LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2473, 28 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Telegraph Office advise that deferred telegrams from or to Italy, or in transit over Italian lines, are no longer admitted.

All ordinary passenger bookings by the Orient liner Orsova, time-tabled to leave Sydney for London, via Suez, on July 3, have been cancelled. The whole of the accommodation on that steamer has been reserved for military and naval men and their wives and families.

Tho Government havo arranged for tho running of special trains in the evenings for the convenience of soldiers at tho Trentham camp, the present time-table having proved to be inadequate. On Wednesdays and Saturdays trains will leave \he Defence Siding at Trentham at 5.3 p.m. and 5.48 p.m.. arriving at Wellington at 6.1 p.m. and 6.37 p.m. Return trains will leave Lambton Station at 10.520 and 11 p.m. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays only the 5.3 train from Trentham will run, and the return train will leave Lambton at 10.20 p.m.

It was reported at the meeting of the Hospital Committee yesterday that many offers of assistance 'on tho Wellington Hospital staff have been received from medical practitioners in and out of the Wellington district, besides many applications for appointment as probationers on the nursing staff. There are many applicants waiting for appointment on the staff, and there is therefore no occasion at present to call upon the services of any applicants below the age-limit, namely, 21 .Tears, The committee recordod its thanfis for tho timely offers of assistance both from dcctors and nurses.

At the meeting of the.representatives of local bodies to deal with the smallbird nuisance at Levin, Mr. T. W. Kirk Director of Orchards, said, placing everything on a low basis, no less than £4,400,000 damage was done per annum Ul the Dominion by small birds.

Tile Legislation Committee of the City Council reported last night that they had instructed the City Valuer to prepare a report on the condition of the whole of tlio corporation's City properties.

During a thunderstorm at Gibraltar a cloud of what i 6 believed to Inivc been millions of tiny frogs, which had evidently been sucked up from a lake twenty 'miles away, touched the hills, and the ground swarmed with frogs.— "Press Association.

The tenders of the following firms were accepted by the City Council last night:—Tramways caps and cap-covers, Hill and Sons; fire brigade caps. Rapson and Irvine; laundrywork, Excelsior Laundry Company.

Consent was given last night by the City Council to the application o'f the National Reserve B Company for the construction of a Morris-tube rifle range adjoining the Hataitai Bowling Greon, subject to whatever conditions the city engineer_ deems necessary to safeguard the public, and the -users of the range.

Of approximately some 12.000 Salvationists who have enlisted in the Old Country, 3000 are bandsmen. In one regiment, whose colonel was desirous of forming a band, on inquiry being made it was found that there were 6ome sixty Salvation Army bandsmen in the camp; consequently (says a pamphlet issued from the National Headquarters) thirty-five were selected, and Salvationists form the Regimental Band.

The Tramways Committee of the City Council recommended to the council last night that a .sum of £300 bo included in the general estimates for the current year to enable Grafton Road (near Roseneath) to be put into suoh a state of repair as to allow of a motorbus service being run thereon. He recommendation was agreed to.

From Dublin (Ireland) the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) has received a very graceful expression of thanks for gifts to the poor of Ireland. The letter comes from Mrs. C. M. Duncan, of Upper Rathmines, Dublin, who writes: "Dear ■Friends,—l am sure you have already been thanked for the kind gifts of delicious butter, bacon, etc., which you so generously and graciously forwarded this' year, for the relief of our poor people; but as one who helped to distribute those giFts and heard so many grateful expressions'from the recinients you will please allow roe to add my warmest thanks and let you know what a help, all through the past sad winteT, your practical sympathy has "been to our poor Irish folk."

Pending the Library Committee's decision with respect to the policy to bo adopted in connection with the Newtown Museum, the City Council has decided that tlie institution shall be opened to the public oh Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.

Tho scene of the death of Colonel Doughty Wvllie—who was killed wliilo gallantly leading a charge in Gallipoli— has been named "Doughty Wvllie Hill."

It lias been decided by tho City Council to make provision oil the Brooklyn tram lino for an early-morning car to enable residents to catch tho first train in the morning, such provision to bo in the nature of an experiment extending over a period of ono month.

"What may becomo an important movo for the Lincoln district 'has already lie-en launched in tho proposal lo erect modern roller (lour mills at Lincoln, to be worked by Lake Coleridge power, with machinery of tho latest milling typo. "That the council be represented at tho conference_ to be held 111 Taumarunui on duly 17, in connection with ilie proposal to torn a national central highway from Auckland to Wellington, and also that Councillor Barber bo appointed the council's delegate, !l waf a motion passod at last night's meeting si tiw CotueiL

Tenders are to be called by the Oity Corporation tor alterations to the Thorn, doii tniuiu'ay ottcos. £ sum of about £300 is involved.

"One of the things that wo medioal men should be proud of," said Dr Orchard at a farewell gathering of the Uinstchurch Automobile Association, is the fact that at the present time there aro not enough medical men in the hospitals of New Zealand. It is a distinct credit to us that the hospital authorities are asking that no more medical men should go to the war In one sense this fact is to be deplored, nut irom the point of view of loyalty it reflects tho greatest of credit upon t-he medical men." Hie Oity Council last night voted a £100 grant to the Richmond Free Kin. dergarten to assist in the upkeep of the four schools conducted for tho young. "We cannot dissociate ourselves from the work connected with the train, jng of the young children," said the Mayor when referring to the matter. Some opposition was voiced to the pro, posfll, certain councillors considering that the Government should finance these kindergartens. A division was taken on the proposal, and it was cai* ried by 12 votes to 4.

At yesterday's sale of unclaimed goods left with the Harbour Board, a six-cylinder 90-horsc-power American racing automobile was sold by Mr. J. Dykes for £360. Tho machine is said to have been left in Wellington by au American millionaire, who, having toured New Zealand with it, became bored with the prospect/of having to ship it back to the States, and simply left it on tho wharf, careless of what became of it. It is stated that the car, which has both a touring and a racing body, originally cost £1700. Its dashboard was covered with tho metal emblems of motor touring clubs of nearly every couutry in tho world.

Some reference was made at the City Council last night to the fact that the Hospital levy on the council this year was £15.720, as against £13,027 last year. The Mayor said that he recognised the good work done by the Hospita! and Charitable Aid Foard, and if the new board approved of the estimates, he supposed they oould not help paying the increase. Councillors Fuller and M'Kenzie thought that this everkcreasing demand emphasised the fact that it was time the Hospital control of the Dominion was nationalised. Councillor Wright thought' the matter need-, ed serious consideration. He considered they should know exactly what was to be done with' the wrtra monev before they voted it away. Councillor Hutcheson said the whole question should be brought up at the annual conference of tho Municipal Associations. Councillor Luckie was of opinion that some drastic legislation was necessary to put th« hospitals under national control. Final* ly the levy was agreed to.

By Gazette notice postal correspondenco for Ernest Barry, Geneva, Switzerland, will not be forwarded by the Post Office, on the ground that it is suspected that Barry is engaged in promoting lotteries nnd such schemes of chance.

A compassionate allowance of £25 ia to be granted by the City Council to a tramway employee who lost an eye whilst carrying out his duties in connection with the Tramways Band, and ho is to be granted half-pay during the time he was incapacitated from work.

Up to May 20, according to our Petone correspondent, the Gear Company's employees had contributed £211 14s. Ud. to the Belgian Fund.

The City Council last night gave consent for the erection of tho Crown Theatre in Molesworth Street, subject to the conditions fixed by. the city engineer. \

"Sometimes the Wellington tTains do come in to time, and sometimes they do -not," said Councillor K. A. Wright at the City Council last night, when suggesting that tho tram conductors might be given some discretion to delay the departure of the trams for a minuto or two .when a train was about to come in at Lambton Station. The Mayor replied that there wero difficulties in the way, but he would lay the matter before the General Manager of the tramways.

I A recommendation of the Leasehold Committee to ' the City Council last night was that the lessea of a portion of the Market Hall Reserve (Royal Oak sito) be informed that the council had no power to accede to his various requests for a reduction in hie rental in consequence of the recent awards in the Lambtou Reclamation rentals, for an extension of the term of his lease, and for the purchase of the freehold. Councillor Barber thought the natter might go back for further consideration. Three leases were concerned, the main one being the Royal Oak Hotel site, and the total ground rent paid was £1385. He thought it was a high rent, and while he did not want it reduced, he thought the leases might be extended to mako them all 21 years. The main lease was for 14 years The clause was referred Major J. E. Duigan (New Zealand Staff- Corps) returned to Now Zealand this week for staff duty. Mji or Duipan passed through tlio Staff College at O.uetta with distinction', and subsequently joined the New Zealand rorces at Colombo, en route to Egypt, where he suffered a break-down in health, and was invalided to England.

Thomas Cook and Sous are arranging a select conducted tour from Australia to Java in the lloy.al Dutch Packet Company's steamer Houtman. This vessel is to leave Melbourne on July 9, and will proceed to Java via Sydnev, Brisbane, Port Moresby (New Guinea), Thursday Island, and, the Celebes Islauds, arriving at Sourabaya on August 2, and after visiting all the places of interest in Java will return by the same route, arriving back in Melbourne on September 6. The fare, including hotel accommodation, motor and carriage drives, etc., is £77 10s. from Sydney, and £S0 from Melbourne.