LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16761, 30 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Main Trunk Express train last; night carried a full complement of passengers. The train consisted of 10 ordinary carriages and one sleeper. A number of in- 1 tending passengers who had bought tickets I but wero not allowed to travel by the train, interviewed the officer in charge after the train had departed. They were informed that'owing to so many people going to Wellington, Frankton, and l'e Awamutu, passengers wero shut, out. They were told that their money wou.' : tie refunded on application by letter, or they could travel by the first train to-day. The weather, which was dull and threatening over the week-end, improved yesterday. Light showers fell at an early hour, and continued until nine o'clock, when the wind changed from the north-1 east to the south-west, after which J the weather l cleared. The barometer, which had fallen on Monday to 29.73, began to rise early yesterday, and last night iegistered 29.85 in. The rainfall for tho 24 hours ended midnight last night, as recorded by the Herald gauge was .22. Three accident cases were admitted to tho hospital yesterday. An elderly man, Mr. James McElwain, a resident of Glenfield, met with an accident in Customs Street. A waggon was backing into a warehouse doorway, and Mr. McElwain was caught between it and the wall, being severely crushed. He lost consciousness, and was taken to tho hospital, whero it was found that he was suffering from a broken collar bone and several broken ribs. A child of four years, John flues, who lives with his parents at 52, Haslett Street, Eden Terrace, was suffering from internal injuries caused through a fall from a swing in Myers Park. The third—Mrs. Cora Pee, Church Street, Oneltunga—fell in the backyard of her home, and sustained in juries to the hip. A remarkable achievement was accomplished at the University book-keeping diploma examination hold last November for the New Zealand Society of Accountants. This was the passing of Ihe examination by a young student. Mr. I). K. Duthoit, u'hn is temporarily "blind. Mr. Dulhoit studied at the Auckland Univer- j sity College under Mr. W. 11. Hemingway. All the principles of book-keeping were explained to Mr. Duthoit by his teacher, f and at tho examination lie was supplied'with a reader. The reader read over the paper aloud, and then, at Mr. Duthoit's dictation, set down the answers to the questions. What is the mine ie-' mailable is that the examination paper?— two in number-involved the working of practical problems, consisting of many figures with the usual additions, deductions, allowances, and so forth. All of this had. of course, to be retained in the head. The \ examination was specially supervised by tho Rev. A. B. Gnappell. registrar of the Auckland University College. Out of 1771 candidates who presented themselves for the matriculation examination of the New Zealand University at the end of last year, 611 are recorded- as passed, 108 having completed partial passes previously obtained, and 232 have qualified for a partial pass.

Tho pictorial section of to-day's issue » of the Auckland Weekly News covers a -I wide raugn of interesting subjects. A striking doublo-pugn picture of Ngauruhoe mountain emitting donso clouds of steam ( gives an excellent idea of ono of tho unique features of New Zealand's National 1 I'ailt. Auckland is illustrated by a page c of line views, showing glimpses of the city k and some of its suburban and seasido attractions, while a half-pago view from a seaplane shows the city and waterfront from a high altitude above tho harbour. Among the war pictures are striking scenes in the great Italian retreat', a view of Jidfiu, now occupied by British troops, 1 and an excellent cartoon, showing the j three great Entente allies shoulder to ] shoulder cm the western front. Other , subjects illustrated are tho New Brighton gala, and tho Wellington race meeting held last, weelj, while tho Roll of Honour I contains tho portraits of nearly 100 New Zealand heroes who have laid down their ( lives in the cause of liberty. Tho demand for labour at present, ic- ( cording to the Labour Department at Auckland, is about equal to the supply | offering. Some time ago the Department, having been led to suppose that there | would be a shortage of labour for the | harvest, made arrangements to assist the . farming community by securing temporary labour. , Posters were displayed in prominent places through the industrial 1 district inviting farmers and men willing to assist in gathering the crops to com- i municate with the Department. A num- | bcr of applications were received from men willing to do this work, some of thom not in needy circumstances, but inspired by patriotic motives, but no response was made by farmers. This caused somo surprise, in view of the frequent references made to a scarcity of farm labour. It- is surmised that, cropping in the district not being conducted on a very extensive scale, farmers, by an interchange of labour between neighbours, have been able to gather their harvest without much difficulty. ' Regulations in connection with the amendment made last session to tho Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act aro now being framed. The new provisions, which will give much greater scope to tho settlement scheme, are expected to bo in operation at a fairly early date. Under the amendment the Government may assist discharged soldiers to purchase the feesimple of any private or native land with the improvements thereon, to acquiro by assignment or transfer the lease of any Crown or settlement land administered by a land board, or to clear, fence, drain, or improve—including tho erection of buildingsany land owned in fee-simple by a discharged soldier. One important proj vision will enable the Government to purI chase farms for one or more discharged j soldiers, which they themselves select. There will, of course, bo a. limitation of I tho amount involved, and it will bo necessary for tho Land Board to be satisfied with the land, tho price asked, and the qualifications of the men concerned. It is hoped that this clause will not only greatly facilitate the settlement of soldiers on the land and remove difficulties which now hamper it. The Amending Act also contains provision for the purchase of dwellings for returned men. The unusual position in. which a farmersoldier has been placed was related by his counsel (Mr. Hofiking), to tho First Military Service Board yesterday. Counsel said the case was not formally before the board, hut ho wishod to mention it to obtain protection for his client. The latter had been in camp, but owing to his father's ill-health had been granted leave until January 31. Counsel said he had applied to tho commandant for an extension of leave, and was told the appeal would be heard by the Third Wellington Board. He had also received a letter from the camp adjutant, saying that appellant must return to camp before leave could bo considered, and that if he was not there by January 31, he was liable to bo arrested as a deserter. Counsol replied last Friday, stating that appellant was in charge of 400 acres and milking 40 cows. He was the only fit man on the farm, and it was absolutely impossible for him to leave tho cows. Yesterday morning he received a telegram Saying the reservist must report in camp by January 31. As tho matter was one of urgency counsel desired the board's advice. The chairman said he remembered the case, and although the board could do nothing officially, it would do what it could unofficially to protect the reservist, and would make representations to the fatap authorities. The hearing of the industrial dispute between the Auckland Creameries and Cheese and Butter Factories' Employees' Union and their employers was resumed in committee by the Conciliation Council, under the presidency of Mr. T. Harlo Giles, commissioner, at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The council sat until 5.30 p.m., and also met again for two or three hours last evening. Good progress was made, but the case is still unfinished. The council will sit again at nine o'clock this morning. The recommendations of the inter-De-partmental Committee regarding the immi- ' gration of Indians to Fiji are considered | by many in thoso islands to bo prejudicial to tho planting industry. It is stated ' j that there will be no endeavour to pro--1 cure Indian laboui under the conditions 1 laid down. The Planters' Association of 1 Fiji has communicated with Japanese ' immigration firms regarding the possi--1 bility of obtaining Japanese. The British 1 Consul at Tokio has informed the asso- ' ciation that a Japanese agent probably will visit Fiji to report as to the advisability of entering into contracts. Trusters have been appointed in con- ' nection with tlie fund which has been ' inaugurated for the erection of a permanent soldiers' club in the city. The trustees are: —Messrs. E. W. Alison, H. IW. law son, and C. Waddingham. A 1 I public meeting in furtherance of the movement will be held in the Town Hall on Friday evening, under tho auspices of 1 the Returned Soldiers' Association. A Bum of £103 2s has been received by i the president of tho Auckland Patriotic* Association, Mr. J. H. Gunson, from the Minister for Internal Affairs. Thifl money was collected by a Russian, who was recently charged at Whitianga with obtaining it in public subscriptions without a permit from tho Minister for Internal Affairs. The accused, who pleaded guilty, had given receipts for the money on printed forms which purported to show that ha was acting under tho authority of tho " Russian National League of Australasia." Mr. E. Page, S.M., who convicted tho accused and imposed a fine of £20, remarked in giving judgment that the collector had apparently kept an accurate record of the money received, which was still intact. The money was handed to the Public Trustee, who since has been informed by the Russian Consul-General in Melbourne that ho is not aware of the existence of such a leaguo as that mentinned. The Minister, therefore decided , that tho money should be paid to tho .' Patriotic Association, it having been col- ; letted in tho Auckland district. Owing to the scarcity of slaughtermen in New Zealand the clause in the Slaughtermen's Award, dealing with learners, has been suspended. In a e.wo befoi'o the j First Military Servico Board yesterday, Mr. W. K. Sill, secretary of the Auckland , Slaughtermen's Union, referred to the J suspension of the clause, and said there . was now no restriction as to the number I of learners who could be employed. He I added that the same course had been , adopted in Wellington. The clause had i been suspended to avoid having to obtain . men for tho trade from Australia. f | The question of the representation of the Nelson district at the National Apple j Show, to he held in Auckland in May , next, was discussed at a meeting of Nelson . fruitgrowers last week. It was decided , that, subject to consultation with tho . Motueka growers, the district should not be represented by a provincial exhibit, the , speakers, however, strongly favoured representation in tho commercial and plate ' classes. It was stated that tho fruit--5 growers were in arrears with their' Work s and that it was doubtful whether a com.l prehensive provincial display, equal to a that shown in Dunedin la?t year t could be collected.