LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18257, 23 April 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is customary when visiting pantomimes tonr tlic dominion (says tho Auckland ‘ Star ’) to recruit a number of juveniles and ballet and chorus girls in Now Zealand. It appears, from an incident mentioned at the Education Board, that the practice is likely to lead to trouble between the parents and tho board. An application bad been made to the board for leave of absence from school for budding artists of tho city during tho company’s tour; but the board would not consider it, and replied that the absence would incur a breach ofjtho rules. Parents will either have to curb the theatrical whimS'of their children or bo prepared to meet the displeasure of the truant officer.

“A donkey in a lion’s skin” was the terse description applied by Mr Justice Frazer in tho Arbitration Court at Auckland to the cooks 'and stewards’ award in respect to certain small steamers. It was admitted that the award was bristling with complexities, and tho judge remarked that if ho had his way ho would bo inclined, in tho case of small vessels running on what practically was a ferry service, to insert a clause similar to tho hotel workers’ hours clause, instead of tho intricate provisions that now existed.

That the people of New South Wales know tho value of thrift is suggested by the fact that during February the balances to the credit of depositors in the Government Savings Bank increased by £452,997, says the Sydney ’Telegraph. Tho amount to tho credit of the depositors at tho end of the month was £125,941,720. Altogether 25,056 accounts were opened, and tho number of depositors at the end of February was 2,534,665. This was 102,612 more than in February, tho amount to their credit was £7,062,069 more than in February of last year.

During her stay in London the Federal steamer Dorset, which arrived at Dunedin yesterday morning from England via Ueiiiimton and Lyttelton, was converted into a third class passenger ship. The tust saloon dining room and cabin space was adapted to use as a thin! class dining room and cabin accommodation, iho-Dor-set’s wireless equipment was also gie«tly improved while she lay at the London docks. Throughout the voyage across the Atlantic reports of the weather, time signals, and Press news wore received from British, 'Continental, and American stations. In the Pacific the same class of information was received by wireless from America until a week prior to reaching Wellington.

“ It gives mo much pleasure to hear that you are again reflecting on a trip to America,” said an American to a business friend of his in tho lounge of a city hotel (says the Auckland ‘ Star’). _ “Wo will all bo pleased to see you again, althougn wo will regret that tho good) old times have passed”” said tho visitor. “There is not as much fun and excitement to bo had on soda water as there was on cocktails. We take a drink of spirits nowadays, and then worry for a couple of days. Drinking nowadays is a good deal like the Italian diagnosis of mushrooms. Their theory is that if you eat die —they are mushrooms. Still, if you make a return visit,” tho ’Murkan added, “there is always a possibility of being able to raid some private stock. It is not that wo require barrels of liquor, but rather that a glass or two certainly puts everyone in good humor.” Visitors to tho Pacific Islands will be relieved to know (says the Auckland ‘ Herald ’) that nothing in the nature of a. passport or a certificate of indcntificatiou is now required by persons making the round trip. Both British subjects ami aliens travelling by tho Island steamers may land at all ports of call during the temporary stay of the vessel without being in possession of any passport. This means that the practice of issuing certificates of identity to British subjects has been discontinued, bringing conditions in the Pacific passenger service on a par with pre-war conditions. If travellers wish to make a longer stay at ports of call than is made by the steamer, the following conditions pertain: (1) In the case of Fiji and Tonga,_ British subjects require passports and aliens require a valid passport. (2) In the case of Samoa British subjects do not require documents of any kind, and aliens require a valid passport. Special regulations have been issued respecting Pitcairn Island. Tho High Commissioner of tho Western Pacific at Suva announces that passports to land at Pitcairn are not to be validated unless the holder is in possession of a permit issued at the Suva office of tho High Commissioner.

“The fire brigade is deserving of every credit as a volunteer brigade for the services it had rendered,” said Mr J. W. Dove in the course of hia address on municipal affairs in the St. Kilda Coronation Hall. “Although tho brigade occasionally has a tilt at me, and I a tilt with it,” he continued, “I appreciate the fact that it is a fine body of men, and while eulogising the brigade I am also prepared to criticise it when necessary. The men have given the council and ratepayers good service.” The council hoped, hs said, to make better provision for attending fires during the day. The monthly meeting of the committee of the Shipwrecked Relief Society of Now Zealand was held on, Friday afternoon; present—Mr C. W. Chamberlain (chairman), Sir George Fenwick, Messrs G. L. Denniston, D. E. Thcomin E. O. Hazlett, F. 0. Brldgeman, H. 11. Spence, W. Clarke, and Captain Fraser. The Wellington and Bluff Harbor Boards forwarded donations of £lO 10s each. Captain Attwood, tho society’s representative at Auckland, wrote that he had given assistance to one of the crow of tho ketch Edna. Captain Attwood’s action was approved. Messrs Chamberlain (chairman), Denniston (treasurer), Hazlett, and J. A. Park wore appointed tho sub-com-mittee for the ensuing quarter.

A quantity of oversea mail matter will reach Dunedin next week. The postal authorities advise that twenty-four bags of letters from the United Kingdom and America, ox tho Niagara at Auckland, are expected to corno to hand to-night. The contents will delivered in the city and suburbs on Tuesday morning. The newspaper portion of the Niagara’s mail, consisting of 137 ban's, should reach Dunedin next Thursday evening. Tho Tahiti, which is diio at Wellington on Monday from Sydney, is carrying a large oversea and Australian mail. Tho Dunedin portion consists of forty-four bags of letters and twentveight parcel receptacles. This mail should corno to hand on Tuesday evening. Tho Manuka, duo at Wellington on Tuesday from Sydney, is carrying ten bags of mail and three hampers for Dunedin. ’This mail should come to hand on Thursday evening. Tho Whangape, which is expected at Dyttelt-on on Monday from Svdney, carries an Australian mail for tho South Island. Tho local portion consists of nine bags and ono hamper. Those should reach tho Dunedin Post Office >n Tuesday evening.

Mention was mado recently of a record sale of city property in Auckland, £1,420 a foot being obtained. The property in question (says the ‘ Star ’) was the site occupied by Cook’s, in Lower Queen street, near Fort street, with a frontage of 53ft and running back to Fort street lane. The sale is from Mr John Fuller to Cook’s, who have been the lessees for a number of years. The price, taking into consideration the, fact that the lease had three and » half years to run, works out at about £47,000. The site was purchased some ten years ago by Mr John Fuller ns a theatre site, the price then paid being £30,000.