LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2320, 30 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise thai; the s.s. Niagara, which sailed from Sydney for Aucldand at 5 p.m. on-November 2t>, is bringing Australian mails, also nn English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion is due at, Wellington tomorrow by the 6.26; a.m. Main Trunk train: ■ An advertisement .headed "A' Complete Exposure," piiblished in. our issue- of Saturday last, commented on certain remarks made by Mrs. A. R. Atkinson at Gisborrie some weeks ago respecting drunkenness of men in. uniform and the crowding of hotel bars to such an extent that the doors , could neither shut nor open. It is considered by Mrs Atkinson that the comments referred to reflect on her personally, and "that they were qujto unwarranted. AVe did not regard the. advertisement as a personal reflection on Mrs. Atkinson, but rather as a criticism by an anti-prohibitionist of the prohibitionist standard of values _ in the No-License controversy. Seeing, however, that the suggestion has been made that the advertisement might be Tead to refleot on Mrs. Atkinson,- we have not the slightest hesitation in dissociating ourselves entirely from the endorsement of any such imputation. Had we thought that such a reflection was intended or conveyed* by the advertisement we should oertamly have refused it insertion. A conference of the Ancient Order of Foresters is to be held in Curistchurch next Tuesday- for the purpose/of considering a draft constitution for the establishment of a subsidiary High Court for the Dominion. The draft constitution is ready for discussion, and it is anticipated that the deliberations will not occupy more than two days. Bros. Trude, D.C.R., R. Darlow, S.S., R. Barnes. D.S.C.R., and J. Shaldrick, 1.P.D.C.R., the representatives of the Auckland Provincial District, arrived from the north on Saturday night, and will journey eouth this evening. The Hospital Saturday collections at Dunedin, says a Press Association telegram, realised £1350 in the town and suburbs,- and a further sum of £260 will probably come in from the country districts. One-fourth of the total will go to the Belgian Relief Fund. Last year the- collections realised £870. To-day-', is St. Andrew's Day, and is being observed as a holiday; by many establishments. Frequent trips-are being run to Eaetbourne and Day's Bay ■by tlie ferry steamers 6f the Eastbourne Borough Council. ' Subsequent to 11 o'clock Mass at St. Mary of tho Angels' Church, Boulcott Street, next Sunday, a brass memorial tablet to deceased priests is to bo unveiled by His Grace Archbishop Q'Slina,, S.M.. D.D. On the tablet are engraved a complete list of names of all the deceased priests who have been associated with St. Mary of the Angels' Church since 1843. ' Yesterday was the sixty-first anniversary of St. ■ John's Presbyterian 'Church, Wellington, and the day was marked by special references in each of the services.' The Rev. Graham Balfour, of First Church, Dunedin, conducted tho services, and preached two eloquent, sermons. The choir provided music to suit the occasion, and iii the evening "sang the Halelujah Choru6. It has been decided that the nnv.il and military tournament proposed to bo held at Dunedin is not to talic place this year. During the trial of a criminal caso in tho Auckland.Supreme Court, says the "Herald," a juryman suddenly became ill, and was unable to continue serving. In such cases the law allows the trial to bo continued with 11 jurymen, but only if the accused consents. In tho present instance, however, counsel-for-the accused objected to a continuance. \Tlio trial will therefore be recommenced with a now jury. An impudent robbery took plrce yesterday mornins; at Petone at the residence of Mr. Snow, on the Esplanado. It appears that Mr. Snow left home to go to work, leaving . the house securely locked. On his return ho dis-/ covered that a glass panel in the. door hud bcon smaehed, and the door opwiert. Upon investigation, it was found that a portmanteau) a watch, and a sum of money were missing, and the matter was reported to the police. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon Constable Caimody arrested a man on a charge of broakiug and entering, .

This Nellio Stewart Company, playing "Du Barry," which was to have commenced a tour of New Zealand at Chrislchurch at Christmas, will not fill '■ those dates. It is possible that a Rickards' (Hugh M'lntosh) vaudeville company may take up the tour abandoned by Mr. Geo. Musgrove.

liuconssqienco of representations made by a deputation to the Mayor (Mr. Q. J. Parr) concerning the strength of tho garrison cf the" Auckland forts, Mr. Parr, according to a Press Association telegram from Auckland, communicated with tho Minister of Defence, ■who replied: "No material re-arrange-n-iont is- being mads in the- forts at Auckland. I should bo glad if you •would accept by personal assuranco tliat every precaution has been taken for the protection of Auckland. Neither tho Chamber of Commerce nor the Harbour Board need have tho slightest apprehension. _ I am unable to disclose the position in tho Pacific, but in, my opinion it is sufficiently satisfactory to advise you to inform the deputation that their fears are quite groundless."

As! a result of the recent patriotic rose show held by tho Wellington Rose and .-Carnation Club in the Town Hall' tho sum of £166 19s. has been handed over by the secretary, Mr. ,S. G'. Pearco, to the Mayor, for equal division bo~ tweeu the Mayor's Relief Fund and tho Belgian Distress Fund. The committee desires to thank tho ladios and gentlemen who helped in various ways to make the show such an unqualified success. It is announced that the ■ club's summer show will beheld in the Town Hall on December 16 nest. "Ato you in. favour of wireless birdcages P" a Parnell candidate was asked tho other evening. / The presence of mind end prompt action of Guard G. S. Nisbet on the Napier express were responsible for saving the life of an old man on November 18. 'The train had just left Manu- ■ kau station when tho man 6omehow fell between two carriages. He managed to catch the railing between the carriages, but his feet were dragged along tho track, and he was in imminent danger of dropping on the line, where he would have met with a frightful death. Mr. Ndsbet heard the noise- of tho man's feet dragging, and rushing; out from the adjoining carriage he quickly realised tho position. As the best method of stopping the train he cut the rubber tubing- of the AVcetinghouse brake, which is connected, between each car- ; riage, and the train, was immediately brought to a standstill. ' The man wa3 rescued much shaken, but otherwise little the worse for his mishap. In view: of the rapid growth of the' export of New.Zealand-grown apples to. the Argentine and Brazil, tho "Farmers'tmion Advocate" states ihat the New. Zealand Fruitgrowers' Association has ; for some time past been > negotiating, with the Government regarding the.ap-' pointment of an experienced fruitgrower as a Commissioner to visit South America. The idea was .favour- > ably by the Government, apd' Mr. G. L. Tacon, a well-known fruit-: grower in the Motueka district, has accepted the position. He-.will leave; Wellington in the lonic. The new Com-; missioner's duties are to spend _ three months in Argentina and Brazil, inquir-. ing full J- into tne conditions affecting, the present and future sale of New Zea-': land fruit in those countries, and to; submit a- report to the Government. Mr<j TacoE will "endeavour to ascertain the , ; area of land in those countries suitable j for fruit-growing, whether the New.; Zealand fruit trade is likely to be per-! manent, and by what methods tho mar-.? ket can be developed. At the present' rate of increase it is calculated that,' 1,250,000 cases of apples will be aiw nually exported from New Zealand at-j five years' time. . -

Elaborate preparations have been; made for the celebration of "Old Bars' Day" by the Wellington College Old. Boys' Association, at the College; grounds to-day. There will be compel titions in cricket, swimming, shooting,/ and tennis, and all friends are cor-j dially invitai. It was intended to hold the anuual dinner on the same evening.Tlie committee decided, however, that the dinner should not be held this, year, but that an Old Boys' Fund should be inaugurated for the relief of distress in Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium. • ■