LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2303, 10 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'An obvious error in tho context of 4 paragraph in our issue of yesterday's date confused in on© portion of the report tie identity of tno informant and defendant in a case of theft which wag heard at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning. A man named Gottfried Carlson was charged with stealing some loaves from Peroy Beavis, a baker, and in tho introductory part of the paragraph the case was correctly stated. Further on in the paragraph, in a refer, once to the police description of Carlson's, the name of Beavis inadvertently; appeared instead of Carlson. The confusion of names was apparent enough, but we regret that an error of the kind should havo appeared in our columns. Tho postal authorities advise that the s.s. Moeraki, which is due from Sydney to-day, is bringing Australian mails only. , • The mails whicli left Wellington on September 20. per s.s. Ulimaroa, and connected with the Naples dispatch per R.M.S. Otway, arrived in London on November 5, five days late. The postal authorities advise that tho 6.8. Maitai, which i 6 duo from Sydney to-morrow, is bringing Australian mails only. ■ In view of the expressed intention of the shipping companies to demand payment of freight on exports at port of shipment, and in view of the fact that a '25 per cent, surcharge on cargoes, other than butter, cheese, and meat, to cover contingencies duo to tho war, has . already been made, Mr. J. G. Wilson, Dominion president of the FarmersUnion, haß telegraphed to the Prime Minister, Hon. AY. F. Massey, as follows: —"Desiro strongly protest on behalf farmers unreasonable attitude ship* ping companies cliarging freight at port of shipment, in addition to 25 per cent, surcharge general cargo.. Look to you on farmers' behalf insist upon withdrawal from position. Means large additional cost on all produce." Mr. It. A. Wright, Reform oandidato for Wellington Suburbs, speaking at Pukelvuia last described the Prime Minister's manifesto- as one of tlfe most democratic statements ever published in the political history of New Zealand. It was a. businesslike statement, and when its proposals were given effect to, as they would be, provided tho Government was returned, it would lead to great improvements' irt the agricultural and industrial activities of New Zealand. That tho Govern-" ment intended to reduce the cost of living, tcTmake State advances to workers for building purposes, and to reduce Customs duties on certain articles in oommon use was a convincing demonstration of their earnest desire to improve tho lot of the people of this, country. Where he' differed; and where the Reform ■ Partv differed, froia Sir Joseph Ward was m the faot that while the Liberal Party made wholesale promises, which they knew they could not redeem, the Reform Party put forward a reasonable programme, _ which they carried into effect, and whioh materially, contributed to the progress, prosperity, and contentment or the people. Yesterday morning, as Mrs. HoracO G. Ruttcr and her mother (Mts. M'Carthy) were motoring along tha Main' Road near Lower Hutt, the car got beyond control, through - something fioing wrong with tho . steering-gear, and dashing into the kerbing capsized* Tho occupants of the ■ car were both thrown, and somewhat injured. ' What does the Government- proposer to do in connection with a war tax was a question asked of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Ma6soy), at- his Papakura 'meeting last night. In reply, he said he thought it would h« most foolish- to impose a war tax. The Government had. arranged for a loan at a very favourable, rate, of interest. The war would cost New Zealand £2,ooo,ooo—probably more —and if a war tax was imposed what would be the effect? Industries of the Dominion would stagnate, and thousands would be thrown out of employment because wages payment® would be interfered with, and all who contributed to the taxes would pay towards the sulking fund and interest on the loan, bo that no war tax would be necessary. In these dayß of advanced hygiene it ought- to be superfluous to urge tha necessity of filtering all water used for domestic purposes, but unfortunately, there are still many people who foolishly regard such a precaution as a "fad."They thereby expose themselves to tha, risk of various _ water-borne diseases,; the chief of whioh are typhoid fever.' diarrhoea, dysentery, hydatids, andi' pathogenio intestinal parasites. Under the last head are included most descriptions of worms. The danger of contracting these diseases from drinking water becomes practically negligible if the supply is properly filtered. . . < The best type of filter, acoordmg to Dr. Robertson, Chief 'Health Officer ot Melbourne, is the slow-acting, highpressure filter, and be advocates, as an alternative to the Boaixl of Works filter* ing the whole of the supply, that it should instal filters in all houses, charge ing a rent, for them in the same way) as for meters. Since the outbreak of war the staff at the head office of the Labour Depart* inent in Wellington have donated ten por cent, of their salaries to the Patriots Fund. Half their October con r , tribution is, at their own request, to. w allotted to the Poor of Great. Britain and Belgium Fund. The October con. tribution totalled £44 2s. A little, old, weather-beaten woman named Jessie M'Ewan, who had 63 previous convictions attached to her nanus at the Magistrate's Court, was discovered on Sunday night in an unoccupied house in Tui Street, and was accord,, incly charged in tlie Magistrate s Court yesterday with being a rogue and a\ vagabond. She tremblingly pleaded for a ohance, but the Magistrate was really charitable in sending her to gaol for six months. r;

The local manager for Messrs. Thomas Cook and Son receives circular letters from time to time which reflect the difficulties of travel on the Continent since the war broke out. One of tiw latest notes of advice savs: The direct route between Stockholm and R-aumo (Finland) is safe only for ladies and men under 15 and above 50 years of nee, because it frequently happens that the boat is examined by Gorman torpedo boats, .and men between the age a Mentioned are liable to capture."