LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 1, 3 January 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A balance-sheet of the Wellington War Relief Fund has been requested of the Mayor by the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister for Internal Affairs, under the provisions of the War Funds .Act, 1915. The balance-sheet and other particulars are required to be furnished by 31st January.

Trouble which arose on a steamer now being fitted out for Government work has been settled, the Blackball Company, which is responsible for the shifting of 'the coal, agreeing, under protest, to pay 2s an hour and 2s 9d overtime. The men, it may be' remembered, ceased work on Thursday evening, complaining that a disagreeable smell made one of the holds unworkable.

Conscription was considered; at the last meeting of the' North. Canterbury executive of the Farmers' Union". A letter was received from the Dominion executive stating that .it considered that the question of conscription should be left in the hands of the Government. The meeting, after discussion, resolved : "That the question of compulsory military service be left to the Government to decide, and that if it is deemed necessary the executive will support it."

The question of Labour in Wellington being represented at the coming Labour Conference was discussed at a crowded meeting held at the People's Picture Palace last night. Mr. H. E. Holland, who presided, said that practically every great industrial organisation in Britain had declared that any attempt.to enact conscription would be met with indus-' 'trial revolt. Mr.- Grayndler. (secretary of A. and P. Union) moved 7 "That in' view of the grave menace which the conscription agitation of- the employing class contains for every industrial, and political working class liberty, this .representative meeting of the workers of. Wellington urges upon every trade union and political Labour body, the advisability of being represented at the forthcoming Labour Conference which is to voice officially the working class attitude towards conscription." The motion was seconded by Mr. J. Roberts, and, after some discussion, was carried unanimously.

Mr. D. E. Hutchins, who is inspecting New Zealand forests, in the course of an interview, gave some interesting figures relative to the, ■ waste of New Zealand timber resources. This .coun. try, ho is reported to have said, was sending away £1000 a day for imported timber, and . Australia was" sending away £10,000 per day. What was needed was the preservation of the forests, and yet-at the same time to get the timber out of them. This could be done by proper afforestation and regulated cutting. It -was a national misfortune that New .Zealand's splendid forest had not been- preserved. What was required was systematic conservative lumbering as in the United States." The main thing was timber demarcation. Where forest is good and the soil is bad it' is set aside, but where the soil is too good' Tor forests it is brought under cultivation. A loan would be required, but the expenditure would ultimately pay better than the railways.

"That this conference approves the principle of school children being encouraged to collect grass and other seeds, and where possible grow them as well; that the proposals contained in the attached article be forwarded to the Board of Agriculture, with a recommendation, that it will be favourably considered, and that they take steps't'o.induce the Board of Education and the A. and P. Associa--tions to give effect to the suggestion." This was one of the resolutions' passed by the Agricultural Conference in July last, and the Board of Agriculture, after considering it (as- well as the other resolutions passed) has replied v as follows : — " The Board of Agriculture is heartily' in accord with the spirit of this resolution, and. has communicated with the different education -.boards and A. and P. associations, asking them to give effect to it. The movement has been taken up with enthusiasm throughout New Zealand, and there is every promise that the seed collected by the school children will do a great deal to meet the shortage which is expected this y>ar. and that the amount realised from the sale of the seed will provide a substantial contribution to tho Wounded Soldiers Fund. In almost ev«ry case the county councils have readily given their permission to the collection of grass teed from the road lines." Mr. W. F. Buckland, who died at Cambridge on Wednesday last at the age of 73 years, will be best remembered by those who have followed the progress of politics in New Zealand, and especially in the " early days" of the Liberal regime, as the author of "The Washers and Manglers Bill"—one of tho .cleverest Parliamentary which has ever appeared. In those days the Ballance Government was bringing down legislation regarding shops and offices and factories which was regarded as horribly iconoclastic, shattering all the ancient idols of property and vested interest, and generally threatening to upset the old order of things in every conceivable manner. Seeking to kill the "Seven, Devils of Socialism" by ridicule, a Bill wa-s introduced under the title of "The Washers and Manglers Bill," which proposed to make the then Minister of Labour (Hon. W. P. Reeves) responsible for the smallest actions of the women who carried out those humble occupations, and, incidentally, made the Minister figure in an almost contemptible light. The Bill had only been circulated a few hours when it was withdrawn by order of Mr. Speaker, and only a fewcopies are yet to. bo found in political museums. There is another incident in which the lato Mr. Buckland (who was ioud of voice) figured that is remembered. , Tho late Mr. Eugene O'Conor, then member for Buller, had a thin, piping voice, and Mr. Buckland contemptuously referred to him, on one occasion as " The Buller Lion." '■ If! I'm the Buller lion, you're the Manakau calf," retorted Mr. O'Conor, and the incident closed in laughter. A young Chinaman named Ah You appeared before Major H. F. Davis, J.P., St the Magistrate's Court to-day on a charge of having been found in possession of eleven tins of opium suitable for smoking. He was remanded to appear to-morrow.

The Hon. Mr. Webster, Federal Post-maSter-General, proposes to visit New Zealand at an early date to enquire into Postal administration here.

Messrs. Moore Bros, have removed their Porirua and Johnsonville movingpicture plants to the Wairarapa. One plant has'been installed in tho Featherston Town Hall, and the other is being set up on a motor lorry to show pictures in the open air at the Featherston military camp.

Yesterday's strong northerly gale was responsible foi delaying the ferry steamer Maori, and the vessel did not* reach port from Lyttelton until about 8.20 a.m. The Maori was a full ship, bringing about 650 passengers in all, including about 200 soldiers returning from their New Year leave.

Soldiers in uniform were rather numerous at the Magistrate's Court this morning—in the dock: Major H. F. Davis, J.P., who was on the Bench, expressed regret that they should" be there. They must endeavour to restrain themselves, he said, oven though it was the festive season, remembering the uniform, they wore, and the responsible position they occupied.

Brigadier Bray and-' Staff Captain Elder, of the Salvation Army, are at present yin Rotorua, where it. is purposed that the Army shall establish a rest- house-, for returned soldiers. Tho Army is at present negotiating for. the purchase of a large residential property in Auckland for utilisation as a home for children of soldiers who have fallen, in the war.

The small boys in the Ashburton County, assisted by the County Council, have been doing their share towards reducing the small bird pest. From Ist April to _31st December, 449,280 heads of old birds were purchased by the council, while the bends of young birds and eggs purchased, during November and December . totalled 133,600. Rats also came in for a share of the' slaughter, and 927 were purchased during the year.

The Board of Agriculture has written to the New Zealand Council of Agriculture co*.-eylng the results,of the boai-d's deliberations upon the resolutions passed by the Agricultural Conference held in July last.. Among the resolutions mentioned w;as the following:—"Realising that ,the provision of an adequate supply of timber for the future requirements of this Dominion is necessary, and inasmuch as it is estimated that at least 500,000 to 700,000 acres should, be vfndev a commercial forest, to allow a sufficient area to be cut annually, this conference would urge the Government lo sei aside a suitable area of poor- land and to make it an -inalienable reserve for the purpose "of growing timber." The board states ,that it fully realises the vital importance of this matter, and has forwarded the resolution to the Hon. Minister of Lands with a strong recommendation that it be given effect to as early as possible." ..-.>*-

The Defence Department has rejected a proposal from Wanganui for a route march from that town to Trentham. Lieutenant-Colonel Cosgrove has replied that the scheme is impracticable for tire following reasons"! —(1) Owing to the distance between towns; (2) for the reason that there are already hon. assistant recruiting officers in every largo town who are doing their utmost to get recruits; (3) Territorials and Senior Cadets cannot escort the party into the various towns, as suggested; (4) such a march could not be undertaken at the expense of the Defence Department. In. any case, as no details of cost are given, there is no time to obtain particulars and sanction of headquarters, even if the route march was approved. It is also considered that the scheme already in vogue of having the hon. assistantrecruiting officers in each town is best, and these men should be allowed to reap the benefit 'of their labours.

On Friday afternoon a seaman named Albert Joseph Adams was charged be-, fore Messrs. I. Salek and L. M'Kenzie, Justices of the Peace, . with the theft of. goods valued at £2 ss, and a coat valued at £jh. The stolen' articles were the property of different persons on the liner, Corinthic. After evidence h£Q. been heard accused was found guilty and " sentenced to a. month's imprisonment' on each charge, the terms to bo concurrent.

Nearly £10 was collected at ths-Zoo yesterday for the Animal Fund of the Wellington Zoological Society.

For the picnic ground our white shoes with chrome or rubber roles at 3s 6d, 4s lid, and, 5s lid, are ideal. Geo. Fowlds.—Advt.

Light Pressed Golden Eagie is a tobacco of rare charm and flavour. Its coolness and sweet fragrance make it suitable for tho man of taste. Is everywhere.—Advt.