LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 2456, 8 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'At next Tuesdays meeting of the Provincial Association tha business will include the setting up of an advisory committeo to confer with ths Prime Minister regarding the formation of a committee to be agreed to by other industrial associations in connection with the proposed New Zealand Board of Industries and Trade.

Relatives of a New Zealand soldier, now a prisoner in Germany, have just received a letter from him at Menlo Park, near San Francisco, giving in a sentence a revelation of conditions under which British prisoners are compelled to exist in the Kaiser's domains. The letter had been heavily censored, but tho writer cleverly defeated the Teutonic censor. "As England has declared a blockade 011 tho Gorman coast," said the New Zealand military prisoner, "this will probably be the last letter you will receive from me, and I would advise you to keep the postage stamp as a souvenir." The recipients of the missive thought tho request a strange one, and after they had steamed the envelope they wero surprised to behold tlie words written underneath the stamp, "We are starring.

The officials of the Orchards Division of tlio Government Agricultural Department at Cliristeluireli intend to organise a "Fruit Week," the proceeds from wliieli will go to the Belgian Fund.. It was .hoped at one time, says a Cliristehurcli paper, to send a big shipment of fruit to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but insulated spnee was unprocurable, and the idea had to lie abandoned. Now all growers of fruit will he asked to contribute a lit tie of their produce for the cause, riul I lie Government officials will collect the donations and hold a. monster sale, probably, in Cathedral Squaro»

If there are many women in Now Zealand like an irate wife, who caused a diversion in Shortland Street, Auckland, on Saturday morning, it would bo worth the while of the Defence authorities forming an Amazon battalion for the front. Her husband, a large and hefty man, who looked as if he had dono some hard work in his time, was (so it was alleged) endeavouring to avoid her. When the two met face to face there Was a short discussion, and tlio woman suddenly clinched matters b.v dealing the would-be absentee a swinging blow with a basket she was carrying. The man was bowled over, and when he got up again one side of his face was-a "red ruin." A policeman gave the matter his attention, but as neither of the parties to the one-' sided combat wished to invoke the aid of the law, nothing further came of tlio incident, and the crowd which had been attracted melted awav.

An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire which destroyed Messrs. J. J. Craig's stables in Parnell 011 the evening of April 22 will be opened on Monday morning by Mr. E. C. Cutten. S.M. It is left entirely to tho discretion of a coroner as to whether or not an inquiry is held into a. fire. In the case of a. death, however, when no doctor's certificate is forthcoming, an inquiry must bo held.

The complaints made by troopers r&turned from Egypt in respect to goods sold at the canteens on the troopships aro referred to by Colonel A. Plugge, officer commanding tho Auckland Infantry Battalion, in the courso of a letter sent to bis father-in-law, Mr. Graves Aickin, of Auckland. Writing from the Zoitouii camp, Egypt, under date March 3, Colonel Plugge states: — "I was particularly pleased with Colonel J. It. Reed's letter in respect to the complaints of the men returned from Egypt. The men who were returned could be divided into four classes —(a) invalids —one is only sorry for them; (b) men invalided through disoase; (c) objectors to inoculation against typhoid—some were conscientious: and (d) bad characters, who were not likely to make efficient soldiers. What sort of reports could you expect from men of classes (b), (c), and (d)? I can speak about the troopship Waimaua, and I think I,am a good enough Aucklander for my word to be taken. I can assure you that there was no truth in the statements that gifts from tho Auckland Patriotic Committee or elsewhere were sold in the canteens. The company commanders, to whom tlio gifts were consigned, can certify that they got- the wholo lot, and that were distributed as fairly as possible. We had over 1400 men on tlio Waimana."

Dr. E. Baker, medical inspector of schools, met a small gathering of teachers at Tim aru on Saturday, and discussed with them various matters pertaining to her work (says the "Herald"). She dealt chiefly with her annual report for 1914, and gave some interesting statistics bearing on the various diseases met with in the course of her examination. Dr. Baker expressed tho opinion, inter alia, that the new physical instruction was already giving evidence of it.s power to combat the minor physical deformities commonly met with in school children. In reply to the suggestion frequently made by parents in poor circumstances that the Government should go a step further and give medical treatment free. Dr. Baker stated that the notification to parents should ensuro admission to tho inedipal or dental wards of the public hospital when parents could not afford to obtain other professional advice. Sho was of opinion that when things became normal again, after the war, the most necessary step in the extension of tha medical inspeotion of schools "would be the appointment of school dentists.

In Everybody's to-morrow night Mrs. J. Donaldson will lecture on "Why I am a Social Democrat." In the recent election .for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Mrs. Donaldson was highest of the unsuccessful candidates, a position which sho also held at tho previous election two years ago. Mrs. Donaldson has had a wide experience in social matters both in Great Britain and New Zealand.

Yesterday morning between 8 and !) o'clock, Mr. W. Meager, from Taita, accompanied by liis two sisters, wasmotoring along Railway Avenue, Lower Hutt. When immediately after crossing the Hutt Bridge, the car got beyond the control of Miss Meager,' who was driving. It suddenly swerved, and crossing the footpath dashed into a fence, smashing the wind-screen, besides doing other slight damage. The occupants were not badly injured, but the ladies suffered a rather severe shock.

Sidney Thomas Lidstone Baker, a bankrupt, has been committed for trial (states a' Press Association message from Waimate) on charges, first, of incurring debts when he had no reasonable expectation of being able to pay; second, with obtaining credit for a motor-van body from George Dash by a false representation, and for sentence on a charge of not keepihg proper bocks. Bail was fixed, at £50.

The Education District Boundaries' Commission opened its sittings in Christchurch yesterday. A statement from the chairman of the_ Westland Board was handed in. He said his board was not in favour of the constitution of one board for the West Coast, be-" cause Westland would derive no benofit. If Westland were to be absorbed tho board would bo in favour of amalgamation with Canterbury.—Press Association.

A man named L. Woodyett pleaded guilty at Wanganui yesterday _ to a charge of forgery and attempting to utter a cheque for £20, and was committed to Wellington for sentence:— Press Association.

Messrs. G. H. Fell and P. H. Putnam, who have been carrying on business at Wellington, have amalgamated their bvsinesses and entered into partnership as solicitors. During _ Mr. Fell's absence with tho Expeditionary Forces, Mr. Putnam will therefore attend to the former's business.