LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 76, 3 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that a New Zealand Hospital Ship arrived at her destination all well, on 20th March.

A conference of Military Service Boards is about to be held in Wellington to discuss the application for men on active service to be sent . back to New Zealand either temporarily or permanently.

The payment of increased separation allowances to the dependents of Australian soldiers will begin this month. The wives of soldiers will receive an allowance of 2s a day each, and for each child under 16 years of age 6& a day. The first payment will be made on 18th April.

"If a man steals a horse or a sheep he is pretty sure to be sent to gaol, if he is caught," said a northern delegate at the Poulti-ymen's Conference* at Wellington, says the Post, "but if he robs a hen roost the whole thing is treated as somewhat of a joke. One man in Auckland lost 200 fowls in one night." A voice : "You do put up records in Auck r land." The poultrymen certainly do not look upon this style of thieving as a joke, and with a view to bringing the seriousness of the offence into notice they unanimously supported the following remit:— ' 'That attention be drawn- to the serious loss occasioned to poultrymen through the stealing of their poultry, and that heavier penalties be imposed."

Towards the close of the session of the Presbyterian Sy/nod' ait Dainediu, says The Times, the Rev. J.-S. Ponder moved:—"That this "Synod, having heard from the report submitted by the 'Chaplaincy Committee, that a number of it'he chaplains were being compulsorily retired as over age on the recommendation of the Senior Presbyterian •Chaplain of New Zealand, desires to know from him on what principle he is making such recommendations to the military authorities; further, Mo protest against the unwisdom of compulsorily retiring any efficient army chaplain willing to, act during such a period of war crisis as we are passing through." Ma' Ponder said that some of their best chaplains who had done noble "work had been surprised to find that th e army regulations had been put in force in Iheh case apparently on the recommendation of "the senior Presbyterian chaplain in Wellington. The Rev. D. Button seconded the motion, and said that the singular thing was that apparently on the ' recommendation of their own senior chaplain (the Rev. W. Shu-er) a selection had been made from a lone- list»of chaplains over the regulation ag 0 and certain names fixed upon. If tho regulation -was to be ap-, plied at all ii applied to so many of their most efficient men that the enforcing of it would almost put an end to their chaplains' -work. The motion was carried, and the Chaplains' Coiumittee was empowered to deal with the renlv when it r.vne tn hand from Mr Shirer.

Messrs Bisley 'Bros, and 'Co. will liold a clearino- sale in the "bankrupt estate of H. 0~ K. "Holyoake, 'Motueka, on April 11th.

All t>erso:w interested' in arranging: for a Parliamentary tour of the. Nelson district are invited to meet at, the Mayor's room to-morrow afternoci.

The refreshing, stimulating qualities of K'CKLA-NTP are more than welcome on these tiring, hot. thirstful d*v?. Tt ciuenches_ thirst, cools heated blood, and "feels good" a l ' the way down.

By a steamer which arrived from England recently, 26 young women, who had been married to Australian soldiers, while they were on furlough in London, or in hospital, landed in Melbourne. When the steamer reached Australia there were on board approximately 240 wives of Australian soldiers. Some were left in Western Australia, and South Australia. A large contingent went on to Sydney, and the remainder were for Queensland and Tasmania. The passages of many of them were provided by the Repatriation Department.

That poultrymen arfl not pleased with the low prices charged for settings of eggs supplied from the State poultry farms in what was considered unfair competition with private breeders was shown by the unanimous support of the members of the New Zealand Poultry Association at their conference at Wellington, says the Post, to a remit to the effect that the Department of Agriculture should be approached on the matter. In answer to Mi- F. C. Brown, Chief Poultry Instructor, a member said that he considered that if the price was raised .from 4s 6d to 7s 6d a setting, breeders would be better satisfied.

Considerable protest was raised at the Oddfellows' Conference at Wellington, says the Post, concerning the delay in the preparation of the actuarial valuation by the Friendly Societies Department. One delegate state that they had two and a quarter years, and so far the only district satisfied was Auckland. Until they received the complete valuation, it would be impossible to properly consider the many important questions set down for discussion at the present conference. The Grand Master (Bro. I. Salek) stated that the position was that the department was overloaded with work. It had many things- to do besides looking after friendly societies, and unless matters improved there, would be a demand for a separate department such as existed formerly. "It amounts to this," he said, "we have been going on for nearly eight years without knowing our true financial position. If any trading concern acted similarly, it would be liable to criminal prosecution. The question is a very serious one." Although a deputation to the Minister was suggested, no course of action was decided upon.

"We are working on very short supplies of coal," said the .Minister of Munitions and Supplies, the Hon. A. M. Myers, in Auckland. The Minister said that, owing to the shipping shortage, it was difficult to import from Newcastle the normal quantities that were received in pre-war times. It was fortunate, however, that the controlling authorities set up by the Government some time ago were in existence. These authorities and the various local committees had baeh doing good work' in the direction of allocating the available coal, firstly, among the most essential industries', and to provide for the transit of passengers and goods over the railways. "Considering the demands that are being made upon us for the purposes named, and for the bunkering of supply ships carrying food to the Old Country, and of transports," said Mr Myers, "all engaged in the coaLmining industryshould consider themselves to be doing good work of a helpful character towards winning the war. It is to be hoped, therefore, that, viewed from this standpoint alone, theq uestions which formed the subject-matter of a conference held between the Prime Minister and representatives of the coal-miners will be satisfactorily settled. It is of vital portance, hot only to New Zealand but to the Empire, that *jvery available ton of coal should be forthcoming from th,e Dominion mines."