LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16847, 11 May 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The suggestion was made to Sir James Allen yesterday by a deputation from the Returned Soldiers' Association legislation might be introduced declaring Anzac Day a close holiday, on which all business premises should be closed. It was stated that there was a strong feeling that the day should be kept as sacred as Good Friday. It -was mentioned that hardly any of the large business places of Auckland had closed on the afternoon of April 25 in response to the Mayor's invitation. Sir James Allen said he agreed that Anzac Day should be suitably recognised. While he did not think it should be celebrated as a day of deep mourning, it certainly should not be regarded as a festive holiday. He promised to bring the suggestion before the notice of Cabinet. An interesting conjunction of Jupiter and the new moon will be seen to-morrow evening, should the western sky be clear. The moon, being not quite two days old, will appear as a very thin crescent. The sun will set about 4.50 p.m., and at 5.30 p.m. Jupiter and the moon will be in a horizontal line in the north-west, about eight degrees above the horizon, the former planet being two and a-half degrees ; i.e., five moon widthssouth of the moon. Both bodies will set at- about a-quarter past six. The two German prisoners, Count von j Luckner and Lieutenant Kirsclieiss, who have been interned for the last few! months on Ripa Island, will reach Auck- j land by this morning's Main. Trunk ex- ! press. They will he sent to Motuihi Island immediately after their arrival. Proposals for the increasing of salaries of the staff of the aikato Hospital were brought before the last meeting of the board by the superintendent, Dr. H. Douglas. _ He said the salaries paid at the hospital were about the smallest in the Dominion, and lie did not think the staff was the less worked. The matter was referred to the Finance Committee.

Complaints were made at the Acclimatisation Society's meeting last night of the tardy delivery of game birds by the Postal Department. One speaker stated that he had posted birds from North Auckland two days before he had left for home. One lot of birds had been delivered the day after he had arrived home, and another parcel two days after his return. They were all in a bad state, and had to be buried. Similar experiences were related by other speakers, and it was decided to write to the postal authorities drawing attention to the inconvenience and loss occasioned by the delay in delivery, and i requesting that steps should be taken to remedy the matter.

A meeting of the General. Labourers' Union at Dunedin passed a motion -expressing amazement at the action of the Arbitration Court in refusing to make ail award in the Auckland soft goods industry on the grounds that the majority of those employees engaged in the industrv wore not members of the Soft Goods' Employees' Union. The motion declared that- * the Court, in refusing to grant an award, took a. questionable course in disregarding tin* statute law of the Dominion.

A deputation from the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association waited upon Sir James Allen. Minister for Defence, yesterday to bring under his notice a number of matters affecting the interests of soldiers and their dependants. The Minister promised to investigate a number of complaints.'

Writing to the Waikato Hospital Board, the Minister for Defence drew attention to the fact that in future all returned sick and wounded soldiers would be under his Department. He proposed to continue to send soldiers to the nearest hospital, and, in the event of any extension of the hospital being required on account of the soldiers, he was prepared to allow from the War Fund such moneys as might be considered necessary for the additional accommodation. In the majority of instances this accommodation would be of a temporary nature. It was decided to write to the Department, assuring it of the board's loyal support.

Interesting and instructive articles are conined in the supplement issued "with to-day's Hkb aid. " Matanga " writes on " Our Debt to the Dead," while Lieu-tenant-Colonel Grace, N.Z.F.A., Res., writes on the " Situation in France." Other articles are: "Father Goes to War," by C. G. Nicol; "How Woman Persists, by Frank Morton ; '* War in Masses." by Bessie Nina Watty ; and " Nature Notes," by J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. Photographs and current cartoons are included in the issue.

A conference representative of the butter producers of the Dominion was held in Wellington on Thursday, Mr. A. Morton presiding over 20 delegates. The whole butter position was discussed. The report of the delegates from New Zealand to the Commonwealth Butter and Cheese Producers' Conference was presented and discussed. It was recognised that the idea of New Zealand and Australia taking united action in the disposal of dairy produce was to the advantage of dairy farmers of both countries. The position with reference to the local market was also fully considered, and a Dominion Committee was set up to deal with the disposal of butter during the next 12 months.

In respect to the reported shortage of benzine in Auckland, inquiries yesterday elicited the information that, acting under instructions from the Board of Trade, importers have ceased giving delivery of benzine at the wharf and all stocks are being taken into store for the purpose of supplying essential industries. There are sufficient stocks on hand, however, to meet all reasonable demands, 3nd considerable additional consignments are expected . shortly. As far as can be ascertained, no difficulty has been experienced by user's in obtaining supplies for current requirements though orders for strictly limited quanti- " ties only are being filled." A six-year-old boy named Trevor Bryan was knocked down by a motor-car ill Symonds Street 'last evening, receiving such injuries as to necessitate his removal to hospital, whither he was driven by the motorist. The boy, ■ according to the driver of the car, was riding behind a wa gg° a nd jumped off, endeavouring to run across the roa-d in front of the approaching motor. He was in a semi-con-scious condition at a late hour last night. His parents reside in Asquith Avenue, Mount Albert.

The matter of the shooting of game out of season was discussed at last night's meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, several members drawing attention to what were termed the inadequate penalties inflicted on convicted poachers. One instance was quoted of a person being fined £2 and costs for shooting pheasants out of season, while another offender for shooting turkeys was fined £3 and costs. A resolution was passed unanimously that in the opinion of the society the fines imposed on persons convicted of poaching had been utterly inadequate to meet the offence.

The hours of closing for clothiers, mercers, and hatters will, on and after Monday next, be as follows :—Monday to Thursday, inclusive, 6 p.m. ; Friday, 9 p.m. Special provision has been made for the evening preceding a public holiday. The hours named have been fixed by the Labour Department in response to a requisition made under section 25 of the Shops and Offices Act. Difficulties that have been experienced of late by Second Division reservists and their wives in obtaining from- the Defence authorities at the Drill Hall printed forms of application to the Financial Assistance Board, were mentioned at the last meeting of the executive of the Auckland Second Division League. Mr. J. Stanton said the instances referred to showed the necessity for a permanent league office and a paid secretary. There were members of the Second Division here who had been rejected, and would, therefore, not be going to the front, who would be prepared to contribute towards the cost. The chairman, Mr. A. A. Creamer, concurred. He said that members of the executive were constantly being applied to for information which should be supplied by a secretary established in an office in the city. A sub-committee was set up to Teport upon the proposal, and the best means of carrying it out. Following on the seizure of the San ford trawlers Muriel and Countess, the respective masters have been served with summonses, charging them with having trawled within the prohibited area of the Hauraki Gulf. The cases are set down for hearing at the Police Court on Friday next.

The Auckland Provincial Red Cross campaign, organised by the Women's Patriotic League and the Victoria League's Red Cross "branch, is now being promoted in the various centres of the province. The object of the campaign is to raise funds for the important Red Cross organisation that is doing so much in the interests of the soldiers on all the battlefronts, and it is hoped to raise £100,000 in the province as a result of the campaign. Valuable organising work has been accomplished by the honorary organiser for the Joint Committee oS the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John, Mr. C. F. Bickford, and committees have been appointed in the different centres to cooperate with the country branches of the Women's Patriotic League and the Victoria League Red Cross branch. At Opotiki, Whakatane, Tauranga, Paeroa, and Thames, queen carnivals and monster stock drives are being promoted. At Rotorua monthly fairs and a queen carnival, and at Waihi and Waikino queen carnivals are also to be held. Mr. Bickford intends visiting the Waikato and King Country centres during this month in the interests of the campaign. He will be accompanied by a concert party, consisting of Auckland's best singers, who will assist him on the tour. The various auctioneering firms operating in the province have placed their respective organisations at the disposal of the promoters of the campaign, and as stockdrives are already being freely promoted, this should be of immense assistance in carrying out the campaign in the country.

A long list of firms and individuals carrying on business for alien enemies resident out of New Zealand is published ir the Gazette. They appear to be more numerous in South American countries than elsewhere, but some are in Spain, Morocco, Portuguese East Africa, Liberia' Iceland, Holland, Hayti, Denmark, Cuba, Java and Sumatra, Sweden and Greece. Many are trading under non-German unities —English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch. Arabic, Malayan, and Chinese.

As the outcome of the accident resulting in the capsizing of the launch Monarch, by which three lives were lost, (he Wangayui Harbour Board has decided to communicate with the Minister for Customs urging control of boats under five tons register plying outside the harbour. At the last board meeting, the opinion was expressed that neither the port nor the pilot were in any way to blame for the recent accident.

There has been a rather serious increase of late in the number of scarlet fever notifications in the Otago hospital district, the total for April being over 70. Many of these cases, in and around Dunedin. The other four hospital districts within the Otago and Southland health district do not appear to be seriously troubled with scarlet fever. Diphtheria, the disease which comes next in order of the number of notifications, is still prevalent in Southland, but over the five hospital districts the total is not appreciably increasing. The outbreak in North Otago sensibly lessened last month.

The war has greatly enhanced the value of rabbit skins, probably because of the great use rabbit fur is put to in the manufacture of bats for the soldiers, and this winter prices bade fair to rise as they did last winter, but apparently a check has occurred According to a Southern exchange there has been a drop in value of about 60 per cent, within the past few days, consequent on America stopping the import of skins. It is expected that the : market will recover before long, JVleanwhile sixpence apiece had been the ruling price in the South for fair average skins, and several contracts had been entered into on that basis. j