LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16502, 30 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An- incursion of men into tho city on leave from camp will commence this morning, a train carrying 530 from Featherston arriving at eight o'clock. Nearly 800 more will be despatched to arrive at 6.15 a.m. on Tuesday, while a further batch of 109 is due from Trentham at 2.40 p.m. on Good Friday. Two deaths in the Auckland Hospital were reported yesterday. The first death was that of Russell Shivers, a married man residing at 39, Symonds Street. The other case was that of.an eight-year-old boy named Allen James Dixon, who died an hour after his , admission. In both cases inquests will be held. Referring to tho shipping of the port, the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. H. D. Heather, stated yesterday that the roturns for the period of the year already elapsed exceeded anticipations. A deputation from the Dominion Convention of the Women's Christian Tomperance Union waited on Hon. J. A. ; Hanan, Minister for Education, yesterday. Speakers tirged that scientific temperance instruction be made oompulsory in tho schools, and that students in training colleges _ should bo thoroughly coached in the subject before being appointed to schools. It was explained that at present the teaching of scientific temperance depended on the teacher's personal interest as tho subject was optional in the syllabus. In reply, the Minister said he was in sympathy with the aim to build up a sober nation. < No thinking man could ignore the evils arising from excessive drinking, and there was need for more definite temperance instruction in schools. He would do all he could to assist in the matter. The Auckland. representative on the National Efficiency Commission, Mr. J. H. Gunson, will on Tuesday morning next sit at the Town Hall to take evidence on a matter of considerable public interest. This is the question whether agricultural shows, amusements, including picture theatres, and sports, including racing, should be continued, restricted, or stopped. The sittings will commence at 11 a.m., and all who wish to tender evidence on any aspect of the • issues involved, are invited to notify the secretary at the Auckland office of the commission, Town Hall. Simultaneously the commissioners in . _ the other centres of thd Dominion will sit in the same connection, tho object being to cover the whole ground effectively and quickly. The purchase of the Takapuna Tramway and Ferry Company's plant and

track by the Takapuna Borough Council was advocated by the Mayor of the borough, Mr. W. Blomfield, at a meeting of Belmont and Bayswater ratepayers last evening. He said he had been on the Tramway Board .for a considerable time, but had recently resigned. The council could then establish a half-hourly service. If the matter were delayed till after the war another private company might purchase the service, and the council would 'not have another chance of getting control of it. He added that that the ferry steamer the company proposed to purchase could not arrive for 12 months. A despatch issued from British headquarters in Franco on February 1 stated that the number of Germans captured by the British forces in France during January was 1228, including 27 officers. Sixteen regiments are named as having " specially distinguished themselves in the capture of these prisoners in minor operations, raids, and patrol actions." They include the 2nd Battalion, 3rd, New Zealand, Rifle Brigade. The other overseas mentioned are the 20th, 21st, and' 29th Canadian Battalions and the Newfoundland Regiment. Appreciation of the manner in which the people of New Zealand have " played the gamo" was expressed in Christchurch yesterday by Sir James Allen, according to a, telegram from the Herald's correspondent. " Their loyalty all through these troublous times has been undoubted" said the Minister, "and their willingness to make sacrifices has been visible on every hand. To any justifiable appeal, to any request that they recognise to be right, a most gratifying response is always forthcoming. This is not 'puff.' I am saying/ exactly what I think. We have every reason to be proud of our country and the people in it. Whenever they are face to face with any troublo or obstacle they come along with wholehearted and determined purpose to see tho thing through. Hardly ever when I have had to appeal for voluntary assistance have I met with a refusal. Take the members of the Efficiency Board as an example! These men, when they were approached, willingly relinquished valuable businesses to work in the country's service. Tho same remark applies to the members of the_ board which is to deal with the financial assistance to soldiers. The ' ready response of all sections has been indeed most gratifying to mo as a Minister." , • «

Instructions have been received by the military authorities in Auckland that an application on the part of a reservist, under the Military Service Act, for extra financial assistance does not in itself constitute an appeal for exemption. A man applying for assistance, with the intention of appealing for exemption as an alternative, must file an appeal in the ordinary way, otherwise his case cannot bo considered by the Military Service Board, with a view to the granting of exemption or an extension of leave. An interesting series of war cartoons and slides giving excerpts from war speeches of British statesmen were screened at the Strand Theatre yesterday before members of the Auckland Patriotic Association. Thoso cartoons and slides will in future bo screened at all places of amusement in the city and suburbs during intervals in the entertainment, and it is hoped by this means to stimulate the patriotism of the people. The "afternoon" held at Bishopscourt yesterday, for tho purpose of bringing to the attention of members and. friends the opening of tho G.F.S. new club-rooms, proved most successful, being attended by over 200 guests. Canon McFarland addressed those present, giving details of the work among business girls, and speaking of the need for larger rooms in a central Sisition. He made a presentation to Miss aisy Friend, who, for tho last fliree years, has held tho. position of , club-room secretary. Musical items, given by Mrs, H. Cooke, Misses Wood and Knight, and Mr. Beswick were much enjoyed. Donations made during the afternoon toward tho .cost of the now 'rooms: amounted tn £23 10s j6d. ' ' ' . . V° j The new road • from Tokaanu to Waimarino has not yet been opened for traffic but it has been used on many occasion# by permission, v nays the < Herald's . Tokaanu correspondent. ; {:; Tho articles' in the Herald -recently seem to have created an interest in the . matter, j .and ' a desire on the part of motorists , to . soo the beau- ' ties of the route,, iipipllSiipiffi A- ' , " ' &

I v ' When - the residents :of Point Chevalier iv were asking" the Hon, SJ. A. "■ Hanan to pro- | vide a new school site, Mr. 0. J. Parr, M.P., pointed out .what he characterised . lis the -..wasteful methods of. the 'Education . Department in the purchase of isites in the , large 'cities, Instead of looking ahead and buying fou. or five acres at a reason* able price for a school in a growing suburb, the Department 'did not move until population becamo crowded, and then . had ''to buy land at an almost exorbitant price. ': 'The Education ' Board, owing to this policy, 1 had to buy land at i £1100 and : £l2oo. an '.acre'in the suburbs of Auckland, whereas if a grant had been made , two or three years earlier, ,the site copld have , been got for less. than half this' money. - This lack of ordinary ' business foresight cost the Dominion thousands of pounds every year. The Minister admitted there was a. good deal in Mr. Parr's remarks, and ho had suggested that Cabinet should make a grant to the Department for the ' purchase: of new sites, , so as to obviate the high cost at present obtaining in the large cities. The National Efficiency Commission for the Auckland military district has had prepared a large number of posters for display at the various railway stations. These i urge farmer-reservists to consult their trustee boards when they are called up for active service, in case they have any difficulty in arranging to have their farms properly looked after when they are away. It is pointed out that tho boards havo been carefully selected, and have been appointed in the interests of tho farmer-reservists to help them in every | way they can. Tho posters give the names of the members of the various trustee boards. Over 180 telephone subscribers in the Grafton and Mount Eden districts have boon considerably inconvenienced through communication having been cut,off. The reason was explained by Mr. Baird, chief telegraph engineer, yesterday, who stated that one of tho underground cables had been pierced by a crowbar, in the course of work undertaken by the City Council employees. The defect will be remedied this morning. At tho annual meeting of the Stanley Bay Ratepayers' Association, at which Mr. E. C. Shepherd presided, a lengthy review of the year's work was read by tho secretary, Mr. E. Jones. The election of otucers resulted President, Mr. C. R. Massoy; secretary, Mr. E. Jones; committee, Messrs. E. S. Wight J P Kalaughor, Walter Madden, Frank Macfarlane, and W. G. Urquhart. The matter of tho municipal elections was discussed at considerable length, and resolutions were carried endorsing the principle of avoiding a municipal election in, Devonport on the present occasion, and recommending members and others to sup port the members of the present council in their desire to serve the ratepayers for a further term;" also expressing confidence in Mr. Wallace as member of the Harbour Board/and of the Hospital Board representing the north shore boroughs. It was resolved to ask that a forward move be made with regard to tho augmenting of tho Devonport water supply.

Arrangements for the work of the Trustee Boards in the Whangarei district were made at a meeting in Whangarei on Wednesday evening, at which Mr. Arthur Gillies, expert adviser for the scheme, was present Delegates were present from Mangonui, Bay of Islands, Dargaville, Whalcapiro, Hokianga, and Whangarei. Mr. A. R. Crane, president of the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce presided. The meeting decided to define the board's districts by the county boundaries, with variations to meet community of interest.

Judgment was given by Mr. E. W. Burton, S.M., at Whangarei yesterday in tho case in which William Thorburn was charged with assaulting Thomas McKinley and causing grievous bodily harm. _ On December 6 a fracas took place in which McKinley t sustained a broken leg. The magistrate' held that a prima facie case had been made out, and that McKinley had not begun the* trouble. Accused pleaded not guilty, and .was committed for trial to the Auckland Supremo Court. Bail was allowed in surety for £200.

At the ordinary monthly meeting of tho City Schools Committee held last night, Mr. A. Rose presiding, a report received from the district health officer with reference to a complaint regarding the sanitation of the Beresford Street School, stated that the sanitary arrangements were most satisfactory. The committee sanctioned improvements to the Beresford Street and Nelson Street schools. The reports of. the respective headmasters stated the schools were in a most satisfactory condition.

A married man named John .'Shearer, 47 years of age, who resides at 36, Glad- • stdno Street, was admitted to the hospital , yesterday afternoon suffering from a badly broken ankle. The majority of the members of the Mount Eden Borough Council have decided to seek re-election in order to complete the drainage and other important works in hand,_ and in support of the Mayor, Mr. Oliver Nicholson, who has consented to seek re-election. The members seeking re-election are Messrs. S. G. Burns, C. Hudson, J. S. Hooten, E. H. Potter, H. H. Seabrook, D, R. Skeates. J. W. Shackelford, E. Yates, and W. Woolley. While generous public support has been given the Women's Patriotic League Dominion gift scheme for eight months past, tho large number of New Zealand soldiers now abroad has meant a considerable increase in tho number of gifts sent. The president of the Auckland Women's Patriotic League, Mrs. J. H. Gunson, therefore desires to call attention to the fact that more support is needed from the city and suburbs, so that the scheme may be continued with the full measure of! success already attained. Letters are constantly being received testifying to the appreciation of the men, and proving that the parcels reach their proper destinations. Each parcel is valued at 2s 6d, and every donor of this amount is entitled to sign a card bearing his or her name and address, to be enclosed in the parcel. These cards can be obtained at the league rooms, Town Hall, or will bo forwarded by post Over £150 was obtained for tho Red Cross by a committee of ladies who undertook the catering at tho Matamata show. The confectionery stall was responsible for £29. As tho result of a meeting .addressed by Mr. W.' Goodfellow, it has been decided to establish a cheese factory at Turangaomoana, five' miles from Matamata, on a site given by Mr. G. Pollard. The erection of the factory will be commenced almost immediately. It will bo under the control of the Waikato Co-oper-ative Dairy Company. ' The sum of £10 was realised by the sale, at the Matamata show, of tho cushion recently received by Mrs. Smith, of the St. John Ambulance, from Mr. A. Blackmore, a sailor on H.M.S. New Zealand. Tho cushion was mado while the! I Now Zealand was waiting, with other, ships of the Grand Fleet, in tho North Sea, for the Germans to come out. It was seat to Mrs. Smith with the suggestion that its sale might be of some benefit to _ tho New Zealand soldiers: By a curious coincidence, the purchaser was Mr. Albert Blackmoro, a resident of Matamata, while his signature was found to bo almost a" facsimile on that on the photograph of tho sailor which accompanied tho cushion. i Ail instanco of the pilfering of cargo! that goes on in Now Zealand canio under' tho notice of tho directors of tho Whenua-' kura (Taranaki) Dairy Company recently. When the account sales from their London agents came to hand they found that they were'paid short on one box of "butter. Tho matter _ was explained by the following'clause in a letter accompanying tho account sales,:—" You will notice that wo are only paying for 41 boxes. The reason for this is that one box of CarlyJo con* tained. one bag of 1 sand only. This bag •: was marked with the following: 1 Colonial Sugar Refining Co., Pure Cane Sugar, IA, £61b, ; ; Auckland,' So s there !is little • doubt. that the ; theft ?of ~ the butter took ■ place ; boforo shipment.''- j 1 i