LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2328, 9 December 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

He postal authorities advise that tho s.s. Moana,_ which, is due from, Sydney to-day, is bringing Australian ', mails only. ' To-morrow (election day) will be ob-> served as a holiday by all the State schools in the Wellington district. In moving a vote.of thanks to the Mayor at the conclusion of the oivio reception' accorded to Commissioner Hodder, of tho Salvation Army, yesterday afternoon, the Hon. F. M. 8,, Fisher begged indulgence to refer'to the wonderful work Mrs. Luke had done and was doing for the troops. It was largely through her tireless energy and resource that the troops were enjoying lots of little comforts that tended to make them happy and comfortable. He thought that in thanking th 6 Mayor for his courtesy, he inight be asked, to convey . this little meed of praise for her work. (Applause.) Mr. Luke made an appropriate response. The Defence authorities have receive ed the following' wireless message from Colonel Logan, Officer Commanding at Samoa:—"Tho health of the trbopa is good. Battery Lieutenant Forsyth is suffering from dysentery; Gunner T. Wilberfoss, septio leg. Auckland regiment, Lieutenant Tole, abscess; Private H. Davidson, cellulitis •. H. Har-. vey, injury to knee. Railway Engineers, ■Sergeant M. Matheson, carbuncle; Sappers, F. Brookliss, dysentery; E. W. Smyrk, abscess: S. Verrey, dengue; R. G. Winter,, bursitis; Corporal W.Willstead, dengue. . Wellington Begin ment, Colonel Turner, simple fracture of leg; Sergeant R. Cook, head injury; Lance-Corporal S.' Foley, dysentery.' Medioal Corps, Private T. Dean, denciie; R. M'Millan, jaundice. All are doing well." : ■ .■■'■ Tramway matters occupied a considerable amount of time at the meeting of the Karori Borough Council last evening. Most of the discussion was on subjects which have already been reported upon. One new item was introduced, however, and that was the question of running an extra car to Karori between 5.17 p.m. and 5,47 p.m. on Saturdays. A suggestion was made that the 5.32 p.m. car from Courtenay Place to Northland should be run through to the conncil chambers at Karori on Saturdays. This was_ put in the form of a motion and carried, and it will bo forwarded to the Tramways Board of the City Council to be dealt with.

The unaccustomed sight of a sergeantmajor reprimanding a member of the Expeditiously Force for parading the street in an ordinary tweed oap whilst in uniform ; was witnessed in ■ .Willis Street last evening.

There is a lack of French' technical books in Trentham camp as well as of literature, and they are not procurable in-the booksellers' shops at present. The teaching of French is not' overlooked nt'the camp and these books, are urgently ne'eded. Anyone haying technical books or literature would be , doing the troopers a good turn by forwarding same to Colonel Bowler, Trentham Camp.

Herbert Caslunore, one of the victims of tho shunting accident at the Thorndon Railwav Yards last week, was reported from the Hospital last night to haye slightly improved in condition.

The world's largest liner, the Vaterland,' owned, by the Hamburg-American Company, which has remained a refugee steamer in New York Harbour since tho outbreak of the war, las had an attachment placed on her' by the United States Court at the 1 ins! .nice of Messrs. Waring and Gillow, the' London firm. The furniture and. decorations of the liner were supplied by Waring and Gillow, and these were fitted at Hamburg by English workmen. Tho balance of the company's account had not. been paid when war was declared, and there being reports that the Gorman company was trying to sell the liner, Messrs. Waring and Gillow took the action stated.'. Until tho debt and costs are paid, therefore, she cannot quit port even if disposed of to a neutral State or company. The Vatcrland cost £1,725,000 to build and made her. maiden voyage to New York last May. . .

It is understood that the Prime Minister informed a private deputation in Auckland that four of the insulated steamers which conveyed tllfcNew Zealand troops to Egypt would return 'dir-: cct to New Zealand, arriving about t)ie middle of January in time to relievo tho anticipated congestion pf export produce. These boats would consist of one vessel each from the Shaw-Savijl Conipany, New Zealand Shipping Com-! p'any, the Oonpuonwcaßh and dominion, and tho Federal Shire Lines. In soma cases tho freezing accommodation \on somo of tho steamers was loaded Ijero and it is not yet known if suoh vessels will go on to London or discharge their produce for the use of the troopsTr-Bri-tisli and colonial—in' Egypt, where food supplies will assuredly be required;

A boy of 15 years came before Mr. T>. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in the Juvenile Court yesterday morning charged with the theft of a bioycle valued' at £3 from Edward Bainett. He was severely cautioned and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The children attending the Te Aro School have had the proposition put to them as to whether, with the sum of money, recently raised by the School Committee, they would have the usual annual picnio and distribution of prizes for the year's work, or forsake these and donate the money to the Belgian Fund. By, an overwhelming majority, tho children unselfishly decided on .thelatter. . The To Aro School Committee has decided thai; instead of the prizes each child whose work merits it will, be presented with.a got up iii patriotic style and which will servo as a memento of the great war at present in progress.; A return mada* up by the Treasury to December, 7 shows that the New Zealand public's contribution to (he war fund to that date, amounts in cash, to £137,031. For the-Belgium Relief, and other funds, the amount received by' the Government was £13,774, making a total of £150,805. ■ ; The Hon. J. Allen, .Minister of Finance, announces, says a Press Association telegram from Dunedin, that owing to' the splendid, results from the Post Office Savings Bank for Novem-ber;-which shows an excess of deposits' over withdrawals to the '■ extent' of £135,000, he has advised the Superintendent of the State Advances Offices ■ that money, will be available to-increase 'the maximum advances to settlers from' '£750 to £1000, and of those to' local 'authorities from £1000 to £2000. Sir Charles WyndEam and Sir. Herbert Tree, discovering that the darkness in the London streets at nights-Hlue to the fear 'of''a raid;by. German Zeppe-, ■Una —keeps many people away from the theatreß, now give matinees every day, and only two evening performances each week., This reversal of the ÜBual order of things is said to be very successful.. .According to the Paris, correspondent of the New York "Musical Courieri" "there is absolutely nothing going on in that city, and there seems to be no prospect for musio during. the whole seaßon. Concert houses and opera houses aro closed, and no one talks_ of reopening.-" He oalled on the violinist, Jacques Thibaud (who is booked for an American tour), and found that, while he is not now in the Army, he is likely to be examined again <as te physical .fitness, and may have to go to the front later on. The correspondent also called on Jean do Reszke and found him in camp at St.. Germain-en-Laye, where they are'staying ;to he near their son, who was 6lightly # wounded in battle not long ago, but is recovering. The great tenor expects to resume his teaching as soon as; the war is over.