LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15387, 19 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It has been decided to provide Christmas cheer for the soldiers in hospitals, sanatoria, and convalescent homes throughout the Dominion. The cost will be provided from the patriotic funds obtained from the display of war films. In the Supreme Court at Hamilton Sarah Moles sued the Crown for £2OOO damages for the death of her sou, James Casey, an electric linesman at Rotorua, Mr Selwyn Mays, lor the Crown, admitted liability. The jury awarded the mother £SO and the wife, who had been living separately, £425, a,nd the illegitimate child of another woman £SOO. Gonville School Trumpet Band made its first appearance in town yesterday, and created a favourable impression by its playing and marching. The band includes thirteen trumpeters and three drummers, who have made excellent progress under the painstaking and capable tuition of Mr A. Spurdje. The band should prove an acquisition to the school and fulfil a useful function in the suburb and city. At a meeting of freezing works employees at Petone this week, the action of Australian slaughtermen in coming to New Zealand was dispussed, and the opinion was expressed by a three to one majority that the Australians should not have come to the Dominion under vhe present circumstances. It is reported that in some works the New Zealand slaughtermen are refusing to work with the Australians, and some companies have decided not to engage the latter. Railway officials in Wellington are amazed at the extent of passenger traffic this season. Already the advance army of Christmas travellers indicates to tliem that in spite of tUo recent advance in fares and the abolition of the old concession of single fare for thq double journey, trains are going to be as crowded as ever during the holidays. No dog-in-the-manger policy is to / be followed in regard to passenger traffic during the holidays, excepting that it will be impossible to vary the rule regarding race meetings. But where large numbers of people want to travel on holiday the Department intends to do its best to cater for them, and the usual extra trains to relieve the main expresses will be provided. At tlie Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the Gothic, Ltd., were charged Q) with keeping premises open on Sunday in view of the public; (2) with trading on Sunday in view of the public. Inspector Hendry conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Allan Hogg appeared for the defendants. The defence to the first charge was that the firm’s business was to supply meals, which was a work of necessity. The Magistatre held that the supplying of meals was subsidiary to the main business, which as to supply iced drinks and ice-creams. He therefore entered a conviction and fined the defendants ss. Security for an appeal was fixed at seven guineas. The police then withdrew the second information. It is announced in general orders that the medals of an officer or soldier dying on active service, whether issued before or after his death, will be disposed of in accordance with the will of the deceased man, if there is such a document. In default of a will, the medals will be sent to the next-of-kin in the following order of relationship: Widow, eldest surviving son, eldest surviving daughter, father, mother, eldest surviving brother, eldest surviving sister, eldest surviving half-bro-ther, eldest surviving half-sister, if the medals cannot be disposed of in these ways, they may be sent “to any relative or interested party who, in the opinion of the Army Council, will preserve them with due care as a memorial of the deceased.” ; The members of No. 9 Military Service Medical Board, Lieut.-Colonel Lindsay', Capt. Ferguson, and Capt. Casserley, arriving in town on Monday from Marton, and commenced examination of men drawn in the last ballot at the Garrison Hall yesterday morning. As can be seen from the figures, the percentage of fit men amongst the childless section of the Second Division is fairly small. Of 71 examined 14 were classed fit. “A”; 7 “Cl," 47 “C2,” and 4 “D’s,” and one deferred for two months. The Board ; will sit to-day and to-morrow, and leave for the north by the express on Friday. Anyone who knows himself to have’ been drawn in the ballot, but has not received notice to attend examination, should report himself immediately at the Garrison Hall.

Winifred Garrick appeared at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning on a charge of wilful murder of the child, Donald Lewis Carrick, hut on the application of the police, a further remand was granted till Friday. At the sitting of the Arbitration Court at Christchurch, during the hearing of the hotel employees’ case, the Hon. J. Barr sounded the knell of the male waiter. He showed how, with possibly on© exception, the male waiter was rapidly becoming extinct in the firstclass hotels in Christchurch, and ho prophesied that when the two qf three existing waiters ceased work, the female waitress would reign supreme. “Probably a great improvement, too,” remarked Mr Justice Stringer, smiling. “I do not deny that, your Honor,” said Mr Barr, “I believe that the female waitress is perfectly efficient and gives every satisfaction.” The Taihape Patriotic Society has granted ,£IOO to the Church Army, which has sent immediately to Headquarters to endow two beds for twelve months in the Church Army’s hospital at Tankerton for septic wounded. The War Belief Association of Wellington has given another sum to the Church Army hospital. Formerly giving <£loo, its contribution is now ,£2OO. The S.A. and Y.M.C.A. have each received a grant of <£3oo from this association, who are disposed to make no distinction when they satisfy themselves, as they have done, that work is being done for our soldiers by the Church Army equally as well as by other’s. The usual rush of telegraphic traffic inseparable from the Christmas season has already commenced. From to-dav until the 31st inst., Sundays and Christmas Day excepted, anyone wishing to send seasonable greetings to distant friends within the Dominion may do so by means of a “Greetings” telegram, costing 6d, providing the address and signature do not contain more than eleven words. Any excess is charged at the rate of £d per word. Those wishing to take advantage of this popular method of exchanging kindly thoughts will be well advised to place their messages on the wires before the 24th if possible. They will then avoid the delay that must necessarily happen to all classes*of telegraphic traffic on that date.