LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2408, 13 March 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho postal authorities advise that the e.s. Rivorina, which sailed from Sydney on Thursday for Auckland, is bringing Australian mails only. Tho Wellington portion is due __por Main Trunk express on Tuesdeiy ioxt.

"It's no good arguing—l plead guilty," interrupted a man with an. Irish name to the Clerk of the Court at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, while the latter was reading tho formulated list of previous convictions against him. Tho clerk continued "arguing," however, and eventually mentioned the eighth and final conviction against the accused within the past sis months. Accused stood with a look of hopeless resignation on bis faco. "It's all right, I plead guilty," ho murmured. But the "arguing" still continued. "You are further charged," continued tha clerk, "with using "Oh, I plead guilty," said accused*. The would-be guilty person did not take tha slightest notice of further deprecatory remarks ab9Ut his previous record, and as he received his sontences of two months _ and three months' imprisonment witha prohibition order to boot, he just wiped his eyes with a dirty, handkorchief and limped from the dock.-

The Prime Minister has received the following advice from the Imperial authorities by telegraph with regard to the supply of meat for the Allied armies:—"The intention is that any meat not required for the Allied Forces 6hall be placed on tho market through the ordinary channels, and dealt with by the agents, who have hitherto had speoifio brands pass through their hands." This, as the Prime Minister points out, is a very important matter for the New Zealand meat export companies, because under this arrangementtheir connection, with their clients will bo maintained with tho least possible disturbance of ordinary business relations.

Mr. TJlian M'Cabe, Vice-Consul for Russia, lias advised tho Prime Minister that he has received from tho Imperial Russian' Ministry of Foreign Affairs a cablegram to the effect that His Majesty the Emperor of Russia has been graciously pleased to allow all Russian reservists, desirous of doing so, to join the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces.

The annual conference of the United Districts- Fire Brigades' Association, which comprises brigades in thei Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, and Wairarapa districts, will be held at Woodville during Easter. It is expected that the conference will extend for three days, and that some thirty-fivo brigades will be represented.

The official opening of the dental branch of the outpatients' department! of the i Wellington Hospital is to taka place next 'Wednesday afternoon '

The application lodged by the Australian Manufacturing and Importing Co., Ltd., Woodward Street, Wellington. for the avoidance or suspension of trade-mark No. 11136, bearing 'data March 19, 1913, will bo heard next week. The patent consists of the word "Matador," and is registered is Class 13 for lamps, lanterns,-and sundries by Ehrich and Graetz, of Berlin, So., 36, Elsenstr, 92/94, Germany, lamp manufacturers. Any person interested who desires to bo hoard in opposition to the application should give notice to the Registrar of Trade Marks, Wellington, before Thursday next.

In response to the request of a nurrw ber of farmers in the Manawatu district, Mr. Edward Newman, M.P., has consented to deliver an address on "Agricultural Education," in the Town Hall, Rongotea, next Monday night.

A cablegram from Australia stated yesterday that the Federal Government was taking over the control of ell the woollen mills to facilitate the manufacture of material required for Army; purposes." An inquiry'was made yesterday in order to ascertain whether ' any such contingency was likely to occur-in New Zealand. The opinions collected were that it was not at all probable that anything of the sort would be likely to occur in the Dominion. The supply oS material for Army contracts her© was being met without any trouble by tha mills, and as most of them were in any, case employed to some extent- in turnout out khaki cloth for the Defence De* partment's contractors, there was no need for any State action. As a matter of fact, with supplies of woollen goods cut off from the Old Country, the mills were going full time to keep tho local markets supplied with goods necessary to the public, and with the advance of the season this demand was likely to be* come firmer than it is to-day.

A man of the "rolling stone" class, named John Wilkinson, appeared In tha Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with being a rogue and a vagabond,' having been found at an early hour ofl the morning in a Tailway carriage Thorndon mthout excuse. Th© Magifri trate inquired of accused where he ha<i been during the past few months. Accused replied! that he had been travelling about the northern portion of West* ern Australia, had been 'previously ir; Africa, and a month or so ago had arrived in Auckland. Some days ago he took it into his head to walk to Wellington. (where ho had not been, for 15' years). He arrived in tho capital city, at about 3 o'clock yesterday morning, wet through with tho heavy rain. _ Ha sought refuge in a railway train at Thorndon, and being arrested there by) a constable appeared in Court yesterday morning. The Magistrate said he would believe his story, and as accused wished to join the Expeditionary Force ha cautioned and discharged him.

When the Ulimaroa was some .milcS out from Sydney on its, way to Welliug-i ten, an intelligent-looking youngster waft discovered crouched in one of the boats. The boy confessed to his dis< coverers that he had escaped from an industrial school 00. or 70 miles front Sydney, and having walked that distance ho made for the wharves, andi waiting a favourable opportunity secreti od himself in one of the boats. Oil arrival here tho young adventurer was handed over to the police, and yester* day he appeared before Mr. D. 6. A',Cooper, S.M., in the Juvenile Court, when lie was charged with being a stowaway. Tho Magistrate convicted him' and ordered him to come up for sentence when called -upon. The lad is to ha taken back to the institution from whiolj he cscapod.

Councillor Brocklebank, of the Petone Borough Council, and member of tho Hutt Park Committee, wlio, at tho meeting of the latter, opposed tho leaso granted to the Hutt Valloy Trotting Club, and who regards 15 years as too long a term foe tho leaso of a public park, intends to table a notice of motion to have the question reconsidered by the committee. Tha Telegraph Office advise that from 'April 1 tho cable rate to the United • Kingdom, via Pacific, will be reduced i as follows 2s. Sd: per word; - deferred. Is. 4d.; Government, Is. 4}d.; •week-end, Bd. per word, with a minim-urn Of 13s. 4d. (eqlial charge 20 words). ■All Canadian. IJAited States of America, and South American rates via Pacific are reduced from the same date. Ordinary, 4d. per -word; deferred and Government, 2d. per word. Week-end to Canada, whero tho ordinary rate from April 1 is 2s. per word is Teduced to 6d. per word, with a minimum of 10s. for twenty words, A Silverstream resident had three hags of chaff deposited near his gate on Thursday by a carrier, according to agreemont. Upon going to bring them to his house in the evening, ho was astonished to find only one bag, but tho tell-tale wheel marks of a light gig spoko volumes, and saddling his horse, the settler gave chase. A glance at the Taita Hotel satisfied him that his' "quarry" was not there, and arriving at'tho Lower Hutt police station he told liis 6tory. Believing the gig liad not passed through Lower Hutt, a watch was kept in tlie rain by. the police, and finally, two men appeared, driving, v ith two bags of chaff in a gig. Upon being asked by the police whero they intended to take the chaff they answered "To the Lambton Quay Police Station." -'ho explanation was not considered satisfactory, and the men will appear at the Lower Hutt Court on Monday to. further elucidate their'connection with tho matter. Following are the tenders received by the City Council for the removal of buildings in connection with the Willis Street and Mercer Street-widening proposals :—Wakelin and Hill, £1111 (accepted) : J. H. Meyer,. £1097; Ernest Clarke, £1240; Sanders 8r05.,';£1257; Campbell and Burke, £1398; M'Lean and Gray, £1740; Brown and Johnston, £1773; Horace Collins, £2137. ■ A deputation of Island Bay ratepayers waited on the Roservo Committee 'on Thursday, requesting that Reef Street should be ■improved by planting it with suitable trees. They also asked that the large flat area of Town Belt land opposite Wakefield Park should be planted on the northern and southern sides.- If this woro done the ground, which is frequently usod for picnics, would become quite a popular resort. The requests are to be considered and reported upon. . In view of tho fact that tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board • is advertising for .tenders for a three years' milk supply for tlie Oliiro Home, Wellington Hospital and its institutions, it.would appear to be practically certain that the idea of purchasing ,i dairy farm so hotly discussed by the board a few weeks ago, has been abandoned. The tenders aie for three years' supply ending March 31, 1918. The police have as yet received no indication, as to the whereabouts of Mr. Kirkus, ranger to the Miramar Borough Council, who has been missing for. several days. " A man was arrested by Detective Andrews yesterday on a. charge of, stealing an overcoat and an. umbrella valued- ■ at £4 45., the property of Francis Wm. Tarrant. AYhen he appears.before tho Magistrate at tho Court this morning ho will be charged in addition with, being idle and disorderly. _ The Carterton branch of the Caledonian Society has" decided to recommend that no sports be held this' year, but that,-a donation be made to the poor of Great Britain and Allies' Relief Fund. Somo of the papers to be-read at the conference of civil engineers now in progress at Dunedin are as follows:— "The Reclamation of Sand Drifts- by Planting Marram Grass," , by Mr. J. V. Marks; "The Protection of River Banks by Means of Groynes," by Mr. F. W. Furkert, A.M.1.C.E., Wellington; "County Roads—Their Formation and Maintenance," by Mr. S. A. R. Mair; ■ county, engineer, Hunterville; "The Raising of Water from Artesian Wells (with special (reference to the Water Supply of tho Lower Hutt Bor- , ough)," by Mr. W.'J. Roche, borough engineer, Lower Hutt. Mr. W. Withers, of Wadestown, is i , presenting some twenty of his watercolours, to be disposed of by means of an art union in'aid of the funds of the Mayor's War Distress Fund. The pictures were sketched .by Mr. Withers during a trip to the Old Country, some two years ago, and consist of charming glimpses, of English and_ Welsh scenery. Tickets are now being .disposed of at the popular price of _ one shilling. Later, on the pictures will be exhibited in some suitable location, .when the. public will be able to judge of their quality. The New Zealand Natives' Association has decided to arrange a' theatre party to attend the performance of "Lady Windermere's Fan," by the PlimmerHall Patriotic Company, at- the Grand Opera House on Friday, March 20. All profits from the tour of this company go to the Belgian Fund. Tho New Zealand Government National Provident Fund, as a result of the lecturing propaganda inaugurated by tho board, is reported to be making excellont progress. The income limit was originally not to • have exceeded £200 a year on an average for the three , years preceding joining, but the Amending Act of last session raised that maximum to £250 a year for the same period. The Amending Act also empowers, at the suggestion of the local authorities, all such Dodies to come into the fund on behalf of their employees for superannuation purposes.. Companies, employers, churches, schools, etc., may also take advantage of this State guaranteed and subsidised fund on .behalf of their staffs members, etc. Owing to the substantial growth of the fund larger premises were provided some time ago, and the Department is now locatod in tho Bank of New Zealand Buildings ,corner of Manners and Cuba Streets, where the public can obtain full particulars. Special hours of business to''suit workers have been arranged. ' Up to the end of last year the sum of £2671 was paid out by way of . maternity benefits.

The Waterside Workers' Band will play at Lyall Bay at 3 o'clock to-morrow afternoon