LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17394, 3 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The attention of our Durie Hill readers is directed to the advertisement appearing in this issue re the annual meeting of the Ratepayers' and Electors' Association. At the Police Court at Dunedin yesterday, Mary Jane Moody, charged with attempted murder of her husband, Benjamin William James Moody, on September 9 th, was committed for trial. A propos.nl which it is expected wiil materialise in the near future is the «rectio?i of a new school for a hundred scholars, at Gonville. The site for the school, which is to be erected by the Church of England, is on an elevated section in Koromiko Read. At the College last evening LieutColonel Sleemari, Director of Military Training, gave the cadets a most instructive address on "The Air Service." The audience included a number of friends of the College staff and local officers. In response to the request of the Wanganui Ministers' Association the Education Board has sanctioned a whole day holiday for Monday next, in commemoration of the Allied victories. On Tuesday morning the i ceremony of saluting the flag will be observed at all the schools. We understand that the Hawera j Hordette of Savages have booked the Opera House for Tuesday, Nov. 12. This combination of entertainers are something above the average and as the entire proceeds will be dovoted to the cause of the Returned Soldiers' Association, we have no doubt there will be a full house. Details will be announced later. In accordance with the request of tlie -Minister of Defence, following upon the victories on the various biittln--I'ronts and the surrender of Bulgaria, I a service of thanksgiving and interces. I .sion wa s conducted by the Rev. J. D. MoKenzie, 8.0., at St. Paul's Church kist evening. Although fiinall notice \\".\r given ther P was an excellent at '-endnnce, and the service was an im pressivo one. I The Government have secured an option over a thousand acres of coal bearing land near the Pukemiro j collieries, in the Waikato, with the J object of opening a Sta.te mine. Gojvernment experts have carried out J boring operations, and it is underi stood that they are satisfied that , the field is one of the finest in j Zealand. The coal can be worked ! from the surface at a low cost. i There was not a little surprise on | Tuesday at noon when the bell of St. j Paul's Church was heard ringing I and t followed subsequently by the| fire bell. .Many did not seem to ; realise the connection the ringing of ;the bells and the hoisting of flags ihave to the present big events hapIpening along the far-flung baittlejline. Some felt a thrill of joy, not j unmixed with sorrow, pass over ithem; others were so phlegmatic ithat they failed to see any necessity ; for the demonstration which was j made subsequently. After all, it is ithe personal touch which counts, |and it is only those who have som*? j loved one fighting his part manfully jin the great war who will welcome i such news as is now coming through. lit is just another instance of the I fact that, so far as we are from the : scene, many fail to appreciate what \ the contimiance of the war really : means

The War Regulations providing for the issue of badges to ©fncors and crews of transports is revoked by Order-in-Council gazetted on Tuesday.

In future V.M.C.A. field secretaries euvoloyed with the New Zealand Expeditionary, Force will receive, while employed in the camps in New Zealand, a cash payment from the Defence authorities of 4s per day (2s a day in lieu of rations and 2s a day contribution to mess maintenance fund) mid while serving with the Now Zealand Expeditionary l-'orce overseas, free rations. A notice in General Orders states that returned soldiers who have received the silver badge and who have subsequently re-enlisted must not wear the badge with their uniforms. The silver badge is intended to indicate that the wearer has been discharged as no longer tit for further service on account of age. wounds, or illness not the result of misconduct. Re-enlisted men may wear the badge of the Returned Soldiers' Association wiih uniform while they are in New Zealand. Mr J. C. Arnokl was last evening ejected chairman of the (Jouvilie Town Board. Mr G. G. Bullock, the previous chairman, declined nomination,, and proposed Mr Arnold, who. lie .said, had ><?rved most years on the Board, and knew tl'P district intimately. H& had the requisite ability, and was withal genial and tactful. Mr Bullock said ixi was surf Mr Arnold would carry out the duties of chairman with credit to himself and the Board. Mr. •'. Pea roe .seconded the motion. Mr. \V. Gilb< jrd proposed Mr X. P. Sv«n«m. and Mr Firth seconded, urging that as Mr Sveti'son had headed the poll such an expression of popular opinion should carry weight. When put to the vote, Mr Arnokl wp.j elected.

September was a popular month for marriages in Wanganui, no less than 23 being celebrated. The total so far this year is very satisfactory, the nine months showing 142 compared with* 102 for the nine months last year. The births, according to figures supplied by .Mr C. E. Hylton, Registrar, show an advantage in favour of last year. In September, 3 917, there were 46 births (10 more than in September 19IS). In September this year there were 15 deaths, and in the same month last year 2'd. The births for the nine months of 191\S are 65 less than for the same period last year, and the deaths are seven more.

The S.M. was occupied all day on Tuesday and yesterday afternoon in hoaring an action in which Henry Dyke was the plaintiff and Martin and Vernon, motor proprietors, were the defendants. Plaintiff allege-d that Martin in June last drove his car negligently and at an excessive speed at the intersection of Glasgow and Halswell streets, and came into collision with the plaintiff, who was riding his motor cycle along Glasgow street. As a result, plaintiff's leg was injtired and damage done to his machine and clothes; He claimed the. sum of £49 Cs by 'way of damages. Martin alleged that the accident was entirely due to plaintiff, who was driving his motor cycle at an excessive rate of speed and it was so little under the control of plaintiff that it ran into the motor car and did damage to the car. Martin claimed £19 12s for the damage thus done. The Magistrate, after hearing considerable evidence, decided that the plaintiff was entirely to blame for the accident, and gave judgment for the de>fendant on the claim, with costs amounting to £3 4s, and gave Martin judgment for £19 12s, the full amount of his counter claim, with costs. Mr McCaul appeared for Dyke and Mr L, Cohen for Martin.

Some years ago a good deal of prominence was given to the desirability for planting flower gardens, within the precincts of the public school grounds. In many instances schools took up the idea enthusiastically, but, like niiost novelties, it had to give way before what have been considered matters more essential. America leads the way in many things, and. in educational matters, while providing in the schools every essential thing towards advancing the cause of education, she is also taking some pains to see that the schools are in appearance temples of learning, and the school surroundings adapted to frame the buildings in a worthy manner. In New Zealand the vari- I ous Education Boards have been I stunted in regard to funds and scattered throughout the country are many schools giving splendid results; but their architecture is ofttimes severely utilitarian, and little consideration is given to the beautification of their suroundings. It is pleasing to note, therefore, the improvements which are being made around the Central Infants' School grounds. In addition to the evergreens, the flower beds have been well stocked with bright /lowering annuals, which are even now raak- | ing a good show. The children, as in other school activities, are being t ncouraged to take an interest. Pas- : sers-by will agree" that, the idea, even I in its present results, is a good one. and the hope is expressed that the I infection will spread to the other ! local schools. !

The question has often been raised as to whether any dredges are available' for the local harbour scheme to take up the work of the "Kaione."' It was strange, therefore, that the following two paragraphs should appear side by side in yesterday's "Times." The first paragraph reads as follows: The Qtago Harbour Board has agveed to offer the hire of the dredge to the Oamaru Harbour Board for a period j of three months, at a charge of j £!(!()() per month. The second paragraph has reference to the Gisborne Harbour Board's dreujro. ".\laui." "In reference to the suggested sale of the Harbour Board's dredge j .Maui, thero is a report that the I vessel is under offer to the Chinese ! Government, but the Chinese Consul { in Wellington has notified the board I that he has received no information from his Government as to any i such intention, and the Minister for Marine has notified the board that j in view of the present war condi- i tions permission to make ;i sale out- j side the Dominion will not be j granted." We do not have any par- j ticulars of the Otago dredge, but we j understand the "Maui" is a splendid I 'machine of somewhat the same type \ !as the "Kaione." it has done good ' jwork at Gisborne: unfortunately the ; ; harbour scheme there has proved a i j dismal failure, although by no j means attributable to the dredge. We i commend these paragraphs to the j Harbour Board for careful consider- j ation at; its meeting to-morrow evening. The claim that no suitable . dredge is available within the Do- j minion seems to be without founda- ! tion. |

A gor.se tiro at Wanganui East m-.is the cause of an alarum last evening.

A possible r-bortage in the s '.ear < vrup, owiny; to <-iimatic; condition.;, is ailnounceii, say-, a Sydney cable.

At the Magistrate's Court on Monday, Mr H. L. Jennings was prosecuted by the police for having exhibited a sign indicating that he was an auctioneer, and thereby misleading the public, as he was not licensed. He was convicted (but not fined ">s as previously stated) and ordered to pay costs.

It has been uannimously resolved to accord the patronage of the Wangamu Patriotic Association to the revue to be given by the Vwapuni soldiers, and to -nake an appeal for the necessary billets for the accommodation of the visitors. All citizens willing to accommodate one or more of the visitors are requested to commamicate with the secretary of the Patriotic Association at their earliest convenience.