LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The recent demands by the Auckland Fishermen's Industrial Union of Workers for increased prices for fish are to be further considered this morning at a meeting of fish dealers to be held at the Trades Hall. Since the demands were formulated none of the advances asked for has been paid. The decision of the City Council on Thursday night not to alter tho rates at present paid at the municipal fish market will, it is expected, influence the decision of the dealers in the same direction. It is not anticipated in the trade that the matter will reach an acute stage. A strength of 201 members has now boon reached by tho Remuera unit of the National Reserve Efforts are being made to secure further enrolments up to the full company strength of 250, so that permanent platoons and sections may be appointed. Mr. J. U. Collins has been appointed officer in command of tho unit, with Mr. J. F. Ewen as second in command. The junior officers will be appointed in the course of a few days.

On account of yesterday being St. George's Day, the Government offices, Stock Exchange, banks, insurance and legal offices were closed. No magistrates sat at the Police Court, the smal amount of business on the list being dealt with by justices of the peace at an early sitting. The Supreme Court office was open, as saints' days are not included amongst the Court's special holidays. The Court, however, did not sit.

The Ambulance Committee in connection with tho Auckland General Hospital has decided to purchase a second motorambulance, and tenders for tho construction of tho vehicle will be called next week. The ambulance, recently acquired at a cost of £680, was given a trial run by the committee on Thursday and pave every satisfaction. Tho party consisted of Messrs. J. J. Craig, M. J. Coyle, J. J. Holland, W. Rattray, and Captain Thomas.

The new citv sables in Patteson Street have been completed, and part of the premises are now occupied. The buildine is constructed in brick and ferro-concrete and comprises threo storevs. It has accommodation for 94 horses. The ground floor and the first floor are divided into stalls, while the top floor is used for the storage of fodder. The building is divided into two wings, tho first floor of each wing being approached by a reinforced concrete inclined with stono setts. By this means the actual stable accommodation is divided into four portions absolutely cut off from each other, and should disease occur among tho animals it is possible to confine it to the portion of the building in which it originated. It is claimed that the structure is practically fireproof, as the only wood used consists of the jarrah partitions of the stalls, some wood blocking on the fiat floor and the sarking on the roof. Tho total cost of the work was only £5500.

In addition to the sura of £1,63 17s collected by the Slavs' League for Servian relief the Mayor of Auckland has received a further £20 from the Hunlcrville War Relief Fund and £15 from Titoki, making the total £193 17s.

The. Japanese- Commission, Dr. Muira and Mr. Ohtani, accompanied by Mr. Pope, Secretary of Agriculture, arid Mr. McTaggart, agriculturist, are coming to Frankton by the Main Trunk train, which left Wellington yesterday. The party will visit the Ruakura State Farm this morning, and expect to reach Auckland this evening. Both Dr. Muira and Mr. Ohtani express themselves as being delighted with New Zealand.

After 44 years' service in the Methodist Church, tho Rev. George Bond is retiring from active work in tho ministry. Ho will be tendered a valedictory social in the Pitt Street Methodist Schoolroom on Monday evening, when the Mayor and others will deliver addresses.

The following nominations have been received for seats on the Newmarket School Committee Messrs- A. Smith, T. Simpson, A. Rogers, F. Taylor, F. Wade, (retiring members), Edward Jackson, and William Smith.

The supplement issued with to-day's Herald, is full of interesting reading matter. Tohunga has an article entitled "The Conquest of the .Air,'' while Frank Morton's contribution is " What About Palestine." Miss Edith Howes writes of the hidden treasures revealed on the seasho-e when the tide is low, and an intoecting article descriptive of life tinder canvas, is contributed by Lieut.-Colonel Grace. Other articles are: "When Waimangu Slept," contributed by Maud Peacoeke, and ''Fighting Man in Fiction." by A. D. Bright. Mercutio's column of Local Gossip also appears. Four interesting illustrations are included in the issue. '

A scheme for the encouragement of the breeding of horses for military purposes was submitted to the executive of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association at its meeting yesterday afternoon, by the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The main proposal embodied in the scheme by its originator, Mr. J. M. Johnston, was that the Government should subsidise the various A. and P. Associations, with the object named, to the extent of 10s in the £ on their annual subscription fees. He estimated that there were in the Dominion about 16,000 members of these associations paying annual membership fees of £1 each. A 10s subsidy would therefore yield £8000. This sum would enable the associations to set aside more money for prizes. The promoter further suggested that special classes for military horses should be compulsory at A. and P. shows, the Government to have the right to purchase the remounts shown, for a period of two years. The scheme was referred to the Horses Schedule Committee.

Several mntters of interest connected with tho future of the islands in the Pacific were, referred to by Dr. George Brown, tho veteran South Sea Islands missionary, in reply to a welcome- extended him at tho Y.M.C.A. yesterday. How would the Fuccesfful conclusion of the war affect the Pacific, tho Tommonwenlth, and the Dominion of New Zealand? asked Dr. Brown. It would take a long time, but the allies would win in the present struggle. There was going to be a great change in the Pacific. Ho honed New Zealand would never give up Samoa. Ho was inclined to think that when the "clean-up" came there would be a change in the control and administration of Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. He did not see that there would be any necessity for a commissioner for the Western Pacific. Fie thought that the groups ho had mentioned would bo politically connected with New Zealand. " Trade follows the flag,'' it was said, but the flag followed the missionary all over the Pacific at any rate.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union last evening tho president, Mr. A. E. Devore, said he was in Sydney when the war broke out. He then read that the Rugby football season had come to a, premature end in New Zealand because of the number of footballers who had volunteered for active service- He, with other New Zealanders in Sydney, was proud of the example shown by the footballers of the Dominion. Of course the Australian footballers also volunteered, but the New Zealand players "got in first." Sport had been one of the safeguards of the nation. Players of gomes kept in the best physical condition and were used to obedience and discipline. Battalions of footballers and sportsmen had been raised in England— matter of which they should be proud— they formed part of one of tho best armies the nation ever had. In regard to club football, he recommended players to keep the game going with all the enthusiasm they possessed. The reports of annual meetings suggested that the clubs were enthusiastic and he hoped the season would be as successful as they anticipated.

The exclusion of the rchool districts on the north shore from the urban area defined by the Education Act of last year is due to two circumstances. The definition of the urban area applies to all boroughs or groups of adjoining boroughs the total population of which is over 8000. The basis for the definition is the population 6ho\vn by the last preceding census, and the census taken in 1011 showed a lower population than 8000 in Devonport, Birkenhead, and Northcote. The borough of Takapuna had not then been constituted, and a legal opinion has been given that its present existence cannot be taken into consideration as the population of the borough area was not determined by the census. In any case Takapuna is separated from the two neighbouring boroughs by strips of land forming part of the Waitemata County, and it therefore cannot be grouped with either of them for the purposes of the Act. It is probable that the census next year will fJiow that some of the north 6hore boroughs are " urban areas." but as the returns may not be officially announced before the annual meetings of householders, tho provisions of the Act in question may not apply till the following year.

Excellent work is being accomplished at the camp of A Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery, at Devonport. The number of men in camp is 99, and Lieutenant-Colonel E. Rherson, commanding officer of the Auckland Field Artillery Brigade, is in command. With him are associated Lientenants R. C Galhraith, D. T. Reardon, C. West, and E. Bull. Chaplain-Major E. J. MiFarland is also in camp. The discipline of the men is excellent. Eighty of the battery's original members went to tw front with the expeditionary force. The battery will bo engaged in shell pnet'ee to-day and on Monday. To-day the Lattery will be firing from the vicinity of the first trig station on the East Coast Road in the direction of the East Coast-Birken-head Road, and on Monday from the vicinity of Look-out Hill in the direction of tho Ridge, east of Lonely Track. The public travelling on the Birkenhead Road, Main East Coast Road and Long Bay Road are requested to bo guided by the instructions they will receive from the safety pickets stationed on the abovenamed roads. The shootini? will bo carried out in accordance with a tactical scheme. A church parade of the batterv will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Devonport, to-morrow.

At a smoke social held last evening by members of the 3rd, Auckland, Company and the Railway Engineers, who recently returned from Samoa, it was announced that the- men present—about 100 in number—desired to go as a united body to the front. They wanted to go to the front together, they said, to make a name for themselves. They had no grievance at all. but were anxious to keep together, and go into battle- together. A show of hands was called from those who thought the members should bo sent to the front as a united body. Immediately a forest of hands was uplifted. The health of the Auckland Battalion was then enthusiastically drunk. It was mentioned that the Auckland 'members of the Snmoan forco now recognised that the meeting held by them on Wednesday night was out of order. Civilians, however, were interesting themselves in the various matters discussed at that meeting.