LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 28, 1 February 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Th£ presentation at Government House yesterday by His Excellency the Governor to Mrs. M. E. Cooke, of Brooklyn, of the Victoria Cross awarded to her bus. band the'late Private Thomas Cooke,, Bth Battalion Australian Imperial Forces, together with a letter signed by His Majesty and addressed to her, took place in the presence of the Hon. Colonel J. Allen, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and M&jor-General SirAlfred Robin, Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces. The act lor which the late Private Cooke was award' ed the V.C. is described in the London Gazette of the Bth September, 1916, as follows:—"For most conspicuous gallantry. After a Lewis gun had been disabled, he was ordered to take his gun and gun-team to a dangerous part of the line. Here he did fine work, but camo under very heavy fire, with the result that finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post and continued to fire his gun. When ■ assistance was sent he was found dead beside- his gun. He set a splendid example of determination and devotion to duty."

The employees of Messrs. George and Kersleyj Ltd., have csfbled the sum of £90 to Sir. A. Varney, secretary of the IocaTY.M.C.A., who is at present in England supervising the V M.C.A. war work for New Zealand troops. This amount is to be spent on comforts for the men in the front trenches. Sine© the outbreak of war Messrs. George and Kersley's employees have contributed over £350 .to various patriotic funds. >

It has been decided by the Council of the Locomotive Engine-drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association that the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and the Railway Officers' Institute be written to asking them to arrange for a, conference of it-airway' Unions to consider the increasing cost of living and formulating proposals to reduce the same or meet it in other, ways. .

A young man named William Francis O'Brien, who appeared in khaki, was charged in the Magistrate's Court today before Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., with indecently assaulting a girl of eight and a-half years of age in Tory-street. The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court : for trial.

Ex-New Zealandere resident in 'Australia are not a little proud of the part the land of their birth is playing in the war. One of these is Mr. C. E. Armit, lato of the 20th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was wounded in the Battle of the Somme, and is now on a visit to New Zealand for the purpose of having his injury treated. "I .am proud of New Zealand," he said to a Post representative yesterday, "and know that she is. doing her utmost endeavour in the war. The spirit of New Zealand and of England is practically the same. Unfortunately there is a great lack of this true spirit' in Australia. When the full faci-s of New Zealand's effort are disclosed to the world the Mother Country will feel proud of the enormous sacrifices made by our country." '

" The coming of a world teacher " was the subject of an address deEvered by the Rev. J. Wedgwood last night at a meeting of the Order of the.Star in the East. Mr. Wedgwood said we were now as a race at the end of an age, and the, opening of a new cycle when a- great teacher is expected. The most important of the changes which would be brought about thereby would: be a refining of the whole nature of man, consequently all those movements that helped to unfold man spiritually would be vitalised' and quickened. Notable would be the religious training of the young. Music, art, and all that developed the-taste for beauty and refinement would play a- large 'part in the child's training. Changes in medicine would be brought about. In Teligion, personal spiritual experience would give place to dogma and authority) from without.

The system of "People's Pence" as a probable means >t raising money for a groject the Diocesan Church Schools' oard has in .hand, was discussed at a recent meeting of the board. It was decided (says the Church Chronicle) to invite the various parishes of the diocesfe to co-operate m the scheme, which is a perfectly simple one, and haw proved effective where it has beei! efficiently attempted. For instance, at St. Peter's, Terrace End, Palmerston North, the jjlan has been tried, and lias been found to answer admirably. There it- has been '#. operation tot six months, and has produced in that period £&1 for the reduction of the debt on the organ. The Roman Church makes use of thisjoethod for the support of their schools, and by it in Wellington alone raised £600 last year. The congregation is invited to put one Denny in a-box at the church-door each week for the support of Church schools.

It was fondly hoped by many people (says the Melbourne' Argus) that the trans-Australian railway would be a great achievement. On the contrary,,it is an example of egregious blundering and extravagance. The estimate for the work was £3,988,000. So far about £6,000,000 has been spent, and, according to Senator Lynch, Minister for Works and Railways, the total cost will be £7,----000,000. i It was estimated that the work would take three years to complete, it has already taken four years and four months, and nearly 100 miles of track have yet to be laid. The line, it is now estimated finally (is it really finally?), will be opened for traffic in July ; but, as work is being delayed owing to a. scarcity of material, this is very doubtful. Senator Lynch points to one instance of regrettable want of foresight. Water has to be carried a. distance of 530 miles from Kalgoorlie because somebody omitted to excavate dams in proper places in time.' The dams' are there now, but they are empty. It is true, as the Minister says, that "tens of thousands of pounds have been spent uselessly.." And we are at war!

' The position of wireless operators on ships was before the third Military Service Board yesterday, and exemption from military service was granted to Peter Clifford' Gillou, employed on an Australian steamer. Mr. M. Myers appeared for the Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd., who, as employers, lodged the appeal. ,Mr. Myers asked the Board to consider the position of wireless operators generally. Their status was before the Government some months ago, and the company was told, in effect, not to worry as the men would not be taken away. Most of the operators wer© single, eligible men, but in consequence of the official pronouncement no efforts had been made to replace them. At this particular period it was essential that wireless operators should be highly efficient, and it was not advisable to employ beginners, youths under military age or men over 46. The Chairman said the Board could not bind other Boards, but Mr. Myers could take its action in regard to Gillon as a fair indication of how i'utur^ cases would be viewed. v

The demand for electric current in the borough of Napier has so rapidly, increased that no further connections will be made. Two 500-h.p. engines were ordered many months ago, and should have been erected in November last, but the makers at Home have not yet been able to commence constructing them. Several buildings in the town have been erected to allow for electric lifts, but installation of these has had to be deferred pending available power.

The Mayor of Petone, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, has given notice that at the next council meeting he will move : " That the offer of an Auckland firm to supply, for the sum of £650, a standard two-ton Burford motor-truck, similar to that recently purchased from Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, receive the consideration of the council."

One of the most successful as well as being one of the most extensive poultry; farms in the Mariawatu district is situate at Oroua Downs. The farm is stocked with over 3000 head of poultry. The owner's returns this season have .averaged from £90 to £100 per month, the highest monthly amount yet received being £160. In spite of the high cost of grain and feed generally, the ownerexpects to have a turnover of £1000 for the present season. - !

No rain has fallen iri the Murchison district for 50 days. Bush fires are reported from various parts of Westiand.. The country on the two sides of Manawatu Gorge presents at present a striking contrast. •> From Ashhurst to Wellington the land is Burnt up by the sun. and in some parts of Manawatu 60 dayis without rain have been experienced. The stock'is in poor condition. From Woodville to Napier the grass is green and long, and the whole countryside looks remarkably well. . ■

. Action was taken by the Inspector o£ Awards (Mr. G. H. Lightfootj in the Magistrate's Court to-day to recover a. penalty; from W. Brown, restaurantkeeper, of Cuba-street, for, an alleged breach of the sectiog. of the aw'ardi which stipulates that a time-sheet showing the hours employees commence and finish work should be posted up in a conspicuous place in the restaurant. The Magistrate (Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) gave judgment for plaintiff for 10s. Defendant was represented by Mr. J. M.Dale.

Complaint is made by soldiers who come into town from Featherston on week-end leave of the waste of time that sometimes occurs on the journey.. The train leaves Featherston at 1.45 p.m., and if it does not get in. front.of the suburban train at Upper Hutt, its arriva) in. is delayed by from 'thirty to forty minutes. ■ From 1.45 to 5.30 is. they contend, quite long enough, but when the city is reached at 6.10 '

p.m., after,a series of irritating stoppages, they consider they have had tod long a run for their money.

There was only one bankruptcy in} Wellington last month.'

The tender of Messrs. Taylor and Hodges, at £2600, has been accepted fo* the. erection of an isolation 5 ward at the; Masterton. Hospital.