LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17257, 5 September 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Twenty-five men from the garrison at Samoa returned to Auckland by the Talune yesterday. Captain J. M. Gillespie was in charge. Three of the party are to be discharged as medically unfit, and the remainder are to be demobilised Their places have been filled by a party of volunteers who sailed for the Islands about a week ago. Another satisfactory report in regard to the employment o" discharged soldiers was presented to tht> District Repatriation Board yesterday. At the beginning of the week a total of 121 men were seeking work through the department. During that period 95 names were added to the register, making a total of 216. Sixty-two men were definitely placed in employment, and the names of 35 were struck off the register owing to their not having reported for a month, leaving on the register a total of 119 men seeking work. The formation of a new board to deal with the purchase of farm and house property for soldiers, was advocated by the commissioner, Mr. R. P. Greville, at the meeting of the North Auckland Land Board yesterday. He said that since the board had become a money-lending institution the ordinary work of land settlement had had to take a "back seat." So much time had to be given to the consideration of applications by soldiers for financial assistance that the other business had to be neglected. A slight outbreak of fire occurred yesterday morning in some bales of kapok stored in Messrs. Macky, Logan, and Caldwell's factory in Lome Street. The City Fira Brigade extinguished the flames beforo much damage had been done. The stock was ineured in the New Zealand Insurance Company for £1000. The matter of the supply of water to schools has been investigated by the Public Services Committee of the City Council, at the instance of Mr. H. N. Bagnall. Reporting on the subject last even.ng the committee stated that the quantity of 500 gallons to be provided free was "fixed by a special resolution of the council, and inserted in the by-laws. It had been found that when a full free supply had been given the consumption was excessive. Tlie tramway service to the One-tree Hill district was briefly discussed at the Road Board meeting, when a letter was read from the City Council stating that it c: aid not give the information asked for regarding the Ponsonby service. The chairman, Mr. H. Dobbie, said the City Council ought to give the district four more cars running the whole day. " It appears that the council is determined to make th e return for its first year in control of the tramway system as payable as possible, and we suffer in consequence." he added. A deputation from the Onehunga Borough Council, Mount Roskill Road Board, and One-tree Hill Road Board is to wait on the City Council shortly regarding the tramway service.

Tenders for forming Gillies avenue and The Drive, Epsom, were received by the City Council last evening. For the former work the estimate was £11,200. and the two tenders put in were for £15,475, and £14,373. The only tenderer for The Drive named £2411 "as his price, the estimate being £2086. All three tenders were referred to the Works Committer. There was no response to the council's invitation for tenders for the formation of St. Mark's Road, Remuera, and Gladstone Road. Parnell. A few weeks ago the Hamilton Borough Council made restrictions with a view to conserving the eras supply. The scheme involved the reduction of pressure of gas between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. On Wednesday the business of the Borough Council was concluded by candle light. The members of the council evidently appreciated the position, and a resolution was passed that the gasworks engineer should lift the restrictions as soon as practicable. A number of " family " transactions which were before the North Auckland Land Board yesterday, evoked some comment from the commissioner, Mr. R. P. Greville. He said the practice of parents " unloading " their property on their children at the expense of the State was steadily growing. He did not think it should be encouraged, as it really meant that the State was helping the parents as we'.l as the soldier sons. "The parents get the money and the son the property,'' he said. " I think it is something that was never anticipated when the Act was passed."

The support of the City Council was recently sought by the X#w Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association in urging the Government to adopt the report of the j Land Committee approved by the recent conference of the associations. The council referred the matter to the Finance and Legal Committee, and last evening the latter brought down a recommendation, which was adopted. This was to the effect that as the committee could not endorse all the proposals no action be taken by the council, but that the Government be urged to take the matter into consideration with a view to eliminating unnecessary delays. The difficulty experienced by returned soldiers in the Rotorua district in obtaining loans for building houses owing to the Thermal Springs Act, has apparently been overcome. A soldier residing there has received a telegram from the Commissioner of Lands granting the sum of £650 for building a house. " The greatest difficulty the board has to contend with is that of getting competent and reliable valuers," the commissioner, Mr. R. P. Greville. said at the North Auckland Land Board meeting yesterday. '• My opinion is that the average man who sets himself out as a valuer is only a 'guesser,' " he added. Dissatisfaction at his dismissal from the City Council's service was expressed by a returned soldier in a letter received last evening by the municipal body. The writer stated that he had been engaged since his discharge from the army, over two years ago, in the Remuera district He domed the correctness of the reason given for his dismissal, namely that he was not doing his work, and was dissatisfied, and he asked permission 'to appear before the council to explain his position The complaint was referred to the Works Committee The saving to the City Council through the recently adopted practice of extinguishing street lamps at midnight instead of at 2 a.m., will amount to lis 6d per 'amp per annum. The Works Committee of the council reported last evening that it had received notification to this effect from the Gas Company, and had accepted that allowance. The committee's action was confirmed. A number of the prominent residents of Whangarei spent the half-holiday yesterday with their coats off working hard with spades and garden tools in the public triangle, Whangarei. Their leader, Mr. D. W. Jack, ex-Mayor, who turned the first sod, is chairman of the recently formed beautifying society. Arrangements have been made by the Defence Department that returned men who have been recommended by the assistant-director of medical services, may obtain treatment at the Auckland Military Hospital each Wednesday evening between seven and eight o'clock. This will obviate a»y interference with their daily work. The Cambridge Women's General Hospital and War Relief Committee has been disbanded and the affairs wound up. Application has been made to transfer the unexpended balance in hand to the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association.

The scheme of the ex-Minister for Public Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell, for medical and nursing service* in outer districts, was submitted to the City Council last evening. It was formally received, no action being taken. ' A petition in bankruptcy was filed yesterday by Vincent Nicholas Sihch labourer, of Te Kopuru. The first meeting of creditors will be held at Dargaville on Tuesday, September 16.