LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 56, 8 March 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Comment on various phases of municipal activity, or, perhaps, as he would prefer to put it, municipal inactivity, is contained in a letter received from a correspondent signing himself "Cogitate." Basing his contentions on the recent .statement of the Mayor in reference to the raising of the big city loan that "the council will not be hustled," the correspondent proceeds to argue that agitation seerns to have been necessary to hustle the authorities into attending to the Kent-terrace plantation and . the pavement outside the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. After declaring that the Queen's Statue in Kent-terrace requires cleaning, "Cogitate" passes on ,to the subject of the stand-by power-house which it is intended to erect in connection __ with the new power supply scheme. He wants to know .whether the plans, which are said to be ready, have been prepared in accordance with /the City Engineer's scheme as approved by Mr. L.. Birks,or whether departure is to be made from that scheme and increased expenditure incurred as a consequence. The correspondent also asks if it is a fact that some months ago the Power Stations, Electric Lighting, and Tramways Committee decided against a proposal by the City Engineer that a 5000-kilowatt threephase writ should be installed at the Harris-street station. "The erection of the plant there would effect a huge saving to the council," writes "Cogitate," who mentions Mr. Evan Parry's view that Harris-street is a suitable site for a stand-by plant.

The Postal authorities have received advice from San Francisco that the R.M.S. Tahiti, which left San Francisco on the 3rd March for Wellington, has on board for, New Zealand 1407 bag's of mail, including, 659 bags from the United Kingdom and 436 parcel receptacles, .

A large number of young men who have failed to fulfil their obligations, under the Defence Act were before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday afternoon. Fines were imposed as follow: —L. G. King, 20s-and costs; R. H. A. Webster, 20s and costs; S. M. Franklyn, 40s and costs; G. A. Lang, 20s arid costs; W. Lowery, 40s and costs; L. Randell, 40sand costs; R. C. Smith, 40s and costs.

The Napier telegraphist, J. T. Evans, who was dismissed, from the Post and Telegraph service in connection with the leakage of the Springbok football cablegram sent by a correspondent to South .African papers., has lodged an appeal against the decision. Three other officials, were dismissed without a formal inquiry being'held in accordance with the regulations, but after this point had been drawn attention to by the Board of Appeal they were reinstated and each fined £10.

The public of Wellington is both forgetful and careless, judging by_ the miscellaneous collection of unclaimed articles accumulated by the tramway department. Yesterday's auction s;ilo, held in the Concert Chamber. Town Hall, attracted over 500 people, but few bargain'? were secured, Shoddy articles brought shoddy prices, and anything with the appearanco of quality caused spirited! bidding. There were about 250 lots, including wedding rings, dress rings, gold bangles, gold medals ' won at sports gatherings, with the names pf the owners engraved, a fur coat, old. boots, brooches (onld and otherwise), umbrellas, walking sticks, ladies.' hand-bags, parcels of clothing, .0 tennis racket, ind some carpenter s tools." The sale wn.s conducted by the Chief Inspector (Mr. ,T. J. Doyle), and realised £58 9a.

Local prices of butter have advanced Id per pound. The prices now i-ange from Is 2d to Is 4d per pound.

The annual conference of the Director of Forestry, the secretary, and the chief officers of the State Forest Service commences to-day.

Regret is expressed in. the annual report of the Berhampore Football Club at the deaths of two members, Messrs. Jim Campbell (vice-president) and Ern. Edwards. The latter had been hon. auditor since the club's inception.

The Wellington Watersiders' ■ Band, which secured the championship at the recent band contest, is now organising a big carnival, which will be held, during Easter. _ The. carnival will be on a rather ambitious and novel scale, and the details are now being arranged'.

"The only possible methods of taxing motor-cars apart from the tire tax," states the Acting-Town Clerk in a letter to the Minister of Public Works on the subject of road maintenance, "are:— (1) The imposition of tolls, and (2) the imposition of an annual license fee. The imposition of toll gates, is now looked upon ns and as an expensive method of collecting taxes. It cap at least oe said that in default of a better system it is a .vital necessity."

Chinese residents recently sent to the Minister of Health a. cheque for 100 guineas as a contribution towards the erectionof a hut fo'r two Chinese lepers on Quail Island. The Minister, in his reply to the Acting-Consul-General' for the Chinisse Republic, who forwarded the cheque, states that a- hut is in course of erection, and that he has given instructions that it shall be used by the Chinese patients. The cost of the hut will be £390. Mr. Parr adds : "I desire you to convey the thanks of the Government to the Chinese community for having so readily responded to my Department's representations, and'for having contributed so willingly to the best of their ability in these difficult times."

William Hickling is a young man who has always shown an utter disregard for his responsibilities under the Defence Act, and he has established something of an unenviable record in the matter of fines and other penalties, all of which have had little or no effect on him. Up till yesterday, when he made another appearance before the Court, he had contributed £37 in fines to the State coffers, had undergone twenty-eight days' detention, and been deprived of his civil rights. Yesterday afternoon, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., fined him another £5, bringing the total up to £42.

Concerning the yachting accident at Evans-Bay on Saturday afternoon, a correspondent; G. M.'llvride, writes to the editor in the following terms:—"l notice that no mention is made of the gallant and daring rescue carried out by Mr. Joe Hill. Immediately on hearing of the accident Mr. Hill put out alone in a small dinghy, • rowed from Evans Bay to Shelly Bay (in the face of a very heavy wind and sea-) and brought ■ Mr. Johnson and another safely to the Yacht Club's landing. This was a most, plucky action, and Mr. Hill is deserving- iof great credit. Trusting you will find space in your paper for thia letter, and thereby give Mr. Hill's action the publicity it merits." . . ■ - . .

Public Service control is dealt with editorially in the'"~latest issue of the Public Service Journal. After remarking that it is a sad reflection that those whr are directly concerned in the administration of the .'aws should have reason to distrust some of the makers of those laws, the Journal proceeds:

"We cannot', however, rest, content to throw . the whole-of the''blame on individual members of Parliament so long as the Government • continues to weaken the non-political system in so many little ways, and:'continues'to deny to the Commissioner those legislative powers which he needs ill order that he may carry out the duties of his office effectively: This shearing-ofi a bit now and again, and the implied. distrust of the system \>y the .denial of proper powers, iij an added incentive to the opponents of non--political control, and the matter has reached the stage when it is reasonable to ask the Government for a straightout declaration 'of its intentions. Actions,' hints, and rumours have_ aroused a strong suspicion that legislation next session will weaken, instead of strengthen, the present system, and so leave it to the mercy of the political wolves. It is up to every member of the association who is alive to his- or her interests to give this question serious consideration, so that we may be prepared, when Parliament meets, to resist any further attack oh 'those interests. In the meantime, we are not without hope that the Prime Minister may be induced to express in definite terms what is the intention of the Government in regard to the amendment of the Public Service Act. '

Much, pleasure was felt and. expressed at the meeting of. the-Returned" Soldiers' Club Appeal Committee when Mr. W.Perry (chairman) reported that the sum of £505 16s 9d had' been taken as a result of last Friday's efforts, being exclusive of donations, and onl> representing what-was taken in the streets. Further amounts would yet be received. The Licensed Victuallers had donated £250, and all' kinds of handsome articles had been presented, which were being'raffled. It had been decided to; open a shop for a week, a< place in Willis-street having been secured, and it was suggested that each stall-holder should take a dxay, or part of a day, in charge there. This wasagreed upon, and the following list was made :—To-day ..(Wednesday), Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Hardham; Thursday, Mrs. W. Perry; Friday, Mrs. Nation; Monday, Mrs. Clark; Tuesday, the Spinsters' Club; Wednesday, Mrs. Walker. Mrs. Spottiswood has arranged to take the shop from 11 o'clock in the mornings till 3, the above-mentioned ladies and their helpers taking charge after that on their appointed days. Arrangements were discussed in connection' willi Satoday night's concert- and the various attractions enumerated, Mr. Perry expressed the gratitude which the returned men felt towards those who had) helped so readily and generous!}'). and 1 , congratulated all upon the success of their efforts. , '

Dr. Agnes Bennett, one of the honorary surgeons of the St. ■ John Ambulance Nursing Division, gave a particularly interesting and informative address, on "The Formation of a Hospital" at the opening meeting of the division. The hospital in question was practically ai temporary one, in the event of an epidemic. The number of attendants required for a certain proportion of patients; tents or rooms required, y/ifch. contents; materials which could- be used to make temporary furniture, also directions for ..heating and cooking apparatus and the providing of water, sanitary arrangements, etc., were clearly explained. Dr. Bennett concluded by ' offering a prize for the most practical and quickly-put-on uniform, overalls, and cap, to be niß.de h) the St. John uniform colours, suitable for wearing in infectious, cases. Dr. Bennett had. a wide experience in the formation of temporary hospital's in Serbia and elsewhere during the .war. Her lectures was of special interest, and she received a hearty vote of thanks.