LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Owing to lack of entries, it has been decided to abandon • the B grade band contest at Masterton, states a Press .Association telegram. <■ It will be some time yet, probably some months at any rate, before the stringent plague precantions at present in operation will be lifted in the Dominion. This statement was made to an Auckland Star reporter on Thursday by Dr. J. Boyd, the assistant medical officer of health in Auckland. He stated that although no human cases had been notified in Australia for a considerable time, two infected rats had been discovered in Sydney. It was therefore quits necessary that everything should be done to safeguard against the entry of rats into the Dominion from abroad". "New Zealand is singularly fortunate in the possession .ai national parks and reserves, and we must endeavour to keep them in their natural state! I wish to say that 1 will protest with the utmost vigour against any attempt to introduce heather and other exotics of plant life into this Dominion," said Mr. F. VV. Vosseller at a lecture given by DirE. Teichlemann in the, Y.M.C.A..hali last evening.

At the Napier Police Court yesterday, Henry Ray Vercoe, farmer, aged 38, was charged that'on 22nd June, at Palmerston North, he obtained from Annie Maud Tucker, ,cierk in the Club Hotel, the sum of £ia..by means of a false pretence —a valueless cheque drawn on the Bank of New Zealand. Accused ,was arrested in Napier yesterday morning. Counsel said that accused had a good explanation, and that, there had beeD an unfortunate mistake on the part of the prosecution. Vercoe was remanded on bail to Palmerston North. . "An interesting experiment ia now being tiried witli four forme, viz., V.a, V.b, V.c, and special V.," stated the headmaster of Wellington College (Mr. T. R. Cress-well) in his report to the Wellington College Board of Governore, yesterday. "It is designed to test how far boys may safely be freed from ordinary class-routine, with a., view to the encouragement of individuality and selfreliance. The experiment will be continued for at least six weeks, and at the end of that time a Ml\report will be sent to the board and the, Department. Meantime, I may sayHfiat the new system''is creating some interest among teachers and pupils, and j-hat is throwing some light.upon important aspects of school work." ' , ■ An application was made by the Taranaki Dairy Workers' Union to the Arbitration Court in Wanganui yesterday for an award. This is the first application made by the union. The wages asked were £5 weekly. Mr. Lyons, for the union, said that the Southland and Otago awards would be acceptable as a basis for an awardi He rejected the employers' counterclaims entirely. Mr. Bishop, for the employers, pointed out that if the Southland and Otago awards were accepted the union would be, accepting less than the men were now receiving. Mr. Justice. Frazer, after hearing argument, said the Court would not entertain the application for an award in view of the absence of information regarding Taranaki conditions. A very curious slug has recently been presented to the New Plymouth Museum by Mr. A, J. Smith, The animal, which is about sin long and l£in wide, was found in a gravel pit at tJruti. The unusual feature about it is.that two-thirds of the way down its back is a flat shell l^in long by lin wide. The shell looks as though it had accidentally dropped on the back of the animal, but is a natural growth. Though supposed to be dead when handed to the librarian, the slug soon showed signs of life, and an enthusiastic local naturalist proposes to give it house room. The beast's scientific name is Schizoglossa Novoseelandia, and it is popularly known as the paua slug, "f>om the resemblance of the shell to a paua. It is rare, and occurs only on the northwest coast of the North Island.

Among the applications dealt with by the, Applications Committee of the Wellington War Relief Association during the past month were a number from discharged soldiers engaged in agricultural, industrial, and commercial pursuits. Apart from the comparatively small grants awarded to those- of them who were suffering- from wai debility, the committee supplied tools of trade to men who could not have repaid the cost'thereof had,an advance been made by the Repatriation Department; paid entrance fees to various unions; defrayed the cost of: accommodation pending employment; approved grants to the widowed mothers and to the widows (temporarily placed in distressing circumstances as the result of some unforseen contingency) of deceased soldiers; and rendered assistance in,other directions. / . . A proposal for the formation of an association of high- school ■'boards was placed before th<s Wellington College Board- of Governors yesterday, and was viewed in favourable light. It emanated from the' Napier High School Board, which forwarded a memorandum, stating that at a recent meeting the board' had before it a.report froir the principal of the Napier Boys' High School od the recent Secondary Schools' Conference. The report stated that" the. feeling was very generally expressed that there should be some sort of association of high 6chool lipards. . It appeared only fair that High School boards should be ( consulted on such an important- proposal! as the junior high school. Boards needed also to protect themselves; against centralisation. There were many ques-\ tiohs dealing with hostels, , notice of termination of engagement, local rating., representation of teachers on boards, etc., upon which they might deliberate, and. formulate proposals. The .Napier High School Board "decided, to'-support the suggestion made by the principal that an' association .should be-formed, and to communicate with all high school boards in the Dominion, in order to obtain an expression" of their views on th-S-'subject. The Chairman- (Mr. W. F. Ward) considered that the idea was a good -one, .and would enable the boards to have concerted action. Other members alfto i agreed that same good might come of | the proposal.

The Postal auihoiilies Jiavu ic'i^ivcd advice from Vancouver that Ui« R.M.S. Niagara left Vancouver on the 21ot instant for Auckland. She carries about 2500 bags of mail for New Zealand. The Fire Brigade received a call to No. 17, Bolton-street, shortly after 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, where it was found a small fire had broken oat in the kitchen. The neighbours extinguished the fire, and the services of the brigade were not required. Fail- progress is being made at • tlm Dominion Conference being held before the Wellington Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) in connection with the disputes in the printing trade. The conference commenced yesterday, and is.being continued to-day. The proceedings are being conducted iii committee. The Wellington College Board of- Governors met yesterday, Mi. W. F. Ward presiding. Other members preeant were: Sir Edward Gibbes, and Messrs. W. H. p. Barber and W. H. Denton. The> financial statement showed a debit balance at bank of £972 7s 3d. Payments required were: Wellington College, £1215 18s 2d; Wellington GirLT College, £9951 7s Sd. Fees and rents outstanding , amounted 'to £1466 f?8 lid, leaving a. debit balance (on paper) of 1672 14s lid. The headmaster of Wellington College reported that the roll number for the month was 756, and th» average attendance 714. The boarders (full, weekly, and day) totalled

It is reported from Hastings that last Sunday a huge whale, 68Et to 70ft long, with a tail measurement (across the flat extremity) of 13ft, hadr been stranded on the beach between the Black Reef and Cape Kidnappers. Men working on the station, who have lost no time in removing-, tlie whalebone, state that the monster drifted ashore, on Friday. It was then probably dead, as on Sunday there waa^a faint odour emanating from the carcases The body, is supposed to be that of a "black whale" (B. novae-zea-* landiae), the genus inhabitating the South Pacific. It was once abundant in these waters, but is now nearly exterminated through the vrantqn destruction of the females as they visit the bays and inlets round the coast, their constant habit in breeding time. Apparently there is yet no great diminution in the number of' ex-soldiers and dependants of such desiring assistance from the Wellington War Relief Association. During the past month 345 applications came under the notice of the association." There are" still 159 cases under consideration. The number of persons who called at the office during the month was 334—177 applying for direct, assistance, and 157 for indirect help.' Reporting to the executive of the association yesterday, the Applications Committee stated^that it had been called upon to decide claims differing widely in description, and, in many instances, difficult of solution. A considerable number of grants were awarded unemployed disabled soldiers pending their re-emp-loyment, or in part restoration of temporarily reduced civil, earnings, resultant from their physical impairment; and to men who Were discharged fit and had: subsequently developed a war disability. In both these types of applications, assistance was supplementary'to, or in anticipation of payment of war pensions.

It was made clear in a letter from; the Minister, received by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, that a German trading firm which recently made an offer to an Auckland firm-of. importers to supply small arms and ammunition will have little opportunity to do business in New Zealaud (states a Press Association message)." Sir Heaton Rhodes stated that he, had referred the German ' firm's letter to the Minister of Customs, who had replied thst us far as the Dominion was concerned there was no.fear of Germany being able to obtain admission for such goods, as importation from -Germany of all goods was prohibited. After consultation with,, the AttorneyGeneral, it had beei^ suggested to thd Minister of Defence that he sh6uld bring the question, whether the German offer was in contravention of the Peace Treaty, under the notice of the Foreign Office. The necessary steps to do that were being taken through the High Commissioner, who is also New Zealand's representative on the League of 'Nations- ' ' i ' A sensation was caused at the community "sing-song" held at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday, when the chairman, the Roy. Jasper Calder, announced that he wished to introduce a visitor who was strongly in favour ofthe/retention of the zoo, whose influence might persuade some of the ratepayefs to record their votes in the Bame direc- . .Amid a foreat-iil&ss Rnd expectant hush,--the speaker, dived under the table, produced a hamper, and drew from it a tiny cub* which he held triumphantly . in his arm. "I appeal to you to save this from the butcher's knife," he cried di'amatically, "and to Rive, it a nice, comfortable home." Thunderous applause and1 laughter greeted the little lion's appearance, (states the New* Zealand Herald), and when the chairman, in response to a suggestion that it ho ,» christened', inquired, "What shall we call it?" 4000 voices sounded as one in the instant cry of "Jasper!" A motion • that this be done waSvCarried by acclaniaition and renewed applause, the ceremony • being formally earned out with the assistance of the glass of water -on the chairman's table... The first social evening this season of the Australian Club took place on Thursday, and a very enjoyable time was . spent:' The clubroom was decorated with wattle and gum leaves and bunting. During the evening the vice-president (Mr. Billing) took the opportunity of wishing Mr. and Mrs. F. S.> Gunn good ; luck and happiness in their new sphere. Mr. Gunn was one of the executive, and an enthusiastic member, and Mr. Billing called on Mrs. Stanton to present Mrs. Gunn with a, vase. Mr. Eohner also spoke briefly, and eulogised the executive and social qualities of Mr. Gunn, arid spoke of the sincere regret at losing such a fine member. Mr. and Mrs. Gunn responded. Items were given by Mr. Gunn, and Mr. Richardson. Mr. Billing and Mrs. Skews at the piano helped considerably. A number of reports^ upon cases were given at the meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Childreu, held yesterday afternoon. Mrs. F. Chiipman was iv the chair. The following subscriptions were received with thanks: —Mrs. L. Downs, Dr. Hay, Ellis and Manton, Thomas Ballinger, C. B. Cline, 10s each; M.R.8., ss.