LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2244, 2 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The need for inquiry regarding rentals was again suggested in tho House of Representatives last evening by Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East). Mr. Myers said a well-known shopkoeper in Auckland liad been notified that his rent had been raised 30s. per week "on account of tho. war." Mr. Massey: "What!" Mr. Myers assured tho Prime Minister that this had actually occurred. Mr. J-A. Young (Waikato) added that considerable complaint was being made regarding the prices of drugs and medicines. The Prime Minister replied that the matter of drugs would bo dealt with by tho Commission. No provision had been made in tho Trade Regulation Act for inquiry regarding rentals, and that matter therefore could not bo referred to the Commission. He regretted thatany property-owner should seize the present opportunity to raise his rentals, but if the example quoted by jfr. Myers was followed by others, legislation would be introduced to enable the Government to deal,with ' this exploitation. At a quarter-past 4 o'clock yesterday morning the Fire Brigade received a call to 60 Waterloo Avenue, Wellington South, where an eight-roomed dwelling, occupied by William Percy Salmon, und owned by Mrs. Adeline Ludwig, was on fire. The drawing-room was. slightly damaged, and the dining-room badly damaged before the flames were suppressed. The building was insured for £500 in the South - British Office, while the contents were covered by a policy .for £200 in the Standard Office. The Royal Commission, consisting of Judge Gilfodder (of the Native Land Court) and Mr. H. L\ M. Haszard (Commissioner of Crown Lands in the Westland district), which was appointed some months ago to inquire into the question of providing reserves for landless Natives, lias completed its task and handed in its report yesterday fox transmission to His Excellency the Governor. The inquiry occupied about two months and during that time the Commissioners travelled extensively in the South Island and also visited the Waiiato-Maniapoto district. For the last week they have been in Wellington engaged upon the preparation of their report. Mr. Haszard left for Westport, via Christchurch, last evening. Judge Gilfedder will spend a few days in Wellington, and afterwards will visit Pioton on Native Land Court business.

m. m Publio Trustee, as executor for tho 1. G. Macarthy estate, is abo.ut to erect a building on Lambton Quay next to the Occidental Hotel, to bo leased to Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, motor and oycle importer. The ground floor will be used as a garage and is to be provided with a tum-tablo, wash-down, ete. Between Uhe ground floor and the first floor there is a mezzanine floor which is to be used for repairing and storing bicycles, and the top floor, served by a. lift capable of lifting three tons, is to be for the repairing of motor-cars. A fireproof petrol store, large show window, and offices have also been provided for in tho design. Mr. J: N. Daw-' son, F.N.Z.1.A., is the architect, and tenders are now being invited. Mr. Dawson is also preparing plans for another large garage; for which tenders will shortly be invited. The retail price of milk s was reduced In Wellington yesterday from sd. to 4d. per quart

. Knitting woollen socks for the troops while assisting with the unravelling of threir genealogical descent is lie practical patriotism shown by a large number of. Maori women in the Huhaka district, away at the back of Gisborae. The-Native Land Court happens to be sitting there, and the Maoris have evinced such an interest in ..the war that a summary of the position is each morning given by the presiding Judge; All the Maori women are anxious to kelp, so they turn the Court-room into the semblance of a Christian Endeavour sewing bee, while they traco their ancestors back to the days when their tribal wars were waged without the necessity for woollen comforters and undershirts being felt.

u > Non-observance the rules of the P" road, but more especially non-observ-as ance of the orders of a policeman on ly points duty, led a cyolist into trouble th yesterday afternoon. He was coming id from Courtenay Place and wished to )ff turn towards the wharves, at Cuba and ■'s Manners Street intersection. To do ;d 60 ho should 'have gone round tho jj. policeman, but he cut across tho cora lier, to the danger of foot-passengers. ' The constable called to the cyclist to stop, and at first the latter was inclined to do so. Foclhardiness and a '' free-wheel cycle lot him proceed down "J the gentle declivity of tho street, and 0 then 'he decided to ignore the* constable's call He was in a fair way of getting clear when another oyclist hapm pened along, and the officer of the law T _ commandeered the cyoh and rodo after j£ the offending one. When caught the 10 oxcuso offered that he thought only » cart drivel's had to obey the constabl'o did not carry weight, aiid tho cyclist's ,0 name was taken for future action. l- The Pacific Cable Company notify ;e that conditions are now favourable for )- handling week-end and deferred mesQ sages with little over normal delay, ,_ Messages, however, are accepted at ,j sender's risk. i. r Sir Ernest Rutherford, the famous y New Zealand physicist, who was to ■f have been president of the New Zeaa land - Science Congress, if it had been . held, has eonsonted to deliver an ad- „ dress in tho Town Hall on Fridav next r on the "Transformation of Matter." 8 The address will be illustrated by experiments, etc., similar to the one that '" was listened to by some two thousand people in Sydney., and which mot .with * great success. Tho majority of t ! ho 3 scientists who have actually come to ! New Zealand are on their w'av to Eng- .' land and will be present at Sir Ernest 3 Rutherford's lecture. Dr. C. B. Daven--1 port, the famous authority on Hefeditc ary Eugenics, will probably lecture on . Saturday at the Town Hall. I The Maori Parliament—the annual 5 mooting of Natives which is held in 3 Wellington during the Parliamentary [ session to discuss matters affecting t their interests—assembled in tho Metlw . odist Hall, Sydney Street, yesterday. . The president, Mr. Te Heu Hon Tukino, ' presided over a gathering of about seventy Natives, representing all parts of the Dominion. Only preliminary businoss was done. Sessions will be held daily throughout tho week. Sonrlatina. has broken out in tho I Addington camp, and one officer and a man have been taken to Bottle Lake Hospital (states a Press Association ' telegram from Christchurch). Others i nave been isolated, and all. precautions ' are now being taken. The medical ! officers do not regard the' outbreak as j serious,. ( A general meeting of the Church of \ England Men's Society was held in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last night J for the purpose of meoting the Rev. J 5 D. Russell organising secretary. The c Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) pre- £ sided over an attendance of about 60 ' members. Tho Rev. Mr. Russell, in his "" £$™*h referred '_ to the letters s U.J!,.iU.b. on the society badge, remark- v nig that these letters might bo consid- " ered as representing not only the « Church of England Men's Society, but a the four chief things for which the society stood—namely, comradeship, en- r tliusiasra, manliness, and service. Mr „ Russell enlarged upon the wavs in which t( the society could make its influence A felt, and at tho conclusion of his ad- k dress answered a number of questions. The Rev. H. G. Blackbumo, vicar of Kilbimie, spoke interestingly of his visit , to the recent big conference of the so- > oiety'a delegates at Cardiff. 0I