LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 138, 11 June 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Quite a familiar sight with the general Eublic now is the badge issued to mem_ere of the Returned Soldiers' Association. Some confusion, however, is likely to be caused by the circular Imperial Service badge, which is now being issued to returned soldiers and men-who have served not less than six months in New Zealand. That this badge was not a distinctive otic for. returned soldiers was urged at last week's meeting of tho committee of the Otago Returned Soldiers' Association, and it was decided to make the fact as well known, as possible among returned soldiers. One member, a'delegate to the recent conference, stated that in Auckland the returned' soldiers were wearing^ both the Imperial s- and the association badges on their coat lapels.

Last evening the'members of the Waterside Accidents Commission left for southern ports. It is expected that the Commission will return to Wellington on Saturday morning.

The question of. the exempting of plumbers from military service was discussed at last evening's meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, and on the motion of Councillor Clendon, seconded by Councillor Cotton, it was decided that the borough engineer support the appeals of any resident sanitary plumbers who may be called, for service, on the ground that the services of such plumbers are essential to the maintenance of the sanitary condition of the borough. ■■■...-.

Sitting in Divorce this morning-, his Honour Mr. Justice Hosking heard the case of Gertrude Emma, Stewart v. Herbert James Stewart, an application for divorce on the ground of respondent's adultery with one Rosa Moon, a domestic servant in his employ. The parties were married before the Begistrar in 'Wellington on 7th April, 1901, and thereafter lived at Murchison, Nelson district, where it was alleged the adultery took place. Petitioner said that since March, 1917, she had lived with, her mother at Christchurch. His Honour granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, with costs £25 and disbursements against respondent, and custody of the one child to the petitioner. Mr. 0. T. J. Alpera appeared for the petitioner. The respondent did not appear, and was not represented by counsel. -.. . .

It is just about eight years since the present received telegram form was adopted as the result of enquiries made by the then secretary, Mr. D. Robertson. 4 What the use of this form has saved^the Department in that period is hard for us to estimate, but it must be' somewhere in the vicinity of £30,000— a very respectable sum to be saved out o£ so small a, thing. This prompts the Katipo, the official organ of the Post and Tolegraph Officers' Association, to suggest that the full saving has not yet been made. There still remains many important telegraph offices which' take off received telegrams in duplicate—one for filing purposes and the other for delivery to the addressee. If the practice prevailing in the large centres of talcing single copies only is worth sticking to, it is obviously worth extending to other places. Why should not all this paper be saved when paper'is in short supply, to say nothing of expensive carbons and the loss of time in manipulating the same? ".'■■'.' "

The subject of technical education came before the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday in the form of a letter from the Napier Technical College. It stated that a joint meeting of the Napier Technical College Board-of Managers and of the Hawkes T3ay Employers' Association was held on 21st March, 1918, to discuss technical education, and the following motion was unanimously, carried: "That this board cordially invites the co-operation of chambers of commerce throughout the Dominion in impressing upon the Government the need for making adequate provision for the development of technical education in view of the intense struggle for industrial and commercial supremacy that will follow after the war." The letter adds:" As you are aware, the question is receiving great attention in the Old Country, chiefly in the direction of introducing practical education into the schools a year or two earlier than is done at present, and of instituting compulsory continuation education up to the age of ,18 years. The introduction of the scheme into England will require 30,000 new teachers, to say nothing of the extra buildings and equipment, while in New Zealand about 750 new teachers will be needed if similar proposals are carried \out here. The enlistment and the training of these teachers and the question of accommodation for the increased number of pupils are matters which this country has not seriously concerned itself about." In cordially supporting the above resolution, members of the council referred to the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Wellington as far as technical education was concerned, and the necessity for adequate and up-to-date accommodation.

A new Methodist circuit, to be called the Kilbirnie circuit, and embracing the churches at Hataitai, Maranui, and Worser 'Bay, has now been established on definite lines and the first meeting of office-bearers was presided over by the Rev. T. F. Read. The circuit stewaids are Messrs. T. Fathers and F. J. W. Fear. Arrangements have been made for the coming of the Rev. J. W. Burton, the year's Foreign Mission deputation, to the circuit.

While woi'king a circular saw in a cabinet-maker's factory in Ghuznee-street yesterday afternoon, William White, who resides at Queen-street, Pet-one, had the misfortune to.have his right hand caught in some machinery. His wrist was injured and it was found necessary to remove him to the hospital for treatment. An operation was. performed, but it was not necessary to amputate the hand.

The Roseneath School has joined the School Committees' Association, and its representatives attended the meeting .of the Association last evening and were welcomed by the president.

['The rapresentitives of the Masferton A. and P. Association at the annual conference of the Council of Agriculture at Wellington next month will be Messrs. iC. F. Vallance, D. Smith, and E. Harper. ,

A request from the Lower Hutt High School Committee that the Education Board approach the Efficiency Board and ask" that the teaching profession be declared an essential industry, was considered at a meeting of the School Committees' Association last evening,.- and it was resolved by 18 votes to 9 to adopt 1 the remit.

The little township of Paraparaumu has every reason to be proud of its war record. An enthusiastic resident has taken the trouble to make out a list of the names ol those who have gone from that small community to fight for the Empire, has collected the photographs of all but five, and transferred them to one plate: It makes a striking pictnre—44 in all, including four brothers, and comprising all ranks, from a lieutenant downwards, and such varied branches of the service as the Navy, the Artillery, the Mounted Rifles, and the Infantry. ■ •

Germany, until the-war broke out, said the Hon. G. W. Russell, in an address at Auckland on Thursday, was rapidly increasing her imports from the Dominion. In 1914 they amounted to nearly half a million, chiefly in wool, kauri gum, and scheelite. He had nothing good to say about Germany and her - methods, but her wonderful organisation was. demonstrated in the fact that the year before" war "broke but she purchased one-third of the entire output of our scheelite mines to make ammunition with which to fight our Empire.

Among the correspondence read' at yesterday'e meeting of the council of the Wellington Cliamber of Commerce, was one .from the Napier Chamber of Commerce urging the advantage of a universal scale of mercantile charges,- and asking the Wellington Chamber's cooperation in .endeavouring to have such a scale adopted. It was decided to send to the Napier Chamber a list of tho charges current in Wellington, including those adopted by the Land Agents' Association for the sale of land, and suggesting that the Napier Cliamber take up the wider question of uniform cash discounts throughout New Zealand in the same branches of trade. .

A shori sitting "of the Magistrate's Court to-day was presided over by Mr. W. G. RiddeJl," S.M. Four first-offend-ing inebriates were convicted and discharged. John Bird, a waterside worker, who was arrested yesterday on a ohaTge of cargo-broaching from a vessel in port, was remanded to 19th June. Inspector Marsack remained that though the value of the gpods alleged' to have been stolen—six tins of herrings,and tomato sauce— was not great, the class of offence was serious. Bail 1 was fixed in the sum of £25 and one surety of £25. '

Replying to a request from the WelJington Town-Planning Association that the Government should be represented at the Town-Planning Conference in Aus-' tralia, the Hon. G. W. Bussell, Minister* of Internal Affairs,; states that, in the opinion of Cabinet, the present circiimstanc«s do •. not 'warrant the expense of sending a delegate. Moreover, there is a personal difficulty by reason of shortage of staffs. If Town-Planning Associations can nominate a suitable representative to attend the conference on their behalf, the Minister wiM consider the desirableness of recommending that the Government should bear a portion of the'cost.

The members of the Cerclo Francais iii/ Wellington have decided to make an effort to raise funds for the dependents of the French soldiers who are fighting for the Allied cause on their own. soil. It is pointed out that the-French private soldier only gels 2d a day, and. those he leaves behind have to dp the best! they can for themselves. Various funds are being raised. on their behalf, for the blind, the maimed, the.- orphans, and so on, and- the Cercle I'rancsis proposes to assist such deserving nVji'uts. Accordingly the Mayor (Mr.. J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.) is calling a meeting for this evening and all sympathisers are invited' to be present. Sir James Allen (ActingPrime Minister) and other members of the Government have been invited, and a successful meeting is anticipated..

"Old Timer" writes :—The death of Mr. W. Allaidyce, the well-known Rugby footballer, recalls memories of the Wel-lington-Canterbury match played at Newtown Park in the 1887 season. The Canterbury three-quarter line consisted of Francis, "the lightning pot-shot," G. H. Helmore, and the late W. AHardyce.. The first-named player maintained his reputation, and potted a goal for his side. During the same spell Taioroa obtained a mark, and H. M'lntyre placed, a goal from a difficult angle. During the second spell, L. Storey, the well-known Poneke forward, scored a try for Wellington. J. M. King, it will be remembered by those who saw the game, collided with Helmore in following a kick-out. This acident prevented the Athletic forward from taking part in the Otago,match, which was played shortly after the Canterbury fixture.

- Protests against the levies made- by the Wellington Hospital Board for the current year continue to reach the Depal tment of Public Health from local authorities. "Speaking generally," said the Minister yesterday, "my opinion is that the large increase that has taken place all over the Dominion in the hospital levies is arising out of the-ab-normal conditions caused by the war. The cost of all necessaries, including food, has gone up enormously, and .if our hospital system is to be maintained, in a state of efficiency the country must foot the bill. At the same time I realise that an enormous strain is being placed on the local authorities, and I think it may be considered desirable to return to the original method of contributing local .bodies being directly represented on the boards. Before coming to a decision as' to whether a commissioner should be appointed to report on the Wellington situation, I" propose to invite the contributing local authorities to meet me with the Hospital Board at a round-the-table conference. I.think that perhaps this method of having a preliminary discussion instead of setting the legal machinery in motion may be the shortest plan to meet the difficulties that have arisen." Mr. Bussell says that he is also considering the advisableness of adding another officer to the Department to act as adviser to the Hospital Boards on financial matters.

A lecture wil be delivered at the Wellington Accountant Students' Society's meeting on Wednesday evening by Mr. B. E. Murphy, M.A., tiL.B.-.' B Com. F.R.E.S., on "The Scope and Method of Economics and'its significance for the Business Man." Ah-invitation-to attend the lecture has been extended to the members of the Chambers oi Commerce and other local institutions, and a good attendance is expected.

■When you; feel tired and depressed try a *cup of Desert Gold tea. Your troubles will disappear.. It's so stimulating and wholesome. Economical too. 2s 4d and 2s 2d lb.—Advt.

Furniture moved out of .or into town. Special motor. Saves time, money, Splendid storage. The N.Z. Express.Co., Ltd., 87-91, Customhouse-quay.—Advt.

On cold nights at home in bed, one often hears the remark: "Are you warm enough ?"—"Yes." That would be the reply i£ you were under a "C. Smith, Ltd. ■Eiderdown Quilt." The present stock at "Tho Peoplo'B Store," Cuba.-street, is without doubt the choicest. Not only the choicest in the city but the most reasonably priced. In one of the Cuba-street main windows are now to be seen — to see them' is to want one— Floral Down Quilts, with self-colour-ed panels, s.b. size, which aro offering at 28s 6d to 39s 6d, d.b. size, 35s to 555, and better styles with satin borders and panels, s.b. size 49s 6d to 755; d.b. sise, 50s 6d to 7 guineas.—Advt.