LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2475, 31 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that there will be no Sydney mail arriving via Auckland to-day, but that the Makura, which was due in Auckland early this morning, has 011 board 680 bags of European and American mails for the Dominion. The Wellington portion, comprising 255 bags, is due here by the Main Trunk train to-morrow morning. Tho Wcstralia, which is due to-night, from Sydney, brings an Australian mail and a small English mail.

The writ for the holding of the Taumarunui by-election was issued on Saturday. Polling day will be Tuesday, June 15, one week after tho election for the Bay of Islands seat.

The Defence Department has received a wireless message from Colonel M'Gavin, No. 1 Stationary Hospital, reporting "All well.'"

The Telegraph Office advise: —"Berne advises that telegrams or radio-tele-grams to Italy or its colonies must be written in plain language (Italian, French, or English), and bear the plain full address. The sender's name must appear as the signature. Code addresses and code signatures and _ telegrams without the text are not admitted. Paid service requests for information about telegrams not admitted, or claims for refund are considered. All messages are subject to censorship, and are accepted at the sender's risk."

The Mayor of Palmerston North. 6ays a Press Association telegram, made tho suggestion to the Patriotic Society that it slould recommend the Government to impose a shilling increase in firstclass railway fares as a means of increasing the war fund. The sooiety decided to forward tho recommendation to the Government.

At its meeting on Saturday evening, the Wellington Orphans Club decided to give a concert in the Town Hall oil June 16 in aid of the funds being raised for the wounded and dependents of the fallen. Colonel It. J. Collins, C.M.G., made a strong appeal to the members, and urged upon them to give practical proof of their appreciation of the great work being done by "our boys", at the front, and hoped the Orphans Club Would join heart and soul m the movement. The suggestion was received with hearty approval.

An ordination service was held at St. Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning, when two deacons —the Rev. F. S. Hansom (warden of Hikurangi College, Clareville) and the Rev. W. H. Walton (curate of St. Thomas's) —were admitted to .the priesthood. Tho Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) officiated, being assisted by Archdeacon Faucourt, the Rev. A. M. Johnson, and the Rev. H. Robjohns.- Mr. Johnson preached an appropriate sermon. In advising the candidates to set apart 3definite portion of their lime to study, Mr. Johnson said it was a great mistake to think that there was no need for further study after the final examination had been passed. He quoted a remark made by the Bishop of Carlisle, to tho effect that when a man was "plucked" by an examining chaplain he could sit again, but when a clergyman was "plucked" by his own congregation he was left without a foather to fly with.

There is still plenty of money to be subscribed for a good object. Ihis was realised at the Cafe Chantant on Saturday evening as the hour, approached midnight. Of course auction sales are prohibited on the Sabbath, and as a concert was to b« held last evening it became necessary to clear off the goods not otherwise disposed of, particularly perishable goods, such as fruit and vegetables. When the auctioneer (Mr. Nicoll) came to boxes of cabbages and ve°etable marrows, those who were there bought freely enough, but developed tho patriotic habit of returning them to be resold over and over again. The salesman stood this for a. while, but finding that time was gaining on him he at last adopted a system of filling the person who would not take delivery of his goods.. One man actually paid a fine of five shillings rather than take the box of vegetables, and others found themselves mulcted in fines of carving amounts because they would m-; sist on the goods being submitted for ale once more. Tho auctioneer was at length able to clear off the mods ten minutes before midnight tolled the death of the Cafe Chantant of 1915, and somewhere near their value was secured. J [ore than ordinarily bad lurk attended the soldiering career of the late Private George R. Patersijii, of Wellington, who was killed in action at the Dardanelles. He enlisted m the British section of the Now Zealand Force in London during the time he was ashore studying for his chief engineer's certificate, and put tho whole of the English winter in on the slushy plains of Salisbury. Tins ended in a' bad cold, which settled, in his oliost and sent liim to a hospital. He was still unfit rfhen the order reached the section to embark for Egypt, butho could not bear the thought of being separated from his comrades and manneed eventually to get away with them, being actually carried on board tho tf-oopship much to tho snrpriso and delight of Tlis camp mates. He had not lieon in Egypt very long boforo he fell a victim to fever, and having recovered from the fever, he was later seized with.an attack of colic, which again placed him under medical treatment. Finally he regained his health in time to proceed to the Dardanelles with his section, and there met with tho noblest of for his King and country. Mr. and Mrs. TS. W. Pat«rsmi, of Street, have received fcetff of letters and telsgrams condoliiis with thorn on the loss of their son.

Captain Goldingham has, says a Press Association telegram from Palmerston! North, placed at the disposal of thei ZJjiinawatu Patriotic Society, his cottage at Paekakariki, containing four tof six beds for convalescent soldiers. Ho will bear the cost of upkeep himself.

Councillor Geo. Frost will move at the next meeting of the City Council: 1 That Clause 5 of the Finance Committee's report, passed at the last meeting of the council, granting the free usa of the Town Hall on June 10 to the Wellington Boxing Association on the condition that no payment is made for services rendered, be rescinded, and that the application bo granted subject to the condition that not less than oO per cent, of the gross takings are available tor patriotic purposes."