LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 22, 26 July 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Chief Postmaster notifies that New Zealand mails despatched from Wellington on the 7th ultimo, duly arrived in London on the 18th instant.

The City Solicitor has been authorised to prepare a draft BUI, which will givethe council' power to take or purchase land for access from one stret to Imother for foot passengers. " ■

A meeting of Customs clerks, held yesterday, decided to revive the annual football match of the Customs Department and, the Shipping and Customs Agents. The event is fixed for the first week in September.

"Flying is supposed to.be a dangerous thing, but really it is just aa safe as motoring. There is no reason why s, man could not fly if he can motor," said Colonel A.. V. Bettington, C.M.G./ R.A.F., in'a lecture to members of the Wellington Officers' Institute last night. The establishment of branch libraries in the various suburbs is the subject of a report which has been prepared by the Chief City librarian. Reports are now being obtained as to suitable sites, and later the Libraries Committee _ will bring down a definite recommendation.

More than usual interest was taken in the arrival at Sydney recently of the ex-German' steamer Ypirahga. She steamed into the harbour flying the white, blue, and white ensign of the League of Nations, which replaced the German ensign when the, vessel arrived in England. . .

A Travelling Medical Board has been appointed to travel over New Zealand to classify and board discharged soldiers and undischarged soldiers, in accordance with instructions laid.down.by the Director-General of Medical Services. The constitution of this board is as follows :—Colonel J. M. ■Christie, C.8.E.; N.Z.M.C., President; Lieutenant>Colonel E. E. Porritt, N.Z.M.C. '

The Peace arch erected by the Gear Meat Company was again the centre of attraction in Petone last evening, especially to photographers. It will be illuminated again to-night for the last time. The design, and preparation of the plans of the arch itself was the work of Mr. A. Toomath, who also superintended its erection.

Those football enthusiasts in the habit of using the fence at the Basin Reserve as a grandstand during the progress of games are in danger of a rude awakening in the near future. The practice was discussed at last night's meeting of the City Council, when it was decided to place two barbed wires along the inside of the fence about three inches from the top. Maybe a large-sized cushion will afford protection, but it is thought that the majority of the offenders will stand on the ground in future.

In the original list of military defaulters, who are being disfranchised for ten years, there were 2373 names. Its publication was followed by a number of - protests against the wrongful inclusion of individuals, and all these case 3 are being investigated by a small committee set up by the Minister of Defence. The first month's investigation resulted in eighteen names being removed from the list, and: three being added. Another amending list will shortly be issued, showing alterations to about the same extent.

The school libraries system, inaugurated some time ago by the City Council, is appreciatively referred to in the following letter, which the. Libraries Committee has received from the School Committees' Association : —"My association desires' to tender you, your committee, and, through you, your officers, our sincere thanks for the splendid selection of books loaned to the" various schools. The action of thus placing such books at the use of our children is highly appreciated by all concerned."

Authority to prepare local Bills dealing with the following matters has been given to'the City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shea) :—(1) -Authority to raise loans by way of special order for the recoupment of advances and moneys owing to the District Fund in respect of the Municipal Abattoir, and for extensions and additions thereto; (2) amendment to the Wellington . City Empowering Act, 1917, with reference to subdivisions providing that where part of a holding is dealt with approval must be obtained! from the council, and. providing that the lodging of a survey plan is to be at the discretion of the Surveyor-Gen-eral.

"With the Mounted Brigade in Sinai and Palestine," formed the subject of a highly-interesting and instructive lecture delivered by Lieutenant-Colonel 'Guy Powles, C.M.G., D.5.0., at St. Paul's Schoolroom., Sydney-street, last night, in ■aid of St. Mary's Homes, Karon. The Bishop of Wellington (the Right- Rev. Dr. Sprott) presided, and there was a large attendance. The lecturer, who served with the Brigade, and subsequently held an ■important staff appointment with the Anzac Mounted1 Division, gave' a graphic account of the Brigade's fine performances in its many battles against the Turks, ,and of its trial's in the desert. The lecture was freely illustrated with a splendid series of lantern slides made from photographs taken by the Rev. Mr. Isaacson, Chaplain in the Forces, who also sci-ved with the Brigade. At the conclusion hearty votes of thanks weno accorded to the .lecturer and to the R«v. Mr, Isaacson,.

The,water rate is to be extended to the Kaiwarra district, where water io .now charged for by meter.

In regard to the Island Bay request for minimum fare care at rueh hours, the tramway management has been instructed to give effect to the proposal if satisfactory running Can be effected.

According to Colonel A. V. Bettington, C.M.G., R.A.F., who delivered a lecture at the Wellington Officers' Institute last night, the main cause of the downfall of. the Zeppelin in the late war was the use of the incendiary bullet.

The City Council has requested the Legislation Committee to frame 'a. clause, giving. power to' the council to pay out of general account money for compassionate allowances to the Corporation employees.

In order to meet the convenience #of students of Territorial age _ attending Victoria University College, it has been arranged in future to drill those attached to the sth (Wellington) Begiment. at the college. They will remain attached to the regiment.

Addressing the officers of the Wellington Institute last night, Colonel A. V. Bettingkm, 0.M.G., R.A.F., hinted at, tho possibility of a 22 hours' air service between New Zealand and Australia. "Ah1 ships," ho said, "will prove to bo just as reliaibls as ships, and they will prove much quicker."

"He put the acid into me for a banner," said a witness at a Coroner's inquiry in Wanganui (reports the Chronicie). Asked to explain the expression, he intimated that another man had solicited a loan of sixpence. Th« witness also used the expression "snowed in," and explained that it was a state of "stony broke," and a gentle insinuation^ tliat the gift of one shilling woiild be accepted with gratitude.

"This young woman was leaving a dance hall in Vivian-street on the night of sth July and was tempted to take away these two pairs of shoes as well a« her own," said Mr. H. F. O'Leary, aftor entering a plea of guilty on behalf of an eighteen-year-old girl, charged at the Magistrate's Court this mowing with the theft of two pairs of shoes. Mr.. W. G, Ridd«ll, S.M., a<lmonished the girl, entered a conviction, and ordered her to come up for sentence when called upon within six months.

The story of the wreck of the General Grant, with its consignment of gold, is still arousing the curiosity of the enterprising. The Librarian of. the Public Library has received a letter from Fin-land-asking if the story is true—whether the ship is still in the grotto ? How much pnre gold was on board? How is the climate there? Population' of the is ; !and? Depth of the grotto? and many other questions, but the more persistent is: "If the treasure is there, what x is the reason that nobody has tried to get it from the ship?"

The labour unrest was referred to by Bishop Averill in his address at the Anglican Synod at Auckland yesterday. He said : "We stand between two alternatives, and certainly the present sys■tom cannot continue, viz., either moralisation and Christianisation of industrialists, or some form of Bolshevism which will destroy any possible hope of reconstruction on a true and firm basis. I would again urge upon the Church the duty of studying this industrial problem without prejudice, and with a real desire to make some contribution to the pressing and difficult problem which threatens to rob the world of the blessing of peace."

' Two Te Awamutu farmers recently compared, notes (says the Waipa Post). One has a SO-acre.farm—well fanned,, and, the other was doing his best on 20U acres.' . , The small farmer had the bigger profit for the year's work.' An analysis of the figures showed that the 200-acre man had made a loss, he having to pay interest on mortgages, and rates and land tax on a big area indifferently farmed. Single-handed he could not deal with the actual farming . and the rabbits and weed pests as he ought to "have done. So he did what any wise man would have done^—unloaded. Now he has 80 acres and is doing what he can and doing it well.

The father of a ten-year-old boy who pleaded guilty at the Juvenile Court this morning to a charge of stealing a gold watch, valued at £5, from a dwelling at Khandallah, unburdened himself of his troubles to Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Juvenile Court, this morning. The boy had given cause for heartbreaking worry, he said, by his habits of telling lies and stealing money from his mother. Everything possible had been done to check the boy, but, to cap all, he had entered a house during the absence of its occupants, and stolen the watch from one of the bedrooms, and then when questioned had told lies about his action. The Magistrate counselled the' boy as to the serious consequences which must follow if lie persisted in such habits, and adjourned the case for six months, during which time the child is to be under the supervision of the Juvenile Probation Officer. Several parents who had failed to send their children to school regularly were also dealt with by Mr. Page this morning. Thomas Nolan was fined 2s with 7s costs, and William Morris, John Johns, and Walter Savage each 10s with-costs 7s.

There seems little doubt that the far north of South Australia is one of the most interesting and peculiar countries of the world {says the South Australian Register). A party of four persons left Farina for"'Witchelena station recently, in a cloud of dust, driving horses attached to a buggy. All day long there was a light duststorm, and the weather was very warm, even for this locality. The return journey was made 24. hours later in most peculiarly opposite conditions. Where before there was dust there was now water; indeed,' the whole country resembled a huge sheet of water. On reaching the Witchelena Creek the waterway was found to be in .flood, and running about half a. mile wide. About in the centre the -horses stopped, having become bogged. Three of the men had to undress and push the buggy along, the water being more than three feet deep. Several times later, water of a depth sufficient to go through the buggy was encountered. Leigh Creek, near Farina, was found to be impassable, and the vehicle Imd to be left. Again water had to be waded through—this time in perfect darkness—and a mile walk over most stony country was followed by a f crawl on hands and knees across a railway bridge, with the angry floodwaters beneath. So dark was the night that the party had to number off occasionally to see whether all hands were still there. The trip of sixteen miles occupied more than five and a-half hours to accomplish. In the morning following, only a small trickle indicated the creek, and in two days hardly a pool remained anywhere. Next day the green grass began, to show ■itself, and in a week the whole outlook of the place had been changed. Instead of an apparent desert, there was a beautiful green garden.

Lands continue to change hands in this district (says the Te Aroha News). A fair estimate of the total turnover in farm land within a few miles of Te Aroha during the present year is approximately £400,000, and still there is more to follow.

A postal pillar-box in Greytown. was blown up at midnight on Saturday last. It is surmised that a plug of dynamite, with lighted fuse attached, was dropped in the.box, which was shattered to fragments.

The trades unions of Masterton have decided to form a Trades and Labour Council, and to establish a trades haJl

During the war, according to Colonel Betfcington, C.M.G., 8.A.F., the British aircraft brought down 7980 German machines, while the enemy brought dbwn 2810 British machines.

Brigadier-General W. L. H. Bureess C.8., C.M.G., D.5.0., N.Z.S.C., who was on loan to the Australian Government when the war broke'out, and who commanded the 4th Divisional Artillery, A.1.F., has been awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal. BrigadierGeneral Burgess was expected to leave England on 18th July for Australia.

The Tauherenikau School Cimmittee has passed a motion strongly protesting against a proposal of the Education Board to close the local school.

The Librarian of the Public Library receives many strange communications, but one that gave him serious thought was a letter from the secretary of a school committee in the far north, stating that the local Public Library cupboards and books are in a very bad state of' neglect and disorder, and asking that he should be kind enough toi look into the matter at once.

So many attempts were made to prematurely set alight to the Mount Eden bonfire (reports an exchange) that the authorities found it necessary to swear in special constables for its protection, and to provide them with rifles and ammunition.

Mr. C. M. Cox, who for the past twelve years has been the manager in Wellington of the Mercantile Gazette, has severed his connection with the company in order to commence business on his own account. -

At the last sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Masterton, a man named Thomas Lee was convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on a charge of having kept liquor for sale. One of the conditions of his releaae was that he should procure no more liquor, either for, himself or any other person. During the Peace celebrations, however, he was found with a bottle of whisky in his possession. He was brought before the Court on Friday, and sentenced to two months' hard labour.

Miss Coad, President ol the Women Teachers' Association, brought before the association the matter of the treatment of a woman teacher of 19 years' experience, a University scholar, who had had the advantage of travel in Europe, arid who had recently had a youth of no experience placed in a superior position to her in the nature of salary, as he was given an initial salary of £50 per annum more than this lady was' receiving. He was taking junior classes, while she took the seniors. Miss Coad brought forward a motion, which was passed unanimously, protesting against such an anomaly.

Mr. J. 0. Redmond, of the Secretary's office, General Post Office, has retired on superannuation after thirty-seven and a half years" aervice. . His fellow-officers recently took the opportunity of expressing in a tangible form the esteem in which Mr. Redmond was held. The Secretary (Mr. W. R. Morris, 0.M.G., 1.5.0.) presented, on behalf of himself and the officers, a solid leather suit-case and other travelling requisites, and accompanied them with an expression of the Department's appreciation of the manner in which Mr. Redmond had al,ways carried out his duties, and the hope of his fellow-officers that the relief from official cares would enable hi' health, to be completely restored. , In replying, Mr. Redmond gave interesting details of his service in the Department, during the whole of which he was in the Wellington office. Mr. Redmond is now a resident of Day's Bay, and, as. secretary of the local Ratepayers' Association, takes an actiya interest in the welfare of. the seaside suburb, j

At a meeting of delegates of Wairarapa. local authorities, held at Carterton, it was decided that all Wairarapa local bodies admit liability for the maintenance of the Rimutaka hill road, and that they' find 50 per cent, of the cost of putting the hill in order to the Summit, provided the Government find SO per cent. It was also decided to ask the Wellington City Council and other local bodies on the other side of the Summit to agree to a similar- proposal for the maintenance of the road on the Wellington side of the hill.

Mr; W. M. Horton, who returned from active service recently, and who has been in the Wellington Traffic office oi the Union Steam Ship Company since his return, will proceed to Dunedin on Monday next to take up a position in the head office.

The London correspondent of The Post states that Mr. J. T. Bruce, of the Gibbstown Coal Depot, Otago, writes to the Surrey Herald, correcting the impression which seems to have got abroad here that the English wives of New Zealand soldiers are not welcomed in the Dominion. Mrs. Bruce, who arrived by the Atheriic, says: "We were welcomed in by some hundreds of children in s* decorated steamer. Then civilians came out and shouted, 'Welcome to New Zealand, English wives and children.' On Thursday morning we were drawn alongside of the wharf and were greeted by hundreds of people and bands. As we disembarked, cars were waiting at the wharf gates, and we were driven through crowds of waiting people, who cheered, the wive 6 and soldiers and pelted them with flowers and rice. Coming from Port Lyttelton to the South, at every station crowds were waiting to w.elcome us with fruit and refreshments. I am sure no wives had such a welcome from, the population as we had. I thought this would interest the girls who. are retnrning with their husbands to New Zealand. They ; can be assured of 'a hearty welcome from all." . x

An effort .is to be made to secure the next fire brigades' demonstration , for Masterbon.