LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2339, 22 December 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Primate, Bishop Nevill, has, says a Press Association telegram from Dunedin, appointed Sunday, January 3. as a day of intercession on account or the war. _ The Government has given instructions that all the Public Service and ex-State teachers' ponsions are to be paid on Thursday next. December 24, instead of at the end l of the month. That we are not in the least downhearted at present or despondent for tho future is evinced not only by the very excellent accounts of local tradespeople, but by the heavy demand that is being made for railway and steatner traffic this week. Though tho oversea tourist is a missing quantity, local'peoplo are evidently determined not to forgo all the joys of the festive season, and the Christmas trip is as much in evidence this year as on any previous occasion. The exodus northwards by rail is very pronounced, and the air of bustle in the Union Steam Ship" Company's office proclaims in a loud, clear note that Christmas is hore. An unusual accident recently occurred to a child eighteen months old, the son of a resident of Nelson Street, Petone. The child's father was engaged cutting firewood with a handsaw, when the infant approaobed, and placed iti hand in front of the saw, wit hthe result that one-of its fingers was completely severed from the hand. The Wellington Education Board announce the.following list of students admitted to the Training College under Division "A": —Mr. George E. Barnos, Wanganui; Miss Ethel M. W. Bell, Mr. Thomas E. Beard, Miss Elsie K. G. Buchanan, Wellington; Miss Stella Dabinott, Wanganui; Miss Gretchen Enting, Hawke's Bay; Mr. Arnold J. Graham, Miss Janet C. Hare, Miss Gladys Hammond, Mr. Frank Joplin, Wellington; Miss Jta M'Carthy, Miss Annie Minogue, Miss V. M. Mudford, Wanganui; Miss Eileen M. Pringle, Wellington; Miss A. M. Porteons, Wangamii; Miss Marietta D. Richmond, Wellington; Miss C. I. O'Callaglian, South Canterbury; Miss H. M. Raikes, Miss Iris Tankersley, Miss Alice C. Tebbs, Miss Minnie F. Wallis, Wellington; Miss E. M. Woods, Nelson; Mr. Thomas N. Wylie, Westland. Tho following graduate students were also admitted Miss W. A. Cathie, Miss C. A. Heine, Mr. Werner Heine, Miss E. M. Shirer, Wellington. A number of applications for admission remain to be determined on

announcement of the results of qualifying examinations for which applicants have entered.

A young woman named Edith Jacobson, residing at 14 Victoria Street, Petone, was knocked down by tramcar No. 68 on Sunday evening, and sustained a fractured arm. She was walking along Willis Street towards Lambfcon Quay, when a tram-car driven by Motorman Jackson overtook her and knocked her down. She was taken into Salek's chemist shop, and after receiving medical attention was conveyed to her home.

Private Andrew Davidson, of the Wellington Infantry, encamped at Trentham, who mot with a serious ac: oident on Saturday night, was reported from the Hospital last night to be progressing favourably. His left hand has -had to be amputated.

Heavy rain, fell in the Masterton district on Sunday night, says our correspondent. It has been followed, however, by westerly winds, and its effect wjll not be as beneficial as would otherwise have been the case. The country is really in a very bad condition for the want of rain. Nothing short of a twenty-four hours' downpour will save tho pastures and crops.

I The weather is very unsettled and cold, heavy rain frequently falling, says a Press Association telegram from Dunedin. At Nasoby on Sunday morning the weather was ideal, but towards evening a cold wind set in, with rain., sleet, and snow. Snow was an inch deep early yesterday morning, but soon disappeared. At midday a tremendous gale, accompanied by thunder and light, ning, and hail, struck the district, being the worst experienced for twenty years. It is expected that much damage will be done to fruit, lambs, and shorn sheep.

Surprise was expressed by several members of the Waitemata County Council at the last meeting, when one of their body moved that tho Minister of Agriculture should be asked to remove the restrictions with regard to shooting quail. The member started that quail had become a great nuisance in tho Waikumete Riding, for they attacked the ripening fruit, grassseed. and corn. Some'orchardists wore losing pounds sterling per day through the ravages of these birds.

I Banks Peninsula lias a climate mild enough for the cultivation of orange groves. Such places as Holmes's Bay can roar large numbers of orange trees, and, although the fruit might-not be perfect enough for dessert purposes, it would make oxcellent marmalade. Mr. W. J. Courtier, Government orchard export, has just paid a visit to Banks I. cnmsula, where lie inspected tho oranges, and found that the groves had set very well, tho frosts not heinc vor.y severo. Mr. Courtier was shown somo orange trees growing at Mr. 0. TV. Leete's orchard at Akaroa, and also sampled some marmalado made from the crop. It was generally conceded (says a Christclmrch paper) that tho marnialado was quite equal to anything that could be produced on the Christchurch market. The Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly (tho Itev. A. Grant) lias fixed January 3 as a day of prayer and intercession in connection with the war. The Dev. 13. Herbert Hobday, minister of the Vivian Street Baptist Church, has offered to repeat. Ill's lecture ou "Joan of Arc" iii aid of Jhs Mayor's Patriotic Distress Fund. Tlitf offer has bc«n accepted) and the dats will be announced ui a. few dujs.

Messrs. House, Black and Co. have completed the-building of a very handsome and substantial char-a-banc for service on the road between Waitara and" Awakino (Taranaki district), to tho order of Messrs. George and Johnston, mail contractors for the district. Tho char-a-banc, which is tho first of its class to bo designed! and built in Wellington, has five transverse seats, capable of seating four persons each comfortably and five at a pinch. Tho seats, whioh are well upholstered, are covered in heavy-woight red leather, and by means of wicket-extension gear tho whole car can be enclcsed by a canvas hood. Tho char-a-banc is furnish-' ed with a 40-horse-power Kissel Kar engine, and as geared at present can easily do 16 knots an hour. The now car, which attracted a good deal of attention in town yesterday morning, left for Waitara during the day it! charge of Mr. Johnston, one of the owners. Jts total cost was about £800.

The Salvation Army is holding a day of intercession and prayc-r on Sunday, January 3, 1915, in connection with the war. On that day every Salvationist throughout the Dominion will be called upon to make a personal offering of Bome kind towards the War Emergency Fund.

The programme, or order of procession, for the last Lord Mayor's show, London, indicates that the New Zealand Contingent Expeditionary Force (infantry) were given a place among the military detachments.

The Department of Navigation, Sydney, reports that a lifebuoy, marked "Auckland," has been found on tho east side of Frceburn Island, Lamba, Clarence River, New South Wales. Following is the description given by the Australian authorities: "White with a blue ribbon marked 'Auckland,' with the Union -Jack painted on one <-ide and the red ensign on the other side. The ship's name is not on tho buoy. There is also a blue ribbon which, apparently, had been torn oft, and which had previously borne the ship's name. Whatever the name, it must have been a very short one, as part of the last letter can be seen. The buoy is in three pieces. The canvas oorer was good."

The question of examination by the' Customs of oversea'luggage in Wellington, instead of on arrival at other ports south (says the Christchurch! 'Press"), lias been the subject of correspondence witli the Minister of Cnstonis and the request of the Chamber of Commorce has been, complied with, sfc that luggage of passeng'ers for Christchurch or southern towns from places outside New Zealand may, on request, be examined, at Wellington.

The "Wellington Harbour Board Yea? Book" for 1914-15 has just beon issued,and is an exceedingly useful little publication of sixty-five pages. The history of the port from the earliest days is briefly outlined, the present facilities : are fully described, and a mass of yalu-' able statistical and other official matter is included. There is a full list of all past and present members of the board since, its formation, together with! descriptions of the various works in : hand and contemplated, and a selection.! ol' over a score of illustrations of the:' port and portraits of members and offi-! cers of the board. A map of Now Zealand, a chart of the harbour, a berthage plan of the wharves, and a plan of the proposed conversions of the Wool Jetty into a wharf for the Lytteltonl ferry steamers, are inset in the volume.) Especially interesting also is the planj showing the gradual growth of the! Queen's Wharf since ito first erection.:!

Tho i Prime Minister ha 3 received thei following from tho High Commissioner ( —London, December 19—Sir T. Cogh-' lan, Agent-General for New South Wales, has handed £60,000 to the American Embassy through the Belgian Minister.for tho relief of the Belgians. Tho donation comprises contributions from Queensland, New Zealand, and Now South Wales, making a total of £100,000; The donors express tho hopo •. that the money may alleviate the miser* _ les of the Belgians during the Christmas " season.

A correspondent in Shanron forwards, a cutting from a New York paper whichcalls attention to the interesting mix- 1 , ture of letters in the names Joffre and! French. Joffre is the General-in-Chief-of the French. So: "Joffre," "French."'! Tho first three -letters of Joffre, plus; the first three letters of French, spell; Joffre—Jof-fre. The last three letters, of Joffre, plus tho last three letters ofFrench, spell ''French'Fre-nch.

AVhen the case against Ernest -Ram dall, the youth charged with disturbing, tho No-License meeting in the Town] Hall oil November 27 last, and assault* ing Sergeant Kelly, was called in thaj Magistrate's Court yesterday, Inspect-on; Hendrey said he would have to ask fori' an adjournment to January 18, as thai solicitor for defendant (Mr. J._ J, M'Grath) would be away from Welling.; ton until that date. The remand was granted:'.

Speaking at the annual dinner of tha Wellington Letter Carriers' Social Clubj on .Saturday nighty Mr. It. Triggs, Pub-, lie Service Commissioner, soma interesting remarks on the question ofi appeal. Unfortunately a portion of Lis speech was dropped from the report in. yesterday's paper, thus destroying tbo ( ' sequence of his words. He said that it; was not to bo expected, considering thca, commission system was new, that dis->.' turhing elements would, not arise, but, if they could only have the men of tho Civil 'Service with them, they would ha satisfied, and the country would bo sat-i] isfied. But'the Commissioners must. 1 have the support of the men of tha, Public Service. Tho appeal question; was no doubt exercising their minda now, for somehow it did not satisfy the Servico, but they had the promise ..ofthe Government to givo the men freei dom of appeal. (Applause.) Mr. Triggs then went on to say, as re-( ported, that if it was given—and liaj said it should be—then the Commis* sionere would stand by them. If the! Government wanted any adyico on tha matter the Commissioners would advisa that freedom of appeal, which hft thought would be particularly good tn tho Service. (Applauso.)

Tho choir of St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral] will give its annual Christmas concert; this evening, in tho Sydney Street; Schoolroom, under Mr. B. Parker's di-. rection. The programme will include a selection of old English,music, inadri-, gals, and songs, and a number of Christmas carols, in which' the boy choristers will take a leading part.

v The announcement Las teen made by Mr. E. K. Mulgan, president of the -lAuckland Kindergarten Association; that Mr. Arthur Myers is having plane prepared for the erection of a modern Kindergarten school in Myers Park. The building, Mr. Mulgan states, will embody all the latest ideas, and will be presented to the Kindergarten Associai tion by Mr. Myers fully equipped, ft is anticipated that it will be completed early in the school year, so that the children in that part of the city will not only have the' advantage of a fine ■ playground in Myers Park, but also a weil-equipped and suitably-built free Kindergarten. "The attitude of educationists towards the setting of home lessons has," jays Mr. Mulgan (Chief Inspector for the Auckland Education Boaru)' "undergone considerable modification of late years, especially in the caso of primary school pupils. It is felt that under conditions where pnpils are required to Work up to their maximum effort for fivo hours per day, it is the reverso of wise to. impose further tasks demanding appreciable mental application. Interesting experiments," he points out, "have gone to show that in the raso of normal : children effective teaching in any given subject cannot be carried on beyond a definite number of minutes per day, and that any attempt to exceed this time limit tends to retard progress. It Is necessary, therefore, that the whole question of setting home-lessons should be approached with very great caution, and that the utmost care should be taken to guard against making undue demands on the mental vigour of pupils, especially those in the lower classes and it is highly gratifying to know that the great majority of teachers in this . district realise the importance of these and exercise wise supervision and restraint in the matter of requiring pupils to prepare lessons after | the expiration of the time devoted to instruction in school." ■ Mr. L. E. Aldridge has been appoint ed manager for Messrs. H. L. Young, Ltd., of Palmerston North, Auckland, and Wellington, sole Now- Zealand agents for the Kalamazoo Loose-Leaf Ledgers and -Appliances. Representatives of all classes of business houses are invited to communicate with Mr. 'Aldridge, Routh's Buildings, .Telephone 2965, when the utility of the Kalamazoo loose-leaf ledger and appliances will be' fully demonstrated. A good story is going the rounds of the police and the legal fraternity, concerning a well known Auckland member of the Bar. Last week some seven or . eight prisoners were being taken by train to Hamilton under police escort, to stand their trial at the Supreme Court there, /l'he legal gentleman had obtained permission to travel in the carriage with them, so as to be able to confer with one of the prisoners for whom he had been retained. At one of the towns at which the train stopped, the local police brought two residents to the railway station, to see if they could identify a couple of criminals from whose attentions they had suffered, and who might perchance be among the select conipany in the reserved carriage. .One resident pointed out his man without hesitation; but the other, a' lady, looked timidly -round the carriage, turning from one occupant to another. Finally her gaze rested on the legal luminary, and after a moment's thought 6he told a constable, "I'm not quite sure that that, man'there is the,one, but he's .very like him I" At the monthly meeting of the East, bourne Borough Council authority was given to the Town Clerk to issue summonses for all outstanding rates. It was decided to hold a special meeting for the purpose "of declaring by special order what should be regarded as noxious weeds in the borough. The committee, which is preparing information for submission to the ratepayers relative to the proposed, water-supply scheme, reported that it would submit its report to the nest meeting of the council. The Ferry .. Board's report, which was adopted, contained tho following resolution governing applications for refunds or extensions on season -tickets: "That no refunds be granted on monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annual tickets without adequate reason, - and subject to a penalty of 20 per cent., and that 110 refund be allowed in respect of any other ticket."