LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 139, 12 June 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand's mine-sweeping trawlers have discovered another nnemy minefield. This time the danger patch is between Cape Maria Van Diemen and North Cape, about ten miles from the Shore/ Two mines have been picked up and destroyed, and it is believed that v. third has been located. Sweeping operations are continuing. The Naval Adviser warns the public that mines may break away and drift ashore. Any person who finds such an object should report the matter at once to the nearest naval, military, police, or Customs authority. There should be no tampering with the mine- beyond precautions against it refloating. The mines which are being found are oval, with five horns and two lifting bolts at the top end and mooring apparatus at the base. The height is about 4ft 6in and the diarater about 3ft.

The annual conference of the National Beekeepers' Association will be opened by the Minister of Agriculture at Edmansan's Hall, Lambton-quay, to-mor-row.

A correspondent (" £ s. d.") writes to The Post:—" Can you tell me if the Financial Assistance Board will pay a, soldier's income-taS? If not, what is the position of a man who goes into camp, say, in September, 1918, and is called •upon in January, 1919, to pay incometax for the year ending 31st March, 1918? Will his wife have to pay the tax out of her £90? If so, a hardship is going to be inflicted on. tlie wives of many men whose income is ordinarily subject to payment of income-tax, particularly if the tax is a large one." The position is that the income-tax being a past obligation, the Financial Assistance Board has no p.ower to pay it, but in cases where hardship is proved the Commissioner of Taxes may, under Section 161 of the Land and Income Tax Act, grant a reduction or remission of taxation.

With the acquisition of another 25 acres of land (owned by Mr. Charles E. Swanson) the securing of the whole of the Wainui-o-mata watershed will have been completed. Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., sitting with Messrs. M. W. Welch and H. E. Leighton as assessors, as a Compensation Court, on Monday, went into the merits of the value of certain recently-secured land on the ridge of the Rimutaka Range, and within the Wainui waterworks catchment area. The, owner, Andrew Gorrie, put in a claim fov £5 per acre for the 58^ acres taken, by the Wellington City Corporation, for which the City Valuer (Mr. James Ames) for the Corporation had offered the lump sum of £105. After taking evidence tho Court awarded the owner £170 for the land taken, the City Corporation to pay costs. Mr. A. de B. Brandon appeared for the owner and Mr. John O'Shea (City Solicitor) for the Corporation.

The Commissioner for the registration of Jugo-Slave in the Dominion, Mr. J. Cullen, on Monday made a statement to a reporter of the Auckland Star in respect to the number of. Jugo-Slavs who have registered. The registrations total 1800. Of these between 200 and 300 are already engaged in railway construction and drainage works. Those outstanding would shortly be interned on Somes Island, Wellington.

The hearing of an action brought by Robert Richa-ds, waterside worker, against Alfred M. Guy, dairyman, claiming £150 damages in connection with a motor-car accident, was contiuued by Mr. W. G. Biddcll, S.M., after The Post went to press yesterday. The evidence of several witnesses called on behalf of the plaintiff was taken, and the case was adjourned until to-morrow.

Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., considered a claim at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning made by G. W. Slade, Ltd., printers, against the Dominion Mercantile Agency, Ltd., for the sum of £11 5s 2d, in connection with the printing of certain trade gazettes and reports. Defendants, who were represented by Mr. H. E. Anderson, counter-claimed for £1 13s lOd for searches made through instruments registered in the Court. After hearing .evidence the Magistrate gave judgment for plaintiff on the claim for £3. 18s 2d and costs, and for the defendant on the counter-claim for the amount claimed, with costs. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for the plaintiffs.

In compliance with a request, the Labour Department has forwarded considerable information, plans, prices, etc., regarding workers' dwellings to the Australian Town-Planning Conference, which opens shortly.

The much-discussed question of the upkeep of roads again came up at yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council, when a letter was received from the Ohinemuri County Council, advocating the talcing over by the Government of the whole of the main arterial roadsIt was agreed to support the idea.

Races and benzine were the subject of brief discussion at the last meetingof the Horowhenoa, County ' Council. The chairman (Mr. Monk) was authorised to secure necessary supplies of benzine for the Council's use. This led to a general discussion of the stoppage of race trains and the consequent heavy consumption of benzine by motor-cars and motor-lor-ries conveying people to the meetings. The chairman said it was no wonder there was a shortage of Benzine, when big lorries and numerous ears utilised such huge quantities in journeying to and from the races. Yet benzine could not be got for essential purposes. He would like to know how the lorries got their sir-ply. Councillor Law said he had gocd reason to believe that 400 cars from Palmevston alone journeyed to Otaki, and 300 came from Wellington. Yet, hi face of this, benzine could not be got for milking plants. ' "I believe a Palmerston firm got 1500 cases within a few days, yet, producers cannot get any!" After other strictures had been passed on the Government the meeting adjourned without deciding to take further action, but the general feeling was that race trains should be run to save the supply of benzine, to say nothing of the roads.

The Literary and Debating Society of the V.M.C.A. held its weekly meeting on Monday, when the subject for discussion was: "Will a League of Nations (as suggested by President' Wilson) after the war tend to ensure permanent peace?" Mr. Caughley, M.A., occupied the chair. Messrs. Linyard and Morrison spoke on behalf of the affirmative, while Messrs. Webber and Clarke took the negative side. The discussion was continued by Messrs. Burcher, Black, Stophenson, Corporal Jones, A.1.F., and others, and the Chairman summed up.

The average price of honey in the Wellington market is Is per lb. The Apiary Inspector reports that there is no pot honey coming forward. Beeswax is in keen demand at 2s per lb. Export lines continue to come freely into the grading store.

In the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon his Honour Mr. Justice Hosking dismissed the appeal of Alfrod M. Taylor, chief gas inspector, Wellington, against the decision:' of My. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., dismissing a charge against D. M'Gavin of having improperly used the company's gas.

Councillors Howell and Cooper were yesterday appointed to represent the Hutt County Council at the coming Hy-dro-Electric Power Conference at Palmerston North.

An address on "The Miao of Cliina," was given by Mr. Robert Powell, of the China Inland Mission, at the V.M.C.A. rooms last evening. The diffi- • cutties and dangers of the early days of work in this mission field were described, and interesting details of the present position of Christian teaching there were given. The address was illustrated by lantern slides.

The new Bank of New Zealand premises at Otaki are now well advanced towards completion, and the building promises to bo a very handsome and substantial one-^-a decided acquisition to the town. The contract time for completing the work expires in August, and the contractors hope to have the^ work out of hand well within contract time.

In common with practically all county and borough councils in New Zealand, the Hutt Bounty Council has a certain proportion of ratepayers who are "bad marks." Yesterday the council agreed with a. proposal from the Wanganui {Jounty Council that the ratepayers notpaying their rates should be disfranchised.

Petty thefts from dressing-rooms continue to be reported to the Wellington Rugby Union. A complaint was received at the meeting last evening from the Y.M.G.A. Club, which stated that several of its members had lost vinous sums of money. It was decided to again bring the matter under the notice of tho police. With the approval of the Camp Commandant, members of the Q.M.S. staff, at Trentham are holding a concert and dance at Upper Hutt to-morrow, in aid of the widow of the lato Corporal T. A. Troward, who died in camp recently. A patty from Wellington will provide the entertainment, and the Trenjham Military Band will be in atteudance.

Prize essays have been instituted, by tho National Dairy Association for one of the following subjects: "The Extension of Co-operation as applied to the Dairy Industry of Now Zealand," and "Essentials in. Production and Delivery of Good Milk and Cream to Dairy Factories." The competition attracted a large number of essays. The two prize papers will be read at the Palmerston Noriti Dairy Conference;.

The fortnightly meetingof theS.P.C.A. was held in the secretary's office, Customhouse Quay, last evening, Mr. F. Meadowcroft being in the chair. There was a fair attendance of members. The fortnightly report stated that three horses and one sheep were detroyed. Six horses were put off work, and an owner of a dog was warned for illtreatment. ' Subscriptions receivedamounted to £8 10s 6d, including £1 10s from Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Smith, and 1 £1 Is from Mr. F. Meadowcroft.

An inquest was held by Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M., coroner, yesterday, touching the death of D. Wood, aged 50, whose body was found in a lavatory in Young's Private Hotel, on Monday. The evidence showed that deceased had been an inmate of the Porirua Mental Hospital, from which institution he was discharged in February ■ last. He had worked at Palmerston and Taihape as a hotel porter. Dr. W. Kington Fyfie, who had made a post-morten examination, said, there were evidences that death was caused by an acid poison. The coroner returned a verdict that deceased died from poison self-admin-istered.

"Our flying men are doing wonderfully well," writes a British airman to Mr. G. F. Wilson, of Wellington, "and we have now got the best machines and the best-trained men of the lot. I go up a good deal in the tests but it is mighty cold, rocky sort of work in this weather. The regular pilots are now much better off. We supply them with good chamois leather waistcoats, fitted ( with wires heated electrically from a little dynamo. You should see the gadgets in the big modern machine —guns, cameras, bombs, and I have often seen a couple of stretchers for carrying wounded—all controlled by young schoolboys. The most astonishing things are the infantry fighting machines, covered' with thick stteel plates, and looking as solid as a steamroller on the ground. It's a strain on your imagination to think of them as flying machines. ■ . . .: ■■

A reference bo, Paris in ■war-time is made by a British airman in a letter to Mr. G. P. Wilson, of Wellington. "1 am a good deal in Paris," he writes, "as all our engineering shops are there, so are our headquarters, but it is not it desirable residing place a,t present. Wo have our full quota of bombing by night and by day the big German cannon— 'Berthas' they call them—throw in shells at leisurely intervals. You can hear them bursting, some near and some far, but the people just carry on a> usual. Even now there is the usua? crowd of morning shoppers out on 'the boulevards. . . . We have plenty o' 'grub' here, thank goodness; much bet ter than in London. In England it i; not easy to get a real decent meal; bu' there is enough to keen going, and tlir Government is accumulating" a bier 'reserve.' The standard of the hotel men! over at Home would astound you, bu; it is wonderful how little you can .pul" along with—and keep fit on."

An appeal is being made for £10,000 to build a new hostel for returned crippled soldiers and sailors. Men are arriving back in hundreds, the accommodation obtainable in the city is taxed greatly by the demands of the civil population, and it is unwise to leave returned men, who have no homes, to drift into any chance lodgings offered. This hostel is not under Government or military control. It is self-supporting, but profits are not allowed. It was organised and established in January, 1916, and no Government funds have been granted. The sum of £9900 5s 6d was raised by Mr. B. Sutherland by an art union, and £880 was received in subscriptions. The Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa," and Manawatu people contributed most of the subscriptions and all the prizes for the art union. Out of the £9880, the Burns Estate has been purchased/or £8000, and the repairs and alterations to the temporary quarters will cost about £300, leaving a balance of about £1580. Ths hostel authorities have been <^old that it is not necessary to have any art unions, and that a btraight-out appeal it all that is necessary. They a«k readers to prove this contention by posting a cheque to the secretary, Crippled Soldiers and Sailors' Hostel Account, No. 2, P.O. Box 465.