LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 31, 5 February 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Only one case of influenza was reported" for the whole of the Wellington hospital district during the week ended at noon, Monday.

The Rarotongan Contingent of 250 natives, which has been in quarantine on Somes Island for some ten days past, will leave for Rarotonga by the Paloona on the 15th inst.

After twelve weeks' holiday, the State schools reopened yesterday. This doubling of the usual vacation allowance was due to the epidemic, but the children's anticipation c-f joy in this extension was much marred by the weather. The dreams of camps and all manner of sallies to the sea or the forest were blown away by wild, wet winds. The Wellington Boys' College and the Girls' College are reopening to-day.

The Hon. G. W. Russell stated in Christchurch that a communication had been received by the Earl of Liverpool from the Governor-General 'of South Africa urging the notification of influenza and like diseases of all countries, as was done in the ca3e of plague and cholera. Mr. Russell stated that instructions had been given to the Chief Health Officer to make the notification as far as New Zealand was concerned.

An enjoyable "social"- was given by the British and Foreign Sailors' Society last evening to the men of the minesweepers, the Amokura, and transports in port. Several mnsical items were given and games were! played during -the evening, and refreshments provided. The evening was a pronounced success, and the men appreciated the efforts being made on their behalf.

" Food parcels were regularly sent up till the date of the armistice being signed," writes the High Commissioner in referring to New Zealand prisoners' of war in Germany. "Since.that date a full supply of unaddressed parcels has been despatched to Rotterdam for distribution, and this supply is being continued. I am glad to assure you that in the majority of cases our parcels have continued to reach their destination, and acknowledgments have come to hand in due course. With regard to prisoners of war not yet located, they have, I hope, been able to draw from the general depot at Rotterdam, which is now widely known among those who have been captured, but have not yet reached a permanent internment camp." ■

Makara Church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in the diocese of Wellington. It was built when the hills round about were ooveved with heavy bush; and when a few settlers were carving out a home for themselves. The timber was pit-sawn on the ground, and that it was good timber is pivved by the fact that the little church stands to-day. For some time, however, parishioners have thought that a larger and more modem building should be erected. Efforts are being made to raise £200 by the' end of the month, and in the Church Chronicle a special appeal is made to parishioners of Karori and Makava for assistance.

Commissioner Hodder has decided that the Salvation Army Hostel, Feathereton, recently so serviceable for accommodating the relatives and friends of soldiers, shall now be utilised for disabled soldiers, and, as an "Eventide Home" for the aged poor, or for old folk, whether widows, widovvers, or married couples. The hostel buildings will provide ample accommodation for the various classes mentioned, who can be housed in separate portions. The charges will be made to suit the financial circumstances of each applicant, or their friends. Major Stone, who has been in charge of the hostel, will remain; and it is felt that his genial, kindly rule, assisted by men and women officers as necessity demands, will ensure that those who make the place their home will receive the very best attention. Applications for admission can. be made at once from any part of the Dominion. All communications on the matter should be addressed to Major Stone, Salvation Army, Featherston. Commissioner Hodder feck that the putting of the buildings to such a practical purpose will commend itself to all concerned.

With reference to the cabled report from London that there was a likelihood of Mr. Kearney, aii Australian engineer, securing permission to construct a highspeed, railway under the Thames. Mr. M. E. Kernot, Chief Engineer for Railway Construction in Victoria, when asked whether he had any knowledge of the inventor, said his memory of Mr. Kearney was that as a j«>ung man, before the war, he went to England with an invention providing for the running of a high-speed railway on s. single rail, the train to be kept in position by means of an overhead rail. Theoretically, Mr. Kearney's scheme was all right; the train could not go off the track without something breaking, and it was1 likely to travel fast. But it would be easily seen that the cost of construction to sustain the overhead rail in position would almost serve to put Mr. Kearney's idea out of reckoning in comparison with the ordinary railway. If, however, as the cable message said, Mr. Kearney's railway was to run underground, it would possibly have advantages that would counterbalance the heavy cost of surface construction.

A young man named: Cyril Dimocfc, employed at Hibberd and Company's Garage, Newtown, was cranking a motor-ear yesterday when the engine back-fired and fractured his wrist. He was yamevsd to th« H<3*»it*.l, whe»» ho U reported- to be doing -wall,

What is believed to be a, payable deposit of phosphatic rock has been discovered in the neighbourhood of Raglan, Samples have been forwaTded to Wellington for analysis.

"A basis of not less than 12 square feet of floor space per pupil in average attendance," says the Minister of. Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan), "is the new instruction for Education Boards in connection with applications for grants for the erection of new schools, or additions to existing schools.

The Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, at a largely-attended meeting last night, declared in favour of political action and necessary alterations of constitution to enable the association to participate in political affairs.

The i Eastern Extension Cable Company notifies the Telegraph Department as follows : —"Owing to heavy delay to all classes of traffic, due to increase of Government messages, and line interruptions, the company regrets it1-is una,ble to carry full-rate messages either way with and via the United Kingdom." Deferred traffic, however, is still accepted via, Eastern, subject to posting between Marseilles and London.

Mr. Robert Bell (states a Press Association message from Ashburton) has donated to the High School Board £1000 in New Zealand Government Bonds at 4J, per cent, (yielding £45 per annum), for the purpose of founding agricultural science scholarships to be awarded to the sons of farm labourers, 6hepherds, and farmers farming not mole than 50 acres .in the Ashburton % County, five scholarships of £22 10s to be, awarded annually, tenable for two years, and to be known a3 the John Bell. Memorial Scholarship, to perpetuate. the memory of his son, who was killed in action.

A meeting was held in the Methodist Schoolroom, Ngaio, last night, for the purpose of forming a branch of the New Zealand Labour Party. Mr. D. Smith presided, and there was a good attendsince. The speakers included Messrs. P. Fraser, M.P., and A. W. Croskery. The bianch was formed, and the following officers were elected provisionally: — President, Mt. T. Fleming; vice-presi-dent, Mr. J. Eagles; secretary and treasurer, Mr. D. Smith; committee, Messrs. T. Stephens, R. Parsloe, L. Cameron, H. Buckley, and H. C. Thomas; delegate to Wellington Labour Representation Committee, Mr. D. Snuth.

The Nelson Mail states that an. interesting point mentioned Tby Mr. Rundle in an address at Stoke on Saturday evening, in reference to the marketing of fruit, was the necessity of marketing apples by the calendar, and not attempting to hold them past their time. By attention to all details, losses in storage in America were reduced below 2i per cent. Getting fruit into cool store from the trees was a-lso very. important; in fact, the success of tlie season's work depended on a number of small matters being carried out properly.

The rabbit nuisance has become so serious in districts south of Auckland that amendments to the Act dealing with the pest were passed last Parliament, mainly in accordance with proposals submitted by the conference called by the Waikato Fanners' Union. Under the amendments made ten or more settlers over an area of 2000 acres may rate themselves to suppress and destroy rabbifa. Under the Act of 1908 the Rabbit Board could levy a rate up to 3-16 th of a penny in the pound. This amendment gives power to rate up to one penney, with the proviso that the aggregate amount payable by any one owner shall not exceed one shilling per acre. It is claimed that ten rabbits will eat as much pasture as one sheep, which gives some idea of the loss involved by not suppressing the wild "bunnies."

The extraordinary care exercised by American fruitgrowers in the handling of fruit was instanced by Mr. Bundle in the course of an address on the co-oper-ative handling and marketing of fruit, at Stoke on Saturday evening (reports the Nelson Mail). In emphasising the importance of the matter, he said "that in America pickers, graders, and packers were compelled to wear canvas gloves, to eliminate the danger of fruit skins being scratched or broken by finger nails. A sound fruit was safe from fungus decay; but once the skin was bruised and Broken, the fruit was unfit for cold storage. All picking was done into can-vas-lined buckets or bags, which opened at the bottom, so that the fruit could be let gently into the cases. All waggons used for hauling frnit to the sheds were well sprung, and in the subsequent operations in the sheds or cool stores, any rough handling was severely penalised.

The rates and taxation now paid by the Auckland Gas Company amount to £30,196 a year. Speaking at the annual meeting-of the company on Monday, the Chairman (Mr. .T. H. Upton), referring to the large amount which the company was being called upon to pay in that direction, said: "It is 55.5- per cent. of our net profit, and is equal to 8.4 pence per 1000 cubic feet of gas sold. We are in duty bound ,to pay such charges without grumbling, but. not so when municipal enterprises are exempt. The -various trading concerns of the municipalities use the streets, have the advantage of, police protection, and all the other benefits provided in organised society, and it is clear that they should be subject to the charges necessary to maintain them. Does anyone suppose, for instance, that when the railways were taken over by the British Government, charges for rates and taxes ceased? We know well that they did not. It is easy to make any concern seem profitable if you leave out of account material elements in the cost of conducting them. I daresay you have •noticed on your letters sometimes a postage stamp marked "Official stamp." That means that the Post Office Department is trying to find out the cost of postage incurred by other Departments, and uo doubt that cost will in duo course be charged to the Department concerned. That is.quite right, and without it the Post Office could not tell to what extent it is being used in other interests than its own. I hope this beginning will be applied all round, and that the logical conclusion will be reached; that every Government and municipal trading enterprise shall be subject to the same charges as are private concerns; it is, I fear, sometimes overlooked that when they are exempted, the deficiency has to be made up by those who are" not exempted, just as we have to make up. in our measure and degree, for the exemption enjoyed by municipal works."

Members of the Greytown Borough Council and the Chamber of Commerce held a joint meeting on Monday night to receive a report from the "HydroElectric Committee, set up to inquire into the question of supplying electric power throughout the ' Wairarapa. Messrs. J. C. Cooper, C. E. Daniel, and .1. C. Ewington represented the committee. It was stated that if the Government did not immediately proceed with the North Island scheme it would bo wise to adopt a local scheme, and mis had been proposed with its ;head works in the Waiohine River, Greytown. This would give ample power for the Wairarapa, at a probable cost of £200,000. The meeting pledged itself to support the local scheme, provided the Government showed no definite intention of proceeding with the major scheme during the first session of the next Parliament. Similar meetings ara to be held throughout tha V»Uey.

A claim for £20 10s far icrvices ren^ dered was made by W. T. Sommerville, dentist, against Te Hem Heu Tulrino, before Mr. W. G. Eiddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. The sum claimed, it was stated, represented the cost of dental repairs and dentures supplied to the defendant and Mra. Tukino. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £19 10b, with 12s costs. Mr. S. Kirkcaldie represented plaintiff, and Mr. G. Cx. Watson the defendant.

At the Police Court, Hamilton, Eileen Lena Casey was charged with bigamy. It was alleged that the accused went through the marriage ceremony with a man named Wallace while her husband was alive. She was remanded till 13thFebruary.

Advke has been received by Mr. George Rowe, of Nelson, that one of his sons, on active service, has had a leg amputated as the result of wonnde. Mr. Rowe has had five sons serving in the forces during the war, one of whom died in camp. According to an Australian paper, one of his sons peitformed an heroic act at one stage, rescuing a wounded comrade and carrying him to a place of safety.

The Auckland Star's Suva correspondent says that when an Indian commits murder he usually cuts and mutilates his victim. One Jowahari in wreaking vengeance on a woman called Mama, is alleged to have atrociously mutilated her. The woman died in hospital, and Jowahari is to stand his trial on a charge of murder.

Mr. William Wiggs, chief clerk in the Wellington District Office of the Public Works Department, has been transferred to a similar position in Auckland, vice Mr. A. D. Park, who is to become chief accountant in the head office of the Agricultural Department, Wellington, in succession to Mr. J. W. Bell, who is to take up another position in hie Department. Before he left Wellington Mr. Wiggs received presentations from his late office staff.

At the Christehurch Supreme Court last week probate was granted by his Honour Mr. Justice Herdman in the wills of the late Dr. Diamond and the late Lieutenant-Colonel (Dr.) T. 0. Guthrie. Dr. Diamond's estate was valued at £7200 and Lieutenant-Colonel Guthrie's at £15,000.

A middle-aged seafaring man gave a remarkable exhibition of physical courage and endurance at the Sydney Hospital recently. He was stabbed in the buttock with a piece of a broken bo.ttle. The glass penetrated the flesh, and striking the bone portion of it broke off. He was taken to the hospital, and if was found necessary to perform an operation to remove the splintered pieces, of glass. When he was taken to the operating theatre he refused to have an anaesthetic. He told the doctor that he would be able to bear the pain if he had something to hold. He thereupon gripped the end of the operating table1, and said the surgeon might fire away. The operation lasted for the best part of an hour, and when the glass had been removed the surgeon informed him that he would have to put a couple of stitches in the wound. The first two stitches were inserted, but at the third the man said, "I say, doctor, you're making it a bit hot; you said only two stitches, and you're on the third now." The operation completed, the surgeon congratulated the man on his bravery. Laughingly the patient informed the doctor that ''it was all light," arid then, as an afterthought, he added, "One good turn deserves another. I'll send you another patient soon- —the chap who fixed me up —and then you'll be able to have a gd at him, too."

Mr. William West Jones, of Brightwater, Nelson, has died, at the age of 79. The deceased, had a- stroke three years ago, from w&ich he never recovered. He arrived at Nelson in the ship Dona lAnita in 1860, in which the first red deer were brought to Nelson and were liberated up Brook-street Valley, Lord Peters in Scotland having sent them out. He leaves a widow and one daughter, Mrs. A. Big^ir, also two grandsons and a brother, Mr. H. F. Jones. '

The American system of monthly pooling of fruit sales has been found most satisfactory, and its adoption in New Zealand is strongly advocated by Mr. Bundle, a prominent Nelson orchardist. Speaking at'a meeting of the growers at Stoke on Saturday, Mr. Bundle said that the American system contained the true spirit of co-operation, which made success certain; it facilitated handling of the pack, and made the marketing and distribution- much more > flexible^ Mr. Bundle referred briefly to the newly created Provisional Council, and expressed himself as being favourable to the extension of the co-operative movement, securing uniformity of ideals and actions amongst provincial growers. They had to work forward until, the major part of the crop was controlled by growers' organisations. Then with the combination of the provinces from that stage onwards under one head, the successful marketing and distribution of ten times the present output would be possible in the Dominion and foreign markets. Mr. Scott remarked on the fine colour, average size,. pick and quality of apples recently ■.imported from British Columbia. He was satisfied that Nelson province could produce fruit ol equal quality, and if an equally good pack were put up, Nelson fruit wouJd compete successfully with that grown in any other part of the world.

One of the most highly respected residents of Auckland. Mr. Marcus Madill, has died of heart failure supervening on an attack of influenza. In his colonial career of over 50 years he played many parts to the benefit of New Zealand. He was a native of the "North of Ireland, his birthplace being but m, few miles from that of the Hon. W. F. Mnssey,. whose lifelong friend he was. For many years both Mr. Massey and Mr. Madill were fanning in the Mangere district. Mr. Madill was a staunch supporter of the Presbyterian Church, and was a frequent visitor at the Assembly meetings held in many parts of the Dominion. He was locked upon as a man of sound judgment.. For many years lie was an elder of St. • Paul's Church, Devonport. He is survived by a widow and a largo grown-up family. ■ „

The Star's Suva correspondent says that it is stated on excellent authority that the Prince of Wales will visit Fiji in July next, in the course of his proposed "tour to the dominions. He will probably remain-in Fiji for several weeks.

The South Canterbury Motor Cycle Club has decided to resuscitate the sport of motor rabine; which had been abandoned in this district owing to the war, Mid to' hold a meeting at Washdyke on 20th February.

Mr. B. Kean, first assistant, is acting headmaster of Te Aro School, vice the late Mr. J. H. Malcolm.

Following the practice for some years past, all Auckland district State schools will be kept open for three hours and a half only during February—the hottest month in the year.