LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17125, 2 April 1919, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The supplementary municipal rolls closed at 5 p.m. yesterday. Throughout the day the registrar's office was crowded with people with applications for enrolment, ana Mr. G. It. Hogan and his staff were kept very busy until tho closing hour. No estimate of the number of names on the supplementary roll is yet available. Last election the number was about 10,000.

The extension of the slot-telephone system in Auckland City and suburbs has proved most successful, and a great convenience to the public. The Department has just completed the removal of all the boxes from shops to the main thoroughfares, whore they are more easily accessible. The total number installed at various points throughout city and suburbs is now 53, and more will be erected as soon as practicable. The main difficulty in regard to any farther extension is the lack of accommodation on the manual switchboard, which is now working at 'full capacity. The extension of the automatic system, which will carry a practically unlimited number of connections, ie still being hampered by shortage of apparatus, and until this can be .obtained the new suburban exchanges cannot be completed.

I Tho inmates and Dupils of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind recently showed in practical manner their sympathy with the | sick at the Princess Mary Hospital for children. The journeymen, staff, and pupils all save a small contribution, collecting sufficient money to have two cots placed in the hospital as a donation from the institute. This fact was mentioned by the chairman at yesterday's annual meeting, those present expressing warm appreciation of this generous act. To-day is the 55tb anniversary of the Battle of Orakau, the last great, though unsuccessful, stand mado by the Maoris against the British. It was on this occasion that Rewi Maniapoto issued to the British troops his memorable challenge: "Kr. whawhai tonu raatou. Alee! Akel Ake!"—"we will fight on for ever and ever!" After the challenge the firing recommenced, and then the Maoris, in a compact, wedge-shaped mass, chanting their war-songs, sallied out into the open, where the cavalry fell upon them and .did terrible execution. A total of 121 were killed, and 33 wounded and unwonnded were taken prisoners.

A splendid (selection of pictorial subjects is published in to-day's issue of the Auckland Weekly News. Beautiful views at Great Barrier give a vivid idea of the many scenic attractions of the locality, which should appeal to a wide circle of readers of the paper. The recent salving of the Union Company's steamer Waikare, wrecked several years ago at Dußky Sound, affords the opportunity for the reproduction of a beautiful page of interesting photographs. Another page is devoted to bright snapshots of the Ponsonby regatta, which was held last Saturday. The recent tour by seaplane of Dr. H. W. Cleary, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, to the northern portion of his diocese, the opening of the new Maori Parliament buildings at Ngaruawahia, the opening of the new playing area at Victoria Park, and several other interesting subjects are also well illustrated. Another cartoon in connection with the forthcoming licensing poll is also reproduced.

In response to representations regarding the inability of Waikato and King Country farmers to obtain supplies of poisoned pollard from the Government depot at Hamilton, for the purpose of poisoning rabbit*, a letter has been received by the provincial secretary of the Farmers' Union from the Department of Agriculture stating that with the return of normal conditions, and the ability of tho Department to obtain adequate supplies of pollard, the matter will be effectively di»lt with. In regard to the establishment of poison mixing depots in other centres of the province the letter states that in view of iihe ' unhealthy nature of the occupation, and the necessity of having a properly-constructed building in which men can work with a minimum of risk to health, it is considered advisable to concentrate the work of poison mixing as much as possible in one place. A conference betweon representatives of the freezing companies and the Slaughtermen's Union is to be held at Wellington to-day to discuss matters in connection with th 3 proposed now industrial award between the parties. The Auckland delegates to the conference include Messrs. S. J. Ambury and T. Simson, representing the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, and Mr. S. Rowlands, representing the Westfield and Whangarei Freezing Companies.

The popularity of Brigadier-General H. S. Richardson among disabled soldiers is indicated by the decision of the permanently disabled soldiers' sub-committee of tho Returned Soldiers' Association to extend to him a special welcome when be returns to New Zealand. It was stated at the meeting of the committee that few disabled men did not cherish pleasant memories of tho kindly nature of the general and of the consideration he invariably showed toward them. " When we had to see General Richardson," said one man, " it was not a case of saluting which was expected by tho smaller fry, but of taking tho hand he extended."

" 1 don't think that any special inference is to bo drawn from the fact that the hand of tho testatrix had to be guided when she signed her will," said Mr. Justice Hosking when a will case was under consideration at the Supremo Court yesterday. " The hands of some people tremble to such an extent when signing their wills that it is almost impossible sometimes to make out the signature. Members of the legal profession aro constantly seeing this sort of thing."

A loss to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind of about £100 through the illness of tho institute's collector during the epidemic was mentioned yesterday at the annual meeting. This collector, himself blind, regularly towed the Dominion, said Mr. Nathan, seeking contributions, and getting in touch with the blind in all parts of the country. Wherever possible, he gave instruction, and advice as to books, which were supplied free to the blind throughout New Zealand. The Joss of the sum mentioned was particularly unfortunate, as it also involved the loss of the Government subsidy, and it was hoped that the generosity of contributors would serve to make up the amount.

In order to have all accommodation possible for influenza patients, should the disease manifest itself again in Wellington, the Hospital Board has instructed the contractors engaged on the erection of the now Infectious Diseases Hospital to push on as rapidly as possiblo with the work essential to making the place habitable for patients. The hospital will then bo able to take in some 600 cases before a call is made on the accommodation offered by the temporary hospitals.

The harsh treatment of a woman teacher, who had been in ill-health since being attacked by the epidemic influenza last year, was brought before the Teachers' Institute in Wellington by Mr. M. Kean. He said that teachers had been practically ordered to help in the epidemic, and the teachers had given help willingly. One lady teacher had fallen ill after giving aid, and she had since been unable to work. She had received full pay for ono month, half-pay for another month, and now she received' nothing. He suggested that the case was one for better treatment, in view of the exceptional circumstances. It was decided that the institute ask the board to grant the lady extended leave of absonce on full pay.

Asked as to what progress had been made with the preparations for the new railway station in Wellington, the Minister for Railways replied yesterday, states our Wellington correspondent, that the Department was waiting the Harbour Board's decision with regard to reclamation work. The General Manager of Railways had recommended a smaller reclamation, but the Harbour Board had asked for the larger scheme. Plans for this had been prepared and submitted to the Harbour Board, which had deferred decision until the return of its engineer Though not actually in the plan, the new station building, with yards and' railway iked* m* all involved in this proposal.