LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2441, 21 April 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The banks will be closed for holiday ou April 23 (St. George's Day). The Mayor (Mr. J, P. Luke), lrho Is offering tomself for re-election, is to give an account of his stewardship at the Concert Chamber on Friday evening. The annual conference of the Welling, ton Provincial Farmers' Union will bo held at Pahiatua on May 18 and 19. The annual conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union will be held in Wellington at a date to be fixed during July. Consequent upon a still further rise in the price of butter in Australia, it is understood that the local butter control intend to declare a further advance in the price in Wellington. Butter is. at present being retailed at Is, 6d. per lb. The Overseas Club has issued by its general secretary ill London (Mr. Evelyn Wrench) an appeal to all the Overseas Dominions to subscribe to a fund to bo called "The Overseas Aircraft Fund," to purchase aircraft to be presented to the British Government. An up-to-date biplane of the Army pattern fitted with a gun costs £2250, and New Zealand is _ asked to provide one of these machines. The gift, if made, will be definitely associated with the Dominion, and the fact that it has been presented b.v the residents will be painted on the machine. In giving his endorsement to the scheme, the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr._ Lewis Harcourt) wrote:—"The generosity of British subjects in all parts of the Empire has been bo striking aiid profuse that one hesitates to take part in any further appeal to them, but the proposal which you bring to my notice seems such a aood one that I venture to wish it every success."

Tepid baths for Wellington is a subject upon which aspirants for City Council seats are likely to find electors seeking tlioir views. The Roseneath Ratepayers' Association is going to ask candidates questions 011 the matter, and has decided to ask the City Council to consider the matter of- constructing salt-water tepid baths.

Failure to road printed instructions on a summons for debt occasioned a shock to a debtor appearing in tlio Magistrate'.s Court yesterday morning. The debtor appeared, and though ho had not filed a notice of intention to defend fas directed in the summons), said he wished to object to ihe summons. Asked by the Magistrate bad be read the instructions 011 the summons, the debtor replied in the saving that he was busy at the time. Plaintiff's solicitor said that defendant had not disputed the fact that he had incurred the dfbt. Judgnißut was civ-en agaiutt the dobto»-

"Japan" is the title of a highly-ln-terestinu illustrated pamphlet, which has been forwarded by the Japau Tourist Bureau. The pamphlet treats of the popular sights of Japan, calculated to please the eye and arrest the attention 'of the tourist, and the illustrations are very beautifully and artistically printed (in Tqkio). The publication is quite a desirable possession. New Zealand lias never issued anything half so attractive as "Japan.'? Small boys who may chance to have a pea-rifle among their worldly possessions should take warning from the case which came before Mr. G. Cruickshank, S.M., in the Juyenilo Court yesterday, when a boy of fourteen years had to answer a charge of being in the possession of such a weapon. The Magistrate severely cautioned the boy, and convicted and discharged him. A case has been set down for hearing at the Magistrate's Court next Friday in wliich the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is _ proceeding against a Johnsonvillo resident on a charge of cruelty to a dog. It is alleKud that tho person complained, of was seen to catch tho dog oy tho tail and swing it over a precipice 200 to 300 feet deep, tho dog bouncing against the | side of tho clilf all the way down.

Last night the boys from the Salvation Army Boys' .Home at Eltbam, now in Wellington in connection with tho annual congress of the Salvation Army, visited Trentham camp, and gave- an entertainment there which was very well attended. The Army Institute in the camp was filled long before the entertainment commenced. The hoys' programme consisted of recitations, songs, and other musical items, and physical drill, and altogether they excelled themselves. t The soldiers clieered the boys heartily after it was all over, and a very enjoyable evening concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

Evidently one of the big things in Wellington municipal matters, according to the view of the Roseneath Ratepayers' Association is the improvement of Oriental Bay. The association favours the scheme of Mr. n. H. Morton, the City Engineer, and at last night's meeting of the body the chairman (Mr. T. W. Ward) reported that as a member of the Greater Wellington Municipal Association he had been in a great measure instrumental in keeping oil the Municipal Association s ticket for the City Council tbe names of Messrs. 51. F. Luckie and H. Buddie, two members who had opposed Mr. Morton's scheme. The attitude or Councillor L. M'Keuzie on the question was raised, and it was ■ decided that when lie speaks at Roseneath to-night he should be asked if he will support Mr. Morton's plan. A general meeting of the Early Settlers and Historical Association of Wellington will be held 011 Friday evening next in Godber's Rooms, Courtenay Place. During the evening reminiscences of old Wellington will he given by Messrs. John Smith, Enoch Tonks, and H. M. M'Leod, winch, are bound to be interesting to all lovers of Wellington. ' Major Burlinson, manager of the Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa, Levin, has been granted by the Borough Council the use of the Levin Park-Domain for an early date in May.to hold a fair for the purpose of raising funds for the distressed 6ervians. A man was arrested by Deteotire Dempsey yesterday on two charges of assaulting young girls.. He will appear in Court this morning. One of the most surprising results of the war is the large number of grey-fiaired women of fashion one now sees both in London and Paris. Thiß, the "World" has discovered after some investigation, is not whollj; due to personal distress or patriotic motives. Truth is that the : best _ hair dyes hitherto have been made in Germany. The supply has been cut off by the war, and the women fear to take the risk of producing some weird effect by changing their eyes. If you put one sort of dye 011 the top of another, it is said that the conflict of chemicals may produce anything from sea-green to spontaneous combustion. So grey is becoming a fashionable colour.

A Waitotara Maori- lias probably ma do one of tlie most extraordinary applications that has ever coma before a Court —a prohibition order for his son, not, however, to restrain him from drinking, but from eating, The Native concerned had developed a most extraordinary mania for eating/ and not ago ate a large kit of potatoes, and lay like a log for a couple of days. The Natives were under the impression' that, if there was a law to prevent a man from drinking too much, there must surely be a law to prevent him from over-eating.

Whatever may be Mr. Massey's reasons for declining to aitend the Premier's Conference, it is wejl that he has arrived at that deoision (says the Melbourne "Argus"). He is not a State Premier; he would have no vote; and any urgent advocacy of policy on his part might draw the resentment of the Premiers. With the State Premiers the Prime Minister of New Zealand can have ho dealings on tho larger questions affecting the Dominion. Mr. Fisher has rightly urged the earnest consideration of do-operation in defence and reciprocity in trade between Australia and New Zealand; and with the6e Questions the Premiers' Conference will not deal. They are important, but thev should be discussed by the Commonwealth and New Zealand Prime Ministers. Mr. Massey will be welcomed to Australia when he does como, for the idea of closer relations between the two countries is popular; but' there is "no business" for the Domiuion in the invitation to the Premiers' Conference.