LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 46, 23 August 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

On the subject of road-making, H. F. Jewell writes to the Post alt length, referring to the methods adopted in Wei* lington. Sydney-street East, he states, was metalled last month, but no binding was put down, though material was available. The correspondent criticises the practice of mending bad patches with metal and no binding. The sewerage man-holes, many of which are left above the level of the roads, should, he thinks, receive attention, and when gas and water mains are put down the street should be restored to its former condition.

A peculiarity of the winter through, which we have nearly passed has been the absence of wind (says the Dunedm Star of Tuesday last). We have had no gales in the South, and even a light steady breeze such as prevailed to-day in Dunedin. is rare. As a consequence, it is reported from several districts that the flax which has been-hung out to dry has Totted, and it is quite on the cards that this experience has been common enough to affect the output during the coming season. It is said that large quantities of the fibre in the -Manawatu district will not be worth treating.

The chances of two men from the same New Zealand city meeting at the front are not generally supposed to be very great (says Christchurch Press). That they are not so remote is shown by the fact that the father of a Christchurch man who was killed in action found amongst his son's effects sent to him a card of introduction, given by another Christchurch man to his son, evidence that both had met. It is sad to relate that both young men, who were of a fine stamp of manhood, were killed in action.

Another stage in the construction of the Culverden-Waiam railway extension has now commenced, states the Culverden correspondent of the Lyfctelton Times, the first consignment of timber for the station buildings reaching Rotherham on Monday. Messrs^ Paynter and Hamilton, ot Christchurch, have secured the contract for the buildings at Aehray,. Rotherham, and Waiau stations, and it is expected that the line will be opened for railway traffic generally during the summer, as it only , requires the erection of the buildings and the completion of the ballasting to enable it to be handed over to the Railway Department,

Great interest centred in the election •of a mayor and council of the newlycreated borough of Shannon, which took place yesterday. There were two candidates for. the mayoralty, W. Murdock, with 175 votes, being elected. The other candidate was P. Hennessy, who scored 154 votes. The polling for the council was as follows :—B. J. F. Spencer 235, T. Gardiner 232, j. H. Fagher 228, F. W. Carter 224, George Hook 189, W. H: Gunning 163, M. Moynihan 156, J. W. Murray 152, J. Richardson 152, A. C. Hillier" 142, T. Logan 142, J. A. Roach 116, G. Mercer 113. Eight coun : cillors are required, but the final result will not be known until a recount has been held.

The Southland Times states that the Presbyterian Social Service Association has> .purchased the property of Mr. John Gait, Gordon-streeit, Enwood, at £1100, for the purposes of the Children's Home which is to be established in Invercargill. The house coninins nine rooms, and about half-an-aore goes with it. Without any alteration about 30 children can be accommodated, and iit' is expected that the home will be opened in three or lour weeks' time.

The military police who are stationed in Timaru have been doing excellent work in connection with the rounding up of men who have not answered the call (says the Herald), and they have brought to light many cases that otherwise might have remained undiscovered for some time. A large number of cases were brought uuder their notice, arid they set to work smartly, with the result, that quite a number of men who had been posted as "lost" have been unearthed and dealt with, in ». variety of ways.

Three first-offending inebriates were dealt with at to-day's sitting of the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M. A prohibition order was issued against Herbert Maloney.

The popular new military style umbrellas are featured by Kh;kcaldie andl Stains, Ltd.. in one of their Lambton-qua-y windows. Covens are of the finestmaterials, and the handles are finished witih leather wrist, holders in myrtle, green, navy, and black. Prices range from 15s 6d to 355. See them.—Advt.

A Pres Association telegram from Eketahuna states; A representative meeting convened by the Chamber of Commerce last night decided to approach the Chambers of Commerce in Warrarapa and the Bush districts wiDh the object of fixing on Saturday as the half-holiday for all these towns. .

According to a, soldier who has returned wounded to Dunedin, some men who are sentenced for bad behaviour by courts-martial to terms of imprisonment make good when given the chance (says the Otago Daily Times). The chance is made possible by reason of the fact that it is not always advisable at once to put into force a verdict of a' court-martial. One Australian soldier was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for some misdemeanour. He pleaded hard with his colonel for clemency. "Go and try and wipe out the stain on your character," was the advice of the colonel. Our informant states that for three days the Australian sought Death —he performed all manner of Teckless and valorous deeds. But death passed him by unscathed. At the end of three days' he had won the D.C.M. and Military Medal, and—greater than these—his I offence was forgiven.

Interesting souvenirs of the visit paid to Whangaroa in January last by the Parliamentaiy motor party arc about to be distributed, says the New Zealand Herald. These mementoes consist of small pieces of one of the Australian logs that formed part of the cargo of the vessel BoyU when she sank in Whangaroa Harbour in 1809. The Maoris accidentally burned her to the water's- edge, after killing nearly all on board, as an act of vengeance for the flogging of a young Native chief, who was a member of the crew. A few years ago a number of the logs were raised, and one of these, which was in the possession of Messrs. T. M. Lane and Sons, at Whangaroa., has been cut into small pieces, suitable for walk-ing-sticks. The souvenirs, together with a list of t the names of the members of the Parliamentary -party, are now at the Auckland office of that firm in Quaystreet East. Each member of the party will receive One of the .sticks.

"I think this case should be made public, so as to prevent others being victimised," said Mr. G. Hutchison, who appeared in a judgment summons case in the Magistrate's Court to-day. The case was one in which Peter Cornelius Young, of Levin, proceeded against William Thompson, of Tasman-street, to recover £10. Mr. Hutchison said that the case was based on fraud. In July last Young saw an advertisement in a newspaper offering for sale a suite of furniture for £7 15s, and he communicated with Thompson by telegraph. It was eventually arranged = that the price should be £7, and, at defendant's request, Young telegraphed that amount to Thompson. Certain negotiations followed, but the furniture was never received by Young.. No appearance was made by the defendant, and Mr. L. G. Rsid, S M., ordered him to pay the amount—the cost of the suite and damages. Costs were also allowed.

Says the Dunedin Star:—"ln an American romance entitled 'Lot and Company/ by Will Levington Comfort, we read some sentences which give a queer idea about sheep-farming in New Zealand. 'Olga's father and mother and the' other children' (note 'the other children') 'lived in a. low house by the open road that led to Hamilton. He raised sheep pri the rolling pasture lands near the Waikato River. Her mothermade the stranger very welcome. For their supper there was golden butter, and the dark bread that is the life of the peasants,, a. pitcher of fresh milk, and a bite of that cheese .which. is brought forth only on Sundays and holidays.' And so on, in the nature of an appeal :or the readers' sympathy on behalf ef the distressed sheep-farmers of this hard-up Dominion. If this book is read and credited, we may have American money coming in to give them sustenance!"

An incident worth recording a* showing the injustice of hasty judgments occurred recently near Palmerston (says the Manawatu Standard). As a party of recruits were resting on a roadside a cycliiit in mufti cycled.past to the accompaniment of a few sarcastic remarks such as "He's married; he won't go to the front," "He's got cold feet,' 1 and other pleasantries. The cyclist, who passed without remark, was a Main Body man, and served with the New Zealand Artillery,-, and was a member of a gun team among whom a Turkish shell fell at Gallipoli, killing one man outright, and severely wound ing_ tha others, the soldier in question losing a leg. He has, however, been fitted with an artificial limb, and, thanks to modern mechanical appliances, is able to walk or cycle like a normal individual. The point of the story lies in the fact that it would' be well for those who have just donned khaki to refrain from such criticism until they know their man. '

With the object of affording to Dalmatians in the North facilities to volunteer for active service in the Servian Army, the Kaipara Chamber of Commerce recently communicated with the Government, and received a reply to the effect that the Government had communicated to leading Slavs in the Dominion the terms upon which the Servian Government was prepared to accept a Slav regiment. They had, however, stated to the Government that the men wanted the same rate of pay as was allowed other soldiers from New Zealand. The Government had refused that demand, and no further action was taken in the matter. At a meeting of the Chamber the President stated that at the last census there were 1105 of these men fit to be- classed in the First Division. Of that number 765 were naturalised. The married men of military age totalled 340, and others over ■ military age 255. After allowing for the medically unfit, there should be 1300 men fit for. service. A motion was moved to the effect that all unnaturalised Slavs of military age and medically fit be called upon to take up military "service in the Servian army at Servian rates of pay, and that unnaturalised Slavs refusing to -comply with the foregoing conditions be interned. This did not meet with general approval, and the following amendment was carried:—"That this Chamber recommends that the services of all Slavonians in New Zealand be utilised on war service by the military authorities at the same rate of pay as' New Zealand soldiers, and suggests that a conference be arranged in Auckland between representative Dalmatians and the military authorities to discuss the matter."