LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 29 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A busy week in Parliament is anticipated next. week. The i.s expected to end about Friday '..ext. or Saturday at the latest.—-Own Correspondent. The following Nelson candidates were suc-es.*ful in passim: the State examination of nurses: —Nurses B. Shaw, N. Arnold, and C. Eayner. The. sum of £20,750 was received by the Government for trading rights ai tho militaa-v camps since the declaration of war until May 20 last. The money was distributed amongst various reinforcement drafts.—Oven Correspondent. Considerable damage was done to roads in the Collingwood district by the recent flood, reports the Golden Bay Tirries. The road to Pakawau will no. be opened for traffic for many weeits. Anoroaches to bridges have already been repaired.

A i.-«-.111»-, i- t.y the Procession Committee that £ tie route of Monday's procession be temporarily closed io vehicular traffic has been acceded to bv the Citv Council.

"Why do not, men go to ehmch." formed tie- topic of discussion at the quarterly council meeting of the Diocesan Tirion o. Auckland and districts, in St. Matthew's parish hall, says ihe Ik-raid. Mr C. M. Calder presided, and a variety of views was, expressed. The speakers were generally it; accord thai the services were sufficiently attractive, but it was the consensus of opinion that on« reason why men did not go to church was because they were too busily occu pied in other pursuits.

Private Vincent MeXabb, killed, m action, is the third son of Mr .'intl Mis Edward McNabb. of Motuekn. to lay down his life for his country. Roy an,: Cyril were killed at ■Gallipoli, and Vincent has been killed in Franc--. Two other brothers. Owen and Louis, are at the front. The parents wiii have general svmpathv in. their great loss.

From the annual report on education of Maori children it- appears that there were. 117 Nat he village schools in operation at the end of last year, four new schools having been opened and two closed. The, mimber of pupils on the rolls was: Boys 2782, girls 24C9 total 5191 Included in flic so numbers are 291 boys, and 257 girls who are Euro peans, leaving 4645 Maori children.

The Mayor stated" at last night's meeting of the City Council that a teL' 2ram had been received from the Hon. A. T. Maginuity. M.L.C.. stating that the Washing-up Rill did not contain a clause dealing with the Maitai road. The Council Committee. assisted by others, notably Mr F. G. Gibbs, had been in constant communication' with Nelson representatives in the Legislature, and it was. satisfactory to know that there would be no legislation closing anv part of the road abutting on the land to be acquired bv the City Council.

The deputation from the Nelson Hospital and Charitable Aid 1 Board' interviewed the Minister of Education {Hon. J. Hanan) yesterday regarding trie question of the continued use of the Richmond' building for the accommodation of the old people. The Minister states that the intention of the Department was to allow the uso of the buildings for six weeks (not monv'hsb Whatever mistake was made, was not by the Department, and it has made it* own arrangements, which could not- be put off. A further interview was, arranged.—Own Correspondent.

The report of the 0 io Z Petitions Committee, on the petition for clemency and reduction of the sentence of imprisonment for life passed upon Alice Pai"kinson for manslaughter of AlbertWest at Napier, was presented to the House yesterday. The Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make on the petition. The report by tne, Chief Justice, before whom the case was tried, is attached to the report, and the 'Committee recommended that the whole bcx printed. This was agreed to.— Own Correspondent.

In response to an appeal for old ki 1 gloves with! which to make jackets for the airmen, sent out by Mrs Edward Harris, of Bromlev Avenue. Cremorne. Sydnev. through the columns of the Press," an excellent response was made. Bv the R.M.S. Mongolia were sent 3ECC pairs of old kid gloves, making in all a total of 8750 pairs sent forward to date. As speedily as the gloves come to hand in Svdney" thev are despatched at one;, to be made into jackets. The "total receipts at the depot to date, states Miriam's, are over 9000. ' and gloves-_ were (■•omins forward from New South Wales. Victoria, Queensland, South and Writ Australia, and New Zealand. As the airman require new jackets continually, all the kid gloves that can be spared are required. We. are informed- that the Ladv .Liverpool Committee would. ")>.-> nleased to receive and forward gifts.

"If I had my way. there would be a Victoria Cross' for -women." remarksd Mr W. H. George during his lecture "With the Bovs in. Egypt" at the Christ-church Theatre Royal, says the Press. "In- many cases they show more bravery and greater devotion and <r, durance than winners of the V.C. ' Mr George showed a number of Alms demonstrating the great work of 'women helpers "in" the Y.M.C.A. movement amongst the soldiers, and laid particnUr stress on the great boon it was to the soldier far away from home to receive a cup of coffee from a woman of his own race who had a smile and a kindly word for everyone. "One soldier said." he remarked, "that this was the greatest Christmas gift of all. W T e cannot say too much for the work of the women, and we also can't do too much for the men. They are worth all we can do and more." '

"The fox-glove is going to be one of the -greatest" curses in New Zealand," said Mr J. Bell (YVestland) at the Formers' Conference. Complaint was made regarding the imcmner in which weeds, and particularly fox-glove, were allowed to spread over- Crown lands, thus endangering clean lands. Mr F. SPope (Secretary for Agriculture) stated that the Commissioners of Crown Lands did not have nearly -sufficient money to cope with the evij. An enormous stun would 1 be required, necessitating special taxation. The worst cases on Crown lands were receiving attention. Mr J. Bcgg (Otago) stated that noxious weeds had spread over New Zealand to such an extent that there were not sufficient people in New Zealand to clear the lands. Mr John M'Queen asserted that no weed had ever damaged any country.

In a, letter to friends in Wellington, says the Post, Mr Borneo Gardiner, the talented whistler, who is now appearing at the Victoria Palace. London, says that he is ''doing well."" Previously he had' been performing- in South America and in France with great success. Recently, while in London, he imet some old tirums from Wellington who are in the ranks and have been fighting in France. Amongst those he specially mentions was Signal-Sergt. Alonzo Dwan. an old college friend, who went, with the Third Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He says that he and the New Zealanders had 1 a great time in London together when the men had a week's holiday from the trenches.

"1 dem't. believe it" was the remark of Mr A. A. Winslow. the United State? Consul-General in Auckland, when dis ■..•ussing with a representative of the Her aid the reported failure of the Panama Canal. "There may be obstacles, but these can be easily overcome. The ship ping will .go on, and I have not the slightest fear of the ultimate success of the great, waterway. The American capital invested is too larce to <admit of any failure, and any little obstruction that may be found can be readily over come. 1 have not received any adverse reports from my Government, and I do uofc think there'is any truth in the report, sent from Montreal to the effect fhat the Panama. Canal is a failure. ■Time will prove to the contrary."

McKays', Bridge street, have just 'landed from. English manufacturers a ,'verv fine assortment of British Fla.gs. /Air kinds at 6d, 9d, Is, iro to 4s 6d. i Buy one for your child for Monday, the ;- Gala, day.*

The Executive, of the Silver Bullet Cannonade wish it to be made known that, there- will be no mock couvi at. Trafalgar Park on Gala Day.

Mrs Ma.Kenzie begs l-g acknowledge from Mrs Black and: Mrs Campbell, Atiwai, A pairs of pyHrms. 5 pairs of sock.--, 1 pair of .iniiira-. and J *<-i\vi for benevolent boxo*.

Trafalgar-street Bridge will lie clcs- 1 on Monday. The City Council deci-d-d on this step last evening, in view if the structure having been weakened during the. recent flood.

Returned Soldiers are requested to parade at the Drill Shed at 10.15 on .vlon-day morning.

The dwelling-house of -Mrs A. D. Hndgkinson, at Mnrchison, was destroyed bv lire last night. The building w;;'. insured for £4so'with the New Zealand Insurance Co.

Mr Henry Wells, one of New Zealand's best-known musicians, has hem appointed to the staff of the Nelson School of Music.

A special request is made by the Executive of the Silver Bullet Cannonade to all who can assist in the musioul portion of the ceremony at Monday's Fete. A special practice is to be he.d in the Druids' Hall at 7.50 to-night., and all singers are asked to bo present. Mv H. G. Hill has consented to conduct the choir, and he is anxious to have a nig muster so that Sir Edwnrd Elgar's fa mats setting of "God Save the King" can be rendered. - The Sheffield Choir, it may be remembered, rendered this setting throughout their tour in New Zealand some years ago.

Negotiations have been proceeding for some" little time between the General Manager of the Nelson District Fruitpackers Ltd. (Mr H. CL Hill) and- the Minister of Munitions (Hon. _ Arthur Myers) with regard to supplying the troops with evaporated apples. Last evenincr Mr Hill received a telegram from the Hon. Mr Myers, that samples be sent to the Trentham Camp, this being the first step in connection with the question of future contracts. The machinery is not, of course, yet erected, but this will be done in time to deal with the coming season's supplv. Tn the meantime Mr A. H. Mazure. the well-known expert, is evaporating the apples, in order to give the authorities an- idea of what the quality will be like.

Some little time ago Mrs H. M. Field sent a gift of money subscribed by Nelson friends for cigarettes and tobacco for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. By last mail Mrs Field ?e----ceived a letter from Lady Elsveth Campbell, Inverary Castle, Argyll, returning thanks for the donations, and stating that the cigarettes and tobacco had been forwarded on to France, and were much appreciated by the soldiers.

The 'first anniversary of Wesley Church, 'Stoke, which was opened on •Jaily 25th of last year, will be celebrated-to-morrow. Three services are to' be held. At, 11 a.m. a children's service will bo conducted by Missioner L,. A. 'Brooks. The ,Rev. Wm. Raumber will conduct the .afternoon service, opening at 2.30, hnd the evening service will be taken by the Circuit Superintendent, the Rev. A. Ashcroft, at 7. Special music will be rendered by the choir. The. total offerings of the day will be devoted to the Church Trust. The anniversary will be further commemorated by a tea and public meeting on the following Wednesda v.

All members of the Infantry Section, A Company, National Reserve, are particular!}' requested' to attend the parade advertised' for Monday next, at 10.30 a.m., in order to take part in the procession to Trafalgar Park. This procession is to further the cause of the Sick and 1 Wounded Soldiers' Fund, and as there: will be a number of returned soldiers, present, the Reserve hopes that there will: be a large muster of present and past members of the Reserve to do honour to our wounded l soldiers.

The sporting- spirit of the British soldiers is always uppermost. This was illustrated once again when the Northumberland' and the Royal Fusiliers madw their splendidly successful dash at St. Eloi. It was a neck-and-neck race for the honour of being first into the German trenches, and the rival regiments were cheered by their wounded partisans. Bets were freely made, but tliere was one Scot who was without money. He had in his hand, however, a bandage "which, he was about to apply to a wound. Seeing a Royal Fusilier with a cigarette in his hand', but ;.» bandage, lie called out eagerly: "Ah'll lay ye ma bandage tae your fag that the Geordies : cret there first."" The Let was made. The Geordies won, but Londoners weren't far behind.

An ! astronomical event of considerable interest will take place to-morrow, when the sun will be eclipsed, more than naif its area being obscured. The eclipse will commence at lhr 41min and 1 end at Afar 'lornin p.m., the greatest phase being-at 3hr 3min p.m., New Zealand mean time. Although only partial in New Zealand, in Adelaide the eclipse will be of the type known 'as "annular." that is. the apparent diameter of the moon being loss than that of ine sun. at the greatest phase a ring of the sun's diski will be visible completely surroundinir the moon This, as is explained in the Post, is due to the fact that the apex of the shadow cast by the moon into space will not quite reach the earth. Those who have telescopes on stands can exhibit the progress of the moon, as it passes across the sun's disk, to a number of 'people at once, by projecting the/'sun's image on to a white screen placed behind the eyepiece' nt a distance of about 18in. A cardboard shade cut out to fit round the telescope tube so as to cast its shadow on the screen will make the sun's image stand out more clearly. Several sunspots should bo visible if the telescope is properlyi focussed. Too much stress cannot be laid on the danger to the eyesight in attempting to look at the sun without proper dark' shades on the eyepieces of telescopes and opera glasses. Where optical aid is not available, well-smoked glass, carefully used, is sufficient protection.

Don't pay big prices for Flags ! ! Tonight we'll' throw out Beautiful Pure Silk Union Jacks for 3d a-piece. Sold elsewhere at Is. —Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.*

Mts-Tait's Choir ("May Queen'") will meet on Wednesday evening in place of Monday, owing to the holiday.

Flags for Monday's Celebration ! ! Tonight we'll scatter Pure Silk Union Jacks for 3d apiece. Elsewhere th-iv charge Is.—Auckland Clothing and Drapery Cn. >: '

The lemon crops in the Otnki district this season are .splendid, but. unfortunately, a disease is attacking the trees.

You'll want a Flag on Monday !!_ Buy it here and save money ! ! To-night! Beautiful Pure Silk Union Jacks for 3d each. Patriotic Ribbon (Red, White, and Blue), 3d yard.—Auckland. Clothing and Drapery Co.* "What on earth are you doing?" exclaimed the victim*, jumping from the chair as the barber administered the antiseptic tablet. "Having cut the hide, sir," was the reply, "I am trying to hide the cut,"