LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 22 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

_The statutory closing day throughout Whangarei county, under the "Shops and Offices Act, 1908," was fixed for the current year at a special meeting of the Whangarei County Council to-day. TJurrsday was again chosen. .—'Mr W. H. Gillespie, at to-day's meeting of the Whangarei County Council, was re-appointed traffic inspector, registrar of dogs, ranger and inspector under the Noxious Weeds Act at a salary of £15 per annum for six months from February 1. Formal permission has. been given by the Whangarei County Council to Messrs R. P. Gibbons, Ltd., to form and use a tramway across the main Mangakahia road at Fraser's filling, for the' purpose of taking timber from the Hapairua buesh. «-* On receiving the information that insurance of the county motor car would cost £2 10s for external fire, for own combustion £3, and to cover all the risks 20 per cent of the value of the car, the Whangarei County Council to-day decided that it was not worth while to insure.

the Whangarei County Council's meeting to-day a letter was read fromthe clerk to the Kamo Town Board, who wrote that at a meeting held on December 22 it was resolved that £40 be donated to the Whangarei County Council on.condition that the council guarantee to form the new-footpath on the new works on Meldrum's Hill. The council resolved to agree to the proposal. Mr H. A. Morey, riding member of the Whangarei County Council for Manaia, met with a mishap yesterday which might have proved serious. While engaged in branding calves he received a severe blow just above the left eye. He was knocked senseless and the flesh was badly cut, causing a large flow of blood. The mishap, however, was not allowed to interfere with council business, the worthy councillor being in early attendance at the meeting to-day. A further example of open-handed-ness on the part of the State Advances Office was the receipt of a letter read at to-day's meeting of the Whangarei County Council, notifying that the Houto loan for the purpose of making two roads to Mangakahia was approved to the full amount, £1500, as originally applied for, at the rate of 4% per cent, with a currency of 36% years. The former approval of the loan of £1000, granted about two months ago, was therefore rescinded. As representing the Northern Wairoa farming community, Mr A. E. Harding recently telegraphed to the Prime Minister protesting against the Government in any way considering | any mitigation of the prisoner Gau- : din, who was recently sentenced to

iive years' imprisonment, under circumstances which are well known. The following reply has been received from Mr Massey:—"The matter is one which belongs entirely to the Imperial Government and is not under the New Zealand Government. Jt is at present under the consideration of the Imperial authorities, but 1 have no more to do with it than you have."

_»The unique incident of the election in Auckland of a lady to membership of the King's Empire Veterans, led to an investigation of the rules, but apparently nothing was discoverable which prevented the election of women. On the point of merit the lady was certainly entitled to the honour. She is Nurse Ball of Kyber Pass road, and her record includes services as a nurse attached to the Black Watch, 42nd Highlanders, in the South African war, where she gained the Queen's medal with three bars and also the Royal Red Cross. The order of the Royal Red Cross is one of the four decorations which can be worn by Pritish women and is the Victoria Cross of the nursing profession, although! it is not a test of valour so much as of skilled and devoted service. Nurse Ball received the cross for carrying a wounded soldier fifty yards under fire during the war in South Africa and attending him afterwards.

Patrons of the Lyceum Cinema should receive much satisfaction from the programme to be shown to-night. An extra war film, which should have arrived yesterday will be screened to-night. This is entitled "Our Warriors at Ypres.*' "Heart Broken Shep" is a grand heart throbbing Vita drama, featuring little Helen Costello and Shep, the dog. "Her Wedding Gown" (A.8.), '"Winter in the Vosges," and "Little Raven's Sweetheart" also received good applause. This programme will be shown tonight for the last time. /