LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"A fine record" is the phrase which the Hon. G. W. Russell used yesterday in regard to New Zealand's provision of public hospitals. He gave the following figures :—Total cost, £1,650,000, comprising £293,000 for land, £1,165,000 for buildings, and £192,000 for equipment. The l-evenne for the year 1917 was £705,----000, thus :—Contributed by the Government, £221,000; rate levies, £200,000; voluntary contributions, £18,000; rents, £15,000; fees paid by patients, £231,----000; other sources, £20,000. The total annual expenditure on hospitals and charitable aid was £603,000 (lls per head of population).

Apropos the published statement that one of the first acts to greet the re-ap-pearance of the German prisoners on Somes Island! "was to give the men "food and plenty of it," "U.A.," "in a letter to The Post, considers that Britain is justly entitled to be \regarded as a magnanimous foe. "I hope," the correspondent writes, "as a nation we will carry this awful conflict through with clean hands to a, just and honourable peace. Still, there is a. danger of, overstepping the mark—for instance, this Somes Island episode. Methinks had: any of our poor follows in German, prisons tried to fool' in a liko manner, they would have bean dealt with.in a different manner.'-'

- The Niagara, which, arrived from Vancouver early on Tuesday morning, brought about 60 members of the Third Fijia-n Reinforcements, half-caste natives, who will enter camp for. training.

Amongst the names, appearing in the last pass list of the British Institute of Civil Engineers were those of the following New Zealand candidates (reports the London correspondent of The Post) :— Preliminary, Peter Keller (Whangamomoni'.), John'R. Marks (Alexandra), Ernest. F. M'Kenzie (Christohurch); Associate membership (whole examination), Peter Keller. John R. Marks, Alfred G. Walker (Auckland).

Following is the movement of troops from Featherslon Camp for the week ending Saturday, 24th August: —Monday, 19th, 43rd Infantry Reinforcements commence returning from final leave; Friday, 23rd, A, B, C, D, and E Companies, 43rd Infantry Reinforcements move to Trentham by rail; Saturday, 24th, A, B, C, D, and'E Companies 44t.h Infantry Reinforcements move to Featherston huts from Tauherenikau.

"We waut more population; that is a primary necessity of this country," stated the Minister of Public Health yesterday. As one result of the war, he said, the public debt would- be increased by probably about £100,000,000, and the -annual payment of war pensions might be about 52,000,000. The Dominion would not be able to carry on successfully without an increase of population—and the best possible increase would be in a better birth-rate. It was estimated that if the rate of the year 1886 had been maintained there would have been 240,009 more people in New Zealand now—and, of course, many of those would have been of an age now to be fathers a,nd mothers. Numbers of persons committed a sin against God and the race by the methods adopted to limit the birth-rate. From the economic viewpoint, the State must recognise thai that population had its value. It was the duty of the State to stand by the fathers and mothers who accepted the responsibility of having children, and to assist them by direct cash payments in bringing tip tneir families.

The action of the military authorities in placing licensed houses out of brfSunds to soldiers in uniform on days when drafts of sick and wounded.men return was mentioned at the general meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association at Auckland. The secretary, Mr. E. F. Andrews, said the executive of the branch had made representations to the authorities, asking that hotels be also closed to civilians on such occasions. The meeting signified its approval of the suggestion, and several speakers endorsed the opinion of the secretary when he said that drunkenness was not more prevalent among soldiers than among civilians.

Another burglary is reported to have been committed in the city, this time at a two-story house on Wellington-ter-race, but fortunately the thief did not steal anything more than a small sum of money. A fire, escape provided an easy means of access to the dwelling, and apparently the thief entered an upperstory window while the occupants were downstairs early on a recent evening and ransacked two bedrooms. Nothing was taken beyond cash amounting to v £l 16s from a bag in the second room visited, but the thief evidently deemed it prudent to leave a cheque for £3j also in the hag, behind. None of the inmates heard the visitor at work, and it was not till next day that the burglary was discovered.

• A further contribution to the discussion as to methods of raising money for war funds was furnished at this week's meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. The Rev. J. Dickson expressed the opinion that philanthropic efforts should; not be allowed to b? a cover for gambling' and Sunday desecration. IJe moved: "That this Presbytery, while strongly in favour of all legitimate endeavours to provide trench comforts for our soldiers at the front, protests against these patriotic schemes being made a- cover ( for gambling or the mortgaging of the Day of Best with non-sacred and semi-sacred Sunday concerts." The Rev. J. S. Eeid 6aid he thought the gambling element introduced in the method of raising money for patriotic funds was a scandal to the rising generation. The motion was carried.

In a letter to the Journal of Science, Mr." C. P. Powles remarks that the Carter bequest, "made for the benefit of Wellington," now amounts to £4138. The text of the bequest is : "As to.the residue and remainder (if any) of the said net proceeds of the sale, conversion, and getting-in of my estate aforesaid, my trustee shall transfer the same to the governors for the time being of the New Zealand Institute at Wellington, to form a nucleus of a fund for the erection in or near Wellington aforesaid, and the endowment of a professor and staff, of an astronomic observatory fitted with telescope and other suitable instruments for the public use and benefit of the colony, and in the hope that such fund may be augmented by gifts from private donors, and that the observatory may be subsidised by the Colonial Government ; and without imposing any duty or obligation in regard thereto I would indicate my wish that the telescope may be obtained from, the factory of Sir H. Grubb, in Dublin." Mr. Powles wishes somebody to do something.

American forces in Prance • are now equipped with a new weapon, the shotgun, which is said to be highly effective in stopping enemy rushes. An officer in Wellington has received a specimen of the cartridge used in this arm. In outward appearance it resembles the ordinary paper leased cartridge familiar to all sportsmen, but instead of small shot it contains nine pellets of No., 00 biickshot, about the diameter of a .32 calibre bullet (or of a lead pencil). The- American gun sprays the contents of the cartridge over an area measuring nine feet horizontally by about three feet vertically. At 150 yards the pellete will penetrate a, two-inch plank. The Bhotgun itself is comparatively short,, and it is, of course, smooth-bored, and. it will hold six cartridges in the magazine. Its weight is &§l'b, complete with bayonet. To strengthen the thin barrel to carry the bayonet work, and at the same time to assist in cooling the weapon, a perforated outer jacket of steel is fitted over, but separated from, the barrel proper.

The following nominations have been received for the offices to be filled at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, to be held this evening :—Vice-president-, Mr. H. F. yon Haast; council, Miss D. K. Richmond, Mrs. J. A. Hannah, Messrs. W. A. Bowring, E. G. Hood, A. F. Nicoll, J. Allan Thomson, and A. A. Bender; treasurer, J. Allan Thomson, A. A. Bender, and E. G. Hood.

A paper on "The Economic Development of Future Industrialism in New Zealand" will be read by Mr. W. Reid at the next meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association.

. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, writing to Brigadier-General Page Cro»t, M.P., in reply to a welcome extended to Premiers of overseas Dominions, states: "I note with extreme pleasure the decision of the National Party to stand firm behind the Imperial War Cabinet in the determination never to rest until complete victory is achieved." Mr. Massejj adds that he is in thorough concord with the National Party's conviction that territories wrested from the tyranny of Germany in Africa and the Pacific should in no circumstances be returned to the enemy as future bases of naval and military aggression, and he also agrees that the Paris resolution should be put into immediate effect.

The Fire Brigade was called out twice yesterday. The first call was to a gorse fire in Brittomart-street at 3.10 p.m., and shortly after 6 p.m. a. call came_ from No. 10, Marion-street, where a chimney was on fire in a house occupied by Mr. W. G. Fitzgerald.

Mrs. Seddon's presence at yesterday's hospital ceremony was mentioned by the Hon. Gf. W. Russell as a reminder of Richard Sedclon's great work for mothers with, the establishment of St. Helen's Maternity Homes. The Minister referred to the great expansion of this work during recent years.

It is notified in last night's Gazette for general information, that particulars obtained by the Government indicate thevtthere is available for exportation a quantity of neatsfoot oil amounting to approximately 2000 gallons. Applications for permission to export such oil to British or" Allied destinations will accordingly be considered if received by the Comptroller of Customs, Wellington, by a date notified.

The committee of the Christ's College Old Boys' Association, after much consideration of the question of a memorial of all old boys who have served in the, war, has 'decided that in a crisis such as the present it is desirable that, in place of individual memorials, the matter should be treated on a broad basis, as affecting the whole school and its past history, and that a general memorial to all old boys who have served should be erected.

Speaking about public bodies generally, Mr. G. T. London said, at Petone last evening, that it was a singular thing that Dersons who carefully watched the expenditure of every penny of their own money were quite lavish when it came to the spending of public money. Every business enterprise undertaken should' be gelf-Bup_porting, and while it was perfectly legitimate for a public body to prevent exploitation it was not right, on the other hand, that people should be given something for nothing.

"Hospital Sato rd aye," to raise funds for special purposes within New Zealand, will come after the war, if one hope of the Minister of Public Health is realised. He expressed a hope yesterday that the present magnificent patriotic organisations would be set in operation to enlist the active sympathy of the public with hospital enterprise in the Dominion. The money so raised, instead of being put into the general fund, would be used for special purposes, particularly for the benefit of children.

"This is one of the parasites of the town," said Inspector Marsack when Jeremiah O'Reilly, looking very unkempt and down at heel, took his stand in: the dock at the Magistrate's Court this morning to answer a charge of being a rogue ana n vagabond and begging alms in Lambton-quay. O'Reilly's forte, stated the Inspector, was asking soldiers for money. However, he will bother no more men in khaki in the street for some time, for Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., sentenced him to six months' hard labour.

The Golden Bay Cement Works at Tarakohe were partially destroyed by fire a few days ago. An far as could be gathered, the fire occurred in the dryingroom, the cause being apparently belt friction. The fire was confined to the one room, but.did considerable damage before it was put outj. The amount of damage is variously estimated at from £1000 to £4000, but probably this is over-esti-mated, though considerable damage has undoubtedly been done to the machinery in the room affected.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., gave" judgment for plaintiff by default in the case of Osmond and' Son (New Zealand), Ltd., v. J. T. Crosby, £2 10s, costs Bs. In a defended case, Ella Lamb, taxi proprietress, Wellington, sued William Beattie, grocer., of Wellington, for £34 0s sd, for alleged shortages in stock and faulty valuation in connection with the purchase by' plaintiff of defendant's business. Mr. R. A. Howie appeared for plaintiff, and defendant did not appeal. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £31 10s sd, with £3 13s costs.

Mr. John Calder, a Scotsman, who has done a great deal in the entertainment of New Zealand soldiers, has (states the London correspondent of The.Post) placed his house in Perthshire at the disposal of the New Zealand War Contingent Association for the use of men on leave. From eight to fourteen men can be accommodated, and Mr. Calder will provide the' staff with vegetables and milk. The offer has been gratefully accepted. The committee of the m-socia-tion has been most successful in finding homes for men on leave north of Fort William, an area of Scotland which seems to have particular attraction for New Zealanders.

The New Zealand Insurance Company, Limited, has decided to further extend its operations by opening a branch in New York for fire and marine business, states the New Zealand Herald. The new branch is to be in the charge of Mr. H. E. Kempthorne, at present Wellington manager for the company, an able ruid experienced officer, who was formerly manager at Calcutta. The company is already represented in the American Continent by branches at San Francisco and Buenos Aires. Mr. D. J. Bews, secretary to the company at Us head office in Auckland, has been appointed to succeed Mr. Kempthorne; in the management of the Wellington branch. v

While engaged on a coal stage alongside the Neahere at the Railway Wharf at 7.30 o'clock last night, Erneet Warren, a widower, aged 39 years, residing at 280, Willis-street, fell to the wharf and injured his left hip.