LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2367, 25 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Maheno, which arrived in Auckland from Sydnoy yesterday, brought English and Australian mails, the southern portion 'of which will arrive hero by tho Main Trunk express this afternoon. A sharp, sudden shock of earthquake was felt in Carterton a few minutes aftor noon on Saturday (states our local correspondent). The FJre Brigade received a call to Miss Maxwell's tea-rooms in Willis Street yesterday, morning between one and two o'clock, but their services were not required on arrival. The brigade also received a couple of calls to gors© (ires yesterday. Attention was directed by. the preachers in a number of the City churches yesterday to the noontide call to prayer which is now sounded daily by the church bells, and, except on Sundays, by a bell in the Post Office tower as well. As was announced recently, people are invited in this way to offer a daily prayer for victory in the oause of freedom, and tho restoration of peace anions the nations, and for tho sick, wounded, and dying, and others who are suffering in or as a result of the war. Apparently tho fact of tho daily call and its purpose are not yot as widely known as is desired, but efforts are being made to convey tlie appeal to every citizen. Posters setting forth the appeal have been displayed at.tho various churches.

The remor.il of tbo Grey Statue has been decided upon by the Auckland City Council in connection with tlio Queen Street tramway extension. Tbo statue is to bo placed in front, of the Tcwn Hall at the apex of the triangular pieoe of land behind the grass plot at the corner of Queen and Grey Streets.

The Mavoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) has convened a meeting of ladies to bo held ill the Mayor's Boom at 3 p.m. today to - discuss matters in connection with tie providing of equipment and comforts for tho proposed camp hospital at Treutham. Somo of the medical men concerned will attend_ to point out in what manner the ladies can assist in this laudable work.

air Donglas Mawson's book on his recent expedition to the Antarctio, has been published. Tho newspapers comment on the modesty and the thrilling interest of the narrative. The "Morning Post" says it is the best written account of the Antarctic it has ever read, and adds: "Tne Anarctic has found her poet in M Lean.

Mr. Henry E. "White, tho well-known theatre architect, has received^ instruo- ■ tions to prepare plans and. specifications for tho new municipal theatre nt Hastings. This work was in hand when war broke out, and was held in abeyance until tho financial situation became clearer. Satisfactory arrangements have now been made by the Borough Council for the raising of the money, and tenders will shortly bo mJleui for ,dia action of tho 'hcatre.

At tho Opera House last, evening, under tho auspices of the Social-Domo-cratic Party, Mr. P. Fraser discussed "Mr. Bernard Shaw and the War," basing his remarks on the recent pamphlet published by tho Irish writer.

A silly hoax was perpetrated on tho family of Mr. H. Pettitt, of 93 Telopea Street, Redforn, Sydnev (says the Sydney "Sim") during tho past few weeks. Mr. Pettitt's sons reside in Otago, New Zealand, and just before Christmas they received a cable message announcing the death of their father. The death was announced in the "Otago Daily Times," and tho family received letters of condolence from their numerous friends. Mr. Pettitt, senior, had taken out a life policy for £400 with the London Provident Life Assurance Company, and his sons' subsequently made a claim against tho company. As is usual in such cases, the claim was forwarded on to the Sydney office for verification. Mr. G. P. .Smith, the Sydney manager, took the matter in hand, and it was then discovered that the family had been cruelly hoaxed, as Mr. Pettitt was found to be very much alive and enjoying the test of health, The original copy of the cablegram has been secured, and both the Postal Department nnd the insurance companies are making diligent search for the perpetrators of the stupid Voax.

The report that quantities of xmbranded tinned meats are finding a way from New Zealand into the hands of tho enemies caused an Auckland reporter to make inquiries. A well-known shipping agenfc stated that at present there was no'tinned meat leaving Auckland at all, and local supplies were just sufficient for our own requirements. It had been suggested that meat was being sent to America, arid from there was being forwarded on to neutral countries. As a matter of fact, there was now no meat being taken from-Auckland to American ports, so that none can be finding its way to the enemy through that channel. It was, perhaps, true that some tinned meat was being sent from other New Zealand ports to America, and in such a case it would be hard to believe that the Americans themselves needed it, for a Chicago factory ooulcl turn out more in a weok than we did in a year. The theory that Petone's water supply is inadequate for fie requirements of the town has been exploded since the installation' of the Venture meter. The records of this machine show that the amount of water used in Petone has been about two million gallons per weok, and considerably over sue million gallons can he obtained if needed, as the maximum amount per week. As the result of a raid made by the Lower Hntt police late on Saturday evening on a certain hotel a lumber of summonses are to be served on persons for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. The Council of the Chamber of Commerce has discussed a suggestion to advocate a main road from Auckland to Wellington. It was agree 3 that the matter was one for tho County Councils and the Government.

Feilding's municipal electric light was switched on on Friday night for the first timo. There was a very popular demonstration. " The light was switched on over tho borough by the Mayoress (Mrs. A. M. Ongley). "Tho scheme has cost £11,000, and supplies light for 20 •miles of streets, and also private lighting and power. Two Diesel engines, each of 100 horse-pow:er, are installed at the generating station. —Press Association.

The advantage of having some central place to drop into, to meet one another, to write a letter, or have a yarn, must be of service to troopert on leave in town. It has been suggested that the lack of such accommodation has induced a great deal mow drinking on the part of the men on leave, as they get tired walking the streets, and hitherto the only placos where they could have a sit down were the hotels. This defect has been remedied by the Citizens' Patriotic Committee through the kindness and consideration of the Wellington Old Navals' Association, which has placed a largo room in the boat-houso on Jervois Quay at the disposal of the committee as a rest-house. The room, whioh is to be open every evening, is well lighted" and ventilated, and has been liberally supplied with literature, writing material, newspapers, etc. It now remains for the troopers io show their appreciation of this rest-house by making full use of it.

So generous a response was made to an appeal instituted through Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co. in the wool sale-room in Dunedin that an actual sum of £319 ,10s. was Taised in the building (reports the "Star"). It was just before their sale that tho firm's auctioneer (Mr. D. Allan) announced'that Mr. Allen S. Orbell. of tho River Station, Waikouaiti, had presented one of the best bales of wool in his .clips to the Belgian Fund, on condition that it should bo put to public auction in the room, the purchaser in eaclh'instance returning tho bale to tho Belgian Fund. The proposition was first submitted to the chairman of tho Buyers' Association (Mr. Walter Hill), who heartily concurred in the idea, and forthwith the splendid sum of £319 10s. was raised in the building. In addition, the bale of wool still remains to be sold on behalf of the Belgian Fund, which should bring the total to about £350.

As the result of tho visit of thn Mayor, City Engineer, and Chairman of the Reserves Committee to Kilbirnie oil Thursday last, it is probable that an alternative pronosa! will be made to tho City Council to that of making golf-links on the hillside at Berhampore. 'Pile City Council's delegation was accompanied hv Messrs. Simpson and Watt, the professional golf players, who, it is understood, fnrour the lower slopes of the Town Belt on tho Kilhirnic side of the Victoria rante ns a better site for municinal golf links than the Berhampore side, and at the same time the snot is much handier to the City. Probablv the stihiect will come up for discussion at this evening's meeting of the City Council.

. Tho Auckland "Star" reports that on Thursday morning an auctioneering firm sold Wonderland, which, after leaving Wellington, figured at the Auckland Exhibition. The "Star" continues: "There were a large number of buyers, and bidding was fairly brisk, although no very high prices were realised for any of the articles sold. The Figure Eiglit station shod sold at £75, while the st.rncture itself, including coach bolts and other small_ appurtenances, brought £fis. The carriage slied in connection witli tho Figure Eight was sold for £17 10s., and a quantity of fencing and pig proof wiro surrounding the buildings was disposed of at £4 15s. The Tiny Towri railway brought £50, wliile the miniature engine and carriago realised £25. The train rails mit up for sale were sold at £28. Tim mot-or which had been used for the lighting of the Figure Eight brought £51."

The steamer Aldenlam, from Japan and the Far East brought to Australia a party oi Russians from Siberia and Jfaiiclitiria. In tho party were five women. All remained in Sydney exoept woman, who wont on to Melbourne to join her husband, who wns already there. These immigrants had much of interest to tell regarding Siberia and tho sidelights on the present war in that far corner of tho Russian Empire (says a Sydney paper). They state that whole districts havo been emptied of their young men, who have eagerly volunteered to join the colours. Tho district of Yakhoust lias been almost depopulated owing to the fact that it is largely composed of men of military age. Theso men are not conscripts, but volunteers in tho true sense of tho word. They enlist with enthusiasm as ] to a great hunting expedition.