LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2435, 14 April 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Reporting from Samoa on April 10 Colonel Logan says the health of the troops is good. Private R. J. Malcolm, of the Fifth. Wellington Regiment, wluo is suffering from acute tonsilitis, and J. H. Mitchell, who is suffering from a septic ankle, are both doing well.

From a drop of cigarette-ash, a single hair, and sundry other microscopic detail, the immortal Sherlock Holmes could reconstruct a dark and dismal crime, supply a description of the criminal, dazzle the police,' and astound the public. But it has been left for a local journal, from the vaguest rumour and conjecture, to construct the meeting of the British and German Fleets, and a running fight, followed by a general 'battle off the Norwegian Coast. Imagine the feelings of the local censor on perusing this triumph of deductive reasoning-

"This' council is drifting to the bad year by year," declared Councillor Galloway at yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council. "Four rears ago we had a surplus of £400; 'at present we have, an overdraft of £5000." A Press Association telegram from Gisborue states that burglars entered Findlay's confectioner's'shop and stole £45 in notes and silver. Some_ troops will arrive from Samoa this morning on release. The members of the Japanese Trade Commission were busy yesterday in visiting various firms in tho City, and they were also engaged in giving information to a number of business people, with regard to certain industries iu Japan. The Commission will leave for Christchurch in a couple of days. At yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council a letter was received from the Wellington City Council in respect to contributions to the Belgian Relief 1 Fund. Councillor Howell considered that the council should assist in augmenting the fund. Councillor "Welch interjected with the query "Are not the _ ratepayers doing their duty?" Councillor Howell replied that although there were many who. were assisting there were lothors who were shirking tho fund. The speaker said he knew one man who paid £200 a year in a land tax and yet boasted that he had not paid a penny to tho Belgian Relief It was eventually decided that Councillor Gallowav discuss the matter with the Mayor and report to the next council meeting. Thoso inevitable failings of boyhood— stealing apples, and throwing stoneswere responsible for the appearance of seven small boys in the Juvenile Court yesterday before Mr. G. Cruickshanks, S.M. Fivo were charged with being concerned in the raid on two orchards. The ring-leader of the quintet was fined fis., while his followers in* tho quest for the forbidden Wuit were cautioned and discharged. Two other juveniles were charged with stone-throw-ing. One was_ cautioned and discharged and the information against tlie other was dismissed. At the same sitting a child of three years was committed to the Wellington Receiving Home. At last evening's meeting of the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association a lotter was received from a journalist intimating his intention of establishing a_ paper devoted to tho' industries oT New Zealand, and asking for the support of the association in this matter. The opinion was expressed that it might ho a good tiling to have such a paper, but the association was not prepared to contribute in any way to its cost. Prominent farmers iu the Fairlie district who are dissatisfied in that tlie freezing companies are holdinc up stork while storage is still available, decided to cnll a. meeting to discuss the piomotioii of a Farmers' Co-operative Frew,in t; Company. savs a Press Aewtfiutwn talearam from Tinuriu

During the month of March and the fir6t week of April (which included tho Easter holidays], 1500 passengers weru carried in the Wellington tramways ob-. servation cars, which explore every part of tho City and Suburbs morning and afternoon daily 'J'lie trip takes hours, and oars leave the Gr.P.O. at 9.30 a.m. and Sf.3o p.m. daily, covering 30' miles of track. This trip at present necessitates a good deal of doubling back, but one long strotch of line which at present has to bo covcred twice will be cut out on the completion of tho Constable Street extension to South Kilbirnie. It may be possible, too, in the future to connect up l;,vall Bay with Island Hay along the coast-lino, with the department's new motor-buses, which would greatly enhance the t Two of these cars lire now being fitted with bodies in Wellington.

The. demand made by tho Wellington Harbour Board on, tho Wellington Patent Slip Company to erect a second slip in Evans Bay for the convenience of tho smaller craft. trading to Wellington has not yet been acceded to. Yesterday afternoon Mflsfirp. H. Beau chain p and W. A. Kennedy, representing tho Patent Slip Company, waited 011 the Wharves and Accounts Committee of the Harbour Board, and offered objection to providing a slip of 150 ft. in length, which is the length of tho cradls likely (according to the board and smaller steamship owners) to be of the greatest service to the vessels to bo served, and intimating that, in their o Pjn'?ii, a 130 ft. slip would be quito sufficient. It was stated at one 6tage by Mr. Beauchamp that there had been no block with regard to vessels wishing to use the slip of late, to which Mr. James Marchbanks replied that the board's own dredgo (the Whakariri) had! been waiting three weeks for the slip. There was some talk of the company laying down the smaller slip and enlarging it later on as the demand increased, but the company's represents tives were disinclined to bind themselves to make such an enlargement at the dictation of the board, whilst members of the committee maintained that the demand for tTie laTger slip existed at proaent, and should be met as Bet out in the Act. At present the matter remains at a deadlock.

In view of the home-coming of thd New Zealand troops from Sarao* this morning, the Wellington Patriotic Society ask he to request that all mercantile, commercial, and shippingvhouses, banks, and insurance offices fly their gayest bunting. These men have been serving their country for tlie past nine months undor conditions not altogether pleasant, mid they deserve a warm welcome hack on the pan of the . public of Wellington. '

Two bookmakers were fined at Timaru yesterday, ono £40 and tho other £20, for betting on licensed premises.. Press Association.

At its last meeting the Cross CreeK branch of the Railway Engineers', Firemen, arid Cleaneis' Association resolved, says a Press Association telegram from Carterton, to call the at-, tention of the Government to the unreasonable charges now being made for the necessaries of lifo. Tlie meeting considered that the national crisis was being used by merchants and_ others for private The inactivity of the, Government in allowing exploitation was deplored, and the Government was called upon to use legislative means to fix a maximum price of the necessaries of life and. to protect the country from, further exploitation*

Thirteen Chinese who have been on a visit from New Zealand to the Flowery Land came baok to the Dominion, by the Manuka from Sydney yesterday.

A delegation from the Saturday HalfHoliday Association waited _ upon tha Cricket Association at their meeting last night, and asked the support of that body to -the Saturday half-holiday, movement. The. Cricket Association agreed that it would' be in the interest of sport to have the Saturday half-holi-day made general, and therefore decided to support the proposal.

Recently assessors representing tig employers and the employees respectively in tlie soft goods trade liava been conferring before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. P. Hally) respecting the demands of the employees, but the two parties have been unable to agree. Last evening a meeting of soft goods employers was held in Winder's Buildings, and the decision arrived at was that the gathering should support tlia attitude of their assessors. the position now is that the dispute will go bofore tho Arbitration Court.

At the meeting of the Industrial Association held last evening a letter was received from Master Fuller, representing the Young New Zealanders' Club, stating that the club intended to hold a / carnival in the Masonic Hall on Saturday, April 24. It was proposed that they should oxhibit goods of New Zealand manufactures, which they subsequently proposed to sell by auction. The spirit of the letter was commended, and it was thought that if publicity were given to the matter a few gifts might be forwarded to the club.

"We will have to commence from the oradlo and teach children to appreciate the value of New Zealand-made goods,"said a member of the 'Wellington Industrial Association at last evening's meet* ing. The remark was apropos of an extract from the minutes of "tho recent meeting of the New Zealand Industrial Corporation, in which an Auckland delegate gave an example of the prejudice which existed against New Zealand goods. He happened to bo in a, . boot shop, and a lady had purchased a pair of boots. As they were about to be wrapped up her 'eye caught sight of a label on the tag, and she asked what it meant. The salesman stated that it was the brand of a certain firm of boot manufacturers in New Zealand, wberoupon she declined to accept the boots. He said that under such circumstances they could expect 110 help from the boot salesmen, who had to sell what the public wanted. They must begin to train the children and teach them what local manufactures meant to the country. A most unusual visitor to Christchurch was observed on Saturday morning in a 1 tree on a city, property. The visitor was a native wood pigeon, and perched on tho branches of one of a row' of fine chestnut trees for some considerable time. The' bird was of full size, but its plumage was a little dingy and generally it seemed listless and tired, as though it had flown a considerable distanco —as it must hare done, for there is no bush where such birds may be found in the proximity of the city.

THE STUDEBA KER DELIVERY VAN-* TWO ATTRACTIVE PROPOSITIONS. In the 25 h.p. Studebaker delivery van, equipped with electric self-starter and full "electric lighting set, we olaim to offer, tho best value in commercial vehicles now offered in this Dominion. It is a big, handsome van, beautifully finished, Th» engine is powerful simple, and absolutely reliable. Tho 6elf-starter never fails. The electric lamps are brilliant and great savers of time and money. Tho capacity of the van is about 15cwt„ and goods and driver are given complete pro. tection against wind and wet wcathor.' The wheels are fitted with Michelin detachable rims and Michelin- tyros, and there is a spare rim and tyre. The van sells complete for .£345, and will givo first-rate service over any roads under any conditions. We aro also offering very cheap, in order to clear, a 20-h.p. "Flanw ders" delivery ran, usual prico .£295. This van is slightly shop-soiled, having bees' used for demonstration purm>sea, but Is 09 good as new. It is a. little smaller than the 25 h.p. van. atid is not fitted with self-starter Or electric lamps.. It has full road equipment, affords complete protection to driver and goods, is absolutely reliable and efficient, and is offered at a -£50 reduction below usual price, photographs and full description on application. Adams, Ltd.. New Zealand Ttrw porters of StudebaVer Motors, Christ church, Timarn. W&nganui, and Palmer* utou North.—AdvU

I ■■ — In reply to a letter forwarded to the •Minister of Defence calling his attention to tie fact that Burmah candles were being used at Trentham Camp, the Wellington Industrial Association received •the following letter from the J'inister; "I have examined the statement made in your letter of February 22 with regard to the supply of Burmah candles to the camp at Trentham, and am now informed that a contract was accepted for Burmah candles for February only. Six tenders for candles were received for tho contract, four of which were on the same mark as regards price, but in only one case was any mention made about brand, namely "Burmah," which .was accepted. It must be assumed that the remainder were New Zealand manufacture. The contract for candles to Trentham Camp is now held by the Now Zealand Candle Company, and in future 'preference will be given to New Zealandmanufactured articles after due consideration as to T>rice. It is now proposed to add the following clause to the tender form: 'Where goods quoted for are not of New Zealand manufacture, the country in which manufactured should be so Stated.'—Yours faithfully (Sgd), J. ailon." .

An indication of _ the vigorous measures that are being taken to remedy the loss sustained by the Island Bay Presbyterian congregation in the loss : of their church, which was burned down last week, -was given at the meeting of the Wellington Presbytery last evening. The following resolution waß passed on the motion of Dr. Gibb, Dr. Elliott seconding: '.'The Presbytery expresses its satisfaction with the reports presented on behalf of the Home Mission Stations within the bounds, and especially its sincere sympathy with the Island Bay congregation in the loss of their church by fire, congratulates the office-bearers of the congregation on the ' fine spirit in which they have met their ■loss, thanks those who have already made generous contributions to meet the need of a. new building, commends the' matter to the assistance of the people of our Churoh, and records its conviction that the ultimate issue of the loss will be the strengthening of the cause in Island Bay and the greater glory of God." A committee to assist the Island Bay Committee was constituted as follows: —Dr. Elliott, the. Rev. ! J. Paterson, the Hon. J. G .W. Aitken, Mr. W. Hannay, and the Rev. W. Shirer (convener). The committee was invested with Presbyterial powers, that is to say, it was given executive authority. ' '