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Otago Witness, Issue 3395, 9 April 1919, Page 36

In connection with the poll on the licensing question those persons who comply with the following- conditions will be entitled to vote, although their names .are not on the electoral roll, or have been ruled : out on the electoral roll:—(1) Every returned member of the Expeditionary Forces whoso discharge will not take final effect until'"after the 10th April, provided such member produces to the returning officer his leave or status certificate. (2) Every person, including discharged members of the Expeditionary Forces, who can, and does make before the returning officer a declaration under section 18 of " The Legislature Amendment Act, 1914," either (a) that his name was on the roll specially printed for this licensing poll, and has been ruled out on that roll; or (b) that he was at the last election in the district in which he now tenders his vote on the roll of electors for such district, and voted at that election, and is still qualified to be enrolled as an elector of the district. The Hon. A. M. Myers, Acting Minister of Finance, stat« 3 that subscriptions in anticipation of the forthcoming war loan are being received. He states also that the compulsory provisions of the Finance Act, 1918, will be put into operation. A Press Association message from Auckland states that when the steamer Westmoreland, which arrived on Saturday from Liverpool with Maori troops, was last in port there she had a lire aboard. It was estimated thai the damage to the" cargo amounted to about £50,0C0. When nearing a Home port on the outward voyage she was struck by a torpedo, which made a hole 50ft in diameter in hor hull, and No. 2 hold was flooded. The vessel steamed towards the shove and was beached. She was considerably damaged by seas breaking over her, but was eventually floated off and taken to Liverpool for repairs. Dunedin business people are warned against cashing or receiving any of the un signed parcel of 1000 National Bank one pound notes which were stolen from the Ruahine. Several of the notes got into circulation in Chiistchurch last week. The stolen notes are numbered A 599.801 to A6CO,OOO > end A 600,201 to A 601,000, and are dated January 1, 1913. The Arbitration Court has filed .its; awards in the Stage Employees, Theatrical Employees, and Drivers' < isputes. The award in each instance embodies the. recommendations of 'the Conciliation Council. Orders for amended awards in the Otago and Southland furniture trade, and the carpenters' and joiners' trade were also filed. A conference of delegates from local bodies, with their engineers, is to be held in the Town Hall on May 14, at 1.30 p.m., for the purpose of hearing the report from Mr B. B. Couston '(civil engineer) on the result of his observations on the repairing and forming of roads in Taranaki and Auckland. Mr Couston will be present, and will amplify the opinions expressed in his report. It is anticipated that the conference will have valuable results in future operations connected with the forming and repairing of roads in the province. The Dunedin branch of the Enginedrivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association hold a meeting on Sunday afternoon for the purpose of considering the offer of the Railway Department relating to conditions of

work, hours, promotions, eto. It is understood that tho members expressed themselves as very dissatisfied with tho terms offered, and it was intimated that ballot papers were being forwarded from headquarters to enable members to definitely say whether they would accept or reject the offers made. From what can be gathered it appears probable that the terms offered will bo rejected, but whether this means in the final issue that the men will come out on strike cannot be predicted. Sir J. G. Ward, in replying to a letter from the Port Chalmers Borough Council, asking him to make arrangements with the Home authorities for a number of war vessels to visit tho dominion, stated that the battleship New Zealand would come out here under the command of Lord Jellicoe.

None of the picture theatres in Dunedin will be allowed to carry on their business on Good Friday.