LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 27 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Headquarters of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force is now at London. Cable messages with/reference to casualties and records may now be addressed to "Zeangar" London.

Extraordinary and almost unprecedented weather has been experienced in this district lately (says the Golden Bay Times). Thoxigh the first month of winter is l nearly, over; no sign of frost in the township or snow un> the mountains has been evidenced; in fact mild spring, weather is the order of the day, and flowers appertaining to the season are reported to be flourishing. Old inhabitants aver that phenomenal conditions prevail.

The committee of ladies in connection with the Anglican Home Mission Festival have commenced their preparations. The Festival has been instituted for the benefit of the -clergy in the back-blocks, who in this time of stress are worthy of generous consideration in view of their small stipends. In addition the festival brings the members of the Church together, with, happy results.

Registration, cards received at the Nelson Defence Office show that quite a number of recruits have seen_ service in some of the well-known Imperial regiments. Occasionally, however, a recruit lays claim to something more distinguishin"-. To-day, for instance, the enrolling officer turned uo a re-i= !::'■.-.lion card showing that a would-h- sHdier, 55 years of" age, had serve. .--- years m the German navy,

The monthly meeting of the Matariki Branch of the N.Z.F.U. was neld at Tadmor on May 17th, When there was a good attendance of members, lo fill the position of secretary, vacant tlirouoh the resignation of Mr H. Gainsford, Mr K. Goodall resigned the chairmanship, Mr H. Martin feeing elected in his stead. Mr K. Goodall was appointed delegate to attend the Provincial Conference to be heldi at Richmond on May 30t'h. It was resolved that meetings be held the second Wednesday in every month alternately at Matariki, Sherry'and Tadmor. Among the remits to the Provincial Conference was one asking for the Agricultural Department to send an expert to report on the valuable lime deposits in the district with a view to erecting a lime crushing plant, to enable farmers to procure lime cheaply and in sufficient quantities to do g00d...

An interesting decision was given by Mr F V. Frazer, S.M., in Auckland m a maintenance case. The defendant, Frederick W. Fees, had been imprisoned in default of payment of maintenance respecting some children at an industrial school, the order for imprisonment being made in the man's absence as he did not compiiy with the summons to attend. Court. The man's wife subsequently represented to the Magistrate that her husband's imprisonment had _ left her and the children at home in distress. She was advised to get her husband to apply for a variation of the maintenance order and cancellation of arrears, and on his doing so he was brought before the Csm-t to prosecute his application. Nees < explained that he did not appear to defend the prosecution, previously on account of difficulty to get away from his work, and he gave evidence as to means which satisfied His Worship that the man had not been wasting bis money and that his earnings were not sufficient to enable him to comply with the maintenance order respecting the children at . i the industrial school. His Worship informed defendant that if'he had taken ' the trouble to appear to put his .position before the court when first summoned, he would have escaped imprisonment. As the original sentence could not be reversed on the present application, recourse would be had to Section 61 ■ of the Act, and an order would be made that defendant be released on payment of the sum of one shilling in satisfaction of the arrears. "And I'll lend you the shilling in the meantime," concluded His Worship when defendant intimated that he could not pay even that amount. The London County Council recently discussed a recommendation of the Education Committee that the children '6l subiects of countries with which Great Britain is at war be not eligible | for scholarships', exhibitions, or other | awards offered by the Council . Mr ..Johnson moved to refer back this paragraph. He thought we had got I beyond the doctrine of visiting the sins of fathers on the children. He was ashamed of a committee who would make such a recommendation. The Rev. J. Scott Lidget, who seconded the motion, said that" in such' a rule there would be danger of grayo injustice. Every case should be considered on its [ merits. There were subjects of alien Powers, such as Bohemians, Poles, etc., who had lived: in London year after year for the sake of freedom. Mr J. W. Gilbert (the chairman of the committee) resented the imputation that the committee wished to war against children. The recommendation was adopted by 37 votes to 22,, but Mr Gil'bert accepted a suggestion to* add' the words, "Unless on a particular occasion the Education 'Committee see Teason to depart from the rule."

The death occurred in Adelaide on the 14 th inst. of Surgeon-Major Hinton, at the age of 103 years. Ho was born at Southsea, England, and studied medicine and surgery at London, Hospital School and Westminster Hospital, becoming a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in. 1835. He was the oldest' surviving member of that institution. He went to 'Calcutta as assistant-sur-geon, in the Bengal army, and was a member of Gwalior contingent. He was present at Buddiwal, Alliwai, and Sobraon. Major Hiriton was garrison as-sistant-surgeon at Delhi when the mutiny of- 1857 broke out. He visited Melbourne on a health trip in 1865, and four years after retired and went to live in Australia.

At All Saints' 'Church to-morrow evening a special address will 'be given to the mothers, wives, and friends of the •boys at the front; also the anthem "No Shadows Yonder" (from * The Holy City"—Gaul), will be rendered by tho choir.

Tt is the intention of the Ladies' Guild of the Richmond Methodist Church to hold a combined function at a suitable date, consisting of Christmas Tree, exhibition of flowers, andi fruits, sale of goods, etc., with tho usual attractions. Arrangements are now in hand for this purpose, and the proceeds will no doubt materially reduce the existing debt.

At a meeting c r the Ladies' Visiting Committee of tho Nelson Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund Mesdamcs Lock and Crawford were appointed a* sub-com-mittee to wait upon the Advisory Board of the fund and place before the Board certain recommendations "with i*egard to the work on which the committee is gaged. Details were also arranged with respect to the steps which are being taken to supplement tho diet of soldiers in hospital. Mrs Crawford was appointed tho official visitor to soldiers' wives with the object of seeing that their necessary requirements are being supplied.

•'• jVlessi's McKay's, the drapers are now offering lliree very special value lines, Girls' Warm Coats.at 6s lid. Ladies' Coats, good materials, 10s 6d and 21s, and Ladies' Smart Trimmed Hatsat 10s 6d and 12s 6d. Ladies will be well advisedi to make an earlyi inspection of these goods.* !

Trim<med Millinei'y—all smart 5 new season's styles—a very fine selection now offering a* 10s 6d and 12s 6d. These goods are well worth double. —McKay's.*

A meeting of directors of the .'CD 1 . C. was held': last evening, and it Avas arranged to told the annual meeting of shareholders on Friday, 16th June, when the directors will present their annual report audi balance-sheet. It was decided to recommend the payment of a 6 per cent dividend on the paid-up capital, in addition to the-usual 10 per cent, bonus to shareholders. All shareholders are invited to attend the annual meeting, which is advertised in another column.*

•Special .Bargains . in Ladies' Warm Winter Coats, former prices 17s 6d to 455, all 10s 6d,'and a better lot worth 35s to 70s, now 21s. These two spe ial lines will bo quicldyvboxTgiht." so inspect early at McKay's.* 1./

The Anchor Company announce that owing to the Wellington Patent Slip not Ibeing available for. the s.s. Koitoa before Thursday next the steamer "will leave here as usital on Thursday next, but her Thursday trip is cancelled^

The new arrangements of timetable from the Taumarunui end of the Wanganui river, permitting on certain, days of a stop over-night at the House-boat, will be greatly appreciated. The Houseboat is moored amidst the most beautiful scenery in the world at the confluence of the Ohura and Wangamii Rivers, some 40 miles below Taumarunui, and 60 miles above Pipiriki. Well furnished dining room, social Hall, smoking room, 60 berths, electric light. Write A. Hatrick and Co., Ltd., Cook's and Government Tourist Bureaux.

In the Opotiki Guardian of February Ist appeared an advertisement to tlie 'effect that persons were wanted' to .form a party for White Island. Applications were to be sent to "L.M." The editor was probably rather surprised when he received a reply to the advertisement from the front, dated March 23rd, and -written from a place not stated, by Mr G. A. Hall, well known in Opotiki, who, on behalf of himself and eight of his comrades, applied for the position, and added, "should we not arrive within three months, do not keep the position open for ns."

A long discussion took place at the Newmarket (Auckland) Borough. Council's last meeting over a recommendation that half-pay i(26s a week) bo.granted to an employee of the' council who had enlisted. One councillor, pointed out that the man's wife bad obtained an, allotment order of £1 a week from her husband's pay, and was entitled to 17d 6d a week separation allowance for herr self and her three_ children. With/the council's 26s she would thus be, getting £3 3s 6d a week, which wag probably more than she would receive when her husband was at home. Further, she. was now working in a factory. The Mayor observed that the woman had probably been forced to go to work, when by right she should be at. hokne looking after her children. It might He possible, he added, to stipulate that sheshould leave the 'factory. The -council decided to make the grant. That there has been some exceeding-; ly "hot" work in Flanders recently da shown by a letter received by a Patea resident from his brother in the - trenches near . In a letter ho says: "Last Thursday we won some. Wo blew up about five miles just in front of us, and my word, what an experience it ' was. The place seemed as though it-was made of jelly for a minute or so and_ you can imagine the force of the explosion- when I tell you the largest crater was a quarter of'a mile round, quite by fat I the biggest mine that las ever been jon this front.'. We and the Bth Battalion just nipped' across and took all the craters, but this was not the worst job. Wo had to hold them after we had taken them. If you keep your eyes open you will probably see that our captain will get the V.C., as I think he has been recommended for it. He is the bravest man I have seen. -He was wounded ir three places but' stuck to his post and refused to leave it till we had consolidated - our position. The'r.e musthivt been thousands of Germans buried in tll€ explosion. It was a sight that once seen one could'never forget. ' " '■'.. Reference to the attitude ot tlhe Government in refusing to allow membeh of the Police Force to enlist was mad* j by Senior-Sergeant Datt at- DUnodih (in replying to expressions of' appreciation from Bench and Bar on the occasion 'of his leaving the'force to enter,-the .''legal profession. The Government, •' he j said (according to a JDunedin> exchange), (had thought fit .to- pjrevent. mem'bfefdj I so far as it could, from' enlisting for service at the front. „ Members had -felt this keenly, and lie believed that ; the New Zealand Force stood almost alone among the Empire's police forces ir ! this' Government, prohibition. Members jof other police services had" gone to '.the ! front, and had brought fame to them- ! selves and added. lusti-e and prestige ut j the service they, had left. WithfalX du< respect to the he/.tfelt thai it had not acted wisely in refusing mem bers the privilege of enlisting. Thret young constables had "left Dunedin recently—Constables Eckford, Sterritt and iCaven. They felt they; had, to .go, but they could not go with the ,-De partment|s consent, ana had, in.-, fact, k go almost under the displeasure ■of th< Department. He regretted that the Department had not made it mote easyfoi other men to go. . ' ' ' ' German technical education, which hat so greatly stimulated the national industries, is quite modern. ;The.elevatipr of,.the primitivo technical schools to iKi rank of high schools in most cases tool placo in the sixties, but for some it did not occur the seventies.- The tech; nical high schools, at .Zurich, Aachfenj and Brunswick were the first .to .be. constituted as high schools from the outset. The commencement of scientific research and experimenting at the technical high schools took the shape ,of material-test-ing institutions, which were started-.in a very modest way in Munich in the year 1868, in Berlin, in 1871; in Zurich in 1879,. and in Stuggai't in 1884/ by degrees to grow into 'most. important establishments. In a similar unprcten?

tious manner, tho machinery laboratories commenced in Munich in. 1875, in Stag?' gart in 1886, in Darmstadt in 1895, and in Berlin in 1896. An electro-technical institute was formed in, Darmstadt 'in tho year 1883, iiv Berlin in in . Dresden' in 1886, and in Munich in -18881 The States have rendered very material i pecuniary support to the growth of tho I technical high schools, an assistance , which is more pronounced in extraor-' dinary, than in continuous, grants.' i"'ln tho period'between, 1868''and 1896 there' were no special institutes or 'new imi portant buildings erected!. Then'in 189G tho building of the machinery laboratory and extension of tho Berlin technical High School was commenced. The great increase < in th© size and. scope of this latter high school took place in '1905, when tho chemical institute was very materially onlarged, at the same- time as the laboratories for water-motors, machine-tools, andi internal combustion, engines were built, and the power station of the high school materially extended. At about the same ,tim© the ■ erection of the" new technical . highschools commenced in Prussia.. i The Methodist Church Trustees at Wakefield have recently acquired' a central section in the town, and contemplate ei-ecting a church thereon at "an early date. For some £imd the services liave been held in the ante-room of the Oddfellows' Hall, andi the interests of the adherents of the 'Church have been maintained thereby. But it is confident- . ly expected that with a b<ui}ding of their own the Methodists of Wakefield will not only •be better accommodated, but also will make considerable ,-head-. way. A meeting of tho Nelson District Recruitinc; Association will be held in the City Council Chambers on Monday evening at 7.30. Anniversary services will bo conducted! at the Nelson Baptist Church to-morrow, and *,'-•» onnual Church social ■will be heldi on "Wednesday evening, aa advertised. ' Pv advertisement in this,issue all are invited to attend nt the Council Chain.'- ■ hers on Monday evening who are in sympathy with and willing' to assist, in the effort to raise the sum of £35,000 for the Nelson • Sick and Wounded Soldiers' and their Dependents' Fund: ' •' ■, Members of the 'A Company, National Reserve, will parade at the Drill" Shed! on Monday-at'B o'clock. '. •..■".'