LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2226, 12 August 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

While wo desire in every -way possible to meet the yo'ry natural curiosity of the general public as to the latest availablo news of the war in Europe, and have arranged for tho distribution of important news at the earliest possible moment in our special war announcements which are posted up in prominout positions in the City, wo must ask members of the public to refrain from making dii'ect inquiries by telephone, or personally, at our office. Tho telephones of our commercial, literary, and printing departments are in constant use for our ordinary work, and serious inconvenience has been occasioned to our clients by tiw continual blocking of the wires by public inquiries* for war news. A meeting of the Government Partv was held yesterday morning, nt which tho business of the session was discussed. The Prime Minister informed a Dominion reporter last liiglit that the party unanimously approved' the Government's actions and propo3als.( A special meeting of tho City Council is to bo 'held on Friday afternoon to consider tho estimates and to strike rates for tho year 1914-15. s The matter of replacing tho two Wellington Hospital house-surgeons, Dra. Tapper and Mitchell, who ai'e leading New Zealand 'with tho Expeditionary Force, has been left in tho han.ds of the Modical Superintendent (Dr. Hardwick Smith). Applications are being called for the position of • acting-honorary surgeon to tho Wellington Hospital, rendered vacant by Dr. Begg's" intended departure from New Zealand witli the second contingent of the Expeditionary Force. . Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher announces that special arrangements will be.made to enable contributors to the National Provident Fund who aro on active service during tho war to retain their membership. In some cases it is satisfactory to note that employers are assisting their men to pay their contributions dnring tho men's absence and in order to courage this patriotic object the Government have decided to meet half the contributions of these members. The tender cf Messrs. R. M'Kenzie and Co., at ,21090, has been accepted by the Akitio County Council for the erection of a bridge on tho Pougaroa-Akitio Road. Scotch papers received this week contain the results of the examination held at the close of the summer session at. Edinburgh. University. First-class honours are obtained by the following New Zealand students:—W. N. Rout, Junior practical auatomy; Thomas F. Corkill (an old Wellington College boy), practical pathology (in which ho talces second place and a medal) and mental diseases j Duncan Cook, junior practical pathology; William - Broivnlie, diseases of the skin. A firstyear student from Auckland, Eric Hector Goodfellow, has gained remarkable eucccs=. He is second in practical elementary botany, first in elementary zoology, first in practical zoology, anil seventh in practical anatomy, thus gaining three medals. At a meeting of the , committee of the Wellington Operatic_ Society held last evening it was decided not to consider any future work till the war between England and Germany has ended. . The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., and Messrs. Herbert Freoman and Thomas Moss have been re-elected members of tho Wellington Education Board, and Mr. Charles M. Luke hns beon elected "to fill the seat on the board vacant by the resignation of Mr. Robert Lee. The voting of the school committees was as follows:—City ward (ordinary vacancy): Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, 86; Professor Thps. A.' Hunter, 32. City ward (extraordinary vacancy): Mr. C. M. Luke, 81; Mr. Clement Watson, 37. Hutt-Horowhenua ward: Mr. H. Freeman, 118; Mr. Duncan M. Yeats, 86; Mr. Wm. Galloway, i\. Wairarapa ward: Mr. T. Moss, 316; Mr. Alex. M. M'Leod, 108. Owing to the . big quantity of boojes placed on the outward bound troop-ship by the Sailors' Friend Society, the stock is in danger of depletion, and Mr. Mooro, Missioner, would gladly send for or receive gifts for future use. The Bear-a-Hand Club met and moved that they would entertain all crews-of- troop-ships on the lines adopted during tho Boer war. The ladies ■ arranged to make "ditty" bags and provide comforts forthe crews whenever they left. A meeting of wharf labourers was held yesterday morning, at which Mr. W. Bennett, manager of the Wellington Wharf Labourers' Employers' Association, addressed tho. men and, outlined Ithe new scheme of employment on the waterfront. At the outset Mr. .Bennett was interrupted, but the opposition eoon disappeared. It is understood that the new scheme will come into operation tomorrow morning. . At the fortnightly meeting of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, iheld; last night (Mr. J. Jameson presiding),' subscriptions were received and acknowledged as follow:—Dr M. W. Ross, 10s.; Mrs, P. Rutter, ss. 6d.j Rev. Father Lane, Rev. J. K. Glasson, Messrs. W. H. Turnbull, 0. Beere, B. J. Palmer, Barthorp,' W. Mowbray, Lees and Clendon Bros., ss. each; Messrs G. Jeffries, Ramsden, J. Cotton, W. Webley R. Short, L. Jcnness, H. C. Collett, D BedingSeld, Driscoll, H. A. Ross, H C Wilson, Gadsby Bros.. Wcarne and Collins, Mesdames Crense and Douglas H fi Anonymous, and Friend, 2s. 6d. eachMesdamea Cooper, Selby, Friend, and' Mr. Foster, 2s. each. Total, .£6 os. 9d. Wo are asked to state that it is not the present intention of the .firms concerned to increase tho price 3 of photo-' graphic goods, except for hypo-sulphite of soda. . . The fine 6pi«it which -pervades all classes of the community just now was n-ell exemplified by the conduct of a couple of lads, who, with -othfrrs, had pffered their sorvices to fun 'messages for the Defence Heajjquartrs Staff at Palniorston North. A letter had to be sent to a particular place in ■ a huriy, and in response to the call the two boys tn. question dashed forward, each eaeer to carry the message. The bigger of the two was entrusted with the task, he having a bicycle and the matter being one of urgency. For a moment tha smaller boy's disappointment showed itself in his face, but. only for a moment. "Come along —" he shouted. "Hurry up, I'll give jon a push off." And he rushed outside and did his part by starting his mateiwell off on his jonrney with a vigorous, push that sent his machine spinning down the road at a great pace. A email enotfgh thing in its way, but typical of the spirit of self-stiorfico and ■ desire to assist which is making itsalf felt in all directions with such admirable results.