LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2443, 23 April 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Last night s Gazette announoeß that hares .are now protected in the Wellington Acclimatisation District.

The Defence Minister informed a rejwrtor yesterday that the artillery unit latelv. offered to the Imperial Government was a howitzer battery, with n complement of about 400 men. Those had been secured.

At 10.30 a.m. to-day the Court of Appeal will hear the case Battersbv v. Wheat ey. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the case M'Millan v. the Commissioner of Stamps will be taken.

Application for the sum of £GSOO on account of the estimated subsidy for the year is to he made by the We'lliml- - Hospital Board. "

I have not seen-mv people in Brisbane since 1.000, so 1 left the ship," was the explanation given by Georjte Sullivan 'in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when charged witli deserting from the_ Corinthic on February 1 la-s.t. "Wanted to soc your dear old' mother again?" inquired the. .Magistrate. "Yes," assented accused readily. "You must not run away from ships, though," remarked His Worship, and imposed a sentence of It days' imprisonment.

Mr. F.ric RitWlit'ord, wlin tiil;ps a knoll interest in the work of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, lias handed to the chairman a cheque far one hundred (ijtnoi, lit a rirtlliillgi) to*"urd& % (wis«{ &9 WCifittt

Chatham islands, which had not previously been included in any hospital district, have, according to last night's Gazette, been assigned lo the North Canterbury Hospital District.

Notification lias been received from the Public lrusteo that the sum of £4000 is available on account from the I'. G. Macarthy Fund immediately the Wellington Hospital Board is ready to re- ®[ v ' 't for the establishment of the I. G, Macarthy Home for Convalescent Cniklren. '

111 yesterday's weather forecast it was erroneously stated the wind would be northerly, instead of N southerly as predicted.

Our Masterton correspondent, telephoning early . this morning reports that a patriotic flag, presented by Mr. A 0. Considiue. chairman, was offered at auction at Martinborough bv Mr. 0. C. Cooper, auctioneer for Messrs. Abraham and Williams-last ivening. and realised the magnificent sum of £2420, which is believed- to ho a record. There were ten bids of £100 each and tho flag was finally secured by Mr. W. .J. Martin, who paid £200 tor tile privilege. The flag was presented by the purchaser to the local school. The sum realised will be a welcome addition to tlio Belgian Relief Fund.

According to a public statement (says the "AVaitara Mail") Messrs. Borthirick and Sons expect their shipment of meat from Waitara this season will be 25 per cent, more than for any previous season.

Councillor S. M.'Stone, of the Jliraniar Borough Council, has put Up a record in. the matter of attendances at the Miramar Borough Council. During his_ four vears of office he has attended 155 council meetings out of the 159 held.

A conference of the chief Hospital Boards of New Zealand ivas recently suggested to the Wellington Board bv the Christchurch Board. The Wellington body decided yesterday to roplv to the southern body tliat Wellington is in favour of holding a conference, but that, as tho Inspector-General of-Hos-pitals was about to call' a conference of Hospital Boards, Christchurch might co-operato at that gathering. •

The ignition of a mattrass while it was being hung in the front of a firs at Edinburgh Terrace yesterday '"was responsible for the fire brigade being called out. Beyond the burning of the mattrass no damage was done.

The rates of pay for warrant officers and non-commissioned officers of the New Zealand Permanent Staff have been increased as follow:—Warrant officers, from £200 to £225 per annum; N.G.O.'s on first_ appointment, from £160 to £190; N.C.O.'s .on completion of three years' service, from £180 to £210; and N.C.O.'s on completion of five years' service, from £200 to £225.

The construction of tho Okahukura tunnel, on the Stratford railway, is again proceeding actively. A letter has been received by Mr. G. L. Peacocke,' actmg-ohairman of the -Auckland Railways League, from an Ohura member of the league informing him that, following the failure of the contractor, arrangements were made by the Public works Department to continue the work with as little delay as possible.

The matter of a war tax was considered by theh Wellington Trades Council last evening, and it was resolved that, as a fitting source of revenue to meat the expenditure of the war, the extra profits accruing to producers, exporters and others solely because of the war should bo appropriated to the State by special taxation to the extent necessary. , '

At last -night's meeting of the Wei lington Trades and Labour Council it was decided to hold a demonstration on Labour Day, October 25, the function to consist of a procession and a sports programme. Also, an art union will be held. v

A\ord has been received in Eltham that Mr. A. O'Neil, a reservist, who left for the front during the early stagos of the war, has been seriously wounded, and lies in a French hospital. His wife resides in Eltham.

Gisborne persistently refuses to be dispossessed of its proud title as the champion birth-producing town in tho Dominion. During the month of March, Gisborne and Tnvercargill headed the list with a total of 38 each, Wanganui came next with • 2S, while Palmerston North had 26, and Napier was away down seventeenth on tha list, with 10.

The Underwriters' Association of New Zealand is holding a conference Ln Wellington at the present time.

It is stated that few alterations of moment have taken. place on White Island sinco tho "blow-out" there in September last, when 11 men lost their lives, nor has anything transpired i which throws further light upon the I disaster. Little trace remains, however, of the former activities of the White Island Sulphur Company, The' island has quietened down considerably since last visited, and the crater can be approached without danger. A small stream is again running down tho old channel, the water being cold, but i heavily impregnated with minerals, and a few hot springs have appeared which were not noticed before.

Wainoni Park, which a few years ago was a popular jjleasure resort for the residents of Christchureh and for visitors, has passed out of being as a place for amusement. It was last year offered for sale and was purchased privately. A sawmill is now at work, and a large number of the stately pine trees which formerly were an attraction are being turned into timber and firewood. It is proposed to make a road forty chains long and a- chain wide through the centre of the park.