LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 77, 27 September 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of the departure of the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

The thanks of the Hospital Board have been extended to the Thorndon Bowling Club for the gift of two more Fowler beds, with the necessary mattresses, and pillows—these making a total of six Fowler beds which that club has presented to the Hospital. ■

The Marton Jockey Club last night (states a Press Association telegram) voted the totalisator fractions at the recent Spring Meeting to the Copper Trail at Marton..

To celebrate the victories on all fronts, news of which has been received of late, and particularly General Allenby's defeat of the Turks in Palestine, a gathering o£ citizens, convened by the Mayor, was held at the band rotunda in the Square at Palmerston North on Tuesday night. Although the meeting was caUcd very hurriedly, there was a. good attendance, and the proceedings, although necessarily of short duration, were enthusiastic. The Municipal Band contributed musical selections as the people were assembling, and proceedings opened with the National Anthem. The following motion was passed: " That this gathering of citizens of Palmerston North expresses its greatest thanks to Almighty God, and congratulations to General Allenby and his army, on their great success in Palestine; also to Generals Foch and Haig and to Britain's army and her Allies for their indomitable courage and inflexible determination to carry the war to a successful issue."

It is not often that excuses put forward by offenders charged with using objectionable language axe accepted as reasonable by Magistrates pi-esiding at Police Courts, but George King's explanation as to why he was moved to express himself so forcibly as to offend the public ear was considered reasonable by Ma-. F. V. Frazer, S.M., this morning. King said that he and his wife were alighting from a Lyall Bay car in the city, but the motorman, for some reason," started off the car before Mrs. King had stepped down, with the result that she fell heavily to the ground, injuring her knees. He was annoyed, and expressed his opinion, of the motorman's action, in no uncertain manner, but unwisely made no explanation when a constable came on the scene to take his name. Had he done so, Mr. Frazer remarked, action might not have been taken. King was convicted and ordered to come, up for sentence when called upon, and, also to pay costs amounting to 16s 4d.

Charges of.having answered questions put to him by a constable in a false and misleading manner were admitted by Robert Andrews, alias Sturgeon, at the Police Court, Hamilton. Senior-Sergeant Cassclls stated that Constable Ingram went to a flaxmill at «R»ngiriri and interviewed the accused. The latter said his name was John Sturgeon, and produced a certificate of enrolment and a pass from camp. •. Later, he admitted that his true name, was Andrews, and stated that he found the papers in Auckland. He had been before the medical board and classed C 2, but was wanted for re-examination. The accused said he did not receive notice to attend for medical examination until a fortnight after the board sat. Then, knowing that he would be wanted by .the ..military authorities' for not attending, he changed his name. The Magistrate said he could not accept such an excuse. It seemed to him that accused was a deliberate shirker. "Where did you get the papers?" he asked. The accused: "I got them in Auckland." The SeniorSergeant : ' "There is a considerable amount of trafficking going on in these papers." The Magistrate considered that accused's offence was a contemptible one, and sentenced him to a month's imprisonment, with hard labour.

- A widow, Mrs. Honour' Ingram, aged M years, residing at 55, Cambridgeterrace, was severely.-burnt about the legs and body through her clothes catching fire while she was engaged in washing olothes for Mrs. Napier, 32, College-street, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Ingram was removed to the Hospital, and is reported to be making fair progress.

A letter was received by the Miramar Borough Council last- night from the authorities of Scots College, asking that the rates on four acres of the college ground should be remitted. As theground is not being used for educational, purposes, the building not yet having been completed, there was no liability on the council to remit the rates. It was decided that the rates should be continued until such time as the grounds be used for school purposes.

Dr. Hislop, honorary surgeon to the Wellington Hospital, has been granted extended leave of absence by the Hospital Board owing to his taking up military duties. Dr. M. Holmes has been appointed to the position. At its meeting yesterday afternoon, the board also accepted, with regret, the resignation'of Dr. Morton, honse surgeon, as from 7th October.

Last evening, at the parade of the Petone Fire Brigade, the Mayor, Mr. J. W. M'Eiwan, presented Foreman Witcher and Fireman Williams each with fiveyear medals, and each of the following with two-years bars: Foreman Shardlow, Firemen Bose, W. H. Shardlow, Selwood, Richardson, Guthrie, and Silbery.

Private Austen E. Reid, M.M., on returning to Carterton from tho Western front, was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr. Gordon Hughan). Private R'eid was dangerously wounded in the right leg in France some time back, and in addition received sevon or. eight, other wounds. He arrived on crutches, and his right' leg is still useless. He has entered the Masterton Hospital for further treatment.

The committee which has in hand "the arrangements for the Petone La-boar Day carnival is making satisfactory progress, and the even* promises to be even more, successful than in former years. Mr. R. Hartley, who has again taken the position of honorary secretary, reported last evening that the programme of events had been drawn up. The disposal of tho surplus funds, if any, has not yet been decided upon.

Two old colonists, Mr. and Mrs. James Harper, on» 86 and the other 82 years of age. died' this week at Waipawa. within two days of each other. They formerly lived in Wellington .for many years, but for some time past had resided at Waipawa. The double funeral took place yesterday—the interment being at the Karori cemetery. The Rev. John Dawson, an old friend of the family, and the Rev. A. Hunt, officiated at the ■ graveside.

A few days ago the Hospital lorry which, conveys milk to the institution broke dawn, and some difficulty was experienced. Hearing of the predicament the authorities -were.in, Mr. H. D. Bennett, .of Willis-street, promptly devoted his grocery lorry for the use of the Hospital. It was a thoughtful act, and one that "was appreciated. ■ . "Did you advise your officer that you could not attend drill by writing?"" asked Mr. F. ;l y. Frazer, S.M.. of a Territorial this morning.. ''No, sir, verbally," was the answer. "That is no good. There is a right way to do this sort of thing, and that is hy writing," said the Magistrate. William Aitehison, J. Fitzgerald, and Albert O'Neill were each ordered to pay fines of 10s, with 7s costs, or-serve seven days' military detention, and James Grieg must pay a fine of £1 and 7s costs,. in default a fortnight's detention. A peep in^to the future. At yesterday's, meeting of the Hospital Board, the Hos- > pital Committee reported as follows :— That advjce had been received' from the Acting-Inspector-General\ of Hospitals that the Victoria Military Ward would be vacated as soon after peace 1 was declared as possible. There was a further letter from the Defence Department stating that it was not going on with the projected ward for returned soldiers, which it had proposed erecting in the Hospital grounds. "If a man has been classed unfit for military service do the.Defence authorities treat him as exempted from Territorial drills?" asked " Mr. F. V. Frazer, .S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning. A representative of the Department answered that that course was being followed at the present time, pending the decision ?of the Supreme Court in an appeal to be | brought to test the ruling" of Mr/ S. E. I M'Carthy, S.M., given some time ago in regard to the matter. A well set-up young man named Hugh Anderson was charged before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning with having assaulted Herbert James' Simpson at the Porirua Mental Hospital jn Wednesday last. Chief-Detective Boddam said that in view" of the fact that Anderson had been -drinking heavily lately, and that the assaulted man was a patient at the hospital, where Anderson was employed as a warder, he vas not ready to go on with the case. A remand was granted till Wednesday next, and the. question of allowing' bail was held over till tomorrow. ' , / Several soldiers' business affairs have been satisfactorily adjusted by Mr. Frostick, Canterbury Efficiency Commissioner, under the regulations now enforced • (states a Press Association message from Christchurch). Mr.. Frostick. stated yesterday that ins experience led him to believe that the great majority of cases might be arranged by consent of the parties interested, without the legal in ' terference of the National 1 Efficiency Board. All that was«required was common ■ sense. ; The only possible difficulties that he could see might arise^. out of insistence upon unnecessary formalities, but if common-sense' was applied to the work those difficulties would certainly not be insurmountable. , . Some residents in Christchurch have handed to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce letters which, it is believed, were written with the object of securing trade for Germany, states the Lyttelton Times. These letters come from neutral countries.*' rln most cases the wording is guarded, and leaves room for only a suspicion, but in at least one case the writer frankly states that he is ready to overcome the difficulty in the way of communication between . New Zealand and countries engaged in the war. Several tempting (offers, of business are made. The Chamber of Commerce will forward the letters to the Board of Trade, and-it is probable that they will be brought under the notice of the Imperial authorities. The Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club House Society, in its annual report, acknowledges the.receipt from the Wellington Amateur Swimming Club of the sum of £39, the proceeds of a swimming carnival, also from the Savage Club of a further donation of £50. The report states that improvements and additions to furnishing and fitting at the club house have ■ been made, for which thanks are due to Messrs. A. P. Whatman, E. D. Bell, W. Simm, P. C. Watt, and others, and to various ladies and other citizens for donations of cakes, flowers, .books, ' papers, -and periodicals, which are much appreciated. The committee thank subscribers for their hearty ,6upport; Miss M. Aleen Stevens for her valuable honorary assistance and constant' attention to the interests of the club house; and the honorary auditors, Messrs. E. W. Hunt and H. A. Gold. Tho Hospital Board ha» decided that the services of Mr. Bond (acting-dental surgeon) be retained for a further period of six months, or until Mr. ■ Bender is released from military duties, and resumes his position. The return of 7000 Anzacs whose war service dates back to 1914 should be a stirring event for Australia, says the Sydney Daily . Telegraph. The whole number of men who are to be given, this much-prized leave as a result of the representations made by Mr. Hughes are to be despatched! to Australia in the European autumn, and "before winter sets in." This means that in all probability they will sail not later than October, and therefore should \ be hack in Australia by Christmas. A fitting Teception will, of course, 'oe arranged for the men who have fought for four years in the greatest of all waTS, and who are coming home for a rest that is assuredly well deserved. It is expected that their presence will stimulate recruiting—which is a hint that the high military authorities who have made the concession at the request of Mr. Hughes ar<\.not of opinion that the war is likely to havo an early end. . ' i A draft bylaw dealing with wandering stock, amending the existing bylaw, and bringing it into line with the city bylaw, -was received from Messrs. Young, Noave, and Courtney by the Miramar Borough Council last night. The council approved of the bylaw, which will come into force as soon as the legal formalities are complied with. The police have arrested a woman in Nelson in connection with the abandonment of an infant on the 11th instant. The child was found in a go-cart just inside the entrance to the grounds of the convent at Kilbirnie. Mr. Andrew Birrell Hughes, of Nelson, aged! 78, an ironfounder wellknown in Greymouth and Nelson, is dead. His wife predeceased him. He is survived by two daughters (Mrs. G. W. Boundy, Motueka, and Miss Hughes, of Nelson) and one son, Private A. Hughes. M.M.j who.is on active service. "Excuse me if this _letter does not seem too cheerful," -writes a, Blenheim soldier from England, "but a few days back somoone beat me for my spare shirt, just after I had put in half an hour washing it, mind you. However, it is a matter, that, is easily fixed vp —just a question of someone's washing, my size of shirt, and no one but me about. ' During the month ended 17th September 48 cases of diphtheria were reported to the Hospital authorities, as compared with 49 during the previous month. Miramar was the only suburb which did not produce a case. The Mayor of Lower jHutt (Mr. E. P. Bislworth) has received from the Hutt Valley Brass Band Company a .donation of £12 13s .towards Hhe "Hufk )T<3objucafc&&<ro£Fufid.,.