LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16376, 2 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A MARRrEn man, Mr. Henry John Moffitt, aged 45 years, was admitted to the hospital at 11.20 o'clock vesterday morning. He was employed o i the new tramway extension in Queen street, near the foot of Wakefield Street, when the shaft of a passing baker's cart struck him. knocking him down. Mr. Moffitt was carried into a chemist's shop, and Dr. Moir ordered his removal to the hospital. He was found to be suffering from injuries to the back and arm. He is a resident of Otahuhu.

A movement is on foot in Pukekohe to secure a poll of the electors at the municipal elections next year upon the statutory weekly half-holiday question, namely, as to whether the holiday should be on Saturday, as at present, or on Wednesday.

The number of teachers serving with the Expeditionary Forces is now very large, and at several meetings of the Education Board held recently reference has been made to cawialties among former members of the staff. At yesterday's meeting it was resolved that letters of sympathy be sent to the relatives of three more men whose names appear on the board's roll of honour— H. L. Cooke, Beresford Street; Private Frank McKenzie, Whangarei Heads ; and Private G. F. Stephenson, Mount Maungamii.

A youth, aged 16 years, pleaded guilty in the Police Court yesterday before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., to assaulting another youth. He stated tliat he had struck the complainant because the latter had reported him for some matter in connection with attending drill. Sub-Inspector McIlveney stated that the defendant had won a gold medal some time ago for boxing, and apparently was using his scientific knowledge to the detriment of others. In convicting the defendant and ordering him to pay 18s witnesses' expenses the magistrate warned him that one day he might meet a little better boxer than himself.

The present state of the vote in Australia on the conscription issue was referred to last night by Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., in the course of his address at the Mount Eden Methodist Church hall, as a. lamentable occurrence. The moral effect was bound to be serious in .Britain, he said. Oxer there Australia had been placed on a pedestal owing to the doughty deeds of her soldiers. The men he felt sorry for in the light of the -conscription majority were the Australian soldiers in the trendies. Still, they must hope that the three-quarters of a. million votes still to be recorded might change the position.

The statement made by the Acting Minister for Finance, Hon. Arthur M. Myers, on Tuesday evening regarding the time allowed for the payment of the land tax and graduated land tax levied under the Finance Act of last session, was confirmed yesterday by a telegram received by Mr. Myers frpm the commissioner of taxes. The telegram, which referred to the advertisement stating that the tax was payable on November 1, stated: "The advertisement is in accordance with the notice of assessment previously sent. The due date of the tax is November 1, with 21 days' grace, making the. last day for payment November 22. In previous years numerous complaints were mad that notices of the amount due were issued too long before the due date, thus involving the loss of notices and applications for duplicates. The procedure this year has been to issue the notices of assessment showing the amount of tax payable as soon as the assessment was made, with advice that demands for payment would be issued later. Demands have now been issued for all the amounts due, the last having been posted yesterday." It will be observed that tbe period of grace allowed is 21, and not 23, days,

The achievement of the Takapuna troop of boy scouts in winning the New Zealand Clothing Factory Company's cup and shield for shooting, in Dominion competition, was the subject of .congratulatory comment at the meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council last night. The .Mayor. Mr. TV. Blomfield. -said the boys had proved themselves a credit to the district. Mr. R. J. Biss said the council ought to do all possible to encourage the local scout movement. It was resolved to forward a letter of congratulation to the troop, and to offer the use of the council chamber for the presentation of the shield and cup.

In tfie course of the hearing of an application for a decree absolute in the divorce proceedings at the Supreme Court yesterday, before His Honor Mr. Justice Hosking, both the petitioner and the respondent in the case intimated that they each proposed to marry a second time immediately the decree absolute was granted.

" New Zealand soldiers at the- front receive a complete change of underclothing every week,*" said Mr. C. J. Parr. M.P.. last night at the Mount Eden Methodist Church hall. " Hundreds of Belgian women are employed in laundering their clothes and in darning their socks. Both in these respects, and as to the bathing facilities for tlr<> men, the arrangements made by General Russell are admirable."

The offer of Mr. C. L. Wragge to present his collection of scientific, literary, and artistic valuables to the Takapuna Borough Council, on condition, amongst others, that suitable housing accommodation be provided, was regretfully declined by the council last night. The reasons for declining the offer were set forth in a lengthy resolution proposed by Mr. E. E. Grimwade, and adopted, to the effect that the council regretted being unable to accept the generous offer, as the whole of the council's resources must be concentrated at present on good roads, water supply, drainage, etc., and other matters, however attractive, must be deferred.

In speaking yesterday at a meeting of soldiers' wives and mothers, of the bond of sympathy uniting all classes and underlying all the tragedy of world-war. Dr. Averill related an interesting incident which occurred at the front. One day a white hare dashed out of a -wood and ran between the British and German trenches through the strip of ground known as No-man's Land. At once the men on both sides took shots at it, and the hare finally fell to a German gun. A German, carrying the white flag, present'.}' came over the parapet, ran forward, seized the hare and returned in safety. Shortly afterwards, the white flag again appeared, and this time one of the enemy approached right up to the British trenches, and presented the men with the animal, receiving in return a gift of tobacco. Towards evening, the wi ite flag appeared for the third time, and the German, on reaching the British lines in safety, handed in a slip of paper bearing the following friendly warning :— "We are Bavarians, and are leaving these trenches to-night. Prussians are taking our place; and you'd better play no games with them!"'

The Minister for Railways has consented to receive a deputation from the Pnkekohe Chamber of Commerce in Auckland on Monday next in regard to local railway matters. An invitation was forwarded yesterday to Mr. Herries to visit Pukekohe so that, by personal inspection, he. might be better informed of local conditions. The main item to be submitted to Mr. Herries is in regard to the stopping of the Main Trunk expresses at Pukekohe every day instead of only on Sunday, as at present.

At the meeting of the Birkenhead Borough Council last night it was unanimously decided to withdraw- the offer o' £200 made last Jane towards 4 manual training school for the surrounding districts on -condition that the Northcote Council voted a similar amount, and to offer the Education Board a contribution of £250 instead, towards the cost of erecting a manual training school at Birkenhead. The reasons advanced for this action were that up to the present the Northcote Council had made no definite vote of the amount asked for. Also, that it would be better to have a manual school in Birkenhead, which, it was contended, was more centrally sitnated for the adjoining districts of Birkdale and Glenfield. than not to have one in the district at all. The present system of sending the children to Devonport was very unsatisfactory.

A meeting was held at the Wesley Hal! last night, under the auspices of the Band of Hope Union, to arrange for a celebration of " Mothers' Day" on Friday, December 1, Mr. W. J. MacDermott presiding. Throughout the British Empire this date has come to be recognised as a day when, in token of the mothers, and in celebration of Queen Alexandra's birthday, everyone is expected to wear a white flower. Australia has already fallen in line with other parts of the Empire, and New Zealand's co-operation is also solicited. The City Council has granted permission for the erection of stalls for the sale of flowers, and the proceeds will he equally divided between the Children's Hospital and the Red Cross funds. The arrangement of details was discussed at last night's meeting, and several offers of assistance from societies and individuals were received.

At a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday the supervisor of the manual and technical branch reported that arrangements had now been completed with the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union for an agricultural correspondence class for farmers." Seventy-six members of the Auckland branch of the union have already joined the class, and, as there are 100 other branches of the union in various parts of the province, there will probably be a very large membership. Included in the 76 who have already given in their names are members from districts as widely separated as Gisborne, Mangonui, and Palmerston North. The correspondence class will be conducted by the Education Board's instructors in agriculture.

" Notwithstanding all we hear about the Germans having so many old men and boys in their army I am bound to say that the 6000 German prisoners we saw in a French camp on our way to Paris were the most vigorous, strong, and healthy men I have ever seen," said Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., last night in the course of his address at the Mount Eden Methodist Church. "They were all great big men of good physiqueevery one of them. They were a cheery lot. As we approached they came to the barbed wire enclosing them, and in broken English asked us where we were going, when the war would be over, and whether the Kaiser was in. London yet? These prisoners were wellfed, and extremely well looked after by their captors. Indeed," said Mr. Parr " I am inclined to think that German prisoners are a little too wejl treated in England, here, and on the Continent."

"What is your definition of a respectable house?" asked Sub-Inspector McIlveney of an accused person in the Police Court yesterday. " A house where no drinking takes place," replied the accused.