LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2338, 21 December 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Riverina, which sailed from Sydney for Auckland on Thursday last, is bringing Australian mails only, the Wellington portion of which is due per Mail; Trunk oxpress to-morrow morning. The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Moeraki, which is due from Sydney to-morrow morning, is bringing Australian mails only. The attention of the public is directed to the necessity for presenting their Christmas "greeting" telegrams on Wednesday and Thursday as early as possible, to ensure delivery on Christmas Day. Last year, owing to the immense nish on Christmas Eve, the staff was kept continuously employed from 8 a.m. on the 24th till 4.30 p.m. on Christmas Day. The Wellington 'Amateur Dramatio Club is to perform "Charley's Aunt" on Saturday and Monday nights nest, and on December 29 and 30 wSI give another performance of "Charley's Aunt'-' and one of "The Private Secretary." According to a report presented to tho Eastbourne Borough Council by the Town Clork (Mr. J. D. Avery), Enstbourno is going ahead rapidly. The report stated that there were encouragiug signs of building activity, ' while there has been an influx of residents to buildings already ereotcd. The numBor, of building permits issued during the past month was much greater' tlian in previous months. The tender of Messrs. French and Hampton has been accepted for the erection of bathing sheds cn IKe Day's Bay beach for tho City Council. The contract price ,is £231. The work is already in hand.

By Order-in-Council under the" Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act the export of forage—grass, clover, or oaten hay, <juten chaff, and bran —is prohibited, "save and except where in the case of any specified country or place tho Minister of Defence consents to the exportation to that country or place of any specified quantity of sucli forago in a specified ship, and authorises the lading and exportation thereof accordingly."

New regulations under the War Regulations Act, 1914, liavo been gazetted. Most of the new orders relate to the prohibition of communications through' the post ofiice or otherwise with any in enemy territory. One of the regulations prohibits the assumption by an alien enemy resident in New Zealand of any name other than that by which lie was known before the outbreak of war.

If tho Christcliurcli Tourist Bureau is any guide as to the tourist traffic, then the war in Europe will not seriously affect New Zealand in this respect. In answer to a reporter's inquiry, tho officer in charge, Mr. G. W. C. Moon, said that many Australian and several Englisli tourists liad already landed in tho Dominion. The local bookings lor touvs within the-Do-minion were heavy and. apparently, the Christmas traffic would not fall far short of that of last your. It had-been found advisable to koep tho bureau open in the evenings, so numerous were tfifl inquiries regarding trips to all jjartb of the Dominion,

When addressing the Iklaori Oontiny' gent in camp at Avondale, the Minis-;, ter of Defence (the Hon. James Allen)', mentioned that tliey were to go toEgypt, and said:—"l do not know,) what possible developments will take' place that might bring you into con-' tact with the enemies of the Empire,' even on the shores of Egypt, but if you do meet them, we want you id render a good account, not only to you* race, but also to your pakena breth-' ren here. Each man must feel hinW self to be, not merely an individual! unit, but part of a composite force.! When you jjet to Egypt, you must let} thoJmperial men seo what can be dontf by the Native race of New Zealand! you have a great opportunity to show, what can be produced by tlio Natives! of this country. You go from us, nobj only as soldiers, but as men represent-! ing, 1 believe, the finest Native race! upon the earth, living alongside pake-i lias. You must figlit against all pos-'} sible temptations in other lands. You] will need! strength and character and' determination of will and guidance, which I am certain yoa will get, to enable you to tlie temptations* The country will bo proud to welcome! you back again wlien tie war' is over. Bear yourselves as soldiers and as men of whom New Zealand may be proud.' 1 !

'A Christmas carol service waß con-i ducted at the Wesley Taranaki Street Ohuroh las t night. Choruses wero sung and the following contributed items: —• Misses Brittain (soprano), and Nellie Castle (contralto), and Messrs. Laslett Exton (tenor) and W. Goudie (bass),' Mr. H. Temple- White waß at the organj

The gathering at the Marsden cross on Christmas Day to celobrate the 100 th anniversary of the first divine service hold in New Zealand, by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, will ~ probably, be seriously affected so far as numbers, are concerned by the difficulty of reach-' ing the historic spot (says the "New, Zealand Herald"). An endeavour was, made by the Celebration Commission.' to charter a special steamer for the conveyance of visitors to the Bay of Islands and back to Auckland, but ow-j ing to the amount of the guarantee, l required this proposal was abandoned'* Apparently the only means of communi-.' cation which' will be available will in-| volve an absence from Auckland ofc about a weak.

The collection of birds which have bee nj donated to the 'Wellington Zoo by! donors in the Expeditionary Force at; Samoa, consist of a tooth-billed pigeon,! a pair of fruit pigeons, one rail, and a! pair of Java sparrows. The Govern-! menfc has also presented-to the Zoo two! dozen fan-tailed goldfinches, four flight* less ducks from tho Auckland Islands, 1 and two sea-lions from the same place,; 111 all, four sea-lions have been placed in; the Zoo for safe-keeping. It is interesting to learn that one of the new)arrivals gave birth to a baby sea-lion,' yesterday morning. So novel a sight; should attract many visitors to the Zod' during the holiday, season. j

Good fish stories have slumped fop some time, but an Auckland paper has! broken silence with the following;—"A< remarkable ' fishing exploit has been.; achieved by Mr. Harry Calthrop. tha ! well-known- sportsman, who has landed: two hapuka by means of a rod ■ and" spinner at Mayor Island, Tiroa, after! an exciting and trying experience. The! actual weight of the fish has not beeuj ascertained, but they were of consider-] able size. Catching haDuka with a rod 1 is unique, the usual method being byj a line. Mr. Calthrop holds a record; for big game shooting in India, and last year he caught a. record weights,' kingfish on a rod."

Ferrets are commonly believed to be, the natural enemy of "Brer Rabbit,"' but apparently the belief is in need of; a little deeper investigation, says an' exchange. ■At Thursday's of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation 1 Society's Council, one of the members! reported, on behalf of the shooting party formed to exterminate the rabbit pest at Rangitata Reserve, that he saw| ferrets run out of the same bush with? rabbits, and these so-called natural enemies appeared to. be living on terms of. utmost brotherliness and. affection.; Other members of the council confirmed: this. 1

The Te Aro-Mitchelltown. Bohool Com-, mitt-co has had designed for prosenta-. iiou to the children, attending that school a commemorative patriotic certificate, which forms an interesting mo-' mento of the great war in progress, and; the part the pupils of the Willis Street: School have taken in helping on the! Belgian Relief Fund. . The certificate'' is artistically designed, and contain?; portraits of Lord Kitonener 1 His Ma-' jesty King George, the Tsar, the King) of the Belgians, and M. Poincare. There' are the flags of the Allies and of Bel-: gium, while in the centre of the certifi-, oate are tho following words "To com-; memorate the scholars' willing response to the appeal in aid of the Belgian ohil-; dran, and in appreciation of their prac-j 1 tical self-denial in deciding to devote; their picnic and prize funds to tha;, same cause."- !

•A runaway horse caused a mild senij sation at Palmerston on Saturday after-.,; noon. Tho animal was attached to a, I fish-cart, and was being drivon down/ Main Street, when a passing train caus-: ed the horse to bolt. On turning into; tho Square the runaway collided with a; heavy spring dray, and the driver of; tho runaway was thrown to the ground, f The horse meanwhile went clean through! i its harness, and galloped toward Cole-., man Place, where he startled a party,! of women, and knocked two girls over.-; He then upset a stationary motor-cycle, ! and finally finished up at the Manawatuj Stables, litle the worst for his adven-j ture. The driver of the runaway wasbadly shaken, and the two girls re-, ceiyed several cuts about the body, bufcj not of a serious nature. ' All three were; able to walk to their homes.

Tho reappearance of mullet in tho',l upper reaches of the Northern Wairoai River is reported by the Dargaville cor-. respondent of tho "Herald. '! During recent years the entire absence; of mullet in these waters has been com-1 meijtcd upon. A decade ago such fish whs! abundant, whilst for the last five yearshardly a member of that finny tribe has 1 boon seen. A few months ago an in- v spcctor of tho Fisheries Department; visited tho Wairoa and interviewed; many residents, who gave it as their; opinion that mullet had been altogether: lost to the Wairoa. Now, however,; the jumping fish are once again in full; evidence, and appear as fully plentiful! as of yore. Their passage in the upper; roaches of the river and in the Manga-] kahia River is being watched with in-' : terest.

EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY—D&; MONSTRATION DAIMLER & TALBOT FOE SALE. CHEAP. ; Within a few days, Messrs. AdamsLtd., expeot to reccive delivery of a big 1 shipment of new oars, whioh will be exhibited, at the Novombor Show at Christchurch. In order to find garage room for theso it hag been found necessary to dis-' pose of a couple of demonstration oars. The first of those is a 15-28 h.p., five-seator touring Silent Kniglit Daimler, of recent model, with stylish torpedo body. The car is in magnificent condition. Its equipment includes five Dunlop detachable wire wheels, C.A.V. electric tail and sids lamps, khnki hood, horn, windsoroen, pow-' erful head-lamps, and everything readjt for the road. It is a beautifully finished! oar, runs absolutely silently, and cost! i£7o2. The price to-day is fixed at .£350, j to stimulate a quick sale. Tho other car i is a two-seater, 12-22 h.p. Talbot, also of.J quite recent model, and right in tho fash-j ion. The Talbot car'has a reputation fori durability and reliability second to none, I and probably holds moro prizes won in i competition than any other make in tho! world. This particular two-seater is inj splendid condition, fully equipped for the road. Tho price is fixed at the extremely; low figure of .£250. Both these cars are! finished in tho latest shade of biscuit,! and are absolutely new and clean in ap-( pearance. Call at our garage and seal them. They won't be thero long. Illus.' tratod photographs, on application,' Adams, Ltd,, Eiga Street, Christchuich^j£.

Leslie Rowntrea, a Hataitai youth of seventeen, years, got a nasty spill off his bioyole in Moxnam Avenue on Friday evening, and fractured _ his left shoulder. At present he is in the Publio Hospital. The Central Mission Band , played in the grounds of the "Wellington Publio Hospital yesterday afternoon, and' a collection taken up realised £4 125., whioh will bo given to the Hospital Fund. The Westport coal output for last week was as follows: —"Westport Goal Company, 7240 tons 6cwt.; coke, 84 tons ilowt. West'port-Stockton Company, 1455 tons 18cwt. In a large round childish hand comes the following letter from Oliingaiti, with a postal order for five shillings "Instead of getting a prize this year we wish the poor little Belgian children to have our money.—Dorothy and Billy Dutliie, 'Omuia 1 Home Sohool." An order authorising a special loan of £8000 for the erection of workers' dwellings in Clarence Street, Ponsonby, has been made by the Auckland City Council. The Mayor, Mr. C. J. Parr, in moving in the matt-er l remarked that there could be no question as to whether the council would secure a return for its outlay. There were several voters who Bub- ' jected themselves to great _ inconvenience in order to record their votes at the Parliamentary elections.. Two men, working at Omar&ma, states the Oamaru "Mail," but whose names were on the Oamaru roll, covered the 160 miles to town in-order to record their votes.-- . __