LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday afternoon and evening the House of Representatives was in a mood to remind the Government that members could be masters of Ministers. The Bepatri&tion Bill was held up in comroittee. Members had received telegrams from Beturned Soldiers' Associations and other organisations, and it was evidently, believed that a good purpose could be served by delaying the passage of the Bill until people interested had an opportunity to study its provisions. The Expeditionary Forces Bill was read a third time. The Legislative Council's amendments in the Licensing Amendment Bill were accepted. The Prime Minister explained that certain points raised by the Council would be introduced into the House by Governor's message. Mr. Massey stated that he would move that the House should disagree with the Legislative Council's rejection of the House amendment to permit women to be candidates for Parliament. Five minutes after midnight the House went into Committee of Supply on the public Works Estimates. The voting was finished at 1.10 a.m., and the House then rose till 12 noon to-day; The Council worked till 10.15 p.m.

Two first-offending inebriates .appeared before Mr. W. H. Goy, J.P., at the Mount Cook Police . Station this morning. They were convicted' and discharged.

Owing to the prevailing epidemic, the appeal for funds to continue .the Returned Soldiers' Club which was "to have taken place on 6th and 7th December has been abandoned until early in. the New Year. The money will be r^-juired in order to continue the club for the benefit of the returning New Zealand army.

In the various centres of the North Island to-morrow, branches of the New Zealand Locomotive Enginnors. Fireman, and Cleaners' Association will meet to "consider the departure from New Zealand of the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward before transacting the necessary business in connection with the legislation required for the people of New Zealand."

An important phase of war -work has been that of guarding overseas shipping, and for some eighteen months a band of men—some forty in all—have loyally carried out the work on the local wharves. Owing to the cessation of histilities, the Government has seen fit to disband this guard, and last evening members gathered in force to spend a social evening, and incidentally to do honour to Sergeant-Major C. 0. Vanderaluys, who has been in charge. In making a presentation to SergeantMajor Vanderslnys, Lance-Corporal JamJeson (a veteran member of the guard) highly praised that officer's work. His duties had been arduous, and there had been some difficult men to deal ■with, bnt they had teen encceßsfolly carried oat, to the satisfaction of ths *nd. the gafrßMrieg.,

In view of the importance of preventing the influenza epidemic reaching the Gfibert and Ellice Islands, a. proclamation has been issued, dated sth Decem. ber, closing Funafuti as a port of entry until further notice. In reply to a question in the House of Representatives yesterday,, the Minister of Mines said that he would confer with the Minister of Munitions as to the demobilisation of the Coal Committees concerned with the distribution of coal to the public. The Legislative Council last night agreed to an alteration of its amendment to the Reformatory Institutions Amendment Bill. The effect of the amendment is that the Minister of Justice retains the power given by the Bill to remove a person from a prison to a reformatory institution, but only in cases where the term of imprisonment has lessj than two years to run.

The following Local Bills were passed through all stages by the Legislative Council yesterday:—lnvercargill Borough Rato Empowering, New Plymouth , Harbour Board and Borough Council I Exchange, Auckland Institute and Museum Site Empowering, Tauranga Harbour Board and Borough Council Empowering, Uawa County, Napier Harbour Board Loans Enabling. At a, meeting of the Executive of tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association_ held last Wednesday, the following motion was carried in silence, the members standing: "That this committee of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association expresses its sincere sympathy with relatives of those members who succumbed to the influenza epidemic, and will_ be gladl to render assistance in obtaining any information they may desire." / "I recommend that the Second-hand Dealers Act be amended so as to apply to bicycle dealers," aays Superintendent Dwyer, of the Chrintchurch Police Force, in his annual report. "This would enable the police to cope more effectually with bicycle stealing, a class of offence ■that is becoming very prevalent in Christchurch. Since therestrictions on shipping, certain bicycle parts have become very difficult to obtain, and of late it has been frequently found that stolen bicycles have been stripped of certain parts and then abandoned, and it has been suggested that these parts are readily purchased by bicycle dealers and bicycle repairers, and that some of them at any rate are making big profits out of the business."

The total number of '^calls'' received throughout the fire districts of the Dominion for 1917-18 was 820, as against 775 for 1916-17. Out of the 406 actual fires 26 are reported as due to incendiat ism, 16 as having occurred on unoccupied premises, and .159 of unknown prigin. The fire loss throughout the fire districts for 1917-18 amounted to £245,806, an increase of £103,630 over that for 1916. 17. The disastrous fire that occurred in Dannevirke on the 22nd October last is responsible for nearly one-half (£113,----834) of the fire districts' total loss, Dunedin coming, next with a loss of £51,798. The insured loss throughout the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1917, amounted to £578,024, and throughout the fire districts for the corresponding period the insured loss was £218,325. Lieutenant C. H. T. Skelley (provost marshal) and Corporal Quarterman reached Dunedin on Saturday night with Roy and Reginald Bradley, brothers, these two men having been arrested at Big Bay, on the West Coast, on a charge of being military deserters. The Bradleys belong to Christchurch; and had been wanted for fifteen months. According to the military authorities, (says the Dunedin Star), one deserted while on leave from the 28th ReinfoTcemenil, the other disappeared as soon as the names' for the fifth ballot were published. Lieutenant Skelley and his subordinate had a most adventurous journey by way of Wakatipu, Lake Howden, and Martin's Bay, the trip lasting three weeks. The Bradleys did not resist arrest. They will be tried by court-martial. A theory which has a popular vogue is that the influenza pandemic had its origin in the deviliah ingenuity of the Germans (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph), Of course, nobody could invent a new disease germ; but there are medical men who believe that in this case an influenza germ has been given added virulence by German scientists. • The thing is theoretically possible. A comparatively harmless germ could be artificially "exalted" by passing it through a series of very susceptible animals or human beings, with the result that it would emerge with highly virulent characteristics. But experience has proved that when snch an experiment is' made the artificial exaltation, or virulence, of the germ does not remain. It soon goes back to its former mild state. And it must be noted that if the Germans had succeeded in playing this game with the germ of Spanish influenza, the Germans themselves have suffered severely from the disease.

Referring in the course of a conversation with a representative of the Christchurch Press recently to the cable message recently published stating that it is understood that the United States Government's offer to purchase 720,000 tons of British shipping from the International Mercantile Marine Company has been accepted, the manager of a well-known shipping concern expressed the opinion that the shipping position would not be greatly altered, except that the United states Government wouia have a direct interest in the White Star, the Leyland, and other shipping companies in which the International Company had acquired an interest some years ago. Th«, action of the United States Government was certainly unusual, and it was difficult to surmise with any confidence in this quarter of the world what it might portend. Apparently America was intent upon securing her shipping interests. Another gentleman, prominent in shipping circles, remarked that the shipping world wsb in the melting-pot, and although the United States Government's action was unusual, It must be remembered that the times also were unusnal. Government transactions in shipping raised very'important points.

In regard to the future, said Mr. R. S. Abraham, speaking at the annual meeting of Abraham and Williams held at Palmerston North, his own feeling was that they could look for a time of steady prosperity for this Dominion. No doubt the present high prices for stock would come down somewhat, but he thought the fall would be gradual; prices would eventually be fixed on a basis more permanent than heretofore, and not subject to the violent fluctuations which had been experienced in the past, and consequently a farmer would be able to take up land and practically know what hifl return would be, depending, of course, on hie farming ability. One thing was certain—that the old slipshod methods of farming would not do with land at present prices, and farmers would have to be progressive, and keep in touch with all the scientific improvements which are brought out from time to time. Of one thing he felt sure, that we should see a considerable immigration of men of email capital from England and her Allies. Our men, by their appearance, their valour, and their description of the eaey methods of life in. this country, would unquestionably inepire many of those with whom they had been brought in contact during the war to endeavour to improve their conditions of life by living in a country so free of war's alarms a* we t*ve own during the last momoatoui loot jm*v

Inquiries are being made into a series of burglaries, probably committed by juveniles, at the Mount Cook, Te Aro, and Newtown Schools. Lockers and cupboards were forced open and searched, but the booty stolen was of no great value. The Now Zealand Pregbyterian Bible Classes Conference, which was to be held this year at Timaru, opening on Boxing Day, on the recommendation of tha Health authorities has been cancelled. The conference will be held at Timaru next year. On the subject of venereal disease and tl-» 'Social Hygiene Act, the annual report of the Internal Affairs Department states:—"Little progress hoe been made by the Department in the administration of the Hygiene Act owing to tho j fact that the Act is deficient in its ma-j" chinery clauses. This requires to bet remedied this session by an amendment* to cover such matters as are outside the scope of regulations under the present Act."

Regulation* for tba distillation or mannfacture of spirits for industrial or scientific purposes, or for other purposes, after bnins? methylated or otherwise <\«- natured, are provided for in the Distillation Amendment Act. Tha regulations may be made by ths Governor-General, to deal with th* manufacture, storage. sale, disposition, or use of the spirit*, and the provisions of the Distillation Act, 1903, shall have no application to spirits distilled under the authority of the regulations. An old lady well over the allotted gpam came to the Epidemic Bureau in Dunedin and donated ten half-sovereigns to the relief fund. She added she had offered her services, "but," she continaed whimsically, "I suppose Fin too old." One of the motor-owners who was standing by for relief services overheard the conversation, and offered to drive her home. "No, no," said tho old lady; "you've got better work to do. Besides," she smiled, "I don't want it known who I am or where I live." Within the past thirty years several attempts have been made to establish the sericulture industry in Victoria. All ended in failure. But there are still enterprising people who have great faith : in the possibility, of producing silk hero (says the Age). An Assyrian merchant, reputed to have a large_ capital, and backed by Melbourne investors, ha 3 made application to the Minister of Lands for the use of a large area of practically useless Crown land in the ranges beyond Geelong. The idea is to extensively plant mulberry trees and cultivate silkworms. The promoters are convinced that the Victorian conditions are admirably suited to the industry.

"A most serious aspect of the year's work is tl» excessive number •of falso alarms received by the various brigades, totalling 867, of which number a very large proportion were {riven with malicious intent, in two instances resulting in serious accidents, and in one case, I regret to say, with, fatal results." remarks the Inspector of fire Brigades in his annual report. "It is a- very difficult matter to discover the perpetrators, and in the very few instances where the offence has been "sheeted home" the offenders have'been treated with a quits mistaken leniency; hut, bearing the above fatality in mind, it is to be hoped that in the case of any future conviction the punishment will bo made coip mensnrate to the offence." When Mr. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) was speaking on the Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill in the House last night an interjection came from the bench occupied by Messrs. Fraser and Holland to the effect that some fathers had sheltered behind their soldier sons. Mr. Ell (Christohurch North), whose son was killed in action, raised a point of order. He said that the interjection had come from Mr. Holland. This statement was supported by Messrs. T. A. H. Field and T. W. Ehodes. They held, warmly that fathers whose sous had eulisted should not be thus insulted, and that the offensive words should be withdrawn. Mr. Holland denied that he had used the words, but the other members were emphatic in their declaration that ho had. The Speaker said that the words had not reached him. In the circumstances the denial of the member for Grey had to be accepted, as there had been no motion that the words should be taken down.\

The sad case of a soldier who lost his life at Trentham in a bomb-throwing demonstration ; was before the House of Representatives yesterday, when the A to L Petitions Committee reported on the petition of his widow, Mrs. W. Beekham, for compensation. The Committee reported that while it had very great sympathy with the petitioner, it could not make any recommendation. Mr. Walker asked that the case should be referred back to the Committee. The deceased Boldier had returned from the front suffering from sunstroke, and met his death while taking part in a bombthrowing demonstration—a dangerous occupation for a soldier so suffering. He. had held a good position in civil life. Mr. Harris (Waitemata) said the Corny | mittee had every sympathy with trio widow, but oould .not recommend any special treatment, as she was in receipt of a full pension. The Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Vigor Brown) said he had no objection to the petition eoing back to the Committee. The House agreed to this. Midwives have not to any extent settled in country districts (runs a passage in the annual report of the Health Department). Few after completion of training have the necessary capital to pay expenses and wait for work. The only way in which' to provide country districts is for the Government, either directly, or indirectly through the Hospital Boards, to pay the salaries and living-expenses of the midwife, and, where necessary, of an assistant. The fees charged the patients should' go a long way towards paying expenses, and the midwife herself would be in a secure financial position, and so be able to take cases whether they can pay her or not. The stationing of midwives from the St. Helens Hospitals in various parts of the country with pay and allowances equiva lent to what they could earn privately in town* appears the best means of bringing the benefits of the State maternity hospitals within the reach bf those who are too far away to become •in-patients or whose family ties prevent their doing so. By so providing skilled help at. a minimum rate—the fees charged by these district midwives are based on the scale of the St. Helens -Hospitals and go towards the expenses of each dfetnct established—the Government will remove one at .taut of the alleged causes of the too-low birth-rate.