a small commission, and, as a matter of fact, tendered at the request of, and really as a favour to, the manufacturers in Hawkes Bay. The Department was prosecuting the manufacturers for supplying the jam. Nathan and Co. took every precaution to see that the jam supplied was in conformity with the contract. They obtained a written warranty and an oral warranty, and the question of quality and conformity with the contract was emphasised at the time they entered into the arrangement with the manufacturers. As soon as the information was laid they forwarded to the Crown Law Office a copy of the warranty, and he (Mr. Myers) had satisfied the Department that there was no blame, either legal or moral, on the part of the firm. No merchant cared to have a prosecution of this kind laid against him, because eveu If the case was tried and he was successful, people might not be satisfied, but in this case the firm had been able to absolutely satisfy the Department that it had a legal defence, and that no moral claim could possibly attach to the firm. The information was withdrawn. Portions of the northern side of Hiim-bev-street, and of the eastern side of Derwent-street, Island Bay, have been exempted from the street-wideniug provisions of the Public Works Act. In the list of artillery called up for the 11th Reinforcements the name appearing as S. Torey should have been S. Tovey. Correspondence has been prohibited with Thurland and Thurland, Illinois," U.S.A. A South Auckland Dairy Association, with headquarters at Hamilton, lias been formed. It is composed of seven companies. The man who wears Gauze Underwear always feels cool and comfortable Prices run :2s 6d, 2s lid, 3s 6d. We also offer a good strong Sock at Is and Is 6d. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.—Advt. The men's British and Dominion footwear from Old England are still going at old prices. No man should miss this opportunity, at Pearson's Corner, 130, Cuba-street. Prices, 16s 6d, 18s 6d, 21s, 2Ss ; Shootens, 10s 6d. Advt.

The mails which left Wellington on Xlth November, per R.M.S. Moana, arrived in San Francisco, en route to London, on Ist December, due date. The Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco closes to-morrow. According to American papers to hand by the Maitai, it is claimed that 19,000,000 visitors will have passed through the turnstiles. Overdue rates were briefly discussed at the meeting of the Miramar Borough Council last evening. The Mayor (Jlr. F. Townsend) drew attention to the increasing difficulty in collecting the rates, and it was eventually decided that a 10 per cent, increase be added to all rater not paid by 31st January, 1916. The Hawera Star has been, told a good recruiting etory. An elderly man, who was probably beyond the age limit, being very anxious to serve his country, applied at a recruiting office not a hundred miles from Hawera to enlist. "What is your age?" asked the officer. "Thirtyfive, sir," replied the applicant, springing smartly to attention. "But you look more than that," commented the officer Have you had any previous military experience?" Applicant: "No, sir/ Ihen the would-be-recruit, thinking it might be to his advantage to say that he had, added: "I beg your pardon sir • <.wl laiVe,..ha^ Previous experience." Where?" asked the officer. "Parihaka," promptly came the reply. The cream of the joke hes in the fact that the Pariliaka trouble occurred about 34 years ago—his own age, all but a year as given by the applicant! I, t jf abvious from a report by Lieut.tol. R. Heaton Rhodes from Egypt that relatives of soldiers who send parcels to the front cannot be too particular as to the packing and addressing of the gifts. of the gifts coming from New Zealand," writes Col. Rhodes, "arrive in a damaged condition, owing to careless handling by natives here, also sometimes to careless packing. This does not apply to Lady Liverpool's gifts, as these are always securely packed. The non-de-hvery of gifts is frequently to be accounted for by the addresses being damaged or torn off. Sometimes it would appear that packages have been forwarded without any addresses at all. I saw a heap of such parcels yesterday with flimsy .labels torn off or otherwise damaged. The method adopted in some cases is a good one—that is, to sew articles up in canvas, and to write the addresses on the canvas. Many of the parcels properly addressed have nothing to indicate by whom they are sent, consequently these gifts are unacknowledged." A matter of considerable interest to residents of Onslow came before the Onslow BoTOugh Council last evening, when a report was received from the committee set up to consider the question of railway facilities. The report, which was read by Councillor J G. Smith, recommended that in view of the attitude taken up by the Railway Department, no good purpose could be served by making further representations to the Department regarding the construction of overhead bridges or subways at the Khandallah and Ngaio railway crossings. It was further recommended that the Department be asked to consider as an alternative the advisability of instituting a system of electric alarms. The report did not meet with general support, and a somewhat lengthy discussion ensued. Finally, it was decided to again approach the Railway Department urging the absolute necessity for overhead bridges or subways at the crossings mentioned, or failing this that a man be placed at the crossings to warn pedestrians and vehicles of approaching trains. Canadian soldiers in England are hereafter to eat bread baked exclusively from Canadian flour by the bakers of the Canadian Army Service Corps (states the Toronto Globe). On recommendation of Col. M'Rae, head of that branch of the Canadian service in England, the Minister of Militia is arranging for sending over with the transports some two million pounds of Canadian flour every three months. That is the estimated amount required for the men now in England. Similar arrangements are also to be made for supplying Canadian oats direct to the Army Service Corps for the use of the horses in the Canadian camps in England. At the present time flour is being bought in England for the Canadians at 33s 6d per barrel. By shipping direct from Canada upon, the transports it is believed that a better price can be secured by the Government and possibly also a better quality of flour With the field ovens and bakeries of the Army Service Corps there is now ample equipment for all the bread baking that will be required. A common complaint against magazines published by university colleges and secondary schools of New Zealand is that they do not give a worthy presentment of the life of these establishments. Details of • achievements by football, cricket, and hockey teams, the_ debating societies and other organisations, are supplied in abundance, but these chronicles are mainly boresome to outsiders, especially as the records usually come some time after the events have been reported in the daily press. There are exceptions, among which the highest place, perhaps, is held by the Otago University Review. This is a publication which has dignity in every particular—general appearance, size, quality of paper and print, and excellence of the literary features and illustrations. It is a book well worthy of a place on a library shelf after it has been read —for the contents command reading instead of the perfunctory perusal which, an average member of the public would give to the average school magazine. The internal affairs have adequate notice, but the reports are in the right perspective ; they do not obtrude unduly —and they can be easily missed by anybody who is not interested in these brief summaries. Here is the admirable range of contents:—Editorial (giving bright thought on "Education and Democracy"); Notes and Comments, Roll of Honour, In Memoriam : A Tribute to the Late Dr. Batchelor, The Making of the Modern German, Study of Science, Reminiscences of Student Life in Gothingen, The Freshman, Chemical Research, "Henry," Anzac Anecdotes, Three Months in the Hollyford Valley, The Mining Student, Cloakroom Memories, Otago University Graduates' Association, Capping Carnival (1915), Queen of the Seas, Conversazione, University Musical Society Concert, Executive of the Students' Association,'lnterFaculty Sports, The Faculties, Residential Colleges, Institutions, Athletics. Measles are very prevalent at Levin and Ohau. Yes, men, just fancy! The Boots charged 16s 6d elsewhere we sell at 14s 6d. Pearson's Corner, 130, Cuba-street, every time! —Advt. Help with baggage! We give it. Just check through us. We collect, check, receive, deliver immediately. The N.Z. Express Co., Ltd., 87-91, Custom-house-quay.—Advt. The recent wool sales have somewhat startled many folk, prices eclipsing all previous records, which havo shown us that New Zealand has a substantially prosperous outlook, for tho high prices realised will mean greater spending throughout the country, and in turn the city shopping centres will benefit. ■ AH those contemplating an early visit to Wellington will do well to inspect the magnificent stocks of Messrs. C. Smith, Ltd., Cuba-street, who havo well provided for the coming season. Any lines showing a scarcity can. be had in abundance tfiere in all departments.—Advt.