LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2272, 5 October 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'An Australian mail only was brought to Auckland by the Maheno on Sunday morning. The southern portion of tho mail will arrive here this afternoon. The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Ninga.ra, which left Sydney on Thursday for Auckland, carries an Australian mail only. Tho Wellington portion is due hero by tho 'Main Trunk express on Tuesday afternoon next. The postal authorities advise 'that tho s.s. Manuka, which left Sydney for Wellington on Friday, and is due here on Tuosday next, carries an Australian und'jGlnglish mail via Suez. Tfie Telegraph Office advise that deferred cable messages are now accepted i for 'transmission via' Eastern or Pacific and Eastern. Messages are accepted at senders' risk, and the service may bo withdrawn, without' notice. The tenletter system of counting does not apply to deferred telegrams. Tho offertories at the services of a great number of churches throughout Now Zealand yesterday were devoted to tho fund for the relief of the poor of Belgium and the United Kingdom. Tho inquiries into matters connected with the canteens on tlie troopships which were instituted a weok ago by the Minister of Defence are still proceeding. The question is not one that can be adjusted ' in a day, but the Minister is hopeful of being ablo to make arrangements which will remove any cause tor further-complaints. "Miles away from tho seat of war," says the "Samoaiiischo Zeitung" of September 5, "we are lucky to bo under tho rule of Colonel Logan. Every in-, habitant of theso islands must appreciate his urbane control. During his regime tho Government will be carried on as heretofore, many former officials retaining their positions. In tho hands of Colonel Logan as tho head of tho complex machinery _ which governs theso islands, success is highly probable. . . . His' Excellency Dr. Schultz left for Fiji on Sunday evening, and carried with him tho rcood feelings of , every riant-minded settler fa Samoa."

No trace has been found by the police of the missing fireman, Edward Espada, belonging to tho Maungairai.

The "To'Aroha' News" of October 2 says:—"At a country school in the Tauranga electorate the teacher was desirous of instructing his scholars in the procedure of voting at a general election of Parliamentary candidates. Voting papers were made out, and one given to each of tho 37 scholars, and tho candidates on the occasion'wore the Hon. W. F. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. In duo course tho ballot box was opened and the returning officer declared tho result as follows: —Hon. W. F. Masßey, 37; Sir Joseph Ward, 0. Tho very unanimous vote somewhat surprised the returning officer, but not eo tho voters, who wero highly pleased at tho block vote."

"Yes, I am guilty," answered a woman nonchalantly, when charged with drankenness in the Magistrate's Court on Saturday; when it came to being charged with using certain language, however, she lifted her head a little higher and scornfully repudiated even the suggestion of such a thing. "AH 1, did," she said, rominiscently, "was to sing 'It's a Long, Long Way to Tipp_rary,' and then the mob cheered, tto, I am no coward, your Worship," sjio added. "If I'd UEed that language I'd bo sport enough to admit it. A constable went into the boxo, however, and mado statements to the effect that although tho lady may have sung, the popular . melody, it was interspersed with more unconventional language. Accused was given soven days, with an option for tho unlawful dialogue—not the singing.

The art of stopping a runaway horse and trap is not generally understood, Btates a Christehurch "Sun." The most popular way is to run out in front of the oncoming steed, wave your arms like a maddened semaphore, and vociferate "Whoa I" This'may stop the horse, but it may merely amuse him, and in some cases the person giving vent to the ejaculation has been stopped. On the Ferry Road on Friday afternoon an example was given of what an active and skilful driver can do. The bolter was careering full j speed down the road, and threatened to run into a dray driven by a young man named Whitaker. Whitaker drew quickly to the side of the road, and lifted a youngster out of his cart, to save him from the consequences of a possible collision. The bolter flashed by]! but quick as thought "Whitaker jumped up on the back of the cart. Ho .got possession .of the reins, and sooii had the animal subdued. Whitaker was heartily congratulated on his prompt and, effective action.

The value of a prohibition order was questioned in the Auckland Magistrate's Court last week, a solicitor stating that in ninq cases out of ten prohibition orders were useless. With this opinion Mr. C. C. Kottle, S.M., did not agree, but the solicitor' retaliated by saying that when a man broke his prohibition order for the first time..ho was generally fined, and his wife paid the' money for him. Curiously enough, in the Police Court a man asked Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., to fine him and not imprison him for a breach of his prohibition order, as ho had a wife and family to support. This His AYorship declined to do, as the which would be n heavy one, as it was not the accused's first lapse, would fall heavily on his wife.—Auckland "Herald." In announcing one of tho hymns used at St. Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathe-dral yesterday morning, the Rov. C. H. Harvey remarked that the last verse but oue would be omitted. The verse referred to ruiiß as follows: — , Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thoo Repaid a ,thousandf6ld will be; Then gladly mil we give to Thee, Who givest all. Mr. Harvey said: "This verse is unworthy of any Christian congregation. Cent, per cent." The collection was in aid of the fund for the relief of the poor of Belgium and the United Kingdom. A bullet penetrated one of the tents at the camp of the Auckland Mounted Rifles at Otahuhu last week, states tho Auckland "Ecrald." The incident, the second of its kind since the camp was opened, occurred while shooting was in progress at the Penrose rifle range on the opposite side of tho Manukau Harbour, and though the bullet may havo'been almost spent, it is considered that it could have caused a sorious injury. Tho bullets reaching the camp are believed to bo tho Tcsult of ricochets.

It is interesting to note that an elderly lady who iB now assisting with the sewing of clothes to bo sent Homo and to Belgium, also helped to sew for those rendered destitute at the time.of the Crimean War. •* Tho lady referred to is Mrs. Robertson, mother of the schoolmistress at Fairviow.—Christchurch "Sun."