LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 36, 10 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A.dvice has been received in New Zealand that four men included in Thursday s casualty list, "missing, -believed drowned," were victims of the German crime in the attack on the hospital ship Wanlda. The names of the men were Privates A. H. Temperley, J. J. Knox, J. J. M'Grath, and J. Everett. They were, so far as the latest advices indicate, the only Ntew Zealanders to be involved in the disaster, though others may have been on the hospital ship and have come off unscathed.

The Acting.Postmaster-General announces that the despatch of parcels to prisoners of vrar in Turkey, the suspension of which was notified in March last, has been resumed. Parcels may not ba posted from New Zealand to prisoners of war. in enemy or neutral countries. Arrangements ■to that end may be made with the_ High Commissioner for New Zealand in London.

It was reported to the Mount Cook School Committee at its monthly meeting this week that there are 1073 scholars on the roll, with an average attendance of 857, a percentage of nearly 90. Owing to the rough weather, the attendance at the infant school was lower than usual, thus reducing the general average. The health of scholars is good, one case only of -diphtheria being imported. Every room is sprayed with a disinfectant daily, thus conducing to the health of tho children. The boys of Standards I. tind 11. were last week mftlically examined by Dr. Ada Patterson and Nurses Willis .and Buckley. The chief complaint is defective 'teeth.

Work continues to be abundant and varied in the office of the Wellington War 'Relief Association, and the staff has unlimited scope for tact. Occasionally there is the comfort in a word of gratitude from an applicant who appreciates the pains taken to smooth the way over a patch of difficult ground, but frequently abuse is the reward of much effort to help some persons. The average of cases is about eighty a week, but the granting of aid with money is only one of. the ways in which the. association helps people affected by the war. Enquiries are made for- persons who are puzzled as to procedure with State Departments; the office tends to be a kind of clearinghouse in those matters. 'Altogether the outward correspondence averages about 300 letters a Week. "

What the chairman of the board considered came perilously near the conscription of labour was the appeal, before the Second Canterbury Military. Service Board, of the Little Akaloa Dairy Factory Co. on behalf of its factory manager, Charles M'Donald, says the' Chrdstchurch Press. It was stated that the man was a voluntary recruit, and that the company had appealed on his behalf without consulting; him. It had, moreover, no contract with him for his services. The chairman (Mr. H. W. Bishop) stated that, M'Donald, having volunteered for service, apparently wanted to go, and the company had no hold over him. It was' finally decided to grant M'Donald leave to go into camp on 9th September instead of 12th August, though it was pointed out, that he could not be restrained from going in on the earlier date if he chose.

Diamond rings, herrings and tomato sauce, silk stockings, umbrellas, an ingot of: zinc, and now fpur pairs of prize homing pigeon&—truly the tastes of sneak thieves are very catholic. A Wellington gentleman, a member of the Civil Service, has for 'some time past made" a hobby of keeping homing pigeons, and lately called' his loft down to eight birds, all prfae-takers, and vSlued,up to £i apiece. When the Government olfer to buy pigeons for war purposes came, he decided first to give the birds, hut' later, reflecting that young /birds would be more useful,, planned an enlarged loft for breeding purposes, intending to hand the young birds over. His good intentions have come to naught, for last Hight. the birds disappeared. The "collector," obviously with his own ends in view rather than those oi thb Government, had apparently crawled), in 'through a hole in a hedgfc and made a clean sweep, leaving 1 nothing but- foot marks—those of a man. It is also stated that many of the birds living in various buildings in, the- city • have disappeared from the streets recently.

"Absurd I" was the ejaculation of Mr. H. W. Bishop, Chairman of the Second Canterbury Military Service . Board, when an appeal came before it, lodgedby E. P. Jerman, hairdresser, on behalf of his son, Harold Claude Jermari, for an allowance of six months' time to enable the latter to finish learning the trade of haircutting. 'What about it?" he continued. Tho appellant remarked that hands were very scarce just now. Mr. Bishop: "We know they are,-but people must be prepared to put up with some inconvenience these days. For my6elf I have not much hair to cut." "Couldn't he help to cut the hair of the boys in camp?" enquired a member of the board. The lad, further stated the appellant; was 20 years of age, and had been at the ti-ade about four years and seven months. The necessity for an extension <Jf time brought forth the comment that some people never learnedl tocut hair properly, and the Chairman remarked, "Or to shave, either. At one time they used to put a basin on the head and cut round' it."' After further parley, Mr. Bishop concluded: "I am afraid, Mr. Jerman. you must put up with the present position. The case will be dismissed."

Even after sending a hundred thousand men to the war, New Zealand continues to be a very vague spot on the map to millions of people in the United States of America, including some editors. The Ladies' Home Journal of March, 1918, has this paragraph : "The fiah that pilots vessels into the harbour at New Zealand is known to all local mariners there. .It is called the Pelorus Jack Dolphin. The fish is,almost 12ft long, and usually joins an incoming vessel astern. Then it bounds along and across the vessel's bow, each time rubbing its lack, sides, or belly against the ship—legend says to rub the barnacle? off the ship. Years ago the Enel'sh Parliament passed an Act protecting the fish from —the only fish, it is said, that was ever thus protected under an Act of Parliament." That report implies that New Zealand is a place with only one harbour, and that-the country legislation is made in Britain. Pelorus Jack is presented to American readers as a kind of official pilot, and ship's surveyor and reconditioner as well. Of course, it is well known here that Jack was protect,-"1 by a regulation (under an Act), net by a special Act. It is some years since Jack was seen in his old haunts. It is believed that he was killed, by.a paxtjx of Joreiga whalers.

A London cable message to the Australian papers states that Harry Lauder, the famous comedian; will stand at the next general election against eitlier Mr. Philip Snowdeji or Mr. Kamsay MacDonald. Mr. Snowden, a Socialist, is Labour member for Bb.ckburn, and. Mr. Mac Donald represents Leicester. They are both well-known pacifists.

The Mayor of Christchurch has received a letter from Sir William Fraser, Minister of Public Worke, in regard to. the piercing of the headings of the' Arthur's Pats tunnel, and has invited the executive of the Tunnel Executive Committee ra meet-him in the Council Chambers on Monday next to make filial arrangements for the issuing of invitations for the coming ceremony.

The Marine Department recently gave the Makara County Council/control of the foreshore at Titahi Bay. Boatshed and bathing sites have been allotted and arrangements made by the council for the issue of licenses. The allotment of motor-boat sites wilL be made shortly, and further bylaws will, be passed '"for the regulation and control of the beach. This, it is believed, will add to the popularity of this seaside resort.

A motion was moved, at the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association that the next National Apple Show should be held in Wellington. The mover said that although it was Canterbury's turn to have the show in Chnstchurch, he thought that it was in~the best interests of the fruitgrowing industry of New Zealand that the show should be made a Dominion event, and this could. best be done by holding it at the most central city, Wellington.' Mr. J. Longton said that it had been decided at the last Dominion Conference that i the next show should be held in Wellington;, subject to the approval of the Canterbury Association. The idea, was to hold the National Show in Wellington every year, and in addition each association could hold a local _ show. The motion was carried unanimously.

"During the year a new domestic tariff was inaugurated," states the annual report of the City Electric Light Department, "and up to the present about 2000 connections have been made on the new system, which is working admirably, and promises to be adTantageous to vboth consumer and corporation. Briefly, the system is-that only one meter is installed for both lighting and; heating, instead^ of two meters as formerly, a predetermined number of units being charged for at lighting rate, and all units used in excess of such amount at heating rate." The report mentions that there has been an,increased demand for current for heating purposes. The connections have increased by 875, and the units sold for heating purposes show- an increase of 28 per, cent.

In a statement at Auckland on Thursday, Hon. T. M. Wilford (Minister of Marine) touched on the proposed disposal of the Tutanekai. The' vessel, he said, was 22 years old, and cost £37,000. She was built as a cable ship, and had been used by the Post Office Department as a cablo repair ship up till quite recently. The Post Office Department was now handing her back to the Marine Department, as she was no longer required by the former Department. The substantial rent that was being paid for her by the Post Office had now ceased, and the Marine Department had the boat on its hands. Offers for her had been 'received from Dunedin, Auckland, and Wellington, and it seemed to him the only way to do was to dispose of her by tender. This it had-been decidedto do. Ha pointed out that it .would cost thousands of pounds to convert her into a cargo ship, a fact which would no doubt be taken into consideration. The Tutanekai is a steel screw steamer of 811 tons, and was built at Port Glasgow in 1896 by ■D.J. Dnnlopand 00. Hier principal dimensions are: .—Length 205,6 feet, breadth 30.1 feet, and depth 14,8 feet.

A proposal that ths Onehunga Zoo should be acquired by the Auckland City Council for the benefit of the citizens h»s been made by the proprietor,. Mr. J. J. Boyd, of Onehnnga. Mr. Boyd stated that he was willing to of the zoo, with the freehold property of seven acres at Onehunga, for £12,000, or if the council did not desire the freehold proparty, he would sell the animals and plant and buildings for removal for £8000. He had decided to offer the zoo to the council in view of his advancing' years, and also on. account'of. his recent trouble with the: Onehunga Borough Council. , He would not require the purchase money to be in cash, but would accept debentures. He suggested that if the zoo were acquired by the council the Dom&in would be an ideal spot in which to house it. The animals in the zoo comprised 25 lions, 10 bears, a tiger, a leopard, a large baboon, a. large number of monkeys, opossums, black lemurs, fallow deer, kangaroos, and many other smaller animals. There was also a large collection of birds, including eagles, cranes, Victorian Crown pigeons, emus, peacocke, 25 varieties of pigeons, and many other native and foreign birds. The. zoo had been carried on for seven years, during which he had made ten trips abroad. Recently he had visited the zoos in the capital cities of Australia, where the total number of lions on exhibition was only ten.

A Frenchman and a German fought their recent differences over again—before Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Both were typical of their race. The Frenchman was named Henri French, short, slight, and somewhat mercurial, and the German (naturalised) was J. H. Meyer (represented by Mr. E. M. Beechey), who was charged with'having assaulted the Frenchman,_a juggler by profession. French's story was that he saw defendant about renting a section in Ghuznee"stroet for the accommodation of ; his horees. Defendant referred him' to Mr. Eggers, and' he took the section, paying Mr. Eggers £2 as rent. When he saw Meyer he was told by him that he would have to pay another 30b. Defendant, alleged French, also said that if he did not get the 30s he would let the horses out. The horses were let out, but.it was not known by whom. On Sunday afternoon he went to see Meyer about the horses, and Meyer grasped him by the throat, punched him on the chest, and' violently ejected him from his office. "You were out quick and lively?" asked Mr. H. F. O'Leary, who appewed for. Meyer. "Oh, yes, I was quiet; just like a bomb, like a torpedo," replied French, amid laughter. Defendant,'who eaid he. had lived in-Wellington for-45 years, and was over"" 70 years of age, do ■ clared that French was the aggressor. When the conversation took place about the 30s French said, "I'm a blooming Frenchman, and Tm not going to'pay. He (Moyer) renlied. "I'm .a blooming German." His Worship considered the evidence was conflicting, ,-and dismissed the information.

"Reports from several local Returned! Soldiers' Associations show that the resoltrtion of the Dominion Conference in regard to .retrospective allowances, lias broad and deep support," remarks Quick March. "The' Minister of Defence does not question the rightness of the principle, but apparently he believes that the country cannot afford to he just to the early enlisters and their dependents. This is a surprising' attitude, which shows that the Minister must have been too busy to gi\© proper attention to the subject. . The R.S.A. is reluctant to be•lieve that Sir James Allen's statements, so far, are the result of 'careful consider-, ation.' Therefore final judgement will be suspended till there jis unmistakable evidence that he has taken time to weigh his words after the case has been clearly placed before him by a deputation."

The Canterbury Education Board yesterday decided to adhere to its former decision not to appeal* for .the military exemption oi any teacher. A motion to appeal for an extension of time in a certain case was negatived on the casting vote of the chairman.

The shortage of household coal seems to be still acute, telegraphs the Christchurch Press Dunedin correspondent. At Port Chalmers a coal dealer said on Thursday morning that he did not think there was a ton, perhaps; not a quarter of a ton, for sale that day. In several households there was no coal to light the domestic fire.

The children attending the Mount Cook School evidently do not confine their endeavours to passing examinations and winning games. The School Committee was informed by the teachers at the* last monthly meeting that the boys had made a third payment of 10s towards the "Copper TraiL'.' Also, ■ the teachers' report stated that members of the infant school were enthusiastic in their effort to collect money in aid of the Mayoress's Christmas Pudding Fund, with the result that £3 10s has been handed to the treasurer.. '. . The monthly meeting of the Makara County Council was' held yesterday, Councillor S. Bryant in the chair, and there were also present Councillors J. H. Haggerty, A. J. Taylor, E. Windley, W. E. Cook, and S. Bowler. Authority was given ioi\ the immediato • replacement of three culverts at Ohariu -damaged by the heavy rain on Thursday night- The Following rates were struck:—ln the Porirua Riding, 1 5-32 din the £ ; and in the Makara Hiding, Id in the £. The increase, is l-16d in the Porirua Riding, and is due entirely to the increased- demand of the Hospital, and Charitable Aid Board.

New Zealand's dependence on Australia for. certain very important agricultural produce is shown in a return prepared by the Government Statistician. New Zealand imported from Australia 37 centals of wheat in 1913, 72,896 centals in 1914, 48,602 centals in 1915, 30,905 centals in 1916, and 71,012 centals in 1917. -i Tho- figures for oats are —705 centals in 1913, 10,220 in 1914, 4472 in 1915, 114,894 in 1916, and 227,388 in 1917. During the three years 1913-4-5 New Zealand importedl only 15 tlcerua.te of barley., In 1916 the Dominion imported' 58,201 centals, a,nd 56,452 centals in 1917. In 1916 New Zealand imported 2081 tons of potatoes from Australia, .valued at £15,695. Last year the importation of potatoes was comparatively small. . ' ;. i

"Tins charged Is" in the case of the smaller, and 2s for the larger, is geiierally marked on biscuit and sweet tins now being retailed, for tins of all kinds have become an expensive item to producers on account of the difficulty of replenishing stocks of tin-plate. This shortage is not only felt in New Zealand, and generally the enormous demand for tinned goods to be sent to the various fronts must have practically caught up with the supply of raw material. .. Consequently, many classes of goods that" previously reached the Dominion in tins are cow received in substitute packages. Several brands of tobacco are being put up in cardboard boxes, and it is stated that future lots of tobacco will mostly be .received in this form. .

A Government officer who is making an investigation in the Tongan Group regarding, facilities for trading with New Zealand, states that meet of the trade with those islands is being diverted to Sydney and the .United" State. Before the war Germany held a strong position as competitor for the raw products of the islands. "But for the war," the officer remarks, -"I am convinced they would have completely ousted, the British, competition, and America would have taken second place. England, Australia, and New Zealand would then have taken the crumbs only." He reports' that there is a very pronounced '■ feeling in the Tongan Group that for some inexplicable reason New Zealand is deliberately neglectful of them. The resident British and the natives desire to trade with the Dominion; but nothing is apparently done by ,New Zealand to provide the requisite facilities. ..,-...

An offender against one of the many provisions of the law, given an unduly optimistic mind, might possibly rejoice in the fact, that the cells at the new police station in Johnston-street -are the most up-to-date" in. the Dominion, but he would be by no means pleased with the means placed-at his disposal for the journey, short as it is, from the station to the Magistrate's Court. 'Wellington has no prison van, though the new station has varople garage room for several, and the universal motor-car as' a rule does duty in phco of the usual closed-in vehicle. Occasionally, when this car is engaged elsewhere or when the "Jist" is; lengthy, Iha offenders _ap escorted on foot,, some of them possibly to answer serious charges and maybo wearing handcuffs, very much in the eyes of the ■•indiscriminafcmg public, which is quite unable to distinguish between _ a first offending inebriate and an pld-titns housebreaker or the like.

A 'cry .enjoyable social event took place on Thursday evening in the Maranui Hall, Lyall Bay, when the members of tbe Maranui 'Sutl and Life-Saving Club presented' Messrs. W. J. Goddard and R. Hogg with tokens of respect and good-will on theii leaving for camp. Already 50 members have left the club for active service, five of whom have been killed in action. The presentations were made by Mr. J. Kober, on behalf of the club, who made a very pleasing reference to the feeling that existed between the club members and Messrs. Goddard and Hogg. The recipients expressed their appreciation in the usual manner, amidst cheering and musical .honours. Among the guests of. the evening was : Captain C. G. Hedge, Jately' returned from the front, who was one #of the earliest members of the Maijanui Sut! and L:fe- Caving Club. Miss A. M. Bartley had charge of the programme, and among the performers' were Mis& K. Maclver and Mr. theo. Hills. _ Miss E. M. Bartley was the accompanist.