LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17572, 16 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On Sunday afternoon, commencing at 3 o'clock, the Queen Alexandra Band will play a specially selected programme In the Queen's Park Rotunda.

In our report of Wednesday's meeting of the Patriotic Association, it was erroneously stated that an apology for absence was received from Mrs. C. E. Mackay. It was Mr. Mackay who was absent, Mrs. Mackay being present in her honorary capacity.

Mr. Hope Gibbons, chairman of the Land and Finance Committee of the Wanganui-Waitotara Patriotic Association, has received the following telegram from the Hon. G. W. Russell: —"I have pleasure in approving transfer of £10,000 to land scheme for soldiers. At the" end of six months further application can be made if scheme is work in gsatisfactorily."

The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister for Lands, told a "Times" reporter on Wednesday that the Government has completed a very important purchase of some 3000 acres of land in the Makuri district, between Pahiatua and Pongaroa, from Mr. F. Moore, of Wanganui. The purchase, added the Minister, included the whole of the stock, about £9000 worth of sheep and cattle; and the price paid for the land he regarded as a very favourable one for the Government. "I would not mind being in the Government's shoes," said Mr. Guthrie.

An amusing incident occurred shortly before the arrival of the north express, conveying the soldiers of the Remuera's draft, at the Dunedin Railway Station. The train was late, and a large crowd was on the platform awaiting its arrival. At a quarter to ten a train from Port Chalmers pulled up. The crowd, naturally mistaking it for the express, burst into a tempest of cheering, and an astonished private soldier, who was merely travelling from the port, and was standing upon the platform of the first carriage, was the recipient of an ovation before the mistake was realised.

The remarks made by Cr. Gower at. the last meeting of the Council anent the uncleanliness of swimming baths, occasioned some concern to the officers of the Wanganui Swimming Association. A deputation from the Association yesterday interviewed the Editor ol the "Chronicle," and requested that it should be made clear to the public that, as Cr. Gower has since explained, he was not referring to the Corporation Baths. Those baths, they said, were now, as they always had been, scrupulously clean, and the use of the swimming baths was safeguarded by the enforcement by the caretaker of the regulations which were designed to ensure not only the cleanliness of the bath, but also of all who used it. The deputation expressed the opinion that it was desirable that gentlemen occupying responsible public positions should not indulge in indefinite and misleading allegations.

An Invereargill telegram states that the Fairfax dairy factory was destroyed by fire at noon on Wednesday. Fifty crates of cheese, valued at £400, were salved. The insurances on the building, plant and stock were £1000.

The Willochara. with German and Austrian prisoners of war on board, left Wellington at 9.30 last night for Sydney, where she completes her complement. She then proceeds to Plymouth. The cre»v, as the prisoners -.ver© escorted to their quarters, barracked them with remarks such ac " What about the submarines now ?" ''Where are the torpedoes?"

The Nautical Court has found (says an Auckland telegram) that the loss of the barque Inverness by fire on the voyage from Durban to Chili 2 off Rapa Island, was not due or contributed co by negligence or wrongful act on the part of the captain, officers or crew. The Court found that the barque was well found and made a recommendation as to better supervision of loading of foal into a vessel.

An Auckland telegram says tltafc in. the Supreme Court action by Dr. Percy TV*. Menzies against the Bay of Islands Hospital Board, claiming £501 damages for alleged wrongful dismissal from the post of medical superintendent, concluded yesterday morning, when it was announced that plaintiff, or. the advice of his counsel, had abandoned his claim and agreed that each side should pay its own costs. The proceedings were accordingly stayed.

At the Napier Council Chambers yesterday morning a conference of representatives of the various local bodies in Hawke's Bay waa held, at the in- \ 'tation of the Mayor, to consider the question of trying to persuade the Government to undertake immediately the work of harnessing Waikaremoana for the supply of electrical energy. The following resolution was carried unanimousiv:—That this meeting work in with the League in sending a strong deputation to Wellington and failing the Government commencing the work as a national scheme, in conjunction with the other two, the proposal of the Hawke's Bay County Council to take advantage of the Local Power Boards Act be supported.

The question of political action was referred to by the general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association at a meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association on Wednesday evening. Mr. Seymour mentioned that several remits oa the matter had been received fcr consideration at the Dominion conference of Returned Soldiers, and all of these favoured an amendment of the association's constitution by making it political. He pointed out that the policy of the association was not political, and he moved that it be a direction to the Wellington delegates that they vote against the proposal to alter the association's constitution. Once the association became political it wouli fall—all unity would be lost. After further remarks the motion was carried unanimously.

The monthly meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, was held in Trinity Church Parlour, on Friday, 9th Ma3\ There was a very fair attendance. The president (Mrs. Smith) ■ presided. After devotional exercises, led by Mrs. Warwick, the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A photo of Miss Arnott, of Capetown, was placed on the table, and it was decided that a letter of appreciation be sent to her for her good work for our boys. A very full and interesting report of the recent convention in Napier was then given by Mrs. Smith and Mrs. McAlister. The speakers intimated that the watchword of convention for the year was. "Pray on, march on, carry on." A delegate was nominated to attend the convention in Wellington for "Town Planning." "It was reported that two of the members of the Union nominated for school committee were successful in being elected.