LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2426, 3 April 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Advice has been received from San Francisco iliat 11.M.5. Moana sailed on March 31 for Wellington. She carries the following bags of mails:— flew Zealand, 1218; Australia, 361.

Wednesday of this week was the fifteenth anniversary of the departuro of the Fifth New Zealand Contingent to take part in the South African war. The contingent was about 600 strong, and sailed in the steamers Waimato and Maori.

A resident of Belvedere. Mr. W. Earl, recently had several cows die rather mysteriously, says our Carterton correspondent, and the Inspector of Stock (Mr. A. T. P. Hubbard) suggested the cause was poisoning through the cows licking now paint. The Agricultural Chemist, Mr. Ashton, has silico mado an analysis of a portion of the animals' stomachs, which, were forwarded to him for that purpose. He reports that lie found / copious traces of lead, and is of opinion that Inspector Hubbard was right in attributing death to paint poisoning. Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh'states that hs will not bo a candidate for the chairmanship of the Wellington Harbour Board.

Assisted immigrants to the number of eighteen arrived by R.M.S. lonio from London cn Thursday. They included several domestic servants.

The Victoria College cricket team left for Cllristcliurch on Thursday evening. On Saturday and Monday a match will he played against Cantorbury College, and on Monday evening the team will leave on its return to Wellington. Tho eleven composing the team aro: S. W. Dempsey, A. Caddick, F. M. Martin, P. B. Broad, A. W. Duncan, Crump, T. Gibbons, C. Joplin, E. H. Ward, A. P. Chapman, and S. Lean.

The fifth annual conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association will commence to-day in the Masonic Hall, Boulcott Street. _ This afternoon will be devoted to a visit to Trentham and in tho evening the delegates will be entertained at a dinner. On Monday and Tuesday evenings addresses will be given by the Government' poultry instructors. Poultrymen are invited to attend.

■ Mr. H. R. Roberts, who acted as tho producer of "Du Barry" for Mr. Geo. Musgrove, _ and who is acting in the play, was in the original cast of David Belasco's, "Du Barry" at Was'uington, and subsequently played through tho New York season with Mrs. Leslie Carter as lead. Mr. Roberta tolls a rather good story anent the production of this play ten years ago. Prior to producing "Du Barry," Mr. Belasco had purchased another play on ±he same themo from M. de Richepin, and when it was announced that Belasco's own play was to be produced, the American author and producer, was at once accused of plagiarism. To Tefute this Mr. Belasco had the whole of the play he had bought from M. de Richepin published in tlie "New York Journal" and invited the public to "witness his own, and judge for themselves if he was a plagiarist. The plan was immediately successful. It removed all suspicion of plagiarism on the part of Mr. Bclasco and at the same time drew vast crowds for several months to witness his own play.

llie executive of the New Zealand Publio Service Association has completed an arrangement with selected hotel-keepers and boardinghouse-keep-ers throughout New Zealand' to give inembers of the Public Service Association special rates en the lines, of the arrangement with the Commercial travellers' Association. The executive is charging Is. a ticket which entitles' a member to the privilege. A booklet goes with each ticket showing the select™ houses throughout New Zealand, and tho ticket lasts for a year. Th'o scheme, it is stated, promises to ho of great benefit to public servants "enerallv.

rhe Montessori system is now in full swiiir in the Wanganui Centrai Infants' School and is to bo extended to all schools throughout the district, says our anganui correspondent. Under it the children are entering into the lessons with great zest and excellent results are anticipated.

For some years the "Wanganui museum has 'had accumulating a surplus of duplicated exhibits. The trustees of the institution have now arranged for tlie disposal of these by effecting exchanges with several museums in Japan ;n return for Japanese specimens of interest. •

A unique experience marked the appearance of "The Glad Eye" Company at the new theatre in Hamilton last week. Whilst the comedy as in progress the electric light all ever the building suddenly went out, leaving the theatre in Stygian darkness. Cant'lea were commandeered and ; n the dim mysterious light the stage hands were S li. ° shed a modicum of light °n the comedy, when a voice from the auditorium suggested- that all tlose with motor-cars should bring in their lamps. This happy suggestion was at once acted upon and pro?id efiecme enough to finish tne ttlav «itl.

The Department of Labour intends to institute proceedings at law against the proprietors of some city restaurants on tho ground that they have employed workers in oxcess of the time prescribed by the award.

In a private letter from the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, mention, is made of a Confirmation Service at the foot of tho Pyramids. The Bishop writes:—"l took my first Confirmation Service yesterday, right in the middle of the New Zoalanders' camp, hundreds of picketed horses and tents and men ou one side, and limitless desert on the other. Horses boing led past to water and bugles blowing now and again. Thirtyfive men, all 'of the best, including one officer. It was a never-to-bo-forgotten aftornoon. . . ."

Several firemen will appear in t*ho Magistrate's Court this morning to answer cliargos in respect to two or three_ street fights which occurred in the city on Thursday night.

The Defence Department has aetender of Mr. Hay, cf Willis Straet, for the supply of sixty badges for tlio nurses who are goinpt to the front. The badge is. a small metal disc about the size of the National Reserve badge, with the Red Cross of St. John of, Jerusalem in the centre of a circlet of bine enamel, with the letters N.Z.N.C. New Zealand Nursing Corps below.

The usual Good Friday services were' hold in the churches yesterday. At St* Paul's Cathedral the service was conducted by the vicarj tlio Rev,. A. M. Johnson, at St. Peter's by Archdeacon' C. C. Harper, and at St. Mark's by tlie Rev. Mr. W. Thompson. There were also the usual afternoon services from noon until 3 p.m. Tho Bishop of Welling ton conducted tlio afternoon service at St. Mark's. There were son vices morning and evening in tie Roman Catholic churches, and morning services were conducted in tlio Pros* b.vterian churches.

Tenders have been accepted by the' Defence Department for supplies for tha reinforcement drafts to join the Expeditionary Force. In spite of tlio reported activity of agents acting on b&. half of the Commonwealth Government or of Australian contractors, ample -supplies were offered, it prices little anything above those hitherto paid. Even for tlio woollen goods the prices have not advanced materially, although as is well known raw wool has risen considerably in price. The boot con* tracts went to Robert Hannah and Co., of Wellington, 1000 pairs per month for 12 nionths, and to O'Brien and Co., Christchurch, 1250 pairs per month.

A number of Auckland bakers wera proceeded against in the Police Court on Wednesday, reports the "Herald,"for selling lignt-weight bread. There were 26 charges in all, and caoh was dismissed on the legal point that there had been no actual salo io the inspeotor who bad weighed the loaves. Tha undisputed fact that the great majority of loaves sold wero below the standard weight led Mr. F.' V. Frazor, S.M., to remark that_ bakers who deliberately sold light-weight bread, with the price as high as it is at present and with so much property in tho city, deserved greater punishment than that which the Court had power to inflict. He added that if he had occasion in the future to convict for selling light-weight bread ho would huve no hesitation in imposing a heavy penalty and in ordering the defendant to pay for advertising the fact of his convifction in the newspapers. Millisaa's Merchant Tailoring premises in Kelburn Avenue will re-open on Tuesday . morning, when gentlemen who call early will have first choice of tha newest autumn suitings.—Advfc.

A. C. Parker, sou of Mrs.Parker (sister of Lord Kitchener)., is at present oil special service in Egypt. _ Captain Parker was formerly in tho New Zealand Defence Forces (South Canterbury), from which he passed into the British Army. He served in Egypt for some years, states the "L.vttelton Times," and then join, ei the Egyptian Civil Service. He was for ten years Governor of the Peninsula of Sinai, where the campaign of the Turks is now being prosecuted.

Passenger traffic by steamers arriving and leaving Wellington on Thursday and yesterday was particularly, heavy. On Thursday evening the Maori got away for Lyttelton to time and the Arahura half an hour later. Both vessels were full ships. Leaving Wellington last evening the Wahine was crowded. Passengers for the south' this evening will be well catered for,. The Huddart-Parker steamer Victoria) will take her departure for Dunedin direct at 5 p.m. and she will bo followed by the Wimmera for Lyttelton and Dunedin. The Maori will sail for Lyttelton as usual .at 11 p.mv Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland passengers will have an opportunity of travelling by the Monowai leaving Wellington for the ports mentioned at 5 p.m.

Burglars were busy in the vicinity of Austin Street on Saturday last. Three residences were visited between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., and in one instance a substantial sum of money was secured by the intruders., who; made their visit to the premises when: the occupants were absent.