LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2432, 10 April 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

9 The Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. H. Uerries) intends visiting the South Island in about ten days' time, and will probably go as tar as Dunedin on an inspection of the railways. The General Manager of Bailways (Mr. E. H.. Hiley) will probably accompany the Minister. "That's awful tricky stuff," Baid the British sergeant-major, as a trooper cut a slice from a cylindrical lump of guncotton, and jammed it hard into a tin three-parts full of glistening black powder, in the process of hand-grenade making, at the Trentham camp. "But it only goes off by percussion, doesn't it?" inquired a visitor. "I wish you Were right," said the sergeant-major. "I've known jt to go off in the sun without anything hitting it, and thero's enough in that lump to blow us all to bits." Just then the trooper placed the gun-cotton on a log fully exposed to tho blaze of a genial sun, and tho little group of spectators immediately found matters of interest in quite another part of the field.

The late Sir J. Hennilier Heaton's English estate, has been sworn at £368. —Press Association.

The Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen) went out to Trentham yesterday to inspect the reinforcements in camp.

The week-end purchasers from "up the line" and up the Hutt Valley come to town in good force every Saturday, but it may surprise many Wellington people to hear that returns compiled by the Railway Department show that theses visitors, most of whom aro shoppers, number 5000.

At tho meeting of the' Pharmacy Beard of Now Zealand held yesterday morning, a letter from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australasia was read asking for the board's co-operation in representations proposed to bo made to the Imperial authorities for an improved status for qualified pharmacists in the Army Medical Corps, and it was decided to support tho proposal and to suggest that qualified pharmacists be appointed to the more important' positions, especially in base hospitals. Regret was expressed at the recent appointment by a North Island Hospital Board of a lady not a certificated chemist to' the position of dispenser, although twenty applications from qualified chemists , had been received in response to an advertisement for a chemist to fill the vacancy of dispenser.

At the meeting of the Makara County; Council yesterday a complaint was received from a settlor near' Johnsonville as to tho danger likely to arise from tlio wanderings of a boar pig. It was stated in discussion that tile remedy lay in the hands of tho settler, who' had the right to destroy tho pig if liu found it in his own property, provided ha notified the police of the action bo liad taken. It was added that the owner was liable to a fine of U2O if lie allowed such an animal over four months old to wander. The clerk was instructed to warn tho owner, that h« would bo prosecuted if tho animal was allowed to wander on the county, roads.

The British Government has notified that British travellers desiring to pass through, France en route to England should provide themselves with British passports or consular passes, with photographs attached. The visa of the French Consul at the port of embarkation is not obligatory. Travellers without papers may be at any time refused permission to land at a French port.

Deer-stalkers report (says the "Wai« rarapa News") that sport is not too good yet, and they considor, this -year, that the season opened at least a fork night too early.

The Salvation Army . headquarters have beon removed from the foot of Taranaki Street to the. Army People's Palace buildiiig, in Tipper Cuba Street.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has cabled to the authorities in New Zealand that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs considers that if it is desired to contribute to the Servian Belief Fund tlio best plan would be to subscribe to the Servian Belief Committee in London, which liossesses' full information as to the needs of Servia.. "These needs," he cables, "are urgent, particularly as regards hospital equipment and inedical aid; £6000 has already been transmitted to Montenegro,> but-further subscriptions aro earnestly desired."

"All little men are vicious," said Mr. F. T. Moore in a case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. "How.do you know that?" inquired counsel. "Well, little men are generally vio. ious," replied Mr. Moore.

An unusual charge, that of failing to have their name painted on their cart, was brought against Dimock and Co., iu the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Defendants were convicted and ordered to pay costs 7s.

The sequel to an accident at Island Bay on January 14 last when a little girl was knocked over _by a motorcar occurred in the Magistrate's. Court yesterday when Byron Brown was charged with furiously driving a motorcar along the parade at Island Bay.Inspector Heiidroy explained that the little child in question had been knocked over 'by defendant's car and lind had a miraculous escape from serious injury. If due care had' been taken bv Brown the accident would not have happened. The inspector added_ that defendant had done everything in his power to inake up for the injurv ha had done. The Magistrate fined defendant £3, with costs los.

Thursday, Juno 3, is the King's Birthday and Empire Day, and. one that is'suro to be regarded this year as a holiday of very special significance. It will be observed as a public holiday by the Government offices throughout the Dominion.

Very little interest has so far bees manifested in the municipal elections in Masterton, says our correspondent. Most of the retiring councillors intend offering themselves for re-election, and it is anticipated that Mr. J. M. Coralline iyill be. returned unopposed for tho Mayoralty. Messrs. C. .E. Daniell, A. M'Farlane, and C. E. Cross were the only persons nominated for the representation of the Wairarapa on the Wellington Harbour Board,' says our Masterton correspondent-. Mr. Cross has for some tinio been a member of the Masterton County Council, and is a farmer in the Alfredton district.

Tho Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs has received a cheque for £7 from Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. ( beiug amount collected by fivo little girls at Te Horo for the Expeditionary Forces Red Cross Fund. The sum of £78 12s. 9d. was taken at the gate of . tho Wellington "Zoo" during the first eight days of April, which ii easily a record. On Easter Monday tho receipts amounted to £25 ss. 6d.', which represented a single day's record. For March the gate receipts ' totalled £48 13s. A new regulation under the Public Service Act provides that the Commissioner may grant to any officer of at least ten years' continuous service twelve months' leave of absence, and to any officer of less servico any time not exceeding six months' leave of absence, in each case on half salary. Any annual increment becoming due during such absenco will not be payable until the officer resumes duty. Officers of the Department of Agriculture who aro engaged in meat inspection, _ and whose duties involve their working on six holidays during tho year, may be granted, in lieu of equivalent time, one week's'special leave during a year, in addition to tho regulation leave!