LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2362, 19 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mails which left Wellington on November 27 per TJlimaroa, and connected with the Brindisi dispatch, per Mongolia, arrived in London on January 16, eight days late.

Tlie postal authorities advise that the s.s. Manuka, which sailed from Sydney on Friday, is bringing Australian mails only. She is due this morning.;

It is notified by the Postal Department that as it is improbable that the foreign postal administrations concerned will accept registered correspondence for British prisoners of war interned abroad, correspondence for such prisoners is not now to be accepted for registration. Letters for British prisoners of war interned abroad must not contain articles which are not in the ordinary course transmissible by Jotter post. Such articles include hosiery, tobacco, etc. If posted as letter packets, they will he returned to the senders. They may be sent only by parcel post.

A heat wave is affecting the wholo of the Australian States (says a Press Association message received yesterday). Saturday was the hottest day recorded since February 17 last.

Defendant in a maintenance case at tho Magistrate's .Court yesterday asserted that there was at present nothing in tho bakery business. "You say the bakery business is no good?" asked the Magistrate. _ "Yes," said defendant. "I don't believe you," was tho reply.

At a meeting of the Masterton Dairy Company on Saturday the manager reported that owing to the exceptionally dry weather the mako of butter was decreasing. Tho secretory stated that local sales of butter had shown an increase of 25951b. en tho December month' in 1913. A call of 7s. Gd. per share was made, payable in monthly instalments. It was decided to start "storing butter in the middlo of February _ Several offers- for supplies wore declined, and it was decided to consign the output of this month.

Largs numbers of fat sheep continue to b« tailed: from &« Pahiatua district.

A very handsome solid silver cup, to bo presented by Mr. Martin Elgar, president of the Wairarapa Automobile Association, to tho winner of the New Zealand motor ovclo championship, is now on view in the windows of Messrs. Stewart Dawson and Co., Ltd. The cup is to bo won twice before becoming tho property of tho winner.

J.ho Eccralary of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce has called a meoting of consignees interested in cargoes on board German steamers interned in Java,' to' bo held in tho Chamber of Commerco ab 3.30 to-day. Tho Gorman shipping compames'intimated about a month ago that they were prepared to givo delivery of these cargoes provided certain avorago bonds were signed. The position, however, has changed following on a judgment given m tho case of tho Ncstlo and AngloSwfss Company against the captain of Vie Scandia, tho Court ordering tho steamer to dolivcr the cargo without average bond, or payment, and further, the steamer had herself to pay the cost of putting tho cargo oiit. Tho Sydney Chamber of Commerco advised that it is thought likely that tho German steamers in poetically all neutral ports can be compelled to deliver their cargoes. A meeting is to bo held in Sydney with a view to making final arrangements as to tho best course of procedure to follow. The meeting of Wellington consignees is being called to consider what action shall bo taken here.

At yesterday's meeting of the council of the Central Chamber of Commerco Mr.,Geo. Winder gave notice of motion that the proposed exclusion of the importation of Oregon pine by tho Government bo not supported. This will be considered at tho next meeting of the chamber.

Although he had seventy-five previous convictions against his name, Timothy Donovan pleaded not guilty to the charge of drunkenness preferred against him in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. "Why, didn't I tell you when you arrested me that I was not drunk?" observed Donovan triumphantly from the dock. After an appropriate interval, Donovan continued: "I didn't intend to' got drunk when I left home, and neithor I did." Then Donovan essayed higher imaginative nights. "Do you remember assaulting me when you got me in the cell?" he asked the constable. The latter pleaded ignorance,, likowise to the assertion of another constable saying "Never mind, Tim, you will bo out at 10 o'clock to-niglit." The other constablo -erred slightly in this alleged statement, for according to the sentence imposed by the Magistrate, Tim won't "be out" for two months.

On Saturday, January 80, a sports meeting will be held on the Trentham ■Racecourse for tho men in the military camp at Trentham. A comprehensive programme has been drawn up. -~

The secretary of the Wellington Trades Council (Mr. L. M. A. Rearden) stated yesterday that Labour representatives intend to hold a meeting in the Town Hall to-morrow evening to make arrangements for the reception of Mr. Meredith Atkinson, ' the Australasian organiser of the Workers' Educational Association. Mr. Atkinson will arrive in Wellington next Tuesday, and an official welcome' will be accorded him bv the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) That evening Mr. Atkinson will deliver an illustrated address entitled "Tho, History of Trades Unionism." On the following day he will leaveifor the south to address the University Senate in Christchurch. On his return to Wellington in February he will deliver two public lectures here.

A Masterton photographer has discovered near Kopuaranga a green lake, which, for depth of colour, eclipses the celebrated green lake in. the neighbourhood of Rotonia. It is, he says, worth travelling a long way to see

The training of the Maori soldiers in camp at Avondale has gone on steadily during the week, reports tho "Star," a strenuous programme of work having been covered each day. In addition to the day. training there was night exercise on two , evenings, night-outposts on one occasion, and night advances on the others. On Saturday morning a kit inspection was held, which is a sort of wardrobe overhaul that is very necessary where bodies of men live for any length of time beyond- tho tender care of, mending hands. Platoon drill and company drill were practised after the inspeotion. f In addition to the work of the ordinary daily round, one hour early every- morning is devoted to vigorous physical training. •

The scow Combine, owned by Winstone, Ltd., overturned and 6ank early on Saturday at her moorings off the Nelson Street Wharf, Auckland. Tho scow had loaded about 100 tons of heavy machinery from the steamer Ardgarry, and was awaiting an .opportunity to leaye for Whangarei. The master was .asbore at the time, and two members of the crew, who were sleoping on board were rudely awakened about 5 a.m. to find tho scow almost on her beam-ends. They had just time to get out of their quarters and launch a boat when tho vessel heeled right over and came to rest on tho mud m about 12ft. of water. Messrs. Winstone are at present at a loss to account for_ the accident, as the scow is, a comparatively new vessel, having been built at Auckland three years ago. She was put on the slip a couple of months ago and thoroughly overhauled. A diver was to.be sent down on Sunday, and steps arc to be taken to get the cargo out of the vessel, after which it is expected that she will right herself. The weather was calm when the mishap occurred.

"Your heart is not 'deceased,' Charlie!" said a woman, emphatically, during the hearing of a maintenance case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. The man so addressed Was giving evidence at tho timo as to his inability to work, and stated that a doctor had told him that his heart was diseased. "It's a lie," broke out tho woman. "Do you mean that the doctor was telling a lie?" inquired the Magistrate. "Yes," replied the woman, almost hysterically. "It's only a tale; it was a put-up job. Tho doctor's telling a lie, Charlie." The woman "proceeded to enlighten the Court as to certain incidents (imaginary or otherwise) as to Charlie's previous career, and only desisted after being told by the Magistrate to keep quiet. She broke out again later, but subsided after a particularly ominous "Keep quiet!" from the Magistrate.

At tho Napier Court yesterday William Buchanan and John M'Clusker wei-e each fined £15, in default a month's imprisonment, for usin;; obscene language.